CUSTOM SCENERY

[beana51]

To all here following this...
This story must be told here...its about Michael .. in my Walter Mitty World here on SOH, With time on my hands ..Flying the Sim.I Had recreated most all of my Flying Experience.Every Take Off Landing,Place Incident The good and the bad..One Strip SKYTOP, NY03,in NY had special meaning to me...A Green Ribbon of Grass in a back water place .I mentioned it here on SOH,just to satify my own whim. Gee What If It Looked Real??When I get a response ..Michael,responded.

"
Sure, it's easy/peazy, LOL. What part is important to you, the way it looks in real life from the air, or that plus the buildings, objects, etc. What do you have that in not default FSX, landclass? UTX, FTXG, GEX, what mesh? i ask as all this will effect the results you want. you can buy the megascenery v2 NY state and it will be like flying over the real thing, but flat, LOL."


"OK, 5 minutes work. Obviously after looking at it in default FSX, the mountain top issue is something that will have to be addressed. Hopefully having a quality mesh product like FSGenesis or FSGlobal will fix that, but otherwise, the photoreal part is easy, I can blend this with the default, add autogen and adjust the AFCAD and make the default runway be invisible if you want."

"No problem Vin, thanks for the info, very helpful!"

You cannot make this up. Here is Michael,totally engaged...With time,work,Creativity,concepts,Accomplishment, to a total stranger,Tho a fellow Simmer, on SOH...He could have Said nothing,or tell me where to go,or just ignore..one more Post by one more Ole geezer...But he did not!
He took the challenge and a a request,understood the importance of this to me,and just Did It!...Rare action today,who among us would do something like this?..But Michael did,reflecting values ,he has...Nice stuff!...

My SKYTOP now,as it was in memory's eye..For me the place oozed grass roots flying...where tradition existed in the Old Way By People of the old way...Michael crossed that divide with Sincerity,understanding,careing...Michael Has a Great Heart...He is now part of those few guys who love SKYTOP.. And When its no more? this rendition of this place will not be forgotten,because of Michael

This cannot be forgotten here on SOH,Tho we may act like kids ,its nice to know there are adults here with class..I of course can never thank him enough..All I can do is Temper my own inadequacies with fellow Simmers and try to be a better ole guy because of ...My friend Michael..Thnks much..Vin


BEFORE SKYTOP



Michaels SKYTOP..that green ribbon of grass off the right wing!

[falcon409]

Yep, wouldn't expect anything less. Great job Michael. . .that was really great of you to take up the call. Another masterpiece.

[MCDesigns]

LOL, you give me to much credit Vin. I have been doing scenery for awhile and can usually see the obstacles in the way to completion and this was pretty straightforward for me. Considering the help I have gotten over the years from people like Bill Womack, Holger, Bill Leaming, even Arno at FSDeveloper, it's the least I can do to help when I can. I'll post a link after work tomorrow.

[TuFun]

The stuff you guys do here at SOH is what inspires me to at least attempt at creating something, whether it's painting, effects, and now soundset! :isadizzy:

Just an amazing community!!! :salute:

[trucker17]

Excellent job their mike......Very, very nice work......Enjoy VIN.....I'm sure many of us here have that one special airfield, that brings back both fond and not so fond memories.....For me its a small airfield that is no longer here, the place my grandfather showed me how to handle the plane......The airfield my grandfather had on the northern California coast, and the place I put my cabin on William lake...( of coarse, back then, it was just 3 tents and a small campfire about half way across the lake.....
Today, in FSX his old home, hangers and airfield survive, as my base of operations.....
This was my dream as a kid, to take the job he loved and make it my own. Sadly that did not work out that way. I went into driving trucks, and gave up on that dream.....Today in real life. I am currently restoring my grandfathers Grumman G-21 Goose, back to flying condition, at my home on Vancouver island, nice to have 25 acres of land with a dock on the ocean and a ramp for testing....
The restoration has been ongoing for over 14 years now.....But one day his old bird will be airborn again.....I know with every nut and bolt I turn and every rivet I place, grandpa is right their with me....And I would not have it any other way.....
Craig

[falcon409]

Vin may recognize this area as well. Certainly not of Michaels caliber, but I thought a companion airport within a short distance (13nm) would be nice to make a leisurely trip to early in the morning or during a late afternoon. I have to go take care of my Great Granddaughter now, but I'll get it uploaded when I get home this evening.

[trucker17]

Nice scenery their Ed.....

[falcon409]

Here's the link:
https://app.box.com/s/zabrys5o0ko6cy6m605v

[MCDesigns]

Nice work Ed, can't wait to check it out.

Here is the link to the Skytop airfield for Vin, let me know if there are any problems
https://app.box.com/s/1zyem6f5ekstg1vwq9qj

[beana51]

Its Christmas Morning in August...SKYTOP and DOWNSVILLE...My Old Haunts I will be flying here forever I think...Both are Suburb renditions..Both Masterful work By the best as anyone can see.These should,and will be shared by all....I will share these with the old Geezers up there...We call our selves "WOODCHUCKS" and they will be happy...both are very accurate..Both strips will task the average pilot,both located in some beautiful country..the Catskill Mountains of NY Were it not for this place,this gathering of Simmers at SOH,this would be impossible
Gentlemen I thank You both Most Sincerely. I know others will also.Your Friend Vin.

[falcon409]

Nice work Ed, can't wait to check it out.

Here is the link to the Skytop airfield for Vin, let me know if there are any problems
https://app.box.com/s/1zyem6f5ekstg1vwq9qj

None that I could see Michael. . .man it looks great. I was flying the CriCri and still came in a bit high. . .from a distance the trees at the end are a bit deceiving. I thought I needed that altitude to clear them. By the time I got closer and realized they weren't as high as I thought, lol. . .oh well. Downsville snuck up on me. . .coming over the ridge. . .it's there, so I flew right downwind (they suggest a left traffic for good reason, lol) and tried to drop onto the field and stalled over the river, lol. Next time I went east up the river then followed it back and a short right onto the rwy.

Vin's right, this area is great to fly in and there a ton of small airfields all over the area. Will make for some great low and slow stuff for a change. Glad you like the airfields Vin. Michael did a terrific job on SkyTop.:salute:

[beana51]

..Just Super.Masterful work,like all the rest you do..DOWNSVILLE is a White Knuckle landing..Tucked in the Mountains....It really looks as it was..that Reservoir is NYC drinking water.I was hoping these works both go into Whats New..To be enjoyed by all. Would not like to see them misplaced of lost,that would be criminal....Again Thank You Most Sincerly..Vin

[beana51]

Michael the more I fly it the better it gets..its UncannyMy mind fills in the blanks..Thats the place!.The Runway Grass most beautiful in color.....This must be shared to all the Simmers here..they will enjoy this..Its As Real as it Can get!..again My Friend Thank You much..Vin

[MCDesigns]

None that I could see Michael. . .man it looks great. I was flying the CriCri and still came in a bit high. . .from a distance the trees at the end are a bit deceiving. I thought I needed that altitude to clear them. By the time I got closer and realized they weren't as high as I thought, lol. . .oh well. Downsville snuck up on me. . .coming over the ridge. . .it's there, so I flew right downwind (they suggest a left traffic for good reason, lol) and tried to drop onto the field and stalled over the river, lol. Next time I went east up the river then followed it back and a short right onto the rwy.

Vin's right, this area is great to fly in and there a ton of small airfields all over the area. Will make for some great low and slow stuff for a change. Glad you like the airfields Vin. Michael did a terrific job on SkyTop.:salute:

Agreed, nice area, wonder what it is like with detailed mesh. I agree on Downsville, coming in over the ridge was killer, good thing I had the Kodiak, need that STOL experience. I did notice I sunk into the ground, looks like the runway might be a different height than the airport.

BTW nice house library, those yours?

[MCDesigns]

Michael the more I fly it the better it gets..its UncannyMy mind fills in the blanks..Thats the place!.The Runway Grass most beautiful in color.....This must be shared to all the Simmers here..they will enjoy this..Its As Real as it Can get!..again My Friend Thank You much..Vin

No problem Vin, was happy to do it. Enjoy! :salute:

[beana51]

Skytop is a Fair Weather VFR air strip..when landing best to use standred pattern.On finial do not use Full Flaps..The Deer pop out and you may need to Go Around.Always Land to the North,and always take off to the South..use Short Field techniques.Most time you land with a tail wind watch your Ground speed.Cross wind Landings are forgiving on the soft grass'great Tail wheel Strip.although I seen ,and flew Cessna s and Pipers..some Multi Engine...Once we had a Hunting Pembroke..Needed Repairs..crazy Guy, good Pilot got in, Got Fixed,. and Got out.Was close!.Good place in fall for Deer hunting.You can see three states from that Runway,its 2094 ft up Being in NY,ya can see NJ and Penn.. The grass smells sweet,The Air is clear,the water from springs.That lovley lake is called Tennanah Lake...In winter we Rolled the snow.We took a telephone pole put old tires thru it , and with a Ford Tractor Flattened the snow by rolling it. Landing Rolling out was an adventure!

http://www.airnav.com/airport/NY03

Old Pic of that Pembroke in the 70s

[falcon409]

. . . .I did notice I sunk into the ground, looks like the runway might be a different height than the airport.
BTW nice house library, those yours?

Mike, I ran TCalcX and it shows (in meters) 331.317, checked the airport properties and that's what I set it to. . .I also added a flatten that only encompasses the runway. Even moving off the rwy area, the variation in altitude is miniscule. As for the Scenery Object Library. . .that was done by Ron Jeffers.

[falcon409]

Downloading some 1/3 arc sec datasets from the USGS. Gonna give the "mesh thing" another go, lol. The Island went well. . .but I sure wish I had written down which programs I used to do which steps, lol, lol. I'll get it.:isadizzy:

[MCDesigns]

Downloading some 1/3 arc sec datasets from the USGS. Gonna give the "mesh thing" another go, lol. The Island went well. . .but I sure wish I had written down which programs I used to do which steps, lol, lol. I'll get it.:isadizzy:

Cool, if you do all of NY, I see a couple of other strips I like, LOL. (Lewis Landing and Hunter Mountain) With Lewis Landing I can see doing a really detailed hanger inside and HiRes ground poly apron in front before the grass field.

[falcon409]

Cool, if you do all of NY, I see a couple of other strips I like, LOL. (Lewis Landing and Hunter Mountain) With Lewis Landing I can see doing a really detailed hanger inside and HiRes ground poly apron in front before the grass field.

I'm watching the downloads right now. The area I selected is about 30sq miles and the 4 files that I'm downloading will be about 1.2gig before processing. That drops off a lot after it goes through Global Mapper. . .I hope, lol

[expat]

Really outstanding work Ed. The crop and mowed grass rows make it look like a real photo. There are a great many small grass farm strips like this the world over. Just did up a very basic one in ADE close to where I live in Kent England but it is very crude by comparison. I fear for a flood of special requests you are going to be receiving!

[Brian_Gladden]

If you guys are taking requests for custom airstrips, might I suggest Warren Sugarbush airport in Warren VT (0B7) Paved runway but very narrow (30 feet) home of Sugarbush Soaring and has lots of glider activity. Home base of Jim Parker (Fairly well known Northeast US airshow pilot) Home of the Diner-Soar cafe. I can get photos of the buildings should you need them.


http://www.airnav.com/airport/0B7

http://www.sugarbushairport.com/home.html

[expat]

Warren Sugarbush airport in Warren VT (0B7)

That's a good one! Just been doing some landings there in the Pilatus PC-12. I really like airstrips nestled in the forests/hills like that.

[Dumonceau]

Skytop is a Fair Weather VFR air strip..when landing best to use standred pattern.On finial do not use Full Flaps..The Deer pop out and you may need to Go Around.Always Land to the North,and always take off to the South..use Short Field techniques.Most time you land with a tail wind watch your Ground speed.Cross wind Landings are forgiving on the soft grass'great Tail wheel Strip.although I seen ,and flew Cessna s and Pipers..some Multi Engine...Once we had a Hunting Pembroke..Needed Repairs..crazy Guy, good Pilot got in, Got Fixed,. and Got out.Was close!.Good place in fall for Deer hunting.You can see three states from that Runway,its 2094 ft up Being in NY,ya can see NJ and Penn.. The grass smells sweet,The Air is clear,the water from springs.That lovley lake is called Tennanah Lake...In winter we Rolled the snow.We took a telephone pole put old tires thru it , and with a Ford Tractor Flattened the snow by rolling it. Landing Rolling out was an adventure!

http://www.airnav.com/airport/NY03

Old Pic of that Pembroke in the 70s

That is a Belgian AF Pembroke!! Thanks for sharing that picture!!!

[MCDesigns]

If you guys are taking requests for custom airstrips, might I suggest Warren Sugarbush airport in Warren VT (0B7) Paved runway but very narrow (30 feet) home of Sugarbush Soaring and has lots of glider activity. Home base of Jim Parker (Fairly well known Northeast US airshow pilot) Home of the Diner-Soar cafe. I can get photos of the buildings should you need them.


http://www.airnav.com/airport/0B7

http://www.sugarbushairport.com/home.html

That is one skinny runway, LOL Nice area though! If you can actually get me images of "everything" on the field, drop me a PM Brian.