Ken Q

Experimenting with I find I can edit a flight plan on my tablet. Seems I do anything as long as it doesn't involve keyboard entries. Ken

I have used Navigraph on my cheap ($50) Amazon Fire tablet all along. With the new Navigraph Charts update I find I cannot create a flight plan on the tablet. Probably the version of Android is out of date. When I go to enter data the keyboard flashes in and out. However I can easily create a flight plan on another computer, even though it is running Windows 7. Then I can access the moving map, and all of the plates and charts on my tablet. I can read the flight plan just fine. I can also select and switch between flight plans that I've created and saved. It's just a minor inconvenience that I can't create it. I have a mount attached to my yoke to hold the tablet. The new version of Navigraph Charts seems to be great, with many new features. And more new features are promised in the future. When these come along it seems NC will have much of the functionality of ForeFlight but be cheaper and not require an expensive Apple device. By the way Navigraph is raising their price by a modest .75 Euro, but for now you can get an annual membership for the old price until December 7. I just did. Ken

Great video, John. Certainly a trip down memory lane. Days when telephones were wired to the wall, televisions were furniture. Remember Eight Tracks? And when CDs were the newest thing. But then we old Coot's were born in a century that began with transportation, with the exception of the rail road, not so different than that of Caesar's day, and ended with supersonic airliners. But old technology and the knowledge to use does have its place. Ken

I fondly remember the Micro prose F117 game. Calling it a simulator, even in the days of FS 5.2, is a stretch. But boy, it was fun! Ken

Nice little article. Thanks for posting it, John. Several years ago I was attending FlightSimCon at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT. They have a display of the interior of a747 cockpit. A visitor to the museum was entranced by it, and then asked the docent about navigation, especially over the ocean. (Before GPS, of course). After talking about VORs, which of course don't work beyond about 200 miles off shore, the docent was at a loss, so I got involved, explaining celestial nav and LORAN. I forgot all about Inertial Nav Systems. Was an interesting discussion. The first Sat Nav system predates GPS by a few years. We had one installed on the old USS Wasp in 1971. It consisted of a radio receiver the size of a bread box, A computer the size of a small refrigerator, and a teletype. When one of few nav satellites was overhead this contraption spewed out pages and pages of numbers. At the very bottom was the latitude and longitude. I still went to the 07 level to shoot stars every morning and evening. We also used LORAN C and Omega. Years later as a reservist I was assigned to the USS Paterson, A frigate. In the early 1980s the ship did not rate an issued USN GPS, so the Quartermasters and Operation Specialists pitched in about $10 each, and went to West Marine and bought one, and the ETs installed it in CIC Ken

There are, of course, many different "slide rules" for special applications, but the basic math/engineering slide rule is a wonder to behold! After the war my father-in-law brought a beautiful mahogany and ivory one home from Germany. My mother-in-law taught a special course on the slide rule at St. Cloud State University (Minnesota). I, alas, have only the barest understanding of its use, but it's still a marvel. Our "modern" electronics and other appliances are indeed marvelous, but still there are ways to accomplish many of these tasks without them. As my wife points out when cooking on an open hearth, or baking in a brick oven, food does not care what the source of the heat is, as long as it is properly managed. Just different skills. Ken

How easily we get spoiled! GPS, Navigraph Charts, or Firefight if you have it do all the work for us. My E6B computer sits unused in a compartment of my lap board. (It's a "student" version, made out of cardboard, but perfectly adequate for flight simming). Ken

Really great video, Frank. Really found it very interesting. Thanks. Ken

You're welcome, Rob. I do think it's a must read for those interested in the fur business. Now that it is fall, we are starting to get school groups at the museum. Many are 4th grade, and part of the curriculum for this grade is the early beaver fur trade. What they do not learn is the primary reason for this trade was for hats. Even the teachers are surprised to learn this. While we're on about KVUO Pearson, let's not forget about the Kaiser shipyard just to the West of the field during WW2. They built Liberty and Victory Ships, LSTs, and Escort Carriers at Vancouver. Busy place with lots of interesting history. Ken

Of course this qualifies, John. What your wife endured during WW2 is an inspiration to us all. History is about people, what they do and experience, and we must remember! Ken

Placerville, once known as"Dry Diggings" and later as "Hangtown" has a fascinating history all part of the rough and tumble of the early days of the American immigration to California, beginning even before the region became US territory. Neat Stuff! Ken

Great! Thanks Rodge. Orbx Pearson Field is one of my favorites. As a hatter I have a great in in the fur trade, and Fort Vancouver is a wonderful reconstruction, and they have a great website. Pearson is also the oldest airfield in continuous use, and Arcadia Press offers a great photo archive book on its history. Ken

