From: Alejandro Irausquin

To: Hans Linde

Date: June 5, 2002

Subject: Strangers in a strange world

Hans, greetings from Valencia, Venezuela. Very nice piece of writing. I feel
so identified with your opinions: Wife, one kid, work, housing, car repairs,
average Venezuelan engineer income...

I have always said that I don't have a computer at home, but a beige box
that allows to me to dream on about flying. I have keep current with FS
software development (all versions except FSFW95), but on the hardware side
I have been always relegated by my budget to use outdated machines.

My reality is that I am an aeronautical engineer, and my goal is to build a
real homebuilt aircraft. A homebuilt is the kind of project where you can
expect to expend 5 to 8 to 10 years building your dream machine (not
necessarily a $$$K or $$K one, target is a US $K). Computers are just the
distraction while I work toward my dream. As with your scenery project I
have some unfinished virtual homebuilt's getting dusk on a backup CD. Time
is not enough to finish them at the rhythm and detail I wished, and with the
new FS and aircraft development software, there is not sense to finish them.
On the other side, I am an aircraft controls fanatic, and my only
investments aside from the computer itself is on this kind of hardware, so
the following "natural" step is to integrate it all in a homebuilt cockpit.

But man, there is where Tony Valillo's Op-Ed bring us back to reality. As
far as I recall he just mentioned the investment on the computer, he did not
mention the multi $$$ cockpits you find on the net! With that money I will
run and buy an ultralight or even an used 152 and get training, aiming
always to upgrade my plane and abilities. But as times passes I just see how
that gets farther while my income plunges, even after getting a rise. As it
is said in the US: "If God intended men to fly, He would gave 'em more
money"

Honestly, as you state in your Op-Ed, seems that there is something we just
have not learned. There is a catch, and we are making dumb efforts to
progress in life while the trick is out there waiting for us to discover
it... Don't tell how to build the cockpit, PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO GET THE
MONEY...
Anyway, as we keep going and improve our current life's, count with this
friend from Venezuela to share your FS and real aviation adventures.

Please do not negate yourself the joy of a homebuilt cockpit, just take a
look at this project, I am sure you will like it:
http://www.ctv.es/USERS/matradi/cockpit.htm
< "http://www.ctv.es/USERS/matradi/cockpit.htm>
Look also for the Lego's throttles How To at the Flightsim.com file library.

Best regards,

Alejandro Irausquín