Simviation Forums

I'd like to extend a welcome to this year's Flyditarod - an air race that follows the course of the Iditarod sled dog race.  This is a fairly tough race - almost 700 miles, at tree top level, with full realism settings, and three off-airport landings. Your bush skills will definitely be put to the test.

We're pleased to announce that both Carenado and Aerosoft have donated prizes to this years race.  A boxed edition of X-Plane 9 (PC/Mac) and a complete set of Alaska sectionals have also been donated as prizes.

Due to realism restrictions, this race is limited to FS9/FSX only this year.

The race begins in approximately 1 week, on Sunday, March 8th.  Flyditarod racers can hit the starting line at the same time as the Iditarod mushers - at 2pm Alaska time.  You will have 2 weeks to complete the race, which is broken up into 8 "chunks", of approximately 45-minutes to 1-hour in duration.

For complete details, and to sign up, please join us at http://flyditarod.com

I was just checking out your site, as this sounds really interesting, but I have a few questions.

How is a winner determined? How would you know if someone is cheating or not if people can run this when they want to, as opposed to when they have to?

When prizes such as the ones you are offering are involved, a high level of scrutiny must be utilized.

This would be much better accomplished by having everyone running at the same time online where they can be properly monitored, and everyone would know where they stand in relation to others.

And for full realism, wouldn't running clear skies theme totally negate the realism settings? :-? In that area of the world, mountain running with clear skies and no turbulence or wind isn't much of a challenge, or very real at all.

I would like to participate in this, but I find some of the rules and regulations to be at odds with each other and the theme of the race. :-/

I had a peek at it when it was first posted, and it looks like an interesting exercise for any of our regular "Bush Flyers"., whether participating in the organised flight, or not.......!

The "Clear Skies" preference levels out the playing field as regards "Frame Rates", and the option I always/generally choose for our Multiplayer Touring Flights, for the same reason, unless the time of year, time of day, Weather conditions, etc, are specified long beforehand....

As regards to a serious competition, it is difficult to see how it would work successfully, without any cheating by the participants... ...!

Paul...G-BPLF...FS 2004...and a Bush Hat... 8-)...!

I've saved the Site Details... ...!

LOL! Paul, it was you who got me to start using real world weather for all online flying. Makes each trip a nice surprise.

I will do this flight, as it sounds like a very interesting trip, and also a great excuse to jump online and fly with someone.

But when prizes are involved in an event like this, the worst in some can really show up. :-/  Maybe you should be there to keep them honest with your trusty FSNavigator.

.... ....!

Its a funny old do...

With our Organised, Weekly Multiplayer flights, I always select...

FS 2004...

Clear Skies, for safe VFR flights.
No Wind, for a stable flight.
20 Mile Max visibility, for realistic scenery unfolding ahead.
September/October, for the lovely, golden, AUTUMN, Gerish Grey's Tree set, visible below.
Late morning, for the best light conditions.

..and the above settings generally give me the highest, smoothest, Frame Rates...

(All my other "Display" settings are at Max).

...which is nice... ...!

Paul...G-BPLF...FS 2004...and Alka Seltzer tablets for a wind-free flight... ...!

Hey guys... thanks for the questions...

Yes, a high level of scrutiny will be involved.

just a thought, but the part where you said

As for the weather... yes, I'm disappointed that there's no way to run "real weather".  unfortunately, the only way to do that would be if everyone ran this race online, at the same time... as you mentioned above.  However, to expect people to be able to do that for an 8-hour race, in addition to any time where they might be socked in by the actual weather, means that the race won't be available to the majority of simmers - namely those with jobs or families that prevent them from sitting at the PC for a 10-hour stretch.

......... Those that cant fly, are "snowed in". yeah you might be flying in clear skies, but just as an idea it snowed at night and snowed in that contestant.  Therefore, when they do come back and if they wanted to try to make up time, then they would have to fly for more hours to try to either catch up to the pack, or get ahead of everyone else.

Look at the movie "Snow Dogs".  Thunder Jack (James Coburn) pulls into the town where everyone else is camped out for the night to wait out a blizzard, but yet he decides to forge on and take on the blizzard.  Granted he passes everyone and gets in 1st place, he gets injured and stranded in a cave thanks to the blizzard and has to be rescued by Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding).

Well, if you arent there to fly, you ultimately get left behind at the last stop, and if you want to win, then you would have to make up time by flying longer and further and pushing your craft to the brink of destruction.




(just a thought and suggestion)