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Flight Simulation

The Martinair Cargo MD-11 on a virtual VFR approach in Innsbruck

Manually flying a huge aircraft like the MD-11F to make a virtual landing in Innsbruck surely will be fun for most flight simulation enthusiasts. Since the Innsbruck airport and its surroundings have been redesigned under ORBX Innsbruck, the immersion feeling is total. The landscape is absolutely fantastic.

A virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F is airborne from runway 26 at the Innsbruck airport (LOWI)
A virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F is airborne from runway 26 at the Innsbruck airport (LOWI)

Start by taking-off from runway 08. Anybody standing near the fence at the end of the runway will feel the blast. Then, gain enough altitude to be able to do a 180 degree turn to realign the aircraft for runway 26.

A PMDG MD-11F preparing for a visual approach runway 08 at Innsbruck
A PMDG MD-11F preparing for a visual approach runway 08 at Innsbruck

Make sure to activate the “air turbulence” option on your virtual weather engine, since an approach near the mountains in Innsbruck generates enough turbulence to make your approach more difficult. The pilot must also, for this exercise, deal with the actual winds even if they do not favor runway 26.

Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F approaching the Innsbruck airport (LOWI)
Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F approaching the Innsbruck airport (LOWI)

The flaps must be adjusted to 50 degrees for the MD-11F. Insure that the “Autopilot” function is set at “OFF”. The intensity of the automatic breaking is chosen according to the actual winds, the aircraft’s cargo load and the altitude of the airport. The margin of manoeuver with regards to the approach speed is not very large. I tried to maintain 150 kts.

A virtual PMDG MD-11F with full flaps (50 degrees) on final for runway 08 in Innsbruck
A virtual PMDG MD-11F with full flaps (50 degrees) on final for runway 08 in Innsbruck

The Innsbruck runway is 2000 meters long. There is not much leeway for the MD-11F.

Virtual PMDG MD-11F arriving for runway 08 at Innsbruck
Virtual PMDG MD-11F arriving for runway 08 at Innsbruck
Virtual PMDG MD-11F breaking runway 08 in Innsbruck
Virtual PMDG MD-11F breaking runway 08 in Innsbruck

Once on the ground, you must continue until the end of runway 26 in order to do a 180 degree turn. There is just enough space for the MD-11F.

Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F backtracking runway 08 at Innsbruck
Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F backtracking runway 08 at Innsbruck

As you can see in the image below, looking at the windsock, the landing was made with a good tailwind.

Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F exiting the runway at Innsbruck
Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F exiting the runway at Innsbruck

The airport is superbly represented and a parking space is already reserved for bigger aircrafts. Employees are waiting for your arrival.

Innsbruck virtual airport and the Martinair Cargo MD-11F
Innsbruck virtual airport and the Martinair Cargo MD-11F
PMDG virtual MD-11F parked at the Innsbruck airport in Austria
PMDG virtual MD-11F parked at the Innsbruck airport in Austria
Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F parked at the Innsbruck airport
Virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11F parked at the Innsbruck airport

You can try landing with any other big carrier if you do not already own a PMDG virtual MD-11. If you would like to acquire this aircraft, you will realize that it is no longer offered by PMDG, at least for now. Try to put some pressure on the company so that they restart offering the aircraft on which they have put in so much effort. A message on their Facebook site should show your interest: PMDG

If you would like to see an exceptional two hour aviation video on a real flight that lasted ten days across the world, there is none better than the one made by PilotsEYE.tv: Lufthansa Cargo MD-11F in Quito

PilotsEye DVD on a ten day worldwide trip with a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11F
PilotsEye DVD on a ten day worldwide trip with a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11F

You witness part of the crew’s planning for a landing on the old Quito runway, in Ecuador. The airport’s altitude is so high that the MD-11F margin of manoeuver is extremely limited. Make sure to own a player that can decode European videos.

Have a good flight!

Categories
Flight Simulation

The PMDG MD-11 and flight simulation

A Brazilian VASP MD-11 aircraft is on final for the Guarulhos international airport in Sao Paulo.
A Brazilian VASP MD-11 aircraft is on final for the Guarulhos international airport in Sao Paulo.

