Reflections about the latest visitors to my sim

[Maurice]

As some of you already know, I had a few visitors this past weekend...Scott on Friday afternoon and again on Saturday evening along with Trev, Jack & his lady friend Celine, Bob, Tyler and a quick visit from Nick as well.

Well, I had been very anxious & mortified prior to their visit because I do not have an aft overhead and horror of horrors, I do not even have that famous 1" gauge in my overhead. In addition to these obvious flaws, my simulator is far from complete or perfect in many, many other aspects. What would they think? Would they ever want to come back?

I had also prepared a few short flight plans to demonstrate all the nice SimA features and I had all the relevant charts since Jack had been so adamant on using charts the last time he came to visit.

So, imagine my surprise when all everyone wanted to do all evening was doing 'circuits' in LOWI and later in the evening, do short hops from VHHH TO Kaitak. No checklists, no charts, no A/P, no A/T, no LNAV or VNAV, just fully manual flights from takeoff to landing. Some of these landings were I would say quite 'interesting'. Thankfully, they were able to use the grass strip adjacent to the runway in LOWI to salvage a few landings. The water around Kaitak came in handy for ditching when they ran out of fuel because nobody had bothered to look at the fuel gauge.

Trev acted as the inebriated air traffic controller and guided whoever was flying between (and almost through) the mountains and over the tree tops back to runway 08 in Innsbruck. My Innsbruck scenery is now missing several tree tops and the Austrian wildlife conservation authority is now treating the traumatized wildlife and scorched birds. And many good folks in Innsbruck are now fixing the roofs that were ripped off by low flying stunt pilots.

Apparently, everyone was having a grand ol' time and I had to put an end to it at 2:00 AM since we all had to get up the next day at 6:00 AM to get back to FDS

So, why am I writing this and what is the moral of this story?
You don't have to have all the latest & greatest bells & whistles in your simulator to enjoy flying it. When I assembled my overhead, I simply had to have Flight Illusion gauges for EGT & Duct Pressure because I had to see the pointers move. But now when I fly, 99% of the time I don't even start the F.I. software because that is no longer interesting nor important to me.

Bottom line...don't get hung up on collecting everything you think you need before you fly. As Peter Cos & many others often say...get to a flying stage as soon as you can and then decide what it is that you have to have. And even then, think twice before acting; you might be surprised to find out that having the right shade of blue of grey for your knobs (or whatever else) is really not that important anymore after you start flying.

Maurice

[Trevor Hale]

I will have everyone know "For the record" I think Mau was drinking a little too much (water) and if you ask anyone else that was there, I am sure we would all agree the ground wasn't nearly as close as Mau lets on.  Its hard to tell what is going on in the simulator when your behind it.  I must also applaud Mau for his gallant attempts at "BACK SEAT PILOTING" For if it were not for that, my Air Traffic Control skills may have been a tad more stable.

In NO WAY Did this Controller ever put any aircraft or its passengers in danger.  Perhaps the EGPWS Was going a little nuts, but I think that is what the silence switch is for.

LOL In all seriousness We were happy to hang out with you Mau, and each and everyone of us loved flying your sim.  Thanks a bundle for having us over, and I personally loved watching the EGT Gauge move when I started the APU.

PS...  (It was Jack and Bob that ran out of fuel) ha ha ha ha ha.

Trev

[Bob Reed]

Yes..... Jack and I ran out of fuel and since I was in the left seat, it is ultimately my fault. We took off and I was at around 1200 feet when Jack says very cool and calm... "You have had a catastrophic engine fauler and now you have to ditch". It took a second for what he said to sink in and I said... "WHAT"? Did a fast instrument scan and saw the tanks where empty. Oh well, what goes up must come down..... Maurice, again thank you and your sim is top notch!!!!

[XOrionFE]

LOL Maurice....

It is true folks.....I think we disobeyed every pilot rule in the book.   Angus would have tore us a new one!!!

Scott

[Trevor Hale]

LOL Maurice....

It is true folks.....I think we disobeyed every pilot rule in the book.   Angus would have tore us a new one!!!

Scott

Naaaaah... Remember Scott, jack ran into Angus on the runway..... Took care of that issue didn't he?

Lol

[737SimGuy]

Hi guys,

I wish I had made time to fly with you all that night, it sounds like it was a great gig! Maybe next trip up...

It was also great meeting all of you! You guys have taken this hobby to great levels and it's fun to see the enthusiasm and ingenuity you all have.  I will be scouring the site for all the cool stuff within...

James Price

[Maurice]

Hi guys,

I wish I had made time to fly with you all that night, it sounds like it was a great gig! Maybe next trip up...

It was also great meeting all of you! You guys have taken this hobby to great levels and it's fun to see the enthusiasm and ingenuity you all have.  I will be scouring the site for all the cool stuff within...

James Price

Hi James,

I am sure I echo everybody in this forum when I say how great it is to have you as a member here. BIG welcome from me and I'm sure from everyone else and if you are ever in this neck of the woods again, I would be thrilled to have you fly my sim and I'm 100% sure there would be other 'volunteers' to keep us company 

Maurice

[jackpilot]

Ditto James.
And as for for Mau's offer.....
Count me in!!!

Jack

[XOrionFE]

Me too if you ever pass through Chicago area.  Always welcome.

Scott

[MLeavy737]

You don't have to have all the latest & greatest bells & whistles in your simulator to enjoy flying it. When I assembled my overhead, I simply had to have Flight Illusion gauges for EGT & Duct Pressure because I had to see the pointers move. But now when I fly, 99% of the time I don't even start the F.I. software because that is no longer interesting nor important to me.

