This takes us back to 1994, when a book: Flights of "13MIKE" was our guide to the flight simulator world.

 

Flightplan here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/pqbdkr6l07vgeg0hztuu3/VFR-Merrill-C.-Meigs-Field-KCGX-to-University-Of-Illinois-Willard-KCMI-.pln.zip?rlkey=k5skvmjr76r6av0yg92p007uy&dl=0

 

Suitable aircraft:  C182 or similar... to fit with the vintage FS theme. 🙂

If you have the Carenado C182, I would recommend this mod:

No additional scenery required for this flight.

Particulars:

•           Date and time: Saturday April 13, 18:00 UTC
•           RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel
•           MFS Multiplayer: US Eastcoast Server

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!

Edited April 10, 20242 yr by Bert Pieke

I initially wanted to base our flight on the FS2.0 version, but the airport list was a bit disappointing..

Were we still using the 5 1/4 floppies still or had we upgraded to the 3.5's by then?

6 minutes ago, mwilk said:

Were we still using the 5 1/4 floppies still or had we upgraded to the 3.5's by then?

FS3 switched to 3.5 as best I recall..

Nifty idea Bert. Lots of fun to think back to the grandly optimistic Bruce Artwick Sublogic days. And of course to reflect on the spectacular progress that the MSFS-Aces and MSFS-Asobo teams (and the many independent developers) have made. Thanks!

First, here are three modest-but-helpful airport enhancements:
Chicago Midway [KMDW]. kingnothing75 (Adnan Arif). I previously used this addon and can report that it is a fine freeware. I haven’t tested it since getting the DD payware, but the current user commentary remains positive.
Kankakee [KIKK]. rafaelhgk
Central Illinois Regional Bloomington-Normal [KBMI]. pilotguy121a
A small package is temporarily available here.

Second, a note for those using Drzewiecki Design Chicago Landmarks. The published mission setup will work well – the setup does without the DD Landmarks. However if you want to use the DD Landmarks, then a problem may arise with the Landmarks package clobbering the Microsoft handcrafted Meigs Field. (The runway will be usable, but the airport is mashed potatoes.)

On November 11, 2022, Bert suggested a work-around. Currently, Drzewiecki has no automated fix and urges uses who want to use both Meigs and DD Chicago Landmarks to find a way to make Meigs the higher priority scenery entry. Bert’s suggestion should work for many people.

With my setup, I had to do something more complicated: (a) Use 7zip to compress a copy of microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field in the Official folder and copy the zipped scenery folder to one side and keep the copy. Then (b) use the MSFS2020 Content Manager to officially delete microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field official entry. (This deletion can be reversed later if desired. The advantage is that once “officially deleted” MSFS won’t try to update the scenery if it discovers the file missing.) Then (c) unzip the microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field that was previously zipped up and saved and place it in an appropriate location. (d) Rename the airport folder something like “ZZZ_microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field” which, by its new alphabetic rank, now has higher priority than the DD Chicago Landmarks folder. And finally (e) activate the renamed folder using the Addons-Linker.

(The longer multi-step procedure comes from the simple “move and activate” process not working. It may be just fine for you. My problem was that when I simply moved the microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field folder, then a subsequent reload of the simulator discovered the need for an immediate 6.5 GB update. Happily I could reinsert the original microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field folder into the Official folder and the simulator then found no need for a huge update. You may not have this problem, but might well keep a copy of the zipped scenery folder just in case.)

21 hours ago, MM said:

My problem was that when I simply moved the microsoft-airport-kcgx-meigs-field folder, then a subsequent reload of the simulator discovered the need for an immediate 6.5 GB update.

I tried a different approach... I left the folder (empty) behind, and MSFS has not complained (yet).

I discovered a Carenado C182RG in my hangar, dusted it off, and tried it...  May just appear in this airplane on Saturday.. but am prepared to switch back to the Ryan Butterworth T182T if I look like a Bonanza to others in the flight..

Aye Mike... tricky stuff but makes sense..

You are correct, can't just delete stuff from the Official contents as the sim see that it missing (from what you are supposed to have- as recorded in the cloud) and therefore will reinstall it every time.

To uninstall or delete any official content; have to load up the sim and go to the content manager.. select and add-on (ie: the add-on for kcgx meigs field airport)  and uninstall it from the content. ..  In the process, the Meigs will be deleted from your official folder.. and by doing it via the content manager this conveys to the cloud that you have uninstalled so the MSFS System won't try to reinstall it. (Until such time that you install the addon).

I have deleted/uninstalled every bush trip, xbox/MSFS livery, discovery flight, landing challenge and more via the content manager.. (over 30 gb worth),, and it stays uninstalled!!  (I hope)  lol

Edited April 13, 20242 yr by nbrich1

Didn't get a chance to partake of this weekend's offerings, but here's my take...

For some reason, my initial Bruce Artwick experience on a 31/2 floppy in 1986 wasn't Meigs. It was Oakland Intl. Airport runway 27 Right. Plus, it's amazing how your mind can fill in the blanks on the vector graphics. I even went so far as to plot the airports on the coordinate system that was in use at the time on graph paper. FYI, KSEA was 21343, 6584. How's that for old-timey? Or actually, how much does someone love flight for that to be a "gateway" mechanism? I STILL can't believe how we've come so far. We can now truly see the world from our desktops. Now it's just a matter of getting the details filled in. I just have to say that it's been one helluva fun ride! I stand transfixed...