A Course Correction (With Help From Friends) - Update 1-23-26

I recently sent the Excel flight-plan routing spreadsheet for my Capitals of Europe – by sim project to several members of the FSG@SEIW-NEIL group. As expected, it didn’t take long before a sharp set of eyes found some issues.

My good friend Sean Dwyer replied with this:

"Ken,

Two errors—one minor, one massive.

The capital of the Netherlands is The Hague, not Amsterdam. That’s the minor one.

You left out DUBLIN! I would not mind Belfast, Edinburgh, and Cardiff, as Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are not independent countries. But Ireland is.

Ireland to Reykjavik might be a challenge for a BN-2 Islander, and there would be no alternate.

Otherwise, it looks great.

Sean"

My immediate reaction was the universal one: damn.

So I did what any responsible co-conspirator would do - I went back to my partner in this crime, ChatGPT - fed Sean’s email into the system, and let “young Chat” respond. Here’s what came back:

"Sean, good catch—on both counts.

You’re right on the minor one first: Amsterdam is the seat of government, but The Hague is the constitutional capital of the Netherlands. That’s on me. In everyday aviation and travel talk, Amsterdam sneaks in so often that I let convenience override correctness. Fair point, and corrected.

The massive omission is harder to excuse: leaving out Dublin. That’s a legitimate miss, and you’re also right about the distinction—Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales aren’t independent countries, but Ireland absolutely is, and Dublin belongs on the list. No debate there.

As for Ireland to Reykjavik, that leg does get sporty—especially in a BN-2 Islander or anything GA-ish. Long overwater, limited alternates, and definitely a “pick your weather and fuel very carefully” situation. In real-world GA terms, that’s serious planning, not a casual hop. In sim-world terms… still serious enough to deserve respect.

So yes—route amended, ego adjusted, and lesson reinforced: even a “simple” sim adventure benefits from a second set of eyes. Thanks for keeping me honest.

And honestly? Adding Dublin just makes the trip better.

In short: we both stand - well, in my case, sit - corrected.

Now it’s your turn. Did you spot these errors? Did you find others?

If you did, great.  If not, don't worry - the NEW PLAN - is right here.

If you want the spreadsheet that goes with it, use the portal to the right and send me an email.

Kenneth (Ken) Butterly. Founder

January FSG@ Update – Weather-Related Cancellations

Due to weather conditions, the January 21, 2026 FSG@ Monthly Meeting has been cancelled.

For the same reason, this Friday’s lunch (January 23rd) is also cancelled.

The good news: lunch is still on for Friday, January 30th, and we’re looking forward to that one.

If you’re not yet part of our weekly (and always lively) Friday lunch get-togethers, consider this an open invitation. Just send me an email at flightsimulatorgroupat@gmail.com, and I’ll be happy to add you to the mailing list.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our February 18th meeting.

Stay safe and warm,

Kenneth (Ken) Butterly, Founder

Forethought - Foreflight - And The State of Things!

One of the small pleasures our local Racine FSG@ group enjoys is our weekly lunch. Last Friday’s gathering was no exception - good food, good friends and interesting conversations.

This time, it landed squarely on ForeFlight.

Like some - maybe many - of you, I’m not a ForeFlight user myself. That said, nearly every active pilot I respect is. They rely on it for real-world flying and, increasingly, for their simulated adventures as well.

So… what exactly is ForeFlight?

At its core, ForeFlight is an electronic flight bag (EFB): charts, weather, flight planning, performance calculations, and in-flight situational awareness, all wrapped into a single ecosystem. For many pilots, it has become less a tool and more a constant companion.

If you’re new to it, this short overview does a good job of laying the groundwork:

ForeFlight Fundamentals Course

More video's like this at ForeFlight 

But the conversation didn’t stop there.

Lately, there’s been some chatter - concern, really - about the current state of play at ForeFlight. Ownership changes, pricing questions, development priorities, and the broader question of where the company is headed have all fueled speculation.

This video captures some of that uncertainty:

The Rise and Fall of Foreflight?

More video's like this at Taking Off.

So what does it all mean?

At least for now, everything still feels a bit up in the air - no pun intended. I don’t see ForeFlight disappearing anytime soon. The product is simply too embedded in modern flying.

