“Just like flying a real jetliner!”
Budding pilots earned their toy wings with the Pan Am Dual Control Jet Cockpit.
Released in 1969 from New Jersey-based Remco, the 11-inch tall x 20-inch wide x 9.5-inch deep dashboard accommodated pilot and co-pilot. The flight team communicated with each other through dual intercom headphones that plugged into the base. Two D-batteries powered the multi-coloured control station.
Remco integrated a variety of flight simulation features into the Jet Cockpit. An on-off switch fired up the jet’s engines while a throttle “revved up” the plane’s engines from a low idle to full power. The toy’s dual flight controls worked in concert and a turn and bank indicator showed the jet’s position, just like in a real plane.
Additional controls included a manually operated compass, airspeed indicator, and altimeter that registered the current altitude of the jet. The cockpit was even equipped with an automatic pilot lever to lock the plane into the desired altitude.
An included Flight Manual contained flight instructions, a map of the world, flight log, and instrument reading how-tos.
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