Today was my 65th birthday, and after going out for dinner I decided that the best birthday present I could give myself was a flight with FS9 In the last year, I have purchased a new Gaming PC, Flight 1's ATR72. Active Sky 5, Ultimate Terrain USA, FS Genesis US Mesh, plus many other sceneries and aircraft add-ons... and the list goes on and on. Tonight I flew a Vatsim flight from Nashville to Atlanta in my ATR-72. The flight started as the sun at Nashville Airport was beginning to sink in the west. I contacted Memphis Center and was cleared to ATL, as filed on my IFR Flight Plan. I climbed up to 17,000 feet and the turbulence started kicking the ATR around like a ping pong ball. Then the lightning started flashing all over as I passed the Rome VOR and headed for the ILS to 8L at ATL. Now the sun had set and all the street lights in downtown Atlanta began lighting up courtesy of Ultimate Terrain. I live in Atlanta, and the way the city looked on my monitor, was just like I have seen many times flying in on a Delta Flight, as a passenger. Lightning, was flashing everywhere as I bounced my way down the ILS in the ATR, and I could see I-20 and I-285, highways that I ride on all the time, being lit up by the lightning strikes which were now everywhere, including hitting the airport. I managed to grease it on 8L, and taxied off the runway and to the ramp, .... and that was the end of one fantastic and realistic flight. A Great Birthday Present, I must say...... As I was shutting FS9 down, I realized that all the purchases I had made in the last year were worth every penny, just for this one flight alone. And I can do it again tomorrow if I want.....:)

Nice post, Bob. Thanks for sharing, and happy birthday!John

Happy BirthdayJimCYWG

Happy birthday Bob. Great post. - Dooug

Happy Birthday! Great post, and how right you are. billg

Happy B-day Bob!Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/mcdcvabanner.jpgCalVirAir International

Yes indeed, most definately: Happy Birthday!Mike F.

Thanks for the story, Bob. I've always enjoyed reading your posts. Happy Birthday, and wishes for a joyous year ahead.Paul

Happy Birthday! andThanks for the good story.

Bob: Thanks for your nice posting. I appreciate the way you felt today. I just turned this Golden Age last saturday the 13th, but lots of friends showed up to an improvised last minute party at home and could not fly with my Radar contact and PMDG B737 for Meridian VA, as I would have wanted to -forgetting about the small detail that my wife would have killed me....I just came back to my Country after having spent 3 years living very close to Atlanta (Decatur) waiting for a liver transplant at Emory which was very exitoso.I once rented a small F33 Bonanza at Dekalb /Peech Tree Airport (I was copiloting ) and I appreciate what this new sceneries and addons can show when I flew the same pattern the rented plane took and had the same experience you mentioned in your posting, though not around KTLA. Please enjoy this Golden years ahead and fly carefully.Edmundo CardenasSVMI

First of all Happy Birthday Bob,It is very true that we sometimes dwell on the cost of commercial add-ons, but really they are an example of a real value for money. When you realize you spend as much for one night dinner and for the same amount you get countless hours of enjoyment that really makes your day.Dom

thx Bob, well i have another 35 years left to reach your magical milestone, i too will describe my flight planning experience in the yr 2040, i just cant imagine how much more realistic its gonna be then!!rgds.

Great Post!Fly on.Regards,Ed

Feeling your joy sir :) (had a few of those 'just right' flights myself) - thanks for the great recount of a great flight. Congrats on your birthday and may you have many many more just as happy.regards,MarkXPHomeSP2/FS9.1/3.2HT/1GIG/X700pro256

Happy birthday, Bob!Fly safe.