UKDirect

Virtual Airline

Established 1998

thfol
NavUp

UKDirect Homepage

blank_menu

Contents and quick links

Arrivals   Screenshot   Fleet Update   Aviation news   Flight Safety   Quiz   Flightsim News   Videos   Funnies

Click the above links for quick access.

Captain Phil Elliott UKD101 2010-2020

As I write this it is a sunny summers day outside and pleasantly warm. It would be easy to imagine nothing much is happening around us. Taking stock of all the  events that have happened over the past few months can be difficult and overwhelming. A global pandemic rages around the world and has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. Each life is incredibly important to the relatives of those affected but closer to home we have been affected by another tragedy.
I hope I'm not breaking news to anyone at this point but we recently lost a long-time friend and pilot with UKD, an all-round good guy, nice person, critique and colleague. He came from Hull but we can forgive him that :) Of course I'm talking about Phil Elliott (UKD101).
From a short appeal, collectively you managed to raise enough money to buy a wreath for his funeral and a framed-photo memento from all of us to his wife and family. Cath expressed her heartfelt thanks to you for doing that and I would like to add my thanks to you all too. Although it will never replace him at least it's a little something to say thanks to Cath, for letting him waste some precious time with us!

Phil joined UKDirect in 2010 and eventually became our Australian hub manager, based in Melbourne. He was keen on fast cars, particularly F1 racing and combined this enthusiasm with flying to create our World-wide F1 Tour, which has been active for the past few years. I have completed it twice myself but I used a 747 capable of traveling long legs whereas Phil actually completed it in a 737!
Graham was recalling “I was always pulling his leg and calling Humberside (his nearest airport) Grimsby International Airport! and I ’' bought him' a cork hat, virtually of course, and sent it to him (as a pic) to wear in his new Melbourne Office.
I was a regular visitor to Hull through work, and I think he was genuinely pleased when 'Ull was named City of Cultchuur and you painted up the 737 with Hull logos.
I sent him a beyond the grave message on FSA saying that wherever he was now it had to be better than Hull ! but I lost what I was trying to say other than the best thing to come out of Hull is the A63 !”

Looking back I realised he was the proud recipient of a UKD Mug, awarded as a competition prize, despite him hailing from the wrong side of the Pennines!
One of my last conversations with Phil was about a new start-up venture. Not content with exporting Yorkshire to Oz he had dreams of bringing the best of Kingston Upon ‘Ull to Africa in the guise of UKD Safari Direct (this will appear in the next issue due to space and time constraints plus it means we can talk about him again!).
I created the image below using a livery painted purely for this purpose, the 737 bears Phil’s name and his hometown name complete with coat of arms, this can be downloaded from our Fleet page. The picture below is of his favourite plane arriving at Melbourne International with the city in the distance and the big man himself. This was the image used in the photograph for Phil’s family.
The fact this was the third repaint personalised for Phil will be lost on those outside of our VA. To give it some context no-one has ever had more than one, and most people including myself have none!

Phil UKD101. Click for full size image.

I know Phil will be greatly missed by many more than just myself and our VA will be the poorer for his passing. Phil was a great guy and I will miss his sense of humor (see the funny videos at the bottom). Life is unfair but won't stop for the passing of any of us and Phil would expect us to carry on, so...

I have started tinkering with a dedicated website with an eye on moving the whole UKDirect web-space elsewhere and bringing the format upto current standards, but don't worry, it's not going anywhere soon. I checked the domain ukdirect.com is available and was happy to see the annual renewal only costs £6.89.
However the fee to register the domain name is an eye watering £18,827.12! Again, I don't think that's going to happen soon.

In other news I'm sure it hasn't escaped your attention that a new sim is on the horizon. It was announced, previewed, reviewed, fan-boy flamed, screen-shotted and Developer Diaried  every week for over a year. Well on the 18th August it will finally be over err, I mean here (frankly I’m sick of hearing about it). Microsoft blummin MSFS2020. I just hope it is as good as all the hype. What you may have missed is Lockheed Martins below radar-release of Prepared v5 (nobody saw that coming including the development team!) plus X-Plane 11 getting a major update named Vulkan. More to come on these below.

You might think that would be enough for one issue but wait, there's more: Glenn UKD675 has taken over running UKD Eurolink and turned it into a monster. He has written a very interesting piece to say hello and introduce himself which you'll find below.

In other news there have been a lot of improvements made to various models to make them compatible with P3D5 and/or more usable in earlier sims thanks to Charley Zulu and Graham UKD140. There are some new repaints too for both freeware and payware models plus UKD’s first X-Plane11 repaint - a Boeing 737-800 - all on the Fleet page. Charley Zulu has also updated the UKD Facebook page screenshot and created a few poster-style adverts featuring our planes.
I’m running out of space so just keep going and you’ll find hardware and software reviews, interesting videos and a short quiz!

Newshound aka Mark UKD171
This newsletter has been tested for COVID-19, the results were inconclusive so I’d consider wearing a mask and wash your hands after handling it!
Stay Safe!