The picture above shows a virtual MD-11 aircraft with the VASP livery over Sao Paulo. In the flight simulator, I positioned it on final for the Guarulhos international airport in Brazil (IATA: GRU, ICAO: SBGR). This MD-11 was created by PMDG.

The landscape is modelized by ORBX and is made of overlapping layers of their different products in order to achieve this final aspect. There is first FTX Global Base Pack, then FTX Global openLC South America and FTX Global Vector. The last touch is added through FTX Global Trees HD, but it is not really visible here due to the late hour.

A Martinair virtual cargo MD-11 is airborne from the Innsbruck airport in Austria.
A Martinair virtual cargo MD-11 is airborne from the Innsbruck airport in Austria.
The mountains surrounding the Innsbruck airport are used as a background for this screen capture of a virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11.
The mountains surrounding the Innsbruck airport are used as a background for this screen capture of a virtual Martinair Cargo MD-11.

The two pictures above show a MD-11 just airborne from Innsbruck, in Austria. The landscape of that region, in real life or virtual mode, is absolutely stunning. I am essentially using the FSX flight simulation platform for now, but I am always monitoring the progress made with Aerofly FS2. The virtual cloud textures for the three pictures are modelized by Rex Simulations and the weather engine used for the flights was  FSGRW.

The MD-11 is an extremely interesting aircraft to fly in the flight simulation mode but it seems that PMDG is not bringing the aircraft up to date to follow the evolution of Microsoft operating systems. It has not been modified neither to work with P3D or other virtual flight platforms. Nevertheless, if customers start expressing their interest in that aircraft, I am convinced that PMDG would allow a bit more research in order to bring that MD-11 with today’s standards of flight simulation ( https://www.facebook.com/pmdgsimulations ).

The documentation offered for the MD-11 by PMDG is really complete. All the articles written in the PC Pilot magazine on how to fly the aircraft are also still available today in only one download ( https://pdf-magazine-download.com/3502-pc-pilot-special-issue-pmdg-md-11.html ).

Categories
Flight Simulation

The Captain Sim’s B-52 in flight simulation

Here are a few modified screen captures of a recent virtual flight made with the Captain Sim’s B-52 ( https://www.captainsim.com/ ).

Captain Sim's virtual B-52 aircraft in southern California
Captain Sim’s virtual B-52 aircraft in southern California

The high quality of the modelized clouds and of the landscape in the background helped create screen captures that were even more realistic. FSX was the flight simulation platform used for the flight.  REX Simulations made the virtual cloud textures.

The landscape is a creation of ORBX. At the base of the three screen captures were the following ORBX products: FTX Global Base Pack, FTX Global Vector, FTX Global Open LC North America, FTX Global Trees HD and NA Southern California. The time for the flight was early in the morning.

Virtual clouds created by REX. FSX flight simulation platform.
Virtual clouds created by REX. FSX flight simulation platform.

In the picture below, a few modifications were made using Photoshop to induce a feeling of speed. When comes the time to modify the screen capture of a virtual aircraft with an image editing software, the same rules apply as for a normal picture: moderation gives better results.

A virtual B-52 at high speed and low altitude in Southern California.
A virtual B-52 at high speed and low altitude in Southern California.

The sound of the Boeing B-52’s eight engines is quite impressive. Despite the enormous power available for take-off, the flight simulation enthousiast cannot simply apply full power and hope that the military jet will get airborne. By the book procedures have to be followed, otherwise there won’t be any take-off. A parachute can be deployed when landing for a better visual effect, but the flight simulator will not include it in its calculations for the required landing and breaking distance.

Categories
Street photography

Playing piano in Oak Bay, Victoria

A young girl plays piano on Willows Beach in Victoria.
A young girl plays piano on Willows Beach in Victoria.

The photo above was taken with a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera in Victoria, British-Columbia. The exact location is a beach in Oak Bay called Willows Beach.

