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A thrill for this sim jocky. NRM flight. Calgary to Sandpoint Idaho!

cvearl

By cvearl
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cvearl Life Member

cvearl

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Nore sure people want to see this stuff? But really got a thrill from it and felt like sharing.

Of all the real world flights this sim junkie could be invited to go on, I get invited to go to Sandpoint Idaho! One of my favorite airports in ORBX NRM scenery in one of my favorite sim planes, the real Mooney M20J. Not only that but to see and sit in a plane I have always wanted to see in person. The Quest Kodiak. All in real world ORBX NRM scenery. A dream come true. Even got to hand fly a few of the legs (Cutbank to Sandpoint through the rocks).

The outbound trip - Springbank Calgary (CYBW) to Cutbank Montanna (KCTB) via Lethbridge VOR (YQL) to pick up a projector lamp for a Sandel HSI and clear customs and get fuel. From there direct to Sandpoint (KSZT) and stay overnight after touring the Quest factory.

Return trip - Next day back to Springbank via a northern route picking our way through the Rockies via Cranbrook (CYXC) then direct to Springbank.

Getting ready to go, and playing roadie for Alan the pilot, I helped wipe down the bugs from Alan's last trip.

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Departing runway 34 CYBW

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Right downwind departure RW 34 CYBW

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Approaching Lethbridge a glance at the MX20. It's slaved off the Garmin.

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Hello Lethbridge.

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Flyby of Lethbridge Airport turning to Cutbank. 7,500 feet.

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Welcome to Cutbank (Sadly not in ORBX scenery) Just out of it.

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Star-Browning (8S0) at our three oclock. Can't make out the airport.

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Picking a route through the rocks headed to Sandpoint. I got to fly this leg under the watchful gaze of the Pilot.

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Out the Window view of the route. Yes I was nervous.

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Spotting Troy (57S) on the MX20 means we are getting very close. Sandpoint would be just over the next bunch of peaks.

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57S at our thee o clock out the window. Thinking to myself it looks like ORBX scenery.

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Hello Sandpoint Idaho! Go fly this area in the sim. You will be blown away.

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About to join left downwind for runway 1.

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The Route...

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skkuda Life Member

skkuda

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cvearl wrote....

Nore sure people want to see this stuff

I BADLY WANT/WISH to see stuff like this!!!

Really apreciate that kind of experiencies and Pics representing this experiencies!

So thanks again and hoping to se more!!!

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Wolter van der Spoel Orbx VIP

Wolter van der Spoel

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Hi Charles,

great series of photo's and that it looks a lot like FTX is a small added bonus for the team :D;)

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, as others already mentioned we never grow tired of this, so if you have more of these trips,

please feel free and make us armchair pilots part of your real life trips as it really is very much appreciated by us all 8)

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cvearl Life Member

cvearl

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Hi Charles,

great series of photo's and that it looks a lot like FTX is a small added bonus for the team :D;)

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, as others already mentioned we never grow tired of this, so if you have more of these trips,

please feel free and make us armchair pilots part of your real life trips as it really is very much appreciated by us all 8)

Will try. That one so far is one where I took the most pics and the weather was good for it and I appreciate the kind words. As a fellow armchair pilot (dreaming of when my wife says yes to start Ground school), It was a dream come true. As for us Armchair guys getting these kinds of chances, it was easier than I thought. While I know there are a ton of real pilots here, for those that want to step into it a bit deeper, it is sooo easy. I found the secret was this...

I got inspired and acted on it. Just over a year ago, I came across this well known video (new to me but most of you have seen it many times) and fell in love with the idea of flying. Ran to the store and bought FSX.

[media]http://youtu.be/ayk3R10lfYg

Before I knew it a lady I worked with introduced me to Paul (A great pilot and soon to become good friend). He told me all about EAA and that he was involved with a program there called Young Eagles right down the road from where I live! http://www.eaahighriver.org/. The Young Eagles Program is where local Pilots belonging to EAA fly kids for free to introduce them to Aviation. Inspired I searched the web. I found this one about Ford's work with the EAA (Experiment Aircraft Association) and the Young Eagles Event.

[media]http://youtu.be/BP_TEWIFZHc.

That was it. I had to suck it up. Drive out and attend an EAA meeting. I was nervous. Why would these "pilots" want to bother meeting me a non-pilot sim jock (one with less hours in the sim than they have for real). I would be wasting peoples time. Could not be further from the truth.

The first meeting was really fun. I just sat and listened in the lonley old hanger filled with about 30 people sitting around having a beer and a slice of pizza (Everyone throws $10 in a jar). People of all walks of life. Real quality everyday people. No Top Gun types. Turns out they are about as excited to share aviation as we are about the sim! Approached from all sides. Who are you? Why did you come out? Keep comming! Were a really good group! I have not missed a meeting yet. 1/3 of the people that attend are wannabes like me. I have since volunteered in my limited capacity as a non-pilot at the Young Eagles now twice in High River. You would not believe how much it is appreciated and it is so easy to do and such a fun place to be when the event is held. Before you know it, people are inviting you to go to flyins (been to a half dozen or so now) and hope to go to more. Basically little $100 burger trips. Been up in a 182, 210, 172, Mooney M20J and a Cirrus SR22 GTS Turbo. Wow. I would not have believed it possible as a sim guy. I have made some amazing friends and learned so much. Everything that they talk about translates to my experiences in the sim. I dream one day to be one of the pilots flying the kids at the Young Eagles. It's a great cause.

I encourage EVERYONE that is passionate about this to Google the flying clubs near you and just take a few bucks with you to the next meeting. Sit and listen and see where it goes from there. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that order. Just feel it out. No obligation. When asked why you are there, tell them you love Aviation and currently learn on the sim. Once oyu are comfortable with some of the people you meet you naturally ask questions aout the plane they fly and their experiences. They love to talk about thier planes and really love to take people up. Just gotta share the gas and pay for thier lunch most of the time. Hopefully others here have experienced this already and those that are about to, your biggest problem will be who to fly with first and will your wife let you go for a few days somewhere in a plane with someone she has not met. :)

As for clubs, Look for things like EAA or Recreational Pilots type deals. Here we have that EAA Chapter and the Calgary Recreational and Ultralite Flying Club.

Good luck if you dare to take that step!

C.

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