AVSIM's Round the World Race Forum

Kiwi Coast Sport Flying For Wednesday, June 5, 2024 Michael MacKuen We do a little sport flying on the east and west coasts of New Zealand’s North Island. Great day for flying Our day begins at Tauranga [NZTG] on the Bay of Plenty. The airport has an active flying club and a three-hangar air museum. We might take a couple minutes to circle around the city, the busy container/cruise ship port, volcanic Mount Maunganui, the beachfront suburbs, and the outlying avocado orchards. We turn south to Rotorua [NZRO] for the geothermal section of the flight. From the 1880s, Rotorua has been a tourist destination for its geysers, hot mud baths, and eerie post-volcanic scene…

We are back in the southeastern part of Europe and ready to see some more castles. We depart from Grobnicko Polje (LDRD), Croatia. Our first POI is Kostel Castle in Slovenia. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the castle was an important strategic fortification against Ottoman invasions. With many of the countries of southeastern Europe occupied by or paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire, Slovenia became exposed to further Ottoman inroads into Europe. The castle, standing along one of the Ottomans' common incursion routes into Slovenia, came under attack several times. Only in 1578 did the castle fall, when the garrison accepted supposed refugees from the…

The Turkish Black Sea Coast For Saturday, June 1, 2024 Michael MacKuen The Turkish Black Sea Coast, or Karadeniz, is beautiful, of historic interest, and little known to Westerners. This is about one fifth of Turkey, ranging between the cities of Rize and Zonguldak. The combination of damp northerly and westerly winds confronting an uninterrupted wall of mountains has created a rainy cool and green agricultural land. (Among Turkey’s main regions, only Karadeniz is – slightly – more rural than urban.) For Turkish city dwellers, this region is a popular escape to fresh mountain air, nature, and serenity. The coastal shelf is bordered by the Pontic Mountains with pe…

Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, with an area of 18,572 sq mi, and a group of many islands, including Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez Islands. Tierra del Fuego is divided between Argentina, which controls the eastern part of the main island and a few small islands in the Beagle Channel, and Chile, which controls the remaining land area. We begin this journey from Rio Grande (SAWE) and proceed southward for landings at Los Robles Airport (SAUY) and Tolhuin Lago Fagnano Airport (SAWL) …

Skyhawks over the San Juan Islands For Saturday, May 25, 2024 Michael MacKuen Today we enjoy an afternoon of low-and-slow flights over the San Juan Islands. We begin on the Olympic Peninsula, visit the countryside north of Seattle and then spend the rest of our day island hopping. We finish at our favorite PNW destination Orcas Island. Sightseeing over Lopez Island We initiate our flight from the private community airport at Diamond Point [2WA1]. We quickly jump over to Olympic Field [WA45] to enjoy an interesting approach into a beautiful setting. Then we turn eastward, skirting north of Puget Sound, to land at Whidbey Island’s Whidbey Airpark [W10] – a lovely p…

Time to try out our Beech Dukes and/or Cessna 414s at altitude, for a scenic cross country flight! We'll start at Orcas Island and then overfly the Olympic Peninsula, touching down at Bowerman and Astoria, with Pearson field (north of Portland) as our final destination. Flightplan: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ai71fwr6d2tkg0fdhfqj9/VFR-Eastsound-KORS-to-Pearson-Field-KVUO.zip?rlkey=7v83bpcuq6aa7utv74b7l24z5&st=xsomdwc6&dl=0 Suggest you update the vintage Bowerman scenery package prior to the flight. https://flightsim.to/file/62459/bowerman-airport-vintage-edition-khqm Optional airport: https://flightsim.to/file/53548/kvuo-pearson-a…

California Gold Three Short Stories Today's flights are three small adventures in California that we look at there Geology and History. On each flight we will load in at that location for each of the tours. At the end of a the last tour we will if time permits continue on, in a westerly direction. I have been studying up so hopefully can give a accrete story. This flight is intended to be flown in helicopters low and slow. If not fly what you like. Flight Plans: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8i74yixymc52wued87xnf/AFXPXOvb0iCOguS5AGMoJ5w?rlkey=twhm1d5osrgj8acdl54bvspto&st=xqyxjv95&dl=0 Add-on Scenery's: All in One (most of us have these already) …

We fly along the Taiwan Strait with landings in China and Taiwan. Our departure airport is Baiyun (ZGGG), which serves the Guangzhou area. Guangzhou, formerly known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Situated on the Pearl River, approximately 120 km (75 mi) north-northwest of Hong Kong and 145 km (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou boasts a rich history spanning over 2,200 years. It was a significant terminus of the Silk Road. The port of Guangzhou plays a crucial role as a transportation hub, and the city ranks among China’s three largest cities. Historically, it was the primary Chinese port accessible to most foreign t…

Scotland Tigers-6: UK Scotland: Aberdeen (Dyce) (EGPD) to Plockton (EG29) (For Wednesday May 15, 2024) Aberdeen (Dyce), Scotland: Today we bring out the old bi-planes once again to continue this low and slow UK-journey- Scotland Tigers-Part 6 takes us from the city of Aberdeen on the east coast of to the village of Plockton on the west coast. For half of this journey we will travel northward via the east coast then over the top along the north shore of the Scottish mainland to RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Kinloss and onto the city of Inverness. Inverness is the 13th largest city in Scotland with a population of @ 64,000. Fr…

