vbazillio

Yep, I think there were nothing quite new in all this thing The Orbx Freeware and the BlueSkyscenery. I frankly didn't check the border of the photorealistic BlueSkyscenery. It was just a test for Marble Canyon as I really hate not having any autogen objects.

Which NEW photoreal ? And with which Orbx scenery you are refering to ? I only know the freeware Orbx stuff.

Thank you to all for your comment. Glade this kind of post reaches audience. Is it Foreflight you're asking for ? It's the most (real) use mobile app used in US for General Aviation planning and flying : https://foreflight.com

Always cool to see this great (and greatly reproduced) landscape ! Thank you !

Page, Horseshoe bend and Marble Canyon. What a great agenda within few minutes flight. Page (KPGA), I know quite good. I flew there several time. It's a base camp when flying to Monument Valley because of cheap avgas 100LL availability. The town is awful. Hotels as well. But the runway 15/33 worth to get up there. Departing above Lake Powell is eye blowing. The Horseshoe bend is fantastic from the ground. And this spectacular attraction is on the way to a field I never went in real : Marble Canyon (L41). I overfly it several time to or from Page field. But I never land and descend into the Marble Canyon. It's on my wishlist for my next Cessna's trip Farwest'19. So let's dream a little. But most of all, let's use Prepar3D to train. For this small hop, here are the technical details : - Prepar3D v4.4 - Photorealistic scenary of Page and Marble Canyon by BlueSkyScenery : http://www.blueskyscenery.com/CNY_South3West3.html - Page (KPGA) and Marble Canyon (L41) come from d'Orbx Freeware Global Airport : https://orbxdirect.com/product/ftx-global-airport-pack - A2A C172 Trainer - EnvTex for cloud textures - Active Sky as the weather generator - Flight1 GTN 650 GPS gauge Very short flight ! Marble Canyon (L41) is less than 6 minutes south of Page (KPGA). Nav. log is... Straight ahead ! N4975F parked on the huge ramp. Full of planes.... As in real finally. The ramp is use by two FBO's who drive you with golfcart FBO's golfcarts catch you as soon as you exist the runway. Come in my FBO ! The pilot has to choose on radio or by signaling to the golfcart driver One of the criteria to choose one FBO or another is the fuel price. Here, on Foreflight (mobile app), it shows very differences. And the price is not all : infrastructure, services, shuttle to hotel or courtesy car are among other criteria. Foreflight displays fuel price updated by FBO or customers. With Foreflight, you can also check for customer's review. As it's the major tool for small GA in US, there's often a lot of recent comments And finally, you'd better know where is your FBO when arriving on a field. At Page (KPGA), there is golfcart but on most field it may complicated to prepare/brief you on advance. Airnav.com is a choice and here, still on Foreflight, you have the position on the ground chart. The real N4975F parked at Page, AZ. With A2A tool, I welcome my copilot (always useful) and load luggages. As real as it gets, as in real Farwest As in real, oups... The real ramp on a great july A small rain arrives... It may be not a good idea to fly today At least, this will lower temperature (better performance). Anyway, I simulate an early departure (Foreflight) Holding Point 33 at Page. Runup completed (Foreflight) The digital voice announce "Entered runway 33, 5 900 feet remaining". Far more than needed (at that very moment) for my C172 Initial climb, look at the left over the field. The Blueskyscenery removed all 3D autogen objects over the town. Anyway the building weren't much realistic. Let's look somewhere else On the other way, the great Lake Powell. This remind me a little bit the red and blue I have in mind. Weather generated by Active Sky is far from perfect. I turn to the right to departure via the right downwind departure. I climb above the circuit. Glenn Canyon Dam The same in 2010 as seen from my Cessna during a Farwest with my family Still in 2010, arriving at Page. You can see the dam and the Lake Powell, then the Marble Canyon And just after the dam, the Horseshoe Bend Just after leaving the circuit, the Horseshoe Bend Let's have a look from the right front seat to take pictures ... High wings are great... But the strut ;( On top view Over another "horseshoe bend" south of Marble Canyon. Photo taken from the N4975F with two other friends. A formation flying at 10'000 feet And I let the Horseshoe bend behind me to prepare for the arrival at Marble Canyon The real Horseshoe bend as seen from the ground. I'm fear of height and can get closer to the rift (Foreflight) After the 360 over Horseshoe Bend, then direct Marble Canyon I'm not that high isn't it ? 5'500 feet... anyway I'll have to descend The chart for Marble Canyon. Nothing specific regarding pattern altitude. I take 1'000 feet above the circuit (3'600 feet + 1'000 feet). Marble Canyon airfield is inside the SFRA of Grand Canyon where you're are not allowed to go wherever you want. Hopefully a special regulation permit to descent : "Landing/Take-off operations below 3000' above airport elevation within 3 NM of the airport are authorized by 14 CFR section 93" With Foreflight, you can have some feedback from Marble Canyon users. No official information but useful as well. We can have some info on the ramp conditions. No one on the circuit. No one on the radio. No ASOS/AWOS. I go overhead to check the filed and look at the windsock. What is the runway in use ? Start of left downwind runway 3. We are in a canyon. Unbelievable environment. Can't wait to be there. End of downwind. 10 degrees of flaps. Lights on. Turning final runway 3 Final runway 3. Narrow runway and no threshold indicator painted. It's the free Orbx scenery The Blueskyscenery kills the autogen... too bad ? Or no big deal because it's much about desert ? ... In real life there's a lot of detail on the ground as seen from the real N4975F last year Taxi to the parking. I missed a lot of 3D object. I'll let you know when I'll be there soon. Let's open the door. Still raining. Strange idea to keep the real weather As seen from the Marble Canyon in 2008. At that very moment, I wasn't courage enough to land there and only friends of mine in another plane did it The whole track (in green) as seen from Foreflight

