Aviation Post

[magoo6541]

Without making this a super long post, I've dabbled in Aviation for most of my life and given it up once or twice.  A little over a year ago I quit a secure, well paying carrier to chase this crazy dream that has always been in my head.  I became a CFI and started building hours and have been fortunate to contract on a King Air C90A among other aircraft.  January 1st I'm moving to a new city with my girlfriend and January 2nd I'll get on a plane to start ground school for the PC-12NG for a 91k/135 company.

The only aviation picture in photo bucket right now is of a 172 I was ferrying at 2AM with the AI and HI covered up with a piece of scrap paper...  Not a good picture at all but it's a good war story I guess.

[Warren]

Years ago I was friends with an English couple who operated an avionics business out of Archerfield airport here in Brisbane. They have both sadly passed on now but I remember  Rod once telling me how when he was younger he was doing hops from field to field in England to get his hours up and at one airfield he was admiring a beautiful old vintage plane and the owner came over. He asked him to sign his log book and after he left he realized that he had been talking to Douglas Bader and it was he who signed his log book.

[jwr0201]

On November 29, 2016 at 10:59 PM, Joshtupps said:

@DWC I know exactly what you mean.  My old man started flying helicopters when he was 20 offshore on the rigs in the North Sea.  He was lucky enough to find himself flying the brother of one of the mot iconic helicopters ever built, the Huey.  He flew the twin engine, stretched version, the 212 but what a machine that thing is.  I will never forget the sound of the twin rotor "thwacking" through the air when I used to go and watch him come back from the rigs as a kid.  Despite now flying a much larger machine than my dad ever has, he still reminds me that I can't honestly say I've flown a real machine until I've flown a helicopter....so that's next on my list.  Anyone that is interested in the history of flying the Huey, the book "Chickenhawk" is an incredible read, it chronicles the life of a Huey pilot in Vietnam.....very eye opening.

It's still the best looking helicopter in my opinion!

 

@jwr0201 I also have a soft spot for gliding.  I was lucky enough to be offered a gliding scholarship with the Air Force cadets, and eventually soloed on my 16th birthday!  I was invited back after that to become a staff cadet and junior instructor, and that's how I spent my weekends for the next 3 years!  We flew a Grob G103a Twin II (that the military dubbed the Viking T1) off a winch launch out of RAF Kenley in the South East UK.  It was an airfield from which Douglas Bader spent many years flying before his terrible accident in the slow roll at Woodley.

Here's a snap of one of my early trips, taken by my old man!

 

Tupps.

In Europe and most other soaring areas, winch tows are quite common, but here in the US, there is not much interest. Unfortunate, as the cost of an aerotow is significantly more expensive.  We have two G-103's at our club in ZPH.  Very good sailplanes, but handle like buffalos!  Also did a lot of training for the CAP and had one student go to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and become an instructor like yourself.  Glider experience is useful - Capt. Sully was a glider pilot.  

[Coolio]

On 12/11/2016 at 3:23 PM, magoo6541 said:

Without making this a super long post, I've dabbled in Aviation for most of my life and given it up once or twice.  A little over a year ago I quit a secure, well paying carrier to chase this crazy dream that has always been in my head.  I became a CFI and started building hours and have been fortunate to contract on a King Air C90A among other aircraft.  January 1st I'm moving to a new city with my girlfriend and January 2nd I'll get on a plane to start ground school for the PC-12NG for a 91k/135 company.

The only aviation picture in photo bucket right now is of a 172 I was ferrying at 2AM with the AI and HI covered up with a piece of scrap paper...  Not a good picture at all but it's a good war story I guess.

Massive props to you mate for following your dream!

[Coolio]

On 12/11/2016 at 7:50 PM, Warren said:

Years ago I was friends with an English couple who operated an avionics business out of Archerfield airport here in Brisbane. They have both sadly passed on now but I remember  Rod once telling me how when he was younger he was doing hops from field to field in England to get his hours up and at one airfield he was admiring a beautiful old vintage plane and the owner came over. He asked him to sign his log book and after he left he realized that he had been talking to Douglas Bader and it was he who signed his log book.