Cuba Havana and the Sea For Saturday, May 11, 2024 Michael MacKuen For our second trip through Cuba, we see a bit more of the mainland before heading out to sea for two vacation islands and then circle back to visit the historic grand capital Havana. We finish at the tourist beaches of Varadero. Climbing out of Cayo Largo into the glow of the late afternoon sun We pick up from the western end of the Jardines del Rey at La Brujas on Cayo Santa Maria. We fly over the coastal islands (near the causeway) and then the mainland to land at Santa Clara [MUSC], a primary commercial center to the agricultural interior. Then south 5nm over the city to take a look at the Mau…

Biplanes over California #3 Today we will continue our trip up the California Coast visiting the East side of San Francisco, Marin County, and then the Wine Country. There are 9 landings and 179 miles to cover. I will be in my Stearman. Fly what you like about 80 to 100 kt kind of thing I think tiger moth will work with this flight. Flight Plan: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sastxc8o14bwsteufwzbx/AI8Dcqax1_Q74b8Ox84GEvc?rlkey=z0bh0texl8jx9vdfsrxijdb85&st=qjuzg6ht&dl=0 Scenery: All in One https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/noq99qp45lklauefxprrn/AOi57zNlF7WSLW2vtkUy5l0?rlkey=segswdwlavlbejlc6r2hqbo2s&st=0pw3ys20&dl=0 Most of …

We fly around Montenegro with a short stop in Croatia. We depart from Montenegro’s capital city Podgorica (LYPG). During the existence of the state of Yugoslavia, the town was named Titograd. On April 2, 1992, it was named Podgorica again. Since 2006 it has been the capital city of the new state of Montenegro. We head now into the mountains and land at Dolac (LYBR). From here we head northwest for a long scenic flight through the mountains. A highlight of this trip is the Tara Canyon. This canyon is the longest canyon in Europe and the third longest in the world. We make a detour to overfly the Tjentiste War Memorial and land at Kapino (LYNK). Next,…

Cuba Oriente For Saturday, May 4, 2024 Michael MacKuen We begin a quick tour of Cuba. For hundreds of years the island was divided administratively into a eastern and a western part. Today we visit the eastern half, Cuba Oriente. We begin in the mountains along the southeastern coast and then turn to fly over miles of agricultural heartland. And finally, we will reach the island beaches and coral reefs along the northern shore. Over the Jardines del Rey We begin at Moa Orestes Acosta [MUMO], the site of Cuba’s large deposits of nickel and cobalt. The nickel is mined and processed jointly by Cuban and Canadian companies. This nickel constitutes about 4% of the worl…

We continue our flights in India. For this flight, we depart from Coimbatore (VOCB) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore was ranked the best-emerging city in India by India Today in the 2014 annual survey, fourth among Indian cities in investment climate by Confederation of Indian Industry, and 17th among the top global outsourcing cities by Tholons. Coimbatore has been selected as one of the Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT by the Government of India. Coimbatore regularly features among the top ten best cities to live in India and is amongst the safest cities in India for women according to a National C…

Flight from Haiti For Saturday, April 27, 2024 Michael MacKuen Today we take part in an on-going evacuation. Since the most recent breakdown of government in Haiti and the ongoing chaotic rule by gang violence, numerous middle-class and professional-class Haitians have chosen to leave the country – for fear of their lives. We shall pick up a good handful of refugees from Port-au-Prince and then the southern Tiburon Peninsula in Haiti and transport them to the Kingston, Jamaica from which our passengers will move on to their ultimate destinations. At the end of the day, we shall fly to Montego Bay for a bit of R&R. Dawn Flight Over the Lake and Under the Sea W…

This is the continuation of our Thailand flights. Today we want to cruise fast and low over Thailand. We depart from Bangkok‘s International Airport Suvarnabhumi (VTBS) and head southwest. On our way south along the Gulf of Thailand's shores we land at Hua Hin (VTBP), Chumphon (VTSE), and Samui (VTSM). Now we turn west again and land at Surat Thani (VTSB). We continue west, reach the Andaman Sea, and land at Phuket International (VTSP). Now we head southeast, land at Trang (VTST), and reach today‘s destination Hat Yai (VTSS). The flight has 640 miles and 7 landings. We want to cruise at about 400 knots. I will be in the IFE Panavia PA200 Tornado. As al…

P38's On Top Of The World (Pakistan) Pakistan, situated in the southern part of Asia, shares its borders with several countries and bodies of water. To the east, it adjoins India, while to the west, it borders Iran and Afghanistan. China forms its northeastern frontier, and in the south, Pakistan has a coastline along the Arabian Sea. Pakistan encompasses an area of approximately 881,913 km2 (340,509 mi2), making it the 33rd largest country in the world by total land area. Pakistan encompasses roughly six distinct regions. The Northern Areas, officially named Gilgit-Baltistan, present some of the world's highest mountain peaks, with five out of fourteen "eight-t…

