Visit the hinterlands south west of Algiers. Bougara and Chebel are reatively small towns surrounded by rural landscape, and so are good navigation fixes from the air. The other waypoints are the more usual choice of airports and bridges.
Gitega airport HBBE in Gitega, Burundi is closed. Rather inconvenient. But, on the bright side this gives us a reason to go cross country and enjoy the spectacular terrain. Take off then, from Bujumbura International Airport HBBA. Fly ~ 40 nm E to Gitega and enjoy the stunning mountain scenery. You will need to climb to 8,000 ft to clear the terrain.
Check out the hills and the Presidential Palace on the north western edge of Cameroon's capital Yaounde.
If you talk to the tower at Yaounde Ville Airport they may let you do a 'touch and go', or perhaps you can land and have some afternoon tea as you watch the trafiic!
Fly out of Cape Verde's capital Praia to the mountainous interior and explore the plateau cities of Santa Catarina and Pico d'Antonia. Return to the coast via a 'smuggler's run' down steep valleys and along the southern coast.
Follow the roads from the capital Praia in the south, through the mountainous centre and to Monte Graciosa in the north west. Fly back down the west coast of the island.
Bangui is the capital of the Central African Republic. It lays on the northern shore of the Ubangi River, which in turn forms the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Explore the lush country to the north east and return along the border at the Ubangi River.
Enjoy the varied and subtle colours in Chad and follow the Chari River at N'Djamena. Recommended altitude is 2,500 ft for best enjoyment of the patterns and colours.
Moroni is capital of the island country of Comoros. Whilst the volcano at Mount Karthala is certainly not the only charm at Comoros, it certainly dominates the skyline and so must be our first port of call.
Let's enjoy a perfectly rounded lifestyle in one flight as we: withdraw some cash, play a round of golf, buy a handbag and finally hit the books! N.B. Be wary of the runway extensions on approach to RWY 24. I nearly landed short a couple of times!
Sports, a flutter on the card table, a regal repast, working our import/export business, fishing, looking at an alternate landing spot and finally going for a swim. A nice day in Djibouti.
Fly out of Eritrea's capital Malobo. This elevated plateau city offers spectaular views of the Red Sea, 9,000 feet below!
Runway altitude is 7,658 ft, so fly at 9,000 ft.
Circumnavigate Kenya's capital city Nairobi. Karen Country Club is not the easiest to see at the moment due to the thick foliage. But it is there! It's almost on a direct line to the next waypoint so don't worry if you miss it. I left it in because the literary reference was too good to miss. Also, there are more golf clubs in Nairobi than in all of Scotland. Perhaps.
Visit the Presidential Palace and surrounding countryside nead Madagascar's capital Antananarivo. Ivato airport is located between three beautiful lakes which are well worth exploring.
Victoria airport is under repair as of August 2021, so our nearest runway is at Fregate, about 28 nm to the east. N.B. Fregate is a grass strip and only 1,628 ft long. Take a light plane, or better yet, an amphibian as you'll surely want to land at Victoria harbour or one of the many beaches.
Cruise past the seaside resorts to the east of Baku, Azerbaijan's capital. At Gum Island there is a complex of jetties extending 3 nm south into the Caspian Sea.
Fly out from one of the world's most challenging airports, taking off from 7,323 ft altitude and visit the capital of Bhutan, Thimpu.
NOTAM. HIGH ALTITUDE. You will need a pressurised cabin and/or O2 supplies once you leave the valley floor.
ICING. Engage anti-icing measures before flight.
Follow the valley from WP1 - WP 6.
Fly out from one of the world's most challenging airports, taking off from 7,323 ft altitude. Visit Jomolhari or Chomolhari 'The Bride of Kangchenjunga', and gaze down across the border into China.
NOTAM. HIGH ALTITUDE. You will need a pressurised cabin and/or O2 supplies once you leave the valley floor.
ICING. Engage anti-icing measures before flight.
Follow the rivers and coastline around Bandar Seri Begawani, the capital of Brunei. This small nation is on the NW coast of Borneo. It is in two parts, both on Brunei Bay and separated by the Malaysian province of Limbang.
Phnom Penh Airport is in the centre of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh which sits just West of the Mekong River. Fly a circuit around the city, including low level flight on the rivers and lakes to the east and north.
On the west coast and with a population of more than 15 million, Mumbai is India's largest port and commercial centre. Explore the complex and picturesque coastline around this bustling metropolis.
Explore India's capital Delhi, west of the Yamuna River. Old Delhi is to the north and New Delhi lays between Buddha Jayanthi Park in the west and the Yamuna River in the east.
8nm East of India Ghandi International is the Baha'i Lotus Temple, which features large petal-like sails.
Located about 55nm WSW of Tokyo, Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,389.2 ft). It is surrounded on the N and W by a continuous ridge. Follow that to see both the mountainous interior to your right and rural Japan around the base of Fuji on your left. Finally fly to the summit of this still-active volcano!
NOTAM. Gotemba airport has a short runway at 2202 ft.
Fly a complete circuit of Hiroshima Bay, taking in Itsukushima Shrine and Hiroshima Castle. Take off and head for the nearest corner of Itsukushima island. At WP 1 you reach the northern shore, and this sets you up 2.5nm from Itsukushima Shrine, which is best approached at low altitude for the optimal view.
Fly from the capital of Kashmir, Srinagar to the tallest point in Kashmir Valley: Mount Kolahoi (17,800 feet).
NOTAM. Srinagar RWY elevation is 5,453 ft. Mt. Kolahoi summit is 17,800ft.
The largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty is also the commercial and cultural centre. Go to the garden where the melting snows which feed the Almatinka River exit the valley and flow into Sairan Reservoir.
