In the real world, this just isn’t done. But in flight simulation, anything goes. Above, the aircraft completes the downwind leg of its approach to the carrier.
On stabilized final with full flaps and landing gear down, the focus is on the approach angle and stall speed, which stands at 73 knots.
Beech Baron Be-58 on final for the Gerarld R. Ford aircraft carrier
You can’t rely on a cable to stop the plane, so you need the lowest possible speed and good brakes to land it on the 333-meter bridge. Below, the Beech attracts a little curiosity as it circulates to find temporary parking.
Taxiing to park the BE-58 on the aircraft carrier
The virtual pilot then parks the aircraft for the next day.
Parked for the night on the CVN78 Gerald R. Ford
The next two images show the aircraft carrier facing a storm the following evening, with winds blowing at 35 knots during a thunderstorm. On deck, the first aircraft on the left is our Baron Be-58, holding its own. If the storm doesn’t blow it overboard, the military will soon!
The aircraft carrier CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford in a storm
I appreciate Erik Orsenna for his erudition, his Cartesian thinking, his poetry and his ability to find the detail that will amuse the reader while informing him. In his book, the author tackles with equal comfort a wide variety of themes relating to history, religion, philosophy, the environment, climate change, renewable energy, pure science, politics and economics.
Being first and foremost a man of the field, he quickly recognized the need to develop and maintain political contacts in many countries in order to facilitate his travels in areas often considered problematic. The reader benefits from this privileged access.
In “La Terre a soif“, he presents us with portraits of thirty-three rivers around the world. The list is not exhaustive, of course, because after years of travel and observation, he was pressed by the publisher to produce his book. I know that if it were up to him, he would still be on the road accumulating information, each more interesting than the other.
Here are some of the rivers discussed in this book: Mississippi, St. Lawrence, Loire, Nil, Congo, Ganges, Mekong, Colorado and even Panama’s two rivers. The smallest of the rivers mentions in the book flows in Brittany, France and is called Trieux, while the largest is the Amazon in Brazil.
With some of the more powerful countries like China, or Israel and a few others, negotiating for the equitable administration of a river is difficult. The dams built by a powerful country reduce the flow downstream and the smaller surrounding countries make do with what is left. Water harvesting also dries up land over long distances, affecting agricultural production.
Navigation on waterways must also adapt to the reduced flow. One example is the Panama Canal: [DeepL translation]: “ The lack of water is the great fear of Panama. We remember that the heart of the canal is the great Gatún Lake. If it were to dry up, the ships would run into rocks and sand: they would no longer be able to transport their cargo from one sea to the other. Trucks would have to take over”. (p.252)
In contrast, the author shows that there are ways to administrate a major river so that it benefits the riparian countries. He cites the management of the St. Lawrence River by the United States and Canada as an example.
Contrary to what one might think when it comes to the environment and water scarcity, not everything in this book is negative. On the contrary, Erik Orsenna has understood that the reader is tired of alarmist statements. The author has therefore designed a very well-balanced book where it is possible to make the reader’s thoughts evolve without the latter feeling the need to take an antidepressant at each chapter.
The Mexican Mountain Virtual Landing Strip (42MX) under Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS) is located in the United States, in Utah. It is a 1800 x 40 feet dirt runway, sloping slightly to the west.
The MX42 Mexican Mountain airstrip with visitors (MSFS)
The surrounding landscape is characterized by large cliffs and mountains whose peaks reach 6900 feet.
Airborne from the 42MX Mexican Mountain airstrip in MSFS flight simulation
Virtual scenery around the 42MX Mexican Mountain airstrip (MSFS)
Once on the ground and near the campfire, we can hear the fire crackling and the RC Plane activities through the walkie-talkie left on the table. We can’t tell if anyone will be there when we arrive. This time, a young couple was enjoying the good weather and had taken the time to light a fire in my absence…
42MX Mexican Mountain visitors taking a break in MSFS
One final note from the company: pineapples on pizza are not allowed on the site.
If you have purchased the Bushplane Campout 42BC, the simulation will be all the more realistic.
MSFS 2020 map for the flight 3U2 to C53 in United States
The challenging virtual flight is from Johnson Creek Airport (3U2) to the Lower Loon Creek Airstrip (C53) in the United States, using the MSFS 2020 flight simulator. The software map shows the type of aircraft chosen, a CubCrafters X Cub on floats, as well as the trajectory over the Idaho mountains.
