The PCUG Monthly Main Meeting on 31 May 2004
will be something very different. PCUG member Air Commodore (Ret’d)
Roger Lowery will demonstrate Flight Simulator 2004. Roger has
had 33 years experience flying many types of aircraft and, since
his retirement, has used that experience to add impressive realism
to Microsoft’s Flight Simulator.
This is not a ‘shoot em down’ games package, but rather a serious
tool for those wishing to experience the pleasures and problems
of learning to fly an aircraft. It could even be considered a
serious training aid for aspiring pilots. While earlier versions
of Flight Simulator may have been less realistic, the latest version,
FS2004, contains all the software to create functions and situations
as they would occur when actually flying an aircraft.
Roger has taken the basic package and enhanced it by creating
his own individual aircraft or modifying those available for download
from the net. This has involved many months of work in using his
aeronautical knowledge and “AFDS” or “gmax” to build each of the
thousands of individual components to their authentic specifications.
And how does it perform? Come along and see! Dual monitors add
to the effect: the first is driven by the flight simulator and
concentrates on internal and external views of the selected aircraft
or its cockpit; the second displays a real commercial GPS system
that takes data from the flight simulator to superimpose the aircraft’s
position on a genuine GPS moving map display
.
Flight Simulator 2004 is also an excellent way to gain a working
knowledge of meteorology, navigation, aerodynamics, global positioning,
flight planning and other skills necessary to fly an aircraft
successfully. But, in addition, it will enhance your computer
knowledge in areas such as image and sound manipulation.
If you are interested in aviation, computer simulation or just
plain fun, come and see Roger Lowery and the PCUG Air Crew show
the state of the art in digital aviation on Monday 31 May at 7:30
pm at the ANU Manning Clark Complex, Theatre 3.
It’s FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Bring your family, friends
and workmates.