Let's continue these short hops to be as-real-as-it-gts on Califonia. These flights on Prepar3D are real trainer for me. I can practise Foreflight mobile app on my iPad. In France, I use Skydemon, so because I plan next month to be in California, I need to be current with Foreflight. And as I'm not using anymore paper chart, I had to be efficient. Thanks to Orbx, I choose to depart from Monterey (KMRY) and FBO Monterey Jet Center FBO. My plan is to fly along the coast and below the class Bravo airspace. To do so, let's use the FLY chart on the San Francisco TAC (Terminal Area Chart) : This chart is unusual for me. I'm french and I'm not use to have a official chart which explains me how to fly below a specific airspace. With big blue arrows, it shows how to interfere with the Bravo airspace which protect big airport, like here San Francisco International KSFO. So, let's fly around the San Francisco Bay, by the west coast, from Half Moon Bay via the Golden Gate to end at Concord Buchanan (KCCR). If I want to be out of contact of anyone, let's fly below 6'000 feet, then after Half Moon Bay, let's descend below 4'000 feet, then a left-right to descend below 2'000 feet because we are right in the KSFO departure (if 28 in service) : Then, we can climb 3'000 to overfly the Golden Gate. Or we can stay lower. If I want I can to straight northbound (see the empty magenta arrow), there is a VFR transition named Coastline VFR Transition. But it requires an ATC clairance. And this clairance process is not delivered by the pretty much old ATC under FSx/Prepar3D. The route as seen from Foreflight with Navlog on top ... and the navigation log automatically generated by Foreflight... That I don't use. Let's continue with the same plane. I take N4975F (with the A2A C172 Trainer). The author of the previous texture has enhanced (better resolution) his work. We'll be 2 on board. I top-off and few luggages. N4975F is a 180 hp and we are far from the max weight. chevaux et on est loin de la masse max. As in my last trip in Monterey, I depart from Monterey Jet Center (Orbx KMRY) : I enter quickly the route in the Flight1 GTN 650. Just in case of. Just to have a backup. And to read some ETA : Taxi clairance is for holding point November, runway 28L. I draw it in green with annotate tool in Foreflight Taxi at Monterey. At the holding point, I wait 10 minutes. Ultimate Traffic Live is great... but at 100% it creates the same issue as in real. You wait I also look at arrival from the Foreflight map which display AI traffic from P3D. It helps understanding the ATC work : Then, it's time to take-off ! There is a FEW at 2'500 feet. The plan is to turn right after departure. Right turn on initial climb toward Half Moon Bay Local advice as seen from the FBO Cloud are here. I had to slalom to stay VMC Look at the beautiful brand new hi-rez texture of N4975F ! Santa Cruz is far away, I head north over the Monterey bay From Foreflight in the middle of the bay Overt Half Moon Bay And if we look closely at the chart... we are just few miles from KSFO Here is a real screen shot... I mean a screen shot taken during a real life flight Look at the ADSB traffic displayed (and visible) by the app. ADSB antenna are strong there Is there more or less traffic than my PC can generate with constant framerate with Ultimate Traffic Live ? ;))))) Again some clouds And even with a good preparation, I didn't manage correctly my altitude and flew into the Bravo without a clairance Sutro Tower at Twin Peaks just before San Francisco Merced Lake at the right and the Golden Gate Park in the left. And the Golden Gate ahead ! As I descend below 2'000 feet And don't forget all this flight is perfectly legal and possible in the real life ! Without PPR, without complicated clairance, in VFR... San Francisco skyline, Oakland Bay Bridge and Treasure Island Almost overhead The Skyline and the Golden Gate in 2016 as seen from a C172 ... and the classical weather Golden Gate in 2008 as seen from the real 4975F Ok, let's leave the bay and all the touristic attractions : Golden Gate, Alcatraz, and San Francisco downtown A little climb to go over hills before reaching Concord (KCCR) ATC clairance is to join the left downwind 32L Turning final 32L Approach 32L is weird with this path so close to the tower ! Concord is really tricky (to taxi). I never were confident. Let's draw in green the taxi clairance to go to the Pacific State Aviation FBO Concord has a lot of school trafic Default scenery by Orbx NORCAL. Better than the default FSx/P3D ! Parked at Pacific State Aviation FBO That's it ! I hope you enjoy this short flight ! See my previous posts : From Bakerfield to Kern Valley : From Victorville to Vegas with Orbx SOCAL :

Thank you to all for your comments !

I continue some short flights in SOCAL. I continue to prepare myself for real flights I plan to make in almost one month, departing from San Diego, as usual. I may flight a C172 or PA28 around California, Nevada or Arizona. Wherever the weather will be good. I flew there several times and Orbx addon's help me get trained in advanced, preparing flights, understanding the field or navigation environment. I have a list of field I never went to. Kern Valley (L05) is part of this. So let's prepare a small navigation from Bakersfield (KBFL). As usual I use a mobile app. to prepare and run the navigation (Foreflight on iPad). I connect my iPad to my Prepar3D to get train on the app as well as the flight navigation. Departing field : Bakersfield, Californie. Code : KBFL. Destination is Kern Valley, with its camp. Code : L05. The runway is for, for a north american runway : a little more than 1000 meters. I depart from the big valley and southbound to follow the Sierra Nevada and catch the Kern River until Isabella Lake. The field is at the north of the Lake, surrounded by mountains. Field altitude is 2'614 feet. Surrounding mountains are at almost 7'000 feet. Not much room for the pattern. During my preparation, I missed the Right Pattern clearly stated for the runway 17 Approaching on a left hand pattern, it doesn't look good. Hopefully we are in the sim. Let's take the Just Flight PA28. I love this used avionics and cockpit It's a short flight, less than 40 nm, so around 25 minutes. Screen shots is from Foreflight on iPad connected to Prepar3D. Traffic AI's (UTL) are displayed on the mobile app as regular traffic, as in real life with an ADSB receiver. Taxi at Bakersfield from Epic Jet Center FBO. Cool, it's runway 30 in use. Short taxi. It's the default scenery included in Orbx Socal. My traffic is geo-referenced on the airport diagram (costly feature in Foreflight, from $99/year to $100/year) I read pilot's comments from Foreflight on Kern Valley. I should have get focused on the RP17 written on the Sectional Kern Valley information. Plain simple. Again "RWY 17 : Trees. Rgt tfc." Take off runway 30R, right turn, northbound and climb as much as weather permit. I target 5'500 ft. It's the ceiling clouds as far as METAR's display. Let's have a look. Last look at Bakersfield Leaving the big valley and follow the Kern River. As expected, cloud base are right there. Thank you to Active Sky. Seems to be better on the lake The PA28, Isabella lake and Kern Valley field should be there. Overhead the field, look for the windsock. Pattern is empty, radio is silent on this field even if I can hear (default P3D ATC) other unicom traffic on other field on 122.8. Approaching the lake. Look at Foreflight Final 17. Too high ! But nice view ! At L05 Kern Valley ramp. Anoter GA aircraft is making touch&go's.

