Project Opensky’s E4B 747-200

Well, it seems that Project Opensky is constantly pulling surprises out of their virtual sleeves.  Today, POSKY released their version of the Boeing E4B, an advanced airborne command post.  The E4B’s purpose is to keep the United States functional by placing command in the air should something happen to ground based command units.  These play such an important role that they are capable of resisting an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and have special windows and insulation to help prevent radiation from leaking into the cabin. You get the picture…  worst case scenario.  Yes, these were developed during the 1970′s when the threat of nuclear war was very really.

Boeing E4B at Everett

Like most POSKY models, the E4B should work in both FS2004 and FSX, but was designed for fs2004 only.  FSX testing is pending.

Update Dec 1, 2012 – Sadly, the model is no longer available for download.  It is not listed on the POSKY Archive site and I can’t find it hosted anywhere else.

update 28jul09 – added screenshot.

Avsim File Library Back Online

Following the devastating hack of Avsim last May, their file lbrary under went extensive file checks and  restoration.  This weekend the library is back!  Woohoo!  Flight simulator life can begin getting back to normal.

Thank you to all of those who spent their time restoring the library.

Check it out at Avsim.

Which Aircraft Do You Fly Most Poll Results

The results are in for my recent poll asking which type of aircraft do you fly most in flight simulator?  Thank you to everyone who voted!

The top selection was commerical airliners, followed by a tie between military and general aviation for second.  Last was “other”.  I was surprised to see no votes for helicopters, vintage or cargo types.

This data is great to see and I will have another poll for everyone soon to help drill down into the commercial airliner, general aviation, and military segments.

Cheers!

Flight Simulator Moments

Have you ever been flying in a flight simulator and had a moment where the imagery just takes your breathe away?  It happens to at the most surprising times and completely unexpected.   Sometimes I will leave my local airport for no particular destination and fly a new direction, ignoring the published airways for entering and exiting the airspace (this is A Reality of My Own, afterall).  The goal is to not only break out of the mold, but to survey and experience a new part of the world.  It is normally during these flights that I have spectacular moments that make me wish I was really flying in the real world.

Take for instance the screenshot below.  Carenado‘s Bonanza over the Sierra-Nevadas approaching Mammoth Lakes (KMMH) in FS2004.  While I left Santa Barbara an hour or so before, I really didn’t expect to see the sun as low as it was and upon viewing the flight from spot plane view, I was over-joyed to see such a spectacular image.  The low sun back-lighting the ridges, accenting the shape of the Beechcraft,  and the romantic pinkish color of the sky all give this image an incredible story.  The far off clouds even lend to the mood.  These types of shots are always inspiring.

FS2004 Bonanza - Sierra-Nevadas

Take another example, the screenshot below.  One this particular flight, I left Arlington, WA (KAWO) in the pre-dawn hours and took a flight out over Puget Sound.  Not quite wanting to end the flight so early, I decided to head toward Boeing Field (KBFI) via I-5.  This might be the perfect opportunity to chase some AI vehicles which is one of the coolest new features in FSx.   While I struggled a little to maintain altitude and speed, my attention was diverted to the view outside.  Again the early morning sun provided a spectacular moment that blew me away. The traffic, the buildings, the distant clouds, the dark panel and the grand vista forced me to pause and take in the moment. The angle of the view also amplified the moment.

View from the BO-105 seat above Snohomish County, WA

As you can see, flight simulator can be used to produce pretty spectacular imagery, just like someone with a camera can.  The moments are timeless and the experience awesome.  Capturing a moment in the virtual world can be just as breathe-taking as a moment in the real world, perhaps more so.  For those of us a little more grounded, flight simulator will always provide moments to remember for years to come.

Does anyone have any flight simulator moments of their own to share?

If you are new here, please take a moment to vote in my poll What Type of Aircraft Do You Fly Most?

The Aircraft Type Poll Continues

Just wanted to thank everyone that has voted in my previous poll, What type of aircraft do you fly most?

So far, it looks like Commercial Airliners are ahead, followed by General Aviation and Military. I will keep the poll open until the 25th to gather some more data. So, if you haven’t already, please vote for your aircraft type. The more I know about your interests, the more I can provide meaningful content.

Cheers!

Poll: What Type of Aircraft Do You Fly Most Often?

Please take a moment to vote in the poll below. I am interested in learning more about the readers of this blog. This information will be used when considering future content. Thank you!

Type of aircraft do you fly most often in flight simulator?
(polls)

Wedgetail Meets USCG

The Wedgetail variation of Project Opensky‘s Boeing 737-700 has been around for a while,  but was only available in Royal Australian Air Force colors.   Thanks for Colin Lowe, Wedgetail enthusiasts have something a little more colorful to fly in.  Recently released is a United States Coast Guard (USCG) livery that really brightens up this bird.

USCG Wedgetail at Boeing Field

I loaded up the repaint in FS2004 and took it out for a flight from Boeing Field (KBFI) to Santa Barbara Municipal (KSBA).

Turning on to course after leaving Boeing Field

The flight was pretty uneventful.  I did find that the roll rate of the Wedgetail is pretty slow.  It is sorta like driving Cadillac when you are used to smaller aircraft that handle like a Porsche.

Passing over Mt. St. Helens

One of the things that impressed me most about this combination of model and livery was how great the colors matched with the shape of the aircraft.  The red markings on the wings really give the 737 a much larger presence.  While not exactly stealthy, the bright red makes for great show.

Landing on SBA's runway 7

It was the approach to Santa Barbara that really showed off the Wedgetail’s lazy handling.  To accommodate it, I found myself flying a wide approach to runway 7 so that I would have plenty of distance to align with the runway.  In doing so, short-final was smooth, although I brought her in a little slow and slammed the wheels on the runway.  Hey, I just wanted to make sure the crew was awake for our arrival on the central coast.

Overall, flying the USCG Wedgetail is a lot of fun.  There is a lot of eye candy here and Colin did a great job representing the livery in flight simulator.

Filename: b737uscg-1.zip (flightsim.com)
Filesize: 5mb
Author: Model – POSKY ; Livery – Colin Lowe

update 11jul09 – fixed some spelling and grammatical errors. ;-(