I'll agree with Rodger's example of Jimmy Doolittle. Now his squadron of B25s flying off the deck of the first USS Hornet (CV8) to bomb Japan was an amazing feat. But I most appreciate him for the first instrument flight on September 24, 1929, where he took off, flew the pattern with his view blocked, and landed safely, entirely by instruments. While the Doolittle Raid was a brilliant achievement, and had a negative effect on Japanese morale, and a positive on on American. However, his first instrument flight paved the way to aviation as we have it today. Incidentally, I am a frequent visitor to the site of that memorable occasion. It took place at the Mitchel Field AAB in Garden City, Long Island. Long closed, Mitchel Field still has a military presence in the Navy Exchange and DOD Commissary which we frequent. Also most of the WW2 flight line still exists, and is the home of the Cradle of Aviation Museum where my former boss and good friend now works. Ken

Very interesting, Frank. Nice tour and introduction to a interesting region. Especially liked your little description of the Burke and Wills Expedition.

1. Neither. Only airliner I've flown (successfully) is another classic, the Lockheed L188 Electra. Not interested now; there's a reason there's a mandatory retirement age. 2. I'll go with the Piper PA 28, though the Cessna 180 line is great too. I used the 182RG for years. I've come to prefer the low wing. 3. Neither. If I'm going to fly a twin turboprop it will be one of the older King Airs. 4. Don't know either, really. I did fly the Lockheed jet star a bit, so that would be my choice for GA jet. 5. Not enthusiastic about either. 6. I'll go with the Cub, thought the Husky is tempting too. 7. Hmmm? I think I'll pass. Choice A would likely get me a divorce on cruelty to my spouse charges, and B, if we're talking about ownership, I have more humble, though no more affordable preferences (A REAL Mooney). Ken

I too will start with "B." I was enjoying graduate school. Unlike most grad students I was quite well off financially, bringing in more income than I would for years afterwards. I had a nice stipend for teaching, veterans' GI Bill payments, and USNR drill pay. I had a vibrant group of friends, one of whom became my wife. It was the most "fun" period of my life. But then there is "E.". During this period of my life my career in the museum really blossomed. We bought our house, and finally exceeded the financial state I enjoyed as a grad student. Life was good. But now I'm " G" and life IS good. Although I suffer from some of the physical problems of my age, generally my health is good. I enjoy being semi-retired working part time at the museum job I love, and having my wife working with me. Our life and ministry in the church is satifying. The house is paid off, and there's money in the bank. Now that Covid is less threatening we are slowly rebuilding our social life. Long may this continue. And my wife agrees with this assessment, and especially that grad school years were the most fun. By the way, we've been married for 44 years. Ken

I'm with Rodger. I now fly GA, if I couldn't do that I'd go with Vintage. But how about Vintage Tubeliners? In an earlier FS incarnation I flew the Lockheed L188 Electra in the Noble Air virtual airline. Then there is DC6B. Of course the venerable DC3. Ken

Really great news, Don. I can empathize. More than twenty years ago my wife dragged me to the E.R. in respiratory arrest, on the brink. In a coma for four days and intubated. But with the right care by a great pulmonologist I came through it fine, and at this point only use an inhaler rarely. Turned out that the cause was a reaction to Atrovent inhaler which my PCP had prescribed. I discovered this when in recovery the pulmonologist suggested I try it again. One puff was enough! It made me much worse. I now list it as an allergy. I mention this to support and emphasize Don's point, getting the right help and treatment can make all the difference. To that I'll add, while we have wonderful life saving medications not all are suitable for everyone. Be alert to what a medicine is doing and if it does not work as it's supposed to tell your physician immediately. Anyway, Don, this is great. Best wishes for a continued recovery. Ken

Me too. But unless or until Orbx comes out with new P3D stuff there is nothing left for me to buy.

Tough choice. Big ones, like Palm Springs KPSP and Santa Barbara KSBA, little ones like Kern Valley L05 and Pearsons all would be great. But I think I'd have to vote for Catalina, KAVX. But I like Paul's suggestion of one a month. Ken

Happy birthday, Rob! All the best. Ken

Funny thing! You've just invented the aircraft carrier. Except when flying from/to a carrier the runway heading changes as necessary. But the open area (A lot of water) Is on the left, and the "Building" (the "Island") is on the right. Ken

Like Gumby, Wayne and Jack I'm not big on war birds. I,ve played with #3 (P-51 Mustang) a little, but haven't flown it much. But in a previous incarnation (FS 5.2) I did fly the B-17 out of Stewart AFB quite a bit. Years ago Microprose had a F-117 game (not by any means a simulator) which was fun. Ken

I was just reading that Lake Isabella has receded in the drought so much that old Kerrville has reappeared. Years ago, when the Kern River was dammed the old town was abandoned and a new town built on higher ground, near the Kern Valley Airport (L05). This is beautiful Orbx airport, and a really challenging one too. The old town was used as backdrop for many Western movies, but was demolished when the dam was built. No buildings survive, but now the foundations are exposed. Ken

Happy birthday, Wayne. All the best! Ken