UKirect Dash 8 Q400

This issues Screenshot is of a UKDirect Dash 8 Q400 Departing from EHGG.
FTX Global/Vector + Europe LC by Orbx– early summer textures give rapeseed fields and lots of green, by Graham UKD140

Do you have a screen shot you are proud of? Please send it in and share it with us.
To enter in the next e-magazine send your entries to Newshound: mark[at]planecrazy.me.uk 

Don't worry about editing pictures, sending them as a full size bmp is best and I’ll edit them for Directions

Compatible Sims

Aicraft model

Livery

Model team

Free v Payware

P3D4 P3D5

B737-800NGXu

UKDirect G-PHIL

PMDG

Payware

P3D4 P3D5

B737-800NGXu

UKDirect

PMDG

Payware

FSX P3Dv1-5 FS2004

B737-MAX8

UKDirect G-PHIL

TDS

Freeware

FSX P3Dv1-5 FS2004

DC3/C47

World Cargo

Manfred Jahn/Jan Visser

Freeware

FSX P3Dv1-3 FS2004

S-61 update

UKDirect

Dave Hardcastle

Freeware

X-PLANE 11

B737-800NGX

UKDirect

Default/Zibo

Freeware

FSX P3Dv1-5 FS2004

Boeing 767-300 & 400

UKDirect

SkySpirit2010

Freeware

FSX P3Dv1-5 FS2004

Boeing 777-200/300/F

UKDirect & World Cargo

Project Opensky

Freeware

NavUp

Top of page

 Some screenshots of UKDirect aircraft released or re-released this year for UKDirect pilots to use. S-61 and DC-3 painted by Charley Zulu
They are freely available for download from the Fleet page.

NavUp

Top of page

Boeing

Boeing's 737 Max moves closer to flying again

A wide-ranging list of changes to Boeing’s ill-fated 737 Max planes has been put forward by US regulators.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) document details actions it wants to be made before the planes can fly again commercially.
The 737 Max has been grounded since March 2019 following two fatal crashes which killed 346 people.
Boeing hopes to get the 737 Max back in the air early next year after the changes are made.
Proposed changes include updating flight control software, revising crew procedures and rerouting internal wiring.

In a related report also published on Monday, the FAA said that Boeing’s own recommendations had sufficiently addressed the problems that had contributed to the two fatal crashes.
Once the proposals become official, Boeing can then make the changes and ready the planes for flight.
The design updates will need to be made to all planes delivered to airlines along with those not yet ordered or built.
“We're continuing to make steady progress towards the safe return to service, working closely with the FAA and other global regulators.
"While we still have a lot of work in front of us, this is an important milestone in the certification process,” a Boeing spokesman told the BBC.

While the company hopes to get the 737 Max flying again commercially by early 2021, airlines may still face weak demand due to the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions.
There are also other hurdles to overcome, including the development of pilot training programmes, independent technical reviews and the results of simulator tests.
Boeing is expected to carry out 737 Max simulator pilot training at Gatwick Airport, where British Airways has a major presence.
BA’s parent company IAG signed a letter of intent to buy 200 of Boeing's 737 Max planes last year.

Intense review

The FAA proposals have taken more than 18 months and include the work of more than 40 engineers, inspectors, pilots, and technical support staff.
“The effort represents more than 60,000 FAA hours of review,” the agency said.
The 737 Max crisis has battered trust in Boeing which faces a number of ongoing federal, criminal and civil investigations.
The FAA proposals can be reviewed by the public for 45 days before a final ruling is made.
 

Airbus

EU threatens escalation in tariff fight over Boeing and Airbus subsidies

The EU says it will act "decisively" if the US goes ahead with a threat to put new tariffs on its goods.
It is latest twist in a long-running row with Washington over subsidies granted to the planemaker Airbus.
For more than a decade, the EU and US have accused each other of propping up their home aviation markets with tax breaks, research grants and other aid.

In June, the US threatened duties on EU goods such as beer, gin and olives, escalating the row.
Europe's trade commissioner Phil Hogan said Washington had rejected moves to settle the dispute.
"I want to reassure people that we are ready to act decisively and strongly on the European Union side if we don't get the type of outcome that we expect from the United States in relationship to finalising this 15-year-old dispute," he told the European Parliament's trade committee.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has already ruled that subsidies given by the EU to Airbus in 2004 were illegal.
However, it is also considering a parallel case involving illegal support for US aerospace firm Boeing, which could see the EU impose duties on Washington later this year.

In line with the WTO ruling, the US last year imposed tariffs of 15-25% on $7.5bn (£6bn) worth of European goods.
But in June, the US said it was considering new taxes on additional EU trade worth $3.1bn annually - a move described as excessive by Brussels.

Mr Hogan also criticised recent national security investigations launched by the US against EU goods, suggesting they may also be a form of retaliation. "This is totally unacceptable," he said. "If these investigations go further, the European Union will have to stand together and act as well."

