Simulator Night Challenge

Once a year our simulator hall at Kepler Yards stays open all night. Teams of three students and alumni fly a gauntlet of scenarios, from a Sparrow engine failure on the first solo to a reactor trim fault on an Aurora Mk II halfway to Mars, and score points for safe outcomes and clear communication.

Head of Simulation Mei Tanaka-Hollis runs the competition, while courier instructor Oskar Brandt has designed the final round, which past participants describe as unfair. In the second half, teams design their own fault scenarios; the best ones join the official training library.

Open to current students and graduates. Breakfast is served to anyone still standing.

Prizes include a free recurrent simulator check, a day flying a Kestrel with an instructor and, for the winning team, the right to name the hardest scenario in next year's library. Spectators can follow the scores on screens in the hall throughout the night.