ms flight sim x and trackir pro headtracker

I recently bought the TrackIR Pro (http://www.naturalpoint.com/) head movement tracker for use with MS Flight Sim X. I'm pretty satisfied with it so far but it does take a little getting used to. It does allow more natural head movement (leaning in and down to see light switches for example) for some things. In general, I would recommend it but I have the wrong headset for use with it (a Logitech behind the ears style) so I'm going to need to get a new one.

There's a very good review with excellent details at:
http://www.avsim.com/pages/0207/TrackClip/TrackClip.htm

if this doesn't make you want to build a plane...

if the following doesn't make you want to build a plane (rv-9a) and fly cross country then nothing will:

http://www.my9a.com/flight8.asp

Just reading it vicariously was fun. I'm not sure I trust myself to actually build a plane but I can imagine how rewarding it must feel to do it.

16 year olds flying 737s in aus...

So I tried the MS Flight Sim X multiplayer mode tonight. It was very impressive. While I was waiting to fly another user asked if I wanted to fly with him/her. I said sure so I got to ride along (share mode) in a 737 night flying (ILS) from one Australian airport to another and back again. The other user showed me how to setup the GPS and so on and let me fly for a little while. After we got back s/he said they were a 16 year and and wanted to learn to fly someday. Here I am (slowly) working on the 172 and this kid was so far beyond me there wasn't even a comparison.

Flew yesterday morning and started learning short and soft field takeoffs and landings. My instructor demonstrated them and I couldn't believe how smoothly he flies. When I did them I was all over the place. Just more stuff to practice on. I tried them using MS Flight Sim X but these are something that you really need feedback from the yoke with so I don't think it was effective. More on MS FS X later.

check ride for starting cross country

I flew with one of our chief flight instructors today as a check-ride for beginning cross country preparation. I did ok (he was able to walk afterwards and the plane can be used again). The landing was almost perfect and then I had to balloon just slightly but I recovered fine. All in all, it was fun.
One of my neighbors was a C-5 pilot in the USAF and is now a 777 commercial pilot. I now have a great deal of respect for what it took to be able to fly a giant airplane with heavy "stuff" in it anywhere in the world in pretty much any weather any time day or night.

faasafety.gov

If you're not familiar with it, http://faasafety.gov/ is an excellent site for learning and they also have regular safety related events. I went to one yesterday at the Fairfax County Government Center and saw 3 speakers on several topics. Each was excellent and well worth the time.

firsts...

So, for the first time in my life today I flew alone in an airplane. I did my first solo today (in a Cessna 172R, N409ES to be specific). This involved going up with the instructor for a couple of landings so that he knew I could do them ok. Then I went up by myself and did 3 full stop landings. Each landing was decent and I didn't have any fear/concern at all.