www.wycliffebarrett.co.uk

Welcome

ATC Reviews CDF Procs VRC VMATS World CDF Charts FSUG Links VATSIM Stories Published VFR Routes Home

Flight Simulator Users Groups I guess there are loads of them all over the UK, and certainly all over the world at a guess. FSUG's flourish almost anywhere a few Flight Sim enthusiasts gather to talk, swap stories or just show there kit to each other. The Flight Simulation world in many ways is a small world, Flight Simulator by Microsoft has united the world in a way that The United Nations could never hope to achieve, especially since the advent of Online Flying with VATSIM. This page belongs to the members of The FSUG Bristol and Wales and hopefully over the next few months members will submit contributions to be included. The first contributions are from myself and John Bowditch founder of FSUG Bristol and Wales. Wycliffe Barrett (webmaster)

One thing leads to another by John Bowditch Living in Bristol as I do, it is easy to stay in touch with Bob Sidwick’s (RC Simulations) local events here. Last year I attended both his show’s at Kemble in July, and the one at Brislington in October. At both events it is likely that you will pass in the crowds, unrecognised, people with whom you may be in frequent contact on line or with emails in the Flight Simulation World; sometimes you meet somebody who is showing an above interest in all the events – and that is how I met Wycliffe. Not that he is easy to miss – must be over 6’ ft tall – he was taking lots of photos and we struck up a conversation. I was trying to publicize the new Bristol and West Flight simulator Group that I intended to start and I was collecting names of those who might be interested and lived within reasonable traveling distance of Bristol. Wycliffe put his contact details on my list and that was that for a couple of months or so. Early this year I contacted the people on my list and encountered a variable level of interest from no reply to ‘yes, I’ll come and bring my PC’. Wycliffe blew me away with his enthusiasm and interest and the next thing that I knew, he was my ‘speaker’ for the event, complete with projector and Power point presentation. He volunteered to speak about getting connected with online flying using the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation (VATSIM) network. I believe that one of the advantages of meeting other enthusiastic at a group event is the exchange of experiences and the learning that takes place. At our first meeting I was pleased to give it a theme, and that was online flying. Wycliffe’s presentation, together with the support from no less that three VATSIM controllers meant that if anybody had any interest at all in getting started – there was no shortage of information available. The first meeting was a success with 20 people attending and about nine sets of equipment. Our next is on the fourth Sunday in February and I hope that it will continue to thrive. John Bowditch

-