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai/Macau Bridge consists of 3 cabled bridges and a tunnel stretching 34 miles. Fly along the western length. At WP 3, the border crossing features a customs/immigration checkpoint and an underground mall. Nam Van Lake features Macau's most visible casinos and luxury hotels. The Lotus Bridge has a figure-eight at one end and is designed so drivers switch sides of the road when crossing the border.
Maldives Fun facts: Located 350 nm SW of Sri Lanka, 192 coral islands dispersed over35,000 sq mi, grouped into 26 main atolls, 541 miles N to S, 81 miles E to W. In this flight we focus on the capital and surrounds, taking off from Male Airport, travel 20nm N to Meeru Island and 20nm S to Olhuveli Resort.
In 2006 the capital of Myanmar was moved from Yangon to the third largest city, Nay Pyi Taw. In this flight we touch on the rising terrain to the east and then fly down through the city centre.
Visit the oldest temple in Nepal, Changunarayan Temple, on a hilltop overlooking Kathmandu. This flight plan circles the valley containing Kathmandu, picking up a few of the many local landmarks. This is one of the easier cities to explore visually as the valley is only about 10 miles across and bounded by mountains on all sides.
Fly around Manila Bay and visit the two dormant volcanoes which guard the entrance. Manila city lays on the eastern shore of Manila Bay, which is itself approximately 30 miles N-S and 20 miles E-W.
Mount Mariveles: 4,587 ft. Dormant volcano overlooking the northern entrance to Manila Bay. Highest point in Bataan province.
Mount Pico De Loro, 2,257 ft. Dormant volcano overlooking the southern entrance to Manila Bay.
Circumnavigate the beautiful island of Singapore. Follow the border with Malaysia on the Johor causeway across the top of the island then continue around the shore of Singapore. You may want to loiter in the Marina Bay area on the south side and admire both the gardens and the spectacular skyline.
Explore Seoul, starting with Bhukhansan, the mountain which dominates the northern skyline. Seoul is the capital of South Korea, just below the 38th parallel and next to the port city of Incheon.
Adjacent to Seoul, Incheon is South Korea's third most populated city. Fly NE from the airport to the river which separates Incheon from Seoul, down through mid-town and back along the waterfront.
Take a flight around the capital of Taiwan, Taipei on the NW coast. Chiang Kai-shek was the President of the Republic of China from 1928 until 1949, then until 1975 in exile on Taiwan. Sun Yat-Sen was the first president of the ROC and the first leader of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party of China). Takeoff and fly east along the coast to the mouth of the Tamsui River.
Dushanbe is in a fertile valley. Fly to the source of the water at the melting snow in the mountains to the north. NOTAM. Rec min alt 4,500 ft. Dushanbe AP ELEV 2,559 ft
Make the most of this route by flying at low level along the Chao Praya river through the centre of Bangkok. You can easily follow either of the two tollways to waypoint 1 as they traverse the patchwork quilt patterns formed by irrigated fields situated on long canals.
Visit the Potala Palace in the heartland of TIbetan Buddhism. The route is surrounded by mountains that soar up to 18,000 feet. Begin by climbing over the ridge N of the airport to the Lhasa Airport Expressway tunnel.
Canberra, being populated totally by government administrators, is about Kafkaesque a city as you would expect. For example, the tourist bureau is not open on Tuesday. Why?
Canberra is located quite literally in the middle of nowhere and away from all centres of trade and economic production, the result of a compromise between putting the seat of Australia’s government in Melbourne or Sydney. The compromise was not exact, as it is 287 km from Sydney and 663 km from Melbourne, which seems fair.
Physically it is quite charming, albeit totally confusing due to the circular road networks around the centrepiece that is Lake Burley Griffin. Said lake is named after the American architect who won an international competition in 1912 and designed Canberra. I’m sure it made complete sense on paper.
Black Mountain, so named because it is barely a mountain and not black, is nonetheless the most prominent landmark in Canberra. You will find it at the NW corner of Lake Burley Griffin and it features the distinctive Telstra Tower at the 2,664 ft summit. NOTAM: Canberra airport elevation is 1,869 ft so cruise at 3,000 ft above sea level.
Follow the King's Highway east out of Canberra and then fly over Lake George, the largest body of water near the A.C.T. I like to alternate my flights over Lake George between the wind farms on the eastern shore and the following the base of the ridge on the western shore. George V was monarch of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth until 1936. NOTAM: Canberra airport elevation is 1,869 ft so cruise at 3,000 ft above sea level.
Visit the four dams which service Canberra and Queanbeyan, and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.
NOTAM. Canberra airport elevation is 1,869 ft so cruise at 3,000 ft.
Fly out of Sydney's second largest airport at Bankstown, and use Sydney Olympic Stadium as a turnpoint onto the Parramatta River. Along Sydney Harbour and past the Sydney Opera House. Then turn north and follow the low level route along the beautiful northern beaches. Keep a look out for Great Whites and Budgie Smugglers.
Fly into the Blue Mountains and check out the world famous rock formation 'The Three Sisters' at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains and return to Sydney via the Warragamba Dam.
Parramatta was the food basket of Sydney in the early days after 1788 due to the fertile soil and connection with the first settlement in Sydney via the Parramatta River. Parramatta Football Stadium is home of the Parramatta Eels Rugby League Club. The last waypoint, Gladesville Bridge, is used as a visual reference for pilots approaching YSSY RWY 16 R from the north, which includes most inbound international traffic. The airport has curfews due to noise limits in the suburbs to the west, which somewhat limits it's efficiency.
Camden Airport is bordered on three sides by the Nepean River and is the Boy Scouts air activity base. I have seen everything there from gliders to L-39 Fighter Jets! Grays Point is on the northern edge of the Royal National Park. I suggest flying at low level along the bends of the Hacking River before turning north past Cronulla Beach.