The US is also involved in other trade spats with the EU.
Before last year's tariffs over Airbus, the Trump administration had imposed duties on EU steel and aluminium - spurring Brussels to tax iconic US products such as denim jeans and motorcycles.
 

NavUp

Top of page

British Airways: A breakdown in trust?

British Airways was once seen as a national champion, a potent symbol of the country's commercial prowess and - as the airline itself puts it - of "timeless British values and modern Britain's strengths".

Now, however, it is a company in crisis - struggling to cope with the huge financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, its relationship with the government apparently fractured, and in conflict with its own employees.
There's no question that BA, like other airlines, has been dramatically affected by the lockdowns and closure of borders associated with the pandemic. For weeks, it has been operating just a handful of flights a day, while the bulk of its fleet has been parked up.
But it is BA's response to the crisis which has created an atmosphere within the company that staff have described as toxic, and prompted a political backlash.
In late April, its parent company International Airlines Group announced plans to implement a major restructuring programme at BA, which could lead to up to 12,000 redundancies. It said it would begin formal consultations with its unions, Unite, GMB and Balpa.

Launching that process, BA said it wanted to reach agreement over the proposals - which would also include significant changes to the terms and conditions of remaining staff. But it warned that if an agreement could not be reached, it would force the issue - by giving them notice, and offering them new contracts.

But the apparent ultimatum from BA has triggered a deep rift with the unions. Unite and GMB are currently refusing to take part in formal consultations. Balpa has been engaging with the company, but now says the negotiations are "hanging by a thread".
British Airways Boeing 747
The campaign has garnered some high-profile political support. One of BA's fiercest critics is the Conservative MP and chair of the transport select committee, Huw Merriman.

He says the way in which staff at the company have been treated is "appalling". "It's the equivalent of holding a gun to someone's head," he says. "It's really sad to see an iconic brand being dragged into the gutter by its management".

Meanwhile many pilots have responded furiously. One BA captain told the BBC, "I wouldn't say there was a lot of trust beforehand. There's even less now". Another described the mood within the company as "terrible".

Few within the industry expect a quick recovery. According to the International Air Transport Association, air traffic is unlikely to return to the levels seen last year until 2023. Around the world, carriers are cutting back - and BA's direct rivals such as Easyjet, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic are all planning thousands of redundancies.

But what marks BA out is the response to its actions - and the palpable resentment now directed at a brand that once invoked national pride.

.

NavUp

Top of page

ASN ACCIDENT DIGEST   http://aviation-safety.net/index.php

I’ve colour-coded the news below - GREEN text is a non-fatal incident or accident of interest,
                                                               RED has fatalities so now you can skip those if you want.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 JUN 2020  Airbus A320-232   Ural Airlines  VP-BDL   C/n: 2343  First flight: 2004-12-01 (15 years 7 months)

S7 Airlines flight S76378, an Airbus A320neo (VP-BWC), struck an Ural Airlines Airbus A320-232 (VP-BDL) while taxiing for takeoff at Saint Petersburg-Pulkovo Airport, Russia.
The A320neo was following main taxiway A to the beginning of runway 10R. As is passed taxiway A4, the left-hand winglet struck the APU of the Ural Airlines A320 which was standing on taxiway A4.
The APU separated and fell to the ground. The winglet subsequently sliced into the right-hand elevator, which was when the A320neo stopped.
 

Airbus A320 Ural Airlines minus APU!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 July 2020   de Havilland Canada DHC-8-402Q (PF) Dash 8 Blue Bird Aviation 5Y-VVU   C/n: 4008  First flight: 2000-01-26 (20 years 6 months)
Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3  Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)

A DHC-8-400 cargo aircrart was destroyed when it crashed at Beledweyne Airport in Somalia. The aircraft impacted small mounds that were used for runway maintenance work. A fire erupted, which consumed the aircraft. All three crew members survived the accident.
The aircraft was charted by the US Department of Defense in support of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) near the area. The flight manifest suggested that the plane was carrying food supplies.

The airline's General Manager reported to Kenyans.co.ke that a donkey crossed the runway as the aircraft landed. The donkey was hit and the aircraft swerved off into a trench on the side of the runway.

de Havilland Canada DHC-8-402Q (PF) Dash 8 Blue Bird Aviation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 July 2020   Boeing 777-F60   Ethiopian Airlines    ET-ARH    C/n: 42031   First flight: 2014-09-14 (5 years 10 months)
Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0  Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777F sustained serious damage after a fire broke out in the cargo hold while parked at position 306 at cargo apron 3 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China.
The aircraft landed at Pudong Airport about 11:50 local time, operating flight ET3738 from Brussels. At the time of the fire it was being loaded for a flight to Addis Ababa, Sao Paulo and Santiago.
Video footage shows the top rear part of the fuselage was burnt through.

