Aopa expo in Tampa-Ms there.

[Geofa 108]

I just got back from flying my Baron down to the Aopa expo in Tampa, Florida . I am glad to report the Microsoft had an extremely nice exhibit of MS2004 there. I met some of the Microsoft authors there and was taken with the fact that they were real world pilots, glowing with enthusiasm for both real flying and simulating, and were obviously really great people. No "Micro$oft" company- just real people that are obviously enthusiastic about real flying and simming, and happen to work for a big company that has probably positioned itself where it is, by employing such optimistic, creative, and enthusiastic persons!Last night after our second long day at the expo I and a few other pilots were sitting around a bottle of wine talking about the meaning of life etc...A question came up-what was your favorite moment of the Aopa expo? For me it was easy-when at closing time the first day I went back to the Microsoft booth to say hi to one of the members I had missed earlier, I found the Microsoft team sitting around a monitor eagerly watching one of their own try to land the DC3 on the short strip at St. Barths. (In a spectacular exhibit of airmanship he was able to do so...). In a world of whiners and complainers, and people that don't always give 100% to what they do in life, I found it amazing and uplifting that people who have worked their #$#$#'s off to produce this product-would still be enthusiastically putting this sim thru its' paces (especially at the end of a long hard day) and enjoying themselves immensely at the same time. I wish that many I come across on a daily basis faced their jobs and occupations with such enthusiasm-it is very catching!...2 shots-1) crossing the highest smokies on the way down in imc 2) the aopa commander which some lucky aope'r will win!http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132062.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132063.jpg

[Jeff Nielsen 1,386]

Great pics, and I'm glad you got to meet some of the team.

[Avcomware 1]

Hi, Geof.Sounds like you had some fun, it

[Geofa 108]

The getting there was definately fun-and challenging. Having xm weather feed now in the plane sure helps greatly.As for hints-the team was totally tight lipped about the next version-no info.I did try some of the serious certified high end sim systems there-and frankly was not impressed. Msfs is a heck of a sim right now imho.It would be nice if the lessons are improved- it would be real nice to have a great internet link interface with a control module, and voice interaction, so that a live instructor could fully interact with a student.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[Geofa 108]

Hey Jeff!Yes-and after not having a presense at Oshkosh last year it was nice to see them back in action. Hopefully good news for the future...http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[dmaher 0]

Geof, I've had a chance to meet a few FS team members over the years, and I have to agree with your sentiments completely. Working on something you really have a passion for is a great thing. Last March, here in Vancouver Joel Deyoung had a house party to celebrate the release of Squaw Box 3...and several FS team members made the trip up from Seattle to congratulate his efforts. I don't think this was an official MS thing...these people were just excited about SB3. I had a good talk with one of the members about the original PIC767...which he obviously had mastered. Daryl of Level-D was there demonstrating the just released 767... Another fellow, sorry I forgot his name, was demonstrating online formation flying using SB3. We used my hardware...with multiple displays and a nice collection go-flight hardware. All in all it was a fun night...not so much because of the flying...but lots and drinks and stories and laughs. I have a lot of respect for the FS team...DannyCZBB

[Guest DreamFleet]

Gee, Geof, wish I knew you would be there, as so was I! I hooked up with Michael Verlin of HJG, also ran into some of my friends from the MSFS team (Hal Bryan and Mike Lambert), and a lovely gentleman who is going to let me do his 1980 Cherokee Six for FS. :-)Of course, you really missed out if you did not go over to the PFC booth, and see lovely Kimberly, and my good friend Mike Altman, and fly their heavy duty, full-cockpit hardware sims using X-Plane. Nothing like it. I had Tom Wright, a retired Pan Am / United 747 captain as my "instructor". It was a load of fun.Otherwise, the best I got out of AOPA Expo was my new EFB. I looked at several, but the one from Flight Prep has me sold.http://www.flightprep.comThis thing does everything but wash the dishes, and for half the price of putting another Garmin 430 in my panel. It will also serve as the lap top computer I want to get, as they sell it with keyboard and CD-DVD drive.Edit: Here's Dr. Mike Verlin (of HJG on the right) and I by the AOPA Commander.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132352.jpgIf only Kimberly from PFC lived in New Jersey!http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132355.jpgMSFS's Mike Lambert assists a real pilot in flying FS9.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132356.jpgMy longest-running MSFS friend, Hal Bryan, along with MSFS's Scott Anderson (left to right, in blue shirts, with backs to camera) show folks the ropes in FS9.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132358.jpgPFC's Tom Wright (standing), a retired 747-400 captain, demonstrates their incredible simulator running X Plane to an interested pilot. It was very tempting to sell my Dakota, and buy this rig for about $40K, that's how great it was! The AOPA videographer even filmed me while I was flying it. http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132359.jpgYour's truly trying out the left seat of a Piper 6XT.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132361.jpgThis was my first-ever AOPA Expo, after 30 years of membership, but it will not be my last. I even managed to grab a chat with Phil Boyer on Friday night. What a lovely gentleman, just the man who should be leading AOPA! :-)Okay, Geof, next year, you meet me in Palm Springs?I can't believe we were both there, and never knew it!Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

