Activities
Experience the Best of Houston!
New in 2023, we are organizing several activities happening before, during, and after FlightSimExpo 2023 so you can make the most of the event! Details on our many free and paid activities are below.
Activities at a Glance:
Friday, June 23
Off-Site Excursions
- IAH Airport Airside Tour
- Houston Approach (I90) Tour
- Houston Center (ZHU) Tour
- Space Center Houston Visit
Saturday, June 24
Museum Add-ons
- FSExpo and Museum Tours
- Museum Warbird Rides
- Cockpit Building Workshops
- Redbird Proficiency Center
- Flight Planning Experience
- Night Out at Top Golf
Sunday, June 25
Museum Add-ons
- FSExpo and Museum Tours
- Museum Warbird Rides
- Cockpit Building Workshops
- Redbird Proficiency Center
- Flight Planning Experience
Monday, June 26
Off-Site Excursions
- IAH Airport Airside Tour
- Houston Approach (I90) Tour
- Houston Center (ZHU) Tour
- HOU Control Tower Tour
- IAH Control Tower Tour
Off-Site Activities
FAA Facility and Airport Tours
Go Behind the Scenes
We've organized small-group tours of nearby air traffic control facilities so you can see first-hand how controllers work the scopes! Plus, an airside tour of IAH Airport is available, where visitors will be driven around the airport taxiways for planespotting and a behind-the-scenes view of airport operations.
Several Tours are Happening Throughout the Weekend:
- Airside Tour of IAH Airport - Friday at 9:30am, Monday at 10:30am
- Houston Approach (I90) - Friday and Monday at 10am
- Houston Center (ZHU) - Friday and Monday at 10am
- HOU Control Tower - Monday at 11am
- IAH Control Tower - Monday at 11am
Advance Registration Required
Activity Registration
Please Note
These facilities are security-sensitive areas that are subject to operational availability. For reasons beyond our control, these tours may be cancelled at any time, including on the day of. Additionally, the air traffic facility tours are only available to US citizens (the IAH Airside Tour is available to all attendees).
Space Center Houston
The Top Attraction for Space Exploration
Space Center Houston is Houston’s #1 attraction for international visitors and a leading science and space exploration learning center. Go on site at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and get a behind-the-scenes look at human space exploration. A tram tour of Rocket Park is included with admission, while tours of the astronaut training facility and the Apollo-era mission control center can be booked separately.
Two Options are Available:
- A group visit 9:30am-1pm on Friday that includes transportation ($60)
- Visit on your own at any time using our discounted ticket rate ($25)
Advance Registration Required
Activity Registration
Night Out at Top Golf
Socialize on Saturday Evening
Join a group of fellow FlightSimExpo attendees for an evening of fun at Top Golf, beginning at 6:30pm! Registration includes transportation, 2 hours of game play, food, and an open bar.
Price: $160 per person
Note this activity is subject to a minimum of 15 participants.
Advance Registration Required
Activity Registration
On-Site at Lone Star Flight Museum
Vintage Aircraft Rides
Take a ride in a warbird!
The Lone Star Flight Museum offers rides in their fleet of vintage aircraft, including a WWII era B-25 Mitchell bomber, a North American T-6 Texan, and a PT-17 Stearman.
Advance reservations are required for aircraft rides and bookings are managed directly through the museum. Visit the museum's website for details, pricing, and to reserve a flight.
Lone Star Flight Museum Tour
A Guided Museum Experience
Volunteers from the Lone Star Flight Museum provide our attendees with a guided tour of the facility, including stops at the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, Warbird Ready Room, and more.
Several tour times are available:
- Saturday, June 24 at 1pm and 3pm
- Sunday, June 25 at 11am
The tour is available free to all attendees and no advance registration is required. To participate, meet at the registration desk in the museum lobby at the tour's departure time.
FSExpo Show Floor Tour
A Getting-Started Tour for Beginners
Are you new to flight simulation? Join one of our volunteers on a guided tour through our exhibit hall, focusing on the best places for newcomers to experience our hobby. Plus, ask questions and share experiences with others who are new to flight simulation.
The tour is available free to all attendees and no advance registration is required. To participate, meet at the registration desk in the museum lobby at 12pm on Saturday, June 24.
Cockpit Building Workshops
Build your own hardware, and take it home!
MobiFlight and Captain Bob Flight Simulation invite you to build your own home cockpit components—at the show. Registration includes all required hardware and a one-hour guided build session. At the end, plug the component you’ve made into our test simulator, then take it home with you!
Workshops are available for different experience levels:
- Basic: lights, switches, and encoder box ($55)
- Intermediate: Cessna 172 flap switch ($55)
- Advanced: LCD multi-function display ($75)
Advance Registration Required
Activity RegistrationAdditionally, Mark Ellis from Stick and Rudder Studios is hosting a technical seminar on integrating X-KeyPad with Elgato Stream Decks and X-Touch Mini’s using X-Plane. The seminar takes place Saturday at 3:30pm.
Pilot Proficiency Center
Sponsored by Redbird Flight
On Saturday and Sunday at the Lone Star Flight Museum, sit down with a CFII and tune up your instrument flying. Redbird Flight is offering one-on-one sessions in their full-motion MX2 flight simulator, an FAA-approved aviation training device, to help attendees earn loggable flight time towards IFR currency. Even if you're not a real-world pilot, sign up to experience what it's like going through IFR training!
Advance Registration Required
Activity Registration
Flight Planning Experience
Get Hands on with a Real Aircraft
Designed for student or aspiring pilots, this 45-minute session takes flight simmers through a ‘real-world’ pre-flight. From flight planning and weather to an actual aircraft walkaround, volunteers from the Lone Star Flight Museum’s Education Department walk through planning for a safe General Aviation flight—in an aircraft or the simulator!
Advance Registration Required
Activity Registration