Bruce (a.k.a. brian747)

Going back to the aerodynamics, reading the preliminary comments has increasingly put me in mind of the discussion about stalling in D.P. Davies's book "Handling the big jets", which to my mind is still the best textbook on the handling qualities of jet aircraft. The author spends 19 pages of chapter five discussing the aerodynamics of stalling, with particular reference to the super-stall, and concludes the section with this strong recommendation: "If ever the day should come when you are faced with a choice of stalling, or doing something else, choose the alternative. It cannot be put to

Hi, Micke! All I did was install GSX v1.9. It had the effect of causing an error message from EZCA/EZdok at the very end of the FSX loading process, followed immediately by a CTD of FSX. <sigh> The only way of getting FSX to get as far as the selection screen is to uninstall GSX (and no, going back to the old version doesn't work either, FSX still crashes). :-( So at present I can't run them both. :-( I spent hours messing with various reinstalls, but to no effect. And since life is extremely busy for me at present, I haven't had time to dig any deeper. The next step (when I can

Marniftarr has come out of hiding, and EZCA (a.k.a. EZdok) is seemingly under development again, with the stated intention of supporting P3D and FSX-SE. The 1.18 changes are as follows: 1. Support of all versions of a simulator of FSX-Boxed, FSX-Steam Edition, Prepar3D V2.4 (V1 is not suppoted). 2. WorldCamera works in all versions. 3. The mechanism of operation of WorldCamera has changed. 4. Repositioned EZdok cameras in the simulator menu. Now there is no need to launch the configuration utility every time after installation of a new airplane. 5. The configuration utility has ch

Hi folks! And many thanks for your responses. @Joe No problem — just let me know. (And have a good trip!) @James In fact I use Acronis True Image to make an image backup of both SSDs (and other things) on a weekly basis, which is one layer of my backup strategy. But I had (wrongly, it appears) assumed that software which claims to "clone" my drive would also clone whatever else was necessary, including the drive ID information. <sigh> I had thought of Acronis (and have used it for that purpose in the past for replacing HDDs), but simple-mindedly assumed tha

You know how something seems to be a good idea at the time? This was one of those times. I am therefore posting this for the benefit of anyone who, like me, hadn't ever tried swapping an SSD boot drive before. The background: for quite a while now I have had a 240Gb Kingston SSD as my boot drive. It contains just Windoze 7 Ultimate and a subset of my FSX stuff (with the overflow linked at the O/S level to another almost full 256Gb SSD). The rest (i.e. the boring stuff that doesn't need sparkling performance) of my installation is spread over three ordinary HDDs. But I have now reached

Nice one, Brian — an interesting trip! (That's "interesting" as in the Chinese curse, of course). Still, all that anxiety might have whittled away a few Christmas calories.... Cheers, Bruce (a.k.a. the other one)

<sigh> Sorry to hear that, Micke — but hardly surprised (I never could get the hang of them. In fact I always thought a "condition lever" was something you'd find on a hairdryer, hence the "L" plate on my IR insignia). Happily, there are alternatives available. Cheers, Bruce a.k.a. brian747

Many thanks for a detailed and comprehensive review, Brian. Your very evident enthusiasm for this release means that it is now firmly on my contenders list (once I can tear myself away from Orbx Norway, that is). Orbx really are doing some seriously good stuff, these days.... Cheers, Bruce a.k.a. brian747

A great start to the challenge, guys — well done! (Although whatever possessed you to try it in those teeny little aircraft I can't imagine — it looks extremely unsafe to me. But presumably those funny things going round and round at the front help you to keep your cool?) Ah well, each to their own, and it's great to see the baton on its way. Many thanks for the write-up, Joe, and also for the cast list and pictures. I didn't realise that Andrew was actually a nom de plume for Gregg "three-Gs" Wallace, though. I look forward to meeting up with Kieran in Riga — althoug

All the very best to you, too, Geoff and, er, namesake! Sorry to have been a stranger, but RW issues have supervened bigtime in recent months. But at least I can now vly with one screen, and hopefully will get back to my full complement eventually. Cheers, Bruce a.k.a. wossname.

I bought Norway as soon as it appeared, since I love vlying to or from that country (based on real world experiences in helicopters, one long Norway winter) and I had previously been using the freeware Airports of Norway stuff with mixed success. The Orbx version, however, is extremely good, and also works well with add-on airports from other sources. Sadly, I haven't had the opportunity to go vlying there very much over the Christmas (and post-Christmas) period, but here are a few shots of a landing at Stavanger (an add-on airport, not Orbx's version). Note the suddenly-descending mist wh

@Dolf Cheers for that! :-) @Brett <grin> Absolutely, Brett! Apparently, it's also far from uncommon to receive a last-minute instruction to execute a side-step manoeuvre to 13R! <gulp> Just when you thought it was as complicated as it could get.... X-) The lead-in lights help a little, of course, but just the same.... The guys flying that one seriously earn their corn — especially in poor weather! Cheers, B.

