Tag: Quebec City

Categories
Flight Simulation

Short Landings in Flight Simulation with MSFS 2020

On approach for Île d'Orléans.
On approach for Île d’Orléans.

Today’s flight consists of two virtual short landings using the MSFS 2020 flight simulator (or as some call it, FS2020). We will be landing on Île d’Orléans and on the Battlefields Park.

First of all, I admit that the Cessna 170B’s windows are dirty. For realism, the designer Carenado left a little dirt here and there to show the wear and tear of this very old aircraft.

The picture above shows Île d’Orléans as seen from the Cessna. Since there is no landing strip but a golf club in the area, we will use the open fairways to land the aircraft. If there is a golfer on the course, I will open the window and yell, as is customary, “Fore!” (Falling Object Returning to Earth).

On final for Île d'Orléans
On final for Île d’Orléans

We are established on final for the small portion of open ground ahead. With 40 degrees of flaps, the stall speed is particularly low and the landing should not be too difficult.

On Île d'Orléans ready for take-off.
On Île d’Orléans ready for take-off.

Although the available strip was not very wide, it was long enough for the landing, the taxiing and the maneuvering to turn the aircraft 180 degrees for its take-off to Quebec City.

Airborne from Île d'Orléans with a Cessna 170B
Airborne from Île d’Orléans with a Cessna 170B

Back in the air, direction Quebec City. The take-off on soft ground requires about 20 degrees of flaps.

Enroute towards Quebec City.
Enroute towards Quebec City.

Quebec City is in sight. In the Cessna C-170B I flew in 1981 across Canada from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu to Edmonton, Alberta, there was no modern navigation aid installed on board as in the photo above, where the GPS helps the pilot find his way. The flight was flown using 14 VFR charts and nothing more. (If you are interested, click to read more about real-life flying stories on my blog).

Hôtel le Concorde and its revolving restaurant, visible on the right.
Hôtel le Concorde and its revolving restaurant, visible on the right.

We are now above the Plains of Abraham. On the picture above, on the right, you can see the Hotel le Concorde and its revolving restaurant. We will possibly disturb the quiet atmosphere of the meal as we fly by…

The MNBAQ and the Battlefields Park are in sight.
The MNBAQ and the Battlefields Park are in sight.

Above, straight ahead, the gray buildings represent a portion of the Musée National des Beaux-Arts de Québec (MNBAQ). A little further on is the open area of the Battlefields Park. In 1928, Lindbergh landed on that field to bring badly needed medicine for his friend Floyd Bennett. Can we normally land on the Battlefields Park, in the heart of Quebec City? Of course not. But that’s the beauty of a flight simulation; you can do whatever you want!

Cessna 170B on the Battlefields Park in Québec City.
Cessna 170B on the Battlefields Park in Québec City.

Once landed, the aircraft is allowed to decelerate gradually and then turned 180 degrees for the next takeoff. When winds are light, there is no need to worry about the direction of the takeoff.

Aerial view of Battlefield Parks with the Cessna 170B under MSFS 2020.
Aerial view of Battlefield Parks with the Cessna 170B under MSFS 2020.

Above, an aerial view of the Battlefields Park, with the virtual Cessna C-170B ready to take off again.

Partial view of Quebec City in flight simulation with MSFS 2020
Partial view of Quebec City in flight simulation with MSFS 2020

One last picture, this time with some additional buildings. The realism of the virtual scene with FS2020 is amazing!

I hope you enjoyed these two short flights. Whether you use the short landing technique for the Battlefields Park is really up to you, as there is enough space for a normal landing. But it is good to practice landing in the shortest distance possible. You never know when your engine will quit!

You can click on the following link for other challenging virtual flights   on my blog.

Categories
Ship photography

The ship MSC Maria Pia in front of Quebec City.

The MSC Maria Pia vessel on the St.Lawrence Seaway by Quebec City.
The MSC Maria Pia vessel on the St.Lawrence Seaway by Quebec City.

Here is a last picture of the winter of 2022 before going into spring mode. We can see the MSC Maria Pia sailing through the ice on the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis, with a temperature of -27C.

The container ship Maria Pia belongs to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). It was built in 1997 and flies the Panama flag. The ship passed by the Quai des Cageux at just the right time, as the very soft light of a late afternoon winter day is always more conducive to photography.

Click on the link for more photos of ships on my blog.

Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

The promenade Samuel-De Champlain in winter.

A part of the promenade Samuel-De Champlain in winter by -27C.
A part of the promenade Samuel-De Champlain in winter by -27C.

The photo above shows a portion of the promenade Samuel-De Champlain in Quebec City. People are walking under a temperature of -27 C, but the windchill factor is actually more like -40 C.

Where I was standing, a cliff was blocking the last sunrays. But a little further, the perfectly clear sky and the sun setting diretly in the axis of the St-Lawrence River allowed to obtain amazing color contrasts.

The promenade Samuel-De Champlain with the Adobe "Content Aware" function.
The promenade Samuel-De Champlain with the Adobe “Content Aware” function.

