FrankPilot

In May 2019, a DHC-2 (Beaver) & a DHC-3 (Otter) collided mid-air while conducting sightseeing flights in the Alaskan Misty Fjords wilderness area, resulting in several deaths & serious injuries. Come see how it happened & what may have caused it. Will we ever learn to avoid such unnecessary tragedies? https://youtu.be/LAJkVVH6mXI?si=jh2qKUBd3JUW8AQb

Come see how American pilot Nathan Gordon earned his Medal of Honour, & each of his 8 crew the Silver Star, in WW2 New Guinea, (Kavieng Harbour) by landing his Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina amphibious aircraft 4 times in a row, under fire, & in rough seas, to save 15 downed airmen. The story is partly told in his own words, in quotes, from a 2003 interview. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/7EmBQq41_tk?si=yHvBPQy1LhBLaoyG

In 2015 famous actor & aviation enthusiast, Harrison Ford, crash landed on a golf course after suffering an engine failure in his 1942 PT-22 Recruit, the military version of the Ryan ST-3KR. Come see how & why it happened. Also watch some RL footage of Ford & others flying over the Rockies. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/m6M5yMCWrbw?si=sGBVIiDLaTIKME08

Come visit the top 12 Aussie Island airstrips. Even more airstrips at the end for those who love island flying. Enjoy flying in an Aussie Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) Winjeel. Cheers. https://youtu.be/EbwExfeX4MY?si=3QBxB39-yeJvU9M1

How can a Cessna 210 that crashed in New South Wales, Australia, in 1983, supposedly killing all 5 on board, be still not found after all this time despite a major initial search & smaller on-going searches every year - in Australia of all places! It's the only crashed aircraft ever in Australia to not be found. Come see the story. Hope you find it interesting. Cheers. Note: hours shown for the radio comms transcript in the video should commence with 19 not 09. https://youtu.be/K7erTOmzitY?si=a4GGc0FVDvCeVT-G

During WW2, a captured RAF crew overpowered an Italian seaplane crew & returned in the captured seaplane to their base in Malta. This was probably the world's 1st proven & documented air hijacking. Come see how it happened. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/LZQCB_o9QNw?si=dqo9AitX1nlwyMND

Aviator Canadian Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray (1917-45) was awarded the last Victoria Cross (VC) of WW2 and is the last aviator to date to receive a VC. Come see the many locations he trained at and fought at, and the varied aircraft he flew. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/dIJfPUB11Lc?si=yc2Lr202u9bcMSPH

The world's first becoming airborne in a heavier-than-air powered aircraft was not the Wright Brothers in December 1903 but probably New Zealander Richard Pearse some 8 or 9 months earlier. With further development the Wrights did then go to sustained, fully controlled flight in 1904/5. Come see how Pearse did it. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/u-ZZlQc18QU?si=hItAeVeQ6CCm6vzC

Over 10,000 P-38 Lightning aircraft were built at the Lockheed factory in California, USA, during WW2. At the time it was the fastest & longest range aircraft, as well as other firsts. It was the only American fighter to be produced during the full period from Pearl Harbour to Victory Over Japan Day. Come learn about its development & combat highlights, & enjoy some real-life footage at the end. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/hdJ1KNOMCtI?si=iIy0xPNqiCYa7O5A

MSFS Local Legend No. 11, the famous Aero 145 made in former Czechoslovakia, has an interesting Australian connection, hence this video in which we follow the life of Aero 145 VH-DUH in particular. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/R8BeQlTntHE?si=1Q1t4VZXJ1motVGG

OMG, hope you weren’t hurt too bad or at all! Cheers.

In 1977 a Piper Aztec crashed in low cloud in a blind valley in Papua New Guinea killing all 4 on board. This video, replicating the flight, is based on the aircraft accident investigation report in Australian Safety Digest No. 100, 1977. Hope you find this interesting & educational. Cheers. https://youtu.be/HC2nbrMBnfk?si=PrMxjMtpHDYsBOGt

Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944) was a very famous French aviator & writer, best known for "The Little Prince", an aviation fable aimed at adults & children. In Dec 1935 he crashed in the Sahara desert & was saved from death by Bedouin tribesmen. We'll replicate his flight in MSFS using words from his book "Wind, Sand & Stars" & we'll break-up the video with pictures illustrating other key aspects & aircraft in his career. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. https://youtu.be/sLjzlU6YmEk?si=a_ooLuHknkxnjj7g

Qantas is known as the oldest airline in the English-speaking world - only Dutch KLM is older. But few know of its heroic actions during WW2 where it operated as a sort-of unarmed RAAF unit in disguise, & of the actions of its co-founder, Hudson Fysh, to help it survive the war. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.