Below are a few Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MFS 2020) screen captures taken during virtual flights.
Le Mont St-Michel en France, sous MFS 2020.
Mont St-Michel is a very nice addition to the France virtual scenery provided by MFS 2020. Such great sites can be found in many places in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 program, but many more are also available for free through the flight simulation community : they can then be downloaded and installed in MFS 2020, thus ever improving the overall experience.
Heading to KLAX from KBUR with a TBM 930 on the flight simulator MFS 2020.
The haze is quite present in the Los Angeles area and adds to the realism in the screenshot above. The FedEx livery comes from « Liveries Mega Pack Manager ».
Puerto Vallarta with MFS 2020 and improved scenery by John Lovell
The Icon A5 Kingfisher is seen flying along the Puerto Vallarta coast in Mexico. The scenery was hugely improved by John Lovell and is available through Flightsim.to. But it will require 5 GiG on your hard disk!
The Burbank Bob Hope (KBUR) modelized by Orbx on the flight simulator MFS 2020.
The picture above shows a small part of the Burbank Bob Hope airport (KBUR) modelized by Orbx. The screen capture was taken with the X-Box drone. This drone is a fantastic addition to what is now available to flight simulation enthousiasts when comes the time to bring back souvenirs from a flight.
Heading to Iqaluit with the flight simulator MFS 2020.
Enroute to Iqaluit (CYFB), the jet just got out of the cloud deck and some rime icing is still visible on the nose and the wing’s leading edge. That evening, there was a sigmet reporting high level turbulence and it is exactly what I experienced during the flight, using REX Weather Force 2020 as a weather engine.
I’ll be back with more flight simulation screen captures soon. Meanwhile, have a good virtual flight!
On Friday May 1st 2020, Quebec received a shipment of medical equipment destined to the people fighting COVID-19. An Antonov 225 was carrying the goods. The flight was organized thanks to a joint collaboration between Nolinor, Momentum Solutions and Antonov Airlines.
Departing from Tianjin, China, the plane made a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, before continuing its flight over Canada towards the province of Quebec.
The Antonov 225 carrying medical supplies for Canada makes a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska.
The arrival of the Antonov 225 in Anchorage was announced in advance by the media, which allowed a large crowd to stand near the airport and monitor the approach of the aircraft. The following link allows you to view the approach and arrival: KTUU Video Antonov 225
At 5:35 on the KTUU video, we can see a Fedex MD-11F. It is worth mentioning, because this was a very impressive plane at the time of its conception, but companies are progressively getting rid of it due to the age and fuel costs associated with its operation. Today, the aircraft is only used for the transport of goods. The production of aircrafts of this size, with three engines, was stopped years ago. There is a good chance that the Antonov 225 will continue to fly long after the MD-11F has made its last flight. (Edit: The Russians destroyed the Antonov 225 during the invasion of Ukraine)
After taking off from Anchorage in the morning of May 1st, the Antonov 225 arrived in Mirabel, Quebec, in the evening of the same day at around 8:22 p.m. The aircraft’s flight path (ADB3381) could be followed on Flightradar24 at the time of its approach for Mirabel (CYMX).
The Antonov 225 ADB3381 on final for Mirabel airport in Canada on May 1st 2020.
We can see on the Flightradar24 screen capture that a helicopter (C-GSTV) is positioned to film the arrival of the world’s biggest aircraft. It is an AS 350 BA from TVA, a French-language news media in Quebec.
The Québec TVA news helicopter C-GSTV.
Source : FlightAware.
The Antonov 225 arrives in Mirabel from Anchorage on May 1st 2020.
Several challenges were encountered for this flight to be a success: the language barrier, the verification of equipment quality (contaminated material is not of a big help), the airport operation’s requirements from China, customs limited hours of operation, maximum daily time in service for the Antonov 225 crew, international competition for slot times and orders, initiatives from some countries to acquire shipments not intended for them, etc. But finally, after hard work, Quebec finally received the precious cargo.
