The case for FSX...

[AviatorMan 253]

This seems to be turning into a different sort of discussion than it started our three pages ago. Not that that is a bad thing...I suppose if a few chaps sat down in the hangar after a flight and started chatting, it could go in many directions. A few beers would help. 

[birdguy 3,943]

Conversations among friends usually stray from the original subject and even help to keep the conversation going.

Yeah, a few beers might help.

Noel

[Boomer 1,619]

A few beers never hurts...Steam Whistle?

[brucets 94]

On 11/9/2017 at 10:29 PM, bobbyjack said:

Where July and August are the only months when it might not snow

"Might not" is correct! I was at the rodeo in Greeley on the 4th of July weekend in about 1965(?) and it snowed. In the 50's and early 60's during the Stock Show, last week of January, it was always 20+ below zero with snow. Lived there from 1955(college) t0 1985 and again 2006 to 20015. Winters now are pretty mild. Spent many 1000's of hours fly fishing and riding motorcycles there. Been in AZ for 2.5 yrs now. When I drive back and forth to DEN I don't even turn the radio or CD player on. Nor do I have a smart phone or flip phone(as mentioned above). No GPS either. I am a paper map guy(Google maps too). I try to memorize the route and never look at a map. I have a map picture in my mind. 

Been *playing* MSFS since 2000. I fly any ac that can track the default flight plan in the default GPS using just the FD/AP. No FMS, thank you. I let the default ATC tell me what to do. Tried to get interested in the PMDG stuff - didn't happen. Got to about page 3 in Mike Ray's book. Oh, as in real life, I prefer to fly in *fair* weather. Always have a window seat. Oh, I'm a ctrl-e guy too!

Bruce

[bobbyjack 61]

One of the many things I like about my phone is that no matter where I am, I can find almost any information I need. Where's the nearest parking lot,or bank, Starbucks (oops, that's not hard, They're on most corners), pre order movie tickets. I can take surprisingly good photos and video. I use it more for all the other things I can do with it, and less as a phone. Quite often I prefer a text or email because then I have a record of what was said. Sure, there are time when a phone call is better. Just depends. 

We've all done the "when I was you're age" thing. Which is actually fun. Things are more complex, now. I'm OK with that. There is brain research that says the more new things you try to learn, the longer you put off things like Alzheimer's. But I forget what that means. So I try to learn what my gadgets can do.

And I'm not at all picky about which beer.

[n4gix 4,947]

13 hours ago, birdguy said:

Those stories are now being passed on to my great grandchildren.  And like my grand children they will learn that I was more than just an old man.

Noel

Noel, what a beautiful way you chose to pass along your growing up adventures! Have you ever considered having them published?

[birdguy 3,943]

It's crossed my mind one or twice Fr. Bill but why?  The stories are on their way to becoming an heirloom.  Sort of a legacy for those who follow.

When my mom died she had a note in her hand written recipe binder that it was to be mine.  I passed it down to my granddaughter.

I am already a published writer and photographer and don't need hassle of trying to get things published anymore.

Noel

[birdguy 3,943]

Bruce,

When my son lived in Flagstaff  I used to love to take the back roads and drive through Monument Valley.  It was always an overnight stop for us.  Been on two of the Navajo jeep tours.

Always avoided the Grand Canyon though.  Went there once and it reminded me of Times Square on New Years Eve.

Once when we visited my son in Flagstaff he took us to Valle Airport where MacArthur's Connie 'Battan' was parked on the ramp.  He knew the lady who worked behind the FBO counter and she opened it up for us.  I must have spent close to an hour in that aircraft.

When flying my sim I always start at 10:00AM and have my weather set to 1/10 cumulus clouds with bases at 14,000 feet and a layer of 2/10 cirrus at 30,000 feet.  When I was flying for real I hated flying in bad weather so why would I want to do it my game?  Also a control E guy.