Video here: https://twitter.com/i/status/1285854740576825345

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
07 AUG 2020  Boeing 737-8HG (WL)   Air India Express  VT-AXH    C/n: 36323/2108  First flight: 2006-11-15 (13 years 9 months)
Total: Fatalities: 18 / Occupants: 190       Aircraft fate: Destroyed

Air India Express flight 1344, a Boeing 737-800, suffered a runway excursion on landing at Kozhikode-Calicut Airport, India and broke in two. Both pilots and sixteen passengers died in the accident.
The flight departed Dubai Airport, United Arab Emirates at 10:15 UTC on a passenger service to Kozhikode-Calicut Airport.
The aircraft arrived from the west, overflying the airport at 13:42 UTC. It then performed a teardrop approach to runway 28. This approach was discontinued and the aircraft subsequently flew a teardrop approach to runway 10. According to a DGCA official the aircraft touched down about 900 meters down the 2850 m long runway at 14:10 UTC (19:40 local time). The aircraft failed to stop on the remaining runway and overran. It went down a 34 m dropoff and broke in two.
==Weather==
Weather at the time of the approaches and landing was poor. At 14:00 UTC scattered clouds were reported at 300 and 1200 feet with a few Cumulonimbus clouds at 2500 feet and overcast clouds at 8000 feet. The wind was from 260 degrees at 12 knots. Visibility was 2000 m in rain.

Boeing 737-8HG (WL)   Air India Express  VT-AXH
NavUp

Top of page

Time to get that grey matter working!. Email answers to mark “at” planecrazy.me.uk or use the message facility on FS Airlines.  Answers will be posted in the next Directions but if you email me your guesses I will reply straight away (in confidence - so no need to worry about embarrassment).

 

  1. Early 747 Airliners Had What Luxury In The First Class Cabin?

    a) Live News Reports
    b) A Piano Bar
    c) Hot Lather Shaves
    d) On-Demand Video
     
  2. NASA Carefully Timed Space Shuttle Flights To Avoid What?
    a) New Year's Eve
    b) Solar Flares
    c) Astronauts' Birthdays
    d) Summer Solstice
     
  3. Which Common Computer Process Owes Its Name To A Boisterous Baron?

    a) Daisy Chainning
    b) Defragging
    c) Downloading
    d) Booting
     

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

NavUp

Top of page

Flightsim News

Microsoft Flight Simulator MFS20

Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Download editions will be released on Tuesday 18 August

Microsoft Flight Simulator is the next generation of one of the most beloved simulation franchises. From light planes to wide-body jets, fly highly detailed and stunning aircraft in an incredibly realistic world. Create your flight plan and fly anywhere on the planet. Enjoy flying day or night and face realistic, challenging weather conditions.

Standard
Microsoft Flight Simulator includes 20 highly detailed planes with unique flight models and 30 hand-crafted airports.

Deluxe
The Deluxe Edition includes everything from Microsoft Flight Simulator plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.

Premium Deluxe
The Premium Deluxe Edition includes everything from Microsoft Flight Simulator plus 10 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 10 additional handcrafted international airports.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/store/games/windows?icid=CNavGamesWindowsGames

 

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS MINIMUM:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel i5-4460 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 770 | AMD Radeon RX 570
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 2 GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 | AMD Radeon RX 590
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 4 GB available space

MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR HANDS ON
 

Join Froogle for the first ever hands on preview of the brand new Microsoft Flight Simulator on the Frooglesim channel!

 

NavUp

Top of page

MrYorkiesWorld’s Review of P3D V5 (Hotfix 1) | HUGE Improvements!

Having finally upgraded to P3D V5 (Hotfix 1), I decided to give the simulator a review in all it’s glory.

As with any review of this type, I don’t have any scenery addons installed at all. I feel it’s best to give the simulator a “bare bones” review so that it better reflects what you get out of the box.

 

This is what Lockheed Martin had to say at release: Prepar3D v5 is the first step in the development of an all new platform built for next generation simulation and training. This foundational release is the cornerstone for continuous development and evolution, bringing new capabilities and features to solve tomorrows training needs. An all new DirectX 12 rendering engine brings unparalleled performance fully harnessing the latest graphics technologies.
See the world like never before with groundbreaking weather visuals including volumetric clouds with localized precipitation and atmospheric haze. Train across a fully updated globe with the latest airport and geographic data including sloped runways with full AI support.
An overhauled water system brings the seas to life with accurate wave simulations and ocean effects. See every detail with new high resolution physically based rendering (PBR) textures. Challenge yourself in an array of new vehicles including the Lockheed Martin Civilian Utility Aircraft and the F-35B developed by IndiaFoxtEcho with representative STOVL capabilities. Additionally, a slew of new updates across the entire SDK open up even more possibilities for every type of developer. Simulation and training is redefined with Prepar3D v5.

 

X Plane 11.50 Vulkan - VELVET SMOOTH!!!
 

