Christmas Lists and Microsoft Flight Simulator X!

This is what I want for Christmas! 


Next month I am going to upgrade from my bespoke, original Pentium 4, 3GB Ram with a half decent graphics card to a more dedicated 'Games Machine' computer.  Ironically the only game I want to play on it is Microsoft Flight Simulator!  At first, thinking about, the idea of buying a decent, beefed up computer for the sole purpose of playing ONE game doesn't sound like the best of investments does it? Exactly, I agree.  Looking slightly below the surface the true value of having the ability to play, or 'operate' possibly the best value for money and easily accessible flight simulation software in your own home comes to light.


Before my current computer stopped 'shining' in the performance stakes, I used Microsoft Flight Simulator as a key part of my pre flight planning ritual.  As a student pilot one of the things my CFI told me was, "when planning a flight, make sure you have flown it [the flight] in your head prior to actually getting airborne".  This made complete sense to me.  Still true today, before each flight, whether I am in the car or sitting on the sofa I fly each flight in my head! Radio calls, checklists, departure, zone transits, arrival all the way to landing gets acted out with an Oscar winning performance.  Qualified pilots don't always continue certain practices that are drummed into them during initial training into their post-qualifying flying, but this 'Mind Flying' works for me.  Taking this further, before flying to a new destination I used Microsoft Flight Simulator to fly the route, approach and landing at the new field.  This helped tremendously with seeing the runway orientation on approach to the new airfield. When flown for real there would be no surprises, or at least reduce the level of potential surprises!!


I know that there are other simulator software titles out there, X Plane being one of them, but I tend to stick to what I have tried and tested.  Also the amount of expansion packs available for Microsoft Flight Simulator is second to none.


I am looking forward to upgrading and getting back up into a virtual sky near you!


Have Fun!!


Flight Acceleration X-pack enables gamers to play head to head against their friends or others in exciting racing missions, in addition to 20 new missions and new content.  Looks better than ever with enhanced DX10 graphics!
Price: $39.99
Click here to buy from Amazon

Embraer Claims It Hasn’t Given Up on China Talks

Air Transport and Cargo, Aerospace Industry Brazil’s Embraer remains in negotiations with Chinese authorities over the prospect of building E-Jets at the Harbin-Embraer plant in Harbin, China, a company spokesperson told AIN today. The spokesperson contradicted a Dow Jones report published today indicating that Embraer will close the factory in Harbin in March, following delivery of the last 50-seat ERJ-145 on backlog. “We’re still in discussions [with the Chinese],” said the spokesperson, who nevertheless acknowledged that if Embraer and the Chinese authorities do not come to terms by the time the last airplane rolls out of the factory, the joint venture would likely dissolve.

The Dow Jones article cited a report by Brazilian news agency Estado, which attributed its information to Embraer vice president of commercial aviation Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva. According to Estado, Souza e Silva said that Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote a letter to the Chinese government about the matter but that he received no reply.

Last winter Embraer had given itself until the middle of this year to reach an agreement with its Chinese partners about adapting its assembly line in Harbin to build 70- to 110-seat E-Jets. “We think by mid-2010, that would be the deadline to start the implementation of the new tooling and training of people or [head in] a new direction,” Embraer executive vice president for new airline market programs Mauro Kern told AIN early this year. Although the Embraer executive mentioned “other possibilities,” he chose not to name them.

Since then, Embraer has said little about the negotiations and has declined several requests for interviews on the subject.

All signs point to an anemic or non-existent market for Harbin-Embraer ERJ-145s after the joint venture builds its last 50-seat jet next year. As the rate of 50-seat jet retirements continues to accelerate in North America and Europe, a robust supply of used airplanes appears likely to satisfy any demand that exists for the relatively fuel-thirsty jets in the rest of the world, including China.

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Hawker and Union To Reopen Contract Negotiations

Business Aviation Wichita-based Hawker Beechcraft and the machinists union that represents its production workers agreed to reopen contract negotiations tomorrow, with a membership vote now scheduled for October 16, a union spokesman said. This comes on the heels of an agreement reached on Tuesday evening by the company, the union and Kansas Gov.

Mark Parkinson that would keep the “vast majority” of Hawker Beechcraft jobs in Wichita. “We have an agreement in principle that allows the union and the company to resume their contract negotiations,” said Parkinson.

“The state has offered, and Hawker Beechcraft has accepted, an incentive package for product development, workforce training and tuition reimbursement…in Wichita. However, he added that the agreement is contingent upon the successful conclusion of a new long-term labor agreement between the union and Hawker Beechcraft.

Bill Boisture, chairman and CEO of Hawker Beechcraft, thanked the governor for his role and noted the “full support of the International Association of Machinists in pursuing this process jointly. A major issue in the union negotiations has been the insistence by the company that among its options is the possibility of moving some jobs elsewhere, possibly to Mexico.

Talks were suspended last Friday after union negotiators became aware that Louisiana was offering incentives to lure the entire company to Baton Rouge.

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Standing Room Only at Bombardier Safety Standdown

Business Aviation, Safety Bombardier’s four-day Safety Standdown seminar, which concluded today in Wichita, was fully booked. A new format was launched this year, featuring two days of workshops and two days of general sessions.

New on the agenda at this 14th annual edition were workshops on aviation meteorology, human performance, advanced aerodynamics and aviation leaders/managers, the last-mentioned focusing on establishing benchmarks for professional ethics. “Safety Standdown promotes the philosophy of knowledge-based training and personal discipline,” said Learjet director of flight operations Puja Mahajan.

“It is designed to initiate and sustain positive changes in behavior and cultural norms through the use of workshops and seminars given by subject-matter experts. Among the return presenters were Gene Cernan, U.S. Navy (ret.) and commander of Apollo 17; NTSB member Dr.

Mark Rosekind; Dr. Tony Kern, CEO and senior partner at Convergent Performance; and Sean Roberts, director of the National Test Pilot School.

The free event was held in partnership with NBAA, the European Business Aviation Association, the FAA and the NTSB.

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