One of the truly fun things about TCA is that the staff really cares about keeping things alive and constantly changing. If you regularly hit the TCA pages you'll notice that it isn't the same month after month. Here are just some of the things that are happening this month:
TCA members in Europe will meet in person on Sept. 30 thru Oct. 1 in Amsterdam at the Aviodome at Schiphol Airport during a big meeting of FS enthusiasts.

If you'd like to meet your TCA fellows including TCA's CEO, Rainer Labie, come along! TCA will have a small booth. Search for the palmtree logo at the meeting and speak up! 

For further details call Enno Borgsteede at: e.f.borgsteede@chello.nl

Fantastic NEW scenery from Marcel Ritzema for Bonaire and TCA Headquarters at Hato, Curacao. Both sceneries are compatible with FS98 and FS2000. Marcel has truly out done himself. These are a 'must have' in your scenery library. 

TCA Headquarters: http://www.avsim.com/marcel/tca/tncc-v31.zip 

Bonaire: http://www.avsim.com/marcel/tca/tncb-v10.zip

Marcel's new TCA Headquarters scenery. Park and walk around to take a closer look. There are always surprises.
There is also new scenery created by Thomas Than for the Santhana Travel residence at Congor Bay, Barbados. Along with the scenery don't forget to install the flatten switch below to insure proper use and viewing in FS2000. 

You can get the scenery at: http://www.santhana.org

Flatten Switch created by Bob Dodge, TCA 2384 

Flatten.0=3,N13 14 6,W59 31 23,N13 13 39,W59 32,N13 14 12,W59 32 18,N13 14 24,W59 32 14

A few passengers, a few bags of mail and lots of margarita makings arrive at Congor Bay, Barbados.
ThomasThan, TCA 2503, President of Santhana Travels Inc., Barbados announces the itinerary for the fall season.
Santhana has opened its doors again - but unfortunatly I have to say goodbye for the rest of the year: I have to pass my final state exam and will start working as a lawyer - so I won't have the time to create more Holiday Charters this year. Therefore I created two long-lasting Holiday Charters, which will be available until December 2000. The Racing Charters will continue to the end of the motorsport season.

In addition to our special charter to the 'Expo 2000' we offer a flight to Sydney, Australia, where the Summer Olympics will take place. Over the 16 days of the Sydney Olympics, athletes from over 200 nations will compete in 28 sports ranging from team events to individual competitions.

HOLIDAY CHARTERS:

VF#36: Operation Titanic - Fly with TCA and Santhana to Newfoundland and enter a sub called 'MIR I', which will take you 2 1/2 miles to the bottom of the ocean floor. Here you will get the chance to explore the wreck of the famous TITANIC...

VF#37: Concorde World Tour (FS2000 only!) - Fly with TCA and Santhana around the world in the CONCORDE. This charter is based on the MV-challenge of Michael Vone. The charter puts you in the pilot's seat for a 28-day, 23-stop, round-the-world tour in Concorde. This includes a few local excursions in the JetRanger helicopter,the B737, and in the Learjet.

RACING CHARTERS

As always we are offering flights to Formula One-Races for this month at Belgium, Italy, USA and to the CART races at Vancouver, Laguna Seca and Madison, IL.

In the SANTHANA ARCHIVE:

VF#21 - Fly with TCA and Santhana to The Archipelago of Los Roques: the paradise of the caribbean. This beautiful FS2000 scenery is available at TCA Venezuela - here is the chance to fly to it...

VF#22 - Fly with TCA and Santhana to Sarawak's Rainforest World Music Festival 2000, BORNEO, to step back in time and to listen to the ancient rhythms of the primeval forest...From the 18th to the 20th of August 2000, some of the best proponents of world music will gather under the imposing jungle-covered Mount Santubong at the edge of the South China Sea.

Visit us at: http://www.santhana.org

From the TCA 'Fly Live' guy, Jose Gonzales, September DONT MISS the TCA 5th Anniversary Fly In:
Join your fellow TCA pilots on September 15 and 16 and celebrate our 5th anniversary by hosting a fly-in on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Take a break from the IFR routine and come fly the laid back VFR skies of the Caribbean!

Go to the following URL for more information: http://home.coqui.net/elprieto/TCAOL/FlyIn.html

Jose is also hosting live flying in Eastern region areas: TCA ATC on Monday nights
MONDAY NIGHT FLY-IN SCHEDULE (Year 2000)
September 4 - Atlanta (Labor Day)

September 11 - Miami

September 18 - Washington

September 25 - Jacksonville

October 2 - Boston

October 9 - San Juan (Columbus Day)

October 16 - New York

October 23 - Atlanta

October 30 - Miami

November 6 - Washington

November 13 - Jacksonville

November 20 - Boston

November 27 - San Juan

December 4 - New York

December 11 - Atlanta

December 18 - Miami

December 25 Merry Christmas

Show your artistic side to TCA!