That said, the discussion raised a fair question:

When a tool becomes infrastructure, how much change is too much?

For the flying community - and for those of us who blur the line between real-world aviation and simulation - it’s a story worth watching.

Your thoughts?

Kenneth (Ken) Butterly, Founder

Capitals of Europe - By Sim - Why Not

It’s winter. It’s cold. And I really want to go somewhere - anywhere.

Travel isn’t in the cards right now, but the itch is still there. So instead of packing a bag, I decided to do the next best thing.

I’m going to visit every capital city in Europe - in a flight simulator - using the most efficient route I could put together with ChatGPT.

The idea was simple: cover the entire continent without wasting miles, avoid unnecessary backtracking, and fly it the way you actually would in a small airplane.

Here’s the overall route, laid out in SkyVector.

Looking at the map, you can see it’s essentially one long, continuous loop - working east, then south, then north, and finally back to the London. Nothing fancy, just practical.

Below is the same trip broken down leg by leg, planned specifically for a Cessna 172.  But you can fly anything you want!

As you can see, I've already flown two legs (London - Brussels & Brussels - Amsterdam.)  If you want your own spreadsheet, email me using the portal on to the right and I'll be glad to send you one.

I used to like winter sports - now - I just want to stay home - stay warm and enjoy a little coffee with a bit of sim!  How about you? If you’re stuck inside too, this might be a good way to see a bit of Europe without leaving the house - one leg at a time!

Your thoughts?

Kenneth (Ken) Butterly, Founder

From Bad -To Better!

This is an update to the last post.

The simulator was working perfectly, and I was having fun - always a dangerous combination for someone who likes to tinker. Confidence crept in, then overconfidence, and before long I was changing things that didn’t need changing.

The reinstallation of FS2020 I mentioned last time? It failed. I’ll spare you the details. The important point is that it was time for a rethink.

Here’s where I landed.

I own P3D, FS2020, FS2024, X-Plane 11, and X-Plane 12, and I have a 7-TB D: drive sitting there doing very little, so I installed P3D, X-Plane 11, and X-Plane 12 on the D: drive and put FS2024 on the C: drive. I’m happy to report that all of them are now working exactly as designed.

As for FS2020? I’ll think about it.

While researching FS2024’s settings, I ran across a few helpful videos, including...

10 THINGS I Wish I Knew Sooner in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Settings That Hurt Performance 

(and how to fix it)

More video's like this at twotonemurphy.

The installation process - along with test-flying each simulator in the same aircraft, over the same course, and in the same weather - was a useful reminder of just how different P3D, X-Plane 11, X-Plane 12, and FS2024 really are. Each occupies its own niche, and each serves a distinct purpose within the flight training community. Over the next few months, we’ll take a closer look.

Your thoughts?

Kenneth (Ken) Butterly, Founder

New Years Resolution Gone Bad!

For years, my flight simulator lived in the basement, serving as a testbed.

Over the cold holiday season, I decided my time would be better served by moving it upstairs - into a warm room - setting aside the experimenting - and at least for a while - simply flying.

Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t a step back from ongoing FSG@ activities - quite the opposite. I’m just done, at least for now, spending my time wrestling with always-imperfect hardware configurations, when I could be having fun sightseeing.

At least, that was the plan.

With that in mind, I thought the next question would be: What should my long-term simulator look like?

No.....

Instead, the next question turned out to be: What the heck did I just do?

I'd already hauled the machine upstairs, installed a single 45" 4K TV (yes, the three little screens are gone), connected the yoke and throttle, and powered everything up. 

So far, so good.  Mostly. 

Then I started wondering how I might make FS2020 look a little better - maybe even run a little faster.

That’s when things went sideways.

I won’t bore you with the details, except to say I managed to break things badly enough that a full FS2020 reinstall was the only way forward.

The irony isn’t lost on me. For years, I’ve told simulator friends: once it’s working, leave it alone. Turns out I should have taken my own advice.

Still, I’m determined to create what I’ll call my “final” - or at least “maybe final” - simulator configuration. This time, the goal is simple: reliability, comfort, and simming for the sheer pleasure of it.

If nothing else, think of this post as an invitation to share the ride.

Your thoughts?

Kenneth (Ken) Butterly, Founder