PilotEdge Forums

Feel like something a little diferent? Something that really puts your stick and rudder skills to the test?
Next Sunday, Sep 18th will be the Grand Canyon Slolem Run. I have built a custom map that puts a slolem course down the canyon. This course is almost 20 minutes of down-on-the-deck, yanking and banking fun. Here is how it will work:

1) Download the map here: http://www.xplanes-scenery.com/Grand-Ca ... um-run.zip
2) Next Saturday, Sep 17th, from 1600-2100 PST, just meet up at KGCN airport in your favorite light piston single. It'll be like drag races--you can challenge anyone who shows up.
3) Depart on runway 3 and maintain a heading of 35 degrees (or just follow the giant arrows I laid out.) The race does not start until you cross the first gate and drop down into the canyon. This gives you a chance to switch frequencies so you can taunt and talk smack during your race.
4) The fusilage of your airplane needs to pass between each gate. If you are above the gate then it does not count. Missed gates are a 5 second penalty (each.)
5) The finish line is marked by two big smokestacks (and the words FINISH.) You can race two or three at a time, or just race the clock. My best time so far was 18:21 in a Vans RV6 (that includes a penalty for a missed gate.)

Special notes: The course is designed for small piston singles like the Piper Meridian or C172. I found that the Vans were actually the best planes for the course. I also found that anything over 160 KIAS and you will be taking gate penalties like crazy. If you really want to nut up, then be sure to enable Vmax in Xplanes so you can actually rip the wings off if you aren't careful. Also, don't feel bad if you miss a gate or two, I miss gates still, and I built the map.

Also, you may want to download this map for KGCN. This is a retooling of Richard Cutter's 2010 map and some of you may already have it. The new map adds more spawn points so people do not start materializing on top of each other as they arrive. http://www.xplanes-scenery.com/KGCN-Gra ... ort-AZ.zip

Sounds great, any chance of doing it Sat night on the free flight night instead of the sunday norcal/socal night?

Would be good to recommend a plane that is in the stock csl package, as we discussed. The rv6 isn't one of them.

Done, set for the 17th. I designed the map so people can race any small piston single, but I have no doubt that there will be a few P51s and race planes showing up.

Kieth, what frequency would be good for the pilots to chatter amongst themselves while on the ground? It would need to be different from the CTAF frequency they use in the air.

Adam I just had a look at this, and I'm seeing the arrows, but not the gates - How are they depicted?

Daddy O wrote:Kieth, what frequency would be good for the pilots to chatter amongst themselves while on the ground? It would need to be different from the CTAF frequency they use in the air.

I'd suggest 123.45 while parked at the ramp to coordinate, then 122.75 once airborne. If 122.75 becomes too cluttered, then pick another reasonable one from this list:
http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtcivair.html

Those are just suggestions, though. If you guys come up with your own scheme, it's fine, so long as you're not on an ATC frequency for the air-to-air or ground-to-ground comms.

The gates should show up as large radio towers. The gates at the mouth of the canyon should be several hundred feet tall, and thesuccessive gates only a hundre or so feet tall. No gates till the course starts.

OK other than the scenery that you provided, is there anything else that I need? Someone mentioned OpenSceneryX, but I already have that.

Alex, were you seeing the gates? What did you mean about the scenery? If the map isn't working I need to fix it PDFQ.

The scenery as in your 'map', the first link you sent.

I went back over the map and imported the graphics so the gates come with the scenery package. Should work for you now. Keep in mind that the gates do not start until you reach the mouth of the canyon. You pass through 2 large radio towers, take the roller coaster plunge, and you will see the gates ahead of you.

When you leave the airport, just follow the giant arrows to the canyon. This map is a real screamer, but it does take some practice.

Njoy