Mxsmanic wrote:

This made me think of something else: How many pilots carry
binoculars with them in the cockpit?

I tried as a passenger and it is a *bad* idea for a number
of reasons: very narrow field of vision, it is very
difficult to actually find what you are looking for; shaking,
the aircraft moves and vibrates and shakes; blurs what
you see and can get you hurt as well (binoculars hitting
you hard in the eyes :-) -- and, it is a sure way for
a passenger to get air sick (even someone who is used
to flying);

Can I download the airport directory in PDF?

there are a number of places on the web where you can
download approach plates and airport diagrams; for
instance:

http://www.naco.faa.gov/ and click on the 'free online
product' on the left; AOPA also has something like that
but I don't remember if it is in the public or members
only section of their website;

another source of charts, airport diagrams, etc. for
simmers is your local flying club / airport: these
publication have an expiration date and have to be
renewed often, and are most of the time just thrown
away; if you tell your local pilots that you'd be happy
to recycle these publication to use on a sim I am sure
they'd be happy to oblige.

--Sylvain