[Geofa 108]

Bummer! I probably passed right by you...Odd you mention flightprep-I also bought it! It is amazing-more than amazing! I have been waiting for something like this. We flew today and watching it go thru its' paces and seeing the plane on the plates..nirvana! Certain flight software is history...I wish I had had it working when we flew down. We flew a short trip from St. Pete to Sarasota at night in low ifr-a 10 minute flight in the Baron. They changed the approach on us-I was shining a flashlight on the app plates trying to find and read the new plate-with flightprep it would have been a 2 second event and very readable-let alone the situational awareness.Now I am trying various setups-I got a lilliput 8" touchscreen on ebay for $200 attached to the laptop...but the motion tablets make me drool....In any case-sorry we missed-but it was a great event-and yes Fliteprep is the cat's meow! I wish I could have met Michael Verlin -his fm for my ex deb was wonderful.Geofhttp://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[Geofa 108]

Great picts! Yes, if my work schedule will allow next year-this was my first aopa exib also. I really liked it-like oshkosh but more attention and time to talk to the vendors.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[Guest DreamFleet]

I'm REALLY sorry we were not smart enough to think of contacting each other about this, Geof! Oh well, happy to hear you also fell head over heals about Flight Prep.Now, should we tell the folks that it's $4500??Oops! ;-)Actually, I consider that a bargain for what it does. It's amazing. You can zoom in on the approach plate, shift it around, and your plane will still appear where it should over the plate (not to mention the sectional or IFR chart). I get a lap top and an EFB all-in-one.I was over at their booth several times during my investigation of other EFBs. I even offered the programmer a side-job of doing work for DreamFleet!See you in Palm Springs next year?Here's the Jepp display. Now we know where the money is! I had an interesting chat with them also. ;-)http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132368.jpgJust a part of the huge Piper display.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132369.jpgYour's truly trying out the cut-away Mooney Bravo cockpit at the Mooney display. It's actually about the same size as my Dakota. Not bad! http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132370.jpgRegards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

[LAdamson 240]

great pics....! andhe,he, what did I derive out of all this..... :D Lou Betti, the "famous" addon developer for MSFS flight simulator dreams of selling his real life plane for a simulator using X-Planeand we'll be seeing Dreamfleet Garmin 1000 and Avidyne glass panels sooner than expected! ;)L.Adamson

[Geofa 108]

Imho everything is going to change with ads-b. I attended a seminar given by the faa while there-this technology will be coming very soon(already going for most of the east coast of the US)-and free-live traffic/weather etc. displayed on a multifunction display!The faa explained that this system also saves them huge $$'s-$250,000 to install a ground station vs. a huge amount of $$ for a single radar station. My flying partner asked somewhat tongue and cheek that since such a huge amount of $$'s are saved and safety is increased exponentially if the faa would consider taking the $$$ savings and subsidize a multi function display for all aircraft-they considered the question quite seriously!http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilsot.jpg

[Guest surveyflyer]

We too just got the flightprep EFB. How

[Guest DreamFleet]

I didn't get it yet, Mike. It will be my Christmas gift, from me to me! Hope all works out with the GPS. It seems as though they have good support.Yup, Fort Lee indeed, and I was just flying out of CDW today to get some rust off. Didn't see any 310s though, and it was a beautiful day. Of course, it was also Saturday. We were #6 in line at CDW for takeoff. Almost reminded me of LGA!If you're taking photos, get some good aerial shots of CDW. I hear the current ones are not good, and if we can get good ones you will likely see the airport modeled for FS. I want to have scenery for the airport to make it the official "home" for DF aircraft. ;-)Drop me a line anytime. loubetti@earthlink.net :-)Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg