If you’ve spent even a minute or two reading my blog posts, you might get the idea that I’m a wee bit obsessed with aviation in general, and computer-based simulations of flight in particular. I’ve been designing and developing addons for Microsoft’s marvelous Flight Simulator series for a few years now, and the experience has only heightened my interest in the arena.
In fact, as a direct consequence of my simulated flying, I began training last year for my “real world” pilot’s license. So far, I’ve racked up about 50 hours in a Cessna 172, and were it not for the fickle fall/winter weather in Portland, would probably have my slip of plastic by now. Soon, soon.
In addition to winged pursuits, I’m also a writer. My second novel, Last Thursday, is in development. For more info on my literary side, check out my writing blog at Words for Writers.


37 responses so far ↓
Steve "SgtMajor" Rapp // October 19, 2006 at 8:19 pm |
Hi Bill…. followed your link on your signature at SW-lab. Great stuff here…. actually had me chuckling out loud a time or two. I’ll be back from time to time to say hello and see what’s happening.
Best of luck,
Steve
heli // October 19, 2006 at 9:40 pm |
Hi Bill,….
Just to say hello and …. thank You for the amazing creations that you made … together with Holger …. !!!
Its nice that you have med Holger (and fam) …. he he … I enjoy every day the “packages” in FS ….. !!!
))
Best regards from Belgium (EBAW)
Heli
Shamir // November 11, 2006 at 2:09 am |
Hi,
just seeing this,nice stufff
Shamir
cheezyflier // February 24, 2007 at 9:35 pm |
cool blog. i learned of it through the banner in one of your posts on S.F.N.
i look forward to trying some of your stuff.
mrgnome // June 21, 2007 at 10:38 am |
Hi! I share your interest
Mark Avey // June 27, 2007 at 9:05 am |
Hi Bill,
Would you be interested in a link exchange with our blog over at FlightSimX (http://www.flightsimx.co.uk)?
Mark
spotlope // June 27, 2007 at 11:24 am |
I just added a link to FlightsimX to my other FS blogs listing. Consider it done, Mark!
Bill
Robert Lacy // July 13, 2007 at 10:46 pm |
Bill- Bob here. I’m in Oregon city area… neighborhood of the Carver Bridge. I see Sidney Schwartz is in Beaverton. Would like to meet you two sometime. Just started learning FSDS a few months ago. Having fun and learning much. My stuff is primarily on Avsim under author name Robert Lacy.
I’ve posted a number of questions on fsdeveloper. Many have helped out tremendously.
Me- Substitute teacher- Portland, 62 yrs old, fish and fly fish, golf (just got the slice out of my drives… putting went south! Wife and I have chickens, ducks, a 3 geese. Me in a nutshell. Bob
T Reece // October 12, 2007 at 3:23 pm |
Hang in there….you might enjoy my new book…
Thanks
T
spotlope // October 13, 2007 at 9:37 am |
Your book looks great, Mr. Reece! I loved the photos on your site as well. That’s MY kind of flying
.,
mhimhi // July 27, 2008 at 5:35 pm |
Hello, i’m intrested to made a very good video of this island when you are ready??
If you want you can see some my videos! Thanks
http://vimeo.com/mhimhi/videos
Skydvdan // August 4, 2008 at 1:43 am |
The scenery is looking great Bill. Just wanted to thank you again for the advice about the shadow issue from the other night. What made you go so far east this time? I thought you were a west coaster?
Dan
spotlope // August 4, 2008 at 5:27 am |
Thanks, Dan. Here’s the backstory on my New England scenery building: my wife is an artist, and for the past couple of years we’ve been attending the National Encaustic Painting Conference in June in Beverly, Massachusetts. This year, I had some time to kill and was driving around looking for trouble to get into when I happened upon the Beverly airport. It was such a great little field that I asked the airport manager if I could photograph it for an FS project. Then I went to the Web and asked some FS fans who lived in Mass. if they knew of any other good candidates for sim scenery, and a guy who lives in Newburyport mentioned Plum Island. I cruised up there and sure enough, it was a small airport just loaded with character–exactly what I love to model. So I took some shots there too. I started out with Plum Island instead of Beverly because it was smaller, and I really need to move on to Emma Field soon. After Emma’s done, I’ll probably go back and do Beverly, too. If we keep going to this conference every year, I’ll probably add a couple of New England fields at each trip.
koorby // August 31, 2008 at 2:17 pm |
Hi Bill, congrats on the release mate, grabbing this now
Glynn Thomas // September 14, 2008 at 7:27 am |
Hi Bill. Thanks for all your time and effort. I was really excited to read that you intend to do Emma Field. I am d/l Plum Island right now while I am typing this. Thanks and congrats. BTW any idea when Emma will be released? Best wishes from the UK
spotlope // September 14, 2008 at 7:41 am |
Hi Glynn. Thanks for the kudos, and for getting Plum Island! As for Emma, it’s a bit early in the process to talk release dates. Plum Island taught me a valuable lesson, though; it pays to keep the public updated about development. As we build out Emma for FSX, I’ll be sure to post progress shots.
Cody Bergland // October 19, 2008 at 4:02 pm |
Howdy Bill. Just wanted to stop in and say HELLO from Gresham Oregon. Thanks for the blog. It is nice to see people dedicated to their hobby as much as yourself. Many thanks, from myself and all the bush flyers around the world, whether they be virtual or not.
Svein-Frode // December 8, 2008 at 3:13 am |
You’ve raised the bar for what is possible in FS! Microsoft should thank YOU for making it as real as it gets! Keep on keeping on.
Mark Avey // February 23, 2009 at 6:24 am |
Hi Bill.
I’m trying to create a flight sim bloggers network and would like to see if you’re interested.
This post provides all the details – http://www.flightsimx.co.uk/announcements/lets-build-the-ultimate-flight-sim-bloggers-network/
Ryan // March 11, 2009 at 3:40 am |
Dear Bill,
We are interested in posting our site on your links page. Our site is Fly Away Simulation and can be found at http://flyawaysimulation.com
We would of course offer a link back to your site in return.
Let me know your thoughts.
Best Regards,
Ryan
kyle worden // June 23, 2009 at 3:20 am |
hello bill,
my name is kyle or better known as blazefox2
i am interested in your tongass fjords x and would be privileged to do a promotional video for your scenery please feel free to contact me via email at jafuba@yahoo.com so we can discuss the details i am not well known so price will be next to nothing i have seen the screenshots you have put out for it and it looks suburb i would be honored to do a video for you
sincerly,
~Kyle~
conghoang // July 15, 2009 at 9:08 am |
hello bill
my name conghoang
I have read the article Creating High-Detail Polygons FS’s Ground, and I do not understand step 3, he can guide the step 3 is not? thanks
spotlope // July 15, 2009 at 9:43 am |
@conhoang — I’m sorry, but I need to know what it is you don’t understand in order to be able to help you. Saying you don’t understand Step 3 is not enough for me to go on.
conghoang // July 15, 2009 at 11:12 pm |
I do not understand this step you edit on photoshop like? the red
http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv175/sieunhancatbui/?action=view¤t=picture071.jpg
spotlope // July 16, 2009 at 5:18 am |
@conghoang — The red areas are masked with an alpha channel to make them transparent in FSX. Are you using Photoshop? If so, go to the layers pallette and choose the “channels” tab. There should be four channels already — RGB, Red, Green, and Blue. Add a new channel and paint the areas where you want the texture to be transparent black, and use white for areas that will remain opaque.
conghoang // July 16, 2009 at 9:09 am |
I follow your way and was successful, thank you very much and wish you happiness. ^^
Edward "Glowworm" // July 19, 2009 at 5:05 pm |
Aloha Bill,
Excellent FS info! Keep them coming.
PS: Would you like to consider adding my little blog to your blog links?
Thanks!
Edward “GlowWorm”
Gary Rackliffe // July 31, 2009 at 8:35 pm |
Bill,
Thank you for your part in developing Tongrass X. Your talents and passion for this hobby has allowed so many of us to have endless hours of enjoyment for a hobby we equally enjoy.
Respectfully
Gary Rackliffe
spotlope // August 5, 2009 at 1:58 pm |
And thanks right back at you, Gary. Without sim enthusiasts, there’d be no point in developing.
Piran Smith // September 2, 2009 at 10:19 am |
Hi Bill,
Your ground poly tutorial was a real inspiration, many thanks.
spotlope // September 6, 2009 at 5:42 pm |
My pleasure, Piran. I’m glad it helped.
conghoang // September 13, 2009 at 3:52 am |
Hi bill
I want to ask about heading in makemdl FS2002
Runway heading of 107.2 but when I put in FS2004 only 107. So how to fix?
spotlope // September 13, 2009 at 7:42 am |
@conghoang – MakeMDL seems to only recognize full degree increments. If you put in fractions of a degree, it just rounds them off. My solution is to rotate the runway by .2 degrees in Gmax before exporting, then export to 107 degrees.
conghoang // October 30, 2009 at 1:32 am |
Hill spotlope
I happened to read this article on the Fergo http://www.fsdeveloper.com / forum and there are no satisfactory answer to fix this problem.
I used GMax polygons (using the FS2002 method and asm tweaking) for the ground of my airport (FS2004), and because of this, all the lights from the AFCAD are gone. What is the best way to add the apron/taxi lighting when I use this method?
And for the runway, I’ll have to put all the approach lights manually?
Hy vọng bạn giúp đỡ
conghoang // November 5, 2009 at 5:28 pm |
We hope you help!!!
spotlope // November 6, 2009 at 11:11 pm |
@conghoang – Sorry, but if you use the Gmax poly technique, you’ll have to place your lights manually. Because of the way the Gmax polys overlay the native light effects, there’s no way around it. I create my taxiway and runway lights as individual models with attached light effects, then place them manually. It’s laborious, but it works.
conghoang // November 7, 2009 at 7:11 pm |
Thank you for help, I will follow your paths