[Riley]

Is the simulator open to civilians, or is it strictly a military training aid? I'd love to get on that thing...

[Lee'sGhost]

Not really open to civilians. I was a journalist at the time (but don't hold that against me) and they were showing off their new toy. It was awesome. Every "window" was a video screen and the fuselage was on hydraulics. They added rotor vibration and sound affects. You couldn't tell it wasn't the real thing. That's why our pilots at almost every level are so good. They can get hours and hours of life-like training without ever spending a dime on fuel, maintenance, or even the craft itself.