The idea of using an amphibious aircraft for this flight is a bit far-fetched, but the goal is to make the pilot’s job a little more difficult by adding weight to the aircraft.
Johnson Creek (Yellow Pine) airport 3U2 with MSFS 2020
Johnson Creek Airport (3U2) is a creation of Creative Mesh. It is charming, with tents here and there planted near the planes. The runway is 3480 feet long by 150 feet wide. It is oriented on a 17/35 axis and still quite high at 4960 feet above sea level (MSL).
Amphibian CubCrafters X Cub ready for departure at the Johnson Creek 3U2 virtual airport with MSFS 2020.
Given the departure altitude, one must not forget to adjust the air/fuel mixture so as not to lose power on takeoff, especially since there is a mountain at the end of the runway and the floats increase the weight of this small aircraft. The air is also thinner as the flight takes place in summer and at a high altitude; this represents another obstacle to the aircraft’s performance.
Avoiding obstacles after take-off from the 3U2 Johnson Creek virtual airport using MSFS 2020.
The mountains near the runway present a significant obstacle. The virtual pilot must use the best possible angle of climb without worrying about the route recommended by the GPS. The flaps are kept slightly extended during the initial climb.
Flying over the Idaho mountains in flight simulation with MSFS 2020.
Once at a safe altitude and back on the GPS suggested route, the view of Idaho’s spectacular mountains is more enjoyable. Throughout the climb, the air-fuel mixture and altimeter (“B” on MSFS 2020) have to be adjusted.
CubCrafters X Cub floatplane over the Idaho mountains in flight simulation MSFS 2020
An altitude of almost 10,000 feet ASL makes it possible to fly over the mountains without risk of collision.
Descending in the valley towards the ID8 Marble Creek airport in Idaho in fligh simulation.
At the right moment, when the small surrounding airports and the river appear on the GPS, we leave our GPS road, until now in straight line, and we align in the valley to fly over the river until our destination, avoiding the surrounding mountains. In the photo above, the descent has already begun, with a necessary gradual adjustment of the air-fuel mixture.
Flying over the (ID8) Marble Creek airport in Idaho using the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
We fly over a first small airport. The picture above shows the planes parked on the runway of Marble Creek airport (ID8), which dimension is 1160 x 20 feet. For those which would be interested in trying a landing there, the orientation of the runway is 03/21 and the altitude of 4662 feet MSL.
Flying over the 2U8 Thomas Creek Airport in Idaho using the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
On the way towards our final destination, we also fly at low altitude over the Thomas Creek (2U8).
Following the river towards the C53 Lower Loon Creek airstrip using the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
The mountains on either side of the river require close attention, as the poor performance of a small aircraft equipped with floats does not allow for easy correction of navigational errors.
By the time the runway suddenly becomes visible, the plane will not be on course but 90 degrees off the ideal course. It will be necessary to quickly turn left into the valley, make a fairly sharp 180-degree turn to the right to avoid the mountains, and then get back on course to land. It is only at this point that the landing gear will be extended.
On final for Lower Loon Creek airstrip with MSFS 2020
The photo above shows the aircraft on final for the Lower Loon Creek dirt and grass runway (C53). It is located at 4084 feet MSL and is only 1200 feet long by 25 feet wide. Note that the approach should be made on runway 16 when possible.
Amphibian CubCrafters X Cub rolling down the C53 Lower Loon Creek airstrip in Idaho after landing.
As always, a stabilized aircraft on final makes landing easier, regardless of the conditions.
Amphibian CubCrafters X Cub parked at the C53 Lower Loon Creek airstrip using MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
We park the plane and rest a bit. Today, there is no one else here. But that’s not always the case in real life, as this video of a landing at Lower Loon Creek shows it.
The Key West (KEYW) virtual airport by FSDreamteam for the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
This is the Key West Airport (KEYW) in Florida, as reproduced for flight simulation by FSDreamteam for the Microsoft MSFS2020 flight simulator.
There is a clear advantage to acquiring this virtual airport rather than using the MSFS2020 airport. Indeed, the FSDreamteam KEYW airport doesn’t come alone: the company offers two other sites in accompaniment and for the same price: Fort Jefferson and the Loggerhead lighthouse.
