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For a long time I wanted to learn to fly but for many reasons (lack of funds mainly) I never managed it. I did have a sample lesson for my 70th birthday, but again, I couldn't justify the expenditure to go further.
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Richard MacCutchan wrote: (lack of funds mainly)
You're not alone in that.
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I could fly before I could drive. As a kid, I was able to recognize jets by their sound only. I wanted to be a fighter pilot, got the exam (not wanting to prise myself, but honestly was not a piece of cake, cleary a highlight of my life), got rejected a week later due to bad eyesight. For reasons, I had to do the medical check after the two sports-and-maths-and-psycho tests, because usually you start by checking if everything is OK and only go the hassle of the tests if you are apt. To precise, bad eyesight = I have exceptionally good eyesight, but was diagnosed with a probability to loose some of it on my right eye over the course of the 13 years training & service, which was sufficient for kicking me out of the program. The doc said "0,05% that it happens, but there are another 7000 furious waiting in the line behind you who are almost as good as you and with better condition, so why should we give you a chance ?". This was so abrupt that I completely cut with aviation from that on. But in my deep inside, I love it. And the Rafale is the best fighter in the world.  I
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I was a big fan of aviation in my teens up to my mid 30s.
I did 3 static line parachute jumps in my teens and later a glider flight as well as started flying lessons stopping when it became obvious how expensive it would be to maintain a license.
So I channeled my enthusiasm into hundreds of hours in flightsims, the 747 being my favourite aircraft to fly with the Kai Tak approach (PMDG 747).
One of the first projects I set myself in .NET back in around 2006 was to write a voice recognition application so that I could give commands to a virtual co-pilot to lower the landing gear, flaps etc.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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GuyThiebaut wrote: 747 being my favourite aircraft to fly with the Kai Tak approach (PMDG 747).
That would keep me busy for hours!
GuyThiebaut wrote: One of the first projects I set myself in .NET back in around 2006 was to write a voice recognition application so that I could give commands to a virtual co-pilot to lower the landing gear, flaps etc.
How did the project go? Did you use machine learning? I've always wanted to be able to communicate with ATC verbally in flight sims. With all the progress in AI, that's now possible.
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The voice recognition app went really well with lots of extra stuff in it including the app speaking back confirming the command to be executed(the confirmation could be customised) and the ability to ask what the status of various systems was such as asking "Landing gear status?" and application speaking back "Landing gear is down."
It was a while back but I didn't use AI, I used a standard .NET voice recognition and speech module which could be taught independently.
You could also tie the mic to a button on the joystick for PTT, so that while the button was pressed the app would listen to the command being given - for extra geekiness I also got the app to beep with the Apollo beep after the PTT button was released.
I should did it out again at some point although it was written in VB.NET(so I might consider rewriting it in C#) as I was very new to .NET at that point.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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GuyThiebaut wrote: The voice recognition app went really well with lots of extra stuff in it including the app speaking back confirming the command to be executed(the confirmation could be customised) and the ability to ask what the status of various systems was such as asking "Landing gear status?" and application speaking back "Landing gear is down."
That is so cool. 
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My favourite part of flying is when the plane stops at the terminal and I can get off.
Within you lies the power for good - Use it!
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Some of my earliest memories are of my Grandfather taking my brother and I for ice cream near the Memphis airport so we could watch the planes takeoff and land.  His love for aviation stemmed from over 20 years overseeing the maintenance shops at Warner Robins AFB, GA. Many years later, after his retirement, he would take us to the regional air shows. Great times!
One of his favorite stories was about going down to a local garage owned by one of his friends. When he walked up, he saw two feet sticking out from under a Caddy. Assuming it was his friend the mechanic, he lightly kicked them to get his attention. 'Hey Red, it's Jack...' The guy rolled out, stuck out his hand and said 'Paul Tibbets. Nice to meet you Jack.'
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
"Hope is contagious"
modified yesterday.
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kmoorevs wrote: One of his favorite stories was about going down to a local garage owned by one of his friends. When he walked up, he saw two feet sticking out from under a Caddy. Assuming it was his friend the mechanic, he lightly kicked them to get his attention. 'Hey Red, it's Jack...' The guy rolled out, stuck out his hand and said 'Paul Tibbets. Nice to meet you Jack.'
Seriously? That's a story I'd like to hear. How did your grandfather react upon meeting Paul Tibbets?
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From my best recollection, he was shocked and somewhat embarrassed...then quickly relieved with the handshake and laugh of a true gentleman. 
