Eric is checking in......here I am to clear the air.

[Guest ewernst]

Friends,I thought it was time to say hello in the forum to the many people that still remember me and to those that are wondering why I dropped off the face of the computer planet. I wrote this on Friday the 26th (my 38th birthday by the way) while sitting alone in my house on reserve (airline stuff) while my family was having fun eating, drinking, and celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday about 700 miles away. What better way to spend the day than to write a mini novel about myself in an effort to reconnect with my friends :-). It has been nearly 3 years since my last forum post, and there have been a lot of changes during those years for me personally and professionally. For those that are inclined, you can read my long and perhaps boring story below.I will start out with what probably matters most to the visitors of this forum, and that is my status in the flight sim community. I have been on a self imposed exile from the sim world, development and otherwise. I had hoped to be involved with the transformation of PIC into LDS, but that sadly is not the case. My friends Laurent, Wade and Pedro have carried on their development work with the help of new team members. I simply could not find the time to commit to the project over this past summer for a number of reasons (explained later if you read on). It was not until the last 2 months that I found time to devote to the computer, but by then there was no place left for me at the design table (so to speak). My role is basically that of a beta tester now.My future as a designer, please excuse the pun, is up in the air. As I ease back into the community, I see that the potential for product development is far more exciting than it was just a few years back. I am reconnecting with friends from design years past and I am inspired by what I see them creating. I am hopeful that I can commit to a design project in the near future.Now that the important things are out in the open, we can discuss the boring topics of my life these past few years. For those that might be thinking

[DShutt 14]

Eric:Thanks. For everything.A fan.Daryl ShuttleworthDS 3339

[Guest viper18799]

Hi Eric,I never knew you and only tinkered with PIC 1, but thank you for all the hard work you have done. If you ever have time I would like to hear about the airline industry. I currently work as a paramedic, but I am considering working on getting some flying stuff too, and maybe going ATP. Brian Diregolo

[Guest jeffg]

Eric, Thanks for the update on your life as I had a family member in the North Tower and I lost a few good friends from FDNY also.I love flying and have my private ticket but children and working keep that down to nill.I have been flying FS since 1993 and loved all your panels but the 757767 is the best.I flew the United full motion simulator in the summer of 2001 in Denver and the flying 767 panel before hand made all the difference in the world as I knew where everything was and how to program the fmc etc.I am a 25 yr veteran of the Jacksonville Fire Dept and know the demands of work and family and I wish you all the best.I will be waiting for the new 767 soon ,hope you and your family have a Great Holiday Season. Best Regards, JeffG

[Guest VetJet]

Eric:Very happy to hear from you. I wish you the best. You, Wade, Pedro and Laurent changed my flight sim life forever!!! It doesn't matter how many add-on's I buy in the future, You guys were the FIRST!! and I will remember you all for that.

[Guest optimum]

Eric,What a remarkable post! I am one of the simmers that has enjoyed your work ever since you started designing. Your 767 panel was the cause of a few computer upgrades for me. What a fantastic contribution you have made to the flight sim community! I wish you the very best and continued success in ALL that you do!! Thanks for your work on the 767 panels. Because of them, it is my favorite airplane!! To those of us who will never have the chance to fly the real deal, your contributions have given us a glimmer into what it would be like!! Thanks again!Troy StevensUAL6210http://virtual.united.comhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/supporter.jpg

[teropa 4]

Eric,Thanks for writing this.Another fan ;),Tero

[crvm 0]

"I re-evaluated my priorities and how I had been spending my time over the previous 4 years. Additionally, my daughters were getting to an age where they needed more and more attention from their Dad. And I decided that sitting at a computer all day was a gross dereliction of my responsibility to them." As a father of more than a few children, I have known this all to well Eric, I have a greater admiration of a person I have never known (you) for your recognition and change for one's children. "Through the grapevine I have heard the speculation on why I have not been active in the sim world. Some of the educated guesses are close, some are wrong, and some are flat out amusing." Sorry if I spread some wrong information in this regard, hopefully it was more on the amusing side. Thanks for sharing such personal information with us.Best Wishes,[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]http://www.rawbw.com/~bdoolin/shinault/southparkcartmad.gif[h3]PMDG 747![/h3]Caution! Not a real pilot, but do play one on TV ;-)ASUS KV8 DLX | AMD 3200 64 | 1 GIG PC 3200 DDR | GIGABYTE 5700 ULTRA | ViewSonic VP192b 19" |

[Aramis 0]

Eric,Thanks for that. And all your other brilliant stuff.Have a cold beer on me. ....err make that a Lite ;-)

[Guest Thomas Hjelm]

:)/Thomaswww.fsnordic.net

[Guest Fred Awful]

Thanks EricIt's good to see you back :)Good luck with whichever path your future takes. I HOPE you'll be back designing, but fully understand if you can't.Steve Marks(The original PIC SID/STAR database creator... way back when!)

[Brian Doney 127]

Much respect, dude.Best to you and yours.

[svenks 4]

Hi Eric,It is really nice to hear from you again - as you must know, you have really been missed!I read through your letter, and I can see and understand your 'slipping away' from the FS scene. Especially the part about the airline industry's "Death spiral", since I work for an airline (Scandinavian) myself (not flying, but Flight Data Analysis).These last years really has been a sea of uncertainty, and I have found myself, as you, looking at the computer as a bearer of evil tidings...If only it would say that we are out of the woods, but no. Guess we just have to learn to live with it :-erks Anyway, it was nice of you to share your story. I wish all the best for you and your family.Sincerely,Sven Sorensen, EKCH

[Guest Andrej]

Hey Eric,thank you for this post. I have been using your panels back in FS98 and I was active PIC user. Thanks for everything, and I hope that the industry will soon be in better conditions.Cheers,Andrej

[Guest Ross]

Very nice to hear from you Eric, very nice indeed. I was in Buckingham Palace Forecourt the day we played "The Star Spangled Banner". This was the first and only time a foreign national anthem has ever been played on the changing of the Queen's guard. There were very many stranded American tourists there and it was an emotional time for everybody. We followed this up a few weeks later by flying to New York City and playing a number of solidarity concerts as part of the UK with NY festival.The events of that day had far reaching and lasting effects on many people. I met people on that trip who will be friends for the rest of my life. I for one am very glad that you are still flying and getting back to enjoying simulation.Best Regards