A small virtual flight with a Cessna C-172 on floats allows you to fly over these sites and land on the water when appropriate.
Airborne from Key West KEYW with the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
The Cessna takes off from Key West under ideal weather conditions.
Part of the Key West Wildlife National Refuge using MSFS 2020
Shortly after takeoff and established at 3000 feet, we fly over the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.
Descending towards Fort Jefferson with MSFS 2020
The Garmin G-1000 allows a stable flight during screen captures.
Flying over Fort Jefferson in Key West with MSFS 2020.
This is Fort Jefferson photographed as the Cessna flies at about 1500 feet ASL. The winds have increased slightly and foam is becoming visible on the waves.
Flying over Loggerhead Lighthouse in Key West using thge MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
A little further along the flight path is the Loggerhead Lighthouse. The beach is beautiful and gently sloping. It will be possible to do a water landing, put the landing gear down while on the water and then park on the beach.
Making a sea-landing by Loggerhead Lighthouse in Key West, with MSFS 2020.
The landing is done without too much difficulty.
On the beach at Loggerhead Lighthouse, in Florida, using MSFS 2020.
With a little engine power, it is possible to get out of the water and park on the beach for a while. After turning off the engine, the MSFS2020 flight simulator allows the pilot to listen to the sound of the waves and wind in a realistic way. If there are birds in the area, it will also be possible to hear them.
For those who want to repeat the experience, it is only a matter of programming the starting point in MSFS2020 as KEYW and the destination KYW1 (Fort Jefferson). Once through Fort Jefferson, continue straight for a few minutes and you’ll arrive at the Loggerhead Lighthouse. Take a few moments to relax and listen to the waves before taking off again…!
Ready for departure at the Elk River airport (NC06) created by Cloud Studio.
Today’s twenty-minute virtual flight is conducted using Microsoft MSFS 2020 flight simulation software. The virtual airport at Elk River (NC06) in the United States, modeled here by Pilot’s, is located at approximately 3468 feet (ft) above sea level (MSL). Its sloped 12/30 runway can accommodate many types of aircraft as its dimensions are still 4600 feet long by 75 feet wide. A golf course is located near the airport facilities.
The sloped runway of the Elk River airport (NC06) with the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
In the distance, the end of runway 30 can be seen rising rapidly. The trip to Mountain Air County Club Airport (2NC0), modeled by Cloud Studio, is made with a single engine Cubcrafters NX Cub.
Enroute towards the Mountain Air County Club (2NC0) airport from Elk River (NC06) with MSFS 2020.
In direct flight with GPS, the virtual pilot will have to climb at around 7000 feet msl to avoid the surrounding mountains. It is therefore important to adjust the air/fuel mixture during climb and descent for the destination. Also, don’t forget to adjust the altimeter (press “B”) as you move away from the point of departure. Near the summits, you will experience mechanical turbulence, which is normal.
Aerial view of the Mountain Air County Club (2NC0) airport created by Pilot’s.
The photo above shows the virtual airport of Mountain Air County Club (2NC0) with the MSFS 2020 flight simulator. The sloped runway is 2900 feet long and only 50 feet wide. A golf course surrounds this airport located at 4432 feet MSL. Since the winds are light, the approach will be on runway 14.
On final for the sloped runway of the Mountain Air County Club (2NC0) airport using MSFS 2020.
On final approach, it is easy to see the uphill angle of this airstrip, which is slightly more damaged than the one at Elk River.
A view of the cliff at the threshold of runway 32 at the 2NC0 Mountain County Air Club airport created by Pilot’s pour MSFS 2020.
As we continue to taxi to the end of runway 14, we notice the cliff that awaits the pilot who has not properly prepared his landing. No forgiveness!
View from above of the Mountain Air County Club airport 2NC0 with the MSFS 2020 flight simulator.
An elevated view shows the threshold of runway 14 and the buildings associated with the golf club. A few golf loving pilots have already parked their aircraft to the left of runway 14. For this screenshot, I used the excellent X-BOX drone.
Buildings and flowers at the Mountain Air County Club airport (2NC0) created by Pilot’s for MSFS 2020.
A final photo shows the buildings and flowers associated with the golf club. The bird recordings are easily heard, which enhance the scene. Flight simulation enthusiasts wishing to repeat the experience should do so under VFR conditions to keep an eye on the mountain tops during the approach.
