AVSIM's Round the World Race Forum

Ryukyu Islands The Ryukyu Islands (also called the Nansei Islands or the Ryukyu Arc) are a chain of Japanese islands stretching from Kyushu to Taiwan. They are grouped into the Satsunan Islands and Okinawa Prefecture, with larger islands being mainly volcanic and smaller ones mostly coral. Okinawa Island is the largest in the group. The islands' climate varies from humid subtropical in the north to tropical rainforest in the south. Rainfall is heavy due to the rainy season and typhoons. Geologically, the chain is divided by the Tokara Strait and Kerama Gap, with coral reefs common beyond the Tokara Strait. Flightplan HERE Starting from Shi…

PNG Guns and Gold Revisited For Saturday, October 25, 2025 Michael MacKuen Today we shall revisit a previous mission run through the Western Highlands. We begin at Tabubil, the headquarters for the Ok Tedi Mine, proceed across the sparsely-populated central mountains to reach the Porgera Gold Mine, and then end our run at Mount Hagen. In this high country, we visit a mix of established airports and smaller village airstrips. The flying can be challenging. The scenery can be eye-watering. Yifki locals wave goodbye to visiting Caribou We depart from Tabubil [AYTB] in the Star Mountains right on the border with Indonesia. Sited in a dense jungle, the …

This is a plan for a flight around the Czech Republic. We will need several days to complete this trip. We visit West and Central Bohemia first and depart from Cheb (LKCB), a town near the German border in West Bohemia. Shortly after departure, we fly over your first significant Point of Interest (POI): the spectacular Loket Castle. This Gothic fortress sits atop a granite rock surrounded by a bend in the Ohře River. The first stopover is in Rakovník (LKRK), a town in the Central Bohemian region, before we approach the country’s largest airport, Václav Havel Airport Prague (LKPR). After taking off from Prague, the route heads to the smaller Bubovice (LKB…

SE Oregon Todays flight will take us to Klamath Falls where we will depart on a discovery mission to see what we can find in this desolate area. We will make our way back to central southern Oregon where we finish up at Eugene's main airport. The flight is 291 miles with 8 stops. I will be in my Piaggeo anything about 150 kts . Flight Plan: Here: Scenery: https://flightsim.to/file/47228/5s0-oakridge-state https://flightsim.to/file/48026/klamath-falls-klmt-usa https://flightsim.to/file/17244/keug-eugene-mahlon-sweet-field https://flightsim.to/file/47342/77s-creswell-airport-hobby-field Time and Weather We will try real weather a…

Route 66 – Part Three – Oklahoma to Texas For Wed. October 15, 2025 https://www.seeingsam.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Texas-Route-66-9.jpg This is a continuation of our flights via Historic Route 66 trip in msfs2024 in the vintage Douglas DC-3 (1930’s). This section of the terrain is again scenic but not a complex route. This is part three that covers Route 66 from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Amarillo, Texas. We’re getting there! After this section, we’ll be half way: We have come 1100 miles this far but still have another 1100 miles to go to complete the journey at our destination on the west coast of the USA in Santa Monica, California. https://…

We take a tour around Stuttgart, located in the center of the German State of Baden-Württemberg. Microsoft/Asobo has upgraded a large number of airfields around the globe, and we will visit some of them today. We depart from Waechtersberg (EDSV) and fly counterclockwise around Stuttgart. We land at Poltringen (EDSP), overfly the old town of Tübingen, Lichtenstein Palace, and land at Meidelstetten Gliderfield (EDWEB). Now we head north and land at Grabenstetten (EDSG) and Hahnweide (EDST) before turning south again. We land at Laichingen (EDPJ) and Erbach (EDNE), where we turn northeast to overfly Ulm with the Ulm Minster. Turing north again, we land at D…

Kobe - Osoka - Kyoto Helo Tour This marks the commencement of a series of flights dedicated to exploring Japan as part of World Update 20. The itinerary includes visits to Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto, which now feature enhancements through Photogrammetry/TIN technology. The tour incorporates three airports and 37 helipad waypoints; for brevity, only the principal stops are enumerated. Pilots may elect to land at any of the helipads according to their preference. Our tour starts at Kobe Airport (RJBE), passes through the port terminal and the Kobe Port Tower (KB01), then heads northeast over industrial zones including Kobelco Steel Works. We leave the har…

"Mosi-oa-Tunya": The Smoke that Thunders During this flight, we visit parts of the Zambezi River with a stunning finale at Victoria Falls. The Zambezi is a vital source of water for agriculture, supplying fertile alluvial soils to floodplains and supporting fishing communities along its banks. It also provides drinking water for millions of people. The river is also a major source of renewable energy. The Kariba Dam, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, creates one of the world's largest man-made lakes, Lake Kariba, and provides a substantial amount of hydroelectric power for both nations. This power is crucial for industry, infrastructure, and ur…

