Flying off to Vegas

[John1]

Just figured I share a recent flight with the class.

 

Going through the cockpit setup on an uncharacteristically foggy morning in San Diego.  Most of the eastern part of CA is overcast today (I'm using live weather so it's a match for real weather conditions).   Flying my favorite airline, Southwest.   Unlike American (who I'm forced to fly much more than I would like), the Southwest cabin crew actually seem to enjoy their jobs, as opposed to the AA team who, almost to a person, seem bitter and uninterested in customer service.  

 

Loading my traditional SWA snack, a bag of pretzels and a coke.  

 

Aircraft servicing is completed, nearly ready for pushback. 

 

Taxying to RWY 27.    The charts are actual Jeppensen charts.   I'll be flying the PADRS departure, which takes you out over the Pacific, turning north and then going "feet dry" directly over LA.

 

 

 

Take off heading west, and up into the marine fog layer. 

 

Climbing out of the CA coast. 

 

Overcast is starting to fade away as I climb out over the mountains west of LA. 

 

Only at cruising altitude for 25 minutes or so.   I've got live traffic turned on, so that contrail in the background, is an actual flight. 

 

Graphics have come a long way over the last few years.   If you take the time to view this particular model, you'll see realistic weathering on the undersides.

 

Beginning the approach to KLAS Runway 26L.

 

Downwind leg.   The "Strip" and it's dozens of uber-casino's is visible 

 

On final, ILS approach to 26L.

 

On the ground.  Bags fly for free (unlike just about every other airline on the planet). 

 

 

 

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

 

Thanks for flying with me!

[Furie]

It wasn't until the seventh image that I realized they were screenshots from a flight simulator...
Let's put it down to the fact that I've only just woken up.
Please reassure me that I'm not the only one who's been fooled?
Well done John, I fell into the trap...   

[Shoggz]

You're not the only one Denis!

 

It took me a few seconds to realise that John wasn't heading to the actual Vegas.

 

Things have moved on since I could spend any amount of time on Flight sims.

 

Definitely something on the wish-list for any retirement I get!

[John1]

3 hours ago, Shoggz said:

You're not the only one Denis!

 

It took me a few seconds to realise that John wasn't heading to the actual Vegas.

 

Things have moved on since I could spend any amount of time on Flight sims.

 

Definitely something on the wish-list for any retirement I get!

The graphics in the new MSFS are stunning.  The screenshots don't do them justice.  You don't need a $4000 PC to "fly" at high graphics settings.  My PC is most definitely a mid-spec machine and I've got most of the graphic settings on high and get acceptable frame rates.   Now if you want to fly at 4K resolution, that's a different story but for an average simmer like me, you don't have to drop a huge amount of money.    

[Shoggz]

John, you are soooo tempting me! 

[Cheetah11]

Hi John

Thanks for posting.  It is incredible how computers and flight sims have evolved. Back in the day I remember flying a combat sim which fitted on a 3 1/2 inch floppy drive and a computer with 640K memory, no hard drive and thinking its great fun. I wonder how many members still remember the Sinclair Spectrum and Commodore 64 computers.

BTW if you want to visit a great scenic airport in the sim (or in person ) here is one.

 

 

Cheers

Nick 

[Palm-tree]

I was completely fooled too until I thought what airline allows it's crew to post  photos from a live cockpit on social media, never mind the possible objections from the other pilot when you should be concentrating on the job instead of taking pictures.

 

 Most large airlines these days have strict a policy on social media posts and  a ban on cockpit photography.

 

Amazing how far graphics have improved since the days of the Sinclair Spectrum "Flight Simulation" from the 1980's.

[John1]

52 minutes ago, Cheetah11 said:

Hi John

Thanks for posting.  It is incredible how computers and flight sims have evolved. Back in the day I remember flying a combat sim which fitted on a 3 1/2 inch floppy drive and a computer with 640K memory, no hard drive and thinking its great fun. I wonder how many members still remember the Sinclair Spectrum and Commodore 64 computers.

BTW if you want to visit a great scenic airport in the sim (or in person ) here is one.

