Soaring

There is a zero to zero chance of me ever actually obtaining a pilot's license or an airplane. In fact, I think it's illegal in twenty two states for me to have either (same to you, Missouri). In fact, it's illegal in all of them. Screw you, FAA.

Thus, I buzz about Second Life in planes of my own making. Half of which are horrible failures. When they do work, Second Life and its sim seams eat the remaining half. It's not terribly hard scripting them as I just tweak the one I got (it was a freebie which is all but unrecognizable from its original form). It's not terribly hard building them either, as in SL I can completely disregard all laws of physics. I could build a flying sofa if I so wanted.

Most of my planes are pretty vanilla. But I like them that way. I'm totally a traditionalist. I'm boring that way. On the other hand, it does cut down on IMs inquiring as to why I am flying a giant turd.

I'm also traditional in how I like my planes to fly. None of that mouse view junk. Or that one plane which required inputting half a million commands just to take off. Give me a throttle and a control stick, maybe some rudder, and I'll be set. Simple as can be without all that junk in the interface. Half of it is pure junk. 'Press T and chat '/2 gurp' to execute so and so maneuver'.... why bother when I can just pull the same stunt with a little action on the arrow keys and throttling down a bit?

Some may complain ban lines interrupt their flight, but go up a hundred meters or so, up above the clouds, and you can go anywhere. With Windlight, it's really beautiful. And if you really really have to absolutely touch the ground, well, find a linden sea or park and swoop in a little bit. By definition, the airplane should be in the air, anyway.

Having to focus your energies on altitude maintenance is relaxing. It's also fun attempting to IM friends while pulling off barrel rolls. I'm not nearly that big of a thrill seeker (SL's lag discourages such things anyway, a little lag and you'll find yourself embedded in someone's house fast). No, I'm quite content to just watch the sun on the water in Windlight while chugging across the landscape, blissful of everything down below. Above your petty squabbles and concerns of intellectual property. Ah, escape.

I love it. But I still wish I could break half a dozen regulations in real life.

Oh well.

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