Thanks Bradallen43!
Ok, this one goes long. Like way loooooong! 43 screenies all in - I got a bit carried away, so if this is a bit (or a lot!) much, let me know and I'll tone it down/cut it back/break it into multiple posts in future. I hadn't intended to make a huuuuuge post, just sort of got into the weekend groove and it ended up that way!
Time for another busy day running folks around PFJ for Misty Moorings Taxi's!
On board today we have four passangers - two maintainance crew destined for the old Gwent Bay Cannery, to do some fixing up ready for the coming tourism season.
The hold contains a couple hundred pounds of tool boxes and hardware supplies.
The other two passangers are a little more interesting -
A junior USCG Officer on an inspection flight - we'll be circling/close passing a number of lighthouses and unmanned lights en-route, checking for damage or other issues that my not be so obvious up close. (I wanted to fly by some lighthouses to add to my 'installed addons' folder on my copy of the RTMM Google Earth KMZ file).
Finally, we have a US Fish and Wildlife Service Agent/Officer heading out to Hugh Smith Lake Hatchery, for a routine inspection.
Leaving Tamgas Harbour:
From here its just a quick circle around and cut through the hills of Annette Island to get to Mary Island so we can 'buzz' our first lighthouse.
Mary Island Light:
Second Pass:
Third time around:
Don't worry, I won't detail every single orbit - this post is going to be long enough as is
One of the unmanned light towers:
Its only a short hop from the previous tower to Tree Point Lighthouse, where it seems they have company.
Tree Point:
Orbiting:
We circle around several times and get on the horn, but it seems all is well and no one is in distress, so we continue our flight.
Another unmanned light:
Straight on to the Green Island Lighthouse, just east of Dundas Island.
Green Island Lighthouse, blinking at us:
From the Cabin:
Peeling off:
Into the Fjords:
Passing over Ryan's Cabins:
Across the sound:
In the distance, you may be able to just about make out the Gwent Bay Cannery.
Overhead, a 'tube' heads NW, to who knows where, missing out on all these views.
Gwent Bay Flyby:
Local Traffic:
Arrival, Gwent Bay Cannery:
Dropping off half our passangers and most of our cargo, we're a little lighter when it comes time to carry on the trip.
Leaving Gwent Bay:
The Hidden Inlet:
Somewhere in the distance is Hidden Inlet Retreat. Here I realise my 'Season Switcher' still isn't kicking in (I definately ran it before firing up FSX this time! Figured it out now - when I found the 'Windows Bug' video that shows why FSX wont set up scenery folders proberly I reinstalled everything in a more organised manner, but put the switcher exe in the RTMM folder, instead of leaving it in the main FSX Add-on Scenery folder - should be fixed now
).
Spot the cabin:
Humpback Lake Cabin is in this shot! Just off the starboard wing-tip, in the mud there somewhere.
Looking back along Humpback Lake:
Looking ahead:
Hugh Smith Lake should be in the valley to the right, along a ways and just off to the right a bit...
Hatchery Flyby:
And there it is!
Hugh Smith Lake approach:
Moored at the Hatchery:
Once the Fish & Wildlife inspector was out of the way, a couple of ice-boxes of salmon fillets are loaded up - produce, I am assured, of the Hatchery staff fishing in their off-hours and bound for the restaurants and hotels of Ketchikan...
Rolling out:
Low over Badger Lake Cabins:
The last leg is out to New Eddystone Rock, the USCG Officer wants to do a surprise check on the new sightseeing boat service that runs to there, they should be training some new staff ahead of the tourist throngs next month.
Meaning - I just installed the RTMM AI boat that heads there, and I want to see if its working.
I didn't see the boat this trip, so I'm not sure yet.
Catching some rays:
More Fjord flying:
Winstanley Lake Cabin:
Looping around 'the Rock':
Wait, is that someone climbing the rock itself?
A closer look:
I think it is, you know:
We get on the horn and let the USCG know to send a launch out here, and give details on the boat pulled up there, too. We don't have fuel to hang around - FSPassangers tracks 'pilot points' and gives pilot qualification ranks - running into your 45 min fuel reserve without an emergency gets you a penalty, and I want to qualify for turbo-props (rank 4) so I can fly my Kodiak!
Heading south:
I should have enough fuel to get back to Ketchikan without incuring a penalty score...
Channel Markers running in to Ketchikan:
I make it to Ketchikan with 5-10 mins to spare, only to stall into a rough landing because I was show-boating to try and get a touchdown sequence with the Cruise Liner as a backdrop, so I got my penalty score anyway!
Taxi-ing through ketchikan Harbour:
Moored up in Ketchikan:
So I was going to tie up and call it a day having mad it back to ketchikan, but a quartet of locals spotted me doing final shutdown and tieng off prep, and pretended they didn't know the difference between closing up and pre-flight, asking if I was headed out to Metlakatla.
The sky was turning to gold, but holding clear, and there was _just_ enough light to get back to Tamgas, and a fare _is_ a fare, and Tamgas harbour was close enough to home for them, so time for a quick dash before dark.
I was just supposed to get this post up to a nice round 40 (!!!!) images, but I got a little (more!) carried away, so we get 43...
Dusk take-off:
Ketchikan a-twinkle:
On final, Tamgas Harbour:
Tamgas sunset:
Moored up by dark:
In the last shot you can see my rudimentry efforts at scenery placement - some light-poles on the dock, a hut and RV by the parking lot to represent the Taxi service office and pilots bunking arrangements.
Not much, but its a start.
Night falls:
The lights even come on after dark. Can't claim credit, other than finding scenery objects that already work.
You can also see the boat I added at the dock, on the left.
Its all rudimentary and needs a lot of work and refinement, but I'm please to have the first of my own scenery elements in place!
Thanks for reading this far, I hope it wasn't a total waste of your time!