Elevate Your Flight Sim Experience with FlyShirley.com
Interact with flight sims like never before with Shirley, your AI Copilot
Whether you are a long-time virtual pilot or just a casual simmer, Shirley can help you elevate their virtual flying experience to new heights. This innovative tool brings a new dimension to flight simulation, making it more engaging, educational, and enjoyable for any sim user.
FlyShirley.com was founded by two pilots who wanted to create an AI copilot to help pilots fly safer.
As our founder, Alex List, explained at our debut at FSExpo24, that’s no easy feat, which is why we started with flight simulators.
Flight sims are an amazing way to experience the thrill of flying from the comfort of home, and they are shockingly realistic. More importantly, the flight sim community is extremely passionate, knowledgable, and skeptical. That’s exactly what we want:
Ask questions.
Test Shirley.
How can you stump Shirley?
Can you stump Shirley!?
(feel free take that as a challenge…)
User Experience
Still, we know that if you’ve never interacted with an AI agent like Shirley, it can be daunting. What do you say? How can you use it? Where do you even start?
So we are here to help. FlyShirley's AI copilot is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. You interact with Shirley through voice commands, creating a natural, hands-free experience that doesn't detract from the act of flying. Currently, you can connect Shirley with X-Plane 12.1, allowing Shirley to see real-time flight data and provide contextually relevant assistance. And, yes, similar connection ability will be available soon with Microsoft Flight Simulator.
As one user noted, "It's like having a knowledgeable friend in the cockpit with you, ready to answer any question about your airplane or the flight." This sentiment encapsulates the value Shirley brings to casual flight simulation – a blend of companionship, information, and enhanced realism.
Key Features for Casual Simmers
FlyShirley offers significant benefits to casual simmers. Here are a few key features and capabilities:
Interactive Cockpit Companion
Shirley serves as an always-available copilot, ready to engage in conversation about the flight, aircraft, or surroundings. This interactive element adds a new layer of immersion to the simulation experience, making solo flights feel more dynamic and realistic (not to mention less lonely).
“Hey Shirley, where should we fly today?”
On-Demand Information
You can ask Shirley about various aspects of their flight, from aircraft specifications to geographic details of the areas they're flying over. Trust me when I say that this instant access to information is something real-world pilots would love! Imagine the POH on demand… no more ctrl+f or flipping pages to find that pesky limit.
Oh yeah…You can even ask about favorite restaurants near your favorite airport. We’ve tried, it works!
“Hey Shirley, what’s best glide in this Piper Cub?”
Enhanced Realism
What’s the point of that sweet simulator cockpit that feels like the real thing if you don’t operate like you’re flying the real thing? For those who enjoy flying like a real pilot, Shirley can help with checklist procedures just like a real FO, simulate various scenarios including emergency situations, and help you work through challenges like weather or malfunctions. All airline pilots fly with a copilot, now you can too!
“Let’s run the before starting engine checklist.”
Real-World Weather Information
Understanding and reacting to weather conditions is a crucial part of flying. Shirley can pull real-time, real-world METAR data for any given airport and can help you make informed decisions during your virtual flights. No more made up ATIS.
“What’s the weather at KJFK?”
Navigation
Shirley can help you navigate and maintain (or regain) situational awareness, especially when connect to XPlane 12.1. Even when you’re not connected, tell Shirely where you are and where you’d like to go, and Shirley will help you get there! Great if you’re trying to explore without having to pull up that MFD or if you find yourself a little turned around.
“Hey Shirley, what’s the closest airfield to my current position”
Aircraft Familiarization
So. Many. Buttons. When exploring new aircraft in the simulator, Shirley can provide valuable information about systems, cockpit layouts, and performance characteristics. This feature allows you to confidently expand your virtual hangar and try new flying experiences.
“What’s this red knob on the center console and what does it do?”
Gradual Skill Improvement
So maybe you’re not training for a real check ride. We get that. It’s expensive (though FlyShirley.com is making it cheaper…). Still, casual users can benefit from Shirley's knowledge. Through natural conversation and assistance during flights, you can gradually improve their understanding of aviation concepts and procedures in these super-realistic virtual environments.
“Can you help me practice my crosswind landing?”
Customized Challenges
Flying A to B can get a little dull. That’s why FlyShirley.com now offers a Challenges feature, where you can create, share, and attempt unique flight scenarios. This community-driven content keeps the simulation experience fresh and engaging, providing new goals and experiences for casual flyers.
Getting Started
Head over to FlyShirley.com and sign up for your free trial period. We know that after a few minutes of experiencing the benefits of an AI copilot firsthand with Shirley, you’ll love it. We did.
After the trial period, FlyShirley.com is available for just $10 a month! You’ll get access to everything Shirley has to offer for the casual simmer and the latest updates to its capabilities. We’re constantly working on new features!
FlyShirley.com represents a significant advancement in flight simulation technology. By providing an interactive, knowledgeable companion for virtual flights, it enhances the experience for casual users, making each flight more engaging and informative. Whether you're a long-time flight sim enthusiast or just starting your virtual flying journey, Shirley offers a unique way to enrich your experience.
To stay updated on the latest features offered from FlyShirley.com, be sure to subscribe to this Substack and join our Discord.
Safe Flying!