The flight simulator enthousiast will have fun trying this short flight ( 14 minutes) from the Eagle County virtual airport (KEGE) to the Telluride virtual airport (KTEX). The virtual flight, using FSX, was made during winter, on January 8th. The shots below represent an idea of what is visible while flying toTelluride. Use 14,000 feet, it should do it…
FedEx MD-11 on the take-off run at the Eagle County airport (KEGE) (FSX)
FedEx MD-11 airborne from the Eagle County airport (KEGE) (FSX)
FedEx MD-11 between Eagle County airport (KEGE) and Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
There are lots of beautiful mountains between KEGE and Telluride, and also some unpredictable weather…
FedEX Md-11 entering bad weather
The expected ceiling at Telluride was 8500 ft. On the way to the airport, the clouds and visibility were sometimes obscuring the mountains.
A FedEx MD-11 on a flight Eagle County (KEGE) to Telluride (KTEX) (FSX)
Telluride is a very inviting airport for a MD-11. The 7000 feet runway itself does not represent a big challenge, although its 100 feet are a bit narrow: this aircraft would normally require a 150 feet wide landing surface.
The virtual VFR approach made with the MD-11 was the most expensive way to do the trip, since it required a fly-by and a 270 degree turn to the right to align with runway 09.
FedEx MD-11 flies by the Telluride airport KTEX) (FSX)
The 270 degree turn at a 10-20 degree bank allowed to transit from 14,000 to 10,000 ft without doing anything radical. Just a turn while descending and gradually loosing speed to arrive at around 160 kts on final. The aircraft was now installed on long final, with flaps set at 50 degrees.
A FedEx MD-11 on long final runway 09 for the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
The high altitude runway’s 9078 feet msl elevation meant the pilots dealt with lower air density and heavy weight when approaching and, as such, the airspeed had to be adjusted accordingly to prevent stalling on final.
A FedEx MD-11 on final runway 09 for the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
Here is a view from the Telluride tower…
View from the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX) of a FedEx MD-11 on final for runway 09
Now with a view like that, you would not consider coming in IFR…!
A FedEx MD-11 inbound from KEGE on final for runway 09 at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
To prevent an overshoot and some additional expenses in fuel (which are already skyrocketing), an optimal approach was required.
Most accidents with the MD-11 happen when the pilot pushes on the stick when there is a rebound with the nose wheel, thus creating an even stronger rebound. When there is a rebound, there is no need to push on the stick, just wait and the aircraft sets itself quickly.
A FedEx MD-11 over the threshold runway 09 at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
Now with max breaking and thrust reversers…
A FedEX MD-11 slowing down at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
The MD-11 can easily turn at the first taxiway at Telluride. But in order to capture a wider view of the airport, I exited at the last taxiway (again adding to the already enormous expense in fuel…)
A FedEX Md-11 is exiting runway 09 at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
The employee on the ramp was worried that the MD-11 lower winglet would scratch N900SS while taxiing. But there was plenty of space (11 inches)…
A FedEX Md-11 is taxiing on the ramp at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
The MD-11 was parked temporarily in a spot needed by every aircraft. It was necessary to unload quickly the precious cargo and get out of the way.
Temporary parking for a FedEx MD-11 at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
Some expert handling would be needed to help move back that MD-11 close to the runway. But that was the Telluride’s airport manager problem and he had promised he would have something ready!
FedEx Md-11 parked at the Telluride airport (KTEX) (FSX)
The virtual scenery from departure to destination is a creation of ORBX programmers and the virtual MD-11 is made by PMDG Simulations (I am not sure it works with P3D though). For the weather, I used REX Simulations as the weather engine and REX and Cumulus X for the cloud textures. (Edit: PMDG does not support it’s MD-11 anymore).
For other challenging virtual flights, head towards the flight simulation section of my web site, under “challenging virtual flights”: there is something for everyone!
For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation
A Bombardier CL-415 water bomber, property of the Government of Quebec, is being prepared for its flight towards Fort McMurray, May 2016
Quebec’s CL-415s helping out in Fort McMurray
On May 5th, 2016, according to what had been announced by the Government of Quebec, four CL-415s took off from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) heading to Fort McMurray, Alberta, to help in the fight against widespread forest fires in that province. It is the worst natural disaster that Canada has known in its history.
Preparing flight crews and aircrafts for such a long cross-country trip naturally demands much coordination from the SOPFEU (Society for the protection of forests against fires). Once they will have landed at the Fort McMurray airport, the pilots of those CL-415s will be under the direct command of the Albertan authorities in charge of fighting the wildfires, since the latter are best positioned to know exactly what the local needs are.
