Flight Simming.....and Why I Love It.

For those of you who know me, well, you know I'm kind of a geek.  Maybe a really big geek and don't worry, I'm totally fine with that.  Like I've said in the past, geeks are the friends you love to have...especially when your computer stops working.  Also, I'm fortunate to have a beautiful and wonderful wife who lets me get my geek on!  But today's blog isn't about computers or fixing them...it is about the joy computers can bring.  I'll admit it, I spent a complete day sitting at my computer desk/flight setup flying around virtual Australia and the Pacific.  Now why would you do  that someone might ask? 

Well, first of all, I love airplanes....and I love flying (although I know I would throw up if I ever get the chance to fly in the back seat of an F-16).  See, I know I will never be a pilot in the real world other than tagging along on the occasional hop in a Cessna or as a passenger in a commercial airliner.   The next best thing for me is to create the same environment in a simulated computer world and thankfully, today's computers allow that to happen (and yes, I know....flying an airplane on the computer will never take the place of real flight...but it is a close second).  Like my profile says, I've been simming for quite a few years and I never get tired of it.  Whether I'm flying the A-10C in DCS and yelling "rifle" over my microphone or flying an ILS landing in a Boeing 777 in Hong Kong....it all brings a smile to my face.  I'm also fortunate to have friends who have the same love for flying and airplanes whether simulated or real.  While some of my friends live in distant parts of the world  compared to the left coast of California, today's Internet and social media allows us to come together for a common goal: waste away our days while flying pretend airplanes :-)  And, we are surprisingly good at it. 

I will also admit that I have recently altered my sleep times to make sure I could participate with the U.K. flight simming crowd.  Yeah....I know.  What?  Well, yes....it happens...and like I explained above, it is all for good cause.  Today we completed two group flights in Australia and ended in Guam.  Both flights combined took close to 8 hours to complete and while I took the occasional break to feed the minions or break up fights, it was all good.  Today's flights also provided some beautiful shots of clouds and the environment of the South Pacific.  I did experience one FSX crash which prematurely ended my flight from Sydney to Cairns.  But, a quick reload and altered flight plan from Brisbane allowed me to rejoin the festivities.  I said it earlier to the guys and I'll say it again: Thanks for wasting the day with me....it was good fun and I look forward to doing it again ;-)

Enjoy the screenshots of the flights (I know....there are quite a few). 

Add-ons used:

FSX w/DirectX 10 enabled
Flight Environment
Aerosoft A320 1.21 with liveries provided by Holger Sobl
Orbx FTX Australia/Orbx Global/Orbx Vector/Orbx Cairns (YBCS)
ActiveSky Next Weather
FS Dreamteam GSX services

Uh, Michael...you can't park there :-)

Hey, what's all that red stuff on the weather radar?

Happy New Year everyone.....let's hope 2015 brings some great flights!