That's an awesome story Waz!

[Coolio]

On 12/11/2016 at 1:38 PM, Duxnutz said:

Thanks! I'm beginning to feel old...  

I do miss auto throttles these days! Ever had a burn of the 737? 

We're overdue for a catchup mate. 

Auto throttles! lol, you'll have to come for a fly in my Jabiru 230 (our syndicate is getting a new one delivered early March)  and get back to basics. 

I've flown the 73 sim a couple of times now and found it tougher to land the 777. Does that sound right? 

Next time you're in BNE for a sim lets hook up. 

Here's some more beautiful South East Queensland scenery from low level in the bug smasher! All taken in winter if I recall correctly.

 

[Warren]

Ah the Tangalooma  wrecks, I did my first night dive around those in the 70's. I once saw a picture of the wrecks on the internet and they were claiming that they were in the Bermuda triangle. A lot of BS on the net.

[Coolio]

6 minutes ago, Warren said:

Ah the Tangalooma  wrecks, I did my first night dive around those in the 70's. I once saw a picture of the wrecks on the internet and they were claiming that they were in the Bermuda triangle. A lot of BS on the net.

You're not wrong. That little area btw the wrecks and the beach will be chokka block with outboards and ski boats today and tomorrow I reckon Waz. I've only been there once in a boat, on a nice Sunday, and you could hardly move. I think a weekday trip would have been much quieter! 

I once rang up about using the little grass strip just off the beach to the North of the wrecks, but they wouldn't let me land there unless I was staying overnight at the resort. Someone put a light a/c into the trees at the end of the strip a few years back so it's off limits to most now. it's a 10-15 minute hop over from Caboolture, 50m walk to the beach, swim and lie on the beach, then back to Caboolture. Would make a for a nice morning jaunt.

[chris12381]

After landing and waiting for the turbocharger to cool down.  Decided I'd finish my cigar.  Happy 2017 everyone  

[Duxnutz]

36 minutes ago, chris12381 said:

After landing and waiting for the turbocharger to cool down.  Decided I'd finish my cigar.  Happy 2017 everyone  

Wow. Impressive avionics mod! 

[MIKA27]

Above All Obstacles: The Secret 737 Simulator Stowed In A Brisbane Backyard

 

Orville, the youngest of the Wright brothers, once joked that an "airplane stays up because it doesn't have the time to fall". The same could be said of Ash. A former commercial pilot, he has spent over five years and more than $200,000 painstakingly crafting a realistic 737-800 simulator from real-life parts. Yet it wasn't until being diagnosed with a rare and potentially terminal immune disorder that his project really came together. Thousands of hours of problem-solving on his feet has not only helped his health, but also kept him too busy to fall from the sky.

I won't dwell on Ash's health; it doesn't define him. But it was the catalyst for him to fully revisit his passion for flying and realise a home-built 737 simulator. "One time I missed dinner because I had wind shear three times coming into Canberra and had to head back to Sydney." Ever the pilot, he refused to simply switch off. It's the serious mentality he was instilled with. Things have to be done right.

"My partner knows when I'm landing because the bass (digitised from a real aircraft) out of my Logitech surround speakers makes the house windows wobble. She very kindly puts the kettle on." Ash says "it's a bit too nerdy" to play pilot and stewardess (hey, I had to ask!), but they're "thinking of linking the intercom to get inflight cups of tea".

Ash has an effortless intelligence that makes listening a learning experience. He custom-built a 54sqm garden shed, insulated it with heat shielding and decked out the insides like a NASA lab.

Three BenQ MP-730 projectors throw a rendered 180-degree universe into the windows of a 3m long steel cockpit shell. Six networked Windows XP Pro PCs control genuine Boeing parts sourced from the aftermarket around the world: control yokes, warning systems, microphone, buttons, switches, cabin lighting, cockpit seats, stick shakers and more.

