Rupert

+1! Especially the last sentence, which I highlighted in the quote. Anticipating the need for control input and doing it smoothly rather than reacting is key to every great flight experience, regardless of aircraft type or design. BTW: The same rule applies whether flying, biking, yachting, or operating any other device.

Yep! Life wouldn't be nearly as worthwhile without a few good moments and great sounds like that to remember!! Michael

I'm all over that Crab Benedict!! And some Rye Toast complete with lots of Joe to wash it all down!!

I agree! I certainly haven't noticed one.

Actually we've had two (2) total solar eclipses in my part of the world in the last several years! The first was in 2017 during which I and about 100 or more "friends" watched while they drank every drop of my beer and cheap wine while watching the eclipse in my backyard. The other instance just happened over Paoli Indiana. (Yes there is really a town with such a strange name in Indiana) Where I wasn't "Hosting" anyone TBTG!! Paoli is about 40 miles from where I live. And it was a bitch to get home from after the event!!! Having already seen one "totality" it was already a kinda Been There Seen That scenario. And not worth the trip. I assume I'll miss the next one in 2044.

Also with the older sims, I prefer P3D, you could scan multiple views all the time just by moving your eyes, as you do in a real aircraft, Instead of scrolling or changing screens to see what you want to see. I normally have three screens to look out of the windscreen and sides with and another screen, mounted lower, to scan the instruments. Like RW flying. Plus, on day one, I already knew how to work all the control functions as they were standard on the older sims.

Please do!! They were really nice! However I had to hurry to get back home for the total eclipse yesterday. Therefore I didn't have time to tip them myself! I wanted to see this eclipse as I'll likely miss the next one in 2044. Thankfully the rainy weather held off til today, so we could see the whole eclipse very well in French Lick In. yesterday!!!!

GREAT IDEA!! I'll give that a try! Planning and forethought, but without malice!! Just don't tell the FAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damned Straight!! In Orange County as well as Frisco!! My first experience of one, I was driving a car!! I had not a clue how to steer! It felt a lot like flying in very heavy wind gusts! But other objects such as guard rails and other vehicles were just feet or inches away!! Luckily I didn't get hit or hit something else! We have tornadoes here in Kentucky fairly frequently. In fact a Force 2 one came through just this last week less than three miles from where we live. Both Molly's and my mother's homes, about five miles apart, were damaged by tornadoes in the 1960's. (Before we met.) And we had some garage damage from one early1980's. But they're usually somewhat predictable. Shakers!! I don't ever want to live thorough another one of them!

I basically agree. FSX is a very good program! Having said that, I find I'm happier with the similar, but I think somewhat better, P3D. First off you don't need to learn a whole new group of keyboard controls with P3D as you have to with MSFS. It's the same format you've used for years. Regardless of which boxed program you prefer I'd hugely suggest you look into buying some ORBX add-on scenery for the specific places where you really want accurate scenery. ORBX scenery isn't quite as complete or "picture perfect" as MSFS. But it's much closer to correct and much more detailed than what I've found in any of the box based sims I've tried, You can download what scenery pack/s you choose from ORBX without tying up your system for hours and sometimes days at a time. Also you won't worry about losing days at a time loading "Updates" which I found often happened when I tried MSFS!

Plus one!!

It's because of the mechanics of the chopper. The Collective (the lever on your left) raises and lowers all rotor blades the same amount by raising the stationary swash plate equally so it requires by far, the most leverage. By setting the pilot on the right, the linkage from the collective lever is almost straight up to the swash plate making the extra leverage needed, more practical to apply. With all blades set at the same angle for a full rotation, the aircraft should hover. Having said that, a single main rotor aircraft would rotate in the opposite direction from the rotation of the main rotor because of the torque involved. Thus at low speed or hover you need another force to prevent unwanted aircraft rotation. On a single main rotor craft you often have a smaller side mounted tail rotor to cancel out the torque spin, However with a dual main rotor aircraft torque rotation isn't nearly so much of an issue because the main rotors rotate in opposite directions from each other so the torque reaction is cancelled out. The Cyclic (what you might call the joy stick) raises and lowers only parts of the swash plate(s) on the fore and aft planes and side planes to lessen or increase the blade pitch depending where the blades are in their rotation to make the aircraft go forward, aft, or sideways. Since the Cyclic needs much less power to make these changes, the linkage doesn't need to be nearly as straight as that of the Collective. On a multiple main rotor aircraft you move the plane forward by using more rotor tilt on the aft rotor than the forward one and vice-versa. Hover is with both rotors pulling equal load,

She's coming along! Still trouble walking after her knee replacement that didn't go well. Plus some other issues probably age related. But then we all have those. So neither of us can really complain! Thanks for remembering and asking! Michael

GOOD ON YOU BOTH!! Molly just turned 80. I will do the same in a few months as well. Which also means we will have been married 50 years at that time. I remember marrying when I was thirty because after all, my life was pretty much over by then anyway.

Great info! Molly and I dreamed of making a round trip-one way on the Queen Mary II, the other on the Concorde. We've made several round trips on the QMII but the Concorde was sadly shut down before we could take it.