Ken Q

I'm not waiting with bated breath for MSFS. Frankly, I'm still satisfied with FSX, improved greatly by ORBX, AS16, PilotEdge, VoxATC, and other add-ons that make for a realistic simulator. I run my Sim on two networked computers, one runs the Sim, the other the cockpit. 737NG is, I think, right. Hardware developers are not overly concerned about the FlightSim world, we're only a blip on their screen. The "Gamers," with their " shoot-em-ups " are the money makers for the hardware folks. We benefit by riding on their coattails, since most of our hardware needs are similar. I don't think that the new MSFS will change this. If successful, the new MSFS may turn into a major player, but it will not be the ONLY major player. OK, FSX is old (like I am), and possibly not too much longer for this world, though I wouldn't count on it. But there is still P3D, X-Plane, and others out there. Odd to say, but the Flight Sim world moves both quickly and slowly, and backward compatibility is very important to users who have invested a lot of money in their current simulator setup, as I have. Ken

Well, I got my sale, and bought SA, and three airports. With some minor variation I have done the first two flights of Josh Flowers' Alaska expedition. Great fun! But I am used to flying the Mooney Bravo, and for this I am flying a C172. So SLOW! Anyone interested in seeing Josh's series, here's a link to the first one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdF5y9FufHg&list=PLZUuXpwtz5yBZaoFQdHj0AMKId6N4TWPu Ken

The email I got on September 26 specifies "limited time only," though it does not give an expiration date for the promotion (or at least I can't find it). So it was not a permanent thing. I do hope that they will do it again, with other areas featured. Ken

I've done this flight too, a few times. Except that I landed at Greenwood Municipal (KHFY) which is a GA airport on the southeast side of Indianapolis (an ORBX freeware airport). You're absolutely right, it's a beautiful flight over great scenery. Ken

As my wife reminds me, this is an absolutely fascinating period, just full of bloodshed, treachery and sex. I work at a living history museum (website WWW.OBVR Nassau.com if anyone is curious) and our job is trying to help folks, especially children, realize that history is not just kings, politicians and generals, but ordinary people going about their business. I work in a 200 year old hat manufacturing shop (not very old by English standards, but for a small shop in the U.S., pretty remarkable that it survived). I try very hard to put the "story" in " history ". Ken

Hi Migar, As you said, it never worked out. Actually, I can't see how it could. First, how can one simulate taking a star sight? Then you'd would need current almanac, and assuming FS...whatever has accurate star positions. Another problem in any celestial navigation equation is that the vessel (ship/plane) is moving, so any LOP has to be adjusted according to DED Course and Speed. (We'll leave sun sights out of this, mostly useful only for LAN and Azimuth. Moon is another issue entirely, can't see how it would help the air navigator). Hard enough in real life, especially in an aircraft that is moving much faster than a ship (I've no experience in air navigation, except in the sim, but a few years doing this at sea) . I don't see how this can be done in a simulator, though I'd love to see it done. I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for these early aviation navigators; I cant understand how they did it so accurately, finding little islands in the vast Pacific. (Yes they had radio beacons, but even so...) Ken QM1 USNR, Ret

A chat with my wife recalls why I did not do more with this Amelia Earhart add-on. The major problem is navigation. Flight simulators do a fine job with VOR, and now GPS navigation, and scenery like that of ORBX allows for navigation by pilotage. But there is no way to simulate the celestial navigation that Earhart and Noonan used in this circumnavigation attempt. All that they had was NDBs, Pilotage, and celestial. A very different navigational world than we have today. In 2016 we attended FlightSimCom at Bradley International. While touring the exhibits a fellow asked the docent about how a Boeing 707 navigated across the Atlantic before GPS. The docent didn't know, so I got involved, explaining about aviation celestial navigation, bubble sextants, special aviator sight reduction tables, and the introduction of LORAN alpha, Charlie, and later, the Omega system. The point is that I had never given much thought to this from the aviation point of view, being a shipboard navigator. Thinking about it, I am amazed at what airborne navigators could do! Ken