Route 66 – Part Two – Missouri to Oklahoma For Wed. October 8, 2025 This is a continuation of our flying via the route of Historic Route 66 trip in msfs2024 in the vintage Douglas DC-3. This section of the terrain is scenic but not too complex route across the USA that will give us a nice route to better hone our DC-3 skills. This will be a part two of … a few… this excursion covering the historic section of the vintage highway between St. Louis, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. (In later excursions we’ll finally reach our destination on the west coast in Santa Monica, California. USA. Background U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Rout…

Route 66 – Part One – Illinois to Missouri For Wed. October 1, 2025 In my next series trips it is intended to return to our old DC-3 now in msfs2024 and fly along the historic path of Route 66. This is a very scenic but not too complex route across the USA that will give us a nice route to hone our DC-3 skills. This will be a part one of … a few Route 66 excursions.. that is until we reach the west coast in Santa Monica, California. USA where the route ends. Background U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road…

We want to get a closer look at some of the German Mittelgebirge (Middle Mountain). A Mittelgebirge is a low mountain range that rises at least 200 to 1000 meters above its surroundings, with peaks usually between 500 and 1500 meters. Typical features are rounded forms, many valleys, rivers, and forests, but no pronounced glacial or alpine structures. The vegetation often differs slightly from the surrounding plain. These upland regions are traditionally sparsely populated, offer large natural spaces, and have a high recreational value. A significant part of tourism in Germany, especially hiking and active vacations, takes place here – they are versatile outdoor and holid…

Rhumba Run Bolivia For Saturday, September 27, 2025 We take a couple of days to ferry aircraft from Peru’s Pacific coast over the Andes to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia’s largest city and its 21st century economic powerhouse. On the first day we flew from Pisco on the Pacific to Juliaca high on the Altiplano. Our second day will take us from the shores of Lake Titicaca over the Andes to the eastern tropical lowlands and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The tropical lowlands of the east We depart from Juliaca [SPJL] and proceed over Lake Titicaca, famous as the world’s highest navigable lake. This is South America’s largest lake and it has hosted freight and…

This is the first flight of the “Crossing Africa” series. We will cross Africa from west to east, not necessarily in a straight line, and with different airplanes. We begin our crossing in Monrovia, Liberia. We depart from Roberts International Airport (GLRB) and follow the coast to Greenville (GLGE), Liberia. Greeville is the gateway to the Sapo National Park. Our next stop is at Zwedru (GLTN), Liberia, the largest metropolis in the southeast, and the key inland transportation center in the region. The intersection of the two main highways linking the 5 counties in the region lies some 13 km (8 miles) southwest of the city. The William D. Coleman Airfield, with its…

Idaho – River of No Return Wilderness This tour features a return to a favorite bush flying region – The River of No Return Wilderness – in the rugged mountains of central Idaho. Starting from Challis (KLLJ) we head into the mountains to Twin Peaks South Fire Tower, then land at several airstrips before reaching the Middle Fork of the Salmon at Mahoney Creek (0U3). We fly up the middle fork landing at Lower Loon (C53) and Flying B Ranch (12ID) before turning west up the Big Creek drainage. We will land at seven airstrips fly by two fire towers before heading north to the Sheepeater Fire Tower and our run south along the Salmon with landings at more airstrips and…

This flight is meant to commemorate the use of the Grumman HU-16 Albatross by the German Navy. The first aircraft was ferried from Long Beach, New York, to Kiel-Holtenau in 1959 by a retired US Air Force colonel. A total of eight aircraft were commissioned. They were replaced in 1975 by the MK 41 Sea King. The Albatross was primarily used for search and rescue operations over water, where helicopters could not operate due to their limited range. It had a four-person crew and could carry up to 12 people on stretchers. The German Navy flew a total of about 15,000 accident-free flight hours with these aircraft. We will begin our flight in Borkum (EDWR), where the…

We continue our flights over the Carpathian Mountains We depart from Poprad (LZTT), in the valley of the Poprad River, nestled between the magnificent High and Low Tatra mountains. Poprad is a vital hub for tourism and transportation in the region, serving as a gateway to the stunning peaks of the High Tatras. The city itself has a rich history, with its origins tracing back to the 13th century when German colonists settled it. A notable suburb, Spišská Sobota, boasts a 13th-century Gothic church and a square lined with Renaissance and Baroque houses, a testament to the area's architectural heritage. Our first POI is Orava Castle, a magnificent structure clinging to …