Dominican Diagonal For Saturday, April 20, 2024 Today we shall take a look at part of the Dominican Republic. Starting with an aerial tour of Santo Domingo, we shall fly northwest over the Cordillera Central to the Haitian border. We take a quick look at the sights of the Cap-Haïtien area and then return along the northern coast of the Dominican to Puerto Plata and south to Santiago, the country’s “second city.” High over the Cordillera Central We begin at Santo Domingo’s Las Américas [MDSD], located just southeast of the capital city. This airport is the country’s second-busiest (after the tourist-oriented Punta Cana) and the country’s and the Caribbean’s busiest …

Bridge Inspection in Northern Germany We depart from Ganderkesee (EDWQ), a small airfield close to Bremen. We fly north until we reach the River Weser and follow the river to Bremerhaven. We land at Bremerhaven (EDWB). We head north and land at the only remaining German Navy Airbase, Nordholz (ETMN). Nordholz is home to the Naval Air Wing 3, flying P3 Orion and later P8 Poseidon, and the Naval Air Wing 5 flying Sea King, Sea Lynx at MH 90 Helicopter. We continue north, overfly Cuxhaven, and reach the mouth of the River Elbe. We fly upstream for about 15 miles and reach the locks at Brunsbüttel. These locks mark the entrance to the Kiel Canal, the world's…

This takes us back to 1994, when a book: Flights of "13MIKE" was our guide to the flight simulator world. Flightplan here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/pqbdkr6l07vgeg0hztuu3/VFR-Merrill-C.-Meigs-Field-KCGX-to-University-Of-Illinois-Willard-KCMI-.pln.zip?rlkey=k5skvmjr76r6av0yg92p007uy&dl=0 Suitable aircraft: C182 or similar... to fit with the vintage FS theme. 🙂 If you have the Carenado C182, I would recommend this mod: No additional scenery required for this flight. Particulars: Date and time: Saturday April 13, 18:00 UTC RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel MFS Multiplayer: …

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W9wpRka-uQZ5hsNga1c7_SXViK7Md9nX/view?usp=sharing Todays flight will explore some parts of Andalucia which have become very familiar to me during the many years I have lived here. So with a move back to the UK on the cards I would like to share a nostalgia flight to some of these 'rincons' ,or corners, with yourselves. We start in the coastal city of Málaga with the fourth busiest airport in Spain and fly eastwards along the Costa de Sol to the small airfield at Vélez Málaga (LEAX). From Vélez we fly inland to Jayena (LE84) which is an airstrip use solely by the anti fire agency. Onwards and upwards into the Sierra Nevada whe…

Biplanes over California #2 Today's flight is a continuation of our previous flight from a couple weeks ago. We will be flying low and slow over the central coast to San Francisco visiting Big Sir, Monterey, Santa Cruise, Half Moon Bay. There are 7 landings and 211 miles to cover. The first landing is only 1700 ft. I will be in my Stearman and flying low trying out my new wind generator blowing wind in my face. Flight Plan: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/r3yp70o3442qk90qd7d3k/AGNLPeH9eYOt34lWZiV76IM?rlkey=t5eekdy23mc4qqlcodcj866jl&dl=0 Scenery: https://flightsim.to/file/48956/hearst-san-simeon-airstrip-cn66 https://flightsim.…

British Columbia’s Coastal Wilderness The Islands of Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage For Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Today we shall take a tour of the remote islands along Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage – the waters dividing northern Vancouver Island from mainland British Columbia. These channels are frequently transited by cruise ships, cargo ships, fishing boats, and the ships of the BC Ferries system. In particular, the BC Ministry of Health has asked us to provide a familiarization tour of the islands’ settlements for newcomers as well as veterans of the Island Health clinics in Port Hardy, Port McNeil, and Campbell River. These clinics are charged w…

Galicia & Asturias Located in Atlantic Europe Galicia is bordered by Portugal to the south, Asturias to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Galicia is characterized by a hilly landscape; mountain ranges rise to 6,600 ft in the east and south. The coastal areas are mostly an alternate series of rias and beaches. We depart from Vigo (LEVX) and proceed north to the famous Santiago de Compostela Cathedral followed by a landing at Santiago (LEST). The route continues west to the small general aviation airport A Fervenza (LEMZ), then north to the Roman lighthouse - the Tower of Hercules before landing at A Coruna’s Alvedro Airport (LECO). We depart to …

This is the last Bahamas flight in this series, as we fly south east to the Turks and Caicos islands. We start at Pittstown Point, Crooked Island. MYX1 in the sim and MYCP in the Garmin GTN750. Here are the flight plans, subject to some revisions as we survey the individual airstrips... https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mau9zuax1hj0mcae5xo9o/VFR-Pittstown-Point-MYX1-to-Jags-Mccartney-Intl-MBGT.zip?rlkey=givue3q741kbeb0f5vpsupq73&dl=0 Suitable aircraft... Bonanza or similar, 150 kts cruise or better. No additional scenery required, but the Bahamas package from the past flight (part 2) still contains at least one new airport and should be activa…