For ahome flight simulator aficionados, the CXC Simulations Motion Pro II offers not only a realistic visual display and motion system for airplanes and helicopters but also a practical and fun racecar simulation. The Motion Pro II can be switched from car to aircraft mode in about two minutes. Prices start at about $55,000.
There are some limitations that make the Motion Pro II better for car simulation than mimicking aircraft, and the CXC products aren’t approved under any of the FAA training device standards. But for pilots who like to racecars and racecar drivers who like to fly, the Motion Pro II addresses both regimes with high fidelity and surprising realism.
The Motion Pro II comes equipped for full racecar simulation and thus has three pedals–for gas, brake and clutch–and a mount on which the steering wheel and some indicators sit. When you’re flying, the two outside pedals (gas and clutch) function as rudder pedals. Motion is driven in two axes–pitch and roll–via actuators attached to the seat, and there is vibration as well. The motion, said CXC founder Chris Considine, “is like a gentle suggestion. We try not to over-drive the motion.”
CXC uses X-Plane software for the flight simulation and also works with PilotEdge’s live ATC service to provide real-time air traffic control services to the sim flier.
CXC built a simulator for the Icon A5 amphibious light sport aircraft, using A5-specific controls. Icon has used the simulator for marketing and sales purposes, giving potential buyers a chance to try out the simulated A5 at airshows such as EAA AirVenture. While Icon is planning to use simulators in its A5 training program, the company has not yet selected a simulator vendor, according v-p of marketing Todd Andersen.
Considine sees an opportunity to develop flight simulation entertainment centers, where a bank of Motion Pro IIs would be set up for customers to battle each other in multi-player air combat simulations or race each other in Reno- or Red Bull-style pylon races. One instructor could control a bank of simulators for instrument training, for example. And the simulators could easily be switched to car mode for driving contests and training. “It’s about removing the barriers to entry and making it scalable,” he said. “You could have a four-airplane race through the Grand Canyon. But not in real life.”
Considine started Los Angeles-based CXC in 2006, to help his own racing career. “I needed a way of testing and training,” he explained. “The higher you go, the more expensive it is to practice.” Back then, it cost about $10,000 per day to practice on a track, and that allowed for only a couple of hours of track time. Considine thought that a simulator might help, but while software was improving, the hardware was lacking, so he started his own company to build a simulator. CXC added the flight portion about two years ago, in response to the request from Icon as well as racecar customers. “A lot of our clients are drivers and pilots,” Considine said. “There is a lot of crossover.”
The Motion Pro II is made from laser-cut steel, billet aluminum, carbon-fiber and titanium, according to CXC, and has racecar components such as the seat, steering wheel and switches.
Flying and Driving the Motion Pro II
I tried both the flight simulator (flying an F4 Phantom) and racecar mode and found both highly satisfying. The flight mode is somewhat familiar as I use X-Plane on my computer, but the three big 55-inch monitors provided a much more realistic visual display, and the motion helped make the simulator feel more like a real airplane. The steering wheel mount (the wheel was removed for flight) did get in the way of the visual display, but it wasn’t too distracting, and I was easily able to see all the instruments and the outside view.
Where the Motion Pro II really shines is in racecar mode. I’m not a high-performance car driver, but the CXC device sure seemed realistic, unlike any computer-based driving simulator I’ve ever tried. Considine explained that the motion immerses the user far more in the experience and creates an emotional response, for example, when driving in a challenging situation. When I’m nervous,” he said, “my adrenaline is going.”
I tried to push the Motion Pro II race car (in my case a Porsche 911 GT3R on the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca) to its limits, but probably only scratched the surface of what it can do, but still I felt like I was getting a stressful workout. “That’s a violent car in real life,” Considine pointed out.