I figure that the flight service specialists (FSS) of the Nav Canada flight information center (FIC) in Edmonton must have quite busy days with the increased aerial activity associated with the numerous fires…
Crew members are walking towards the Government of Quebec CL-415; they will soon be airborne and heading to Fort McMurray in Alberta, to fight the forest fires (2016)
The picture above shows crew members heading towards their assigned aircraft. Once they start working in the Fort McMurray region, they will not only have to directly fight the forest fires but also head to sectors that have not yet been touched by fire and water the area thoroughly to prevent new wildfires.
A Government of Quebec CL-415 number 245 is taxiing at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport to take-off towards Fort McMurray, in Alberta, to help fight the out of control forest fires in that province during May 2016.
Taking pictures of propeller-driven aircrafts
A Bombardier CL-415 water bomber takes off from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport heading to Fort McMurray, in Alberta, to help fight the forest fires (2016)
It is a bit touchy to photograph propeller-driven aircrafts while making sure that there is a sensation of movement. In a natural reflex to want to avoid blurred pictures, the photographer uses a shutter speed that corresponds to the focal used for the shot. In the case of the picture above, the focal was 400mm. But if a shutter speed of 1/400 had been used, the propellers would have been totally immobilized and the aircraft would have looked like its climbing while not using its engines.
It was necessary to reduce the speed to 1/160, thus increasing the risk of obtaining a blurred picture. In order to get both image sharpness and moving propellers visual effect, the photographer has to follow exactly the movement of the aircraft with the camera so that it looks totally immobile in the viewfinder. This asks for a bit of practice but allows for more realistic photos.
The CL-415 in a black and white photo
Black and white photo of a Bombardier CL-415 (C-GQBG) flying over Quebec City in 2015
The government of Canada helping out Alberta’s citizens
The government of Canada, under Justin Trudeau, has promised to match the amounts of money offered by all Canadians to the Red Cross society toward helping the Fort McMurray population.
Obviously, its contribution will not stop there (in fact, far from it), but the message is for the whole Canadian population to contribute generously to support the efforts of the Red Cross. It is already estimated that the material damages will reach at least nine billion dollars and that numerous years will be required to rebuild everything. The Liberal Party of Canada had built its political campaign around the need to invest for the renewal of infrastructures. With the Fort McMurray fires, there will be plenty of new unplanned expenses ahead.
More than 1,400 firemen are fighting the wildfires. So few, there has been very few lives lost, although “very few” is always too much. The crisis is, according to everyone, well managed by the government of Alberta.
At the time of writing, there was still no rain forecasted for days to come and the drought was also extending to the southern half of Saskatchewan and part of Manitoba. The winds were expected to increase, which would mean that even more resources would be needed in the near future to bring those wildfires under control.
It seems to me that the government of many Canadian provinces would benefit in acquiring new water bombers like the CL-415 to give them an increased margin of manoeuver that would allow them to react more quickly, if we take into account the tendency for the ever growing number and size of forest fires. In the picture below, the government of Quebec CL-415 number 247 is just airborne from Quebec to Fort McMurray.
A Bombardier CL-415 C-GQBK airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport heading to Fort McMurray, Alberta, in May 2016
The CL-215s will not head to Fort McMurray
While several CL-415s are leaving for Alberta, few water bombers, like the two Canadair CL-215s shown below, stay at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in case of forest fires in the province and also to be used for the seasonal rehearsal needed for every pilot before they are dispatched across the province of Quebec.
Two Canadair CL-215 water bombers parked at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in May 2016.
Global warming
Some people can say that global warming is not responsible for the increasing number of extended wildfires. They might be right, but I prefer to adopt a wider view than only what is going on in Alberta. Heat transfer between the north and south are now more extreme in order to equalize the temperatures around the globe. All means to reduce the difference in temperatures between the equator and the poles are at work and this causes increasing problems to particular regions.
The Kamloops region in British-Columbia, when numerous forest fires were raging 2014.
A powerful El Nino phenomenon, repetitive Omega blocks, the air circulation in different cells (Hadley, Ferrell, polar, Walker) all participate in the heat exchange. At a more reduced scale, we also regularly hear of cold and warm fronts in the meteorological forecasts.
