AN aspiring pilot has spent a year and £2,000 on an amazing recreation of a Boeing 737 cockpit in his man cave at home.
Phillip Evans had always dream of a career in aviation and after retiring from his job as a mortuary technician decided to do the next best thing.
The 58-year-old created a wooden frame to which he attached all the buttons, knobs, levers, dials and screens that would be found in the real jet.
This was hooked up to sophisticated flight simulation software which allows Phillip, from Manchester, to recreate real time journeys.
His wife, Yvette, expected the man cave – made available “when the kids moved out” – to be filled with nothing more unusual than a TV, bar, and chairs for his pals.
Instead, Phillip disappears into the room for lengthy stretches, sometimes piloting his virtual aircraft for four hours at a time.
Posting the images to social media, Yvette wrote: “He built from scratch, his very own aircraft cockpit, his dream was to be a pilot.
“I am so proud of him, what do you think? Still a work in progress.”
Yvette’s post was met with amazement online.
One user wrote: “Dreams do come true, fantastic.”
Another added: “Aw bless him that’s class, well done.”
And one woman wrote: “Wow. Absolutely amazing.”
Speaking today, Phillip said: “The parts are expensive, I have to save up then buy them and then save up again.
“I taught myself how to do it using videos online and there’s also a manual.
“But everything is exactly the same as a 737, if I don’t do the sequences correctly, I can’t start the plane, I can even crash.”
He added: “If I want to fly somewhere I have to plan a route and clear it with air traffic control.
“It’s still a work in progress, but my wife doesn’t mind. It’s keeping my mind active, it’s a lot to think about. It keeps me going.”
Yvette added: “He spends as much time as he can to be honest! The flights are in real time, so if he flies to London it’s an hour, if he flies to Greece it would be four.
“All I ask is that he brings me some duty frees back – it never happens!”