Botany Bay is where Captain James Cook first stepped ashore from HMS Endeavour on April 29th 1770. Initially thinking this to be a suitable site for the 1st settlement, he changed his mind upon sailing 10 miles north to the mouth of what became Sydney Harbour.
Visit 'The Gong' (Wollongong), home to Aunty Jack and the Port Kembla Steelworks, both icons to the post-boomer generation of Aussies. It was a simpler world back then with irreverant humour and school trips to the most dangerous workplaces. Great fun. Loiter over Wollongong and check out the steelworks. Then travel up one what is probably the most beautiful parts of Australia's east coast to Sydney's eastern suburbs. At Bondi Beach you will see lots of Poms and Kiwis mixing it up with the Great Whites. Just when you think it couldn't get any better, turn into Sydney Harbour and pass the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Take a plunge off Fitzroy Falls into Kangaroo Valley in this dramatic flight. Head back to the coast and fly north past the famous Kiama Blowhole. All these locations are favourite day-trips for Sydney-siders. At the north west corner of Lake Illawarra you find a large Buddhist Temple on the Princes Highway which runs all the way from Sydney to Melbourne.
Lithgow was the site of Australia's first steel mill and is often considered to be the first country town west of Sydney. There are active mines and power stations nearby.
Fly loosely along the two main routes over the Blue Mountains from Sydney, west along the Great Western Highway and east along Bells Line of Road. It's always worth another flight to the Three Sisters. At the Three Sisters keep a sharp lookout for other traffic, as sightseers often approach along the valley from the west. The Great Western Highway continues past Blackheath and beyond Lithgow. The Hanson Clarence Quarry supplies sand, concrete ingredients and stone. Bells Line of Road passes the popular tourist spots of Mt. Wilson, Mt. Tomah Botanical Gardens and Appin, although they are not particularly easy to pick out from the air.
This flight covers the entire north west of the greater Sydney basin. Hornsby is the largest centre in Sydney's north. Bobbin Head is a mecca for picnics and water activities. Lion Island is the dominant landmark at the entrance to Broken Bay, so named because it resembles a lion recumbent. Wisemans Ferry features a car ferry which is the only way to cross the Hawkesbury River in this area.
Forster and Tuncurry guard the entrance to a complex series of lakes. The three main lakes to the south are Wallis Lake. Smith's Lake and Myall Lake. In this flight take the coast south and return inland along the Pacific Highway.
Visit the second-largest horse breeding area in the world, after Kentucky USA. Airports enroute: Quirindi Aerodrome YQDI
Entire route: 85 nm
Shorter return flight: 40 nm | Nowland's Gap
In the area bounded by Muswellbrook, Singleton and Lake Saint Clar lay Drayton, Liddel, Mount Thorley and a host of other large open cut coal mines.
Areas to explore:
The vast complex of mines and processing plants south of Muswellbrook, between WP 1, 2 and 3.
Lake Saint Clair at WP 3.
Entire route: 87 nm
Shorter return flights:
19 nm | Lake Glenbawn at WP 4
28 nm | Muswellbrook
The Jacaranda capital of Australia, Grafton lays astride the Clarence river and features Edwardian and Victorian architecture.
Fly east of Grafton to the coast and then north to the coastal towns of Wooli, Minnie Water, Sandon, Brooms Head, Angourie Point and Yamba. Then return to Grafton via the Clarence River.
Grafton sits on a large plain and your first waypoint, Shannon Creek Dam, is just inside the mountains at the western edge of that plain. Explore the Mann and Clarence Rivers to the north-west of Grafton.
Copmanhurst, population 300, is a popular camping and kayaking spot on the Clarence River.
Lismore is one of the largest regional centres in northern N.S.W. and is a locus for the boomer era counter-culture movements, much like Ballina, Byron Bay and Nimbin.
Casino is the 'Beef Capital of Australia' and has a population around the 12,000 mark. 12,000 people that is, the cattle population is much higher. It was originally named 'Cassino' after Monte Cassino in Italy, but a bureaucratic error led to the current spelling becoming official. C'est la vie.
Check out a few of the spectacular valleys in the Great Dividing Range, to the east of the Northern Tablelands.
The Mann River and Boyd Rivers run all year and are part of the Clarence River catchment.
Sitting astride the Macintyre River, Inverell has been a source of diamonds and sapphires from the mid 19v onwards.
Nowadays the main activities are tourism and a variety of crop cultivation.
Most large country towns feature a racecourse and a golf course, both of which help you build a mental map where the airport is located.
Armidale Racecourse is about 2 miles NE of the airport. See if you can spot the golf course?
About 10 nm NE of Armidale airport is Woodville Airport YWVI, whose grass runways can be quite hard to spot from a distance. By pure luck your flight path follows a dirt road which leads directly to it.
Enjoy the of lush river valleys to the south east of Australia's Capital of Country Music: Tamworth.
Tamworth YSTW is one of the few airports in the New England region with a control tower amd two parallel runways. Entire route: 77 nm
Shorter return flights: 5 nm to WP 1, 200 yds S of Australia's largest guitar: 'The Big Golden Guitar'.'The Big Golden Guitar', which is currently down for maintenance. But watch that space!
6 nm to WP 5 Flagstaff Mountain
40 nm to Woolomin Airport YWOM, about 1.6 nm N of Chaffey Dam at WP 3
Say that four times quickly! With a population of around 3,000, Quirindi is typical of many small country towns in Australia. Like many place names in Australia, Quirindi is a word from one of the 400 plus Aboriginal languages. It's meaning is not agreed upon.
Wallabadah, population ~ 300 is named after an Aboriginal word meaning 'stone'. Wallabadah Airport appears to be a grass strip NE of town.
Currabubula, population ~ 300, named after a word from the Kamilaroi language.
