Ken Q

Like Wayne, I don't do biplanes either. I don't think I'm lazy, but I do like the autopilot. While our flight simulators do a fine job with most aircraft, I've never been happy with tail draggers in the sim. Just to hard to get the visuals right, even in my cockpit which is pretty good at that. I find this unfortunate, because there are a couple I'd like to fly, especially the J3 Cub and the DC 3. And most biplanes, of course, are tail draggers. Ken

I would love to see this for P3D v5+ also. Please. Prepar3d is not dead, and there are many of us who would buy products for this platform if they were offered.

Sorry John, HEATON, the spell checker strikes again!!!

Sounds nice, John. I did a little camping with Dad while in the Boy Scouts, and once on a family trip to Taconic State Park. Was fun, but never caught on as a regular thing. Ken

So many fine memories here, brings back a flood of my own. John Newton's memory of Blackpool brings back one: Coney Island. (Google that too). Grandpa loved Coney Island for its famous Boardwalk and amusement parks (there were several, most long gone). The favorite though was Steeplechase. Grandpa took advantage of the grandkids birthdays as an excuse, so the bunch of us would pile into the 1950 Mercury and have a wonderful time. The other notable one was "Freedom Land USA.". This was a history themed park that only lasted five years in the early sixties, but it had stern wheel steamboats," a steam train, and attractions like the "Chicago Fire" which we "helped" put out. Somewhat educational, but great fun, and we went several times each summer while it lasted. (Google Freedom Land or look it up on YouTube). Ken

Our most sincere sympathy, Wayne. We've had cats all our lives (wife and I). Sadly they just don't live as long as we do, and the loss of our beloved fur babies is absolutely devastating. We've been through it, so we feel for your loss. Grieve as long as you need to, then if you can, go to the shelter and give another poor homeless kitty a forever home. Share the love! Ken & Karen P.S. Our Chessie is.also 15 now. Still an energetic cat, doesn't act like a "senior" at all. I say he's in midlife mode, if he were a human he'd be tooling around in a sports car ( a purrari?). But we watch him carefully, well aware that at his age this can change suddenly.

I related this earlier, but in the present context it bears repeating. Back in February I had the opportunity to fly with a friend Bill. I expected to sit in the right seat, and maybe take the controls for a bit once airborne. Bill started by offering me a choice of aircraft; he owns a C172 and a PA 24 Comanche. Since I fly a Mooney Bravo, I chose the Comanche since it is very similar to the M20M. "OK, get in the left seat." "Does your SIM have rudder pedals?" "OK, taxi to the runway." "There's Thu push-to-talk button - call Tower." From then on it was "my airplane." I took off from KISP, flew to KPOU, flew the pattern and landed on RWY 24. We had a nice snack at Paula's Airport Cafe. For the flight back it was my other friend, Tony's turn, but he passed, preferring to ride in the back, so I flew back too. Two hours of flight time, two takeoff and landings. Bill (a CFII) of course gave me instruction and direction, but we were both pleased at how much the simulator had prepared me to fly a real, complex airplane. We're planning to do it again in a couple of weeks, this time from KISP to Nantucket, KACK. Ken

Of course it depends on whom I am talking to. Many are fascinated by it, others are "ho hum." In most (but not all) cases they get excited when I show pictures of my cockpit setup. They realize it's not "just another computer game." Those who get to "ride along" get especially interested. Ken

Great video! Thanks, Wolfgang.

Great! A "blast from the past!" I'm definitely Older than Dirt. Easier to mention the few that I didn't actually experience. #7. We didn't have party lines where I grew up. But I remember when we got a dial telephone. #10. Saw ads for Butch Wax, but never actually encountered it. Brylcreme was another matter. #20. No Packards around in my area (that i know of) when I grew up. Did briefly serve on a ship (MSO) that had Packard engines. On the other hand there was little as annoying as #22, cork pop guns! Our museum support organization sold them every year at our tri county fair. By the end of it we wanted to murder them. That was in the early 2000s. Ken

Best wishes Doug Ang Greg! Ken

I too like seeing pictures and videos of bush flying, both in the sim(s) and real word. But like Gumby, I don't do it myself. I'll fly my Mooney almost anywhere where there is a paved runway, including Mountain top air strips like Blue Canyon and Sedona, but that's about as close as I get. Ken

I love the "Polaris Submarine." I actually built my own "submarine," it was a WW2 submarine but only in the imagination of a couple of young boys. It started out with two 4x8 homasote boards, and a selection of cardboard boxes for torpedo room and conning tower. No missiles, but a few paper towel rolls made the torpedo tubes. A suitable toy gun sufficed for a deck gun. With this my pal Artie and I could relive our favorite episodes from the TV show of the time "Silent Service.". It was set up in the basement, and much more durable than the one advertised. The " deck gun" cost about $2.00; I don't know what the fiber board cost, but the boxes were free. Of course when we tired of being "submariners" the whole thing could be taken apart and recycled into something else. Ken

That's easy. Where I work it's always 1829. Has been for the last 30+ years. Ken

A "Jet Fighter." It looked impressive in the ad. When I got it, it turned out to be the typical balsa glider of the time: a stamped out fuselage printed in red, with wings, tail and stabilizer the same. Under the center of the fuselage was clamped a "Jet Engine." It was more accurately a tiny solid fuel rocket. To operate, pull off the nozzle and insert the fuel, a little cylindrical pellet. Thread a fuse through the nozzle opening, coil the inner end, and reassemble ensuring that the fuse coil sits on the fuel pellet. Then light the fuse with a match. When (if) the fuel catches launch the plane by hand. The first couple of tries the fuel didn't catch. Take the "engine" apart, insert a new fuse, try again. Finally the fuel did catch, but by now the nozzle opening was clogged with bits of fuse, so it blew a hole in the side of the "engine." So much for that! This was marketed to kids, perhaps about age 10. Solid fuel, fuses and matches. No suggestion of "adult supervision!". I'm surprised I never heard of incinerated fingers, (including mine) and wildfires started by these. But hey, this was the '50s. The plastic "rockets " half filled with water, pumped up with air were much safer, and as much fun, especially when Grandpa got soaked! Ken

