Virtual Flyovers - Massachusetts Cape

This one is for CapeCoddess ... flying Cape Air out of Barnstable Municipal and landing with special permission at OTIS Air National Guard Base.

https://s87.photobucket.com/user/vifc313/slideshow/Miscellaneous/Cape%20Cod

I thought I put "Virtual Flyovers - USA" as the title for this thread. 

I have no idea how it became "Virtual Flyovers - Maine Cape".  Cape Cod isn't even in Maine!

Sanderson can you fix it for me?

That's right, Cape Cod is in Massachusetts. The postal abbreviation for Maine is ME.

Thanks for the tour, TD! I can't really see any landmarks but it looks right. Can you fly on the outside of the arm from the beginning of the elbow up the coast? And then around the fist and back down the forearm? That's where all the good stuff is. Seals, whales, beautiful sand dunes, towers and cliffs.

How do you do virtual flying? Do you start at a website? Does it cost anything? I love flying! Even thought about getting licensed once but decided the air space was getting a little too crowded up there.

CC

I am completely embarrassed!   I have changed the name of the Flyover.  ME vs MA.

I would love to see a valley flyover from Bakersfield (BFL) to Sacramento (SAC). I don't know if you can depart one airport and land at another.

sanderson wrote:I would love to see a valley flyover from Bakersfield (BFL) to Sacramento (SAC).  I don't know if you can depart one airport and land at another.

Sure he can, as he can change planes in mid-air.

CC ... I can do the flight you requested but there will be no sea creatures.  There may be some cliffs visible if I get low and close to them and if they are big enough.  The scenery is very much a compromise and in some cases it is not very accurate.  I have bought soem add-on scenery to improve things.  The scenery that I have for North West Pacific for example is better than what I have for New England.  The scenery for my home city of Ottawa, Canada is pathetic.

As far as costs ... I started by purchasing the Microsoft Flight Simulator X for about $50.  Since then I have built a new computer to run it well.  Then I've added rudder pedals, yoke, throttle quadrant, autopilot module, radio module, switch module (also include landing gear lever), two 24 inch HD monitors, tons of software (planes, scenery, utilities).  I've probably got about $3000 invested.  Not inexpensive but certainly cheaper than the real thing.

sanderson wrote: I am completely embarrassed.

If it helps, please know that you are not alone in mistaking MA for Maine. Many many many people do it. I work in the shipping industry and I'm constantly surprised at how common it is. But heck, don't ask me what the abbreviation for practically anything outside of New England would be. I'd have to google it.

TD, I have flown that route a few times and we do get pretty low. Not sure it was legal mind you but it sure was purdy. You're right about the cost being less than the real thing, particularly if one includes the plane.

sanderson ... no problem ... I'll do that flight for you but the comments I made to CC about scenery will apply.  BTW I can take off and land at any airport in the world and have access to many planes from gliders and ultralights to 747s to jet fighters and anything in between.

I am a member of several online virtual flying clubs.  One I joined recently and which is a lot of fun is Boston Virtual ARTCC.  Some of their members take on the roles of virtual air traffic controllers and it can be very realistic flying with many other pilots and communicating back and forth with ATC. 

Here is one of their Youtube videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez2AH4smRwY

Cool! Yes, the Cape is really cool, esp. the forearm to fist area...both sides, ocean and sound. I have been up that way a couple times, Provincetown area, and it was great!

Mrs TD and I spent a few days on Cape Cod. We stayed at a nice B&B. We drove up to the fist and spent some time on the ocean side beach. At the other extreme we drove down to Woods Hole and visited the aquarium. From Cape Cod we went up to Plymouth.  It was a nice time. On another trip we spent a few days in Boston and I have my Cheers bear mug to prove it! We have friends in New Hampshire.  All of New England is great.  Having said that we have enjoyed other trips to the USA ... Tucsan AZ, Naples FL Lancaster PA, Colonial Williamsburg, Branson MO, Shipshewana IN, Mackinac Island MI, etc. etc.  But its always nice to get home as well.

Crop duster? Or any small aircraft. Thanky

TD, I have a Cheers mug too! Great trips!

SR ... I looked on Google Maps and found a small grass strip airport (airport code 0D7) close to you.  I'll have to give it a try.

Sanderson ... I don't have a crop duster but I'll try to find one on the web to download for my flight sim.  I do have a bunch of other small planes that I can use.

A question, TD:  If you make a "mistake" do you "crash", or will the program not let you do that?

Kelajan ... It all depends on the settings I use. I can turn crash detection on or off.  It is off I will just bounce off the ground.  If its on then yeuk!

CC ... Here is the flight you requested.  I'm quite disappointed with the fact that the sim scenery showed virtually no development at places like Provincetown.  The map shows the circuit.  At the end of the slideshow I added some US Coast Guard helicopter shots including some at Boston.




Here is the flight slideshow
https://s87.photobucket.com/user/vifc313/slideshow/Miscellaneous/Cape%20Cod/Cape%20Cod%202


Coast Guard over the Cape.

Nothing like being at sea level.  CC, if you live out there I hope you have flood/hurricane insurance.  My parents retired to the Fla Keys and Cape Cod looks as susceptible to high water damage as the Keys.

Thanks, TD! How cool is that! I agree, no landmarks were showing - P-town monument, a few light houses, cliffs, dunes, lot of homes & buildings - all missing. Also, it made the Cape look like all we do here is golf. LOL! Lots of pretty grass and no scrub brush, scrub pines or dune grass, all of which are prominent. The 2 landing strips were right but the buildings around them were wrong. Wonder where they get the scenery...?

Yes, Yolos, we live on a sandbar here. Every year more houses fall into the ocean. It's pretty sad but that's the risk ocean front property owners take. Fortunately I'm up on a hill a couple miles from the shore so may have water front property by 2050.