Sirrus

9 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

which Diamond DA42 is that?

This is the freeware IRIS Diamond DA42 for FSX. The IRIS DA40 is also freeware for FSX.

Thank you everyone for your good wishes. This has been hanging over me for a while and if I have been irritable/annoyed/bad tempered with anyone I apologize for that. I will try to be nicer in future.

I had hoped to take part in the 2024 Australian Rally and did do some work on selecting aircraft.

From this...

and this...

to this...

and this...

to this...

and this...

However, I have been informed my my doctor I have to have surgery early in February, meaning I will miss at least a week, maybe two of the rally. 

Therefore, I will not be entering the Rally this time. Hopefully I will be up and about for the next challenge. My suggestion would be a rerun of the 1936 Schlesinger Race, maybe with modern equipment.

Thanks.

As used by US Presidents...New York 2009...

Sorry about the snatched photo, but I was on the Statue of Liberty and it was time for me to catch the ferry.

44 minutes ago, jgf said:

It was proposed and no one objected. 

I believe I did say it sounded like a dance one would do with one's favourite lady...not exactly a ringing endorsement. 

19 minutes ago, jgf said:

1. Where and why did you guys choose the group name 'Club Chachapoya'?

 "We" didn't. It was never a democratic decision. Just a discussion, where other ideas were proposed. Blame/congratulate ViperPilot2., it was his decision.

Donovan Leitch. who is now 77, had the original hit with "Mellow Yellow".

It made such an impression that I have a tricycle called that...

Gets me around and is easy to ride!

2 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

In the future, it would be best if you and the other Participant in this Conversation continue your Debate in Private. This is not the appropriate Venue for such Conversations and Subject Matter.

 

For the Record, no one ever said or Decreed that there would be a Home Airport for this Group, and that it would be Located in South America. All that was mentioned was a correlation between the Name for our proposed Club and an Airport located in the same Geographical region. Nothing was said about formally making it our Home Airport.

 

I sincerely and politely ask and request that you abide by my wishes regarding this Matter.

 

Thank you. 

I have deleted my post

23 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

Club Chachapoya

Sounds like a dance you would do with your favorite lady friend, or nun.

What about Club Niner? This all came from a question about Niners so why not use that.

I would suggest as a base, somewhere warm, no snow in winter, no control tower/atc - we've shown we don't need it - a relaxed atmosphere, few bugs or nasty weather, perhaps a disused military base, USAF, USN, USMC, US Army, and continental US so we can all get there easily, but not close to a big town/city so that they end up building all over us.

I know of a disused modern airport in Europe, Ciudad Real Airport, but it's in Spain and has been abandoned for years. And doesn't show on FSX!

Any more suggestions?

11 minutes ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

"I think I've got it!"

I hope its not infectious!

36 minutes ago, jgf said:

My ducks died.

Oooh goody, Christmas dinner. Now all you have to do is pluck it and stuff it.

30 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

By order of Starfleet Command, as of now, 1601z... I am assuming Command of this Vessel. Duty Officer, so note in the Ship's Log.

 

I'm going to leave this Thread OPEN for Recommendations, Comments and Suggestions until Monday 12/31/2023 @ 2300 MDT. At that point, I will LOCK this Thread. 

 

I will Post the Date and Details of the next Challenge on Friday 1/5/2024. 

Yes, about time too.

I'm with defaid on this.

Whoever started the thread should take control of all this rambling and come to a decision, or abandon the whole thing and start with a definite idea, not try to be all things to all men. Remember a horse designed by a committee is a zebra, not what was wanted at the start.

Now folks are on about the size of spoilers on a G4! What has that got to do with any challenge?

1 hour ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

There will be an Official GAAG thread created by whomever will be the Officious GAAG Official (OGO).

 

1.       Official start date: Saturday January 13^th, 2024, GMT

2.       Unofficial start date: Any time before January 13th (please save your screenshots and adventures until the official start date).

3.       Official end date: Upon completion of selected route(s) by each entrant.

     a.       Should an entrant decide that they will not complete due to outside influences, please state so in the official GAAG thread.

