WELCOME TO THE NEWSROOM - Full update monthly
This Full Update 03/03/01
A couple of roster places available - but only if you can read and understand the simple joining instructions !
UKD320 High above Hampshire
The Big News story from World Cargo is the announcement that manager Jonathan Fenech is standing down due to real life commitments.
Without delving into the archives I think that Jonathan has been the longest serving manager for UK Direct. He took over the job at a time (March 1999?) when Gary's brainchild was begining to expand and develop at such a rate that it was obvious that no one person could devote the time to develop UK Direct and maintain a quality that today we probably take for granted (in the nicest sense). So he asked for volunteers to help take over the running of the holiday and cargo operations and yours truely(ed.) took on the News room. These were heady days long before online flying, executive transport and Caribbean capers - in fact I'll see if I have any really old news on a disk somewhere and you can see for yourselves ! Anyway I digress as usual...
I would like you to join with me in thanking Jonathan for being there for all of us at UK Direct past and present.
Online Department News and Opinion
Whilst on the personnel trail I would like to say a warm welcome to Pilot 170 Eric who has taken on the difficult position of running the online section. Eric is a PPL holder, night rated and also an IVAO ATC of considerable experience. Mark showed him into his new office and promptly locked him in it and threw away the key before he changed his mind !
Most of the existing management team have their own opinions about online operations - me included, and some have had their views aired in public. The organisations that exist to allow this past-time have also had a lot to say about how they think we should take part in their events. Even now controversy and emotion seems to be rife among fellow v.a's and the organising bodies.
With all of this bubbling away the shaping and direction of the online department may seem to be a poisoned chalice but my own personal view is that if some sections of the flight simming community all took a deep breath, didn't take it all so seriously and calmed down, then heck who knows more people would enjoy the experience and take active part in the rich experience that is online flying. I might even take to the skys again ! Just take the time to say hello if I do !
Good luck Eric.
More Farewells...
Somewhere on my desk is a memo from Mark de Boss that Senior Pilot 165 and friend of many Ade Mansbridge has decided to hang his hat and goggles up.
Although not a manager of a department Ade has been in the background providing support and real assistance to some of the other managers. Drawing on his real world aviation experience he has provided insight for the operations side and flight and route planning.
Good wishes for the future to you Ade and family !
Fleet News
'Annabel' begins her journey to Brussels
Our stalwart BAC1-11's are going to be bannished from Belgian skies as from the end of this month so scenes like the above picture of Annabel leaving Jersey for Brussels will be consigned to the history books. The routes planning team are looking at re-scheduling to internal flight duties but only until they are phased out completely. Marks advice is to get some 1-11 flights in while you still can ! and I wholly agree because it's such a good flight model even in FS2k !
The replacement aircraft for the BAC1-11's are already in the 'melting pot' but nothing has been decided yet - or so I'm told !
More Fleet News
The 737-300 has finished its trials and has been given a full certificate of airworthyness (good scrabble word that !) by our Fleet manager Dave Finney. James 154 can't put his paint and brushes away just yet though as .........
Boeing 737-200 for FS2k
James has sent me this little appetiser of a 737-200 currently getting the texture treatment ! and very nice it looks too. Release date to be confirmed.
If like me you have had first hand experience of a 737-200 you'll know that you never get a seat behind the engines ! My Ryanair flight from Stansted to Turin was a true aviation experience. I somehow knew that after Captain 'Paddy' something or other asked the cabin staff to prepare the cabin for 'Blast - Off' it was going to be great fun ! We joined the queue for runway 23 and when given clear for take-off we accelerated out of the hold, turned onto the runway at about 20 knots for a rolling take-off ! All of the turns wether on autopilot or manual were at 30 degrees and the descent was so rapid the spoilers were regularly deployed to slow our descent. We did leave on time and arrive 10 minutes early so fairplay to them ! The return flight on a 737-800 was dull in comparison except for during our initial descent over the Channel towards Seaford the aircraft must have clipped the kerb and everyone was thrown about whilst we bounced up and down a bit. The call for seat belts for the remainder of the flight came as no surprise !
