One of the most popular exhibits at the Dubai Air Show are flight simulators. Several companies have theirs on display, and at every one that AME Info visited, there were a number of people standing in the queue waiting to take a turn.

Boeing had one of the largest simulators on display. We talked to one of their engineers who develops the product, and he said each one is customized for the client depending on the aircraft that the pilots will be flying. He said it can take up to two years to design the specialized software, and much of the equipment, such as the stick, is the real deal, not a fake imitation.

Judging by how popular the simulator was, we asked if the company gets any requests from individuals who want to buy one for their family rooms. The answer was, yes, they do get requests from time to time, but Boeing does not sell them to individuals, partly for legal reasons.

The price tag would probably deter most, but certainly not all, big spenders in the Middle East. The one pictured here would cost around $6m. Some models, which have screens shaped like overhead domes that would you see at a planetarium, can sell for as high as $30m. Which would make one very expensive Eid toy.

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