Gwyn's UK visit

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hi all,
Leonie and I arrived safely in the UK a couple of days ago flying Malaysian Airlines. The first leg Perth to Kuala Lumpur was my first ride in a B777 which was very quiet and quite a comfortable ride, the 5 hours passed quickly with the individual entertainment system doing it's thing. The second leg from KL to Heathrow was 12.5 hours in a packed B747 and we had the centre aisle seats with no windows - groan! That was a very long leg and we arrived rather weary to the crisp London morning. I have made contact with Joe Lavery and Ian Sissons and I will be meeting Joe next Wednesday and Ian on the Thursday, I'm looking forward to these visits very much. Joe will be receiving a hand delivered Aerosim Solutions throttle base, not my usual method of delivery! I have also arranged a meeting with Leo Bodnar for the following Monday to discuss some "business", I wonder if I can claim this trip on my next tax return hehe!
We are staying in the beautiful town of Winchester and yesterday we climbed the tower of Winchester Cathedral, it was amazing and a must do for anyone visiting Winchester.
More soon......

Cheers Gwyn

[mpl330]

Welcome home!
Why didn't you bring some decent weather?

Hope you have a great stay in the UK
Cheers
Mike

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

Thursday's the day then    better make sure the fridge is stocked.
look forward to seeing you

ian

[Aerosim Solutions]

Thanks guys,
I had a bus ride to Southampton today and I've bought some Antarctic clothing, the shivering has stopped! I must be walking 5 miles a day as we never seem to stop shopping, apparently Australia doesn't stock the right shoes Leonie says. The English folk don't seem to mind the aussies and everyone seems so friendly, it must be due to all the free cricket lessons we give them! I'm not much of a drinker really but I just love the English pubs, the food and hospitality is outstanding. Winchester is beautiful and I can see why Leonie's family have chosen to live here. We climbed the tower of Winchester cathedral which was an amazing experience, over a thousand years old it's hard to believe I'm actually here!
I confirmed the hire car this morning so the road trip begins on Wednesday, I'll soon post pics of the visits to Joe, Ian and Leo. On Monday the 4th after seeing Leo we are going to the mecca of Duxford, this was always on the agenda and that will be a big buzz. Thursday the 7th might be a day trip to Paris on the Eurostar train, still not confirmed, it depends on how many pairs of shoes Leonie buys!!!
Cheers Gwyn

[Joe Lavery]

Don't worry Gwyn I've turned the central heating on, the first time it's been on before November for years 
But Cardiff weather's possibly a bit chilly for folk from the colonies.

Looking forward to seeing the CNC guru in person.   

Cheers
Joe.

[phil744]

it must be due to all the free cricket lessons we give them!

Nah mate its the fact we feel sorry for you living on your isolated rock so we let you win, were nice like that  *runs*

U still seeing the boys at FDT, if so when?

Get "up north" for a meat and tatty pie!!

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hiya Phil, I haven't arranged a meeting with FDT. I might be a bit embarrassed announcing my conversion to FDS cards. Chris and Daren have been terrific with support over the years and I had some input with how their cards worked early on. My simboards were fantastic and worked flawlessly for 4 years but I'll be rebuilding my sim with a total FDS set up - awaiting news on the completion of two FMCs from Peter Cos. I have the FDS SYS1X card and I'll be buying SimAvionics when i get home, if the shoe money isn't spent!!! I thought I would keep it all in one basket to avoid conflict issues.
Loving the land of the pom and the road trip adventure starts tomorrow. PM your phone number and we'll have a yak hey? I think I have it already, I'll check - I've bought a mobile to use here but I think your # is n my aussie one which has gone flat!

Cheers Gwyn

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

30th September 2010..... well the westozy and his luvly lady Leonie arrived here.
a real pleasure and and honour to meet up with Gwyn at last.
so we had to put him thru his paces didn't we.  sent him LEBL to LEAL which he
hand flew most of the way flawlessly (he was obviously out to impress)
his reward, the best curry he's had in ages 
it's a real pleasure to meet up with names you know from accross the world.
looking forward to his next visit, trust me, he'll be back 
have a great weekend chaps

ian

[ETomlin]

Wow! Very lovely lady there. The sim looks great too :-)

[JWS]

Why is there a box of tissues in the cockpit?

JWS

[XOrionFE]

Looks like it was a great time!    Thank you for sharing Ian and Gwyn.  Excellent way to spend some vacation time.

Scott

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Great stuff! Thanks for posting the shots.

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

Why is there a box of tissues in the cockpit?

JWS

simple JW........
real pilots have them, so if they're good enough for them, they are good enough for me 

rgds ... ian

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hi all,
What an absolute honour it was to meet Joe Lavery and Ian Sissons and their lovely wives, I am a very lucky person! The hospitality of these gurus of our game was outstanding, Leonie and I were very spoiled by both couples, thank you again guys. Their outstanding simulators are out of this world and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in each one, I really have to lift my game with mine now, there is a lot of catching up to do! I am now convinced that Ian's has just been cut off from the front of a real plane, he didn't build it after all. I even think it makes your ears pop! I have taken the crown of Chris Danker and now hold the title of the furthest travelled visitor. To both sims I bet!
I am pinching myself, can't believe where I am and I'm meeting Leo Bodnar tomorrow. What a buzz England is - absolutely beautiful.

Cheers, Gwyn & Leonie

[Joe Lavery]

Hi all

Just to add my thoughts to this thread,

It was a pleasure for Pam and I to meet and entertain Gwyn and Leonie if only for one night, what really nice people they are. We talked well into the early hours of the morning and I gained a lot of knowledge from "The Man", who even set up my lathe properly before he left the following day. It's been sat in my garage for months, perhaps I will get some use out of it now.

It's sad to think that we are all spread so far across the world, it makes these infrequent meetings so special.
And as Ian has already said, I'm sure we'll meet again. 

Cheers
Joe and Pam.

[Kennair]

What a great thread, there should be more of it.  Gwyn and Leonie are a lovely couple and Gwyn's never short of a word or two, not to mention a helping hand.  I can only imagine the stories flying around on the night, lol.  Thanks for sharing the pics Ian.

Cheers,

Ken.

[ETomlin]

Yes, these kind of gatherings are very special. Im lucky to have my main partner in LJ45 development just 1.5 hours away and so we see each other at least once every 2 months. Im really hoping to have a chance to host visitors to the LJ45 sim soon but I have lots more work to get done and now my wife has agreed to a scheme that will get me an even better sim hangar within about 2 years vs. the planned-for 5 years from now. Hopefully then I can host a Sim-Fest and you all will be invited. Keep visiting each other as often you can as it's this inter-personal relationship that allows us all to do what we do :-)

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hi all,
On Friday we travelled to the city of my birth Halifax to catch up with my own relatives. I didn't know that I had so many, my Uncle arranged for them all to gather at a pub and we had a great time. I had to learn the Yorkshire custom of "suppin' pints of John Smiths". The English beer is not fizzy like our aussie lager and 6 pints later I was the king of the Karaoke microphone! Leonie doesn't remember much of the night after my cousins kept topping up her vodka and coke. I can't wait to show her the video of her performance hehe!
On Monday we trekked to the city of York to meet Leo Bodnar. Leo had very kindly travelled quite a way south out of his way to meet us, he had taken a day off his very busy schedule. We met at the appointed time at York Minster which is a towering cathedral no doubt many centuries old. Leo greeted us both very warmly and the three of us wandered the streets of York until we found a Cafe with an available table, York was buzzing with tourists and it was packed. We ordered a light lunch and then spent the next 90 minutes discussing Leo's thriving business and the future development of Aerosim Solutions' plug'n'play throttle quadrants!!! More on this successful business agreement later!
I gathered very quickly that whilst Leo does have an interest in flight simulators, cockpit builders are a drop in the ocean for him. I won't divulge details of his current projects as requested, but it is obvious to me that he is destined for great things. He said he gets over 20,000 emails per year so you can imagine it is physically impossible for him to answer them all. We as cockpit builders are very fortunate that he checks out our forums and answers the odd question here and there. One thing I did get across I think was the phenomenal growth of our hobby and the number of people now taking it up.
Leo is obviously a very intelligent electronics/software engineer and also a very smart businesman yet he is extremely humble and an absolute gentleman. It was a pleasure and an honour to meet him in person and I am delighted to have secured a sound business relationship with a new friend!


Cheers, Gwyn
www.aerosimsolutions.com.au

[Trevor Hale]

Hey Gwyn,

Looks like you had a great time.  I am sure Ian fed you a few soda's...  (I mean what would a trip to the UK be without beer) Glad you and the girl had a nice welcome from Joe, Ian and Leo.  I envy you for being able to make a trek like this.  Good on ya.

I would encourrage more of us to get together as time permits..  In fact, I need to go find Maurice over the next couple of days..  But alas perhaps my meeting him may put me on some kind of a no shipping list..  LOL

Great stuff.

Trev

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hi guys,
Tomorrow the UK visit ends and we will be trekking back to Australia. The trip has been fantastic and I am certain I will be repeating it in the not too distant future. Whilst it is sad that the holiday draws to a close Leonie and I have had some great news. We put an offer on a much bigger house before we left Australia and the deal has gone through, we will be moving soon. The new place has a 6m x 5m powered workshop and I just can't wait to start arranging it. There will be room for the much wanted second CNC machine and the planned expansion of Aerosim Solutions can begin at last. I've already got the beer  fridge, a flat screen TV, air conditioner and a stereo system. My simulator will be going in there aswell and I will be able to commence the rebuild, I'm so looking forward to that job!
Cheers, Gwyn
PS Some pics of the tour coming soon after we get home!!

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Good news about the new property. Didn't you just move about 18 months ago? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Any chance of getting some jump seat time on the way back?

[Kennair]

Excellent news Gwyn, can't wait to see the new shed, I'll bring the beer. 

Ken.

[Aerosim Solutions]

Wow where did that go? I'm back in Oz to a stack of orders, so much for keeping my head down for a while!!

I'll sort my pics tomorrow and post a few of me rubbing shoulders with our FS royalty! Ian - sorry I didn't get back to you on the pics, just post what you think is best, I'll have a look at your site soon.

BSW Hi Mike, yes I moved a while back to a rental but that was always a temporary situation, the home I've bought with Leonie will be the last move I reckon, it has shedtopia! What more could a bloke want? Apart from some of Ken's beers that is, I should find out when the settlement day is on Wednesday morning and the move will start to be planned.

Cheers, Gwyn

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I was certain that was you. Good luck with the new digs. It'll be nice to have your own space for the sim.

[Aerosim Solutions]

Here's a couple of pics of me rubbing shoulders with our FS royalty!!!


The legendry Ian Sissons!

PC Pilot writer Joe Lavery!
Cheers Gwyn