BillD22

Here are some shots of the NASA B747 that was used to carry the Space Shuttle back to the Kennedy Space Center when it had to land on the West Coast instead of at the Cape. The airplane is on a flight from Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) in the sunny California desert to a cloudy landing in Florida at the Shuttle landing facility. This would be from sometime in the 1980s.

Here are some random screenshots. These are with all graphics options maxed out. Kind of looks like XP11 to me - just sayin' :confused:

Downloading now :D

That's a real "Whopper" Chris!:D:D

Thanks Jan. Most likely but this was with MSFS real-world weather.............

We overfly the airport and make a descending steep right turn to downwind for the runway. Turning and on final. Our shadow chases us to touchdown and rollout. For being not maintained since 2010 the runway looks to be in pretty good shape here in MSFS. In the RW maybe not so much? :confused::) There's no line crew to greet us but no problem. We taxi and shut down on the small ramp area. Welcome to Casco Cove!

Today we're on a Coast Guard C-130 flight from Kodiak Island, Alaska (PADQ) to check out runway conditions at the ex Coast Guard station at Casco Cove (PAAT) on Attu Island. Attu is all the way at the end of the Aleutian Island chain. It's the farthest west land area in the United States. A small Coast Guard station was there until it was shut down in 2010. The island has been uninhabited since but the station runway remains available for emergency landing use. Here's our route of flight. From Kodiak over the Alaska Peninsula and then mostly over the waters of the Bering Sea. En route time 4+30. The Sectional Chart shows Attu and the emergency use designation for Casco Cove. The nearby island of Shemya has an Air Force and Space Force station with a ballistic missile defense radar installation and an associated airfield with an instrument approach. Ready for takeoff from Kodiak (PADQ) with 2500-foot Barometer Mountain in the background. Take off and climb out. We'll definitely want to use engine and wing anti-ice on the climb thru this cloud layer. In clear air and climbing up to cruise altitude over the snow-covered mountains of the Alaska Peninsula. With the overwater segment behind us, Attu comes into view with the airport runway in sight in the second shot.

Here are some random shots from a flight down the coast from Malcolm McKinnon Airport (KSSI) on Saint Simons Island, Georgia down to Northeast Florida Regional Airport (KSGJ) near St. Augustine, Florida. The flight was thru RW weather with scattered rain showers. In and out of rain and rainbows. Breaking out in sun over the white sand beaches of Cumberland Island. In the RW we might see some wild horses running along the surf line. The ship basin and air station runway of Mayport Naval Station at the entrance to the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida. Back in clouds with scattered windscreen raindrops on our RNAV approach to Runway 13 at KSGJ. The approach takes us over busy north-south Highway US1 which runs right past and very close to the approach end of the runway. Over the threshold with the windsock showing a direct crosswind and rolling out with dark clouds behind us.

"Nights" are when it all happens in the freight and package delivery world. Great collection of shots Darryl :cool::cool::cool:

Thanks Larry!

Lined up for the runway, touchdown, and turn off the active. Shut down on the ramp with a bird's eye island view. Our passengers deplaned and are headed for the bus to hotels followed by tours of the statues, trips to the beach, and other attractions. Welcome to Easter Island!

Easter Island is located in the Southeast Pacific 2000 miles or so off the coast of South America. It's famous for the large mysterious statues of standing heads carved out of volcanic rock. Easter has regular airline flights by Latam Airlines. Let's fly along and check it out on a Latam B787 from Santiago Chile. Here's our route of flight out to the island and an insert picture of the statues. En route time is 4+15. Ready for takeoff under the RW weather 3000-foot overcast skies from Santiago's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCEL) Take off and climb out. The red on our ND terrain display shows the high terrain surrounding the airport that's above our current altitude. Very handy when departing in instrument conditions! On course and heading for the coast we get a great view of the snow-capped Andes Mountains. With the ocean segment behind us, we've got the island in sight and are setting up for our approach to Runway 28. The ND display shows the island's outline and hilly terrain.

FS2020 may be the future of flight simming with its glitzy graphics and all-glass A320s and B737s but for right now it's lacking in the variety of aircraft that are available for earlier versions of FS - especially the golden age prop and early jet airliners. So here's a retro sim trip in FSX down memory lane with one of my favorites from that era. The classic Lockheed L188 Electra decked out as an Eastern Airlines DC to New York shuttle flight (KDCA to KLGA) from the 1970s. (Thanks for the L188 inspiration Larry!) ;) Lined up for departure on Runway 1 with the DC skyline ahead. Climbing out over the Potomac River past Hains Point Park and all the famous monuments and landmarks along and around the National Mall. Staying over the river until we can make a turn to the northeast without overflying DCs restricted airspace. The Team KBT VC in this shot is an outstanding rendition of the real Electra cockpit. Making the turn for our en-route climb towards Baltimore and beyond up to New York. The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are visible in the distance in the first shot and the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland's Eastern Shore in the second.

On final for the 11,000-foot runway. The C17 can land in as short a distance as 3500 feet. Touchdown, roll out, and turn off the active. Leaving for the return flight to Djibouti we get a good view of the airfield and the island with its large interior lagoon. The RW island.

Here are some shots of a flight from Djibouti (HDAM) in the Horn of Africa out to Diego Garcia (FJDJ) , an atoll in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is a joint U.K./U.S. military base. Let's fly along as a USAF C17 "Globemaster III" makes a 5 hour logistics support flight out to the island. Ready for takeoff. The map insert shows our route of flight. View through the HUD. Rotate and climb out over the Horn of Africa's coastal desert terrain. Starting our descent from cruise after the long over-ocean segment. The island comes into view under scattered clouds as we descend and maneuver for our approach to Runway 13.