Checking out X-Plane 11 1.50 Vulkan.

i7 9700K overclocked to 5.2 Ghz | Galax Geforce 1080ti | Monitor Res: 1080p | Corsair Vengence 3200 RAM (16gb)
Oculus Rift S | Saitek X45 (Controller) | Saitek Switch Panel | Saitek Multipanel
 

The UKDirect Eurolink Monster

Earlier this year Glenn Gower UKD675 asked if he could help run something in UKDirect. He said he’d like to run the Birmingham hub as he was based there and familiar with the airport so naturally we said yes. Well that was his foot in the door, next I was receiving messages informing me that Glenn was in an ideal position to assume control of our Eurolink fleet so after calling an emergency meeting to gather the UKD boffins (there isn't many!) we agreed to let him have a go - the consensus was “well what could go wrong?”. That was before the series of bricks with notes attached started coming through the windows of UKD Towers (well it’s more of a Porta-Kabin really).
The first said let Glenn run UKD Air-Taxi. The next had the words "And UKD Air-Taxi US West" scrawled on it. The third matched the graffiti hand-writing on the hangar door and said "better include UKD Air-Taxi YBAS or else!"Birmingham airport with Glen's Eurolink fleet

We gave in and let him have control. Thats when the new planes started turning up. At first it was a single 737 but as the weeks went by the once small subsidiary had grown into a monster fleet.

At the last count Eurolink alone had 103 aircraft : 13 Airbus', 18x Embraer aircraft, 19 Boeing's (2x Boeing 717, 12x 737s, 3x 757s, a 767-300, 787-8), and 53 others including Dash-8's, a Sukhoi Superjet 100-95LR, and a Zeppelin!!!

The Birmingham hub is quite modest in comparison with a mere 30 more aircraft (mostly Airbus and Boeing's).




 

 

 

 

One weeks additions to the Eurolink FleetThen the building crew turned up. 'Where do you want this maintenance facility putting?'

What's that you said? The Air-Taxi fleets?
Well if you add the 3 Air-Taxi fleets together  it's only another 132 - nothing really.

For those who are trying to keep tabs that's only 265 aircraft combined, or to put a figure on it: £5,287,622,723

A mere drop in the ocean. <gulp>

So who is this fella?

I have been flying flight simulators since Solo Flight came out on the Spectrum ZX, the one with the rubber keys! I think I've owned every copy of MS Flight Simulator, and recently (about five or six years ago) gave X-plane a go. Now using just X-plane 11, i can tell you, this is, in my opinion as real as it gets!

I became a PPL pilot in August 1982. I flew friends out of EGSG Stapleford Aerodrome in Essex. Moving on from there, i wanted to progress, so sat my ATPL/CPL-IR exams in late 82, passing and acquiring enough hours to obtain a frozen CPL in early 83. I was lucky to be able to fly the PA34 Piper Seneca, and the PA31 Chieftain, which I obtained IR ratings for, and was able to fly freight and mail to and from the Channel Islands, plus Brussels (EBBR), and Liege (EBLG).

Wanting big bucks! I decided to approach some airlines, and finally in 1985, a very good friend of mine managed to get me an interview with his airline who was recruiting at the time, Jersey European. I jumped at the chance of Junior Second Officer on the Dash-8 out of EGSS and EGKK.

Around 1988/89 I was able to move with my friend to IEA (Inter European Airways) and obtained a Boeing 737-400 rating! Still only a Junior Second Officer, they bonded me for four years, which was okay as I was living the dream flying the new 737-400`s out of EGSS and EGFF!!

We were taken over by Airtours in 1993, Which was a real pain as they insisted that I was type rated on the Boeing 757-200! What a shame! Jumping at the chance of that, I was once again bonded for three years with Airtours, flying mainly from EGSS, and EGKK, and stationed for a short time at EGMC.

1996 was a great year, as a new introduction to yet more influential people, I was able to get a try out with Britannia. After a great interview, i was offered a Junior First Officer job on the Boeing 757-200, but the catch was that I had to relocate to Birmingham (EGBB) Jumping at that one I was on a yearly rolling contract with them, no bonding, and obtained my First Officer rank too with them. Being offered a permanent contract, and due to sign in late Sept 2001, all hopes of that one was squashed at 9/11. All contract offers were withdrawn, and only temp contracts were given to Junior and First officers. With the down turn of air travel, I was only flying around once or twice a week, and not being fully employed by the airline, I had to pay for all my license fees, training, and simulator work. I lasted until late 2003, where I simply ran out of money, so that was it for me.

So X-plane 11 is now my only source of flying for me, and at 56, I'm glad that I had the opportunities that I have listed above. I still have the very same flight bag my Mum bought me for my 17th birthday, and have used the same flight bag throughout my flying career.

So now to UKDirect! A great experience, plus endless opportunities simulating real airline operations. Running the EGBB hub, plus the Eurolink and Air Taxi side of things, I am, sometimes quite busy, plus doing my own bit of flying too for the Airline. I think I know my computer more now than my Wife! Lucky she is very understanding, and patient!

So thats me. My PPL was on a PA28, and the Arrow/Archer, then Sennaca/Chieftain. Loved those twin prop days, much better than the big automatics of the Jets!

Any questions or anything you want to know, don't hesitate to drop me a line,  I'm here to help with anything.