"Once people sit inside and feel the cold hard steel, they get it. It's a real aeroplane," he enthuses. "People really get sucked into how immersive it is. I've had death grips and very intelligent people come in and feel like they were falling. They couldn't believe it wasn't moving. Once you close the door, all you can do is look forward and feel the rumbling. The next step would be hydraulics."

Surprisingly, at least to me, the visual environment is served up by FSX — Microsoft's aging Flight Simulator X from 2006 — not MS Flight, the stunning X-Plane 10 or even the Digital Combat Simulator series. "The great thing about FSX is the fantastic graphic packs, including stunning scenery meshes from an Australian company (Orbx FTX)," Ash explains. "You can also get real-time, real-world weather effects, flight schedules and air traffic data."

"I've done The Damn Busters' low flights to bomb the Germans and tried the odd F-18. The great thing about FSX is that so many people have created fantastic things: Springfield from The Simpsons, even an add-on that lets you head into space.

"I'm sure they've probably got an X-Wing run on the Death Star somewhere. Those guys have done some crazy things."

Ash's favourite environments are his photo-realistic recreations of Brisbane airport ("down to the proper palm tree in the terminal") and Queenstown airport in New Zealand. "I've landed real planes there and I can't believe how accurate it is."

Humble Beginnings

Ash was initially inspired by a couple of guys in the United States who cut the front end off a plane. Matthew Sheil's incredible 747 simulator down in Melbourne was also a big influence. He started off with cardboard and switches, but his rig was still looking pretty ordinary. A friend in electronic engineering also helped construct a little logic board to flash lights in a not-so-realistic sequence.

Ash soon discovered Flight Deck Solutions, a Canadian one-stop shop for most of the components one could need. He started chipping away, and bit by bit he sourced, bargained for and traded real 737-800 cockpit paraphernalia around the world — The Pilot's Historical Society in the US, avionics from China and Japan, and countless salvaged parts from Mexico, Italy, Belgium, Germany and the UK.

Ash is currently integrating the real aviation parts with software controls using a clever relay card that will drive immersive elements such as window wipers and sirens.

"Without the help of FDS and Nat Crea (another Melbourne aviation enthusiast and consultant for FDS), it would have all been that much harder," Ash says. "Nat's brilliant at aircraft visuals and all things simulating. He has so much knowledge and is always happy to share that with you."

Everyone is so giving with their know-how. The hardest part is finding out how it all fits together — and then getting the computer system to play nice without crashing every five minutes.

It's that problem-solving that has Ash hooked. "Switch something on one day, no problems. Then spend the next four weeks wondering why it's not working... but also learning how to be more efficient. That and hours of refurbishing and waiting for bits. Lots of waiting.

"It's amazing how much you can get done when you might not be here tomorrow. I was originally playing it week by week, but now my doctors are thinking more long term."

"I have a couple of mates who love taking photos and getting involved. They come over to help and hang out. Last weekend we installed some analogue instruments. I love weather effects — hail, fog, snow. I usually have things up on pretty dire settings — so I can do instrument approaches and certainly get a sweat on."

"However," urges Ash, "a crash is never acceptable."

 

[Joshtupps]

Had the privilege of flying my better half over to SFO this week, hit a new groundspeed record of 706kts across the Pacific!  I got papped from the door as she left the aircraft for the seemingly never-ending line at immigration.

Every time I go to work I can't believe I am lucky enough to be doing what I love.  

 

 

 

Blue Skies and great cigars Ladies and Gents.

 

Tupps.

[Corylax18]

I completed my first training flight yesterday! It was a bumpy (typical for Colorado) but Beautiful day for flying. 

I've always been an "AvGeek" and I am finally in the position to be serious about acquiring my Private Pilots license. I built a decent little simulator about 5 months ago and have been putting serious time in(130 hrs in a C172 and about 40 in turbo props to 747s), doing all I can to get as close to that 40 hour FAA minimum as possible. I am currently (in the sim) practicing my cross country navigation skills with a tour around Cuba. I was amazed how smooth my transition into a real cockpit was and I am HOOKED. I have my Class 1 medical scheduled for the day I return from Cuba. If everything comes back good there, I will hit the air running! With work/family obligations, the financial outlay and Colorado's rapidly changing weather I am planning 8-12 months for completion. Any tips to a newbie from you old (experienced) guys would be greatly appreciated!

