ClearedtoLand

But the Express is always crusading for a fairer Britain ... even though I doubt anyone there knows what most of those words mean if you look at what they root for. It does make me laugh though that a couple of years ago following the economic crash of 2007, politicians and journalists came bottom and second from the bottom respectively in a poll of who people trust to tell the truth. And yet, look at where we are today based entirely on what politicians and journalists said. To paraphrase Lisa Simpson, just three more months! Just three more months.

But then who will UK Prime Ministers take their instructions from?

I’m not even trying to use the 747 any more, I hope someone at Microsoft gets indigestion.

Sold, let me call up my bank.

And Kyle as the flight attendant?

I’ll accept your no apology since you guys have to suffer the same fate when you want to come and visit the rest of us. We’ll call it evens ... like the scoreline between the Wallabies and the Springboks last weekend. Ok, so back to what a BBJ can do in the world of flight simming. First, I am convinced that the flight I referenced in my first post was from Diego Garcia to Accra, but I am not so sure of the duration of the flight now. This morning when I read your reply, I wasn’t quite sure whether it was from Diego Garcia to Accra, or to Abidjan Ivory Coast, so I loaded up Diego Garcia to Abidjan. Here are the details. FJDG to DIAP distance: 4632NM Actual distance Flown: 4651NM Route: Direct Flight Time: 11 hours 13 Minutes TOW: 59.3 Tons ZFW: 38.4 Tons (Load Level 4.4%) Fuel Load: 20.891 Tons (100%) Reserves: 2 Tons FMC Predicted Reserves at Take Off: 1.3 Tons FOB at DIAP after engine shutdown: 1.88 Tons Fuel Used: 19.11 Tons Cost Index: 0 Initial Cruise Altitude: 39 000FT Step Climb to 41 000FT after 4 hours FMC Predicted Reserves after Step Climb: 1.7 Tons FOB at TOD: 2.3 Tons So, in conclusion, the PMDG 737 700 can do 11 hour flights, but the margin of error is so tiny that it shouldn’t. And I am not even sure that if I repeat that flight ten times, that it would make it ten times. Something quite interesting about the flight was the speed near TOD, the plane was cruising at Mach 0.68 with a 16 knot tail wind. I have never seen the plane crawling along at that speed before. I am sure that just about everything about that flight violates every last aviation regulation, but we’ll call it an experimental flight and the four passengers weren’t high ranking Nigerian armed forces personnel but lowly paid aircraft engineers who were “encouraged” to “volunteer” for the flight. Still, all good fun.

I'm not sure, it was a long time ago, but it may have been Diego Garcia to Accra Ghana. I will try to recreate the flight tonight to see whether it was that one and then make a note of passengers, cargo, fuel, distance, CI, cruise altitude, and what all of that results in. And speaking as someone who has done Qantas 63 and 64 between FAOR and YSSY, spending 14 hours in economy class is not a lot more fun in a jet much bigger than the 737. I think Australia owes the world collectively an apology, have a spectacular country but hide it away in some near inaccessible corner of the world ... that's cruel!

The longest flight I ever did with a PMDG 737-700 was over 11 hours. Of course, it was done with pilots, 4 passengers and a couple of suitcases. If you find a suitable livery for a BBJ that you like, just load it very light and you will be able to make those transatlantic flights with fuel to spare.

I prefer the one where word not allowed makes known his Unzufriedenheit over season 4 of Battlestar Galactica.

That is such a beautiful sight, more so because that will be my flight on the 3rd of January next year. For one reason or another, I really do love the BA colours.

No, try it in Paris

I'm guessing that's a no for my suggestions then. Oh, well, if you don't ask you don't get.

As I am about to embark on a not so much planned for extended break from simming, I'll cast my vote for something that should be gracing the heavens by the time I get back into the hobby, NCC1701E. That or a Death Star, I'm not picky.

It appears as if you can see straight through that section of the panel with the glass from the terminal building behind it showing through. I suggest you repeat the shot against different backgrounds to see if that spot matches the background outside of the plane in every shot that you take. Do the same for the FO's side. That will give you something to compare it to.

Or is this really one of those instances where one should think of Occam's razor and not be amazed at how deeply quantum physics is simulated?

It's Umberto's 50th birthday, not the birthday of the company.

Not sure whether this is a case of mastery of suspense or suspended animation ... if it's the former, then, damn, move over Hitchcock.

As has been stated by others, Active Sky simulates the wake turbulence from AI aircraft ahead of you and it's no gentle breeze either. I had a 737 brought down when an A380 passed over and in front of me on descent into VABB. So I suggest the first thing to do is to disable the wake turbulence function in AS and to see if the problem persists. If not, then you want to dial that wake turbulence setting down.

Well, this seems to be a good arrangement ... cough cough commission cough.

I often look at your screenshots, your scenery is awesome, to say the least. And, yes, it's just igneous rock, but it's also a mystery, and that appeals to my sense of adventure. I have a thing for rocks

Thank you for your kind words. As I do a lot of flying around Africa, I'm thinking I might as well post some of my flights from time to time to promote this wonderful but underrepresented part of the world. I have never seen the Eye in person, unfortunately it is not the easiest place to get to in the world, the UK government even advises against all but essential travel to Mauritania, which is a real pity, it is a magnificent feature. And then the adventure of one way of getting there, a camel tour through the Sahara, camping under unobstructed stars at night next to a crackling fire before resuming at first light. Have you been to the Eye?

From time to time, someone shares some of their screenshots of flights to and around Africa, and more often than not, the lack of variety for African airports comes up. Like most of those who comment on the paucity of African airports, I feel a similar hope that someone will add to the list of African airports. Thankfully, there are a few very nice freeware airfields available for GA around Southern Africa, Vilankulo and Inhambane in Mozambique being two of my favourites, and what better aircraft to enjoy life under African skies than the Cessna 182 from A2A. So, here then, is a selection from a recent flight I did around South Africa and Mozambique, hopefully this will encourage you to consider booking that safari you've thought about, or just load up your sim and take a trip to the beautiful continent that is Africa that way. Leaving Johannesburg behind for Inhambane, it's a long flight, so I suggest you bring some snacks ... droewors is highly recommended, and maybe a peppermint crisp if, like me, you have a sweet tooth. Passing over the Witbank Nature reserve, with the Olifantsrivier (Elephant's river) in the background. Good thing this plane has an autopilot, it takes less time to fly from Johanneburg to Nairobi with Kenya Airways than doing this flight. Still, you can't beat that African sunset. A little over four hours later, and we're down at Inhambane. First order of business, a trip to the men's room, Crème Soda may be the greenest refreshment one can get in a can, but it makes its presence felt over 4 hours. Having paid the landing fees, a trip to the nearby lodge for a braai and a couple of cold ones.

Yeah, thing about that crash is that it happened in low visibility at Inhambane in Mozambique ... I didn't file a divert airfield either . Well, that along with several other violations of the rules on that particular day. Though, if the FAA never finds out about this, it would probably not be a bad thing for me. I appreciate the offer to repaint my wreck, hopefully the modeller doesn't take this kind of abuse of his creation personally, I love my little Cessna, though it may not be obvious from that picture.

Ah, thanks guys, I appreciate the reassurance. I guess if the flying doesn't work out, I am in a good position to open a sushi restaurant

Thanks Steve, really appreciate it. I left you a message in the forum explaining my situation . And while I'm here, thanks for all the awesome contributions you have made to help the rest of us look good in the skies, Lufthansa 507 just wouldn't be the same without your work.