Vladimir Putin claims that he feels trapped by NATO. To improve his strategic position, he invades Ukraine and destroys most of its important installations, both civilian and military, killing and starving thousands in the process.
The great powers, and especially the dictatorships, find it infinitely difficult to think out of the box when they know that they have access to a military solution. Soldiers and bombs will settle a long-standing dispute.
By adopting a pattern of thinking from the Middle Ages, Vladimir Putin has created a rebound effect. Many neighboring countries now live in fear of an unwarranted attack. Rather than diminishing the military capacity of neighboring countries as he would like, Putin has only succeeded in strengthening their will to unite and rearm.
For example, Germany was to develop, in partnership with other countries, the next fighter jet to fly in the European sky. This would, of course, take years to design, but little thought was given to it. The country had clearly been on the path of pacifism for decades. The invasion of Ukraine changed everything. The Germans are ramping up the pace so much that they are now ordering existing aircraft already on the market. To hell with research, delays and especially the fact that the aircraft will come from the United States.
The German government has chosen the American F-35. This military jet has the characteristic of being able to transport the nuclear weapon in a stealthy manner.
Russia will now have to redouble its efforts to monitor the skies over Europe for this powerful aircraft which is difficult to detect and capable of inflicting heavy losses in the event of a conflict.
It has also been noted that the majority of damage in Ukraine has come from air attacks. Because the Patriot missile defense system is only effective at short range, the Germans recently visited Israel to learn more about the Arrow 3. This defensive interceptor system is capable of destroying missiles at medium and long ranges, even those flying outside the earth’s atmosphere.
A nuclear-capable US stealth fighter for the German Air Force? A long-range missile defense system on German territory? The country was a long way from any of these discussions in early 2022. Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine have reignited the arms race for many countries.
Click on the link for other geopolitics articles on my blog.
Vladimir Putin‘s war against Ukraine has finally had an unexpected effect: Germany has woken up to its national security and its responsibility to NATO. The Germans have announced that they will now invest massively to equip themselves with military forces worthy of the name. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spoken of spending around 100 billion euros over the next few years.
Russia’s unwarranted invasion of Ukraine has certainly brought back old memories in Germany. With Operation Barbarossa in 1941, Hitler had attacked Russia by surprise, despite having given his word, resulting in the biggest battle of all time. Millions of people died in this one conflict.
A non-aggression agreement between two countries remains valid only until one of the two partners changes his mind. That is as good as it gets. The Germans showed this to Russia in 1941.
With Russia invading a free country like Ukraine, Germany has realized that it cannot take anything for granted anymore. Today the country is in a vulnerable position and needs to increase its autonomy in the face of a potential attack, especially since most NATO members do not take seriously their responsibility towards military spending.
Moreover, it can no longer really count on the intervention of the United States. American foreign policy and its vision of NATO are now likely to change every four years, depending on whether Trump or one of his allies is elected. This is nothing to secure Europe. Putin put an end to daydreaming.
Click on the link for more articles on geopolitics in my blog.
The photo above was taken in 2019 in Boston’s North End on the Feast of St.Anthony’s one hundredth anniversary festivities. The North End area experienced strong Italian immigration at the start of the twentieth century and is recognized today for its many Italian restaurants.
Gathering in Boston’s Italian North End’s area in Boston 2019.
In the photo above, citizens of the area are gathered around a table placed directly on the street for the time of the festivities.
Food stands in Boston’s North End sector 2019
People gathered along the main streets of the area to feast on the many Italian dishes offered in restaurants as well as along the streets. They also took the opportunity to watch the parade carrying the banner of San Antonio di Padova.
Members of the St. Anthony Society in Boston.
Residents and tourists alike could drop some cash on the banners as the parade led by members of the St. Anthony Society passed. I managed to clear a small place for myself to take a few pictures, but I wouldn’t have made any friends if I had tried to get closer …
Here is the link for other pictures of United States on my site.
Non fiction comic book “Mégantic – Un train dans la nuit”.
We have all heard of the tragedyexperienced by the inhabitants of Lac-Mégantic in 2013, when a driverless oil train from the CP railway company pulling hundreds of cars of explosive petroleum derails in the middle of the night, explodes and kills 47 inhabitants of the city.
The comic book (or graphic novelaccording to some) “Mégantic – Un train dans la nuit ” adds to the information that we already knew about this tragedy. It also exposes several key pieces of information overlooked by the media.