Absolutely outstanding series of shots and narrative Larry. :cool::cool::cool: The L188 is one of my favories. Spent many happy hours flying Libardos excellent model in FSX. :pilot: Have so far been unsuccessful in porting either it or the Team KBT version over to FS2020. :(

Here's a quick shot of aircraft on approach to San Francisco International's (KSFO) two parallel runways. An American B737-800 for Runway 28R with an Air Canada A330 for 28L.

Nice shot - can't go wrong with a Connie Rick :cool::pilot:. Not the fastest for sure but I think cruises at a respectable 300 kts TAS. Brings back the days when airline seats were comfortable and you got dressed up to go on a flight!

Thanks Larry & Blair. It's amazing everyone walked away. I don't know what happened with the crew but I hope they got a medal. They deserved it.

Here are some shots of the U.S. Navy Lockheed C121J "Pegasus" 1970 flight from Christchurch New Zealand down to McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica. After 6 years of making annual summer flights supporting McMurdo this was to be the seventh. It turned out to be the last. On arrival at McMurdo conditions were zero-zero in a blinding snowstorm with a 40-knot direct crosswind. After 4 landing attempts to the 11,000-foot ice runway, the airplane crash-landed on the fifth attempt when a landing gear snagged a snow drift on touchdown and spun the aircraft. Although Pegasus was damaged beyond repair there were no serious injuries among the 80 passengers and crew. Let's fly along. Departing Christchurch airport. Wing and cockpit views on the climb. Leveling off at cruise altitude for the 7-hour 2000-mile flight to McMurdo. Descending for a 5th landing attempt. Looking and feeling for the white snow and ice-covered runway in a blinding snow storm and crosswind. Suddenly touching down, our gear snags a snow drift and we spin out. We walk away unhurt but this will be Pegasus last flight.

Thnaks Larry!

Here are some shots of an Atlantic Airways flight from Bergen, Norway (ENBR) out to Vagar airport (EKVG) in the Faroe Island halfway between Norway and Iceland. Takeoff and climb out in clear weather over the beautiful Norwegian coastline. Things won't be so clear in Vagar with RW reported weather 900 feet overcast and visibility 6 miles. Wind 140 at 11. On the approach to Runway 12 at EKVG with the low ceiling weather as advertised on the descent. The approach lights are just starting to come into view in the second shot. A "firm" touchdown with spoilers and reversers deployed Taxi to the gate, shut down, and ground service with passengers deplaning. Welcome to Vagar! Temperature 55F.

Here are some shots of a Navy Lockheed P3 "Orion" on a special mission flight from Ascension Island in the South Atlantic up to Sal in the Cape Verde Islands off the West Coast of Africa. "Back in the day" Sal was a remote little-known desert island whose name in Portuguese means "salt." It was the scene of large salt mines, a prison camp for captured guerillas during the Portuguese-Angolan war, and not much else. In more modern times because of its year-round sunshine, white sand beaches, and clear blue water it's become a very popular vacation spot with modern hotels and tourist amenities. Let's fly along and check it out. Ready for takeoff from the Royal Air Force Station (FHAW) on Ascension Island. Lift off and climb out past the peak of Ascension's iconic "Green Mountain" whose lush vegetation is a sharp contrast with the stark lava fields around the airport and lower parts of the island. Climbing up to our cruise altitude of FL260 for the 5-hour 1600-mile flight. En route, we'll be crossing the equator from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere. Sorry, no pics of the special mission part! :D:D:D With the special mission and ocean transit parts of the flight behind us, we're on final for Sal's airport (GVAC) with a good view of the island's desert terrain and mountains where the salt mines are located in the background. Roll out, turn off the active, and shut down on the ramp. Welcome to Sal!

Here are some shots of a Navy Lockheed P3 "Orion" on a special mission flight from Ascension Island in the South Atlantic up Sal in the Cape Verde Islands off the West Coast of Africa. "Back in the day" Sal was a remote little-known desert island whose name in Portuguese means "salt." It was the scene of large salt mines, a prison camp for captured guerillas during the Portuguese-Angolan war, and not much else. In more modern times it's become a popular vacation spot with modern hotels, year-round sunshine, white sand beaches, and clear blue water. Let's fly along and check it out. Ready for takeoff from the Royal Air Force Station (FHAW)on Ascension Island. Lift off and climb out past the peak of Ascension's iconic "Green Mountain" whose lush vegetation is a sharp contrast with the stark lava fields around the airport and lower parts of the island. Climbing up to our cruise altitude of FL260 for the 5-hour 1600-mile flight. En route, we'll be crossing the equator from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere. Sorry, no pics of the special mission part! :D:D:D With the special mission and transit parts of the flight behind us, we're on final for Sal's airport (GVAC) with a good view of the island's desert terrain.

AIRLINK's flights to Saint Helena continue on to Ascension Island, another British Overseas Territory, far out in the South Atlantic. Ready for departure on Runway 19. The windsock shows a direct crosswind coming off the ocean. Common on Saint Helena. Climbing out we can see the terraced landfill that was required to build up terrain and fill in a deep ravine for the runway during the airport's 2013 - 2016 construction. Heading out for the 3-hour flight up to Ascension 700 miles northwest of Saint Helena. On the approach with the gray-brown volcanic and green mountains of Ascension ahead. The airport is an RAF Airfield and the island has many large NASA antenna arrays for tracking space launches from Cape Kennedy. On final. Ascension is a volcanic island and a number of extinct cinder cones surround the airport with desolate fields of gray-brown and yellow-sulfur-stained lava with very little vegetation. The higher mountains are more densely covered with trees and plants leading to the highest peak on the island being called "Green Mountain." Taxi to the ramp and ready to offload and board passengers for the return flight to Saint Helena. Departing we get a full island view. Be back in two weeks.