I still love that you’re using an old “Blue Canoe” to get up there. That is some slow going. Respect!
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As promised, Norway! While I think I could have made it directly to ESNB (935nm), this just seemed safer.
Went with the pre-dawn departure again and was rewarded with a beautiful perma-dawn view for the entire trip.
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Okay, last pilot to the party. Hope everyone is still awake 
I didn’t take any pictures in flight since it was pitch black. Had to teach myself to fly a programed approach. Paniced at the end when there were no runway lights:
However, I did get the old Blue Canoe down on the ground and actually made a reasonably good guess at the runway. The terminal was lit up like a Christmas tree so I taxied directly there (figured ATC hates me already anyway):
Where is the party?
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You flew here in that? Well done the first round is on me.
I’m propping up the bar at the Karlsberger Pub:
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Welcome to the party. Things are just about to jump off for the new year, so good timing!
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I did see this guy hanging around…
Excellent job! The bar calls!
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Well, I never did get caught up with my AAR’s, but at least I did make it to the destination this year. It was a fun trek in a different aircraft.
HNY everyone!
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Harry - That is a fine looking pub. Might be worth a non-virtual visit. Mudspike Convention perhaps?
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Hey, that’s me! Just screwed in the pedals and put in a crossbeam to mount the stick to and my office floor is covered in mismatched alu profiles.
I’m hoping to get the simpit minimally working and do the flight within a week from now but I see my schedule is quite filled for the next days
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How exciting! Nothing like a new rig. Godspeed and we will be waiting for you on the other side.
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Mudspike Virtual Get Together Flights?
Happy 2025 to all!
Mudspike Christmas Flight 2024 was my first Christmas Flight and I enjoyed it a lot, thanks for organising.
After landing at Svalbard, I realised the Christmas Flight 2025 is far ahead and we flew to Svalbard individually, I did not see any of you in the air or on TCAS …
As I am not yet very familiar on Mudspike, I was thinking about some flights really together. Online, same date, same time. With an origin and destination. Possibly with close to real-time Screens and AARs.
And yes, I realise this only works if all are using MSFS2020 or all are using MSFS2024 (2020 and 2024 online aircraft are not yet on the same page …). And unfortunately, XP11/12 do not have such simple online possibility as I am aware. Some other options exist to connect online (e.g. VATSIM), but this comes with quite a bit of “overhead”.
Anyway, perhaps this idea already exists on Mudspike, but if not, please let me know with a “like” below this message. I am happy to organise a first Virtual Get Together Flight if there is interest.
P.S. This way I flew with a friend from Europe to Indonesia, great fun.
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I guess I am too late for the party but anyway.
last year I just didnt have that much time and will to even start, but this year I decided that I just cant skip our annual flight sim fest.
so congrats! to all who already made it to the bar in one piece and I promise I am going to read your reports in due time 
my own flight was pre-planned as simple affair. we just love the light planning, dont we!?
so here is my setting - procured the Ultimatetraveler, did set the summer time and clear skies. and my starting point was Gdynia-Kosakowo on the northern coast of Poland ( I already flew IRL through almost the whole Poland in the S-N direction, and I can tell you it is really flat ).
getting ready. this is how the vehicle for traveling around the globe was meant to look
zooming out for some vistas
had to do few refueling stops along the track, here lining up for landing at Andøya Andenes
Land Ahoy! from 50k …
… Svalbard from 60k. was enjoying the speed and height as I was able to figure out the zoom-climb profile only after my last refueling stop 
going for the final landing
made it in one piece and in one day!
enjoyed the flight and scenery. congrats again to all who landed safely here before me, cheers! 
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Welcome to Svarlbard! And good choice of ride
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As promised, the first MSFS Virtual Get Together Flight is announced, in separate topic:
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I finally did the first flight in my VR ghetto simpit. Made it only to Oslo due to severe Bingo time.
Haven’t figured out the “logistics” of MSFS yet though. It didnt help that I dont have a keyboard yet, or a proper tablestand thingy, just a wireless mouse on my leg.
- How do I take screenshots in VR? WMR, non-Steam version of MSFS
- How do I switch between internal and external view?
I initially planned for Bodø but had to redo the start a few times due to forgetting to load anything into INS, accidentally hitting the water rudder button which somehow kills your INS and autopilot in the F-104(?)
I pretended I took off at 10:00 this morning from the local ex-Naval base EHVB, but used live weather.
When I noticed I wouldnt make it to Bodø, I grabbed my phone with the Maps app and peeked at it under the VR headset. Matched what I daw out the window to the map and managed to navigate to Oslo Gardermoen that way and land straight in!
Here’s some through the lens / not through the lens phone pics:
Crawling into the (pretty much 1:1 matched) cockpit while wearing the VR set is amazing! My pedals are a bit further away, but I think I’d hit my knees against the panel in a real F-104 pit so that’s a good thing
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I’m still enroute and hope to knock out a couple of long legs this weekend. We can have a late arrivals party 
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deal! waiting at the bar
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I’m off for leg 04. Departed about an hour ago and am currently a little below TOC, cruising at FL430. I tried to get to 450, but must be too heavy at the moment. Learning this thing as I go, but far so good in the B-2 Spirit. Even a caveman can operate the FMC. Another 6.5 hours to go.
“Hey Jester, you think that you should have skipped the bean burrito for breakfast?”
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“open bomb bay doors”
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