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gmurray56

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  1. gmurray56

    Upper Midwest

    By gmurray56,

    Niagara Falls-Toledo,OH: I glimpsed the Falls out the window of the PA-32 as I left KIAG and turned to 211 degrees, bound for Dunkirk. This route took me across Lake Erie and through some Canadian airspace. At Dunkirk, I turned to follow the shoreline to Erie Intl. (KERI), then on to Cleveland.
     
    The rolling hills gave way to fields, with occasional cities. It was monotonous, green on the left, blue on the right, without even clouds. I did see several radio antennas, plus a cooling tower for a nuclear plant on the lakeshore. I was making good time, with a ground speed near 170 knots. Before long, the Cleveland skyline was visible.
     
    The program generated a Cessna 172 in front of me, above and descending. I watched as the distance ticked down to 1.9 miles as it crossed from right to left. I even got a glimpse of a flickering pixel, but could not make out the plane. On the other side of town, another C172 crossed from left to right, almost at my altitude, getting within 4.9 miles.
     
    I started turning west toward Toledo, again taking me out over Lake Erie. The clouds had returned, and the sun made a nice reflection on the water. Under a gray cloud, it suddenly got turbulent. From the SPOT view, it was interesting to see the plane bounced around. After passing over some islands and a large river mouth, I was back over agricultural fields. Toledo Express (KTOL) came into view, and the landing was uneventful. I couldn’t believe I went so far in an hour and a half.
     
    Toledo-South Bend,IN; The next flight I spawned at Toledo Express pointing the opposite way I needed to go, so I back-taxied before taking off to the west. Trimmed out at 2000 feet, I followed the highway to Indiana. Michigan was out my right window. The land was flat, a patchwork quilt of green, orange and yellow, mainly farms and small towns. At this height, I could see transmission line towers marching along. Eventually a hint of Lake Michigan appeared on the horizon. After a 45-minute flight, the red VASI lights were right in front of me, showing I was below glideslope. When the bottom light turned white, I cut the power and landed straight ahead. Straight out, straight in; that doesn’t happen very often.
  2. gmurray56
    Long Island-Montauk-Block Island: My next flight was again in daytime. I departed Long Island McArthur airport in the Cherokee Six (PA32), leaving the New York City skyline behind. I continued along the island, all the way to Montauk. It is most certainly a long island, at around 100 miles. It was interesting to see green and brown below the plane, with blue on either side. From the tv show The Affair, I had gathered that Montauk is isolated. The view from the air confirmed it. I wasn’t quite ready to land, so I continued a short distance across the water to Block Island for a slightly bumpy landing on the relatively short runway.
     
    Block Island-Martha’s Vineyard: Since I was flying the PA32 to Martha’s Vineyard, I decided to recreate part of a famous ill-fated flight from 1999. I changed the day to night and took off. It was VERY dark, with few lights on shore or in the water. There was no visible horizon. I could see how easy it would be to become spatially disoriented. Eventually I saw the airport beacon and made a safe landing.
     
    Cape Cod-Boston: From Martha’s Vineyard I flew to Cape Cod (Provincetown), then on to Boston. Although I usually just flew at the default date and time (7/21/2003 at 10:15 a.m.), I had set the date to the real date to help with the bug on the logbook. I was pleasantly surprised to look up and see the same waning daytime moon I had seen in real life in my car.
    Most of both legs was over water. Coming in to Boston Harbor, I was struck by the number of fishing boats and sailboats, including one very large sailing ship. I took a tour of downtown but did not recognize anything before landing at Logan.
     
    Portsmouth-Portland-Eastport: The last push to the northeast corner took me along the coast with green turning to orange and brown. If anything, the coastline became even more ragged. No wonder so many towns had “port†in their name. The elevation continued to rise, and eventually I saw islands with distinct hills or small mountains. I finally landed at the small airport of Eastport, surrounded by forest with a final approach between two large trees. Any further and I would have been in Canada.
  3. gmurray56
    I have decided to fly the FS2004 from Florida to Maine to complete the 4 corners of the continental U.S., and then from Maine to Illinois to complete the circumnavigation. I plan to use only prop planes that I have flown in real life; to disregard airspace restrictions and communication; to not use slew; to go only as far as I feel like flying at the time; but, always to attempt to complete a flight with a landing.
     
    Ocala-Jacksonville: The first leg was from Ocala, Florida northeast to Jacksonville. I flew the Saratoga/Cherokee Six for over an hour up the peninsular state: green, green, and blue with more lakes than I had imagined. The joystick was working fine, and the plane was very stable. After chasing the elevator trim a little, I settled down at about 4500 feet. Eventually there was a very wide and long river/lake that took me straight to the airport. I landed on the huge runway and taxied to the terminal, next to a jetliner. When I exited the program, the error message about the logbook came on. (It kept saying Logbook L, then Ll, then Lllll, etc. could not be found.) So frustrating! It’s not that big of a deal, but it is evidence that my FS2004 may not be well.
     
    Jacksonville-St. Simons-Savannah: The plan was to go straight to Savannah, so I set course along the coast in the Cherokee Six. It was surprising to see all the rivers, inlets, and islands. I was expecting the coast to be more like what I had seen along the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. No wonder so many people on the Atlantic coast have boats! Georgia slid by under my wings at 2000 feet, and I could see forests, with rising terrain to the west. After about an hour, I was getting bored going in a straight line, even with the interesting views from inside and outside the plane. The map and GPS showed Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island airports ahead, so I decided to land at KSSI. It is a nice little airport, and the VASI lights guided me in. I forgot to lower flaps, so it was a fast landing, but I walked away.
     
    The next flight I pushed on to Savannah. Again, there was the amazing view and the monotony of a straight line. (My daughter thinks it is hilarious that I fly in a straight line. She’s one of those people who think you have to be twisting and turning constantly, and she has no qualms about crashing. My wife thinks it is hilarious that I fly the computer at all.) Halfway to Savannah, I remember that the options menu (alt) lets me switch planes in midair, so I beam into a Beech Baron. After raising the landing gear, my speed is nearly 50% greater. I considered switching back to a single for the landing, but I’m already in the twin, and the long runways allow a noneventful landing.
     
    Savannah-Norfolk: The next few flights were shorter, working my way up the East Coast. Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Wilmington, and New Bern were stops along the way. There were definitely mountains rising far to the west, and the coastline was always intricate. I tried to mix it up by flying a motorglider and an aerobatic plane, but the single engine GA prop planes (C172, PA28, PA32) were the best for a cross-country. I seldom saw other traffic, but a Cessna Caravan kept appearing. Was it following me? Sometimes my route was more east than expected, as the land mass passed below with the ocean out the right window. Eventually, I made it to Norfolk, Virginia. From a recent trip there, I knew there was a highway into the ocean, that turned into a tunnel under the water. I looked and looked, but could not find it. Finally, I landed at Norfolk International (instead of the Naval Air Station.)
  4. gmurray56
    For the final leg from Austin to my new home in Central Florida, I will be flying across open water for long stretches. In a real plane, I would stay within gliding distance of land, but I am not worried about engine failure in FS9 (unless I ask for it.) Again, I will be flying the Cessna 172.
     
