Feel Like a Fighter Pilot: The F/A-18 Experience in Kyiv

Some experiences can't be retold — you have to live them. A control stick under your right hand, a throttle under your left, a military runway stretching out ahead. That's how a session in the F/A-18 Hornet simulator at Aviasim begins — and from that second on, everything depends on you. ✈️ Here's what it feels like from inside the cockpit — and why the photo you take afterwards tends to become a favorite.

Your first minutes in the cockpit

It all starts calmly. Your instructor runs a short briefing: how to hold the stick, how the throttle works, where to look, and what to do when the jet "won't listen". Then you climb into a cockpit built on the technology of real military training simulators: the controls sit in your hands exactly the way they do in a combat fighter.

You put on the VR headset — and the room disappears. Around you is the Hornet cockpit, ahead is the runway, above is open sky. A smooth push of the throttle, the takeoff roll, a gentle pull on the stick — and the ground falls away. From this moment you're not a spectator anymore. You're the pilot.

What you'll actually do up there

The scenario adapts to you, but a classic session looks like this:

• Aerobatics. Loops, rolls, steep turns — the horizon flips over while the motion platform translates every bank and maneuver. Rich, intense dynamics without real G-forces: plenty of thrill, zero discomfort.
• Low-level passes. River valleys, canyons, mountain ridges rushing past — that exact shot from every fighter-pilot movie, except now you're the one in the lead role.
• Carrier approach. The ultimate test of a naval aviator: a tiny deck in the middle of the ocean, a precisely flown glideslope, and a landing you'll be telling people about.

And the whole time, your instructor is right there — guiding you step by step and gradually handing over more freedom. By the end of the session you're flying maneuvers that seemed unthinkable at the start.

Weather, time of day and starting point — a military airfield or a carrier deck — are all up to you. Night takeoff in a thunderstorm? Easy.

Who chooses the fighter jet

F/A-18 guests usually fall into three groups:

1. Adrenaline seekers. People for whom karting and rope parks are no longer enough. The intensity here is on another level — and you're the one in control of it.
2. Gamers. If you've flown home flight sims with a joystick, a full cockpit with a real stick and throttle is the logical next step. Your muscle memory kicks in immediately — and the immersion is on a completely different scale.
3. The "impossible to shop for". When someone already has everything, a fighter jet flight is a guaranteed win. It works for men and women alike: a gift certificate takes a couple of minutes to arrange.

F/A-18 or Boeing 737: what's the difference

Aviasim runs three simulators — the F/A-18 Hornet, a Boeing 737 with a realistic cockpit, and a Cessna in VR. Most guests hesitate between the "combat" and the "airline" one, and the difference is simple:

• Boeing 737 is about procedures: checklists, radio calls, smooth turns, a precisely flown approach. A flight where calm and consistency rule.
• F/A-18 is about maneuvering: energetic aerobatics, split-second decisions, reaction speed. A flight where the thrill rules.

The perfect plan? Try both and feel the difference with your own hands. 😉

Tips for your first flight

• 🥗 Eat light. A heavy lunch before aerobatics is a bad idea. A light snack an hour or two before the session is just right.
• 👕 Dress comfortably. Loose clothes, nothing tight around the neck: in the cockpit you want to move, not endure.
• 🎧 Listen to your instructor. They're with you throughout the flight — they'll tell you when to pull the stick and when to simply enjoy the view.
• 🙌 Don't fear mistakes. It's a simulator: any messy approach can be flown again. Mistakes here are part of the fun.

How to try it

The F/A-18 Hornet simulator is waiting for you at Aviasim, Herzen Street 35, Kyiv. Sessions run by appointment only, so pick a convenient slot in advance: we're open Monday to Saturday, 10:00–22:00.

• 🛩️ More about the F/A-18 simulator
• 🎫 Book your flight
• 🎁 Give it as a gift

The sky doesn't have to stay a dream. Sometimes all it takes is booking a session.