YAMBA1 Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 On a whim, a once bought a fly simulator and a 3 D Pro Joystick. I flew around like an amateur, a bit like the Red Baron of the new age. The game did not last long on my computer I was quickly feed up, and I forget about it until, one day, when babysitting my grand-child. I Loaded Microsoft Flight Simulator X on my newly bought computer and the program still came alive after all those years. I pulled out the old dusted Joystick and allowed my grandson to play. He had fun. His only objective was to crash the plane under an explosion of laughter’s and to kill all the Pokémon’s Passengers. My task was to bring back the aircraft in the air and then handover the commands to this little wannabe pilot. Well, all that was several years ago and the room still echoes the joy and laughs of my grand son . My FSX Deluxe Edition never left my computer again. I started to discover the full potential of this Simulator. I took a keen interest when I realized that a computerized voice will tell me where to go (IFR), Then came some route planning and VFR flying. I started to read about this outdated program, and to my amazement there is a whole pretty helpful community out there. I discovered ORBX and loaded up Global, Aust, Vector. Whoa, what a difference in the scenery ORBX made. I was hooked . I bought my first airport YCFS (Coffs Harbour). It’s near my home town so I familiar with the landscape, the beautiful river system, the mountains, the coastline and the nearby towns. Eventually, I became more and more adventurous, and with it, my ORBX airports grew Alice, Melbourne, Cairns and so on. To reach those destination I need to fly bigger planes. In my professional life I travelled considerably across Australia. I always wondered what type of life could be behind those cockpit closed doors? It’s time to find out for-myself. I loaded FS Passengers, a small but nifty program that will put some discipline into your flying. I still reminiscent of the days when my FS Passengers screamed because I left a door opened on take-off, or exert to much G force on the descent . Contrary to my FS co-pilot I thought I did a good landing, only to hear him say “Nice landing , do we still got the gear?” Those days are now over , I have since learned a new vocabulary by the bucket full . Trans Alt, LNAV VNAV, VR V1, Yaw Damper , FMC IRS , Transfer BUS , and so the list goes on and on. I needed to come as close to reality as possible without leaving the comfort of my home. I added Active Sky, Joined Vatsim, connected FS-FlightControl. And a second screen. Two computers are now running my set up with a total of 3 screens. I had to move away from those horrible panels and invested in Captain Sim and PDMG . I have to say thanks to PDMG for his excellent tutorial . At last I know how to program correctly an FMC. This is a great step forward for this aspiring pilot. I once explain to my children that for a 45 minutes flight I spend 3 hours on the ground . And if I really want it to do by the book it could be rather 5 hours . So no longer are the days when I just jumped on the throttle and successfully take off. Nowadays, I make a complex calculation of fuel usage taking into account the weight , correction landing, miss appr, the regulatory 5% contingency, Taxi , holding, Diversion and extra fuel … Then I fire-up TopCat for performance and trust settings, then download weather prediction …… My son bought me a book for Xmas . “Microsoft FSX for Pilots, Real World Training” and it’s subtitled “For Serious Pilots it’s not a game” Thinking back to my earliest days where Sid & Stars and AIRAC Cycles were just pompous technical words used by few to show-off their knowledge, or so I thought, I came to understand that this hobby is more than a hobby, is an enjoyable learning process. Needless to say the grand-children are no longer allowed to use FSX or the well calibrated Joystick! My flying world stays very much down under, There is no need at present to fly anywhere else. Australia NZ and PNG is my back garden. And I enjoy every little corner of this small world. I once asked my loving wife “ Would you come and fly with me?” and came the reply “NO , I don’t trust your flying!” Happy Flying Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 "It's not a hobby, it's a way of life." Sounds like you are one mighty happy hobbyist, Yamba1. Glad you have joined the gang! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VH-KDK Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 A wonderful story and I am glad you are getting so much out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Cox Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 Welcome to the club mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelab6 Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 That was a great read. Thanks for sharing ! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 I envy you mate, my short term memory is RS, so the complex stuff is way beyond me (well, if I am to be honest, it's always been a bit beyond me). I still spend many hours most days flying "low and slow" and lovin' it. Thanks for a great post. Teecee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawrence aldrich Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 I could have used FSX when I went through USAF pilot training in 1954. However I don't think personal computers were around yet. None of my flight instructors were made by Intel, so it was a pain in the a**. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 I actually took a couple of lessons in a C172, and a couple in the Jabiru, ( small Aussie aircraft, loved it, but could not really afford to go on). I looked at doing the same thing in MS (Vicksburg) and actually did a couple, but the bank (my Missus) put the kibosh on it, and to be honest she was right, I was getting too old. Terry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAMBA1 Posted September 18, 2018 Author Share Posted September 18, 2018 2 hours ago, teecee said: but the bank (my Missus) The logical next step would be a couple of hours in a real simulator, From what I heard that would be the ultimate experience for a non flyer , but as Teecee said the "Bank" is also my problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 You are so right..I would even settle for a modern version of the Link trainer..Terry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuFun Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 I was fortunate to get a crack at flying a few real USAF simulators in the 70's and early 80's. Since these simulators were actually equipped with real cockpits, I was dispatched to work on them at times. The first one was an F-4 non-motion sim (1977). The operator threw in a UFO in one of the flights, very surprised about that one. In the 80's was stationed a SAC training base and checked out a full motion B-52 refueling simulator. I was surprised how heavy the yoke was and those eight throttles. I crashed into the KC-135 Tanker. The Tanker was a stationary model with several cameras rotating around it. No CGI. The other was KC-135 Tanker full motion simulator. I was working on the B-52 simulator and a Major asked if we would like a spin in the Tanker. Major said buckle up and hear we go! TeD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAMBA1 Posted September 19, 2018 Author Share Posted September 19, 2018 2 hours ago, TuFun said: The other was KC-135 Tanker full motion simulator. I was working on the B-52 simulator and a Major asked if we would like a spin in the Tanker. Major said buckle up and hear we go! Te In the 70 ,I had the pleasure to be invited by some USAF Officers for a private visit at The Darwin (Aus) RAAF base to sight a B-52 an a KC tanker. I was amazed by the size of the B52 and how small crew compartment was, compared to the bomb hold. The crew lived, worked, climbed, cooked and sleep practically on top of each other. And for the KC I was invited to lay down in the aft section of the plane where the re-fueler would control such operation . The whole privileged experience was so impressive, it is still very clear in my mind. I have a photograph where I sit in the cockpit of the B-52 and looking outside . From memory I think that the KC is the original B707, I am right? A B-52 now days is on display at the Northern Territory Aircraft Museum, courtesy from the USAF I understand it is one of the rare museum outside the US to hold such treasure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAMBA1 Posted September 19, 2018 Author Share Posted September 19, 2018 3 hours ago, teecee said: You are so right..I would even settle for a modern version of the Link trainer. Terry , I did not know what a link trainer was , so I looked it up and had a good giggled . We have come so far with technology . I am sure some hobbyists have set up in their houses that surpasses those early days Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawrence aldrich Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 15 hours ago, YAMBA1 said: Terry , I did not know what a link trainer was , so I looked it up and had a good giggled . We have come so far with technology . I am sure some hobbyists have set up in their houses that surpasses those early days Charles The Link trainer was a torture device used in the 50s to find out if you were prone to claustrophobia. I was...………... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olderndirt Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 When I worked for the FAA in Anchorage, our approach control was on Elmendorf AFB, at the base of their tower. Every once in a while, those of us who were licensed pilots were given a chance to fly the F4 simulator. One April Fools day we got a letter from the Wing billing us for the F4's we had crashed - mind boggling amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 59 minutes ago, olderndirt said: When I worked for the FAA in Anchorage, our approach control was on Elmendorf AFB, at the base of their tower. Every once in a while, those of us who were licensed pilots were given a chance to fly the F4 simulator. One April Fools day we got a letter from the Wing billing us for the F4's we had crashed - mind boggling amount. Back in 1972, I got to fly the F-4 simulator in Germany. By today's standards, it was primitive--the canopy was opaque and outside weather was indicated by light, dark, or dim. But the range of motion was pretty good, and I was sweating when I was done and marveling at the "realism" of it all. And now, here we sit with our ORBX scenery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boetie Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 What a great read Charles, I can see myself going on the same learning journey as you ( as soon as the kids have flown the nest!) Cheers Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Terry Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Here for TeeCee is a picture of a Link Trainer. Cheers Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAMBA1 Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Ken Terry said: Here for TeeCee is a picture of a Link Trainer. Awesome, looks like one of those planes for kiddies on a merry-go-round No wonder then , that Lawrence Aldrich had claustrophobia in one of them Cheers Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 I have no recollection of dizziness, claustrophobic (for a sixteen year old) Yes, but great fun too.. Thanks Ken.. Terry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1bmsgt Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 I got to fly the B-1B sim a number of times back in my Air Force days. I remember thinking how my sim at home had better graphics... (FS5.1!!) Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.