Happy landings,

Glenn.
 

St.Athan Airport

St Athan


 I spotted a cheeky little freeware scenery for St.Athan. Can't argue with the price!

Ministry of Defence St Athan or MOD St Athan (IATA: DGX, ICAO: EGSY) formerly known as RAF St Athan, is a large Ministry of Defence unit near the village of St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, southern Wales

https://onesimstore.com/product/project-max-egsy-st-athan-air-base/67

NavUp

Top of page

Kirkenes Airport

ENKR_Kirkenes_Airport_Onfinal_Studio

IATA: KKN - ICAO: ENKR. Scenery for Prepar3Dv4.5 and V5
Kirkenes Airport is a Norwegian airport located at Høybuktmoen, 15 kilometers west of the town of Kirkenes. Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle operate Boeing 737-services to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. Widøre operates scheduled flights to Tromsø, Alta any many more smaller airports in the area.
Custom made buildings, taxiway, apron & runway, Satellite ground photo, Hand placed vegetation and custom made objects, Dynamic ligtning
This is what I think people call Donationware - you can download for free and/or you have the option to offer an amount as you see fit.

http://www.onfinal.dk/enkr.php  for download file. Version: 1.0 - Release date: July 8. 2020 - Download size: 208 MB

Also from Onfinal is a freeware airport scenery for Reus (ICAO LERS).

NavUp

Top of page

Honeycomb Alpha Yoke: A Pilot's Perspective [18.26]


A review of the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke by a retired airline pilot

 

 


 




 

TerraFlora V2 - Review [24.26]

Review of TerraFlora by B. Kent Wallac.System: 8700K OC 4.67 GHz, RAM 32GB, Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti ,
.Prepar3D V4.5 | Orbx - Global Base Pack | Orbx - LC - North America | Orbx - Global TerraFlora V2
Orbx - Trees HD | PILOT's - Ultimate Global Mesh | FS Global Real Weather
Ultimate Traffic Live | A2A - Piper Pa-24-250 Comanche



.



 

Boeing 747s Still Use Floppy Disks to Get Critical Software Updates [25.00]

The discovery comes courtesy of cybersecurity firm Pen Test Partners and was initially spotted by The Register. As part of this year's virtual DEF CON hacker conference, Pen Test Partners showed off a video walkthrough of a British Airways 747 after the airline decided to retire its entire fleetin July due to the global pandemic. The roughly 10-minute tour is a neat glimpse into the plane's rarely seen avionics bay and cockpit—where Pen Test Partners discovered a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive.

.Apparently, the drive is the 747's navigation database loader and needs to be updated every 28 days. As in, some poor engineer has to visit each 747-400 and manually deliver updates... or the planes wouldn't be able to fly. And it's not just the 747s. The majority of Boeing 737s are also updated via floppy disks. Operators of these planes, according to a 2014 Aviation Today report, have binders full of floppy disks for “all the avionics that they may need.” That includes important information like airports, runways, flight paths, and way-points used by pilots to make flight plans. It also sounds horribly inefficient, as while some systems may only require one floppy disk of updates, others could require as many as eight floppy disks.

Surprisingly, an Aviation Today report notes that even in 2020, a “significant number of airlines are still using floppy disks for software parts loading.”

To be fair, the 747-400 is an old plane that first took flight 32 years ago in 1988, when floppies reigned supreme. These days, however, floppy disks are mostly relegated to maintaining commercial and industrial legacy systems—things that were built to last but failed to future-proof themselves or aren’t easily replaced. For example, it wasn’t until last year that the U.S. military stopped using 8-inch floppy disks to help manage its nuclear weapons system.
In 2018, floppy disk sales actually went up when small indie music labels turned to the 3.5-inch floppy at the height of the vaporwave trend.

But getting back to planes, modern isn’t always better. The Boeing 737 Max, for instance, featured advanced software systems, but glitches resulted in two horrific crashes that killed 346 passengers, leading Boeing to halt production on the line at the end of last year. Yet another software issue with the 737 Max was found in February, and after more than a year of the planes being grounded, Boeing just restarted production in May. Conversely, while the Boeing 747-400 is no longer in production, only two have ever been involved in passenger deaths with over 8.42 million flights, per Airsafe.com.
 

NavUp

Top of page

Parallel 42 price reductions

Parallel 42 Permanently Reduces Product Prices

After a successful period in the #FlyJuly event hosted by Orbx, the team found that a sweet spot for value to the customer and representation of the quality in their product is to be part of what they called “The $20 Club.”  After listening to the community, Parallel 42 has decided that it was time to take that on board and give their products an immediate price reduction. Effective immediately, all immersion products will be adjusted to $20 USD. This is effective for all current and future immersion products. ChasePlane will also be reduced to $34 USD from now on.
 

fchead

Free Checklists.net host a collection of Aircraft Checklists by Werner Schott.

Warning! these checklists were created for use with Flight Simulation entertainment programs, not actual aircraft.
The checklists are, generally, highly accurate and may serve as useful reading for pilots interested in the aircraft.

