After installing MSFS 2020 just over a month ago, I finally completed the VFR Navigation training regime and have done the first three training regimes with all A’s. That is not to say I am fully proficient and handling an airplane now, a lot of practice still needed, but at least I feel comfortable planning some short flights and get some real (sim) hours in. I bought a VelocityOne Flight Universal Control System and that has helped although it is a learning curve of its own.
The training regimes in MSFS 2020 leave something to be desired to be sure but I still found them helpful in practicing basic maneuvers. The lesson that gave me the most trouble was doing my first solo under Takeoff and Landing. I did my “first solo” about 20-25 times until I got it right. In contrast, doing a solo cross-country under VFR Navigation only took two tries before passing with an A. While working on these, I consulted a number of sites and videos to help me understand in detail what I should be doing regarding how to climb, descend, etc. properly. In the end the tutorial by Rod Machado in MSFS 2004 was most helpful to me. He spells out the steps needed for each maneuver in the way I needed to understand.
Dawei (VYDW) to Siem Reap International Airport (VDSR) on the round-the-world tour. At least, that was the plan until the left main fuel pump conked out, so we had to land early.
Took the Wilga for a quick hop down the mountain from Big Bear (L35) to San Bernardino (KSBD). Strong steady winds from the west; with full flaps and a headwind the landing felt very leisurely, but flying towards the late afternoon sun makes one grateful for aviator sunglasses.
I made a really stupid mistake while prepping the plane to the flight: I forgot to add the route part to the flight plan. It was just departure and arrival with nothing in between. So When the controller gave me a direct to instruction i could not find it in the flight plan. That’s when I realised my error Luckily it can be quickly done in the G3000, so nothing major happened, but I was so ashamed…
Arrival was pretty fun. Originally I planned to land on 31L (according to ATIS 31L and 31R were in use) which leads pretty much to the GA apron, but then there was a direction change and I was told to expect 4R instead. I did a kind of hard landing and then I had about 15 mins of taxi to get to the GA parking, which the tower referred as Modern Aviation. I looked it up later and there is such a company FBO at the location that the chart refers as GA parking, but I had not known it at the time.
Today in MSFS, like many days, I was making a video flying over a city that has photogrammetry. Today it was Laval Quebec. I enjoy flying over movie theatres because they often times are different.
I decided to swoop down and get a closer look at this movie theatre, and I saw a movie advertisement that looked very much like a James Bond movie. I quickly googled Bond movies in 2013/2014, and it was an exact match.
The level of photogrammetry is really amazing and this wasn’t even one of the more detailed movie theatres I have flown over either, but the advertisement was done well-
Das Boot - but not the submarine.
Finally figured out how to get the best out of the speedboat.
I have to remember that the sim isn’t built for ‘up close and personal’ on every building in the world, some of those areas look post apocalyptic. But the POI’s …. pretty good.
I dropped my boat down on the Thames and had a sail down it.
Now for the dodgy bits:
Comes down at an angle so I usually end up parked through someone’s roof on the Thames; on a lake, often upside down. Remedy : ‘Slew Mode’. Just re position it where you want.
Won’t go under most bridges (neither do planes to be fair). Remedy : ‘Slew Mode’. Up and over the top a la Red Rum.
I was slew moding a lot on the Thames…. A lot of bridges. Bit like the Grand National.
Finally, if you do try to go under the bridge, often ends up with the throttle not working. Game Over. Restart boat ride.
But, well worth it for a bit of fun, something different. Maybe down the Amazon, the Seine in Paris, Great Lakes in Canada……
Been watching that ‘Race across the world’ on BBC1 - in Canada this time. I’m gonna fly each leg, and as there’s a lot of water in Canada, I’ll sail around in my little boat at the end of a leg.
Or conversely pop up the Astro and get up close and personal in Banff etc
Think I’ll take a different Bush plane for each leg, then rinse and repeat if I run out of planes. That way I’ll get to fly a range of planes quickly.
Sydney (YSSY) 
Adelaide (YPAD) 
Luckily it can be quickly done in the G3000, so nothing major happened, but I was so ashamed…