CSIRO is an acronym every Australian school-child knows: Commwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation, which discovered wi-fi amongst many other useful things.
The CSIRO Paul Wild Observatory is home of the Australia Telescope Compact Array and the Culgoora Solar Observatory. Entire route: 47 nm
Shorter return flights: ESE for 8 nm to CSIRO Paul Wild Observatory at WP 1
NE for 10 nm to the Australian Cotton Researchg Institute at WP 4
Visit the Siding Spring Observatory complex set in the rugged Warrumbungle Mountains near Coonabarabran. Shorter flights:
3 nm to Coonabarabran at WP 1.
11 nm direct to Siding Spring Observatory at WP 3
Towards the western edge of New England region we get a taste of the vast plains which form much of Australia's interior.
Gilgandra means 'long water hole' in Aboriginal, as it sits on the meandering banks of the Castlereagh River.
Dubbo is Aussie slang for a person who is 'a little slow on the uptake'. Dubbo is also one of our largest regional centres, with the 300 hectare Western Plains Zoo being a major tourist attraction.
Cotton gins separate the cotton from the seed, a process which prior to the industrial revolution was done by hand.
The Bathurst races have been a fixture of Australian culture for as long as I can remember. They fuelled the aspirations of many an Aussie teenager as they saved their pennies to get 'into the race' with their own version of an Aussie Supercar.
Traditionally the battle was between Holden and Ford. The current incarnation of this gladiatorial contest is a 1,000-kilometre race on the gruelliung Mount Panorama Circuit.
Bathurst is the oldest inland settlement in Australia. Ben Chifley, born in Bathurst, was a train driver who became Prime Minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949.
At Orange you'll find not just gold, but also molybdenum and copper being extracted at the Cadia Hill facility, which is a far cry from the hand-panning methods used in the first gold rush of 1851.
Parkes Radio Telescope has been operating continuously for more than 50 years and represents a 20th century confluence of mathematics, engineering and astronomy..
It is part of the CSIRO Parkes Observatory and in 2016 found the only discovered binary system of two pulsars.
Latin: Sieze the copper! This region of NSW has enormous reserves of copper.
Copper has been serving mankind for about 11,000 years in weaponry and cookware. Since the work of Franklin and Faraday in the 19c it has been the circulatory system of the modern world, conducting electricity across continents into our homes, and around our electronic devices.
Back o' Bourke: is an expression allegedly minted by poet Henry Lawson, and refers to Bourke's place at the edge of civilisation. Bourke is at the western edge of the agricultural regions of New South Wales and is a gateway to the vast and arid Australian outback. Take a short trip around the local farms and marvel at the vast, dry red plains beyond.
Brewarrina is an aboriginal term for the native gooseberry. In the 1860s Brewarrina was a busy port for shipping wool to Adelaide (captial of South Australia). It's quite the feat of imagination these days to picture river boats making the long journey along the meandering path of the Darling River!
Broken Hill, as far west as you can get in NSW, is famous for two things: the BHP mining company and Mad Max 2, the greatest road movie ever made. Director George Miller cast a young Mel Gibson as the eponymous road warrier in iconic the post-apocalyptic Mad Max trilogy. Generations of Aussies grew up driving too fast as a result. But all in good fun. One of the household names in Australian industry is Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP). It began mining in 1885 with silver, lead and zinc mines in Broken Hill and evolved into a major force in iron ore, copper, oil and gas, diamonds, silver, lead, zinc and steel manufacture.
Located in the far NW of N.S.W. at the intersection of Kidman Way and the Barrier Highway, Cobar's main activity is mining. One of the oldest, Peak Gold Mine was opened in 1896, and the CSA Mine is one of Australia's highest grade copper mines.
Explore the vast irrigation bores, reservoirs and ditches around Collarenebri, and fly over Moomin Gin. In 1962 a small group of pioneering cotton growers formed a cooperative at Wee Waa and processed 98 bales of cotton in the first year. Today Namoi Cotton processes up to 84,000 bales per week at it's 11 facilities. In 1794 the first cotton gin patent was granted in the USA to Eli Whitney. Today at Moomin Cotton Gin the process of separating cotton lint from it's seeds with the descendants of Whitney's invention.
Condobolin is 4 miles south of Mount Tilga (329 feet), which is regarded as the geographical centre of New South Wales. Visit Lake Cowal Gold Mine which presents a stunning warm palette next to the cool waters of Lake Cowal.
Visit Lake Wyangala Dam (built in 1935) and return via Charcoar Dam and the Mid Western Highway. Or, if you prefer, follow the rail line. Note: We also visit Carcoar Dam in the flight out of Orange.
Named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie, the fifth governor of NSW (1810 to 1821) the Lachlan River runs east to west through Forbes. Australian schoolchildren know it from the iconic Aussie poem "Clancy of the Overflow" by Banjo Paterson. NOTAM: The plains around the Lachlan River are so flat that hills of 500 feet stand out starkly and are useful aids to navigation. Where there is no terrain relief at all, look for junctions of straight lines such as road and rail intersections.
Find the fabled Lady of the Lake, but which lake? Ivanhoe was named after Sir Walter Raleigh's eponymous work in the 1870's. Why it was founded at that exact spot is a mystery as the nearest potable water was some 25 km away at Kilfera Lake. The literature-loving founder of Ivanhoe, George Williamson, quested on to Camelot in 1907.
The combination of wheat and fruit growing in the aread attracts a variety of birds which congregate around the lake. If you sit quietly by the lake you can hear them sing! Lake Cargelligo was first surveyed in 1817 by John Oxley, but didn't attract an appreciable population until gold was discovered by a cook in 1873.
