You can decide for yourself now and for the next few weeks at PROTO, Gateshead, thanks to forward-thinking artist Charlotte Windle Mikkleborg’s collaborative project with British Airways; Fly.
The fully immersive art installation not only gives you chance to pilot futuristic flight, but also enables a look back at the history of flight, all from a motion platform within a pod, known as an interactive egg.
Entering through the boarding gate, your first view of the egg is quite breath-taking; I certainly had not anticipated the scale, which combined with the lighting effects are quite spectacular.
The egg’s surface has interactive panels, which change the lighting colour as your hands warm the egg up to eventually hatch its chick!
Inside the egg’s core is a motion platform, which tilts and shakes during flight, making the various flight experiences – from an eagle, to the Wright Brother’s historic first flight and even supersonic speeds from the cockpit of Concorde – even more realistic.
After my flight I caught up with Shaun Allan from Vector76, who was responsible for bringing Fly to Gateshead; “Bringing such a high profile experience such as #FlyVR from London to Gateshead totally encapsulates what our vision for Proto is all about.
“An amazing combination of emerging technology raises all senses in an outstanding installation, demonstrating how immersive tech enables new art forms that simply cannot be achieved with conventional media.”
Straight from the Saatchi Gallery in London, you can experience the flight of the future for yourself at PROTO between now and 17th November for just £10. Tickets available here.
