Ken Q

Standard FAA airport diagrams, accessible via SkyVector, give the gradient as a percentage. For example, the chart for KJAC, Jackson Hole, notes that RWY 01 has a gradient of "0.6% UP." This information is placed along the runway itself, along with the actual heading, and is given for one end only. But in my example it is clear that if RWY 01 is 0.6% UP, RWY 19 is 0.6% DOWN. These charts only cover the larger airports, however. Ken

Here on Long Island, in the North East US we had a cool June for the beginning of the summer. It had also been very dry, with drought conditions. Until a week ago we were more than four inches below normal in precipitation. That all held through the beginning of July. Then the weather changed, and it got much warmer. Still we've yet to have days over 90 Fahrenheit, but it has been uncomfortably warm and muggy. Then the rains came. The worst of the storms missed here, passing to the west and north, causing serious flooding and fatalities, including two little kids swept away. We've not had these problems here, but we still made up our four inch deficit in one afternoon. Our real problem has been air quality. Depending on the winds we've gotten a lot of smoke from the Canadian fires. One day the brown/orange haze was so thick I couldn't even see the house across the street clearly. Although not so bad today, when I went out this morning to get the newspaper I could smell smoke. But yeah, Canada is burning, California is burning, the Colorado River is drying up, and kids are being washed away in flash floods, but Global Warming is a hoax. Even in Florida, a state that stands to be greatly affected by stronger and more numerous hurricanes. Ken

A sentiment I fully agree with. At this point in our lives, we frequently have dinner delivered. At times we'll pick up a meal for lunch as well, and from one Afghan place we'll usually buy enough for two or three meals. The food reheats very well in the oven. At this point the convenience is important, we can afford it, and we also believe in supporting our local eateries, some of which took a real pasting during the pandemic. The main reason we opt for takeout rather than dine in is our reluctance to drive at night. Ken

Chinese. Back some years ago my wife was working in a defense plant, and I was home finishing my dissertation. By 4:00 I had enough of the academic work, so I would then get everything ready for dinner. In those days most of our dinners were Chinese, and I'd have everything cut up, sauces made, and set out ready to cook. At this time we also offered a Chinese banquet for our church social club at the time of the Lunar New Year. Wife and I, with the assistance of a committee prepared a traditional ten course Chinese dinner for 60-70 people. We did this for about ten years, ending in .1990 Then came Desert Shield, and I was sent to Naples, Italy. I was assigned to a four bedroom apartment with five other guys. The apartment had a nice, albeit small kitchen, so we established a mess where everyone contributed, and I did most of the cooking. Because of that my wife sent me a care package of Chinese ingredients which I couldn't get in Naples. My housemates and other friends got an education in Chinese cuisine (and I don't mean the stuff pervaded by the local take-out or Chop Suey house. Since I returned from Europe and the Mid East, we developed a taste for Middle Eastern food, but that became my wife's specialty. I help with meal preparation, but now the wife does most of it. Ken

Beer, whisky and wine? The medical pundits always insist that we include grain and fruit in our diet.

Great videos of a wonderful airplane. Back in the 1980s when this plane was being developed, my wife had a small but significant part in its development. At the time she was working for AIL (formerly Airborne Instruments Laboratories) AIL had a contract for the electronic countermeasures system, and she did the documentation ("User Manuals") for it. Also for the EF111. Ken

Happy birthday, my friend! Hope and pray for many more! Ken

I haven't found one either. O did find a reference to improvements made to some aircraft, including my Mooney M20M, but nothing else.

While scattered around the world, the Forum members are friends, and I want to treat friends with kindness and respect. Also like to share information and good laugh. Ken

I don't know about Rodger's, but mine could, if you imagine them. Ken

Gee, Rodge, kind of sounds like my first simulator. A couple of chairs, a couple of 2X4s, a few cardboard boxes and pieces of cardboard. Add to that Erector Set parts and a motor, and VIOLA, a flight simulator! It had all the planes, and scenery you could imagine! (But you had to imagine it). There was no computer to worry about, it hadn't been invented yet. Bugs could be fixed the same way the SIM was built. Not quite free, but cost was minimal, and was subsidized by Grandpa anyway. Ken

Also, does it fix the mess at Bulkhead City KIFP?

It does look nice, Josh. Congrats on the win! I'd like to mention (again) that I have some Saitek gear that I'm happy to give away; all I ask is for the postage. PM me. Ken

The rumor mill is in full swing. We'll have to wait and see what really comes out.

