I set out to make a quick flight from Yellowknife to Edmonton in the default 737. (I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa warmin' up the sled for the big night)Loaded up AS6.5 for some real weather (this flight was going to be a little bumpy on the way out), filed my flightplan and finally loaded up the plane with passengers and fuel. (To the tune of about 135,000lbs)I finished off my preflight checklists, no FMC programming to do but I did set the N1 to 90% and got my clearance. After taxing to the runway and receiving my take off clearance, I lined her up real nice. I turned on the AT, then lit the candles by flipping the N1 button - we were off.At V1 I rotated her up and away we went. Trying to control the thing from climbing like the space shuttle, I leaned forward adjust from V2 to 240, when all went to heck. Bumping around in the cockpit (its a little rough on climbout) ATC tells me turn right to a heading of 165 so I reach to set the heading when yet again I adjust the dam bank angle. Bumping around I finally get the heading knob set when I notice I'm climbing at +5000ft/min and she's still accelerating ! Even loaded, this baby could double as a f-16 !So in a panic to get this bird under control before the passengers think were going to do a loop and vomit all over the place, I pushed the speed button and was reaching to adjust the pin head we got for a speed knob and to set it to 240 (in a bumpy cabin) - and that's when it happened ..I was doing my best to balance looking out the glass, fly the plane and work the knobs. I realize I am only a few degrees off runway heading as I never got to adjust the dam bank knob back to 25, and all of a sudden look out front and see that I am right on top of a small plane only about a 1/4 mile in front of me. Must have been the G/A that took off before me I figured. I flipped the AP disengage as I banked and pulled her hard up and right to hopefully make this only a near miss.All of a sudden the stewardess is on the cabin phone freaking out about that her and the passengers saw some thing that looked like a 75 foot long red and brown plane missing its wings pass right under the left wing!As we came around there was crap all over the place in the sky floating down to the ground. They looked like presents! What in the heck, I think I just had a near miss with Santa ! We never clipped the poor guy but the jetwash must have blown half of his cargo out of the sled! Looking over it seemed he was waving at me, but I am not sure as I could only make out what looked like one finger.Dear Santa - I am very sorry about that, I hope you can forgive me. I promise that if you can deliver two of the items on my list I sent you, (namely new FSX 737 birds or patches from PDMG and PIC)(oh or how about a new DF737) it will never happen again. If you are too ripped at me, I would be happy with just a VC gauge fix and a new FDE for the default one to buy some time. I tried to fix the gauges myself, and after reading and following the SDK I learned how to make it bigger in 2d but the VC seems to scale it to the darn knob. I'm already past my abilities so I give up (for now). Again please accept my apologies.Merry Christmas to all :)Best Regards'Garett

The Night Before Christmas==============================================='Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.A voice clearly heard over static and snow,Called for clearance to land at the airport below.He barked his transmission so lively and quick,I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick".I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,The better to welcome this magical flight.He called his position, no room for denial,"St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."And what to my wondering eyes should appear,But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their head,They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,The message they left was both urgent and dour:"When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,Then I heard "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-ohAnd stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.His red helmet and goggles were covered with frostAnd his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!"And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,He called up the tower for clearance and squawk."Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"He sped down the runway, the best of the best,"Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed thru the night,"Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."

Dave, Very cute, and made me laugh, best of the holidays to you and yours.Clayhttp://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...ers/Dopke01.jpgClayton T. Dopke (Clay)Major, USAF (retired)"Drac"

And all the best to yours too, Clayton.