Thanks ! Oh I would love to ! It's privately own and in the Plus One Flyers Flying club fleet in San Diego.

Let's climb into A2A C172 Trainer for a flight to Vegas ! I choose to start from KVCV Victorville and prepare, during the 1 and something hour flight, to get into the Bravo airspace of Vegas. Time to work on the airport diagram of KLAS as well Victorville is a small fied up north Los Angeles and south of Mojave. In the desert. There are hugggggeeeeee runways. One is 15'000 feet long. It's also a famous airplanes graveyard. Victorville, as seen from top view of Prepar3D I check NOTAM's. Actually, Foreflight (the aviation mobile app) check Notam's for me directly from the airport diagram. Runway 17/35 is closed. With Foreflight pencil, I draw a redline. I set the route in the Flight1 GTN 650. Hum... Actually, I put a direct Later in Foreflight, I add DAGGET VOR on the route to avoid Edwards airspaces, often active/hot. It full of UAV and other strange planes there Up north the Area 51 rules the game. Altitude advisor of Foreflight suggests me an altitude Check the profile view to check my choosen altitude. It looks like OK Unfortunately, P3D ATC doesn't care of Notam's and gave me the 35 for takeoff I'm at the fuel station and draw in blue the taxi clairance. Takeoff runway 35 Look at the right side. Orbx SOCAL does a great job. I just regret the lack of 3D objects to fill this graveyard. Cool... Hum.. Cruise over the desert. Single engine operation Some obstacles on my way. Keep a eyes on ground highway to stay close to "human being" activities in case of forced landing. Oh no ! Green field in the middle of desert. Human activities... Approaching Las Vegas, descending into the Class B airspace ATC clairances gave me the left downwind 25 Entering left downwind, look at the left and cross the 19's runway that I use to have (in real life) when I come with Cessna 172. Left downwind 25 (or 26). The Las Vegas Strip in the background with the Stratosphere tower on far up right. This tower is a landmark for the base of runway's 19 Left base 25/26. Cleared number 2 behind Southwest on final. Caution wake turbulence. Thank you to Ultimate Traffic Live Final 25L. Take off are on the right. A liner has vaccated runway 25L and wait to cross 25R. It's my destiny as well Vaccated by the right and the wait to cross the 25R. The terminal is full of Ultimate Traffic Live traffics. Default Orbx SOCAL KLAS scenery. Can't wait for the Flytampa ! Waiting... And spotting traffics approaching runway 25 Hum... Still the same ATC issue. Someone will have to go around ! Spotting departure The green drawing of the ATC ground clairance I caught more or less the same last may in real, landing on the 26L and taxiing to the Atlantic FBO up north of the field ! Unfortunately, taxiways in P3D are not exactly similar to the real ground chart. Go FlyTampa ! Release KLAS scenery ! Traffic everywhere on ground. Las Vegas strip is in the background Atlantic FBO Ramp You can release the seatbelt and get out now

Meanwhile... testing the last version of San Diego Lindberg KSAN with the SODE gateways. AI Traffics are from Ultimate Traffic Live + models and textures from FLAi.

Thanks ! If needed, enjoy the highrez : https://flic.kr/p/2dnMeYY

Unfortunately, I can't help you and I can see my image uploaded on noelshack.com

Thanks BradB, it make sense !

Thanks for your message ! One of the production of Eberhard Haberkorn and it's a Cessna I was lucky to fly in real (at Palm Springs among other Californian's places) :