Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum

I wanted a little quality time with my son so I asked him if he wanted to check out the aircraft at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.  He was game, but was even more excited when I told him it was located on an island and we’d have to drive across a bridge to get there.  Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the museum and took our time reading about the different Japanese planes.  I thought the exhibit and its story of one of the Japanese Zeros that crash landed on the island of Niihau was especially interesting.  

We had complimentary passes to the museum, but purchased a ticket for the flight simulator.  Initially I thought it was like an amusement park ride, but I learned it was actually a state-of-the-art 360-degree flight simulator that you, the pilot, has total control over.  My son was a little apprehensive and told the simulator operator that he didn’t want to flip upside down.  The operator was great at giving my son all the instructions he needed to have a fun, but cautious ride.   

After the simulator, we headed to the Raytheon Pavilion for the Above and Beyond exhibit presented by Boeing.  This interactive exhibit was my favorite and the highlight was designing and flying our own fighter jets.  Although I finished last in the race, we both had a very fun afternoon together.  Mission accomplished.          

PearlHarborAviationMuseum.org  

Inside Hangar 37.

You must be at least 48 inches to ride solo.

There are two screens outside so that you can see inside the simulator and also see what the pilots are seeing. 

Designing the jet looked so fun I had to do one myself. 

But flying the jet was definitely harder than it looked!

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Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum's New Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum recently introduced the Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators.

I recently attended an event where I got to experience the 360-degree, two-passenger flight simulator, and it was so much fun!

Visitors can choose from two simulated experiences - Thunder in the Pacific, where you take control and try to overcome your enemies, or Quantum Star Fighter, an outer space adventure in which the simulator is controlled via computer.

I tried out Thunder in the Pacific with my son, and we were quite steady during the five-minute challenge, as my son had control over the simulator a majority of the time. However, once I took control, we'd often move abruptly to one side or the other - it was a lot harder than I thought to maneuver!

We were unsuccessful in shooting down the enemy, but it sure was a fun experience.

It's even a lot of fun to watch other riders, especially as they scream while flipping over (you can watch them on an external screen; click here to watch a video).

Pricing for the Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulator is $10.50 per person on a two-seater, or $21.00 per person to guarantee an exclusive solo flight.

Tickets are only available at the front desk, and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only 150 tickets are available per day.

I love that the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum added the new Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators.  The Museum already has so much to share both aviation and history buffs, and the addition of this new experience is a welcome element to the overall visit.  

For more information on the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, click here.



Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
319 Lexington Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96818

Additional information from the website: All guests must observe and follow all rules and regulations. The ride does go upside down. Guests should not ride if they have a health condition that will expose them to risk in high-movement environment. Visitors must be 48 inches tall to fly solo or 42 inches tall to ride with an adult. Maximum height allowed is six feet tall and the weight limit for the Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulator is 500 pounds. Single riders may not exceed 250 pounds.

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