    I spawn on Runway 1 at Pensacola NAS, and have a look around. There are trees and military-style housing near the runway. Suddenly, a large tree grows right before my eyes, blocking a house! Interesting. Once again, I depart to the north and turn right, heading 103, climbing to 2500 feet. Again, I see shoreline and islands with breaking waves. Soon, I am over the Gulf of Mexico, but still in sight of land. The texture of the water is pretty, and there are shadows of clouds to break the monotonous blue. I find that in the SPOT view, if I position above and a little to the right of the airplane with the sun above, the shadow of the plane appears on the water below. Nice.
     
    I also find in this view, when looking through the window into the plane, that I am not alone! Who is this guy in the right seat? How did he get there? From the cockpit and virtual cockpit view, the right seat is empty. Is he a ghost?
     
    I drone on and on. Tyndall AFB slides by on the left, and the shoreline stretches out to meet me. Between Tyndall and Apalachicola Regional, I make landfall. Suddenly the plane makes a turn to the left! I make a hard right to get back on course, and have to keep slight pressure on the yoke to maintain my heading. I'm wondering if my yoke is broke. I check the fuel to see if maybe one tank was dry, making the plane heavier on the left, but they are both the same. I think maybe the sea breeze from the ocean is programmed to do that. There also seems to be an updraft, as the plane starts to climb.
     
    The time over land doesn't last long, as my course takes me back over the Gulf for an even longer stretch, even further out. The plane settles down, but my butt is getting numb. After almost 2 hours in flight, I see the shore again. The map shows a circle of blue, identified as Horseshoe Beach Restricted Area, from surface to 15,000 feet. (Later, I look it up, and find the Federal government had lifted the restriction in 2004, at the request of the Air Force. What was going on there?) There are so many airports!
     
    Once again, when I make landfall there is unexpected turbulence and a climb. It has to be part of the program. Below me is the Ocala National Forest, with barely visible power line towers in a row in the distance. The forest gives way to pastures. I see Ocala airport, with a beacon and long runways, but my destination is closer to my house: Johary Airport (FL58).
     
    I have never been there, and there is a seaplane base near it that FS9 also identifies as FL58, Jordan. I descend to 1000 feet and search for the airfield, but do not see it. I do see what may be a dirt runway, and decide to land. The landing went well, but I don't think it was an airstrip. Oh well, I'm close enough to home that I can walk, or call my wife to come get me. Total time: 2.6 hours. I have to learn this area better.
  5. gmurray56
    When I flew this leg in the real Saratoga, the lights of Las Vegas were so vast and so bright that I lost sight of the airport amidst the glow. In FS2004, the lights are not quite so bright, but Las Vegas at night is a definite must-see for any simulator fan. With the Saratoga, I felt more comfortable going over mountains, so I took a more direct route from Washington to Texas. The first leg was from Bremerton to Red Bluff, California, to Hawthorne, Nevada. This leg was from Hawthorne to North Las Vegas Airport.
     
    I know that my arrival should be in the dark, so I set the departure time for “duskâ€. I assumed I would start on the runway at Hawthorne, but the takeoff aims me right at some trees, which I barely clear. (When I went back “in the daytime†I saw that the plane was situated on a grass runway. Why?) As I climb and turn to the course of southeast, I see a large lake shimmering in the moonlight. I climb up to 11,500 feet to make sure I am well above the soon-invisible terrain. It gets dark quickly, the stars come out, and I remember to turn on the rotating beacon, the strobes, and the position lights. I crank up the rate to 8x, but there is not much to see, so I go to the map and move my position to the last mountain range before Las Vegas. When I come out of the map, I am still at 8x, and quickly get into an unusual attitude, in the dark, in the mountains. I manage to get back to normal speed, recover, and begin my descent to North Las Vegas.
     
    The Microsoft guys did a great job! The entire view is glowing, with some iconic landmarks easily visible. I see the airport beacon right in front of me, so I descend to pattern altitude. With so many lights, it is difficult to keep sight of the runway. As I make my approach, I see the Strip to the south, so I turn to take a low-level tour through downtown. Wow! The casinos are well-lit and well-rendered, with incredible details, including volcanoes, pyramids, the Eiffel Tower, and billboards. I cruise along the west side of the spectacle, then turn left to go back north. Looking down, I realize I am over the Las Vegas airport, with miles of runways and acres of taxiways, all lit up. Airliners are moving on the ground below me. I go back up the other side of the Strip, and fly right over an exploding “volcanoâ€. The attention to detail is incredible. I find my way back to North Las Vegas and make a decent landing.
     
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA32-300 N30062 (FS2004)
    From: KHTH (Hawthorne, Nevada) To: KVGT (North Las Vegas)
     
    LOGBOOK:
    May 4, 1997
    PA32-301 N8213Z
    From: HTH (Hawthorne) To: VGT (North Las Vegas)
    SEL 2.8 hrs
  6. gmurray56
    A direct route from North Las Vegas to Double Eagle Airport in Albuquerque, New Mexico took me over the Hoover Dam and parts of the Grand Canyon, and near the Meteor Crater. This is a recreation of that flight on FS2004.
     
    I depart KVGT in the daytime, and cannot resist taking another low-level tour of the Strip. This time I see even more, including Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty, the Sphinx, and a billboard featuring Siegfried, Roy, and a white tiger. The attention to detail is impressive. I turn on course and see Hoover Dam in front of me. It seems to be taking forever to get to it, so I crank up the speed to 4x. I fly over the dam and the lake, and spy what appear to be sharp peaks in the distance. As I get closer, the “peaks†resolve into canyon walls. The Grand Canyon! Again I take advantage of the fact that this is a simulator and my recreations do not have to be exact, so I dip down into the canyon. It is very cool. I twist and turn above the Colorado River, forgetting that I am still at 4x speed. It does not take too long to crash.
     
    I spawn again at North Las Vegas and take off again. This time I even “talk†to Las Vegas Approach and fly over the Dam at 5,500 feet, then climb up to 9500 feet. Even this high, the Grand Canyon is impressive. I drone along and increase the sim rate, with nothing below but brown, orange and red. I go to the map and move further along the route, near where Meteor Crater should be. I look and look, but do not see anything that can definitely be called a crater. I see a circular lake in the distance, but I do not recall any water in the real crater. Maybe that was it, maybe I missed it, or maybe Microsoft did not put it in. I continue on my route over the monotonous terrain, eventually approaching Albuquerque. More clouds form, and there are updrafts and downdrafts. The GPS indicates Double Eagle is right in front of me, but I do not see it. Finally, I spot a couple of long, long runways and make a hot, bouncy landing at the mile-high airport. (My actual logbook entry mentions the clouds and turbulence, and I apparently had a hard time spotting the airport in real life, too. So, the simulation was spot on.)
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA32-300 N30062 (FS2004)
    From: KVGT (North Las Vegas, Nevada) To: KAEG (Double Eagle, Albuquerque, New Mexico)
     
    LOGBOOK:
    May 5, 1997
    PA32-301 N8213Z
    From: VGT (North Las Vegas) To: AEG (Double Eagle, Albuquerque)
    SEL 3.5 hrs
  7. gmurray56
    I flew the sim for the 1st time in about a year. (FS2004, aka FS9, aka A Century of Flight) I have recently retired and moved to Florida, so I wanted to explore the area from the air. The program took forever to load on my ancient pc, but eventually I took off from Ocala in a Cherokee 6. Instead of my normal CH yoke, I had plugged in my Logitech joystick. I soon learned that I had forgotten the functions of multiple buttons (and even keyboard controls!) Throttle and stick. I turned east and soon could see the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon. I turned west, and eventually saw the Gulf of Mexico. Below me, not much to see but varying shades of flat green and occasional lakes. It was kind of boring.
     
