Tulsa Air And Space Museum Debuts New F-16 Interactive Simulator

A new interactive exhibit at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum is putting visitors in the cockpit.

It was designed by senior electrical engineering students at the University of Tulsa.

"We have this F-16 simulator, which was originally an old static cockpit, you just got in it and used your imagination and they were able to take it over, design a computer program for it, modify it physically with their construction skills, and put together something that the whole museum can use now," said Tulsa Air and Space Museum curator Alex London.

The technology takes visitors to new heights.

"There are some different targets on the screen, so you are going to have to fly the plane and use your lasers at some of these different targets. Now, different targets get you different scores, so there is some strategy involved," said London.

CymSTAR, a Broken Arrow company that makes aviation simulators, supports the project. The TU School of Electrical Engineering students had just one semester to complete it.

"We are doing time management, project management, manufacturing, everything from doing what hardware and manufacturing engineers do to programming the game," said senior Alec Izett.

Their goal is to influence the next generation of engineers.

"Really our main objective here is to just get them in the seat," said Izett. "Let them have some fun, get them excited about space, and about aerospace."

Targeting kids of all ages. London said, "To put their hand on a joystick and fly an aircraft, to hear the sounds of it, it makes those exhibits come to life and when those things come to life, it is really a center point of inspiration to pursue a STEM career."

A win-win for the university and the museum.

"It really kind of goes to what we are trying to do here at the museum and that is becoming a come and do museum, rather than a come and see museum," said London.

To learn more about the Tulsa Air and Space Museum visit