http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/06/20/2278959_p2/azle-man-hopes-to-sell-flight.html"I've been trying to raise awareness for most of my two-decade career that it doesn't take $6 million in technology and equipment to train a pilot," said Paul Miller, citing what he says is the approximate cost the Air Force pays to buy a basic F-16 simulator from a major defense contractor.
For $1 million, and maybe a lot less, Miller says, the military should be able to get simulators made from commercially available, off-the-shelf technology -- computers, software, cockpit instruments and the like.
At that price, he says, the military could buy a lot more simulators, provide more pilot training time and save money for personnel, fuel and other uses. He thinks they could be portable and simple to set up, maintain and operate. Software could be instantly upgraded.
"You can build an entire F-16 [simulator] off the Internet," Miller said.
For now, Miller is marketing his simulator as entertainment through his company, FS Rentals. Starting at $500 for eight hours, Miller will bring the simulator to a house or other location and operate it for an event. More money buys more time for more people. He said he did a high school graduation party in Weatherford last week, his second event, and has four more events booked.
The income will help Miller and his wife, Lynn, make ends meet in the here and now. But the goal is to generate cash to upgrade the simulator with new components and bring it up to the standards of the Air Force's latest F-16 version, the Block 50/52.
He hopes to have a realistic product he can pitch to the military, the Defense Department and politicians to show what can be done affordably.
"If one pilot's life is saved, if $25 million, $50 million, $100 million of government money is saved, then I've accomplished my mission," Miller said.
So he's taking his F-16 simulator to garages and offices and exhibit halls, generating some income and hoping that someone -- a congressman, a military pilot or even an influential veteran -- will see it, listen to his story and help carry his message about saving the taxpayers millions of dollars.
"I believe," said Miller, "if I build it they will come."