    I love to fly low and slow, and FS2004 has the perfect plane for that: the Wright Flyer. Talk about throttle and stick. I flew all the way from launch to the shore at less than 50 feet, dodging trees and buildings.
     
    Next, I looked at the choice of historical recreations and decided to fly a DC-3 from Denver. It was hard to taxi to the active, and wound up just taking off without a runway. The interior views are great, with switches and knobs to remind me how complex this old plane really is. I hit the GPS button, and the glass screen looked so out of place! I didn't want to commit to a long flight, so I just flew to the downtown skyline (with the iconic cash register building.)
     
    Finally, I wanted to do some yanking and banking, so I got into Patty Wagstaff's Extra 300. Woo-hoo! From a very low altitude I could do rolls and pull straight up. From the external view, I zoomed into the cockpit only to see Patty herself wearing aviator sunglasses.
     
    So, I guess I'll have to dust off the manual and renew my passion for flying the computer. I have a few other ancient sims, including WarBirds and Beyond Pearl Harbor, to relearn. Who knows? I may even be inspired to invest in a new computer.
  8. gmurray56

    Final Flights

    By gmurray56,

    Well, I think I have almost exhausted the recreation of my flying days. There are still a few flights I did not re-fly, and there are a few planes I did not revisit (including retractable versions of the Saratoga and Cherokee 180.) I may still fly those flights on the computer, but I will not blog them. I have decided to wrap this up by recreating my final flights in the planes I flew the most.
     
    Cessna 150/152: This was the first plane I flew, but I realize I do not have one for FS2004. (I had used FSX when I started the blog.) I quickly locate and download a version. Spawning on the runway with the engine running, I look around this “new†plane. The cockpit view is missing a couple of instruments, but the virtual cockpit is fully functional. The virtual cockpit also gives a sense of how small and cramped the cabin is. I set the heading bug on the DG, and depart Angleton on a course of 299â°. Up in the air, I go to the chase plane view and look at the little Cessna from every direction. Behind me I can see the Gulf of Mexico in the distance; ahead, miles and miles of Texas. I’m not sure why I had done a touch-n-go in Eagle Lake, other than it was on the route, but I successfully replicate locating the airport, entering the pattern, landing and returning back on course. Closer to Austin, I recognize some features on the ground: Highway 71; the winding Colorado River; and, the Smithville airport with the rising terrain at one end of the runway. There is no speeding up the sim rate or moving along the route on the map for this cross-country. Eventually, Austin Executive comes into view. I enter the pattern, but get distracted by a Piper Comanche a few miles in front of me and extend the base leg a little long. I have to turn back to get lined up on final, but manage to straighten it out and land on the narrow runway. I taxi to the only building, pull back on the mixture, turn off the avionics and main switches, and turn off the magnetos. Final flight in the C150.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    C150 HB-SCA (FS2004)
    From: KLBX (Brazoria County, Texas) To: KEGL (Eagle Lake, Texas) To: 3R3 (Austin Executive, Texas)
     
    LOGBOOK:
    June 24, 1990
    C152 N6571L
    From: LBX (Brazoria Co., Angleton) To: EGl (Eagle Lake) To: 3R3 (Austin Executive)
    SEL 1.9 hrs (Total Time In Type: 29.6 hrs)
     
    Cessna 172: I appear on the runway at Austin Executive pointing north. Everything appears to be working, so I depart straight out for a few touch-n-go’s. I quickly climb straight ahead a thousand feet, and can see the departure runway out the back window. Left turn to the west, then turn south to parallel the runway. I can see the Austin skyline in the distance. Abeam the place on the runway where I had just started, I pull the throttle all the way back. When the speed slows down to the white arc on the airspeed indicator, I apply flaps. When the runway is 45° behind my left shoulder, I turn east while descending. More flaps, and I turn back to the north to line up on final. I have to adjust the throttle to maintain speed and altitude and worry a little about the electrical transmission lines in front of me. The 172 is very solid, and the landing is good. I raise the flaps, push in the throttle, and repeat the process two more times. Again, I taxi off the runway and shut down the engine before exiting the program. Last flight in the Cessna 172.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    C172 N176CM (FS2004)
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive, Texas) To: Local
     
    LOGBOOK:
    July 11, 1990
    C172 N6601D
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive) To: Local
    SEL .5 hrs (Total Time In Type: 11.5 hrs)
     
    Cherokee 140: This is a very familiar cockpit. The sim has a worn look, which is appropriate. From the outside, the Cherokee looks squatty and slightly ugly, but I never saw it that way. I take off from Bremerton and the scenery is just beautiful. The Olympic Mountains are right there. I see the famous floating pontoon bridge across the Hood Canal and the submarine base at Bangor, but no subs. I fly over the Bremerton shipyards where I saw the mighty Missouri battleship, but there are no warships. I do see ferries and cargo vessels in the Puget Sound, and the skyline of Seattle, including the Space Needle. The Cascade Range is in the distance. I turn back toward Port Orchard and Vashon Island and cruise along the coast. I look for Mt. Rainier, but as in real life, sometimes it hides. At the bottom of the Hood, I turn back into the Kitsap Peninsula and back towards the airport. I fly a right-hand pattern for the north runway and extend the flaps on the base leg. (The electric motor noise is wrong. The Cherokee flaps are deployed manually by a lever between the seats.) I have a nice landing and taxi to the ramp to park beside what looks like an Otter on amphibious floats. Mixture lean, mains off, mags off. Final flight in the Cherokee 140.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA28-140 OYDHD (FS2004)
    From: KPWT (Bremerton, Washington) To: Local
     
    LOGBOOK:
    October 3, 1995
    PA28-140 N55633
    From: PWT (Bremerton, Washington) To: Local
    SEL .5 hrs (Total Time In Type: 580.2 hrs)
     
    Beech Duchess: I spent a lot of time and money getting my multiengine license, only to give up flying all together. Oh, well. I haven’t spent a lot of time on the simulator Duchess, mainly because there is no airspeed indicator, no tachs, and no dual throttles on my Flightsim yoke. But, I can get it to fly. I start on the runway at Georgetown and lift off near the end. I retract the gear and turn to the east to fly around a bit. The GPS works, which gives me a groundspeed indication. I maneuver a bit and enjoy the views, then head back to the airport. I get lined up, reduce power, lower the gear, and lower the flaps. There is not enough control authority to flare, though, and I crash on the runway. I spawn in the air, and line up again. With elevator trim, I’m able to hold the nose up and land. I taxi to the gas pump, and find I am able to shut down each engine individually using E1 and E2 and the mixture. Maybe there is more to explore with this sim, but this ends the recreation of my last flight in a Duchess.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    BE76 GBOFC (FS2004)
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas) To: Local
     
    LOGBOOK:
    August 31, 1999
    BE76 N3733G
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas) To: Local
    MEL 1.0 hrs (Total Time in Type: 44.8 hrs)
     
    Piper Saratoga: This was a great plane, and the Cherokee 6 is a great sim. I start on the runway at Georgetown and fly south along Interstate 35 at 2500 feet. I pass Austin Executive and Austin Bergstrom airports, then drop below 1000 feet to fly between the skyscrapers of downtown Austin. I turn west and fly over Lake Travis before turning back to Georgetown. The cockpit, virtual cockpit, and chase plane views are all great. I enter the pattern for KGTU and fly a nice downwind, base, and final, but damned if I don’t crash just a few feet short of the runway. I immediately fly another circuit just to prove I can do it. I taxi to the hangars and take one last look inside and out before I pull the mixture and turn off the mags and the mains.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA32-300 N30062 (FS2004)
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas) To: Local
     