OK, maybe a strange analogy, but you see my point?! But, on a hopeful note. I just saw an interview of Orbx CEO Anna, where she held out hope that if the new P3D 6 attracts enough business we might see some third party development for it. I hope so. Ken

A story about the 18th/19th century hat business serves as a sort of parable here. At this time the best hats were made of felt made of beaver fur. However beaver was very expensive, so hatters made hats of "imitation beaver" which was actually muskrat. Now this was a time before the railroads, so the best way of moving bulk goods was by canal boat. This made the muskrats extremely happy; these really, really nice humans are building all of these artificial rivers just so the muskrat has a wonderful place to live! But the canal operators did not see it that way, because the muskrats did a lot of damage burrowing under the berms and tow paths. So the canal operators offered a bounty. On the Erie Canal in 1830 it was $1.00, actually quite a bit of money then. To collect the $1.00 all the trapper had to do was go to the canal office with the muskrat's tail. The trapper still had the rest of the muskrat which he could sell to a felt maker for $0.25. So the same muskrat got "sold" twice. Microsoft was the trapper, and Flight Simulator the muskrat that was sold twice. Unfortunately that resulted in a EULA which left out the casual "gamer," which hurt Lockheed's sales, especially after MSFS came along. Of course the other purchaser of the muskrat was Dovetail, which after much hype about "personal" flight simulator, dropped the ball. Now it would seem that Lockheed can and will change the EULA allowing recreational use of the new P3D. As a great fan of P3D I can only hope that the new EULA is not too little, too late to boost sales, and consequently lure some developers to create new add ons for it. By the way, with my simulator cockpit and the way I use the sim, I've always felt that I qualified for the P3D EULA's allowed use for "simulation." This is, in the context, a vague distinction. Ken (the Hatter)

Neat! Thanks! I had a similar issue with my Mom. Our spare bedroom is rather odd, somewhat long. There is a small window, rather low, at the end, another, rather high, on the side. Short of standing on a ladder, or on a rooftop with a telescope, there is no way anyone from the front of the house could see anything except the ceiling. The side window was about the same. But still my Mom went crazy because we never bothered to put full blinds and curtains on these windows. I cherish privacy, but let's get real! Ken

Thank you, my friends, for your kind wishes. Overall a pleasant quiet day. Had wanted to fly in the sim, but didn't quite work out. I want my wife to join me for a short jaunt from Medford, OR (KMFR) to Crater Lake and return. It's impressive in Orbx scenery. Try tomorrow. Later this evening, a nice dinner: soup, shrimp cocktail fixed by my wife. Then we order in Chicken Franchise with the fixings. A nice bottle of wine, and cheese and crackers for desert (I'm not much on cake). Thanks so much again! Ken

I get that at Halloween! Every year the Museum Village has a Halloween program that is designed for younger kids and their families. Some history, some campiness, but nothing too scary. We have a find the monster scavenger hunt, trick or treat, "Sleepy Hollow," and "the Hatter has a strange visitor." This skit has a very irate female customer calling on me, complaining, very loudly, that the hat I sold her for her husband doesn't fit. I explain, quite patiently, that if only her husband would come to the shop, I could fit a hat perfectly. After screaming excuses why he will not, I counter "I cannot fit a hat without the customer's head!" After an appropriate expletive, she stomps off, and returns shortly with a bucket. Of course, in the bucket is her husband's severed head, a typical Halloween prop. Much fun, loved by all. Ken

Great flick, John. Really great shots of aircraft now only seen in museums. Brings back memories; as a little kid I flew from New York to Omaha, Nebraska, and Chicago to visit my grandfather, and the planes were the DC3 and DC6. I of course recognize the Connie, DC3,4 & 6. Is that flying boat a Sutherland? The others I don't know. Thanks for sharing this! Ken

I think you're right, Bullfox, but since I just installed it, I've not really had the chance to really put it to the test. Ken

My Amazon "Fire" tablets download PDF files just fine, and they go into a "Download" Kindle folder. I don't use it for that in the Sim, though. Like Wayne, I use mine extensively for Navigraph Charts. I also use it for VFRMaps, SkyVector and PilotEdge, both to file my flight plan, and to see the PE map showing where other PE traffic is. I use a 7" for general use, including writing this post. I have a new 8" tablet that is just for flight sim, and lives attached to my yoke by the Rex Mount. I have no knowledge of Samsung or other brands of these devices. The inexpensive "Fire" tablets do what I want. I have three (two active at the moment) and my wife has one. They use the Android protocol. If you have Saitek/Logitech FIPs there is a checklist available at WWW.fipgauges.com. It's pretty generic, but easily edited. Gauges from this site do require SPADnext, though. Ken

I basically agree. But although I am working my way through the PilotEdge "I Ratings," I prefer VFR conditions. I like to enjoy the Orbx scenery. I do fly IFR on occasion, but often I just wait it out. Ken

Granted, P3D, all versions combined, came in third in the Navigraph survey. But it was a pretty close third, and that still represents a large number of users. I fear part of the problem is that it was broken down by version, and that makes the bar graph look pretty pathetic if one looks at the versions separately. I find this very disappointing. My greatest disappointment, though, has to do with PilotEdge. One of my favorite events is "SimVenture" a simulation event copying the Fisk Arrival into Oshkosh for AirVenture. This year the initial announcement included P3D, along with X-Plane and MSFS. But last week P3D was deleted. This is a great event, and I had been planning on taking a couple of vacation days to participate. I guess I'm saving my vacation this year. I looked at both MSFS and X-Plane, and good as they might be they don't suit me. Also I have spent a lot of money on building my SIM, and just too much would have to be replaced, if I can get a replacement at all. Ken

I just found the video that John Dow did of a flight in your sim. Most impressive, and very inspirational. I looked up "view groups." Mystifying, but also useful. Thanks for the clue. Now I have to figure out how to apply it. Ken