I once bought a Capt. Sim C-130 and could never get it started.  I can't see spending 15 or 20 minutes going through checklists and bringing up four or more panels to do by myself what a three man crew (in a C-130) does during startup. Not knocking it for those who do enjoy doing that. Button pushing and switch turning just isn't my thing.

Noel

[birdguy 3,943]

More power to you Bob.

I keep the synapsis flowing by learning things I want to learn about like the Persian Empire and the ancient Greeks and Romans and Hittites rather than fussing with the latest gadgets I don't want and have no real use for.  

I have a friend a few years older than I.  He wanted to buy a new Toyota but didn't want an automatic transmission.  He waited two months before they could deliver one with a standard transmission in it.  It was  more comfortable for him to be able to control that himself.

I feel much the same way.  I prefer paper maps to GPS.  I like to write notes on a pad of paper with a pencil than on my computer notebook.  It's more comfortable for me even though my handwriting is lousy.

I will accept new technology when it suits me.  I drive a Toyota Prius.  It has a lot of buttons and switches I don't know how to use and don't care.  It has a screen with a GPS that I seldom use.  But I like the fact that I only fill it up every couple of months.  Besides at my age I have lost a bit of situational awareness, reflexes have sowed down, and my attention wonders.  So I have to keep my attention on what I am doing when I am driving as opposed to fiddling with the gadgetry on the panel.

I don't wear a wrist watch because I don't need one.  Being retired I have no pressing appointments I have to keep except my quarterly doctor appointments.  Besides, I'm surrounded by clocks everywhere I go so I don' have to carry one around with me.

I hate body adornments.  I don't even wear a wedding ring.  I wore it once during the ceremony but I told my wife before we got married that I don't wear jewelry of any kind. Apparently it doesn't bother her since we've been married for 56 years. And no body piercings or tattoos although they seem to be in vogue these days.

I like to keep it simple.

Noel

 

[bobbyjack 61]

So Noel, How do you feel about self driving cars?

Years ago, when flip phones were new, a guy at the Verizon kiosk at the supermarket talked my wife into a cell phone. We weren't sure what to do with it. Neither of us wanted the phone following us around. Never mind we didn't have to turn it on, or answer it. Though it seems a bit rude to not answer. Anyway, she dutifully carried it around trying it once in a while. Then one day we were driving home and about 20 minutes away. We happened to have an ad from a pizza place near home she got out the cell phone and ordered pizza. It was waiting for us when we got there. This was something revolutionary. True, though kind of silly, story

I also am a history buff. I read about it (on my tablet), and watch documentaries. American history is my favorite, but I also study world history. My wife makes fum of me for reading about the Crimean War. Many countries sent folks there to study the war as it was going on to learn strategies used in our own Civil War.

I tend to view gadgets as a challenge rather than a fuss. But it's not gadgets for their own sake. If I can't figure out a use for them, that's when I don't bother.  

[birdguy 3,943]

 I trust autopilots as long as there is a human pilot backup.  I suppose I feel the same way about self driving cars.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen.  This is your autopilot speaking.  Welcome to the first pilotless airliner taking you from Los Angeles to Honolulu.  Sit back and enjoy your flight and rest assured that nothing  can go wrong...nothing can go wrong...nothing can go wrong...nothing can go wrong...

I have four cats.  And I also have a tagline signature on my e-mail I swap off from time to time that reads, "I would rather be owned by a cat than a smartphone."

Noel

[bobbyjack 61]

Ah, now you"re getting into  AI. A much more complicated ball of wax. I am intrigued by the possibilities. But, "Danger, Will Robinson." 

And I don't think that the century is leaving you behind as much as you don't see a need to pursue it. Nothing wrong with that. 

[brucets 94]

16 hours ago, birdguy said:

Always avoided the Grand Canyon though.  Went there once and it reminded me of Times Square on New Years Eve.