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
"Hope is contagious"
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I think I heard a comedian put it best... I love flying, but I'm the sort of person who forgets their car keys. This makes me the sort of person you don't want flying a plane. If I had way more disposable income/time I would near definitely try to get a license anyway though. I've thought about an ultra-light... Basically a go-cart with a parachute and a really huge fan. You can fly those here without licensure.
I got into R/C flight back when batteries/electric were a fringe cutting edge thing and everything was still this sort of special diesel. The electric stuff is just way easier to deal with now and I'd guess more popular (have not done for awhile). A 1/6th scale B-52 with all the engines going on diesel is just an awesome thing to behold.
The bigger draw for me there is maybe the overlap with history buffs and the folks into it tend to be much older. I tend to get on better with folks who have some years on me.
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jochance wrote: I've thought about an ultra-light... Basically a go-cart with a parachute and a really huge fan. You can fly those here without licensure.
Ultra-lights are my favorite aircraft to fly. It's more of a pure flying experience. You get the wind on your face, you don't need to use a radio, or a transponder. It's that freedom that I absolutely love. It's a lot like the experience of riding a motorcycle, whereas flying a single-engine Cessna is more akin to driving a car.
jochance wrote: I got into R/C flight back when batteries/electric were a fringe cutting edge thing and everything was still this sort of special diesel. The electric stuff is just way easier to deal with now and I'd guess more popular (have not done for awhile). A 1/6th scale B-52 with all the engines going on diesel is just an awesome thing to behold.
That's something I'd like to see. I built a model glider once. The nail of the glider was "Gentle Lady". I really enjoyed the building process. It was simple. All you needed was a two-channel radio to control the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Beyond that, it was about finding the thermals. You could fly it wherever you wanted to. Just choose a mountain. There is no need for dealing with gas engines or bulky batteries. 4 AA batteries were all that was needed to operate the two servos. The only sound you would hear is the wind flowing through the evergreen trees. It makes for great therapy, especially if you can't afford the therapist. 
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Sometime in my early teens, I got a little gas-powered plane that was controlled with strings. By the time it ran out of gas, I was so dizzy I couldn't stand! Thank gawd it was held together with rubber bands!
Earlier, you mentioned MS Flight Simulator. I've got a 2010 copy on my bookshelf, and a joystick controller, but haven't played it in over 10 years. My favorite was actually the glider training where the key was to find thermals/updrafts. Occasionally, I'll see hawks here flying circles effortlessly without flapping a wing, going higher and higher, and think about that game. I also have a Meta Quest that's been sitting dormant for over a year. Let us know how that goes.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
"Hope is contagious"
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I used to fly years ago. I had my own aircraft, a Piper PA-22 Colt, a high wing two-seater. I flew out of a gravel strip on a farm outside of Montreal. Had a lot of fun and a couple of serious incidents. Now I'm too old (81) but I still enjoy my aviation memories!
73
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For all my life I have loved things that fly. It rubbed off on my son and he is now a bush pilot in the far north of Canada and loving his life.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx
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- Wingsuit - lot of fun and cut-aways.
- Skydive 30k+ feet with oxygen tank (elephant day) 3x
- Jump from the glider (with the pilot obviously)
- 4 surgeries 2 screws. They forgot to tighten the 3rd one (loose).
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Member 13445366 wrote: Wingsuit - lot of fun and cut-aways.
Wearing a wingsuit must be an incredible experience. Have you seen the video of Jeb Corliss jumping off a cliff wearing a squirrel suit? What's the difference between a squirrel suit and a wingsuit?
Member 13445366 wrote: - Skydive 30k+ feet with oxygen tank (elephant day) 3x
That's also incredible. What's the terminal velocity at that altitude? How cold was it up there?Member 13445366 wrote: - Jump from the glider (with the pilot obviously)
Upon reading that, I thought you were saying that the pilot jumped out of the glider, too. 
Member 13445366 wrote: - 4 surgeries 2 screws. They forgot to tighten the 3rd one (loose).
I'd say you've earned bragging rights for life.
Oh, I almost forgot! This is one of my favorite videos of all time.
Jeb Corliss " Grinding The Crack" - YouTube[^]
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Interested in an enthusiastic amateur way. As a kid (aged 4 or 5) I travelled to Italy (Birmingham -> London -> Milan) a fair bit, and can still remember both the Viscounts on the domestic flights, and the Tridents, Comets and (once, I think) a VC10 on the international leg. Loved flying in the days when you had china crockery, room to stretch out, your own large window. In teens went to Farnborough airshow and various RAF bases, with friends who were in the Air Cadets (couldn't afford to join myself). One of my jobs in my 30s involved a lot of European day trips and several longer trans-Atlantic ones, and on one of these took myself on a jolly around Canada. Air Canada used to do a "freedom of Canada" ticket, valid for unlimited domestic flights over a week - but standby only. So literally hanging around the departure gates hoping there'd be a no-show and hopping on where-ever it was going. Best/riskiest bit was going on the Yellowknife -> Resolute weekly trip on a 50/50 cargo/passenger 737. Only one flight back out each week so there just HAD to be a space on the return. Fortunately there were a few.