In many cities around the world, the trend is to install used pianos in unusual places hoping that citizens and tourists will take a few minutes to try their hand at the instrument. While a young girl was starting to play on this piano left beside Willows Beach, a young boy appeared in my viewfinder, upside down on his father’s shoulder. To each his own.

In the distance, it is possible to see the sailboats of the Oak Bay Yacht Club and the Washington State Olympic Mountains, in the United States.

For other street photos, click on:

Street photography

Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in Quebec

Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in 2017. Photo taken with a Canon 5DSR.
Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in 2017. Photo taken with a Canon 5DSR.

The whimbrel is a bird that spends most of its life along the coasts of South America. It travels from Brazil to northern Canada when comes the time of nesting. It is possible to see it flying by the Atlantic provinces of Canada or by the Magdalen Islands in the province of Quebec.

The total number of whimbrels belonging to the hudsonicus species is estimated at around 58,000 and is in constant decline. During the last 40 years, the population has diminished by 80%. During their trip, the whimbrels stop an average of three weeks on the acadian peninsula to feed themselves. A study shows that 1200 were observed in 2014, 518 in 2015 and 344 in 2016. ( French text: Le courlis corlieu )

During our family holiday on the Magdalen Islands in 2017, we saw close to thirty of those birds while we were standing on a hill in Havre-aux-Maisons.

A flight of Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in 2017
A flight of Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in 2017

The pictures were taken with a Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens mounted on a Canon 5DSR full frame camera. The focal length was set at 200 mm and I had to adjust the ISO at 1250 in order to get a shutter speed that would prevent a blurred picture as the birds were quickly flying by. Some additional cropping was needed in order to obtain a picture that was big enough.

For other photos on the province of Quebec and also Quebec City, click on the following links from my blog:

Province of Quebec Photos

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Autumn

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Winter

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Spring

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Summer

Categories
Street photography

Walking on the side of a wall in Old Quebec

Teens are defying gravity in Old Quebec
Teens are defying gravity in Old Quebec

These teens from Quebec City work hard at walking on the side of a stonewall near the St. Louis Gate in Old Quebec. Their efforts deserved a picture.

The picture was taken from far away, that is from a point located on the other side of the St.Louis street.That way, they did not realize that they were being photographed, which allowed them to stay natural. That is one of the principles of street photography.

Behind the people is Quebec City’s lower town. The city lights are visible since it was close to 9 PM when the picture was taken.

I was able to take a sharp picture from really far away only with the help of a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens mounted on a Canon 5DSR full frame camera that is equipped with a 50.6 megapixel sensor. Some significant cropping was then necessary to bring the action even closer to the viewer.

For other street photography pictures:

Street photography

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Controversial subjects

Turkey’s Prime Minister comments on the September 9/11 attacks.

On the CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS program dated November 12, 2017, Fareed invited the Prime Minister of Turkey, Binari Yildirim.

Turkey presented the case that Fethullah Gulen, an american cleric living in the USA, is behind the 2016 failed coup against President Erdogan of Turkey and it wants M. Gulen extradited.

To explain the USA’s refusal to send Fethullah Gulen over to Turkey, Fareed Zakaria said something along the lines : « My contacts say that there is nothing solid that supports the fact that the 2016 coup against Turkey was organized by the Imam Fethullah Gulen ».

The well-prepared Prime Minister of Turkey then responded : « When you said that Osama Bin Laden was behind the September 9/11 attacks, we did not ask for proof of that. We just supported you ». [And immediately went to war in Afghanistan without proof of Bin Laden’s involvment].

In other words, to stay friends with the United States, Turkey did not ask that the USA prove with any hard facts that Bin Laden was behind the 9/11 attacks, a fact that Bin Laden denied from day one. They knew that the United States had strategic interests in Afghanistan and they supported whatever reason, proven or not, that would justify an invasion of Afghanistan.

Now, Turkey says that the Unites States are not willing to commit themselves to Turkey’s national interests the same way Turkey supported the USA. It is like saying to the United States : « Don’t ask for hard facts, just do it, like we did for you. » In 2016, on the same issue, Erdogan said : « If we are strategic partners or model partners, do what is necessary“.

