Flight Experience Nivelles: F-14 Top Gun, F-16, F-18 & Airbus A320 Simulators near Brussels

Flight Simulator Brussels — F-16, F-18, F-14 Top Gun & Airbus A320 at Flight Experience, Nivelles

Flight Experience Nivelles is Belgium’s most extraordinary aviation experience venue — and one of the most remarkable simulator centres in Europe. Located at Rue de la Recherche 15 in Nivelles, just 20 minutes from Brussels via the E19, the centre operates four simulator types: a real-size, moving dual seat F-14 Tomcat, two F-16 Fighting Falcon simulators, a new F/A-18 Hornet, and a full Airbus A320 cockpit. Every single session — whether on a fighter jet or an airliner — is guided by a real professional pilot. For the fighter jet experiences, those pilots are real ex-Belgian Air Component F-16 pilots, several of them decorated military aviators with thousands of hours in the actual aircraft. This is not merely a marketing claim — it is what distinguishes Flight Experience from every other simulator venue in Belgium.

On 2 December, His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium visited the centre. He was welcomed by “Pépé” — a fellow graduate of the Royal Military Academy and one of the King’s own F-16 instructors during his military career. That endorsement speaks for itself.

F-14 Tomcat — Top Gun Experience (€299 / 1h30)

The premium experience at Flight Experience Nivelles is the Top Gun Experience — a two-seat flight in the F-14 Tomcat moving seats cockpit alongside a real ex-fighter pilot. The F-14 is the aircraft of Maverick, Iceman, and Goose, and at Nivelles, “Pépé” — the same pilot who trained King Philippe — is your co-pilot. Suit up, take the twin-seat cockpit, and fly a complete Top Gun mission: takeoff, supersonic pass, formation flying, aerobatics, close air combat, and carrier deck operations. Every manoeuvre is yours to command. Want to try a loop, a roll, or something more extreme? Your pilot is right there with you. Available in a Night Experience variant with Night Vision Goggles (NVG) for total darkness operations — the same experience at maximum intensity.

F-16 Fighting Falcon — Three Experiences (from €149)

The F-16 defended Belgian skies for over forty years and is the aircraft that shaped a generation of Belgian Air Component pilots. Flight Experience operates two F-16 MLU (Mid-Life Update) simulators and offers three distinct F-16 experiences:

The F-16 Experience (€149, 1 hour) is a solo flight at your own pace — aerobatics, interception, low-level flying, and landing. After a tailored briefing, you take the controls and push the aircraft to its limits.

The Viper Experience (€349, 2 hours) is a full tactical combat mission in the F-16, led by a real ex-Belgian Air Component pilot. An interception phase, an air combat engagement against a hostile patrol, and real-time coaching on the manoeuvres to fly. Operationally credible and intense — the real job of a fighter pilot.

The Dogfight Experience (€349, 2 hours) is one-on-one BFM — Basic Fighter Maneuvers — against a real ex-fighter pilot. One objective: win the fight. Your instructor briefs you on the same close air combat techniques taught to military pilots worldwide, then engages you in multiple offensive and neutral passes. Demanding. Addictive.

The F-16 DUO (€249) and Dogfight DUO (€449) packages extend these experiences to two participants — two aircraft, two pilots, one shared sky. If you shoot down your fighter pilot in a neutral 2v1, they buy you a drink at the bar.

F/A-18 Hornet — New (€149, 1 hour)

The newest addition to the Flight Experience fleet — the F/A-18 Hornet, the aircraft at the heart of Top Gun Maverick. Carrier catapult launch, aerobatics, interception, low-level flying, and arrested carrier landing. Every exercise mirrors what a real naval aviator trains for. Available solo or combined with an F-16 experience for a second or third person.

Airbus A320 — Airline Pilot Experiences (from €199)

The Airbus Experience (€199, 1h20) seats up to 3 people in the full A320 cockpit, guided by an experienced airline pilot through engine start, taxiing, takeoff, navigation, approach, and landing. Open to all ages from 7 years, no experience required.

The Flight Experience package (€339, 2h40) is the complete airline crew experience — cold and dark start, full procedures, simulated failures with emergency checklist handling, instrument approaches, and engine shutdown. Up to 5 people in the cockpit. The deepest public Airbus A320 experience in Belgium.

Birthday packages for children and teens aged 7–18 are available on the A320, with spaces for 3 (€199) or 10 (€449) young pilots. Every child gets to fly.

The Team

The instructors at Flight Experience include ex-fighter pilots Corentin, Eric and Pépé from the Belgian Air Component, alongside experienced airline pilots and simulator instructors Franco, Jean, Marc and F-16 technicians Jeremy and Mike. The team’s values — integrity, rigour, professionalism and pedagogy — echo those of the Belgian Air Force, where almost all of them served. Available in French, Dutch, and English.

Plan Your Visit

Flight Experience Nivelles is open every day including weekends by reservation, subject to pilot availability. The centre is located at Rue de la Recherche 15, 1400 Nivelles — 20 minutes from Brussels via the E19, easily accessible from Brussels, Waterloo, Charleroi, Namur, Mons, and Louvain-la-Neuve. Large free car park on site. Book online at flight-experience.be or call +32 67 88 36 23 (Monday to Friday, 9am–4pm). All experiences available as gift vouchers, valid for 1 year.