The Snapper and Ginkgo mines extract Rutile (Titanium Dioxide TiO2), Zircon (Zirconium Silicate ZrSiO4) and Ilmenite (Titanium Iron Oxide FeTiO3), which is a key component of products ranging from paints and inks to fabrics, plastics, paper and cosmetics.
Until 65 million years ago Australia was 1/4 covered by a vast inland sea. At Louth we get our first sightings of the rolling and worn mountain ranges which permeate the largely flat former seabed.
The water management scheme at Menindee Lakes was started in 1949 and acts as a storage area for tje outflow of nine major river systems. Lake Tandou, at the south west end, is protected from flooding, used to grow a variety of crops and has it's own airport. The main lakes, from north east to south west are: Lake Malta, Lake Wetherell, Lake Balaka, Lake Bijijie, Lake Tandure, Lake Pamamaroo, Lake Speculation, Lake Menindee (the largest lake), Emu Lake, Lake Cawndilla, Kangaroo Lake and Lake Pamamaroo. NOTAM. As of June 2023 MSFS shows Tandou Lake YTAD as being out of service. Menindee YMED is also out of service.
Fly to Cameron corner where where New South Wales, Queensland & South Australia meet.
Try flying at higher altitudes such as 5,000 feet to truly appreciate the artistic patterns created here by the interaction of desert and water.
Bogan' is Australian patois for 'a very simple person', Forrest Gump springs to mind. Bogan also refers to a very large moth which descends randomly upon Sydney in plague proportions and is regarded as a delicacy by connoiseurs of Bush Tucker.
Walgett is an Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of two waters", in this case the Namoi and Barwon Rivers. The area is an agricultural powerhouse, producing everything from Murray Cod (fish) to mutton and wool, beef, chick peas, barley, lucerne, cotton and wheat.
Get a taste of outback aviating by performing touch'n'goes at these remote airstrips. Most of these service the cattle stations which typically run to thousands of acres on the parched red earth found through most of the Australian outback.
Enjoy the colours of the lush irrigated farms along the Macquarie River north of Warren. The main products of the region are cotton and fine Merino wool.
Discovered by John Oxley’s Lachlan River expedition in 1817 at the junction of the Bell and Macquarie Rivers, Wellington is the second oldest New South Wales settlement west of the Blue Mountains. Named after the Duke of Wellington, in 1823 the government established a settlement there with 12 cows and 40 sheep. The colony fell into some disrepair and was revived ten years later by the arrival of Lutheran missionaries. The man-made irrigation reservoir at Lake Burrendong was built over the period 1946-1967 and now holds more than three times the water of Sydney Harbour.
NOTAM: Wellington Airport YWEL runways 13 and 31 are inoperative as of May 2023 due to maintenance.
Francis Peter MacCabe (1817-1897) surveyed three of the main rivers in New South Wales: the Murrumbidgee, Darling and Murray. MacCabe Corner is at the junction of South Australia, Victoria and NSW on the Murray River.
Wilcannia is located in remote far NW N.S.W., about 425 nm from Sydney as the crow flies. It was a busy inland port in the country during the river boat era of the mid-19th century. Today it has a population numbering in the hundreds. You will find the town about 1 nm S of the airport, on the Darling River.
A small town of about 300 people, Urana was settled by the British in the 1850s. Urana derives from the Aboriginal word "Airana", meaning a temporary shelter.
Thredbo and Perisher are two of Australia's most popular ski destinations. While not the most dramatic peak, at 7,310 feet Mt Kosciusko is nonetheless Australia's tallest.
Fly over Lake Mulwala, which is part of the mighty Murray river, and practice toucn'n'gos at Tocumwal Airport YTOC (4176 and 3939 ft, paved) and Berrigan YBER (4,214 ft, grass).
Combine your two passions of flying and golf in this trip! And let's not forget your 3rd Aussie passion, the noble game of cricket. Australia's most famous cricketer, Sir Donald Bradman was born in Cootamundra.
English sheep breeder George Peppin established a stud north of Deniliquin at Wanganella. He aimed to breed a variant which would thrive in Australia's dry conditions. A measure of his success is that about 70 per cent of Australia's merinos today are thought to be descendants of his flock!
Australia has been said to ride on the sheep's back, and when you see the Big Merino at Goulburn you will understand why! The locals call it 'Rambo', after an award winning ram from the Bullamallita stud. There is a multi-level gift shop inside Rambo and at night it's eyes cast an eerie green gaze over Goulburn. Nobody knows why.
Lake George is a great landmark for practicing your low level flight. Keep a weather eye out for the low level aviation hazard known as the "Wind Farm".
Post World War II, Australia took in immigrants from 30 European countries, the top three numerically being from Britain, Italy and Greece. Many from the latter two settled in the Riverina region and help spur the development of 'the food bowl of Australia', and their cultural heritage can be seen in much of the local architecture.
If you've flown over Canberra in 'Australia 1' you may recognise the hand of architect Walter Burley Griffin in the layout of Griffith. Griffin designed Griffith in 1914, contemporaneously with his work on Australia's capital, Canberra. From 1901-06 he worked in Frank Lloyd Wright's office, practicing the 'Prairie School' of modernist design, which emphasised a break with history, as if that were desirable or even possible. Wright and Griffin parted ways with Wright in 1906 over the "Japanese Print Affair". Such are the conceits and foibles of 20th century 'isms'!
In Australia the farmers regard crop circles as passe. Rather, they carve aides-a-la-navigation such as arrows pointing towards the nearest airport. Just another example of Aussie creativity and community spirit, making hay while the sun shines.
Where the Clyde river flows into the Pacific Ocean, oysters thrive at Batemans Bay and this has become the basis of a thriving industry. About 10 miles west the Great Dividing Range rises out of the dense bush, forming an impressive backdrop to the golden beaches.
With the skyline dominated by Dromedary Mountain to the south, Narooma and surrounds are an idyllic combination of sandy beaches, lakes and mild weather.