Do you have an interesting real life tale to tell ? Then send it to me using the link at the bottom of the page.
Routes News
There are three new routes to announce, although you've probably read up on these already, here they are :-
UKD 830 / 831 The 757 is off to Greenland from Gatwick and return - thermals essential.
UKD 412 / 413 Our BAe146 continues its poular routes out of Jersey with the addition of this flight to Nice and return - sun cream essential.
UKE 667 / 668 UK Executive are off to Nice in the CL601 and return - fat cheque book essential.
Freight Operations Fly-in
By James Cheetham
A gaggle of Unicorns approach Gatwick.
Freight Operations flyin, 27 February.
Well what can I say? A little low on aircraft numbers but those
who did take part had a great time (UKD102, UKD005 [who's this
then, Gary?], UKD109 and UKD154). Departure was a bit late and
there was no ATC at Prestwick but EGPH_APP looked after us
brilliantly getting four rapid departures in succession up to
cruising levels. Once in the cruise we were all handed over to
MAN_V_CTR (one of our very own Andrew Henry :) who was very busy
handling several movements at Manchester and at a number of other
airports in the Manchester ACC. Once past Honiley it was straight
over to EGKK_APP in the absence of LON_CTR or LTMA_CTR. With
three UKD aircraft all descending things were getting a little
tight by Midhurst and a positive squeeze at Mayfield but EGKK_APP
handled it excellently bringing us all established on the ILS
within within 10 nm of the threshold for runway 26L. I managed to
get a look using the multiplayer option in FSNav4 just as UKD109
was becoming established but failed to take a screenshot....Doh!
However, as ever Daring Dave Finney UKD109 came up with the goods
which you can see here.
UKD005 followed UKD109 in and was given landing clearence at
around 2-3 miles from the threshold. At about this time APP
warned me to expect a late landing clearence.....Woh! I was
eventually cleared to land as I was crossing the threshold at
about 150 ft. and just about to key the mike to report a missed
approach. I managed to get the aircraft on the runway in time and
went skimming past UKD005 who was only just clearing the runway!!
That wasn't the end of it either. Taxiing to my assigned gate was
a pleasure with Gary's Gatwick scenery being the best I've ever
seen.
As you can probably tell I enjoyed myself immensely and I'm sure
everybody else did as well, both pilots and controllers. With the
imminent appointment of a new online manager UK Direct has the
opportunity to make a come back in the Virtual skies over Britain
so if you fancy getting involved in online flying and have the
same sort of experiences then go on, make the leap and throw
yourself into it!
Freight Operations 2 will be organised sometime in the next few
months so keep an eye out in the news and information pages.
James UKD154.
Daves Direct News
Daves 163 and 187 are each doing the assignments for 100-149 and 150-199 respectively. I am told that a lot of thought is going into the assigned flights. If you send your monthly assignment Pireps in after the end of the month there is a chance that you might not get new ones assigned, but we will keep an eye the system. Both chaps are trying to take into account the types of aircraft you prefer, length of flights you usually do and sometimeswhere you last flew into, before assigning. Excellent work guys.
FS2k Scenery Destinations
Gary's Heathrow should have put him well and truly on the map as one of only a few innovative scenery designers to really make an impact on the Flightsim world - by the way Gary where's my registration file ? There is some fine work emerging from other scenery stables that are well worth a look. So go and visit Mark Greenough's Scenery department to see the latest offerings !
Terminal 2 Heathrow - by some bloke Summons
Why not take the ERJ up to Glasgow and enjoy Iain Gallachers latest masterpiece :
Drop into Birmingham or Cardiff to enjoy John Walkers excellent work,
Or divert to East Midlands during your Captains Checkride when your aircraft systems fail one after the other ! - also by John Walker
There's never been a better time to take to the FS skies so what are you waiting for ?
Just Visiting ? Want to read the last update ? Then click HERE.
Newsroom Manager