Those searching for a unique experience, try flying the course of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. I started at Grand Canyon West and headed east and south, flying as low as 3500' along the river in the classic C172. Hint: the river's course is displayed on the GPS map in blue. Without that, I would have quickly become lost in the various blind canyons that run off of the Colorado.

Totally amazing. The canyon walls even display the characteristic strata which  mark the passage of time. There were a few spots were river rapids were incorrectly portrayed, but that's understandable. Given that we're three months into the life of FS2020, the Asobo team deserves kudos for creating an outstanding visual experience.

 

--EDIT--

This experience is not only unique among flight simulators, but also unique with respect to real life. Aircraft are forbidden below 15,000 feet in most of the Grand Canyon except for designated VFR corridors. Flying a few thousand feet above the river would result in a serious fine and maybe even license suspension.

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by jrw4
Noted

You need to share some pics.

30 minutes ago, jrw4 said:

Those searching for a unique experience, try flying the course of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. I started at Grand Canyon West and headed east and south, flying as low as 3500' along the river in the classic C172. Hint: the river's course is displayed on the GPS map in blue. Without that, I would have quickly become lost in the various blind canyons that run off of the Colorado.

Totally amazing. The canyon walls even display the characteristic strata which  mark the passage of time. There were a few spots were river rapids were incorrectly portrayed, but that's understandable. Given that we're three months into the life of FS2020, the Asobo team deserves kudos for creating an outstanding visual experience.

 

--EDIT--

This experience is not only unique among flight simulators, but also unique with respect to real life. Aircraft are forbidden below 15,000 feet in most of the Grand Canyon except for designated VFR corridors. Flying a few thousand feet above the river would result in a serious fine and maybe even license suspension.

Pics or it didnt happen 😬

100% right, friends. There should be screenshots and there will be once if figure out how to take them and then how to post them. Actually a video would be better because the movement of the canyon walls relative to one another and to the field of view creates a real sense of depth.

This should take me to the end of pandemic self-isolation!

Take care everyone and to those here in the newly updated USA, Happy Thanksgiving.

15 minutes ago, jrw4 said:

100% right, friends. There should be screenshots and there will be once if figure out how to take them and then how to post them. Actually a video would be better because the movement of the canyon walls relative to one another and to the field of view creates a real sense of depth.

This should take me to the end of pandemic self-isolation!

Take care everyone and to those here in the newly updated USA, Happy Thanksgiving.

There are several programs that will allow you to take them.  I use a freeware called Screenpresso,  It will take video and screenshots and has a good post shot editor.  I use it primarily for my job, but it works well for taking in game shots as well.  YMMV

Once you have the shot, there are tons of free hosting sites for editing.  You can just pick one, upload the photo and get the Url that you can then link to in the forum.  

It would be nice of AVSIM could upload images directly, but I understand why they don't.  @Steve Dracan be quite the shutter bug and storage costs money (lol)

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by wthomas33065

Well, my experience in MSFS was not so impressive with the river on a risen bed:

Been there IRL in a helicopter though:

 

4 minutes ago, DAD said:

Well, my experience in MSFS was not so impressive with the river on a risen bed:

It's not going to be perfect everywhere. Check the elevation map from yesterday's news post for high detail areas.

2 minutes ago, Tuskin38 said:

It's not going to be perfect everywhere. Check the elevation map from yesterday's news post for high detail areas.

Makes sense, thx for mentioning the high detail areas even though I also started at Grand Canyon West before I took above screen shots... milage varies obviously...

49 minutes ago, wthomas33065 said:

  @Steve Dracan be quite the shutter bug and storage costs money (lol)

LOL.....for the 1st time in probably the dawn of flightsimming (which I was there marveling at the green phosphorous lines and dots painting the inside of the CRT glass in that 1st version), I just have not gotten there yet. 🤣   Normally, if it was a new "addon" in simming, I probably bought it, installed it, and rushed to go fly and snap shots in it.  In this sim, I've already visited the Biltmore, Atlanta, my hometown Dallas (Attention devs....downtown still needs a lot of work!), Key West, Chicago and the Nasa facility....Just since the patch....still working on the NASA pics, but the Biltmore are already posted here:

This is such a good problem to have! 🙂 (not enough hours in the day to fly to all the great places in the world)

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by Steve Dra

Flew the GC, nice but not as nice as the high res (mesh and photo) Mega Scenery earth stuff that I've had in FSX for nearly a decade.  Somewhat of a let-down.  I'll post screen shots if you wish. 

If you want a really good laugh at MSFS, checkout the Princess Juliana airport area.  That was the crown jewel demo for FSX, but the treatment MSFS gave it reveals how weak it can be (unless a recent release fixed it).  BTW, I am NOT bashing MSFS.  Heck, its wonderful and a HUGE improvement...looking forward most definitely, FSX is over!

7 hours ago, jrw4 said:

Those searching for a unique experience

You have reminded me of my past here on Avsim,  Back in 1998 I defended the fledgling Pro Pilot simulation.  It was the first simulation to implement a worldwide terrain mesh, accurate at the time to 15 meters, which I believe at the time was a security restriction.  Naysayers were picking Pro Pilot apart for several reasons, which happens with new sim releases.  However I marveled at a flight from the California high desert, across Big Bear, Ca., and from over the mountains to see the scenery fall away to the San Bernardino floor.  I then marveled at an eastbound flight in the Columbia River Gorge along the Oregon-Washington border.

My sim schedule is of flying to select sports events has been interrupted at times due to pandemic cancellations.  Today I was looking for someplace interesting to fly in MSFS.  You have jogged my memory.  Thank you!

Tomorrow?  Columbia River from Portland to the Tri-Cities area of Washington.  Following that?  Snake river canyon from Boise, Idaho, to Brownlee Dam, to Oxbow Dam, to Hells Canyon Dam.  The canyon gets deeper the further you fly....  

7 minutes ago, fppilot said:

You have reminded me of my past here on Avsim,  Back in 1998 I defended the fledgling Pro Pilot simulation.  It was the first simulation to implement a worldwide terrain mesh, accurate at the time to 15 meters, which I believe at the time was a security restriction.  Naysayers were picking Pro Pilot apart for several reasons, which happens with new sim releases. 

ProPilot 99 actually caused me to ditch FS98.  I had a 3dfx card and PP99 was astonishing.  I even set up a Virtual Airline around it and hosted it here on AVSIM (Emerald Air) for awhile.  Volumetric Clouds, Terrain Mapping and even satellite imagery (albeit pretty low res (640x480)).  As laughable as some may have though ProPilot 99 was, I do believe that PP99, Fly! and Flight Unlimited 2 were directly responsible for the evolution of MSFS into what I considered some of the finest releases (FS2002 and FS9) in the series up until now.

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by wthomas33065

34 minutes ago, TheFamilyMan said:

f you want a really good laugh at MSFS, checkout the Princess Juliana airport area.  That was the crown jewel demo for FSX

Yeah, it appears that they swapped out Princess Juliana for Saba and St. Barths.  Both of which are very well done.

That's ok.  Third party has stepped in and given us quite a looker and Princess Juliana is now available in marketplace complete with people on the beach.    

Also, I have to say that Lukla in MSFS2020 is amazing.  And if you want a real laugh go to Lukla in stock FSX.  

4 minutes ago, wthomas33065 said:

And if you want a real laugh go to Lukla in stock FSX.  

Or any airport with steep slopes.

The elevation data looks very low from the pics posted above. Is there really an update of mesh?