Evonne Goolagong was a household name to several generations of Australians, being a World No.1 Tennis player, winning the French Open Singles and the women's singles at Wimbledon, 86 titles in all. Evonne was born in Griffith in 1951, third child of eight, and grew up in Barellan. Her father Ken was a sheep shearer. Leeton is a major centre in the Riverina and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and home to Yanco Agricultural High School, where generations of Australian schoolchildren have learned the science of the land.
The "Wagga Effect" refers to the disproportionate number of elite athletes who originate from Wagga Wagga. This is noteworthy because Australia is already disproportionately represented in elite sports, as well as in academic, musical and artistic achivement! It must be something in the water.
More than 2,500 Royal Australian Air Force pilots were trained in the Tiger Moth at Temora between 1941-45. The warbird collection features Australian designed and built CA-13 Boomerang, CA-16 Wirraway, CA-27 Sabre Jet, Many of the warbirds are in flying condition, and you can also see the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly, Cessna O1-G Birddog, DH-115 Vampire, DH-82 Tiger Moth, English Electric Canberra, Gloster Meteor F.8, Lockheed Hudson, Ryan STM S2, Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII and a Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI.
West Wyalong was immortalised in a 1949 painting by Australian Russell Drysdale. The painting captures the zeitgeist of Australian country towns, as it depicts a view down the main street past the pub at tea time.
Visit Princess Diana Beach, Beach Barbuda and 11 Mile Beach on the sunny island of Barbuda, the northern part of Antigua-Barbuda. Take off from the short (2,265 ft) runway at Codrington.
It would be difficult to find a more stunning tropical holiday destination than the island of Antigua. Take a tour of it's beaches and bays and decide for yourself!
Follow the coast from Andros Town airport (length: 4,396ft) and enjoy the spectacular colours and textures in the nothern part of the Bahamas. NOTAM: WP 8 - The main lumber road is best seen by looking north, out your left window. Not a turn point. it is about 1/2 way across the island and at the only forest in this flight. Note that the entire route up to WP 7 can be flown by merely following the coast.
The Berry Islands are located north of Nassau and The Bahamas, and south of Grand Bahama. Check the runway lengths before attempting any landings, as Little Whale Cay and Cistern Cay airports are only 1,977 and 2,271 feet respectively. At WP 7 you will notice edge of the huge sandbar which completes the island circle to the west.
Fly from Moore's Island to Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay is under a 99 year lease to Disney as a private tourist destination. NOTAM: Moore's Island AP is only 3036ft in length.
Castaway Cay is only 1.3nm wide and the facilities are on the west coast. There is a runway: Castaway Cay MYXB RWY 32/14, 1954 ft, which may or may not be servicable. It should be possible to land a seaplane at the beach/south side of the jetty.
Cat Island is 40 miles long and about half a mile wide in most places, yet it boasts three airports. Take off from the northernmost and have a leisurely cruise along the coast, past the other two. Perform touch and go's if you're feline good!
Crooked Island is the northern-most land mass in the Bight of Acklins. Start from Spring Point AP in the SE and fly a counter-clockwise circuit.
NOTAM: At WP 5 you can proceed directly to Spring Point AP to cut 50 nm from the flight.
A greek word meaning freedom and pronounced ah-leu-thra, Ekeuthera is one of the more laid back islands in the Bahamas and promoted as a quiet romantic getaway.
Explore the western third of Grand Bahama. Take off and fly RWY HDG 24 to the entrance to Freeport harbour, which is visible immediately after takeoff. When you reach WP 4 Crab Cay and turn HDG 290 to WP5 West End, you initially won't be able to see West End as it is 18 nm away. Just keep the coast on your left, or alternatively you can hug the coast... which may be the safer option, because if you miss West End the next landfall is 54nm away at Florida, U.S.A.!
The area between Sandy and Deadman's Cay is a spectacular array of peninsula and islands. Follow the coast in a clockwise direction south from Deadman's Cay, starting on the east coast.
There are three over-water legs in this flight which takes in the northern part of Long Island and the neighbouring Conception and Rum Cay islands. If you are at 1500 ft or higher you'll just be able to see the next landfall.
Exotic tropical paradise and capital of the Bahamas, Nassau has been featured in innumerable films. One of the most notable was the smash hit of 1965 with Sean Connery as James Bond in Thunderball, which had extensive underwater sequences.
Take a cruise from Norman's Cay (MYEN 4697 ft) down to Exuma International (MYEF 7061 ft), passing a slew of small airstrips beyond the few marked in this flight plan. Norman's Cay was home to an infamous smuggling ring in the 1980's. to the main island of Exuma. This is one of the very few flight plans in MiGMan's World Tour where you do not land at your originating airport.
Take off from Marsh Harbour and fly a counter-clockwise route around the neighbouring cays. I recommend enjoying one of Scotland's most successful cultural exports with a round of golf at Scotland Cay! The golf club is 5 nm NW of the airport, and reached by boat and car. And if you're up for a second round, land at Treasure Cay Airport just 5nm NW of Treasure Cay Golf Club, which can be reached via taxi, no boats required!
Take off from Treasure Cay Airport and follow the S.C. Bootle Highway all the way to Crown Haven in the north. Return by way of the parallel island chain about 2nm to the east. I heartily advise landing on the way at Spanish Cay for some tapas.
Circumnavigate the island continent of Barbados. Keep the green on your left and the blue on your right and you'll be OK! The east coast features long beaches and the west sports numerous cultural features.
Take off from Terrance B. Lettsome ap, 4 m NE of the capital
Road Town. There are lots of bays, beaches and resorts to explore on this trip. I have set the waypoints to the most obvious points in the landscape but have fun and explore! The British Virgin Islands has some of the highest terrain in the Carribean, with Sage Mountain National Park exceeding 2,000 ft.