We can extract two things out of this discussion between Fareed Zakaria and Binari Yildirim:

1) That the cleric Fethullah Gulen has possibly nothing more to do with the coup in Turkey than Bin Laden had to do with the 9/11 attacks. But as Gulen strongly opposes Erdogan, he is considered a threat to Turkey’s national interests (or to Erdogan’s chance to stay indifinitely in power?).

Turkey expects the United States to refrain from looking for hard facts of any wrong doings by Gulen and nonetheless send the cleric to Turkey as a sign of goodwill and friendship between the two countries.

2) That friends of the United States don’t seem to ask a lot of questions and proof when it comes to the 9/11 attacks. They go with the flow and expect a return of favors when comes the time…

Fareed quickly changed subject …

For more explanations on the failed coup in Turkey, click on the following link on CNN : Turkey failed coup explainer

About the September 9/11 attacks, you will find several facts presented in a book written by a former well-known french journalist, Éric Reynaud, in the « controversial issues » section of my website :

Controversial issues

Categories
Photos of Canada Ship photography

The Corona Frontier ship in the Vancouver harbour

The Corona Frontier bulk carrier vessel in the Vancouver Harbour in 2016
The Corona Frontier bulk carrier vessel in the Vancouver Harbour in 2016

The picture above was taken during summer 2016 in the Vancouver harbour, in British Columbia. I chose that time of the day to take the picture since the light was at its best.

The calm winds allowed for a better reflection in the water. The rain, which had been falling almost all day, favored the presence of low clouds which eventually hid the mountains. It is nonetheless possible to still see part of the mountains at the top of the picture.

I used a Canon 5DSR full frame camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. The aperture was set at F9 in order to optimize the photo’s sharpness.

The bulk carrier ship in the foreground is the Corona Frontier. It sails under the japanese flag and has its home port in Kobe. The vessel was built in 2000. The Corona Frontier’s draught is 13.7 meters and its gross tonnage is 48032 tons.

For more articles in the category « Photos of Canada », click on the following link : Photos of Canada

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Sunset on the Magdalen Islands

Sunset on the Magdalen Islands in 2017
Sunset on the Magdalen Islands in 2017

The Magdalen Islands, in the Province of Quebec, are recognized for the magnificent sunsets. The picture above was taken while I was coming back from Havre Aubert with my family during summer 2017. The ponds are located between Havre Aubert and Cap-aux-Meules, immediately alongside the main road.

The day had been cloudy and there was no indication that the evening would offer a possibility to get an interesting picture. But around 8 PM, while the sun was still relatively high above the horizon, a few sunrays were able to pierce through the cloud deck. The stratocumulus being well defined, it became obvious that when the sun would be close enough to the horizon, it would light the cloud deck from below as well as light up the ponds. It was important to act rapidly in order to capture the beautiful atmosphere.

When the winds are calm and you must stand still close to ponds in order to do photographic adjustments, one must accept to lose some blood to swarming moskitos. That night, I must have lost a pint of blood!

The absence of wind allowed for a good reflection of the electric poles in the foreground.

The picture was taken with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens and a graduated filter used to avoid the underexposure that would be caused by the highlights in the horizon. I used aperture priority and set it at F18 to get a proper depth of field. The ISO was set at 200 and the focal length at 135 mm.

For other photos on the province of Quebec and also Quebec City, click on the following links from my blog:

Province of Quebec Photos

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Autumn

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Winter

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Spring

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Summer

Categories
Street photography

Having fun on a beach in Parksville British Columbia

Children are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia
Children are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia

The children in the picture above immediately reminded me of my youth. In the ‘60s, video games had yet to be invented and we were often outside trying to create new situations in which we could take risks without serious consequences.

The kids are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia. For how long will the boy be able to stay dry in his rubber boots? His sister seems to realize more than him the situation in which he has put himself. Maybe it is already too late to return to the beach before the next wave…!

The scene was caught with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera.

For other street photography pictures:

Street photography