Also done a couple of gliding trial flights, and some very small aircraft (and helicopter) trips to the Scilly Isles; and also splashed out on a helicopter transfer from Nice when visiting Monaco.
I enjoy flying but hate the airport hassle and stress, and also very concerned about the eco impacts of flying. Last trip to Europe was fly out, train back - tbh, the train return was much better, more comfortable, cheaper and only a couple of hours longer. Including an hour in Paris' Gare de Lyon famous "Le train bleu" restaurant.
Spend a lot of time reading crash reports and watching videos; fascinated by the investigation process and the way that a tiny error can escalate to major disaster. (This aspect I think grew from a similar fascination with railway accidents and signalling).
The one thing I hate about air traffic are the vapour trails, which as far as I'm concerned are a horrific graffiti in the sky. Even at Resolute, and at Nordkapp in Norway, the sky is full of lines scarring the view. Plus as they spread out they form clouds that can obscure half the sky, contributing even further to climate change.
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DerekT-P wrote: ook myself on a jolly around Canada. Air Canada used to do a "freedom of Canada" ticket, valid for unlimited domestic flights over a week - but standby only. So literally hanging around the departure gates hoping there'd be a no-show and hopping on where-ever it was going.
Many years ago, I heard about something similar to the "freedom of Canada" ticket. A major airline offered a deal where if you bought a special ticket, you could fly anywhere you want. You had the ability to take as many flights as you wanted to. That one ticket covered the cost of it all. There was a catch, though. You had to travel eastward. This allowed you to travel around the globe for one set price. It was affordable, too. I wonder if any airlines still offer that.
DerekT-P wrote: Spend a lot of time reading crash reports and watching videos; fascinated by the investigation process and the way that a tiny error can escalate to major disaster.
When I was training to be a pilot, I realized how important it was to study these same things. I figured if you have a comprehensive understanding of what causes a plane to crash, then it helps you to avoid being in one. You know what to look for. In most cases, the chain of events that lead up to a crash are innocuous little things that go unnoticed until it's too late. Little distractions that you'd never think could pose a danger have the potential to lead to huge disasters. The training was more about safety than anything else, and that's how it should be.
DerekT-P wrote: The one thing I hate about air traffic are the vapour trails, which as far as I'm concerned are a horrific graffiti in the sky. Even at Resolute, and at Nordkapp in Norway, the sky is full of lines scarring the view. Plus as they spread out they form clouds that can obscure half the sky, contributing even further to climate change
When I learned how much fuel airplanes burn through, it was a surprise to me. I don't remember how much fuel you burn just taxiing to the runway, but it's actually a lot. I'm not fan of the pollution either, but without fuel, you're not going anywhere.DerekT-P wrote: the vapour trails, which as far as I'm concerned are a horrific graffiti in the sky. Even at Resolute, and at Nordkapp in Norway, the sky is full of lines scarring the view. Plus as they spread out they form clouds that can obscure half the sky, contributing even further to climate change.
I actually like contrails. When I see contrails, I see a highway in the sky.
From what I understand, I don't believe contrails themselves contribute to global warming. Contrails are just like any other high-altitude cirrus clouds. They consist of ice crystals. Those ice crystals reflect sunlight back into space. If sunlight is reflected back into space, it's not reaching Earth. If less sunlight reaches the surface of the Earth, then less heat will reach the surface of the Earth as well.
Anyway, climate change is a volatile and highly charged subject, so I'll leave that alone. I enjoyed reading your post. I envy you for having traveled to so many places. Not many people ever get that sort of opportunity.
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I caught the flying bug when I was stationed in Germany and got my private pilot's license there and then went together with my dad (a flight instructor) to purchase a used airplane. Now I am trying to build a low-cost avionics network supporting navigation (both GNSS and ground-based), ADS-B and airframe and engine sensors.
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playwude wrote: Now I am trying to build a low-cost avionics network supporting navigation (both GNSS and ground-based), ADS-B and airframe and engine sensors.
No student pilot will ever get lost again.
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At least not without knowing he has engine trouble ...
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: He and my uncle were greatly unharmed.
If they walked away from it, then it's a successful landing. I heard that phrase many times in flight school.
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