I followed the flight up with a Beautiful Monte Dantes. I did't ask but I don't think the flight school is OK with me smoking in their planes. 

 

[chris12381]

2 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

I completed my first training flight yesterday! It was a bumpy (typical for Colorado) but Beautiful day for flying. 

 

Congrats!  By the sound of it, you're well hooked.  Quick tip:  I learned to fly in Rhode Island.  Weather in the summer was pop up thunderstorms and winter was low ceilings with freezing rain and snow.  In other words, weather was a constant factor in my flight training.  And while it certainly delayed my training, it immensely improved my decision making and personal minimums as a pilot.  I would also say that because of the issue of weather delaying your training, you should endeavor to fly as much as you can, whenever you can. 

I was also a sim pilot and found it helpful to practice maneuvers.  Even though I now own an aircraft, I still am a sim pilot and use it for all sorts of real-world aviation applications in my current profession in airport management.  I'm currently flying Prepar3D using an HTC Vive VR headset and let me just say that the level of realism has gotten to a point where you can easily lose yourself in the cockpit during a flight...and possibly get motion sickness if you aren't careful or used to it.

Quick question:  Why a 1st Class Medical?  3rd Class is sufficient for Private Pilot.

Keep us posted on your training!  With pics and videos. 

And just to keep you interested in cool things you can do when you get your license, here's a video of me flying to Santa Barbara with my Australian Shepherd, "Havana".  

Chris

 

[Dynamo320]

Wow, what a cool thread to stumble upon. I make my living as an Airbus A320 captain.  Flying is the only “real” job I’ve ever had. I started down this Habanos road after flying in and out of Havana over the last year or so and cluelessly buying some sticks in the terminal between flights. Learned a lot since then, mostly from this awesome community. 

[Corylax18]

6 hours ago, chris12381 said:

I was also a sim pilot and found it helpful to practice maneuvers.  Even though I now own an aircraft, I still am a sim pilot and use it for all sorts of real-world aviation applications in my current profession in airport management.  I'm currently flying Prepar3D using an HTC Vive VR headset and let me just say that the level of realism has gotten to a point where you can easily lose yourself in the cockpit during a flight...and possibly get motion sickness if you aren't careful or used to it.

Quick question:  Why a 1st Class Medical?  3rd Class is sufficient for Private Pilot.

Keep us posted on your training!  With pics and videos. 

 

 

I will certainly keep everybody updated. I have a single GoPro now and I am shopping for one of the Hero 6's now. Having some 4K footage to document the process will be awesome. I am running X Plane 11 displayed on a 39" Curved Ultrawide monitor. It will get the stomach bubbling if I turn the weather up enough. I'm going for the First class, just in case. I don't have any plans to go past the Private Pilot, with maybe a multi engine, but you never know what corporate pilot salaries are going to look like in 5 years. I just want to make sure I know now if there will be anything preventing me from moving forward down the road. 

 

[Duxnutz]

On 31/03/2017 at 9:43 AM, Joshtupps said:

Had the privilege of flying my better half over to SFO this week, hit a new groundspeed record of 706kts across the Pacific!  I got papped from the door as she left the aircraft for the seemingly never-ending line at immigration.

Every time I go to work I can't believe I am lucky enough to be doing what I love.  

 

 

 

Blue Skies and great cigars Ladies and Gents.

 

Tupps.

Ahhh the tripler. Spent many an hr sitting in that thing, occasionally getting to touch stuff! Ex-S/O alumni. 

[HarveyBoulevard]

The wife's flight lesson today.  I went up yesterday. 

 

[RyviaUSA]

Hi all! Newbie to these forums. 

Been a private pilot since 2002. Fly a Cessna Skylane.