It is certainly not local warm fronts that are responsible for the fact that a thinner layer of permafrost is unable to ensure the stability of Arctic runways anymore. Nor are fronts responsible for the fact that houses on stilts do not have a stable foundation anymore. Many heat records have been established these past years in northern Canada. There will certainly be large amounts of money to spend to rebuild the Nordic infrastructures.
Brush fires as soon as April in Alberta
This year, as soon as April, there were widespread brush fires in a region as north as Fort McMurray in Alberta because winter has not brought much snow to humidify the land during Spring. I thus wondered what would happen once in July. Albertans did not need to wait that long to get the answer.
Western Canada forest after a fire (2014)
The modelization of climatic changes indicates that, in the Fort McMurray region, the forest fire season is already fifteen days longer that it used to be. More heat might favor more droughts. But an increase in temperature also favors the development of thunderstorms and with them comes lighting that will start up new fires.
One thing is sure: insurance companies will not lose time with the different theories on global warming. The reinsurers (those who insure the insurance companies) have the obligation to limit their losses to stay afloat and premiums will quickly increase to answer to the thousands of claims following an increasing number of natural disasters.
Photos of the local air traffic in Quebec, just after the CL-415s departed to Fort McMurray
FedEx ATR 72-202F C-FTAR and Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GIJZ) at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in May 2016
At the Quebec airport, between the take offs of the four Bombardier CL-415 towards Fort McMurray, I was able to take few pictures of the local air traffic. In the photo above, it is possible to see a FedEx ATR 72 (C-FTAR) taxiing toward the ramp after a landing runway 06. An Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q-400) (C-GIJZ) was also being towed for is imminent departure.
ATAC’s Hawker Hunter N339AX
Being in luck, I was able to capture a Hawker Hunter (N339AX) belonging to the American company ATAC, just airborne from Quebec. As for any military jet, it is difficult to ignore them on take-off: the reactor’s noise is there to remind you of their presence…
A Hawker Hunter belonging to the american company ATAC is airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB), May 2016
A Hawker Hunter, from the american company ATAC, is airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) in May 2016
The pictures above have been taken with a Canon 5D MKII camera, equipped with a telephoto lens Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM with a polarizing filter and a Canon Extender EF 2X III which brought the focal length to 400 mm. Even then, more cropping was necessary to enlarge the aircraft since I was quite far away from the runway.
Wishing to ensure that the image was sharp (a blurred picture is more probable with a 400 mm focal length while the photographer attempts to follow a fast flying jet), I adjusted the shutter speed to 1/1600 and made sure that the automatic focus was set on AI servo.
I now realized that a slower speed could have worked a bit better since it would have allowed showing a blurred forest in the background while keeping the aircraft sharp. But it is not often that you have the opportunity to see a Hawker Hunter in flight these days and I played safe with the shutter speed. The ideal shot will be for another day…
CL-415s and CL-215s together in Quebec (2012 photo)
CL-415 and CL-215 water bombers belonging to the Gouvernment of Quebec. Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) 2012
A last picture, taken few years ago, during autumn 2012, shows numerous water bombers CL-415 and CL-215 parked at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB). During the off- season, the water bombers are brought back to Quebec City from the different bases were they have been in operation during summertime.
For other articles on aviation and photography, click on the following link: Aviation photography
FedEx MD11 in flight (FSX). This virtual aircraft is made by PMDG.
TheMD-11 is an extremely interesting aircraft with regards to its characteristics but many pilots have had problems to master all its interesting features in real life. It’s partly for that reason that there has been many crashes with this type of aircraft. Considering the MD-11 high fuel consumption, FedEx will progressively start selling them, starting 2015. The only company in the world still using the MD-11 to carry passengers is KLM (edit: it did the last flight with passengers in 2015). The MD-11 is remembered for the Swissair 111 crash, near the coast of Nova-Scotia, on Septembre 2nd, 1998. It was flying the New-York to Geneva leg when the accident happened: 229 persons perished when the aircraft plunged into the sea.
The above screen capture has been edited to give it a more realistic effect and to emphasize the quality of light at dusk. Different images, under many company colors, can be found on this website under the « flight simulation” category, within the ” virtual pictures » section. A flight from Mexico City Intl to Denver Intl will soon be included in the « challenging virtual flights » section. Have a good visit!