Caribbean Netherlands consists of the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Bonaire is about 40 nm N of Venezuela. Follow the coast of Bonaire, visiting the enormous saltworks and their colourful drying pans south of the airport.
Caribbean Netherlands consists of three islands: Bonaire about 40 nm N of Venezuela and 400 nm to the NE, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Both of the latter have volcanos.
Take off from Gerrard-Smith International MWCB and explore the two smaller islands of the Cayman trilogy. Follow South Side Road along the southern shoreline to Pollard Bay and fly around the coast, back to the airport and then cross 5 miles of shark infested ocean to Little Cayman.
Grand Cayman is a major cruise ship destination and the largest in the Cayman's chain, the other two being Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Fly out of the capital George Town and circumnavigate Grand Cayman Island.
Explore the Bay of Cardenas, 60 miles east of Havana. At about 3 miles past WP1 you will fly past Kawama Aerodrome / Santa Marta Airport MUKW on your right, at the base of the Hicacos Peninsula.
Return flights:
12 nm - WP 1: Bay of Camarioca
40 nm: WP 1 & 2: Hicacos Peninsula
67 nm: Entire route
The Cayo Santa Maria Causeway extends about 8 miles off the north coast of Cuba and connects to an extensive island chain.
This flight plan provides a beautiful setting to practice basic flight skills at a generous runway.
Having been granted special permission, you can fly out of Guantanomo Bay Naval Air Station and inspect the famous camp.
Return flights:
32 nm: WP 1,2,3, Guantanomo
72 nm: Entire route
Fly out of Jose Marti International Airport in Cuba's capital city Havana and explore the local coastline. The lake at WP 1 is a good reference for approaching RWY 24, being 3 miles from the threshold.
Return trip options:
17 nm: Centre of Havana, WP 4
37 nm: NE shore and Havana: WP 1,2,3,4
48 nm: NW shore and Havana: WP 4,5,6
69 nm: Entire route
Take off from Rafael Cabrera (MUNG) and find the fountain of youth on the Isla de la Juventud in the Gulf of Batanabo.
Return journeys:
9 nm - Across Nueva Gerona, north of the airport
16 nm - to Las Nuevas Lake at WP 2
71 nm - Entire Route
La Coloma MULM is the longest airfield in this area. This fertile region hosts a bevy of agricultural airstrips. Take a light aircraft, check out the farms and do touch and go's at the strips.
NOTAM: The large lake Embalse el Punto (2 miles EW, 3 miles NS) is about 2 miles from the threshold of RWY 25 at La Coloma.
Return trips:
11 nm - Pinar del Rio at WP 9
14 nm - La Coloma Port at WP 1
27 nm - WP 1,2
75 nm - Entire route
Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. Take off from Antonio Maceo International Airport MUCU and visit 7 of the local water cachements. See how many others you can spot on your trip!
Return flights:
11 nm: Fly north for 5 miles across the city of Santiago de Cuba
23 nm: WP 7, Blanka Lake Dam
85 nm: Entire route
Revel in the typical Caribbean water views to be found on the Bay of Buena Vista in the central north Cuban region of Villa Clara.
Return flights:
8 nm: WP 1: Santa Clara
92 nm: Entire route
Take off from Willemstad Airport TNCC, aka Hato International Airport and fly to the east end of Curacao. At the eastern end of Curacao youi can see the tiny uninhabited island of Klein Curacao about 6 nm offshore.
Return flights:
4 nm: Piscadera Bay
10 nm: Willemstad Harbour
15 nm: Curacao Sea Aquarium & Dolphin Academy
20 nm: Sint Joris Bay
31 nm: Eastpoint / Oostpunt
35 nm: Entire route
Follow the rugged coastline around the Island country of Dominica in the east Caribbean, north of Guyana and Venezuela. It's closest neighbours are Base-Terre to the north and Martinique to the south.
Routes (return distance):
3 nm: South to Roseau
15 nm: Scotts Head
28 nm: Straight line to Douglas-Charles Airport at WP 4
64 nm: Entire route
Punta Cana is a resort town at the easternmost point of the Dominican Republic. Check out 34 miles of resorts to the NE and return via the El Prieto and La Colora mountains.
Return flights:
17 nm: Punta Espada at WP 4 |
70 nm: Laguna del Limon |
91 nm: Entire route
Go to the highest point in the entire Caribbean. At 10,164 ft the Pico Duarte is located almost exactly in thecentre of the island continent of Haiti / Dominican Republic.
Return flights:
35 nm: WP 1 - Port town of Puerto Viejo
44 nm: WP 7 - Presa de Sanameta Yegua (Dam)
96 nm: WP 5 - Pico Duarte
148 nm: Entire route
Fly east of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo to San Pedro De Macoris then go inland to a small strip near San Jose de los Llanos.
Return trips:
31 nm: San Jose de los Llanos
40 nm: San Pedro de Macoris
50 nm: Entire route
Cover beaches, mountainous National Parks, fertile plains and two large dams in this varied flight.
40 nm: Playa Cambiaso | 64 nm: Playa El Castillo | 111 nm: Entire route
Take off from Los Roques Airport and check out the many small islands of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela.
Round trips: 51 nm: Entire route | 60 nm: Isla La Orchila. A rather barren island HDG 120 for 20 nm. Mysteriously, it does have a 9,839 ft runway!
NOTAM: Los Roques runway is only 2,652 ft long, so choose a suitable aircraft for your flight. Dos Mosquisos has a small strip at 1,635 ft.
Carriacou (meaning Land of Reefs) lays about 14 m north of the main island of Grenada. More picturesque than the main island, check out it's charming bays and beaches as well as the islands of Petite Martinique NE and Large Island to the south.