I used the first photo above to familiarize myself with Adobe CC 2022. The software’s “content aware fill ” feature allows you to quickly erase elements of a photo without it being too noticeable. So, I tried the experiment with the person in the foreground. In a few seconds, the lady disappeared without a trace. Artificial intelligence now plays an increasingly important role in the fast and efficient editing of images.

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City in winter on my blog.

Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

The new houses of Sillery

Sillery was a formerly self-governing municipality that is now part of Quebec City. The architecture of the houses that have been built there in recent years contrasts greatly in style and format with the older dwellings.

The more recent constructions are somewhat surprising in their gigantic size. The new owners want buildings with a modern look and very imposing dimensions, sometimes doubling and even tripling the size of the traditional homes in the area.

The photo below shows the difference in size between a traditional property (on the far right of the photo) and a more modern home. 

Modern Sillery house in winter, 2022.
Modern Sillery house in winter, 2022.

Below, a traditional house in Sillery simply decorated for the holiday season. The blue light of the little tree is reflected on the front of the house and it looks really nice.

Traditional Sillery house in Québec City 2022.
Traditional Sillery house in Québec City 2022.

The traditional house above and its Christmas decorations contrast strongly with another one two streets away (photo below). It’s hard to miss the house (of which we can only see one section) and especially the huge tree decorated in its entirety and which must have required the use of a crane equipped with a telescopic arm.

Modern Sillery house with Christmas decorations in 2022.
Modern Sillery house with Christmas decorations in 2022.

A final photo (below) shows another traditional house in Sillery with interesting architecture.

The old and the new are in stark contrast in the area, so I thought it was important to capture some memories of properties with unique architecture before they disappear to make way for modernity. Because today, the fashion favors demolition rather than renovation.

Traditional house of Sillery in Québec City with Christmas decorations. in 2022.
Traditional house of Sillery in Québec City with Christmas decorations. in 2022.

The pictures are from a Canon 5DSR full frame camera with a Canon EF 24-70 lens, all mounted on a tripod to avoid blur. The ISO was set to 200, in order to limit the photographic grain.

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City in winter on my blog.

Categories
Flight Simulation

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

Approaching the Narita international airport, in Japan, with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
Approaching the Narita international airport, in Japan, with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

The Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is an extremely interesting product. Microsoft is taking advantage of the satellite imagery offered by Bing, which allows the flight simulation enthusiast to fly over the world almost like in the real life. With the addition of live weather and air traffic in real time, the immersion is incredible.

Flying over New York in the evening with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
Flying over New York in the evening with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

To download the game’s 128 gigabytes using my current internet plan, it took fourteen hours. I still remember when I bought a hard drive that could hold 30 megabytes of data: it was a computer revolution!

Of course, the game requires an adaptation. We are far from the old FSX platform. It goes without saying that you need a high-performance computer. But a new and very positive aspect of this simulator is that you can now use an X-Box controller as an in-flight camera, with the addition of a rudder and a steering wheel for more reality. This camera offers incredible possibilities and the additional X-Box controller becomes essential.

The Zlin Savage Cub flying over the United States using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
The Zlin Savage Cub flying over the United States using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

As with anything new, there are some glitches. Personally, I have been using the CH company products for flight simulation for many years and the new MSFS 2020 has had problems recognizing the functions of CH products. Many virtual flight enthousiasts have had the same problems. So here are the links below that allowed a neophyte like me to solve the problems.

A first video of interest is also available. Its author uses a slightly different method, but it is super easy to understand and allows you to acquire additional knowledge if you want to map your CH rudder and control column correctly.

A second video gives you access to the CH company products. There you will find the links that allow you to print a representation of your CH flight controls. This will allow you to find which number is associated with a specific command control. You can then remap the controls to your taste and keep a record of all the modifications you made.

Here are two other practical links for answers to various questions about X-Box and other subjects and CH products.

Aerial view of Quebec City using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
Aerial view of Quebec City using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

In the screenshot above, you might recognize Quebec City, with the restaurant Le Concorde in the distance on the left, followed by the Edifice Marie-Guyart, a part of the Plains of Abraham, the Château Frontenac, the Price building and the lower town.

Have a good flight!

Click on the link for other flight simulation virtual pictures on my blog.

Categories
Environment Photography

Blue Jay in Autumn in Quebec City.

Blue Jay in a Russian Mountain Ash tree.
Blue Jay in a Russian Mountain Ash tree.

The picture above, taken with a Canon 5DS R full frame camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens was taken in the Fall morning in Quebec City , after a night with frost. The Russian Mountain Ash berries have not yet been eaten by all kinds of birds, so we can use them for our bird photography  session before it is too late.

In anticipation of the cold winter days, I designed a retractable feeder to help the family of five blue jays   which lives in the neighborhood. I thought it would take several days for them to get to grips with the new system, but in less than 24 hours, they were gleefully stuffing themselves.

