Welcome to FU3 world, Earl.Whenever you feel like you need to hit the wild, drop by at BFU (Bush Flying Unlimited) forums here at AVSIM. This club got started in FU3 forum right here under moderator Tom's nose :-), but now is an open-sim club for bush flying anywhere in the world.

Hi Naji,Thanks for the greeting and the invitation... I'll browse on over sometime soon and try it out.Right now I am still waiting on my FU2 to arrive. I'm trying to hold off installing FU3 which I've had for several days until I can install both at once.Oh well I'll be seeing you around...Thanks again!Earl.... "and the greatest of these is Love." I Cor. 13:13

>Thanks for the welcome. I am not a pilot, though it was a >boyhood dream. I've always loved airplanes. When I was in >my twenties, I seriously considered becoming a pilot. I >realized to be safe meant spending a lot of time and money >to practice. I was raising children on a shoestring budget >so it never happened. I flew with friend of mine a few >times and he would let me fly after reaching a few thousand >feet. It was great but I am satisfied with simin'.Hi Earl, yet some more welcoming words, hope you don't get easily overwhelmed (he, he)... :) Those words of yours above, also describe myself almost exactly, so you can make a fairly good idea of my type. I am not a pilot either, but flight sims have been my hobby #1 for many years, and this has led me to be a real-world aviation fan as well. In turn, this has led me to meet many people in this area (including a bunch of pilots) and make many friends there.Re flight sims, I've used MSFS since version 3 and many others, but "after all these years", I keep always coming back to FU3 (as Tom said). It has "something" (can't really explain it) that makes you really "cherish" it, something I've never found in any other sim, regardless of how technically advanced it might be. Guess one way to describe it could be: "no other makes you feel this much as if you were really up there". The friendly, unique atmosphere in this forum has also much to do with it (again, Tom's merit!!).Additionally, as an overall sim (even considering the limitations), I find FU3 clearly superior to FS2000. And if I don't say the same thing about FS2002 is only because Microsoft has finally included many of the features originally contributed by FU3 (years ago!), such as the improved weather and a decent ATC (this one looks almost directly copied from FU3).Re FU3 add-ons, I'm not as enthusiastic about scenery as I am about aircraft. Not that I don't admire the scenery designer's work, but (as someone told you) the fact that many of the packages cause problems when combined with someone else's, has kept me away to some extent (hope not to be stoned for this) :)But the aircraft... oh, boy: 1st in the list are Ansgar Avermeyer's creations (namely the 747 and the DC-3). It's simply unvelievable what Ansgar has achieved in a sim which has been "officially dead" for years, and which was never intended as an "open-architecture" product. Then there are many others... the Grumman Goose has always been one of my favourites... and what to say about Steve Hess' panels... the list would be endless.As a designer, I'm nearly useless. I've tried my hand at some repaint and such, but as matter of fact, the only tinkering I do is combining my favourite flight model, panel, repaint, etc. of a given aircraft (from the different versions available) into a single version. I can do that thanks to Gideon Pertzov's "ResViewer", the most essential tool you must look for in the library, if you want to enjoy FU3 to its max.So I haven't really contributed much, but I feel "at home" in this forum as I had never before anywhere in my (already long) on-line experience, even when discussing matters other than FU3. There are also some really funny live chats now & then, you should attend one of these when you can. In fact my only merit (if any) in this forum is having induced our moderator Tom to get those chats going.Well, that's enough (have I really written this much?)...Hope you get your copy of FU2 soon and start enjoying this very special sim, I think it will really surprise you.Blue skies.

I'm preparing the stones for our next chat.............:-lolChris Low,ENGLAND.

Hi Stearman,Yeah, I am a little overwhelmed! All you guys are very nice to take time to write to me here in the forum. I really appreciate all of your "hello's" You guys sure know how to make a new comer feel at home! Thanks again to all of you!Stearman, sounds like you have made a great contribution to the FU3 community... the live chat sounds great! I'll be watching for the next one.Does anyone live in the southeast? I live in north Geargia about 75 miles northeast of KATL. There are a lot of simers within a 50 mile radius. Sometimes these guys post in the MS or FLY forum asking if anyone would like to get together at a local restaurant otr something. They never quite get it put together. Anyway, if any of you live close enough I would like to propose a FU3 veteran lunch or something.Earl.... "and the greatest of these is Love." I Cor. 13:13

Earl,Do you know a place called Commerce in Georgia ? I'm sure that was around 90 miles north east of Atlanta. I visited Commerce in June 1994 during a three week holiday in North Carolina.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

Hi Earl,You know of Griffin then. I lived there for a couple of years when I was 8 or 9 yrs old. Family packed up and moved down deep southern Ga. Southern part where we moved to was a land of wild grapes,plumbs, peaches, pears, various melons, figs, rasberries, black berries, cypress swamps, bounties of many varieties of vegetables, and wild life, seemingly endless thick stands of whispering pines. Vines grown thick and dense enough to climb and tap tree to tree, or just lay up in amongst them, bellies full from the fruit and berries we'd been picking. Jungles of honey suckle and bamboo, vast pecan orchards. Cane grinds, fresh cooked hog in a pit, fish fries, family re-unions. Acres of tobacco, corn, peanuts. Tobacco barns dotting the landscape. Many ponds, lakes, branches and rivers teaming with fish. Braving rotted deadfall to get to the fresh honey. By day mocking birds, blackbirds, by night whipoorwils, owls. Yea, my brothers, cousins and I had quite a time down there in our bit of paradise.No one left down there in my immediate family anymore, either moved on, or passed on.Jim B.

