...straight up the West coast, at 3,500 A.S.L. keeping about 20 miles off-shore over the West Passage. I'm heading up in real-time towards the Alaskan coastline. To say that FSX is stunning in its depiction of this area of the real world, is an understatement!!! Even though I have the FPS lock-down set to 30 FPS, my system in this area keeps fighting it, to wanting to hover around 42 FPS, mean average. With A.S.E. producing today's weather in real-time., REX2 creating the cloud-scape, nVidia 157.15 Beta (with Nick Needham's FSX profile hack for stated driver), ENBSeries, and Carenado's Beach Bonanza, the moment is priceless.I was lukewarm to my wife wanting to take a cruise up the Inner Passage to check out the Glaciers and such...but if the coastline is ANYTHING like the beauty this simulation portrays...then I am now more than ever...no....actually EAGER to take the plane ride over to Vancouver, and head North for a 2 week cruise. She doesn't realize how many 'marriage perks' she gets by letting me have 'den time' with FSX! (large grin). Gentlemen, you might want to have your wife and/or partner read this post over your shoulder.... But then...be ready to enter negotiations...LOL!Back to the flight...and anticipating seeing it in real life, although from the level of a cruise ship....and not my present 3,500 feet of bliss...Mitch

...straight up the West coast, at 3,500 A.S.L. keeping about 20 miles off-shore over the West Passage. I'm heading up in real-time towards the Alaskan coastline. To say that FSX is stunning in its depiction of this area of the real world, is an understatement!!! Even though I have the FPS lock-down set to 30 FPS, my system in this area keeps fighting it, to wanting to hover around 42 FPS, mean average. With A.S.E. producing today's weather in real-time., REX2 creating the cloud-scape, nVidia 157.15 Beta, ENBSeries, and Carenado's Beach Bonanza, the moment is priceless.I was lukewarm to my wife wanting to take a cruise up the Inner Passage to check out the Glaciers and such...but if the coastline is ANYTHING like the beauty this simulation portrays...then I am now more than ever...no....actually EAGER to take the plane ride over to Vancouver, and head North for a 2 week cruise. She doesn't realize how many 'marriage perks' she gets by letting me have some 'den time' with FSX! (Large grin). Gentlemen, you might want to have your wife and/or partner read this post over your shoulder.... But then...be ready to enter negotiations...LOL!Back to the flight...and anticipating seeing it in real life, although from the level of a cruise ship....and not my present 3,500 feet of bliss...Mitch

Amazing how many good trip ideas you can get from the sim. I took a trip to Stehekin because it looked so beautiful in the sim.

.I was lukewarm to my wife wanting to take a cruise up the Inner Passage to check out the Glaciers and such...but if the coastline is ANYTHING like the beauty this simulation portrays...then I am now more than ever...no....actually EAGER to take the plane ride over to Vancouver, and head North for a 2 week cruise. Back to the flight...and anticipating seeing it in real life, although from the level of a cruise ship....and not my present 3,500 feet of bliss...Mitch

Hi Mitch, After years making many passages from mid-Vancouver Island to Alaska and return I would like to assure you the beauty of the scenery is right up there with anywhere on this globe. Gary

'Wife AND partner' ??Is that one of your 'marriage perks'...? :( Ian

Agreed, ORBX PNW blows me away. I did a real flight from KTTD over saint Helens and back to KTTD a few years back and now I can do it when ever I want in the sim and it is "almost" as cool (and a hell of a lot less expensive!!)

and soon ... onward past Port Hardy and north to Alaska using FTX Pacific Fjords and our PAKT Ketchikan Airport on the way.

and soon ... onward past Port Hardy and north to Alaska using FTX Pacific Fjords and our PAKT Ketchikan Airport on the way.

No doubt another winner. Looking forward to that.

and soon ... onward past Port Hardy and north to Alaska using FTX Pacific Fjords and our PAKT Ketchikan Airport on the way.

Soon for me is next month. Sometime in late 2011 after NZ South released is not so soon unfortunately. Would be happy to be corrected on this though...

Soon for me is next month. Sometime in late 2011 after NZ South released is not so soon unfortunately. Would be happy to be corrected on this though...

Pacific Fjords and Northern Rockies will be this year, well before NZ South Island.

