I don't often use the Bonanza, but something tempted me the other day and while I was up there I got this shot. It really hit me that this looked like a happy aircraft here, like a fledgling taking its first flight.

And it reminded me of this -

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air…

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew –
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

(John Gillespie Magee) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gillespie_Magee_Jr.)

Great shot Andy and thank you for this famous poem. J. Magee died tragically and way too young! Did you know that R. Reagan recited this poem after the Challenger disaster in Jan. 1986?

15 minutes ago, bernd1151 said:

Great shot Andy and thank you for this famous poem. J. Magee died tragically and way too young! Did you know that R. Reagan recited this poem after the Challenger disaster in Jan. 1986?

Cheers Bernd. Yeah. I was aware of that, never thought I'd share anything with old Ronnie but hey. I'm not big on poetry generally, but I always seem to get something in my eye when I see this. My inner hippie re-surfaces, as does my aging sentimentality.

(and on a seperate issue, I noticed the other day that my Bulldog conversion doesn't seem to have a propeller - does yours? I didn't want to spend time faffing around trying to correct it if that#s just how it ports over anyway)

On 3/8/2021 at 3:30 PM, andy1252 said:

I noticed the other day that my Bulldog conversion doesn't seem to have a propeller - does yours? I didn't want to spend time faffing around trying to correct it if that#s just how it ports over anyway)

Same here, Andy. As soon as I start the engine, the prop disappears. Now, with the Waco around, I use that one more often. And Ant's Tiger Moth Pro works great in MSFS too.