    LOGBOOK:
    September 23, 1999
    PA32-301 N8213Z
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas) To: Local
    SEL 1.5 hrs (Total Time in Type: 301.7 hrs)
     
    Grob109B Motoglider: This was my last flight as pilot in command. I almost forget to use the joystick instead of the yoke for this recreation. It has been a while since I flew this sim, but everything looks familiar. I take off from Georgetown Municipal and fly west, climbing to 5000 feet. The forward airspeed is slow, but the vertical airspeed is like an elevator. At altitude, I shut off the engine and (after fumbling a bit) feather the prop. There is no lift to be found, but I make lazy circles as I slowly descend. At 1000 feet, I restart the engine and try to find my way back to the airport. I see that I am pretty far away, so climb again and soar again before restarting much closer to the runway. I make a power landing using the speed brakes. I turn around on the runway (because the rudder works so well with the joystick), then taxi to the terminal. One last look around before shutting it down.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    Grob109 ZH268 (FS2004)
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas) To: Local
     
    LOGBOOK:
    June 18, 2000
    Grob109B N309BG
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas) To: Local
    Glider 1.5 hrs (Total Time in Type: 20.7 hrs)
     
    I hope you have enjoyed flying along with me as I re-lived some adventures. I also hope that some may be inspired to recreate their own adventures, or maybe try flying a real plane. If I can do it, you can. Yanking and banking in a supersonic fighter is a hoot, but just flying around the pattern in a single engine plane is also challenging and rewarding. Please leave a comment if you enjoyed the blog. Happy flying!
  9. gmurray56
    This was an unusual entry in my logbook, a chance to play “fighter pilot for a day.†To recreate the flight, I reluctantly looked at the video again. Reluctantly because, even though I had 400 hours by that time, I did not do that well. It just was not normal to fly in unusual attitudes, even inverted, although the plane did it easily. The video was not that helpful; I heard departure heading from the tower and the altitude, but I could not really tell attitude from the horizon. Plus, this time I would be alone, just banking and turning without an opponent to engage or an instructor on board.
     
    I start on the runway at San Antonio International. The Marchetti SF260 is a beautiful plane, and I admire the views from inside and out. I can even look up through the tinted plexiglass of the roof. I remember to use the Logitech joystick instead of the CH yoke. I start the takeoff roll and break ground around 90 knots, and retract the landing gear as soon as there is a positive rate of climb. I turn to 010Ⱐand climb to 6000 feet. The plane is very responsive, and I do not wait until 30 miles out to start yanking and banking. I start with relatively level circles, then climb and dive while turning, even doing some rolls. This plane is a hoot. I spot a Cessna Grand Caravan in the distance and join up for some loose formation practice. Just like in the real plane, formation flying is harder than it looks. I tend to overcorrect and bounce around, and too easily lose sight. Speed control is difficult, too. I finally leave the big Cessna alone and turn back toward San Antonio. A little more goofing around on the way back, and my phone rings. I figure that I didn’t land the first time (the instructor flew it in after a formation midfield break), so I just exit the program.
     
    Overall, the recreation was fun, but lacking. I will have to go to my WarBirds program and practice dogfighting with the Spitfire to get that thrill.
     
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    SIAI Marchetti SF260 N2600F (FS2004)
    From: KSAT To: Local
     
    LOGBOOK:
    July 27, 1993
    SIAI Marchetti SF260 N68FD
    From: SAT To: Local
    SEL 1.2 hrs
  10. gmurray56
    Harris Ranch to Red Bluff: I start on the narrow runway, with both wings of the Cherokee extending beyond the pavement. I am already pointing in the direction of my route, so I take off and climb straight ahead. I stay below 3000 feet, as there is no dangerous terrain along the flightpath. The scenery is nice, with lots of green. I crank up the sim rate to 8x and speed through California, trying to maintain a straight line. I bust through the Sacramento airspace, with hardly time to look out the window. Soon I am approaching Red Bluff, and return to normal speed. The runway is straight ahead, and I land straight in. I never had to turn more than 10â° from take-off to landing.
     
    Red Bluff to Bremerton: Again I start on the runway pointing in my direction of flight, 330â°. I take off and climb slowly, slowly to 10,500 feet. At altitude, I stabilize the plane (or try to), then increase the sim speed. Clouds build in front of me as I say goodbye to the central valley. The terrain rises, and I soon see the spectacular Mt. Shasta. After the volcano, the terrain is all green tree-covered mountains until I reach the Columbia River. I blast through the Portland airspace and on into Washington. The green shows more and more blue as I approach the Hood Canal and Puget Sound. I return to normal speed and start searching for Bremerton, which the GPS shows to be right in front of me. I descend to pattern altitude and the airport emerges from the ground clutter. After all this way, I almost screw up the landing by maneuvering too close to the airport and the ground, but manage to land on one wheel without scraping the wing. After a bounce and a slight runway departure, I settle down and taxi to the ramp.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    PA28 -140 OL-DHD (MS2004)
    From: 3O8 (Harris Ranch, Coalinga, CA) To: KRBL (Red Bluff, CA) To: KPWT (Bremerton, WA)
     
    LOGBOOK
    PA28-140 N55633
    March 28, 1993
    From: 3O8 (Harris Ranch, CA) To: RBL (Red Bluff, CA) To: PWT (Brmerton, WA)
    SEL: 7.2 hrs.
  11. gmurray56
    El Paso to Blythe: Unlike the real flight, a week has passed between legs. I ask myself why I need to continue, just to prove that I can follow a course and sit for hours? I decide that, like the touch-n-go’s, this is a part of the logbook recreation, but it doesn’t have to be 100 per cent realistic. So I start on the runway at El Paso International and take off to the west. It is a long ground roll at the 4500 ft. elevation, and the Franklin Mountains are in my departure path, but I clear them by about a hundred feet. Over the mountains, I descend to less than 1000 feet above the ground and enjoy the desert rushing by beneath me. I see another mountain range in the distance, but it is an hour away. I stay low and plan to zoom up to cross the ridge, but when the time comes, the Cherokee does not zoom. I slowly climb, losing airspeed, getting closer to the ground, until I virtually land on the slope and start sliding backwards. I go to the map and set a new altitude and airspeed, and I am flying again. This time I maintain 8500 feet, which is still not that high above the ground. I increase the simulation speed to 4x, but it is still a long way to go. I increase the speed to 8x, and watch the browns and reds of New Mexico and Arizona slide by below. It is not easy to maintain heading at this speed, but it is not boring. I see airports out the window and on the GPS, and try to stay out of restricted airspace. Eventually, I see the Colorado River and cross in to California. Ten miles from Blythe, I go back to normal speed and prepare for a landing. There is still a lot of desert, but now there are patches of green. I land in Blythe a little hot and a little high, but another 500 miles is under my belt.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    PA28 -140 OL-DHD (MS2004)
    From: KELP (El Paso Intl.) To: KBLH (Blythe, California)
     
    LOGBOOK
    PA28-140 N55633
    March 27, 1993
    From: ELP (El Paso, TX) To: BLH (Blythe, CA)
    SEL: 5.6 hrs.
     
    Blythe to General Fox: Even though I’m in California, I continue basically due west over more desert and mountains. After plodding along for almost an hour, I crank up the sim speed to 8x. There is not all that much to see, anyway. The GPS shows a lot more airports along the route, and I see one occasionally. About 15 miles out, I go to normal speed and call General Fox tower to report inbound. Lancaster is another green spot in the sea of brown and yellow. This time, I manage to land on the assigned runway, and I see a Mooney holding short. After I exit the active runway, I stop to observe the Mooney taking off. I turn on the progressive taxi feature and figure it out after going the wrong direction. As I attempt to turn toward the general aviation parking area, I am taxiing too fast and flip over! Reset.
     
    General Fox to Harris Ranch: Finally, my route goes from west to north. I depart Lancaster without talking to the tower and point to 300â°. I have to climb past 7000 feet to cross the final mountains before entering California’s Central Valley. Once in the valley, I kick up the sim rate to 8x. Looking out the windows, I see mountain ranges on the left and on the right, but signs of agriculture below me. At 8x speed, there is not as much time to look around. The GPS shows the valley is crowded with airports. As I near the airport, I return to normal speed. The map and GPS show Harris Ranch to be right in front of me, but I don’t see it. Finally, I spot what is probably a runway and I descend for a straight-in landing. The runway is confirmed on short final, but it is very narrow. I cut power, add flaps and try to line up, but touch down just to the right of the pavement. I manage to get onto the runway before shutting down the plane and the program.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    PA28 -140 OL-DHD (MS2004)
    From: KBLH (Blythe, California) To: KWJF (Gen Fox, Lancaster, CA) To: 3O8 (Harris Ranch, Coalinga, CA)
     
    LOGBOOK
    PA28-140 N55633
    March 27, 1993
    From: BLH (Blythe, CA) To: WJF (General Fox, CA) To: 3O8 (Harris Ranch, CA)
    SEL: 4.5 hrs. (Total time 3/27/1993: 10.1 hours)
  12. gmurray56
    I flew my Cherokee 140 from Texas to Washington in 1993 over a four day period. This is a recreation of that flight.
     
    Leander to Burnet: Before the long trip, I had the plane inspected by a mechanic. His shop was at Pegasus Place, a grass field in Leander, Texas. For a realistic recreation, I set the time and season to a March morning and adjust the fuel and payload to minimums for the soft field take-off. The wheels are off before the end of the runway, and I turn to the northwest for my first stop for fuel, an hour away. It has been a while since I flew the Cherokee, but it all comes back. Soon I see Lake Buchanan and the airport, and despite a rather wide pattern, have an uneventful landing.
     
    Burnet to El Paso: I fill the tanks, plan the flight, and take to the air. I climb to 6,500 feet and point just a little north of due west. I am determined to sit and hand-fly all the way to El Paso. The greens of the Texas Hill Country fill the views. I look at the map and play with the GPS, which tends to make my course and altitude wander a bit. An hour into it, I switch the tanks and see the greens giving way to yellows as the elevation rises beneath me. I am still pushing on the yoke to keep from climbing, even though the trim switch on the CH is full down. I experiment with the trim switch in the cockpit view and with a lot of fine tuning, can release pressure and stay level. I try to do the same with the rudder trim, but it always seems to go slightly one way or the other, so I can never really fly hands-off for long. After more than two hours, I get up to use the bathroom. (Hooray for simulators!) The GPS says El Paso is still over two hours away. I “talk†to ATC and get flight following, I see random traffic in the air, and the ground turns from yellow to brown. At 100 miles per hour, it feels like I’m standing still. Finally, I give up on realism. I increase the simulation rate to 4X and fly the Cherokee like a jet. About 30 miles from El Paso, I go back to normal speed. I contact Approach Control and get a clearance to land at El Paso International. I land, but not on the runway I was cleared for. Oh, well.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    PA28 -140 OL-DHD (MS2004)
    From: 8XS3 (Pegasus Place, TX) To: KBMQ (Burnet Municipal, TX) To: KELP (El Paso Intl., TX)
     
    LOGBOOK
    PA28-140 N55633
    March 25, 1993
    From: 8XS3 (Pegasus Place, TX) To: T27 (Burnet Municipal, TX) To: ELP (El Paso Intl., TX)
    SEL: 5.1 hrs.
  13. gmurray56
    In all the aircraft I flew, I practiced engine-out procedures. The Grob 109 is the only one I actually flew to a landing with no engine. Of course, it was designed to be able to do so, and that was part of my training for the glider rating.
     
    This time, for recreating the flight, I remember to use the Logitech joystick instead of the CH yoke. I also set the season and weather to summer with scattered clouds and slight wind in the hope of finding some lift. On the runway at Georgetown, the difference between the yoke and joystick is immediately obvious. Rudder response is quicker and easier. I depart and climb at best rate of climb speed, 59 knots. The vertical speed indicator is pegged. For some reason, the plane does not shake as much with the motor running as in the previous flight. At 4,000 feet, I pull back the throttle, turn off the magnetos, and feather the prop. I get so busy that the stall warning sounds, reminding me to “fly the airplane." I try to maintain best glide speed of 62 knots while I circle around searching for a thermal. The panel has no working variometer, and I do not detect any updrafts, so I work my way back to the airport. Flying so slowly is a very pleasant experience. I enjoy all the different views, but especially enjoy the tower view of the slowly turning long-winged craft. (I often wondered what it looked like from the ground when I was flying the Grob.) Too soon, I am back at the airport and make my approach. I see that I am too high, and “grab†the spoiler handle on the left, deploying the spoilers. The loss of lift is immediate. I land a little hot and make a small bounce before the tail wheel hits. I have enough energy to exit the runway and roll along the taxiway before stopping.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    Grob109B ZH268
    From: KGTU To: Local
    Georgetown Municipal, Texas
     
    LOGBOOK:
    September 10, 1999
    Grob109B N309BG
    From: GTU To: Local
    Glider 2.0 hrs; engine off landing
  14. gmurray56
    In Austin, Texas, there is a place where you can fly top-of-the-line simulators, including the Redbird FMX full-motion simulator for only $35 per month. Phoenix Arising Aviation Academy is a 501©(3) non-profit, the brainchild of Zay Collier, pilot and programmer. Phoenix Arising uses simulators to inspire youth to study STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math.) In summer camps and after-school programs, students are introduced to the joys and challenges of simulated flight.
     
    In addition to over a dozen PC's running FSX, there are FAA-approved sims for more realistic training. Professional-grade simulators include the Avidyne, the Redbird TD, and the Redbird AOPA Jay. The most fun, however, is the Redbird FMX. The motion and multiple screens in the enclosed cockpit convey a real feeling of flight. To subsidize the $60,000 investment, pilots had been able to rent the FSX for loggable time for a fraction the cost of a real plane. Now, however, with the Flight Club, the cost to rent is minimal.
     
    I was an instructor at the summer camp last year, so I got to spend a lot of time in the right seat teaching kids to take off, fly a pattern, and land. The scenarios are practically endless. Whether you are a pilot or a simulator afficianado, if you have a chance, check it out. You just might get hooked.
  15. gmurray56

    Texas Mountains

    By gmurray56,

    I was raised on the coastal plains of Texas, where a highway overpass was the highest elevation for miles. However, all of Texas is not so flat. There are rolling hills of pine forest in the east, the Hill Country with sweeping vistas in the middle, and actual mountains in the west. Here are some recreations of flights to explore the bumpier parts of Texas.
     
    Enchanted Rock is a large, pink granite outcrop north of Fredericksburg. I depart from Gillespie County airport (T82) and head northeast in the Cherokee 140. I maintain 2500 feet and attempt to navigate by landmarks, but there are multiple hills about and none is the distinctive pink of the real rock. After flying about and using multiple views, I go to the map and put in the latitude and longitude (30â° 29’ 45â€; 98â° 49’ 11â€). I wasn’t far off, but still see nothing I can definitively identify. The peak is only 1,825 feet msl, so I probably should not expect it to jump out at me. There are hills all over the place. I exit the flight and appreciate the fact that, in a simulator, the take-offs do not have to equal the landings.
     
    The Davis Mountains are the site of the McDonald Observatory. I start on the runway at Alpine (E38), elevation 4,515 feet msl, higher than my average cruising altitude. I lean the mixture, then depart to the northwest and follow the highway into the mountains. Continuously climbing, I manage to stay higher than the surrounding terrain. Mt. Locke rises to an elevation of 6,790 ft. I keep my eyes peeled for a glimpse of the white domes of the observatory, but every time I think I spot them, they turn out to be rocks or trees. Again, I go to the map and put in the coordinates (30â° 40’ 48â€; 104â° 01’ 30â€) and I was not too far off, but again I cannot find what I was seeking. I did not really expect the Microsoft guys to have put in every little detail, but I was hoping for an Easter egg. I pass over the mountains and a vast plateau opens up before me. Once more I end the flight in mid-air.

    The Franklin Mountains are immediately west of the El Paso airport. In the real Cherokee, I had planned to fly direct from ELP to Blythe, California, but the mountains got in my way. I had to ask departure for a climbing 360 to get over them. I recreated that take-off in FS2004, appearing on the runway at El Paso International (elevation 3,950 feet msl.) After a long, long roll, I lift wheels and start slowly climbing. I turn west and the mountains are right there, jutting another 3,000 feet. I continue to climb as they get nearer and nearer, and manage to top them by a few hundred feet. I probably would have cleared them in the real Cherokee, too, but I prefer not to get too close to the scenery. I exit the flight as I cross into New Mexico.

    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    PA28 -140 C-FTVW (MS2004)
    From: T82 (Gillespie County, TX) To: Enchanted Rock(?)
    From: E38 (Alpine, TX) To: Davis Mountains
    From: KELP (El Paso, TX) To: Franklin Mountains
     
    LOGBOOK
    PA28-140 N55633
    October 19, 1990
    From: T82 (Gillespie Co.) To: AUS (Austin Mueller)
    October 28, 1990
    From: E38 (Alpine) To: E38
    March 27, 1994
    From: ELP (El Paso Intl.) To: BLH (Blythe, CA)
  16. gmurray56
    I knew it would happen eventually: my old Dell running Windows Vista finally gave up the ghost. So, I got a refurbished Dell with a faster processor, more RAM, and Windows 7. Hopefully, there will be no more "fatal errors" when flying.
     
    However, I have lost my FSX disk. Gone. I still have FS2004, but Disk 4 was stuck in the old, dead, computer. With a little research, I remembered the trick of putting a straightened paper clip into the hole to eject the disk, but my wife could not understand why I was getting "frantic" about "a stupid game."
     
    Before I started recreating my flight log, I had never imported a plane file, but now it seems so easy (when it works.) I got the same Cherokee 140 I had used on FSX, no problem. I tried to get the fixed-gear Saratoga, but it just wouldn't work. Finally, I settled on a Cherokee Six; it is still a PA32, after all. I installed it and it is beautiful! The panel even works!
     
    I was in such a hurry to see it, I didn't change the default airport from SEA-TAC for the short trip to Bremerton. I was thrilled to see all the gauges working and even the ferries in the Puget Sound. I made a perfect landing at KPWT, but then I rolled off the taxiway and through some trees. Right through them; the crash detection was not on. Maybe my landing wasn't so perfect.
     
    So, it seems I don't need FSX after all. I just don't understand why the Port Orchard airport is 4WA9 in FS2004 and 0S8 on FSX (and in my logbook.)

    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    From: KSEA (Seattle Tacoma Intl.)
    To: KPWT (Bremerton, WA)
    PA32-300 N30062
  17. gmurray56
    I needed to get my Cherokee out of the rain, so I moved from a tie-down at Bremerton to a tiny hangar at the tiny Port Orchard airport. With a runway length of 2460 feet, a width of 28 feet, and 50-foot trees on either end, going in and out involved a significant pucker factor. This is a recreation of my first flight there.
     
    I take off from Bremerton and stay at pattern altitude for the less-than-10-mile trip. Almost immediately I spot the Port Orchard strip, which appears about the size of a postage stamp. I set up for an approach into the cleared rectangle of surrounding trees, slowing down and using full flaps. The runway appears incredibly narrow (2 feet less than the Cherokee’s wingspan.) I plant the plane at the end of the runway, but just a little to the left. (Hooray for simulations!) I come to a full stop and prepare to take off again.
     
    The POH recommends a flap setting of 25° and a best angle of climb airspeed of 78 mph. I set the flaps, hold the brakes and advance the throttle. After using up most of the runway, I break ground and claw for altitude. I see treetops even with my window out both sides in the climb. Yes, the simulation is realistic. That is just how I remember it.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA28-140 OY-DHD (FSX)
    From: KPWT (Bremerton, WA)
    To: 0S8 (Port Orchard, WA)
     
    LOGBOOK:
    April 21, 1994
    PA28- 140 N55633
    From: PWT (Bremerton, WA)
    To: 0S8 (Port Orchard, WA)
    SEL: 0.3 hrs.


  18. gmurray56
    The only time I landed on grass was in Leander, Texas. I had found an aircraft mechanic to perform an economical annual inspection on my Cherokee 140, but I had to get it to his private airstrip. This is a recreation of that first flight to Pegasus Place, about 30 miles northwest of Austin.
     
    After planning, I start on the taxiway at (now-closed) Austin Mueller, and taxi to the smaller general aviation runway and depart to the southeast. As I climb through 1000 feet, I turn toward the northwest on a course of 333 degrees. I level out at around 2000 feet and search the green, yellow and brown patchwork for landmarks. I follow what I assume is U.S. 183, then spot a white dot in the distance in the direction I am going. Thinking it may be a beacon, I continue toward it, but soon it becomes apparent that the white object is a large water tower.
     
    Checking the map, I see that the grass strip is a little southeast of the tower, so I am on the right track. Looking out the right window, I see numbers on the ground in a yellow patch that looks like all the other patches around. I turn toward the field and descend, but then I lose sight of the numbers. I fly around a little, then pause the simulation to look at the map and cycle through the views until I can determine my position. (An advantage of the simulation over reality is the ability to stop and sort things out.) I un-pause, and set up for the landing. With full flaps, I skim the threshold markings and land right on top of 15, brake hard, and come to a stop on top of 33. Using the instant replay, I watch from outside the plane, and feel pretty good about the landing on the 2700-foot grass strip.
     