Author Anne-Marie Saint-Cerny worked for years on the file and, in order to convey the content and the emotions in images, enlisted the help of Christian Quesnel. The result is extremely interesting. The formula works: the drawings are very precise, the layout leaves room for the reader to reflect on the events, the colours are appropriate.
In the train explosion in Lac-Mégantic, there are multiple factors to consider, among others:
1) Executives of the CP company making catastrophic choices.
2) As always, a desire to meet the demands of shareholders. There is a reduction in staff and the company self-assesses when it comes to safety.
3) One driver only is allowed for a train carrying hundreds of tanks of explosives.
4) Politicians agree to the new cuts proposed by the company.
5) There is some magical thinking involved: if something goes wrong with the driver, the train stops on its own thanks to a mechanism which, however, is always likely to fail eventually.
6) Dated rails.
7) The transport of dangerous goods is granted to the MMA, a company with a dubious reputation .
8) The DOT-111 tanks are too fragile for hazardous materials and targeted in more than 25 surveys.
9) There is an agreement to tamper with the oil bill of lading. Instead of indicating the code PG1 (the most dangerous, the most explosive) as it should be, it is instead PG111 (not dangerous) that is written.
10) The lead locomotive is terribly worn.
11) The driver reports a problem with his old locomotive. He is ordered to continue on his way.
12) In Lac-Mégantic, the train is heating up. The driver is ordered to apply the brakes and let the engine run. The driver is then allowed to leave the premises and go to bed. This is one of the repercussions of allowing a single driver on a train.
13) During the night, a fire starts on the lead locomotive, the one that had problems. The firefighters shut down the engine. “By turning off the engine, the air pressure in the air brakes is released. Eventually, the train will start to move on its own and descend the slope towards Lac-Mégantic.”
With just one driver gone to sleep somewhere, there are now 5,000,000 litres of explosivesstarting to move on the rails and no one will stop them.
“Firefighters believe they are fighting low flammable oil. They are unaware that the CP and World Fuel have falsified the papers, camouflaging their oil classified as the most explosive and dangerous.” There are 47 dead, including several suicides.
Now that there has been a disaster, those involved directly or indirectly are passing the buck, as is the custom in tragedies. The graphic novel mentions, at the political level, the names of Denis Lebel, Lisa Raitt, John Baird and later Marc Garneau. At CP, the author mentions Hunter Harrison. The MMA’s CEO Edward Burkhardt is also mentioned.
Changes happen, but not the ones you would think…
Naomi Klein analyzes the “shock strategy” devised by Milton Friedman. In step 1, “we take advantage of what the population while it is still dazed: they will not be able to oppose what we want to impose on them.” The zoning is being quickly changed to include the expropriation of houses that are totally outside the disaster-affected area. There are some people who are interested in these properties…
In step 2 of the “shock strategy”, we “use the excuse of mandatory decontamination to wipe out the Old World. Excluding the population from the scene of the tragedy, so that they cannot cling to it, so that there is no going back. “
Finally, step 3: “Faced with a population whose shock has been exacerbated by the destruction of its landmarks and habits, we can launch a reconstruction or reinvention which will be received with resigned acceptance“. We have the case of people living in Fatima, a remote area spared by the disaster: owners must quickly sign their expropriation or they shall lose everything. When the former owners are finally gone, a Jean Coutu pharmacy comes to settle on the vacated land.
On the legal side, the small players are targeted and the investigation is limited as much as possible. Takeovers are carried out and returns to shareholders multiplied.
The book flaunts some of the political and entrepreneurial maneuvers aimed at protecting the railway companies. Even at the dawn of 2022, eight years later, the rails still pass through downtown Lac-Mégantic.
“MMA-Canada, essentially bankrupt, has paid nothing and has not been sued.“
“Nothing has changed in rail laws in Canada since the tragedy: companies self-regulate, self-monitor and, in the event of an accident, self-investigate. Thus, it was the CP itself that investigated the deaths of three of its employees in an accident in February 2019 in British Columbia. The CP investigator, prevented from investigating, denounced his employer and called for an independent investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Transport Safety Board (TSB), an investigation immediately accepted by the chief investigator responsible for the case at the TSB. That same day, this TSB investigator was dismissed from his post. The CP investigator concluded on a CP no-fault.”
