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This Full Update 08/07/01.

UK Direct is always pleased to hear from Real World pilots - but we can't pay you! (private joke)

G-UKDL Enjoys the Greek sunshine as it enters the Gulf of Corinth bound for Athens.

Editorial

A quiet month? Not if you are one of the management! There is a lot of activity behind the scenes, most of it not printable and some of it involves sheep? I hope to avoid the virtual eggs and flour being thrown at me this month by being nice to everyone. Remember I love you all in a very special cyber-way. Yes even some of the least mentally gifted amongst us.....

Stork Air News !

Ok, ok, I know that some smart a... I mean nice pilot is going to enlighten us all by correctly identifying the species of bird in the animation but it looks like a stork to me.

Most of you that read the message board will know that Ade Mansbridge is a proud father - not sure if it's for the first time? but anyway Louisa Natalya Mansbridge was born 21:32hrs Fri 15h June 2001, weighing a very healthy 9lb 6oz. AND.....

We are very pleased to announce that Robert 110 is a proud father too! His wife has just given birth to a Thomas Robert,weighing in at a respectable 8lb 10oz. I have a note here about a UKD baby boom and a nappy rush is on the cards ! (or was that nappy rash?..ed)

I am sure you will all join with me wishing both sets of parents the very best for the future.

New Route being tested

A new route will probably be introduced this month after final consultations with the boss and route testing has been completed. The B757-200 will be off to Crete from Bristol once a week. For those still lucky enough to be using FS98, Ted Katranas Greece scenery is quite good. The airport terminal and general layout is fair. For those of you using FS2k only the default scenery is currently available but can be greatly enhanced by using mesh terrain scenery. For those of you that have never been to Nikos Kazantzakis (named after the famous author of Zorba the Greek) it presents a challenge in that the end of the main runway 27 is right on the edge of a 100' cliff and there is no ILS to do it all for you.The other end, 09 is a bit tricky too as a left turn is made over the bay and you have to come right over the top of local housing, remembering that if you are in any doubt - go around or you'll be off the cliff at the other end if you can't stop! Most traffic is 737-800's and A320 airbuses of the charter airlines, many German - Air Berlin, Hapag Lloyd, Condor,with a smattering of 757-200's and Condor 757-300's, A300's, 767's (Excel have just started to fly there from Gatwick), the odd Martinair MD11 and Airtours/Premiair DC10 and when the Russians come to visit Tu154's and IL-86's. I haven't seen a 747 there yet! but I know that they have been visitors in the past.

As real as it gets?......Mmmmmmm. Nice mountains though. Aerosoft are due to release some commercial scenery Greece 2001 soon, but as yet I can't find out much on the content or quality.

Real world pics from: www.justplanes.com and http://members.nbci.com/elliottigs/LGIR/lgir.htm

Ferry crew places filled.

A full quota of pilots has been selected for the popular ferry flights to and from the Carribean. On full expenses who wouldn't? I put my name down but when I went into Mark's office to drop hints I noticed that a rather large and juicy bluebottle had been neatly despatched from the window with the very same application.

Fleet News

By far the biggest section this month is the fleet news. Our intrepid painters have been going absolutely flat out to give UK Direct a first class fleet ! I know the list was published on the message board but here it is again:

FS98
Boeing 717-200 G-UKDB "Annabel", Boeing 717-200 G-UKDG "Katerina"
Boeing 767-300ER G-UKIE "Jill Dando"
Bac 1-11 VP-CDC "Merlene Ottey" [CDA], Bac 1-11 VP-CDD "Coconut Grove" [CDA]

FS 2000
Boeing 717-200 G-UKDB "Annabel", Boeing 717-200 G-UKDG "Katerina"
Bac 1-11 VP-CDC "Merlene Ottey" [CDA], Bac 1-11 VP-CDD "Coconut Grove" [CDA]

In the pipeline:

FS98
B747-400, B777-300

FS2000

B747-400, DHC-6, Bae ATP, B777-300 .

B747-400 FS2k (picture coutesy of Dave Finney- nice clouds Dave!)

Look out for ferry flight details for this one soon!

To add to this James has sent me a picture of the new model for FS2k of our faithful servant the BAC1-11 in original fleet livery! - thanks James. Fantastic!

The On-line Pheonix - about to rise from the ashes?

No it's got nothing to do with the cricket but just a snippet to report that one of our team is thinking of trying to resurrect the online flying department. At present we have a hard-core of members who regularly fly or control online. The present appointed manager was probably a victim of timing more than any conspiracy or wave of apathy.I don't believe the site has been updated for a long time now. We still have long serving members who used to regularly join in the online fun (me included..ed) but through one reason or another can't seem to get back into it. I must admit that I believe it has got a lot more involved - FS2k, Sbox, FMS, voice, FSNav, CSL, Whazzup, etc..etc...all contributing to enhance the experience but a bit daunting knowing how seriously certain ATC organisations are working hard to make the whole experience as realistic as possible. I mean, can you do all that and run the adventure program as well ? My 1 gig PC struggles with certain scenery let alone running that lot and an internet connection, but I digress. I hope you guys get it sorted out between you and I for one, will be watching with interest. Unicorn140? Watch this space!

I bet I get some letters from the online fraternity on that! I expect someone uses a P75 with 8Mb RAM and gets 15fps. Whoosh! Damn, more virtual eggs and flour being flung......

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002

There's bits and pieces of information being leaked out to whet appetites from a variety of sources so there's no need for me to write an article. In case you don't surf much just take a look at this. Then think back to the first time you sat in the Cessna at Meigs in FS5 ! Scary stuff.

Private Joke

Not sure if Mark received a genuine request for employment recently or an attempted wind-up. I mean, is our web site THAT good that we could possibly be mistaken for a real world airline? Doubtful, but thanks anyway to the chap who was willing to share his STOL experience with the D0228 with us. Next time we need some low-level agent insertion we won't reach for the Toilet Duck we''ll give you a call.

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