Interesting memory about Vatsim

[John_Cillis 2,406]

I saw and responded to the online flying poll (I do not choose to fly online).  But I remember when light sport was ramping up and I was shopping instructors, one with a Zenair heavily used MSFS and Vatsim for training his students for flight around controlled airspace.  I used to set up free flight online flying sessions in MSFS of old with me and a buddy of mine, he downloaded my ultralight trike here at Avsim and we'd fly thru the canyons of Arizona, or along city fronts together.  But his budget no longer included a sim capable computer while I continued in the hobby.  We both took real world lessons but I had more time built up, almost fifteen hours by the time I quit my lessons in order to finance a new home for my wife.

As my vision has improved in the decade since I took lessons (us farsighted people are gifted with "second sight" as we grow older), I plan on resuming GA lessons in a year or two, since I know I can rent a 172 easily like my friend Tim did way back in the 80's.  I have flown in a lot of GA flights, several trike flights, but mostly as a commercial business traveler since the 80's and as a teen tourist before that.  And when I was five I commuted every few months between Burbank and Frisco, since my Dad could not often see us while he worked at Mare Island or Alameda. 

The nitty gritty of air operations, the sights, sounds, ramp staff, tower staff, pilots and lounge staff all offer wonderful memories over my four decades of GA flying either as a student or with friends.  And, I have also flown in sailplanes, hot air balloons and copters as well.

John