    Now to take off. The Cherokee 140 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) says to lower flaps to the second notch (25°), accelerate, pull the nose gear off the ground as soon as possible, and lift off and fly in ground effect to best rate of climb, 89 mph (Soft field, No Obstacle.) I set the flaps and push the throttle forward while holding brakes. When I release brakes, the plane starts to move very slowly. I am almost at the other end of the field before the nose comes up and past the threshold markings before the mains lift off. I reset and try again, and the same thing happens. Instant replay from outside shows the plane flying, just barely, a few feet beyond the end of the runway. Thank goodness there are no obstacles!
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA28-140 OY-DHD (FSX)
    From: KATT (Austin Mueller, TX)
    To: 8X5W (Pegasus Place, Leander, TX)
    LOGBOOK:
    August 15, 1993
    PA28-140 N55633
    From: AUS (Austin Mueller, Austin, TX)
    To: 8X53(Pegasus Place, Leander, TX)
  19. gmurray56

    Flying the iPad

    By gmurray56,

    The iPad is an invaluable tool for many real pilots, with flight planning, interactive checklists, moving maps, instrument approach plates, etc. There are also some good flight simulators in the app store. While it may seem odd to fly the tablet by tilting (especially if you are used to a yoke, throttle quadrants, rudder pedals, and multiple displays), the actual flying is surprisingly intuitive.
     
    Here are my favorite FREE simulators:
    DOGFIGHT: This is a WWI simulation, where you pilot a pusher-prop biplane. First you must go through some hoops, then bomb, then dogfight a Red Baron-looking enemy. The scenery is pretty, the plane looks cool, and the flying is fun. If you really like it, you can buy up, and there is apparently quite a large online community.
     
    HISTORICAL LANDINGS: A WWII simulation, where you pilot a gull wing F4U Corsair around islands and from a carrier. Like Dogfight, there is a choice between cockpit and external views, and the scenery is pretty. The gauges do not actually move in the cockpit, but there is a HUD to tell altimeter and airspeed. As with most apps, you can purchase more missions and compete with others on-line.
     
    XTREME SOARING 3D: This is not a combat game, but pure flying. There is no tow plane, but a winch or catapult propels you from the runway and you have to manage your energy and find lift. The graphics are great, and the gauges work. For pure flying, it is my favorite.
     
    AERO! Speaking of pure flying, there is not even an airplane in this one; you pilot a seagull over the ocean. The four forces (lift, thrust, gravity and drag) are shown by vector arrows, but can be turned off. There is also a rocket pack available to get some incredible thrust and altitude.
     
    ROCKET LANDER: While not really a flight simulator (there is no cockpit view and the rocket just goes up and down and sideways), this is a good demonstration of thrust and gravity with no aerodynamic influences.
     
    WIND TUNNEL LIGHT: This demonstrates the aerodynamic forces of lift and drag. The free version just shows an airfoil, some rocks, and a car interacting with particles or with smoke. The paid version allows you to change the airfoil.
     
    NMUSAF: This is NOT a simulator, but it is really cool. It shows the cockpits from many planes at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, including the Space Shuttle. You can look around and zoom in on the multitude of dials, gauges, switches and handles.
     
    Happy Flying!
  20. gmurray56
    This was one of my favorite flights, to the Pacific coast from Bremerton. I use the Saratoga (FS2004) to recreate the 60-mile flight. When I appear on the runway, I look at the instruments only to see black holes where the gauges should be. There is an autopilot and ADF, but no nav radios. In the virtual cockpit, there is a full array of instruments and radios, but they are static and somewhat out of focus, for looks only. However, “alt†and “w†give me a panoramic view to the front, with instruments along the bottom of the screen. No nav radios, but the basic six (Attitude Indicator, Turn Coordinator, Artificial Horizon, Directional Gyro, Altimeter, and Vertical Speed Indicator) allow me to follow the planned route. Engine controls can be monitored by sound and performance. So, off I go to the southwest.
     
    Soon after takeoff I get the power settings and trim wheel stable. I see the bottom of the Hood Canal slide under the plane, while the Olympic Mountains parallel to the right, getting smaller and further away. The terrain is all green in the Evergreen State. Soon, I see an inlet and then the Pacific. In the inlet, in the water, is a runway: Hoquiam. I fly beyond the airport, out over the ocean. I turn back inland, and there, on the beach, is the Ocean Shores runway. A few more miles, and I enter the pattern for Hoquiam. It is a beautiful final approach, with water on both sides of the runway. I land, ready for a virtual hamburger.
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    PA32-301 N18ST (FS2004)
    From: KPWT (Bremerton, WA) To: KHQM (Hoquiam, WA)
    LOGBOOK
    September 17, 1996
    PA32-301 N8213Z
    From: PWT (Bremerton, WA) To: HQM (Hoquiam, WA) To: PWT
    SEL: 1.2
  21. gmurray56
    Obviously, all my flights were not in perfect weather, but I rarely logged weather data. One exception was returning to Austin from Angleton when thunderstorms forced me to turn back. I set the weather on FSX to “building thunderstorms†and depart in the Cherokee. I don’t notice too much difference, but the plane becomes increasingly harder to control, and visibility slowly decreases. After half an hour, I turn back to KLBX and land. The logbook shows IFR conditions for .2 hours, but I never lost sight of the horizon.
     
    I change to the Cessna 150 at San Marcos and put in some crosswind and clouds for work in the traffic pattern. Practice is helping, and I make several touch-n-go’s with no problem. I do the same at Austin Mueller.
     
    I switch to FS2004 and take a short trip in the Skyhawk from Austin Executive to Taylor and back. Again, work in the traffic pattern is paying off. Then, I go to the Saratoga and recreate a short flight from Bremerton to Apex Airpark in Silverdale. Practice makes…better.
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK:
    PA28-140 OY-DHD (FSX)
    From: KLBX (Brazoria County) To: KLBX
     
    C150 SX-BDG (FSX)
    From: KHYI (San Marcos) Local
    From: KATT (Austin Mueller) Local
     
    C172 N176CM (FS2004)
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive) To: T74 (Taylor) To: 3R3
     
    PA32-301 N18ST (FS2004)
    From: KPWT (Bremerton, Washington) To: S42 (Apex)
     
    LOGBOOK:
    June 16, 1991
    PA28-140 N55633
    From: LBX (Brazoria County) To: LBX
    SEL: 1.2
     
    November 16, 1988
    C152 N5323P
    From: T98 (San Marcos) To: Local
    SEL: 1.1
     
    November 13, 1989
    C150 N50297
    From: AUS (Austin Mueller) To: Local
    SEL: 0.7
     
    June 10, 1990
    C172 N6601D
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive) To: T74 (Taylor) To: 3R3
    SEL: 1.1
  22. gmurray56
    Thank goodness that a “fatal error†in the virtual world is not lethal. I fly the Cessna 150 from Austin Executive to the Angleton area, a route I have driven dozens, if not hundreds, of times, and have flown in a real plane several times. I plan my route and take off, and after struggling with power and trim, eventually settle on a steady course and altitude. The view out the window is much like in a real plane: semi-familiar. On the map, I see that I am paralleling my intended course a few miles to the east. I am okay with that and continue on, tuning the nav radios and checking out the different views. After droning along for more than an hour, I decide to intercept my intended course. Below me, I see Interstate 10 and ahead I see Eagle Lake. I start to maneuver, checking the map and the views, and suddenly a FATAL ERROR message pops up. Damn! I have overloaded my poor computer’s brain. The FSX program restarts, and this time, I take off from Eagle Lake to continue to Angleton. The Cessna develops a strange list to the left, and does not respond correctly. I cannot maintain a course or altitude and crash. I respawn in Eagle Lake, and depart with no problem. After about another hour, I land straight-in at KLBX. (No pattern after all that time; I didn’t want to crash the plane or the program.) I take off again and head to the Gulf of Mexico, just 15 miles away. Factories appear just where the Dow Chemical and Monsanto plants should be, and ahead is the vast expanse of blue. To the left, I see Galveston Island, and to the right, the mouth of the Brazos River. The water in the Gulf and the Brazos is way too blue and sparkly, but why not? In the virtual world, all water can be blue and sparkly. I head back to the airport for a decent pattern and landing.
     
