• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

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Norbert the trainee

Bill stopped by soon after, his eyebrows as prominent as ever. Fantastic work, man! Got the flight model done? Yep, Norbert answered. Extra viewpoints? Yeah, working on them now. They’re really easy, Bill enthused, lets users admire their new aircraft. Sounds all sorted? Oh yes, Norbert replied. Cockpit as well as outside? Give you a tip, get some of the guys here look her over. I do that all the time, saves me heaps of grief after I release a model. Norbert bristled a little: I’ve been at this for months, what could anyone else tell me? That’s where you’re wrong, man. You think you know your work and some customer tells you there’s no flap recess, just a hole in the wing and he can see Phoenix through it. So embarrassing! Get some of the guys to beta it, you won’t regret it. Still bristling, Norbert checked with the senior modeller. It’s always best to get other eyes to look at your work, he said. There’s the problem of different setups with other pilots: fr’instance some like all lights on at once, others like them individually switched and then there’s always some 7 foot quarterback complains he can’t squeeze into the seat. So who should I ask? Norbert asked. Start with Uncle Monty: he’s the most thorough by a long chalk. Then there’s Ed... He did the flight testing for me, said Norbert … the Tin Man and you ought to ask Stringbag. He loves to be asked, he retires soon and he’s spotted things for me everyone else missed.

The senior modeller wasn’t kidding. Uncle Monty had five instrument and four switchgear faults on his list, Ed spotted the inside surface of the small starboard gear flap which wasn’t animated, the Tin Man had some extremely rude remarks on the internal sound levels from the starboard seat, but the best came from Stringbag. With a lopsided grin he handed Norbert the TrackIR headset and invited him to lean towards the instrument panel. Now look to your right, he said. Oops, no frame edge, Norbert conceded. I’m gonna have to get myself one of these funny headsets soon.

There was a sudden bustle from the canteen as four staff hurried a figure on a stretcher to the First Aid room. What happened to him? the Second Superviser called, hurrying towards them. Details emerged soon after: Matthew had released his Huey gunship that morning, some forum viewers had picked up on a flickering N2 gauge and things had gone rapidly downhill. The model was hugely impressive, with a custom-coded flight model, Tacatack included in all versions and a fully baked VC, but the posters would not let that N2 gauge go. Even the promise of an immediate service pack – and Matthew was legendary for the speed of his updates – did nothing to diminish the ferocity of the onslaught. He’s lost some blood, the Second Supervisor told them later, the leg will heal, but he’s going to have a severe limp. The doc says he’ll need a couple of months physiotherapy once he’s recovered. Norbert looked at the trail as it stretched towards the corridor: beyond the double doors he could see the cleaner already trying to mop up.
 
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A week later and the Four Musketeers, as Norbert now called them, were happy with the installer package. HubCaap’s textures included bump maps for the airframe and the VC had taken on new life with the specular additions. He’d used some screenshots to build a custom environment map, the prop feathering now cut the sound from the stopped engine and Norbert had finally got on top of the instrument backlighting with a lot of help from the senior modeller. He had an odd feeling as he wheeled the pallet down the forum corridor for uploading; a feeling that only increased as the package rose to its allocated slot in the racking. His release announcement, and the immediate reactions from downloaders, did nothing to change this strange mood. Nor did the sight of Stringbag’s huge toolbox parked beside his workbench later that morning. Stringbag had shaken his hand warmly before leaving and the look on his face hinted he understood what was going through Norbert’s mind. What do you build them for, son? were his parting words. He opened the new box and idly looked around the shelves and drawers. He half-smiled at the teapot, the render area was all new to him, the modifier roll spilled all over the place there were so many tools, but something occurred to him as he looked at the Mirror button at the top. Curious, he reached up and pulled at it: the big red button came away easily. What the…? He tried the same with Gmax, with the same result. He tossed the two now-useless buttons in his hand, then into the bin beside that morning’s thirteen tins: clunk, clunk. It was then the idea, and a plan, came to him.

Where’s Norbert? HotShot shouted, he needs to see what they’re going on about in there! Emilio looked up in surprise. Whatsa matter you? Is a trouble? No, no, someone’s getting all rowdy about his B version and the insignia, says only the D served with that unit. Emilio laughed and went back to work. I no know where he is, you aska the rest! None of the supervisors knew where Norbert was, Bill hadn’t seen him, The Big Man and HubCaap had no idea either. Ask the apron staff, said the Wizard on his way to the canteen. HotShot came back fifteen minutes later, his hand shaking as he poured himself an extra-large espresso. So where is he? the others asked. He ordered a full fuel load, Hotshot replied. So who’s doing the testing this time? Ed asked, I thought we’d finished? That’s just it, Hotshot answered, he’s gone himself. Himself??? the senior modeller exclaimed, aghast. Yes, and the other guy filled up with avgas too. The canteen were horrified, apart from the Tin Man. You lot ought to get out there more, he sneered.

Norbert had not a care in the world at that moment, he was fifty miles away and six thousand feet up. All sensation of speed had disappeared with altitude and he just seemed to hang there above the slowly turning scenery. Can you see it yet? crackled the voice in his headset. He chuckled: Your nose is too big, he replied to the Fokker D.XXI a hundred feet off his starboard wingtip, TurningPan’s grass field at 11 o’clock! He grinned and throttled back to begin the descent: Yeah, he thought, I could get used to this...
 
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Good show old man! I had been saving this for the right moment. It went very well with this morning's coffee.
 
I sort of remember those feelings from the day when the F-86 got released.....And while I was working on TACPACK integration recently at KEDW I ended up getting distracted with low highspeed passes from the tower view as well as zipping through open hangars in the region.
 
Thanks all for your kind comments! Anyone worked out what Norbert's aircraft is yet?
 
He's sharp, very sharp! (edit: and modest) Grumman Mohawk OV-1.


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