Hello troops, today we’re delighted to announce that an all-new mission—Maelstrom—is available for all Dream Flight Adventure simulators!  Maelstrom was developed in partnership with EXPLORE! Children’s Museum of Washington DC and the Smithsonian Institution in conjunction with the launch of [Classified].  Here’s a brief introduction to hold you over until you can hop onboard an Infinity Knights vessel and embark on this mission yourself:

Time is up!  Peponi is a bustling city-state on a beautiful island.  For centuries it has been a center of commerce, trade, and cultural exchange—but there’s a problem.  Peponi sits atop a volcanic island that has lied dormant for centuries but has recently become active.  With no way to stop the eruption, Peponi officials have rushed to create an evacuation plan. Peponi’s engineers have devised a brilliant system of booster rockets that will pick up the entire city and transport it over the ocean to a new location.  Their scouts have been searching for a suitable location, but unfortunately time has run out—the volcano is about to erupt and Peponi must move now!

The best location that has been found lies along the Tufani River on the far side of the Naruto Sea.  Water plays a significant role in almost every aspect of the city’s life—it provides hydroelectric power, connections for trade, irrigation for farmers, and recreation for the people.  Peponi officials have called upon the Infinity Knights—the renowned protectors and peace and justice throughout the universe—to help determine where along the river to land each part of the city to best protect its diverse way of life.

But it’s not that simple.  The evacuation booster rockets only have enough fuel for about 30 minutes, which is barely enough time to get to the Tufani River.  The Infinity Knights crew must work quickly—while the city is in flight—to identify an ideal landing spot before it arrives.

To make matters worse, the flight plan passes directly through the Nenaunir Maelstrom, a region of the Naruto Sea that is filled with treacherous storms.  No one who has ventured into the maelstrom has ever returned, but Peponi has no other choice.  They are relying on the Infinity Knights to guide them safely through the Maelstrom to their new home!

Yesterday Tim Means at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published a great article about the brand new IKS Dreamcatcher.  Here’s a short excerpt:

Whether the mission involves space travel, time travel or a trip into the human body, the students’ excitement builds as they enter the simulator room because they know the next hour will be filled with an imaginative adventure in the middle of the school day.

Their wits will be challenged, their poise tested and their ability to work with others, to process information, to overcome difficulties must come to the forefront for the mission to succeed. This is serious play. This is today’s education. It’s fun and they love it.

Check out the full article at the Post-Gazette.

It’s been a busy past week at Dream Flight Adventures, with the launch of the IKS Buccaneer and Dreamcatcher, plus a few other thrilling projects that will be unveiled shortly. But, the excitement doesn’t stop there—today we’re delighted to announce some important changes to the Dream Flight team!

Our work at Dream Flight Adventures has attracted the attention of firms internationally, and as a result I have been offered a job at a company in England that makes immersive experiences for theme parks and brands around the world. I’ve decided to take the job and in conjunction with this change I’m delighted to announce that Mike Penn—a.k.a. Admiral Rigorious—has been promoted to the rank of Fleet Admiral and will be assuming the role of General Manager of North American Operations at Dream Flight Adventures!

Mike is the Flight Director, Gifted Department Co-Chair, and STEAM Coordinator at Shaler Area School District and has been pioneering the Dream Flight magic with us from the beginning. We’re thrilled to have him involved in this new role, which he’ll perform in parallel with his ongoing work at SASD. He’ll coordinate training, serve as point-person for US-based operations, and build a community of practice among Dream Flight simulators and flight directors. Mike simply exudes the Dream Flight vision, and we couldn’t have asked for someone more qualified!

On the other side of the pond, Sarah Gardiner will continue serving as Design Director from England as Dream Flight continues to grow. We’re so excited for these big changes and are eager to take Dream Flight Adventures to new heights!