I suppose that scenery development is too labor intensive to do this now, but way back in the days of FS5.1, my wife have me a great present. It was a pack featuring Amelia Earhart's last flight. It featured the airports,as they were in her time, as well as the aircraft. I never completed the whole flight, but did have fun with some segments of it. Ken

Hard to answer this question, a number of factors are involved. Although I live on the East Coast of the US, I've been flying the West Coast for most of the last year. The reason for that is a combination of two factors: ORBX scenery and PilotEdge ATC. While on the West Coast I consider my "home" airport to be Santa Barbara (KSBA) and I have a parking spot at Spitfire Aviation, located off of RWY 15L between the terminal and Atlantic. Favorite destinations include (among many others) Palm Springs (KPSP) Bakersfield (KBFL), Monterey (KMRY) and Gen Wm J Fox in Lancaster CA (KWJF). But I'm also a follower of Jason Flowers' "Aviation 101" channel, and often fly to airports he features, like Boulder City, Page and Marble Canyon. Eventually I want to explore some of the sites he covered in his series on his Alaska trip. If you want to follow the pioneers, here is a very interesting flight, but I don't think you can do it in your usual aircraft. You need something that flies lower (although that is relative considering the terrain elevation -here 8500 ft .is "lower") and slower. I do this frequently in the Mooney Bravo. The flight is from Reno-Lake Tahoe (KRNO)to Blue Canyon-Nyack. Use Truckee-Tahoe (KTRK) as a waypoint. Start at Atlantic Aviation at Reno, Nevada. This is outside ORBX NorCal, and unfortunately ORBX is yet to do scenery for this airport, but PacSim has a pretty good version of it. Take off (usually RWY 16R or L) and turn west. There is a pass through the mountains; it is easy to see and follow. Roads and the railroad run through it. Follow the pass to Truckee-Tahoe airport (KTRK). Just to the west (approx. 260 mag) is a long narrow lake lying east/west. This used to be called Truckee Lake, but now it is Donner Lake. This is the beginning of Donner Pass, and the site of where the Donner Party was trapped during the winter of 1846-47. Trapped with little food they were forced to resort to cannibalism to survive until rescued. Here's a link to the story. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party. Finally, continue through the pass to Emigrant Gap (Where emigrants and there wagons, horses and gear were lowered down on ropes to continue their journey west). Land at Blue Canyon-Nyack (KBLU) This ORBX payware airport is wonderful, but it is challenging. It sits at a mile elevation on a mountain top, and the runway is 3300 by 50 feet. There are a couple of astronomical observatories that are actually on the airport, adjacent to the parking ramp. Ken

I follow Josh Flowers' Aviation 101 channel, and like to visit the airports that he visits on his flights. Usually I fly my usual Mooney Bravo,while he usually flies his 172. Frequently I'll recreate the full flight, but not always. Waiting for an Orbx sale to get Southern Alaska region and a couple of airports to visit some of the airports he explored in his recent series there. Ken

Forget about the so called "Atomic Clock." My experience tells me that there is no clock as accurate as "CST" - Cat Stomach Time! Our first Cat (after we were married) wanted her cat treats at exactly 5:00 pm, and insisted on them. "C'mon, Mickey's big hand is at the top, and his little hand is pointing THERE. It's TIME!" Two cats later, same thing. And where I work, the sheep vociferously announce their supper time, so I'm sure the same applies to dogs. For all our gadgetry, our animal companions have us beat. Ken

Especially CATS, but I whole heartedly agree. What would we do without our beloved four footed companions! Ken

You're in good hands, I mean paws!

My last cat, Shannon, would insist on being on my lap when flying, or anything else. She was a girl, and bonded most with me. My current cat, Chessie, will occasionally climb onto my lap when I'm sitting in my cockpit, but quickly gets annoyed by my flying, and leaves in a huff. He's a boy, and while bonded to me, is closer to my wife (he likes the girls). Ken

Thanks, Don. Ken