 

 

Cheers

Nick 

It’s crazy that I have to ask but is that shot from the sim or is it RL?  It’s getting really hard ito tell the difference.   As an illustration on how realistic things can get, I’ve got aftermarket KBOS (Boston Logan) scenery.     While exploring the newly installed airport, I noticed a dumpster well off the flight line.  It was labeled with the correct name and phone number of the RL waste hauling company.    Crazy amount of detail.  At KDCA, the TV’s at one of the terminal bars was showing CNN (spoiler alert, Biden has a slight lead over Trump).   Can’t believe how far we’ve come and if you really want to go to the next level, try using VR goggles.   I’ll take up a Piper Cub in the sim to do some bush flying and find myself holding onto my chair during steep turns.   

[John1]

27 minutes ago, Palm-tree said:

I was completely fooled too until I thought what airline allows it's crew to post  photos from a live cockpit on social media, never mind the possible objections from the other pilot when you should be concentrating on the job instead of taking pictures.

 

 Most large airlines these days have strict a policy on social media posts and  a ban on cockpit photography.

 

Amazing how far graphics have improved since the days of the Sinclair Spectrum "Flight Simulation" from the 1980's.

You are spot on.   Regarding cockpit photography, we’ve got a RL airline pilot on the forums who posted a couple of “office” pics.   I think photography is permitted but only at during cruise (and produce other constraints as well).   That’s only for US operators, You Tube is flooded with cockpit videos of full flights.  

[Cheetah11]

5 minutes ago, John1 said:

It’s crazy that I have to ask but is that shot from the sim or is it RL?  It’s getting really hard ito tell the difference.   As an illustration on how realistic things can get, I’ve got aftermarket KBOS (Boston Logan) scenery.     While exploring the newly installed airport, I noticed a dumpster well off the flight line.  It was labeled with the correct name and phone number of the RL waste hauling company.    Crazy amount of detail.  At KDCA, the TV’s at one of the terminal bars was showing CNN (spoiler alert, Biden has a slight lead over Trump).   Can’t believe how far we’ve come and if you really want to go to the next level, try using VR goggles.   I’ll take up a Piper Cub in the sim to do some bush flying and find myself holding onto my chair during steep turns.   

 

This one is RL

Cheers

Nick

 

 

 

 

[Shoggz]

I genuinely couldn't tell!

[Pete Fleischmann]

Cool. But as someone who does this for a living, this would be the LAST thing I’d want to do with my free time.

 

Next time, get up at 4 am, put on a suit and tie, drive around for 30 minutes, wolf down a breakfast burrito, walk around outside in the rain for ten minutes ,then jump in and fly waaay more realistic.

 

P

[John1]

15 minutes ago, Pete Fleischmann said:

Cool. But as someone who does this for a living, this would be the LAST thing I’d want to do with my free time.

 

Next time, get up at 4 am, put on a suit and tie, drive around for 30 minutes, wolf down a breakfast burrito, walk around outside in the rain for ten minutes ,then jump in and fly waaay more realistic.

 

P

LOL, as someone who has zero interest in doing this for a living, I can assure you that it's a quite enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours on a rainy Saturday AM.   It's funny, on the flight sim forums, there are more than a few RL commercial pilots (both US and European).   They are pretty hard-core simmers.    I asked one why he spent time replicating what he does in RL.   He said he truly enjoys the time spent simming, he can try different approaches, different weather conditions and "fly" other aircraft besides his assigned jet (737).  He acknowledged that MSFS is no replacement for the simulators he uses as work but the 737 in particular is high enough fidelity to allow him to practice failures, challenging approaches, etc.    He said he knows of plenty of other pilots who are simmers as well.  He said the split is 50:50 between older pilots who are counting down the days till retirement and look at commercial flying as nothing more than clocking in for a job they really don't enjoy and younger pilots who look forward to flying every day.   I guess that's the same in every profession. 

[Pete Fleischmann]

I don’t mean to come off as the grumpy old captain- but after 27 years and 20,000+ flying hours, I’m smoked when I get home after a 4 day trip. I’m also an instructor; so those training flights really feel like work with today’s crop of new hires.

Jumping on a sim at home? I’m good thank you very much.

[Timmy!]

1 hour ago, Pete Fleischmann said:

I don’t mean to come off as the grumpy old captain- but after 27 years and 20,000+ flying hours, I’m smoked when I get home after a 4 day trip. I’m also an instructor; so those training flights really feel like work with today’s crop of new hires.

Jumping on a sim at home? I’m good thank you very much.

I'll second that.  Further, even flying in RL after a trip whether GA or using my travel bennies to go somewhere...no thanks.