I know it’s been a while since I posted to my flight simulation blog, Position and Hold. Like many of you…I just get too busy from time to time for my hobbies or I let one hobby sort of over rule everything else. Some of you who follow this blog may know that I’m an active amateur radio operator (aka ham radio). I host an amateur radio podcast titled The Practical Amateur Radio Podcast (PARP). PARP will celebrate its 5th birthday in May 2013 and along with my amateur radio hobby, it keeps me busy.
The last time I posted to this blog was almost one year ago and at that time I was thinking about starting another adventure journey in my new Carenado Malibu JetProp. Unfortunately, this adventure never got off the ground. Instead I devoted much of the first nine months of 2012 to finishing the basement project I started some 3-4 years earlier.
The two pictures below show what the basement looked like in January 2012 (top photo) and the finished product on September 1, 2012. With exception to the granite counter installation, everything else including framing of the walls, drywall, texture, painting, flooring and cabinet installation was completed by mine and my wife’s own hands.
During this remodel phase, much of my flight sim gear was packed away and my available time to sit in front of a computer and fly a computer plane around from place to place was just not available. Now that I’m in my new space, it was time to drag out the flight sim gear and enjoy the hobby of flying again.
Ironically, from the time I packed my gear up to the point that I began unpacking…those flight simulator gremlins managed to get into my PC and work their havoc. I spent a few frustrating weeks experiencing CTD’s and other FSX problems. I became seriously frustrated and decided to just walk away from it for a few days. A few days did turn into a few weeks, but I believe I’ve made some good progress and have not had the CTD’s which I experienced on early flights.
To sort of cap off 2012 and kick-off 2013, I plan to start another flying adventure. This new adventure will be similar to my Around the World flight in 2010, but also different. In 2010 I set off in a single engine Mooney Bravo from Centennial Airport (KAPA) with a single goal of flying around the globe and returning back to KAPA. You can view my route here. I began the 2010 journey on 30 September 2010 and completed it 19 November 2010.
For my 2012/13 journey I plan to depart Antwerp Belgium (EBAW) in the new Carenado B200 Beechcraft King Air twin-turboprop. My fictional journey is to serve as pilot for a large wealthy family who have nothing better to do than tour the world. They have more money than judgment and the sky truly is the limit on just where this journey will take us.
The first few legs of the journey will take us from Antwerp, Belgium towards Casablanca, Morocco. From Casablanca, I’m told the journey will continue deep into the heart of Africa and what once was the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and the capital city of Kinshasa. From Kinshasa we will likely continue south to Cape Town, South Africa. After Cape Town we will travel in the direction of Madagascar. From Madagascar the route and plan is open.
The idea for my 2012/13 journey is to see new places within the FSX world (hence the trip to Africa). Just like the 2010 trip, I have no idea how long this will take me to complete as I zig zag between northern and southern hemispheres around the globe. I plan to start soon and you can track my progress here.
As I tried to do in my 2010 trip, I’ll post screenshots and blog updates throughout the journey. I plan to get started soon. So look for updates in the next couple of days.
Happy Flying…
JT