So, we're back from Oshkosh, and the dust is just starting to consider the possibility of thinking about settling ... little does it know that it will be disturbed again very quickly, with Leipzig and the Reno Air Races looming - stupid dust!

Hopefully, anyone who was interested read my daily reports via my blog - if you missed them, see the July Archive.

With that out of the way, then, I wanted to point out an interesting chart based on data from the computers we used at the show. One of our senior Test Engineers (and flight instructor, jump pilot, airline captain, and frustrated Little League'r) Mike Lambert captured the number of hours flown per aircraft from each of the 8 PC's we had running FSX and an early preview build of the Acceleration expansion pack. 

In the past, at a show like Oshkosh, the Extra 300 always seemed to win out - whatever default flights we setup, as soon as we look away, half the machines, at least, are back to the Extra. It makes sense - it's sporty, maneuverable, and great fun to fly even for just a short period. Not to mention the fact that the real thing is often visible in the skies just outside (and a little above) our booth.

As you'll see, though, the Extra has some competition ... actually, that's an understatement: it's more correct to say that there's a new Extra, and it's called the F-18.

This data is far from scientific, and  certainly doesn't reflect the overall popularity of aircraft in normal, at-home usage scenarios. However, it is nice to be able to look at it and surmise that the F-18 (the only one of the three new aircraft in the expansion pack to be somewhat finished and presentable at the time of the show) is likely to be well received. Click on the chart and see for yourself!