User:J Maverick 16
| Location | Northern Italy, LIPA |
|---|---|
| Age | 26 |
| Job | Photographer |
| Interest(s) |
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| MP callsign(s) | Flying: [1], NICKL11, OPFOR96. |
| Favourite aircraft |
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| Website | J Maverick 16 (out of date) |
I'm J Maverick 16 on the international forum, here on the Wiki, FGUK, OPRF, on the "Free Flight, Free Speech" forum and on the FlightGear Italia forum. My personal motto and custom "Hello" message when connecting over Multiplayer is: Breakin' the sound barrier every day.
Given that this page hasn’t been regularly updated over the years, please take it with the proverbial grain of salt when reading its content. As a result, several pieces of information may no longer be accurate.
About me
I'm a frequent multiplayer flyer, mainly focused on flying military planes, especially fighter jets. I like joining in group flights and sometimes be controlled by ATCs. I founded the now-abandoned The Northern-Italy ATC Controlled Area (NIATCA) project, and was a regular ATC at LIPA, ETAR, KLSV and other notable US military airports.
I contributed to several custom scenery projects as well as providing multiple additions to TerraSync around the world, especially in my local area. To name some of them: LIPA - Aviano Air Base, ETAR - Ramstein Air Base, EGVA - RAF Fairford and FJDG - Diego Garcia NSF.
My first aircraft project was the KC-137R (AATARS= Advanced Air-To-Air Refueling System, derived from the Boeing 707 military variants and loosely based on the real-life KC-135R Stratotanker which I co-developed alongside user Octal. I am now one of the major contributors to the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, which is and remains my primary focus at this time.
Believe it or not, my first flight simulator experience was on Google Earth's own F-16 simulation, but after trying a MB-339PAN cockpit simulator during a car trade show I acquired a deeper interest in aviation. After that, I started looking for a free flight simulator to use on my PC, and guess what I found? FlightGear! I’ve never regretted that decision. In fact, thanks to it aviation has become a huge part of my life, and it contributed to build an even stronger passion for photography.
Me and FlightGear
I’ve been using FlightGear since July 2012. My friend suggested it to me when I downloaded version 2.6. At first, I mostly flew the Cessna 172P. It was a bit tricky at first, but I got the hang of it. Once I figured out how to install aircraft folders correctly, I couldn’t stop flying. I kept learning how to fly different planes. The Alphajet helped me a lot when I was learning how to fly fighter jets. I kept improving every day, and now I consider myself a pretty good flight sim pilot. In my opinion, FlightGear is the best flight simulator ever made. It’s free, open-source, realistic, and always being developed. All these things make it popular and widely used.
After learning the basics of scenery and aircraft development, my primary contributions to the simulator span from multiple airports upgraded either as add-on packages or directly into TerraSync and several improvements and major contributions to both civilian and military airframes. Notable mentions are airports such as LIPA, LIPI, LIPS, LICZ, ETAR, FJDG, LIPQ, LIBV, EGOD, LPLA, EGVA, EGUL, EGUN, ETAD, PGUA, RODN, RJTY, EGQL, KTNX, KINS and KNFL;
Whereas among aircraft: F-16, KC-137R family, A330, C-32J, A-10, F-15, CH-53E, UH-60, MQ-9 and B-1B.
Me and the FlightGear community
I don’t usually fly much during the fall, winter, and spring because of school and studies (except when I have free time or holidays). But whenever I can, I’m always in the air. In the past, I was a regular ATC, but I’ve been having some PC issues and can’t do it for a while. In the summer, I spend a lot more time playing FlightGear when I’m not outdoors or on vacation.
I use a lot of the FlightGear forums, voice comms (like Mumble, Teamspeak, and recently Discord too), and the Wiki. I love reading and writing topics, sharing my experiences, and learning new things. I’m also an active Instagram, and Twitter user. I share my screenshots, recent news, and other things I want to share with the world.
I joined the Main Administrators group of the FlightGear Italia forum on January 2015. That was a really cool achievement!
What I do on this Wiki
In this Wiki, I’m the keeper of all things airports and aircrafts. I create and maintain my articles, and I’m always on the lookout for things I want to update or add.
My lack of real flight experience
Despite loving aviation, I’ve never been on a plane flight yet. However, I did get to take a thrilling 15-minute helicopter ride at Jesolo during the air show weekend. It was an incredible experience!
For a brief period, I also enjoyed flying multiple RC model helicopters and drones.
I would consider myself a plane spotter too, and I love going to nearby Aviano and Rivolto air bases about once or twice a year to take photos of the military air traffic there.
Personal Todo List
- Contribute in an advanced version of the General Dynamics F-16. In progress, active
- Contribute to scenery improvement with 3D objects in Terrasync . In progress, active
- Work on an improved scenary at and around LIPA. In progress, active
- Finish works on the KC-137R family project and create a related wiki page.
- Start works on McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender (JSB FDM). In progress, stalled
- Work on military variants of the Airbus A330-200 (Voyager KC, KC-30A). In progress, stalled
- Work on my personal VIP plane: the Boeing C-32J aka "Mav Force One". In progress, stalled
- Finish 2D and release a first beta version of LIPA.
Pending - Start works on military variants of the Boeing 767-200 (KC-46, E-767, KC-767).