Maurice

I had to laugh a little with this because i realized something.. When i fly the real one i dont even look at the needle! I walk on the airplane, do a fire check, then hit the switch then on to something else.. When the blue light comes on i put the APU on the bus, start the timer for one min. then put the packs on to get some air going and good to go! Lol. No need to look at the needle at all.. If it starts you get a blue light, if something fails it doesn't start and you get a yellow light

Also made me realize how much more builders including myself pay more attention to details that no one including people who fly the airplane 80+ hrs a month would even notice!

Sit back, relax, and have fun with your sim!

Mike L

[Flying_Fox]

Trev acted as the inebriated air traffic controller and guided whoever was flying between (and almost through) the mountains and over the tree tops back to runway 08 in Innsbruck. My Innsbruck scenery is now missing several tree tops and the Austrian wildlife conservation authority is now treating the traumatized wildlife and scorched birds. And many good folks in Innsbruck are now fixing the roofs that were ripped off by low flying stunt pilots.

And here is the video evidence. 

Trevor doing checklist before flight from Innsbruck. 

SAM_1142.avi

Flight from Innsbruck and TREE-TOPS operation with Captain Trevor   

SAM_1143_15.avi

You can also see here all glory of Maurice's simulator. (Maurice, I am still impressed!    )

Nick

[vidarf]

That was COOL! MAN, I got motivation to build!

Let's just hope none of the videos hit a news site. Some people not realizing it's a simulator could get veeeeeeeery anxious flying again... 

Loved the commentary. "TERRAIN, TERRAIN! PULL UP!"... "Oh, shut up!"

[Trevor Hale]

Great videos Nick.  I gather you still had an issue uploading them? But regardless, Thanks for doing it the way you did.  Thats just perfect.

I SOUND LIKE SUCH A KNOB THOUGH....  God I hate my voice LOL

[Maurice]

Damn this flight deck looks good; I got to get me one of them  .  And what are the BAD things about FSX again? 

Very nice & steady camera work Nick (& without a tripod). I didn't even know you were filming & thanks for posting the 'evidence' 

Maurice

[N737AG]

Super videos Nick. Thanks for posting.

Maurice : your visuals are awesome. Loved the part coming in right above the top of the mountains. Congratulations

Trevor : given the nature of the event, the flow of beers and the desire to let others fly, you did great. You can fly left seat with me any time.

Axel

[Maurice]

Super videos Nick. Thanks for posting.

Trevor : given the nature of the event, the flow of beers and the desire to let others fly, you did great. You can fly left seat with me any time.

Axel

Come on Axel....don't encourage FWI (Flying While Impaired).   

Maurice

[Trevor Hale]

given the nature of the event, the flow of beers and the desire to let others fly, you did great. You can fly left seat with me any time.

Thanks Axel, Thats exactly what I thought.  No time for procedures when your trying to stuff 5 guys through a sim flight.

And the beer.....  (I suspect it had a lot to do with it.)  Thanks for the offer.

[Trevor Hale]

Come on Axel....don't encourage FYI (Flying While Impaired).   

Hey!  Shhhh you!  LOL

[N737AG]

Come on Axel....don't encourage FWI (Flying While Impaired).   

What can I say Maurice. You know the real 737 has the cup holders installed at the sides of the TQ/radio pedestal. I have moved them to the far  sides below the windows to avoid any spilling on the radios or TQ.

I don't mean to encourage FWI. But man, those ethanol beverages, in a great sim, with excellent company are actually very healthy. Don't you agree ?



Axel

[Maurice]

I don't mean to encourage FWI. But man, those ethanol beverages, in a great sim, with excellent company are actually very healthy. Don't you agree ?

Axel

Fully agree. I like a nice cool bubbly when in the sim...Diet Coke that is of course 

Maurice

[vidarf]

Promoting FWI? Are you guys nuts??? It's SWDS!!! Simming While Drunk Stupid. I hate to break it to you, but a simulator never actually leaves the ground (more than a few feet at least)...

[MLeavy737]

  Awesome videos! Sim looks great!!

My fav part from them is when Trevor mentions the V speeds...  "V speeds?  Naa i dont need any V speeds, i know them! Lol..

Looks like a great time!

Mike L

[Trevor Hale]

Lol Mike. I forget that you as I am sure there are others are real 737 pilots. That likely wouldn't fly on one of your flights.

Capt "mike you didn't program the vspeeds"
Mike "yeah we don't need em, just use the same as last time"
Capt " your fired"

Lol. I am such a knob. And I sound drunk too lol. How embarrassing.

Trev

[Maurice]

Lol. I am such a knob. And I sound drunk too lol. How embarrassing.

Trev

Next time, make sure there isn't a video camera nearby  . But you can be forgiven since there wasn't much time for everybody to have a turn at flying, so use that as your excuse and stick to it 

Maurice

[MLeavy737]

Lol Mike. I forget that you as I am sure there are others are real 737 pilots. That likely wouldn't fly on one of your flights.

Capt "mike you didn't program the vspeeds"
Mike "yeah we don't need em, just use the same as last time"
Capt " your fired"

Lol. I am such a knob. And I sound drunk too lol. How embarrassing.

Trev

Luckily there are checklists for that stuff otherwise im sure it would happen daily! 

Dont beat yourself up too much man!  Most people couldnt even start one of these things no less fly them!

And dont worry, next sim meet (or sooner hopefully) ill give ya  some tips

Mike L