Has anyone expanded home building to commercial use?

[mikesblack]

Hi, I was considering starting a training sim for pilots, either airline, private or corporate . Has anyone expanded his or her hobby this way?

[blueskydriver]

Hi Mike,

There are a good handful of people who have done it. Normally, not much different from a private owner build; although, you have to consider the following:

1. Commercial versions of the software in use or at least the commercial licenses.
2. Location, location, location- your sim must be in an area that customers can get to and into easily, as well as have a waiting area, toilet(s) and at least two exits for fire safety.
3. You'll likely need approval from your city/town/township; especially, when strange folks start parking near your home. Unless, you have a preselected commercial property/building with parking already, but then you'll still need license(s), a fire safety inspection, an electrical codes inspection by a certified electrical inspector (because of all the power you'll be using), and of course you'll need the plumber to certify the toilet. Then there is the heating and cooling aspects, so that requires more specialist and inspectors.
4. You'll need advertising, a web page and an active phone number (meaning someone to answer the phone if you're in the sim providing training...voicemail is not a good thing in a sim business). All of this requires time or money, if you cannot do it yourself.
5. Insurance! I say this with exclamation because it is the most important. Nowadays, every is sue happy, so you need insurance even for the smallest things. "...what's that, he stubbed his toe walking in the cockpit door? So, this is the lawyer for who again...?". My little example is not a joke, people see dollar signs in the smallest of things, so get a lot of insurance coverage and a lawyer on retainer.

I listed 5, but there are surely many others. You should email some of the companies who have done it already. Most might be non-receptive at first, but explain to them you're just researching the idea, and then they might help you out.

Best Regards,

John

[mikesblack]

Yes, yes , good points. Seems too FAA certification is the major obstacle. Entertainment simming might be the best way to consider this viable. As it is now my 767 sim, despite how authentic is in my house, and so a commercial local would be inevitable. Then it comes down to an analysis of potential expenses outweighed by income.

Mostly, the game might change and this hobby might become less enchanting. This is perhaps my major concern.

I would love to know if there have been others that have done this and would love that feedback.

[Nat Crea]

Personally, I've resisted and resisted, despite seeing sub-standard Sims popping up around me.
One thing is for sure, going commercial is the best way to kill your hobby enthusiasm...

Nat

[HarryZ]

Think long and hard before you take this step!

The cost of going commercial vs what your income potential may be is a major factor.  Maintaining this kind of operation is a lot of work and you'll need other employees to assist which also adds to the cost.

Good idea to get a market analysis from the experts to determine if your plan is even viable.

And like Nat says, going commercial will change your outlook to simming in a big way.

[Andrew 737]

One thing is for sure, going commercial is the best way to kill your hobby enthusiasm...

Nat

Hey Nat

I recon you are most probably correct, but honestly, do you still love your hobby?

I suppose too much of any good thing...

[Nat Crea]

I recon you are most probably correct, but honestly, do you still love your hobby?

I still love it...but instead of flying when I have a spare hour, I tend to be quoting, working on or testing visuals instead of having FUN!!!

Nat

[Andrew 737]

I still love it...but instead of flying when I have a spare hour, I tend to be quoting, working on or testing visuals instead of having FUN!!!

Nat

There are not enough hours in the day!

[XOrionFE]

I was going to give it a go at one point but dont think there is really any market for it.   A lot of the commercial sims I have seen pop up cant seem to fill up their online calendars even a day in advance....

Scott

[rs3tier]

I have been looking at plans to go this way, but not as a mainstream business.  I have inner city offices for my main business which could house the simulator, and in this way I think it "might work".  Due to the existing (prepaid) office space etc., I would have very low on costs and only need to sell a handful of hours each week to make it viable.  The requirement to only sell a relatively small number of hours hopefully means my hobby/passion won't go out the window as a result.

I ran some numbers on what it might look like as a full-time standalone business, and it didn't look very encouraging.  Good luck to those that are making a quid out of that I say! 

On a somewhat side note, and following Nat's comment, I have visited a number of commercial FSX style sims lately and been invariably disappointed.  Often systems and functions did not seem to be working properly, and scenery was "bloody awful".  I flew out of Brisbane airport in one of them, and really couldn't recognise the place - it was as if there was a runway in the middle of the country!  So I do think that in many ways coming at it from a hobbyist perspective might mean at least the quality of product is a bit better.

And on the bright side, if it were not to work at all I can just take the sim back home, and explain to my lovely wife the reason we have a full size sim in the garage is because the "business" didn't work out

Rob

[Sean]

My thoughts on this are to aim for the 'red letter day' market and sell gift vouchers at a realistic price that someone's willing to pay for a gift, definitely sub £100 GBP. There's a mass market for that type of thing, everyone has a birthday! And flying an 'airliner' is an unusual gift.

The downside is that the sim would take one heck of abuse!