4.       Entry Categories

     a.       Timed

          i.      Each route “leg” is timed from wheels/skid off the ground until wheels/skids touch down (or directly over waypoint airport if overflying that location)

          ii.      Legs are scored as minutes varied from planned.

               1.       Variances are cumulatively added for the total route.

               2.       Example: Leg 1=V-2, Leg 2=V+3. Leg 3=V+1 (-2 +3 +1 = +2)

       b.       Untimed

            i.      Self-explanatory

5.       Routes

     a.       Southern Route (per 1976 AUAOPA)

     b.       Eastern Route (per Airbasil’s routing)

     c.       Free flight (anywhere on the continent)

6.       Entrants may fly any or all the routes in whatever aircraft they desire.

     a.       For any timed route, the same aircraft must be used for the complete route.

     b.       Routes may be flown as often as one desires, however, only one “run” will be used for a timed entry.

7.       Post as much or little as you desire on the official GAAG thread.

     a.       Having FUN is the prime directive.

     b.       Sharing adventures with each other is the next priority.

     c.       The timed competition and winner of each route will be determined by the OGO.

 

I hope this is a simple and easy draft.

PLEASE amend as needed.

 

Upon group consensus and determination of who will be the OGO these will be finalized and the GAAG thread will be created.

Excellent.

Separate threads for each route, 5A and 5B, would keep things simpler, and those who want to be untimed on each route could be included in that routes' thread, and those opting for Group 5C, might also need a separate thread.

And being as he did such a good job on the R66 Rally, I propose PhrogPhlyer as the Group 5A OGO. (He may hate me for suggesting him, but he's good at it and puts up with idiots like me).

3 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

I think there's a few who requested that we hold off on a Start Date until at least after the New Year, in order for everything to settle down a little after the Holidays.

Those of us who have families and like to celebrate Christmas and we who celebrate Hogmanay/New Year in the traditional manner will be in no fit state to fly anytime before Jan 6th. (12th night).

Also there should be two threads, one for the West-East Trans Australia Rally and one for the East coast route.  That way timings for legs would not get confused.

3 hours ago, TomPenDragon said:

Let's try mathematical scoring for the Rally this time (a V+1 can be cancelled by a V-1), and see how it works for us.

Being as I suggested it, if all the entrants agree to it, then we should try it.

I would also like to fly the aircraft I want, like an English Electric Lightning, not be constrained to fly something else, and I would submit only one time (V=+ or -number) for each leg.

My contacts tell me that at least one team has been out recceing the route...

Summer in Australia and ...

...the last flyable Shorts Belfast gets its feet wet along with

at least one of the Navajos I looked at.

Cairns Airport under flood water. Now who suggested an East Coast Rally, or was it meant for seaplanes?

It is late Monday morning and I'm sitting in my office on Herengracht, thinking about lunch, when the intercom buzzes.

"Ya, wie is het" I ask - I rarely get the chance to use what little Dutch I have as Amsterdammers love to show off their English - "Can we come in please, Cirrus?" asks a voice I recognize. I push the button to open the door and they come on up the stairs.

Connie Bruton comes in first, followed by Sean Beckett. These two used to be part of a sales team that included yours truly, and the pair of them could probably sell ice to Eskimos. They have coffee and we talk of the "old days" for a while until I ask "Well guys, it is nice to see you but why are you here?" A look passes between them and Sean asks "How was Australia?"

I start " I'm thinking of entering this Trans-Australia Rally that should happen in the New Year and I went to have a look at the proposed course, to find something suitable to fly it in, and to see what was for sale." "And what did you decide?" asks Connie. I tell them I looked at several twins including a KingAir 250...

a Piper Chieftain...

a P68...

as well as some singles, like this Cessna 185...

a Diamond DA40...

and a Jabiru 170

"And...?" Sean again. I say " I haven't decided anything yet. So far there is no start date, no finishing date, and folks are still flinging ideas into the pot. They could even turn it into a tour around Oz. These guys aren't indecisive, they just haven't made up their minds about what's best, what will get as many entrants as possible into the event. These events aren't just thrown together overnight. If you remember the old King's Cup races, the organizers started to organize the next year's race a week after this years race finished!"