The checklists were primarily intended for use with Microsoft Flight Simulator. However, often checklists will work with older and newer versions of your flight simulator program just fine.

Ultra-Widescreen Gaming - The BEST Way to Sim? (ROG Strix XG49VQ) [25.05]

Comparing Single Screen, Triple Screen, and Ultra-Widescreen monitor setups to find out the pros and cons of each! Many thanks to my sponsor ASUS for lending me the ROG XG49VQ for this video.
 

LATEST SOFTWARE UPDATES

(correct as of 21 July)

SXAD KAMA Amarillo Airport (P3D v5 update)
FS2Crew: PMDG 737 NGX-U Edition - v1.4 Update (P3D v5 update and bug fixes)
FS2Crew: FS Labs Airbus Edition - v1.7 Update (P3D v5 update and bug fixes)
PMDG 737 NGX-U - P3D v5 Update
TOGA PROJECTS - ENVSHADE P3D 1.1.5.6 (11/07/20)
TOGA PROJECTS - ENVTEX FSX P3D 1.2.6.1 (11/07/20)
FFTF Dynamic P3Dv4 Version 1.5.5.0 (July 2020)
FFTF_Dynamic_P3Dv5 Version: 5.0.31.35253 (July 2020)
Majestic Software Dash 8 Q400 - v1.021 Update (P3D v5) 06/07/2020
Aerosoft CRJ Professional Version 2.2 - Extensive update and Now Compatible with P3D v5  01/07/20
Ultimate Ground Crew X Version 2.0
FS2Crew: QualityWings 787 Edition Version 1.2
Just Flight L-1011 TriStar Professional - P3D v5 Update
Just Flight One-Eleven 300/400/500  - P3D v5 Update
Just Flight HS 748 Propliner  - P3D v5 Update
Just Flight DH.104 Dove & Devon (and Livery Pack)  - P3D v5 Update
Just Flight Fokker F27 Friendship 100/200/300  - P3D v5 Update
Self-Loading Cargo Version 1.5.4 (16th July 20)
VIDAN DESIGN - AALBORG X version 1.2 now compatible with P3Dv5
AEROSOFT - A330 PROFESSIONAL P3D V1020 compatible with P3D5
FS2Crew: PMDG 747  updated to Version 1.6
LEONARDO MADDOG X  - P3D v5 Update 17 May 2020
Virtuacol SAAB Regional Pack V2 Now compatible with P3D5 14/05/20
DRZEWIECKI DESIGN - Baku X - v1.4 Update
Polish Airports Vol.1,2,3 X (V4) - P3D v5 Update
LUKK Chisinau X - v1.3 Update 11/05/20
EETN Tallinn X v2 X - v2.4 Update
New York Airports Vol. 2 X: KEWR, KLDJ, KCDW - v2.5 Update
New York Airports X Vol. 2: KJFK, KLGA, KTEB - v2.5 Update
Mega Airport Frankfurt V2.0 Professional - v2.0.0.0 Update 11/05/20
DRZEWIECKI DESIGN - Washington_X_v1.5  09/05/20
PMDG 747 QOTS v2 - P3D v5 Update 08 May 2020
HiFi Technologies - Active Sky P3D 8/05/20
MK-STUDIOS - DUBLIN P3D4 P3D5 - Prepar3D V5 compatibility, 6/05/20
Milano Malpensa Professional P3D v5 compatible
Mega Airport Berlin-Brandenburg Professional P3D v5 compatible
AEROSOFT - FSDG - LITE - DAKAR
P3D5 compatible 29/04/20
JETSTREAM DESIGNS - PARIS ORLY LFPO
V1.21 update for P3D5
Aerosoft Airbus Pro Edition
X-Plane 11.50 Public Beta
with Vulkan/Metal rendering API 02/04/20
Self Loading Cargo - v1.55 August 4th 2020

Current SODE version

SODE V1.7.1
   7th June 2020
Besides fixing some minor bugs, this release mainly incorporates the necessary code modifications to have GSX control their SODE-based jetways in order to dock/undock to/from AI traffic. Of course, GSX needs to be updated as well for this to work, and the update from their part will be available very soon.

https://sode.12bpilot.ch/
=================================================
FSUIPC latest versions:

FSUIPC 6.0.10
for Prepar3D Versions 4 & 5  July 19th 2020 (12.2 MB)

FSUIPC 5.157 for Prepar3D Version 4 ONLY June 28th 2020 (5.67 Mb)

FSUIPC 4.975 [for FSX, FSX-SE and P3D 1.4-3.4].   May 11th 2020 (3.99 MB)
MakeRwys 4.91
FS2002, FS2004, FSX and P3D 1-5 May 23rd 2020

http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html

 