Astomished! My hat's down if you accomplish that.Alex

Pacific Fjords and Northern Rockies will be this year, well before NZ South Island.

I can't believe this year, that is great news. I will have so much flying to do around these areas. :(

...straight up the West coast, at 3,500 A.S.L. keeping about 20 miles off-shore over the West Passage. I'm heading up in real-time towards the Alaskan coastline. To say that FSX is stunning in its depiction of this area of the real world, is an understatement!!! Even though I have the FPS lock-down set to 30 FPS, my system in this area keeps fighting it, to wanting to hover around 42 FPS, mean average. With A.S.E. producing today's weather in real-time., REX2 creating the cloud-scape, nVidia 157.15 Beta (with Nick Needham's FSX profile hack for stated driver), ENBSeries, and Carenado's Beach Bonanza, the moment is priceless.I was lukewarm to my wife wanting to take a cruise up the Inner Passage to check out the Glaciers and such...but if the coastline is ANYTHING like the beauty this simulation portrays...then I am now more than ever...no....actually EAGER to take the plane ride over to Vancouver, and head North for a 2 week cruise. She doesn't realize how many 'marriage perks' she gets by letting me have 'den time' with FSX! (large grin). Gentlemen, you might want to have your wife and/or partner read this post over your shoulder.... But then...be ready to enter negotiations...LOL!Back to the flight...and anticipating seeing it in real life, although from the level of a cruise ship....and not my present 3,500 feet of bliss...Mitch

Mitch,Which airport did you use to start your trip in Bellevue? And you have to do the Alaskan Cruise. Believe me, it will be a memory you will never stop talking about.Stan

'Wife AND partner' ??Is that one of your 'marriage perks'...? :( Ian

=========== Yeah..I guess it should have read 'OR' partner, whew!~Good catch!

Hi Mitch, After years making many passages from mid-Vancouver Island to Alaska and return I would like to assure you the beauty of the scenery is right up there with anywhere on this globe. Gary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We actually have discussed it now...and a two week vacation is being planned for the future. My true dream would be able to do what Geofa has already done. It is that, which I am working on.....a few more years of toil and sweat, and hopefully the 'Great Escape' will be by my StationAir 6 Amphib. I think that is the way to go....for landing access anywhere, and for safety. Actually, it is that we could land on water if needs be in an emergency situation, that even has this idea out of the gate, for my wife. She isn't good with 'Puddle Jumpers' when having to fly on business...so a plane that can land on water as well as land--- is a MAJOR sale for this 'would be' adopted post retirement lifestyle with her included in the picture!Wish me luck....Mitch

and soon ... onward past Port Hardy and north to Alaska using FTX Pacific Fjords and our PAKT Ketchikan Airport on the way.

--------------------------------------Oh Baby...bring it on!!!The wallet will be open.....as soon as it lands....Mitch

Mitch,Which airport did you use to start your trip in Bellevue? And you have to do the Alaskan Cruise. Believe me, it will be a memory you will never stop talking about.Stan

-----------------------------------------------Hi Stan!Let me fire up FSX right after I type this...as I have that start-off point as my new DEFAULT. I'll come right back here and use EDIT to let you know. Also, we are actually now going to take that trip. Probably in two years as we have commitments till then. But it's going to happen. Since yesterday, I have driven her nuts with 'hey Hon...c'mon over here and check out THIS picture' from scouring the Net. :) Ah...but Life is good.....Ok...let me fire up FSX and will pause and come back with your info request.Post Edit: Stan, it is Bellingham International. It's too bad that you can't use edit right now to do so to the title, if you need to. Bellevue should have been Bellingham. Take off and then VFR over and past Vancouver...and up the coast. Have fun! I did it at 3,500 A.S.L. When you cut out over to the Pacific from the Inner Passage, you'll need to climb to 12,500 A.S.L. or you'll chance bumping into something (smile).Mitch

Amazing how many good trip ideas you can get from the sim. I took a trip to Stehekin because it looked so beautiful in the sim.

-------------------------------------------------------------------One day, Geofa, I hope to follow in your footsteps! That's the goal. Pre-retirement, it's FSX as the outlet. :)Cheers!Mitch'er