They nod and look at each other again, Sean starts "We'd like you to fly this for us in the rally when, or if, it happens.." Connie pushes a folder across the desk and chips in " We want to push sales in Australia, to feeder airlines, charter guys, maybe even the Coastal Patrol and you've had some flights with them." I shake my head and respond "I've been up with AMSA and the Customs, so I know a couple of guys that might be useful."

"So you could help?" Connie again. I lean forward "I won't make a decision until after Christmas and then only after the organizers have a definite route, and a start and finish date. Leave this lot with me..." I gesture at the folder on the desk, "...and I'll let you know. Now, how about lunch?"

Somebody once stole G-BMFH, a Dornier Do 27 on Dec 7th 1987, from an airfield in Southern England!

He/she/they were never caught. 

BTW this FS9 model will hit a top speed of 151 knots and cruise at 111 knots. 

1 hour ago, Melo965 said:

They use the DDS file format, which is a total pain to work with as it needs to be converted twice before it can be edited, and when I' convert them back the results are rubbish. 

Melo, you will need MWGraphics DXTBmp that will convert DDS files into bmp files. Then, when you've finished with them, you reconvert them back to DDS files with the same DXTBmp program.  As a start, just practice converting from DDS to BMP, save it, and then reconvert to DDS and see what happens.

Good luck.

I guess I should report this, but when I was up at Caiguna, this chap turns up.

Federal Police, he says, and asks me for some ID. He gets my passport, drivers licence(due for renewal mid Jan 2024) and my rental agreement.  He Hmms and hands me my stuff back. "This yours" he says waving a thumb at the wreck. I tell him no and that it was here when I got here. He Hmms again, and gets back into the 4x4 and drives up to the John Eyre Motel to ask more questions up there. I get back into the F150 and head East.

37 minutes ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

I'm fine either way, but I thought one of the things discussed earlier in this thread was to make this more of an adventure, not a race. Experiences and photos along the way were the intent. Timing and competition were to be minimal.

...hence the "Rally" name, which is still OK with me. It was just a suggestion to attract more entrants.

I have no objection to using PP's timing on this rally.

We should also agree that all entrants should finish, no matter how long it takes. (That may be too long but you get the idea.)

The only snag I can see with Australia is...

...you have to be either a Holden person or a Ford person. Is that a Chevy 3100 with my (rented) F150?

2 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

PP's Timing method works great, so we should stick with it...

It jars a little with real world timing where if you are ahead of your ETA, i.e. early, then your V would be negative; correspondingly if you were behind your ETA, then your V would be positive.  So it would allow some competitors to make up time and results would be much closer.

Real world races such as the MacRobertson Race, the Sydney -London record attempts, and the London - Cape Town record attempts all used such a system.

Obviously it would an adjudicator who knew (-1) + (+1) =0.

Just a suggestion.

8 hours ago, Airbasil_1 said:

I think the perfect aircraft in that case (for the upcoming Ralley) would be either the Carenado King Air C-90, the Grand Caravan, the Bonanza or the Lionheart Epic LT. Or even the Flight1 PC-12.

I'm busy evaluating a whole range of twins and singles, but one of my friends suggested this...

It has the range - it could even carry it's own fuel bowser - and doesn't mind a little harsh treatment. The RAF used to put these down on a very wet sandy beach, so...

1 hour ago, Bossspecops said:

A Twin Pioneer would be even better, but I can't find a site to download an FSX one.  

flyawaysimulation.com/ has the better Rob Richardson one made for FSX. A slow download, it will take you 3 minutes to download.

Good luck.

4 hours ago, Bossspecops said:

Needs a couple of Brit entries though. 

Probably more than a couple, like one of these...

...or its replacement...

...or an alternative...

...or warbird...

...or two...

...or a classic (should be warm enough down under)...

...but we should not forget a home grown variety...

...a GAF N22B Nomad. A much nicer alternative to a Twotter.