Many thanks, guys! :-) @Geoff See the review linked from here: http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/14759-aerowinx-precision-simulator-x/?hl=psx [Later edit: ah, I see you have already seen the linking thread - so perhaps you missed the review itself?] ;-) Cheers, B.

Although I seldom vly in the USA, just for fun I decided to give the Parkway Visual ("Canarsie") approach into New York rwy 13L a try. As you probably know, its distinguishing feature is a last-minute right turn onto the runway in a way reminiscent of the old IGS approach at Kai Tak (although instead of a checkerboard there's a racetrack), however it doesn't have quite the same Hong Kong "over the washing lines" feel. Just the same, it definitely helps if you study the approach plate and know the local landmarks that you will be referencing on the way in. 8-) The object of the exercise w

Many thanks, guys — I'm happy you enjoyed it. Just to pick up on Brett's point (Hi, Brett! ): > " I am in awe of what this guy has accomplished...." I'll drink to that! Having worked in the software industry since the days of punched cards and paper tape, I am very aware of the fact that doubling the size of the team does *not* get the software written in half the time — in fact it might even slow things down.... (And no, nine women can't produce a baby in one month, either). But nonetheless, the fact that Hardy Heinlin took a mere (!) six years of continuous work to write such a huge

That's most kind, and very much appreciated — thank you, gentlemen! As you may know, I have had to withdraw from active zimming owing to my father's long-term illness and incapacity — but I do still lurk here occasionally, enjoy the customary good-humoured banter, and for a while feel part of the scene again.... My warmest and most sincere best wishes to everyone, and especially those whose active participation makes Mutley's Hangar the fabulous place that it is! (You know, and we know, who you are!) Cheers, Bruce (a.k.a., er, the other one)

Hi Kevin! I sincerely feel for you, especially having seen so many of my friends going through the same syndrome over the years AFAIK the best advice is to walk away for a little, small the coffee / taste the wine or whatever, and spend a little time with the family. GMAX isn't FSX, and most people find that they have to resort to asking the community for help in lots of situations. This is normal. So relax and take a bit of time out. Then wait and see whether the itch returns, and if it does is it for FSX or for your GMAX project? Or if it doesn't return at all, then (in this context) t

Hi Joe! > "...far more comprehensive..." But but but.... That's my idea of brief! (Sorry). To be fair, though, there is an awful lot to say about PSX. > "...the mutts nuts..." Absolutely! > "For any prospective airline pilot this is a must to gain familiarity with real world commercial piloting." Indeed: the level of detail of the simulation is unbelievable, so copies seem to be flying off the shelves. And if we think it's expensive here in the UK, we might spare a thought for the guys in Brazil. When UPS/FedEx deliver they are unexpectedly findi

OK, here's a very brief introduction to Precision Simulator Ten (PSX), based on the ten days I've spent with it so far. To someone coming exclusively from an FSX perspective, PSX could seem rather strange. It is aimed, after all, at airlines and professional flight training organisations, so the huge detail involved is beyond anything that any home flight simmer has seen (unless they've been in a professional full-motion simulator). This is for hard core procedural simmers only; the jump-in-and-go boys are not catered for at all (no disrespect if that's your thing but trust me, you wouldn'

Hi Steve, and welcome! Just to underline John's wise words (above) here's another opinion..... Whilst it seems sensible to put your fsx on the velociraptor, since you "plan on having a lot of payware ad ons" then you need to be aware that there is a possibility that you could overflow 500 Gb in due time — especially if you go for photorealistic scenery. I have Windows and fsx on a 250Gb SSD, so I certainly have to store all my scenery, mesh, Orbx etc, on another disk (which also happens to be an SSD, drive S:, but the same principle applies). I move them by cutting and pasting

Brilliant shots, James — and the livery rocks! Cheers, Bruce (a.k.a. brian747)

A great review of a really interesting and innovative product - many thanks, Joe! Having lost my simming room owing to my father's illness, I'm now wondering whether this (in its Thrustmaster Warthog incarnation, in my case ) might offer the possibility of a quicker sim setup and breakdown, whilst my kit is dispersed elsewhere. Hmm...... Cheers and thanks, Brian

Many thanks, Joe: I'd missed that one! Cheers, Bruce a.k.a. brian747

Hi Brett! That's big of you — but no problem at all, my friend: after all, "no one said this stuff was going to be easy". (And with fsx, they were dead right!). I honestly don't think PMDG were having a go at other developers (they've never done that, and always warned others not to do so on their forums), just robustly defending their stated (and restated on many many occasions when repeatedly asked about weather radar) position: they genuinely don't think that the way in which weather radar has been done so far gives an accurate simulation of what you'd see IRL — whereas knowin

Many thanks, James — I love it! (And it's beginning to look as though I may need it). Do you also do one with hellfire missiles? And getting back to the weather radar news: apparently it's now confirmed that it *will* work with ASN running on a networked PC. See http://forum.avsim.net/topic/438569-pmdg-weather-radar-with-networked-asn/ Cheers, B.