Where do you fly in your pit ?

[Michael Carter]

I've been wanting to fly a flight or two out of NZ.

[JBaymore]

I fly a lot in Japan. As a professional potter, I have spent a bunch of time there and speak a little Japanese. The islands are rather picturesque and there is some good scenery available, particularly when you add some of the Japanese airports payware, FSGenesis mesh, FScene Asia textures, and so on. I often fly routes around areas that I know well.

In the USA... I tend to fly out of / into payware airports that support the Aerosoft AES services. Lot of FlyTampa stuff among others. Once you have that AES installed and working right, all else seems a bit lame.

KBOS (Logan in Boston) is sort of my "home base" (Grimshaw freeware that uses AES too). While I live in NH, I live literally in the approach pattern from the west. As the crow flies, I am about 40 miles from "Beantown". So I do a lot of short hops from there like to Lagaurdia and JFK and Newark and Toronto and so on.

I fly online a bit... either on the MyCockpits server or the Simviation server. Haven't ventured onto VATSIM although I am a member....... for two reasons: 1. Setting up the software for simpit use is a tad complex and 2. The level of realism also implies a level of planning time commitment that is often difficult to find.

best,

.................john

[magicaldr]

Well as a GA sim pilot more than heavy metal my flying is more limited range wise. I also have photo scenery of south UK, so most of my flying is near home as I can find my way around VFR near London, or off down to the Isle of Wight.

I have flown a few times out of US cities, and also popped from Ireland to the UK once as well as over the channel. However I should spend more time finding airports around the world to try out, especially if there is nice scenery around

I am another Vatsim avoider, I dont have a mike at the moment, but I will have to do something about that one day.

[sas550]

1. Setting up the software for simpit use is a tad complex

Well if You're talking about FsInn I can understand but sb3 is a real quicker. First, install sb3 on the Fs computer. Second, install it on a laptop or whatever that has an ethernet and a soundcard together with WideFs and that's it actually. Now You only need to insert your Vatsim id and password and assign a ptt button in Fsuipc.

[David Rogers]

If you want to fly down under for a change there is superb freeware scenery for Australia and New Zealand (and others I'm sure) that makes it a great experience:

http://www.vistaoz.org/

Heh heh .... I've had VOZ from version 1.0 Nic ...... as you say it is stunning but what bugged me was that you could only 'voz' one area of Australia at a time... but I think they have corrected this in the very latest version ?

In my defence, the only real reason I've never flown on-line in Oz or NZ is the time difference..... you got to remember that my 7pm is about 9am down under - not many controllers on-line!

[David Rogers]

Well if You're talking about FsInn I can understand but sb3 is a real quicker. First, install sb3 on the Fs computer. Second, install it on a laptop or whatever that has an ethernet and a soundcard together with WideFs and that's it actually. Now You only need to insert your Vatsim id and password and assign a ptt button in Fsuipc.

Agree - I also found IVAO a bit painful in a network 'pit, but VATSIM was very easy. As Anders said, install the FS PC, install on a non-FS PC, and essentially you're off... Even I managed it.

Only other factors:-

- Make sure FSUIPC and WideFS are installed properly.
- When you install squawkbox make sure the right box is ticked, as to whether you're installing on FS PC or not.
- The Squawkbox transponder bitmap can 'clash' with some Nvidia cards, (and stop AA working).

[JBaymore]

Well if You're talking about FsInn I can understand but sb3 is a real quicker. First, install sb3 on the Fs computer. Second, install it on a laptop or whatever that has an ethernet and a soundcard together with WideFs and that's it actually. Now You only need to insert your Vatsim id and password and assign a ptt button in Fsuipc.

Therein kinda' lies the problems in the simpit. Loading down the main FS PC with more processing stealing framerates is not something I really want to do, I don't have the PLACE to put the extra laptop IN the pit for display, and that means a separate configuration for VATSIM use versus any other use with the PTT mapped to the yoke for one function on VATSIM and then to a different use for other work (I fly online using Teamspeak on other servers).

All in all... just more complexity.

best,

..................john