Giving thanks to Ismail Guzel

[NikkiA 7]

I just wanted to post a public 'thanks' to Ismail for a) his absolutely fantastic damage simulation mods, and B) teaching me the stupidity of flying single engine over water.

 

I spent a bit of time yesterday sprucing up my FSX's carribean with various freeware sceneries, and did some testing of those sceneries in the default c172 (which has Ismail's damage mod applied, as do all of my default planes).

 

At the end of a visual inspection of Barbados, I figured I'd fly somewhere else to land, and set my sights on Piarco airport on Trinidad, which is of course about 150 nm away.

 

About 50nm out, my engine failed and wouldn't restart, and I got wet learning that never, ever, fly across a large distance of water :fool:

 

A lesson learnt, and also a great example of how the default planes aren't useless, once you add a little bit of tweak :)

[Great Ozzie 101]

teaching me the stupidity of flying single engine over water

 

FSX is a great gaming sim... but one thing it is not... a "teacher" of wisdom.

 

It can give you some things to think about... sure... but if I wanted actual advice on over water crossings... I would read about from those experienced (AOPA being a good source) then have someone who practices such operations give me some instruction.

 

Btw... if you are thinking a twin piston would be safer... I'd say "not so fast". I'd choose pilot "A" (single engine) who was prepared for a water ditching (equipment, training) "everyday of the week and twice on Sunday" over pilot "B" who was lax in his single-engine inop skills.

 

Aviation is fraught (love that word btw) with risk... and naturally becomes part of a pilot's responsibility to reduce that risk to "common sense" levels. It is very possible you (as others have) might decide single-engine over water crossings contain too much risk... to the point of you deciding the risk is "unacceptable"... no problem there... my point is, despite the things you saw from FSX (some good things to think about) just don't let any game/sim be the last word on the subject.

 

-Rob O.