Hah! I must have ridden or driven from DEN thru Monument Valley to Scottsdale several dozen times over the years and never stopped to see the Grand Canyon. This past Sep we stopped. Not only was it like Times Square on NYE -- it was somewhere in Asia! We heard very little English being spoken.

Noel, you and I are very much alike in many respects. I once had a Rolex President, a heavy 18k solid gold flat link engraved ID bracelet and a chunky 18k pinky ring with a gold 2 1/2 peso coin in it. One day I said this is stupid and got rid of them. Like you I don't wear any jewelry today not even a wedding ring. I wear a cheap Timex watch when I'm on my motorcycles, but not around the house. Been married 55 years.

I think it is truly amazing that you can replicate all the ac systems like PMDG does, and if I was 18yrs old and trying to become a pilot I'd probably be up to my eyeballs into it. As it is I have a hard time finishing a default systems flight from DEN or PHX to LAX, LAS, SFO or SLC without pausing and going to the couch!!!

Bruce

[HighBypass 2,339]

One day I'll perhaps have a PMDG product and also A2A's Connie. Deep systems modelling new and old, then see if my FSX:SE installation can handle it!

Yesterday I flew (in the sim!) the Tinker Belle C46 Commando (freeware) from Charlotte-Monroe executive (that's where she's hangared isn't it?), north to Greenbrier Valley airport. About 170 nm or so. I cheated by having a VFR flight plan in the stock FSX GPS. I did however dial in the LWB NDB into the ADF. However, I was unsure as to when the radio might get in range (flying at about 8000 feet). I think it was under 40 miles or so from the beacon when I did receive the signal. I guess I should have got out a map and written down the heading I should fly, but at least i could check the purple line now and again  No I didn't have the nav system slaved to the GPS so I didn't have the VOR indicator giving me a line to steer by.

To digress - Congratulations to Noel and Bruce for their long marriages (not to each other! LOL!). I married my missus 26 years ago. Still together despite life's ups and downs.

I would wear a wedding ring, but it got cut off years ago (it got stuck on a ladder rung - long story). In a way I do have a permanent wedding band; the scar on the underside of the finger 

I like wristwatches. Especially analogue, clockwork ones. I do wear one - I have a few, but no expensive ones. They are just timepieces which sometimes have a date on them. That's it. They don't tell me if I'm still alive, or I've just got a text message or even have a compass on them. If someone asks me the time, I can tell them and I wouldn't get distracted by checking message or some such - I don't need to look at my phone (sorry, I do take it out with me ).

I used to have a 24 hour dial Russian (a fake Raketa I think) wristwatch. That was cool until I accidentally knocked it and the hands fell off! 

[birdguy 3,943]

Looks like we almost have enough Luddites here to start a club.

Technology isn't the be all and end all of everything.  And sometimes it isn't as good as the old way.

When I was in in the Colorado Air National Guard I was a weather forecaster.  That was back in the days we got sheets of observer data from every weather station in the country and plotted the data on blank charts.  Then we drew in the isobars by hand and were able to show the fronts and pressure systems.

Weather forecasting is as much an art as it is a science.  And a forecaster who has been on the job for several years at the same station has learned the nuances of local weather that computers and automated systems can't replicate.

About 15 or more years ago they closed the National Weather Service closed weather station at the Roswell airport and automated it. Our forecasts have suffered for it.  Computers can replicated the science but they fail in the art.

I was reminded of this this morning when I looked out the window.  Last night before I went to bed around midnight I checked the NWS forecast.  We were supposed to have intermittent drizzle all day and all night tonight.  But this morning we are CAVU...ceiling and visibility unlimited and bright sunshine.

Computers and technology can't paint something like the Mona Lisa from scratch or write novels like Michener and Clavell.

And Mark, people ask me if there is a secret to being married so long.  I tell them there are three lives in a marriage; the wife's life, the husband's life, and the together life.  Each one has to be respected by each spouse.

Noel