    Instead of flying back to Austin, I fly almost the same route again, this time in the Cherokee 140, departing from Austin Mueller. The Cherokee seems a little steadier than the Cessna, but that may just be me. The nav radios are harder to see and tune. Again, after a long stretch of little to do, I start looking at the map and the views a little too much, and FATAL ERROR. This time I just close the program and walk away.
     
    Cross-countries on the simulator are much like cross-countries solo in a small plane: once the plane is stable on course and at altitude, there is little to do except monitor the instruments and look out the window. There is the same monotony, the same sense of unfamiliarity with familiar topography and positional quasi-awareness, and the same dependence on technology to get you where you want to go.
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    C150 SX-BDG (FSX)
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive)
    To: KEGL (Eagle Lake, TX); KLBX (Brazoria County); KLBX-local
     
    PA28-140 OY-DHD (FSX)
    From: KATT (Austin Mueller)
    To: KLBX (Brazoria County)
     
    LOGBOOK
    June 23, 1990; June 24, 1990
    C-152 N6571L
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive)
    To: LBX; LBX-local (Brazoria County)
    SEL: 1.8; 2.2
     
    August 24, 1990
    PA28-140 N55633
    From: AUS (Austin Mueller)
    To: LBX (Brazoria County)
    SEL: 2.0
  23. gmurray56
    I am humbled. The virtual touch-n-go’s are kicking my butt. I am recreating my logbook, and many entries are just local, so I was going to skip it, but decided to give it a shot. What could be easier? Take off; climb to pattern altitude; turn left 90 degrees; turn left 90 degrees to parallel the runway; when even with the numbers cut power; when the numbers are 45 degrees off the left wing turn left 90 degrees; while descending at an even speed, turn left 90 degrees to line up with the runway; land.
     
    I start at Austin Executive in the Cessna 150 and increase the throttle to full to take off. Immediately, I depart the runway into the grass. (I have decided to try this recreation without spending money on software or hardware, so I have no rudder pedals.) I continue and lift off, generally to the north. I climb, turn to runway heading, then turn left. I turn left again, looking for the runway, which should be parallel to my south heading. I see roads, but cannot make out the runway. I finally see what I think is the departure runway and turn left for the base leg, then turn final, but I have overshot and need to turn back to the left. My airspeed has been deteriorating, and crash short and to the right. How embarrassing! I try again, and use the map to help keep positional awareness, but it is clunky, not pretty, and not realistic.
     
    I try again with the Cherokee 140 at Bremerton. There are more landscape features to guide me than the flat browns of Texas, and the pattern is more rectangular, but I have difficulty flaring, and end up pancaking on the runway. Obviously, I need more practice. Flying is easy; landing is hard.
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    C150 SX-BDG (FSX)
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive; Austin, Texas)
    To: Local
    PA28-140 OY-DHD
    From: KPWT (Bremerton, Washington)
    To: Local
    LOGBOOK
    April 20, 1990
    C-152 N93097
    From: 3R3 (Austin Executive)
    To: Local
    Landings: 6
    April 9, 1994
    PA28-140
    From: PWT (Bremerton, WA)
    To: Local
    Landings: 4
  24. gmurray56
    It dawns on me that I have the Cessna 172 on both programs, and can recreate my real C172 flights on both platforms and compare the experience. I start with the FSX at Austin Mueller and head for Taylor, just a few miles to the north. Everything seems normal, except the long take-off roll and some ground handling difficulty. The settings were the same I have been using, with brown and green out the window, generally identifiable landmarks, and sparse buildings. After landing, I reset the graphics to high and take off from Mueller again and head south to San Marcos. This time, the airport has hangars, there are buildings and trees all over the place, and I even find the state capitol building downtown. The only problem is, the simulation is incredibly slow to respond to any inputs and even freezes up occasionally. Not realistic!
     
    I close FSX and open FS2004. I have not messed with the settings at all, and it is very detailed, with seasonal trees and a more textured aircraft. The views change quickly, and scroll seamlessly. I fly from San Marcos to Austin, easily following the freeway. The scenery below is not super detailed, but the city has buildings and the rivers and transmission towers are where they should be.
     
    I go back to FSX and change all the scenery settings to low, then spawn at Austin Executive in the C172 with the glass cockpit. This time, the view is all brown, with no buildings at all, but the highways and runways are well represented. The glass gauges take a little getting used to, but the view changes and scrolling are quick. I easily find my way back to Austin Mueller.
     
    So, with my 10-year-old Dell running Vista, the FS2004 seems the better choice. Since most of my flights are VFR, it is important to be able to look out the window and see more than just a drab, featureless landscape. However, a smooth simulation is also important. The FSX works fine with settings in the middle, and there is always the option of getting a newer computer.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    Cessna 172: FSX v. FS2004
    C172 G-BAFM (FSX); N176CM (FS2004); N700MS (FSX)
    From: KATT (Austin Mueller, Texas)
    To: T74; T98; 3R3; KATT (Taylor, San Marcos, Austin Executive, Austin Mueller)
    Landings: 4
    SEL: 2.1 hrs.
     
    LOGBOOK
    3/31/1990: C172 N9627V AUS-T74-AUS 1.0 hrs., 4 landings
    3/16/1990: C172 N4980D AUS-T98-AUS 1.6 hrs., 5 landings
    4/8/1990: C172 N75931 3R3-LCL 1.3 hrs., 6 landings
  25. gmurray56

    Beech Duchess

    By gmurray56,

    Maybe I'll go back and recreate some of my adventures in the Cherokee and the Saratoga, but now I'll skip to the end of my flying career. I went back to Texas for a stab at a commercial license, hoping to fly for a living. This is a simulation of my first multiengine lesson. I have successfully installed a Duchess on the FS2004. It looks a little boxy, and compared to the Beech Baron, small and ugly, but it is painted exactly like the one I flew in Georgetown. Inside, the instruments are sparse, with no airspeed indicator and no engine instruments that I can find. The simulation is less than realistic, mostly because my CH yoke has only one throttle, prop, and mixture lever. I am anxious to fly it, though, and rev the engines to depart Georgetown Municipal. It climbs well, and I observe the gear going up from outside the plane. I fly around and enjoy the view from inside and out. The scenery is familiar from my time with the Redbird simulator and from my time in Georgetown. The greens and browns of Texas are back, but at least there is a lake and a river. Even without the multiengine controls, I think I will be able to recreate some of my commercial training, if I can remember how to fly VOR’ s and ILS’s. I return to GTU for a straight-in approach and bounce to a landing.
     
    VIRTUAL LOGBOOK
    Twin Engine: Beech Duchess
    BE76 G-BOFC (FS2004/FS9)
    From: KGTU (Georgetown, Texas)
    To: local
    Landings: 1
    MEL: 0.4 hours
     
    LOGBOOK
    Twin Engine: Beech Duchess
    June 6, 1999
    BE76 N60014
    From: GTU (Georgetown, Texas)
    To: local
    Landings: 3
    MEL (Multiengine Land): 1.4 hours
     
    The only important plane I have left to simulate is the Grob 109 Motoglider. I have found a file, but I have yet to make it work.

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