September 2010 : It's an Apron not a Runway

Okay, so let me be clear about this: Brad wants us to break the rules? Take-off and land not always on the runways ... fly little GA planes into huge busy airports etc. I can do that - a little mix of reality and simming fun this month. Well, first off, I wasn't about to fly the 797 15 minutes to Palm Springs and flying that into LAX just seemed too ... easy. So I figured I'd break some rules elsewhere first. I took off from Victorville and turned south, landing the giagantic wing in San Diego (pict1)(they said the airport was rated for any aircraft). Well, the approach was typical for KSAN and the runway felt a bit short but we made the last turn-off at 15 knots so there were no worries. (pict2) Right there on the apron I changed into one of the default Piper Cherokees and took off again, no runway! I turned right 180* (pict3) then turned left 180* and if you really want to get into trouble, land your little private plane on the USS Ronald Reagan which sits right there on active duty in San Diego harbor!


I turned around on the bow and before they could catch me I took off again, right off the fantail! With the stall horn blaring I dipped the left wing and landed on the apron at North Island Naval Air Station. Brad, I would expect that those two stunts right there would have me locked away for a long time. Are you happy? I switched into the Flight Club's BAE Jetstream-31 and took off again from the apron at NAS and headed north along the coastline to LAX. (pict5) Even though traffic was departing to the west, I approached from the west and flew right down between the AI aircraft and landed eastbound on that giant parking apron which FSX has placed on the west end of KLAX. (pict6) From that parking apron I loaded up the new-for-FSX Flight Club 757-200 and taxied over to a taxiway and took off (just clearing an AI A321). (pict7) From Los Angeles it was a "normal" cross-country flight in the 757 to Chicago where I landed with ATC on a runway at Midway. (pict8) The only questionable thing here was that Midway usually doesn't take 757s.

I transferred back into another Piper Cherokee and took off from a taxiway, flying THROUGH THE BUILDINGS of downtown Chicago (pict10)out to Meigs' Field where I landed on and took off from the taxiway not the runway. (pict11) (Really, you think this is fun? That's just strange ....) Okay, back through the buildings and out to O'Hare where you'd never see a little Piper landing! (pict12) Another new introduction for FSX, the Flight Club DC-8 flew us from O'Hare to La Guardia where I landed on a runway. (pict13) (pict14) (pict15)

From the runway I loaded up a Bell helicopter and flew a short distance to a highway where I landed between the traffic lanes. (pict16) Then I flew into downtown Manhattan (pict17) where I landed through the roof of the MetLife building and eventually found one that would hold me. (pict18) (pict19) Then I continued south to the Statue of Liberty where I got to see my first AI wildlife (birds) as I landed on the grass at the foot of the famous statue. (pict20)

From Teeterboro I flew the Flight Club's 707 down to Miami where my nine-year old co-pilot took over in a Cessna Caravan Amphibian, dodging a couple 747s before barely clearing the buildings! (pict21) YIKES! We flew over to the Miami harbor and landed along-side a cruise ship. (pict22) (pict23) (pict24) From Miami I took-off in a new United/CO 787 and headed for London. (pict25)

Two-thirds of the way across the Atlantic we took deliver of the new Flight Club 787 so, miraculously we were able to switch planes in mid-flight for our landing into London. Passing low (and I'm hoping illegally) (pict26)over the city and the river Themes we flow over some famous landmarks before dodging some buildings (pict27)and setting the wide-body down smoothly at London City airport. (pict28) (pict29)

Our last leg was in the Cessna 182 where we flew between some other buildings, (pict30) passed low over (and under) a couple of bridges (pict31) (pict32) before landing and parking up at Heathrow. (pict33) (pict34)

From there I was off to Milan for a future FOTM circa 2012. (pict35)

I gotta say, not worrying about runways or being lined up on anything sure makes things easier - not sure if that's a good thing or not but thanks for the fun!