my older dreams have once again been aroused. though this was almost a week ago, I thought to mention it to my small audience. I am going to have a go at becoming a pilot. this was my first "instructor flight" with Rex Damschroder as my instructor. this is a cessna 172 skyhawk, the most widely available rental plane and is the most produced aircraft. this was the plane that made cessna roll around in money. though the 172 is small, it doesn't get shoved around much in the air. it's got a nice sturdy feel to it and is very forgiving. with this of course, comes another endevour on the computer. I've been playing Microsoft Flight Simulator X for a little while now and I enjoy the sim very much. though not real life, it definently provides a realistic simulation engine coupled with powerful graphics and detail capability. it even runs on this thing! for those non-computer types, this is pretty low tech by today's standards (which change every second), and rather slow for my liking, but it will eventually get things done.
4 CPU at 2.00 Ghz
40 GB hard disk space
512 MB RAM
32 MB Nvidia GeForce 400/440X AGP graphics card (that's the killer, really limits what I can do, although it does handle FSX at a decent frame rate, even online with all the other guys buzzing around me)
1 sony CD/RW drive 52x/32x/52x (actually pretty hard core for an old disc drive)
1 Memorex DVD/R/RW/RAM/ROM/etc also reads CD's and some other crazy formats.
1 floppy drive (not sure the last time it's been used, might actually be elegible for a museum transfer in a couple years if it continues to function)
the old 1.1 USB slots
MAG CRT montitor (perty big'un)
some action in FSX...
click for bigger pic