Not done - Contribute in FGUK planes and helicopters updates. Not done
- Start works on military variants of the Boeing 737NG (700, AEW&C, P-8A, JSTARS, C-40A/B). Not done
Where & when I do ATC:
Here is a complete list of the airports I usually or sometimes control with OpenRadar (on the right, the callsigns I use):
Most controlled:
- LIPA - Aviano Air Base = USAF_AV
- ETAD - Spangdahlem Air Base = USAF_SP
- ETAR - Ramstein Air Base = USAF_RS
- EGUL - RAF Lakenheath = USAF_LN
- EGUN - RAF Mildenhall = USAF_MN
- KLSV - Nellis Air Force Base = USAF_NE
Sometimes controlled:
(I apologize if sometimes I do not respond immediately to calls in these airports)
- LIPQ - Trieste-Ronchi dei Legionari = FVG_ATC
- LPLA - Lajes Field = USAF_LJ
- LIPI - Rivolto AB = PAN_TWR
- LICZ - Sigonella NAS = NATO_SI
- EGVA - RAF Fairford = USAF_FF
- LIBV - Base aerea di Gioia del Colle = LIBV_CT
- KDOV - Dover Air Force Base = USAF_DO
- KADW - Andrews Air Force Base = USAF_DC
- KLFI - Joint Base Langley-Eustis = USAF_LE
- KDMA - Davis-Monthan Air Force Base = USAF_DM
- KSUU - Travis Air Force Base = USAF_TR
- FJDG - Diego Garcia NSF = NAVY_DG
- PHNL - Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Field = USAF_PH
- RJTY - Yokota Air Base = USAF_YJ
- PGUA - Andersen Air Force Base = USAF_AN
When I do ATC:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIPA | LIPA | ETAR | EGUL | ETAR | ||
| ETAD | EGUN |
Summer sessions are usually between 17:00 UTC and 20:00 UTC. Winter sessions between 18:00 UTC and 20:00 UTC (considering the DST).
Projects I've done and which I'm working on:
Work in progress, in the mean time refer to my GitHub account page (look at the links at the end of the page). ...
My FGUK FlightNights for 2018/19
A FGUK FlightNight is a multiplayer event hold every Saturday evening from 20:00 to 22:00 UK time by a member of that community where everybody can come and have fun. Voice communications are always on their Teamspeak server (more info here), Usually, the whole event (including voice comms) is recorded and then uploaded to FGUK's Youtube channel.
Previous FlightNights
- FlightNight for Sat 14th of March 2015 - Adriatic Sea Trip!
- FlightNight for Sat 25th of April 2015 - RAF Valley Military Operations
- FlightNight for Sat 30th of May 2015 - Australia running, Sydney to Melbourne
- FlightNight for Sat 20th of June 2015 - Barnstorming at EGOD
- FlightNight for Sat 1st of August 2015 - RAF Mildenhall Air Fête 2K15
- Sunday Special FlightNight for Sun 2nd of August 2015 - Relocation from RAF Mildenhall to Germany
- FlightNight for Sat 5th of December 2015 - Viet Nam Vintage Flight (VNVF I)
- FlightNight for Sat 26th of December 2015 - Happy XMas FGUK!
- FlightNight for Sat 2nd of January 2016 - Happy New Year FGUK!
- FlightNight for Sat 9th of January 2016 - January 9th. Ecuador (Original plan by StuartC)
- FlightNight for Sat 23rd of January 2016 - Operation Desert Storm 25th Anniversary
- FlightNight for Sat 2nd of July 2016 - Friuli VFR Adventure!
- FlightNight for Sat 27th of April 2019 - Coastline to coastline pt. 1
- FlightNight for Sat 4th of May 2019 - Coastline to coastline pt. 2
- FlightNight for Sat 11th of May 2019 - FlightNight May 11th 2019: Coastline to coastline pt. 3
Next planned FlightNights
Operation Red Flag
Operation Red Flag (commonly known as OPRF) is a military organization in the FGFS simulator. It focuses on air operations like air combat at high levels, ground strikes, air to air refueling and more, where members can take part in big monthly events which are challenges between teams or opposing forces. OPRF uses a number of aircrafts modified with a damage coded model which are able to inflict/receive damage during air or ground combats. Such operations require lots of skills and everyday training for reaching high levels. It has a rank system and award system (last one created by me) for its members. My current rank is Brigadier General (O-7). You can find more information on the website.
Things to do in FlightGear (personal opinion)
- Fly at extremely low level with high speed, while pulling high Gs to avoid enemy missiles.
- Visit NIATCA airports when controlled in multiplayer.
- Pilot an F-14B for 40NM without fuel and land in safety at 170 kts.
- Flying from/to EDDF when controlled by jomo.
- "Try" to control San Francisco Intl with OpenRadar when there's a lot of traffic.
- Flying at nearly ground level between mountain chains.
- Fly with FGUK members during a FlightNight multiplayer event.
- Try the Space Shuttle.
- Dogfight with the F-14 or any other good fighter.
- Fly into FGUK's superhangar at EGOD with any aircraft you want (be prepared to pay the landing fees).
- Run the Mach Loop challenge.
- Fly the KC-137R and other family planes.
Some "notable" things I've done in FlightGear
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