Happy birthday, and many happy returns, Gerold! Ken

As mentioned above, I had Erector Sets. But I remember fondly playing with the Girder and Panel Set. I didn't have one, but a friend did. Fun way to learn about modern building techniques. Ken

These types of "toys" were very important in my childhood. I had a couple of Erector Sets over the years, parts of which were used in my early "flight sim." I also had a large set of Lincoln Logs. Earlier on I had a set of white plastic "bricks" with red windows and doors to build miniature house. Along the same general line was a toy tow truck which came with a set of miniature tools so it could be taken apart and reassembled. And there were always cardboard boxes which provided the raw material for so many things. Anything to encourage imagination and technical skills. Ken

P3D 5, for me, for this reason. Maybe 6 down the road. Not really tempted by MSFS. Now if developers would realize that MSFS is not the only show in town and produce add-ons for P3D I'd be very happy, and part with quite a bit of money. Ken

Wonderful, Adam. Some very interesting interactions here, though I still agree with an observation of Garrison Keillor a few years ago. "Your cat should be smaller than you.". When I was overseas during Desert Shield/Storm every time I called my wife on the phone, I had to talk to my cat Claymore. She was so upset at my sudden departure, and felt so abandoned, that this became our routine. She was reassured by hearing my voice and talking to her. Other animals (and we are " animals" too) interact with us in surprising ways. Ken

Hard question to answer. In my 75 years I've lived in or been joined at the hip to six residences, (plus a college oddity), all of which have meant a great deal to me. Each is equally important, but each for very different reasons. I'll pass the home on Westlake Court where I was born. I hardly remember it, we moved out after my father died when I was two. We moved to Grandma and Grandpa's. This was a lovely, grand Georgian Colonial, a very elegant house. Here I spent my early childhood, and had close ties through most of my twenties, until Grandma died. I loved that house, and Grandma wanted me to have it after she died, but there was no way I could afford the taxes and maintenance. In 1958 my Mom married Charlie, and after a brief apartment stay, we moved into a house in 1959. This was the "family 'home'" until Mom died in 2011. Decades of memories, growing up, going off to college, then the Navy, starting grad school, and so much more. Of course College and Navy have a place, but I'll mention one "college home" in passing. I lived in a small travel trailer on the edge of campus for several months. Camping out! Great fun! Parties and barbecue, and living "in the woods!" (And trying to outwit the raccoons). While still on my first tour of Active Duty I rented my first home, all my own, as an adult. It was a four room apartment upstairs in a story and a half. The house was built in the later 19th century. When built it was in a row of similar houses on a country road. By the time I lived there it was on a main drag, the area was heavy commercial, light industry, and the house very run down. But a first home of your own, as an adult, is a major milestone. So in response to Rodgers question this is a candidate. I continued to live there for a couple of years after release from active duty while finishing m BA, interrupted by Naval service. I certainly spent a few very happy years here, and it figures in my flight SIM world today. The address was 2442 Post Rd, and my tail number on my virtual Mooney is N2442P. When I went to grad school I moved back to Mom's for a while (see above). Then I got a little basement apartment. I guess this one meets Rodgers criteria best. This little place, friends called it the "Hobbit Hole," was our Anglo Saxon group's meeting , and where one female fellow student went from being an acquaintance to becoming my wife. Since then, in 45 years, we've had two happy homes. The first was a rental, but a really lovely place. We were there for 22 years. Then we finally bought a house, and been here almost 23 years. What makes Rodger's question so hard to answer is that each of these is a special favorite in it's own way, and so fully packed with memories, it's impossible to single one out. And I confess, I'm real "home body." Ken

Happy (belated) birthday, Wayne! Many happy returns!!! Ken P.S. Hang in there, my friend. I've been through prostate cancer (13 years ago) and blood in the urine, so the camera into the bladder (kidney stones). I have friend who had bladder cancer at the same time as my prostate issues. I'm fine. He's fine. It's scary, to be sure, but with modern medicine these can be beat! My best wishes and prayers go with you.

Happy birthday to you both. Many happy returns! Ken

Great find. Thanks, Adam, for the link. I'm looking forward to watching this on the "big screen" tomorrow. Ken

This takes some thought. In Saudi Arabia, camels. I don't know if they were indeed wild, or feral, or merely free range. But they were out in the desert wandering about. In Italy, there are little lizards everywhere, climbing the walls. Closer to home we're seeing a lot of native fauna reestablishing itself after many years of absence. Rabbits had been scarce until a few years ago; now they are everywhere. Also raccoons and 'possums. (A number of years ago we let our cat out on the porch, only to find her encountering two baby 'possums that had somehow managed to find a way through the screen). Varieties of birds have become common again in our neighborhood, especially titmice and nuthatches. At work at the museum, where we have a couple hundred acres of meadow, wood lot and farmland, there is more variety. Mammals: foxes and deer. Among birds, we had great blue herons and egrets, but alas, our pond dried up, so they're gone. But we do have hawks, both red tail and coopers. Just this past year ravens have made an appearance. I especially love watching the barn swallows put on their airshow. Loops, barrel rolls and himmelmans, six inches from the ground! And they never crash! Ken