Air Combat Entertainment Simulations (ACES) is a business based in St.Louis Park, Minnesota offering jet fighter simulator cockpits that duplicate Air Force and Navy flight training systems. ACES uses cockpits along with software like Hornet 3 and video projection systems to replicate the experience for novice pilots.

Heres the story as told by Michael Pohl, the founder....

Little did I know when I bought the original Falcon in 1988 that it would lead to starting my own air combat flight sim business. Since the day a friend brought a model of a B25 bomber to my third grade class in 1968 I've been nuts about military aviation. And since that original Falcon purchase, I have bought or played most military flight sims published.

Anyway, I read about Fightertown, USA in a computer magazine. I thought, "Wow, what a cool place! Maybe they will open a store here." Then about three years ago while on a business trip I discovered Air Combat School in Dallas. I made an appointment that afternoon. It was smaller than Fightertown and they were located in a strip mall with three simulators: an F8, A4 and F 111, using REAL cockpits.

I suited up and went through a briefing. There was a sense of drama, and I was assigned the F8 Crusader. The cokcpits were full of real buttons, real lights and smells. The simulation started but my control inputs had no effect. It was nothing like Falcon 3. It was more like taping a laser light onto a Lazy Boy recliner and pointed the red dot at jets flying around on a TV screen. But it came off better than it sounds, and I started thinking....

I did some research, went down to Wright Patterson AFB and toured their simulation lab. I went to Fightertown, USA three times. I toured a couple of F16 squadrons. I flew their simulators (see our F16 Military Simulator and F18 Military Simulator for more) as profiled in Combat Simulations webzine. I read books on starting a business, and I was totally consumed.

Gradually a plan emerged. We looked at overhead and hardware needs, and I knew it could be done. We've been open 18 months and made a profit our first year!

Michael has done it right. The store itself breathes atmosphere. When you enter you see photos of military aircraft and squadron markings on the wall. The floor is littered with flight gear and military surplus articles.

When you are ready to go you don a flight suit, parachute and helmet and enter the briefing, where a 17 minute video tape instructs you how do use the controls properly to take off, fly, and land an F18.

Next you advance to one of two simulators--including one that moves around as you manipulate the controls. Recently a 73 year old former pilot with thousands of hours flying used the simulator at ACES and left pumped because he was flying again! ACES also has two of their simulators connected so that players can fly together or dogfight with one another.

The cost is $29.95 for one of flight training video briefing, personal flight instruction and thirty minutes in the cockpit. There is also a frequent fighter program. After paying for three times the fourth time is free.

To date ACES has produced seven simulators. Four are motion based and three are fixed base with large screen projectors. Michael is interested in helping others with similar ventures by offering a "turn-key" start up program similar to a franchise. If you've dreamed of starting a project like this, contact Michael Pohl

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Last Updated December 10th, 1997