Rhumba Run Peru For Wednesday, September 17, 2025 We take a couple of days to ferry aircraft from Peru’s Pacific coast over the Andes to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia’s largest city and its 21st century economic powerhouse. The ”storyline” is that our contacts have informed us of a Bolivian consortium of industrial agribusinessmen and ranchers. (Our contacts are certain that the group is not connected to the coca side of Bolivian agriculture.) They have ordered a handful of older well-maintained fast piston twins (Cessna, Piper, and Beechcraft) which have been delivered to Pisco on the coast and which now need to be flown across the mountains to their new home i…

I suggest a scramble in New England. Let's start at Burlington, Vermont (KBTV) and head west. We should take our preferred GA airplane for this flight. I will be in the A2A Comanche. Please fly what you like. We try real weather. Please set your simulator for a 9 am departure. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Sunday, September 14, 2025. 1900 UTC RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server. If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot…

St Lawrence Estuary This is a continuation for the Gaspe Tour. The St. Lawrence River Estuary, among the deepest and largest estuaries in the world stretches 655 km from west to east, from the outlet of Lake Saint Pierre to Pointe-des-Monts, where it becomes the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We depart from Matane (CYME) heading overwater to Baie-Comeau (CYBC) located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River before crossing back to the south shore and landing at Mont-Joli (CYYY) followed by a short hop to Rimouski (CYXK). Rimouski likely gets its name from a Micmac term for "land of the moose". Founded by Sir René Lepage de Ste-Claire in 1696, its main …

Arizona Todays flight will take us thru southeast Arizona visiting mines, Indians and legends. The flight is 331 miles with 9 landings. I will be in something about 150kts Flight Plan: Here: Scenery: https://flightsim.to/file/90854/88az-grapevine-airstrip Time and Weather For takeoff on Wed, set the simulator at 11:00am local for September 10, 2025. We typically prefer real weather or use any of my preset for more dramatic views. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Wed, September 10, 2025. 1900 UTC RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server. If you want to help others e…

Gaspe Tour The Gaspé Peninsula is a peninsula along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River that extends from the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The route will follow in reverse a bicycle tour my mother took in June 1940 when she was 22 years old. Tomorrow my brother begins his bicycle tour to commemorate that journey. FlightPlan) Here Optional Freeware Downloads Van Horne Bridge Northern New-brunswick VFR package Gaspé Airport CYGP - Roche Percé - Cap-des Rosiers Lighthouse. Aéroport Sainte-Madeleine Airport CTJ3 Gaspesie National P…

Norway – Water and Ice For Saturday, September 6, 2025 Today we revisit an old favorite...the Fjordland of Western Norway. We begin offshore at Ålesund to visit some of the coastal islands and fjords and then climb over the Jostedal Glacier, dip down to part of the Sognefjord before flying overland and then down the Hardangerfjord to Bergen. Gjegnalundsbreen We depart from Ålesund Vigro [ENAL] to fly over the old island town famous first for its fishing fleet and now more for shipbuilding and servicing the offshore oil industry. Much of the old center was rebuilt after fire in a striking Art Nouveau style. Nowadays, Ålesund is a tourist attraction. …

North West Colorado Todays flight we will discover the beauty of Northern Colorado. WE will be visiting Rocky Mountain NP and Dinosaur NP. The flight is 307 miles with 8 stops nothing hard. I will be in my Piaggeo but the comanche or similar will do fine about 150kts. We have one pass at about 12500 ft. Flight Plan: Here: Scenery: https://flightsim.to/file/52347/kbdu-boulder-municipal-airport Please set your simulator for a 11 am departure. We will try real weather. Particulars: Date and time: Saturday Aug 30, 19:00 UTC RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel MFS Multiplayer: US Eastcoast Server …

Iceland Tour – Part 2 – North Isafjordur to the Strandir Region The journey commences at Isafjordur (BIIS) and heads north and east toward Reykjanes Airport (BIRS). From there, the route continues to Gjögur (BIGJ), which lies in the remote and rugged Strandir region. Along the Coast to Holmavik Following the coastline south, the next stop is Holmavik (BIHK), a town recognized for its Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft. The segment concludes with a landing at the grass airstrip Krókstaðarmelar (BIHV). Sigríðarstaðavatn and Hvítserkur Continuing northward, the tour passes Sigríðarstaðavatn, a shallow lake stretching 6 kilometers, connected …

The Long Norwegian Coastline For August 27, 2025 Michael MacKuen We take a couple of days to revisit the long beautiful Norwegian coastline – the world’s second longest coastline after Canada. It is not mere distance that matters here; it is the frenetic wiggles of the edges of the many fjords and islands that make the difference. On our first day we shall travel the sparsely populated coast between Bodø and Trondheim and then swing through the small cities of Kristiansund, Molde and Ålesund. On our second day we shall explore the heart of Norway’s stunning fjords whose natural beauty attracts the attention of tourists all around the world. A quick stop…