Hi Chris,I certainly do know where Cmmerce is. My Nephew owns a music store there named "Krazy Al's Discount Music". Does a rather good business.I'm sorry to say I haven't been to England as yet. I probably never will although I travel some in my business, electronics. I never know when a trip may come up. I hear from people I've met how great England really is to visit. I would love the chance to see it first hand.If you come back, please let me know... maybe we could have lunch or something..Take care, ChrisEarl.... "and the greatest of these is Love." I Cor. 13:13

Hi Jim,Boy howdy! you're makin' me homesick! I've visited all over south Georgia... Waycross, to Bainbridge and all around. Where were you?I grew up in north GA... near Buford and Gainsville (in Cumming, GA) still not far from here(Dawsonville) they are all on the map if you want to see...I grew up on a 360 acre farm with cattle, chickens and hogs. I had a horse and beagles and birdogs. It was a great way to live and even better place to grow up and learn about life. I'm sorry to hear your family passed on or moved on... seems to be just "how it is". My siblings still living. Great to visit with them several times a year.You didn't mention where you live now... anywhere near here?Earl.... "and the greatest of these is Love." I Cor. 13:13

Earl,There were a few Americans on the plane during the return trip from North Carolina, and I remember them all looking out of the window as we approached London Gatwick airport. They were all fascinated by the patchwork quilt of green fields !I would love to return to the USA, and North Carolina would certainly be high on my list. It really was beautiful (apart from a couple of idiots in a black Chevrolet Camaro, who obviously decided that our Plymouth Grand Voyager looked ideal hold up material. Unfortunately for them, we had considerably more brain cells than the three they obviously shared between them). I would also like to return to California, since I was only there for one week in October 1995 (San Francisco and Yosemite areas).Best Wishes,Chris Low,ENGLAND.

Hi Earl,We lived in Waycross for a little while, 3yrs-good ole Ware Co. 301 Community Dr was one of four different addresses we had. It was a nice town. Even after we moved out of town, the folks would pile us kids into the old jallopy and take the 35 mile trip to visit friends. We'd even take the scenic route(Pa'd meander his way through the state rds, thru Folkston and Barnesville)up to Griffin to see an Aunt and Uncle who used to live up there. Ah-yes Barnesville, after I went into the service, they packed up and moved there for about a year, then packed back up and moved back to Coffee Co.When I was a kid, living in Griffin, we'd sometimes go to a place called Highfalls for camping and swimming. 'Course been to Stone Mountain a couple of times, was young though.Lived in Coffe Co mainly, Co seat was Douglas.I also remember the hog pens. Well we didn't have pens really, they just run amuck in about 15 acres consisting of a pond(so they'd have a place to waller and cool off), some fencing/corrals(round up the ones needing cut or for sending them up the chute for loading to the market), small tack/feed barn, Cypress tree's, some dense pines, some low lying brush, nice spill way(which was a good place to pluck-up by hand the wayward fish(usually brim, trout or catfish) marooned in the wash-outs).There was some tobacco farming going. Grew corn for feed. We made many a nice camping trip down to Fargo, there, on the banks of the beautiful Suwannee River. Man, was some good fishing and good times there. Would stop into Homerville road side country store on the way down to get some pop and snacks. Other rivers come to mind are the Satilla and Ocmulgee.On pure recreational trips Pa'd keep heading south into Florida to enjoy the sparkling clear waters of Ichetucknee Springs down below Lake City.I live in Virginia now. I ever get rich, going move to Florida, Panama City. I'm pretty young still, so there's time, maybe. Take care Earl,Jim B.

Gee, You guys!What's with all this down-home, good-ole, yokel-talk? It's funny though, I too grew up in 'the country' and much of what is being said here almost brings tears to my eyes. We bred racehorses and cattle. Of course we had cows for milkin', chickens for eggs etc and an orchard full of goodies. We got rid of the sheep in '65 'coz - they weren't worth it and were wrecking the pasture. We 'hosted' the local airport for some years (before my time) but Dad was good mates (so was everyone) with the local air service bloke, Col Pays (who has some claim-to-fame with the Wright brother's Kittyhawk replica). Unfortunately, all the swimmin' hole playin', dirt bike ridin'. horse ridin', explorin' and fightin'(!) had to end. We got packed-up and moved to a foster home in the city when my Dad passed on.Thanks for the memories guys!Jon Point*************************([email protected])*************************