Blue Jay eating peanuts
Blue Jay eating peanuts

The five blue jays each have a well-defined behavior. I have one who accepts to eat peanuts in my hands, but he mistakes my fingertips for the tip of a peanut. He pulls but nothing helps : the peanut does not follow. He probably suffers from myopia…

There is another who spends his time changing his mind; he chooses a peanut, then puts it back in the pot, then chooses another. After procrastinating and swapping the peanuts multiple times, he flies away. Another is an aerobatic ace; it arrives at high speed and catches peanuts in a fraction of a second without stopping. It rarely drops it.

Hermit Thrush in a Russian Mountain Ash.
Hermit Thrush in a Russian Mountain Ash.

During this time, the Hermit Thrush in the tree continues to taste the small red berries, indifferent to the activities of the blue jays.

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

Hostage

Hostage by Guy Delisle
Hostage by Guy Delisle

Guy Delisle took fifteen years to write this graphic novel. He tells the story of the kidnapping for ransom (K&R) in 1997 of a French citizen, Christophe André, while he was working for a medical NGO in the Caucasus region.

Faithful to his habits, this author born in Quebec City offers us a fascinating and humane narrative. A work that looks at a real life story often adds tension, when properly put together. This is what happens with the work of Guy Delisle. Hostage is a 428-page graphic novel that can be read in one sitting. As it often happens in dramatic events, humans discover an unsuspected character and strengths that enable them to cope with abuse, loneliness and stress.

Hostage by Guy Delisle interior page
Hostage by Guy Delisle interior page

The pace and the quality of the drawings and the script make it easy for the reader to dive into the story and imagine themselves in the place of the captive. Would the decisions made by the hostage also have been made by the reader? Would he have used other means to deal with his captivity?

I discourage the reader from trying to discover the conclusion of this story before starting to read the book. Resist this temptation, the read is worth the effort!

Title : Hostage.

Author : Guy Delisle

Editions : Drawn & Quarterly (25 April 2017)

©2016 et 2017

ISBN-13 : 978-1770462793

Categories
Photography

The Hôtel Le Concorde and the Coronavirus.

In Quebec City, a few floors of the Hôtel Le Concorde receive patients recovering from the coronavirus.

Hôtel Le Concorde and the rooms reserved for patients who had to deal with the coronavirus.
Hôtel Le Concorde and the rooms reserved for patients who had to deal with the coronavirus.

Within seconds of taking this photo of the hotel, a Corona delivery truck appeared in front of the hotel. It was just a coincidence. But somebody was in need of the Mexican serum!

Hôtel Le Concorde and the Corona delivery truck.
Hôtel Le Concorde and the Corona delivery truck.

Speaking of coronavirus (COVID-19), I was recently at Costco and was wearing a protective mask. I heard some people near me say: “I don’t see why he’s wearing a mask, it doesn’t even protect him!” I tried to explain to them that I was wearing the mask to protect the people around me, but that did not convince anyone. It seems that taking selfless action to protect others is inconceivable. The purpose of wearing a mask is to protect the neighbors. And if the neighbors wear one too, they protect me. The more we wear the mask, the more we protect each other. We help each other. However, it seems to be a surprisingly difficult concept to grasp!

At the entrance of a huge garden store, a lady refused to rub her hands with gel. She said to the clerk: “No way am I putting liquid germicide on my hands, it’s not good for my health.”  The clerk was very nice and replied: “Okay, so come in with me and wash your hands inside with soap and water.” She had no choice because she would not have been allowed to shop. This is another example of a human behavior that is hard to understand. If she was so interested in her health, taking care of her weight situation would have been more sensible than to focus on a bit of liquid germicide.

Categories
Street photography

The ideal access to school in Quebec City

The St-Louis-de-Gonzague school in Quebec City.
The St-Louis-de-Gonzague school in Quebec City.

By cropping very tightly a picture of the St-Louis-de-Gonzague school’s entrance, in Quebec City, it is possible to modify the access to the school.

To the right of the hole in the wall, you can see “Entrée des élèves”, which means “Entrance for students”. With this reinterpretation, the students are invited to leave school as soon as they arrive. At a time where the society promotes an alternative education and the environment, this is an ideal opportunity for the students!

For other street photos, click on:

Street photography

Categories
Street photography

The boy with the man’s face.

In Canada, we cannot take the picture of someone who is the main subject unless we have obtained her permission. This is even more important with a child, where the authorization of the parents is required. But in the case of the picture below, it is different: it is a child whose face seems to belong to somebody else!

The child with a man's face. Terrasse Dufferin, Quebec City.
The child with a man’s face. Terrasse Dufferin, Quebec City.

I took this picture and enlarged it in the camera to understand what I was seeing. I realized that the child was holding the image of an adult man directly in front of his face.

The child with a man's face (enlarged photo)
The child with a man’s face (enlarged photo)

There was a group of adults that were standing nearby. One of the man called the child, who rapidly stepped down from the statue. They told me that the picture held by the child represents the sensei of a karate club that came all the way from British-Columbia for a national competition of Shotokan style karate being held at Laval University in Quebec City. The mystery was solved!

For other street photos, click on:

Street photography