Several TCA airplanes have been painted with a white tail for our TCA airplane tail art contest. All pilots are welcome to participate, regardless of their artistic abilities. TCA management will select their favorite tail art and paint the aircraft tails for a special Anniversary livery.

Pilots dont need to know how to paint aircraft. Just send over any painting, art, drawing, or photo which you feel would look good in the tail of our special livery aircraft.

A simple bmp will be provided with the shape of the aircraft tail so you can all paint it as you like! Just paint the tail how you like and send it to us.

Call Jose Gonzalez (elprieto@coqui.com) for the bmp file, any questions you may have, or to submit your art. Everyone MUST participate! ;-) 

The winners will get to name the aircraft according to the art they created. ;-)

When I fly I like to have information about my destination airport handy. Making an approach without ILS frequencies, beacon frequencies, altitudes and approach directions can spell trouble when you are unprepaired. Next time you fly to a new runway, go to the airport directory at: http://www.geocities.com/germanwing/adir/airports.html 

This site was created by Hans Niedermeier, TCA 2239, and currently lists over 350 airports. He is continually adding information so check back regularly. If you have information to add, Please contact Hans at: Johann.Niedermeirer@t-online.de

New aircraft are available at the TCA hangars. Marcel Ritzema has just released the Antonov AN-24 in TCA Cargo colors. If you want to try flying the really big stuff, this is it. One fun thing you'll notice are the counter-rotating props. Wow!

Along with this aircraft, Jack Ford has constructed a panel suitable for the big bird. Find both the plane and panel at the TCA Hangars.

In Jack's Hangar 8, are new paint jobs on a TDM Shorts 330 and a DC-9 in both TCA and TCA Cargo liveries. 

You might want to check out Paul Golding's web site for an MD-80 panel that will make flying the DC-9 a joy. http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.golding/

A Fantastic new feature available to TCA members is a place to have a 'Live Chat' with your friends in TCA. It's a great place to make new friends as well. For a long time I have read mail from fellow pilots and when I got the chance to hear their voices it was not only exciting but it made the TCA experience just a little more special.

You can find the chat site at this URL: http://home.coqui.net/elprieto/TCAOL/TCAChat.html

Below, you'll find some instructions for using the chat feature. It's VERY easy to get going.

NOTE:
You need a microphone and speakers connected to your computer OR a headset connected to your computer. There is no software to download and set up.
1.
When you arrive at the page you'll see this 'Hear Me' box. Click in the white area where it says "CLICK HERE to connect'. This will connect you to the network.
2.
Once you are connected you will see the words 'Guest ***' appear in the white area. Find the OPTIONS button and click it to change the Guest message to a name you desire. You can see my choice to the right.
Notice that the gray 'Talk' button has now turned RED.
3. Text is also available at the same time. This allows two conversations to occur at once. 
4. To talk, click the RED 'Talk' button with your mouse OR press F9. You must hold the button or key while talking. Be sure to let go when you're done or no one can talk.
5. You may leave this page open and running in the background while you wait for others to connect to the service. You may also let this run in your task bar while you fly in the simulator allowing you to hold a conversation while flying.

This chat seems to work pretty well even with the slowest modem connections.

To disconnect click the 'Options' button and you'll see the 'Turn off' message.

NOTE: If you can't be heard, perhaps your microphone needs some adjustment in your system. Click on the blue 'Audio Configuration' line and another page will open with instructions for setting things up.
TCA Alaska's 'Snowboss' has just posted new bush flights in the Alaska area. If you're a bush pilot enthusiast I highly recommend you spend some time in the 49th U.S. State. You'll find bush planes at the Alaska division page. This is also the place to find out what's happening with the famous 'Iditarod' sled race.
Over on Tradewinds Business Travel, Chris Hunt has re-done the pages and added some new flights. A business charter is a nice change of pace from routine flying. Try hauling some models for a photo shoot to the islands and see just how 'boring' it is.
Another great find is an e-book by F.E. Potts on the topic of Bush Flying. It's quite technical but for those who crave more information about flying into uncivilized country, this is a must. It's free reading on the net or you can buy a copy to take anywhere.

http://www.fepco.com/Bush_Flying.html

Chris Wilkes, the scenery designer, has just released a glimpse of the scenery he is working on for the West Indies. We aren't up to the Beta testing stage but Chris wanted to give us a look at the exciting views we'll have to look forward to. He is hand painting all the bitmaps needed in this immense project eight months in the works.

http://www.dreamwater.net/biz/wilkes/IWI/

We'll keep you posted on his progress.

Have any news you'd like to tell everyone in TCA about?

Send it to Rick Nathan, editor. Be sure to put 'Island Breezes' into your subject line.

Island Breezes News

.