|
|
Flight Simulating The Avro Lancaster Bomber Behind Your Own Computer Desk
The day I write this I am 64 years old and so is the peace that followed World War II. This means that I'm "post war", which is the way I want to keep it! It also means that I only saw the Avro Lancaster bomber in peaceful fly-by's which is a scarce enough happening anyway, considering that there are only two (!) airworthy Lancs left in the whole wide world. There's very little airtime to be shared among the enthusiastic candidates, so there are probably not even a dozen people who get to fly a real Lancaster from the left seat every once in a while.
The closest us lowly earth dwellers can come to flying Lancasters, is via flight simulation. I am dedicated to Microsofts Flight Simulator X, in which I fly "my own" version of the Lancaster B1, a hybrid based on the "Wings of Power" version for exterior and flight model, and for the panel on just about everything up to and including not only the kitchen sink but also the bath tub, the toilet bowl and the hot water boiler (grin)!. Out of dozens of existing panels that I collected in years of flight simming, I created a completely individual panel.
Panel rearranging required!
I've got two reasons to design my own panels. Mainly because there's no out of the box Avro Lancaster panel available that is to my liking. Secondly because existing panels put the simulated captains eyepoint somewhere in the middle of the cockpit, like straight behind the throttles. That's no good: it takes away much of the illusion or immersion. Although my real world flying experiences are sadly confined to single engined pipsqueeks like Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee, I know that Lancaster pilots did not sit with their valuable parts shoved painfully into the throttle quadrant of their Avro Lancaster bomber!
My own panels deliver a much more natural pilots position, and considerably enlarged gauges. Simulation, including flight simulation, is simply illusion - and I don't really care about the panel lay-out being realistic: I want it to look and feel realistic within the confines of a computer screen!!
The physical controls
In order to produce a sufficient level of realism, flying your simulated Lanc with the keyboard or mouse won't do. If you can even remotely afford it, a steering yoke is an absolute must, with a set of pedals as a perfect second. Fortunately these additions are available in a wide price range, from very strong but equally expensive, to somewhat wobbly but easily in the affordability sector of most of us.
Concerning this subject I have a confession to make. Some six years ago I got the cheapest yoke and pedals available, and I'm still using them without a problem and to my continuing joy! In those years I must have bought a couple of thousand dollars worth of other simulator expansions, but I never saw any reason for discarding my old and faithful pedals/yoke set! Sure, eventually I'll replace them, even if it is only on account of normal wear and tear from almost daily use, but it is far from necessary yet.
A very flustered face!
I will never say that a relatively simple computer simulation like MS Flight Simulator can ever give you the joy of flying the real thing, but sometimes it comes pretty darn close. I've made many a simulated landing under conditions that turned my whole head red with concentration, and sweaty with almost real fear! Nor am I the only one with such experiences. I think it was around 2004 that an RAF flight crew performed an MS-simulated historic Raid of the Dam Busters. Those jet pilots and "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime" types left their specifically constructed after their hours long flight with a healthy respect for Microsofts simulation software, and for the good old Avro Lancaster. You won't see them looking down on "that game" or "that old bomber" anymore!
Car Parking At Edinburgh Airport - Find Out How To Make Savings For Edinburgh Airport Car Parking.
Information on how to get the best out of Edinburgh airport car parking. Save money and get a better service with these frequent flyer tips.
Newcastle On Airport Terminal Parking Facilities The Charges And Saving That You Might Have
There is no doubt that when it comes to Newcastle on airport parking, the rates have nowhere to go but up which is why finding affordable parking fees is quite important to those who are after decent savings during their travels
What Do You Know About Callerton Parking Newcastle Airport? Some Helpful Information About It
Whether you are going on a flight for a business trip or for a vacation, people will always want to bring their own cars so that they can experience the convenience of not going through the not sub-par conditions of the public transportation system.
Great Thing About Newcastle Airport Parking Services
Is there no one to drive you to the airport at 3am? If your answer is no, then you don't have to worry because you can just drive yourself to a car park Newcastle airport. These facilities offer cheap parking rates.
Taking A Look At Buying Economical Airline Tickets: Greatest Approach To Save During Travel
In today's world, everything and I mean everything needs to be budgeted accordingly. You need to spend money wisely and well, that is because it is so hard to earn, yet very easy to spend. It's a disproportionate ratio that shows how unfair life is.
Things You Have To Know With Regards To Terminal 1 Heathrow Airport Parking
Airport car parking remains to be elusive for most passengers. Airport car parking at heathrow is always in demand because Heathrow airport is the most important airport in London.
Newcastle Airport, A New Age Surprise In North Of England
How hard is it for you to carry all the baggage that you need to the airport? Truly, it can be very tedious to bring all of the things that you need. And if you think about it, you cannot solely rely on public transportation to help you out
|
More Articles
Blogroll
|