MORE PREPARED V5 UPDATES

Sim-Wings - Canary Islands Professional - El Hierro
Sim-Wings - Canary Islands Professional - La Palma
Sim-Wings - Malaga Professional
Mega Airport Madrid Professional
Mega Airport Barcelona Professional
Mega Airport London Heathrow Professional
Balearic Islands Professional - Ibiza
Balearic Islands Professional - Mallorca
Balearic Islands Professional - Menorca
Balearic Islands Professional Bundle (Ibiza, Mallorca & Menorca)
ALL UK2000 SCENERY
New York City X V2
- v2.4 Update
UUEE Moscow Sheremetyevo X V2 - v2.3 Update
Seattle City X - v1.4 Update
Seattle Airports X - v1.4 Update
FSX3D - CALVI ST-CATHERINE AIRPORT LFKC - version 1.10
RAAS for P3D V5
LatinVFR
- KMIAv5, KFLL, LEMD, SCEL, KBWI, KMSY, KSANv2, KSNA, KRDU, KEYW, TXKFv2, LEBL, MHRO , KRSW and TJSJ are all Lockheed Martin prepared 3d version 5 ready

 

NavUp

Top of page

 

 6 Things That SHOCKED Me Buying an Airplane (Cessna 182) [11:12]

I was fortunate to purchase a Cessna 182 in 2016. It was the first airplane I've ever bought and there were so many new things I didn't know to expect. In this video I cover the top six things that really surprised me about airplane ownership. At the end of the day, it has ALWAYS been worth it.

 

Flying across Europe with a BROKEN engine! Smartwings 1125 [29:16]

Can you imagine having an engine failure over mainland Europe and then decide to disregard several well functioning airports in order to fly Single-engine for over 2 hours to reach your original destination?
That is exactly what happened on Smartwings flight 1125 on the 22nd of August 2019.
The final report has just been released and it is a bombshell of information about the decision making and handling by the involved pilots.
Today I will start my new series about known and unknown accidents and incidents that have happened and my view on what has been going on. Enjoy!!

 

How does a PILOT KNOW when to DESCEND? Descent planning explained by CAPTAIN JOE [12.25]

Dear friends and followers, in today's video I`ll be explaining a few thumb rules to make your descent planning a lot easier. Initiating the descent at the right moment is one the things/procedures most flight students and even experienced pilots struggle with from time to time. Nowadays airliners are equipped with all sorts of helpful tools showing you when to start your descent but this systems still can´t anticipate the mood of the air traffic controller, which can always interfere with your descent.

 

Get Real World Aviation Charts For FREE! Inc Instrument approach, SID, STAR, Taxi and En-route [6:29]

Looking for aviation charts for your flight simulator? Perhaps you're looking for an instrument approach chart, a SID or maybe a STAR? In this video, I show you how to get real world charts, for the world, FOR FREE! More details below... 
Visit this link to view AIS charts for the world, via the Eurocontrol website: https://www.eurocontrol.int/articles/...

 

Antonov An-225 Mriya: The Heaviest Aircraft Ever Built [14.52]

A Megaprojects video, hosted by Simon Whistler.

 

Transatlantic Airbus A220-300 Delivery: Air Baltic ULTIMATE COCKPIT MOVIE Montreal-Riga [AirClips] [2.05:51]

Enjoy an extremely rare and usually restricted insight into all backgrounds of a delivery flight of a brand new Airbus A220-300 aircraft (formerly known as Bombardier CS300)! Air Baltic was kind enough to allow us witnessing the entire process from the briefing all the way until the arrival of the brand new aircraft at its new home base in Riga, Latvia.
 

Top 10 Discontinued Airplanes Still Flying [11:49]

This video goes over some of the best airplanes flying today that have ended production. Luckily these planes are still flying today, and will be for many years.

 

NavUp

Top of page

Sarah Cooper [17.48]

Comedian Sarah Cooper Trump TikTok compilation. This was a suggestion by Phi UKD101 - great choice buddy!

 

Star Wars Origins: The Dam Busters - Side by Side Scene Comparison [2.37]

Side-by-side comparison of scenes from Star Wars (1977) with scenes from The Dam Busters (1955).
I found this indirectly from an idea by Graham UKD140. By the way, it’s not coincidence, George Lucas deliberately copied the scenes as he wanted an authentic battle scene to end the film.

 

Camaro Summer Tournament Round 1 | Group 1-2 Diecast Racing [12.06]

I was thinking of Phil when I saw this video, I think he would have liked it.
3DBotMaker Diecast Racing League | 1:64 diecast sports action racing
This video is intended for diecast collectors and racing fans 13+

Camaro Summer Tournament - Round 1, Groups 1 - 2

Cars compete in 4 races, the top 2 in points advance to the next round.

Point System:
1st place - 5 points
2nd place - 3 points
3rd place - 2 points
4th place - 1 point
DNF - 0 points

 

2020-01-05-name-change
  • Quiz Answers

    Click the TABS near the bottom of this table to reveal the answers to the Directions Quiz.

  • Question 1
  • Question 2
  • Question 3
Advert created by Charley Zulu

Don’t forget to wash your hands!

NavUp

Homepage

blank_menu
NavUp

Top of page

 | 2020-2