@Navynuke99 You can see the Parade Deck pretty clearly, those “H” buldings on the south side of the Parade Deck are the barracks. Each leg is a squadbay for a platoon, Full Metal Jacket style. The PT Field and O-Course back right up to the airport. I remember seeing planes take off and landing everyday wishing I was on one.
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No idea about the island. The Mission Bay VOR (MZB 117.8) is on an island in one of those bays.
When I was at FITCPAC (now just FITC…a difference with no real distinction), somebody knew one of the DIs at MCRD and arranged for us to “visit” the O course. It was awesome fun…given that we were not being timed nor “encouraged to excel” by the Marines in attendance. Still, I feel a very good experience for officers as it demonstrates some of what young Marines must do.
Also, a quick caution to any thinking of visiting MCRD. Don’t go on Thursday or Friday.
Thursday is the day that the brand new Marines are brought back from the “Crucible” and get to see their families for the first time. I got there at just the right time once and got to follow the entire graduating class as they ran in formation around the base, ending up on the Parade Deck to the welcoming roar from their families. Loud, full of pride and simply awesome.
Another time, (pretty sure it was a Friday) I tried to hit the MCX for some normal items. A class must have just graduated. Literally hundreds of Privates and their proud parents buying anything and everything in the MCX that bore the letters USMC…and there I am trying to buy a toothbrush. 
That said, both times I felt great about witnessing these events…great days for the new Marines, their families and my country. 
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OH! Now that you mention it, I know exactly where it is. Tiny island off Fiesta Island, on the back side of the bay (accessed from Claremont). And Fiesta Island, of course, best known for their annual Over the Line tournament.
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That’s the graduation ceremony. You go on a massive green on green PT run and then come back in Charlie’s and graduate. Friday you are free to move about the cabin with your family and then go on leave. When I went through, we did the crucible in the middle of the cycle, week 8 I think, and then phase 3 was back at MCRD San Diego culminating in the graduation week 13. They’ve changed it back and forth a few times.
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I wanted to see that sooo bad when my son went through. He didn’t get me the date til a few days before and I couldn’t get off work. Still a lil sad about that.
My brother and I played a trick on him; one of my brother’s best friends from high school was a DI when my boy was going through; there he was, trying to stay invisible (at some pool ‘event’) and he gets singled out, bad. He was pissed at us for that, at first. 
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Grand Canyon - Bar Ten (1Z1)
These two sketch dudes were walking toward my plane…I needed @chipwich ridding shotgun man…
Lean it out…high elevation airport!
Meanwhile…overhead…
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Another plug for Wookie1’s sceneries…he has done some great bush fields in Washington, Oregon, and California…but he has a whole series of strips he has done up in the Maine/New Hampshire/Vermont corner of the United States. They are really cool fields. Some have some janky elevation issues, but if you are careful, you can get around them…most are fine though…
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Picked up the Digital Replica C310L, and made a quick hop from KMRY up to KHAF under the clouds.
Heading towards Santa Cruz proper, and the wreck of the SS Palo Alto is visible at Seacliffs State Beach.
Santa Cruz. My grandfather almost retired from the Army out here, after a posting at Fort Ord, and I very nearly went to UC Santa Cruz (it was almost neck and neck with UC Santa Barbara for schools I was considering).
I’d originally toyed with the idea of landing at Bonny Doon, but I forgot how steep the terrain around there was- definitely much better to some of that bush pilot ish. Also, this was part of the area I think I was getting mesh weirdness happening.
Over the South Bay, and Palo Alto in particular. I didn’t look too hard, as I’m pretty sure I couldn’t afford even to do that much.
I managed to sneak in under some pretty heavy clouds for a visual at Half Moon Bay, with a wicked crosswind. Would’ve made a great shot as I crabbed her in, but my hands were slightly full. Still, the little twin flew like a dream.
I will definitely say that was $20 well worth it.
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Doing some testing after reinstalling Oculus Home (I have been experiencing some system instability similar to @smokinhole)…
This is a test flight with the recently updated Dreamfoil S-300, flying around the OrbX Innsbruck scenery . Fun little helicopter!
I guess I never noticed the guy on the Tower balcony taking photos!
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Agree. She was outrageously cheap during the last sale! Couldn’t resist.
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Taking a short hiatus from combat flight sims. Entering the XP rabbit hole. I haven’t flown a civilian sim in over 10 years!
Reunited with my old bird the E175/195
(Stock scenery, don’t judge! 
)
Crossing the pond in the 195
(Obligatory vanity shot. The real deal. My last day at Horizon. SAN-ELP-SEA)
Concorde is a dream to fly in XP.
Flirtin’ with Mach 2.0
Engine 3 fried itself 
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I’m curious, what’s your take as far as quality on the X-Crafts ERJ products? (assuming it is the X-Crafts, of course).
@boomerang10 Before purchase I was deciding between Xcrafts and SSG. I went with SSG because of the realistic FMS. Xcrafts uses a generic one. The SSG FMS isn’t perfect and is missing a handful of features (some airline specific), but it includes everything that is needed to complete a flight without breaking a sweat. It has its quirks, but I am happy with it.
There is also a realistic cockpit and sound mod for SSG that just came out and it really is spot on. I could post SSG vs. real life pics later.
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That does look quite nice, I might have to pick it up. I’ve been itching for something in between the 737 and the TBM.
https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/59492-ssg-e170-195-cockpit-mod/
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Ah Wattisham… When I was there it was Lynx and maybe Gazelles. I did love seeing the Phantoms when they popped in to Chivenor occasionally.
I was looking at the aircraft types that the RAF operated when I was serving.
We still had the Phantom, Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier GR5 and 7, Buccaneer, Nimrod, VC10, Tristar, Andover, Sea King, Wessex, Gazelle, Tucano… all gone now. I think the only aircraft still in service from my time is the good old Hawk (now T. Mk 2).
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Not impressed with the Phantom to be honest. But I am very glad I dropped by to see, 17 days late, the Derwent Reservoir shots. Nice!