B2 Bomber Flight Simulator Access
B-2 Bomber Flight Simulator — Detailed Report
How to Fly the B-2: A Sim Pilot’s Guide
Transitioning from an F-16 or an Airbus to the B-2 requires unlearning everything you know. Here is the checklist for a successful virtual mission.
Step 1: The Pre-Flight (The Alignment) Unlike a fighter, the B-2 uses a celestial navigation system (SNR) as a backup to GPS. In high-fidelity sims, you must align the inertial navigation system (INS)—which can take 8 to 10 minutes of real time. You cannot just press “Start.”
Step 2: Takeoff (The Rotation) The B-2 rotates at approximately 150 knots, but because the cockpit is far forward of the main landing gear, you have to pull back on the stick gently. Yank too hard, and you will scrape the tail (a $70 million repair bill in real life). Keep the nose wheel off the centerline; crosswind handling is notoriously difficult due to the lack of a vertical stabilizer. b2 bomber flight simulator
Step 3: Climb and Cruise (The Stealth Mode) Cruising at 50,000 feet is lonely. To maintain stealth:
- Radar Altimeter: Keep it off unless necessary (emits signals).
- Data Link: In a combat sim, turn off your transponder. The B-2 is a "low observable," not an "invisible" aircraft. You are looking for an emissions "buddy" lase or purely passive GPS guided JDAMs.
Step 4: The Deed (Weapons Delivery) The B-2 carries 40,000 lbs of ordnance. In a b2 bomber flight simulator, this usually means programming the SMS (Stores Management System) for GBU-31 JDAMs. You fly to a "Release Point" (RP), open the bay doors (which increases your radar cross-section drastically for 10 seconds), and pickle. The sim should show the bombs "tossing" slightly upward before gliding to the target 15 miles away. B-2 Bomber Flight Simulator — Detailed Report How
Step 5: The Exfiltration Once the bombs are away, you must close the bay doors immediately and change heading. Real B-2 pilots follow a "randomized egress" path. Do not fly straight back to base; that is how simulated SAMs kill you.
Verdict:
It’s a “lite” systems simulation. If you want to learn B-2 procedures – forget it. If you want to pretend to fly a stealth bomber visually – acceptable. Radar Altimeter: Keep it off unless necessary (emits
3. The Payload
While the B-2 is famous for nuclear capability (the B61-11), conventional simulators focus on the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) and the GBU-37 bunker buster. In a mission scenario, you must learn to ripple-drop 80 smart bombs onto separate coordinates. Managing the target queue on the mission computer is the core challenge—not just flying the plane.