NOTAM: Lauriston TGPZ runway is 2,615 ft.
Entire route: 21 nm
Guadelope is a Caribbean region of France with six inhabited islands: Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, two Iles des Saintes. Take off from Pointe-a-Pitre TFFR in the capital Les Abymes and visit all six main islands. Alternatively you can make shorter trips using the suggested routes. The island of La Desirade has spectacular cliff faces on the northern shore.
139 nm: Entire route
Round trips to local airports:
30 nm: Saint-Francois TFFC 1965 ft at WP 6 |
40 nm: Bailliff TFFB, 1999 ft at WP 2 |
48 nm: Le Saintes TFFS, 1897 ft at WP 3 |
52 nm: Desirade TFFA, 1979 ft at WP 5 |
54 nm: Maria Galante TFFM, 4060 ft at WP 4
Fly from Cap Haitien on Haiti's north coast to the westernmost point on the island, about 45 west of Cuba. Start by flying west over the rugged terrain of the Gros-Morne Arrondissement (adminstrative area), Nan Palmiste, then follow the spectacular coastline south and east back to Gonaives.
Return trips: 68 nm: Gonaives | 101 nm: Gonaives and Nan Fort | 162 nm: Entire route
Fly out of Port-au-Prince to the highest peak in Haiti, a challenging 9 hour drive, or a short and comfortable flight in your aircraft!
Return flights: 44 nm: Direct to Pic la Selle | 48 nm: Direct to Malpasse Dam | 65 nm: Entire route
Explore the coastline and rugged terrain north of Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti.
Return flights: 31 nm: WP 6 | 59 nm: WP 1 and 2 | Entire route: 136 nm
Fly out of Cap Haitien on Haiti's north coast to the island of Tortuga. Pass the coastal areas of the Baie de I'Acul, Boyeou, Chouchou, Le Borgne, Grand Fond, Anse a Foleur, Cap Rouge, Saint-Louis-du-Nord and La Pointe.
Return flights: 30 nm: Boyeou, Chouchou | 40 nm: Le Borgne | 50 nm: Grand Fond, Anse a Foleur | 60 nm: Cap Rouge, Saint-Louis-du-Nord | 107 nm: Entire route
Fly around the rugged scenery in Jamaica's eastern region and stop for a martini, shaken, not stirred, at James Bond Beach on the northern shoreline. This beach featured in the movie 'Dr. No', starring Sean Connery as Bond and based on the book of the same name by ex-secret agent and author Ian Fleming.
Fly back south via the bauxite mines at Ewarton.
Round trips: 31 nm: Great Pond of Yallahs at Pamphret, WP 1 | 40 nm: Bauxite mine at Ewarton WP 7 | 58 nm: Bath Airfield MKGO 2794 ft WP 1,2 | 80 nm: Ian Fleming International Airport via WP 8,7,6,5 | 132 nm: Entire route
Explore the western regions of Jamaica, flying out from Sangster International Airport at Montego Bay. Fly down the west coast and return over Cockpit Country, which refers to the proliferation of shallow caves in that region. Along the way fly over several smaller aerodromes: Negril, Port Esquivel, Kirkvine and Silent Hill. Check the runway lengths before attempting any landings! Round trips:
20 nm: Falmouth Harbour
27 nm: Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort / Lucea Harbour
53 nm: WP 1, WP 2 - Negril Aerodrome MKNG 2490 ft
72 nm: Direct to Kirkvine Airstrip MKWI 2219 ft
Entire route: 168 nm
Fort-de-France is the capital of the Caribbean island of Martinique, a French overseas territory. Take off from Le Lamentin (TFFF) 9842 ft. There are two distinctive mountains which are visible from all points on the island. At the north end Montagne Pelee at an elevation of 4583 ft/1397 m. and 6 miles south "Twin Peaks" (my nomenclature) at 3871 ft/1180 m.
Round trips:
20 nm: Le Marin
24 nm: Tartane
34 nm: Montagne Pelee
74 nm: Entire route
Take off with caution from Gerald’s / John A. Osborne International Airport TRPG located on a hill in the centre of the island. I say carefully not so much because of the volcano at Soufriere Hills, but because the runway is only 1,935 ft in length. The Soufriere Hills volcano last erupted in the 1990s.
Entire route (as the crow flies): 16 nm
Circumnavigation: 23 nm
Nueva Esparta (New Sparta) has red soil, characteristic of high levels of Iron (Latin: Ferrum). It is a Caribbean province of Venezuela consisting of three islands: Margarita Island, Coche Island and Cubagua Island. Take off from Santiago Marino airport SVMG in the capital Porlamar and fly to the extreme compass points.
Round trips:
23 nm: WP 9 El Guamache (southernmost point of Isla de Coche)
34 nm: WP 2 Hill at Cabo Negro (most northerly point on Isla de Margarita)
54 nm: WP 7 Beach: Playa Punta Arenas (most westerly point on Isla de Margarita)
113 nm: Entire route
Take a light aircraft and have fun landing at this selection of tiny airstrips. Aerostato de Lajas is a launching station for lighter-than-air vehicles (blimps). You will be flying out of Rafael Hernandez International TJBQ near Aguadilla Pueblo on Puerto Rico's north west coast. Cabo Rojo Lighthouse is on the south west extremity of the island.
Return flights:
13 nm: WP 1 - Communication Facility
68 nm: WP 4 - Cabo Rojo Lighthouse
98 nm: Entire route
Fly out of Mercedita airport in Ponce, cruise the south coast and then travel to Puerto Rico's second largest island, Vieques.
NOTAM: You may want to do an airshow at Salinas Speedway? Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport TJVQ 4296 ft is 3,5 nm west of Vieques City (WP 6).
Return flights:
36 nm: Salinas Speedway
152 nm: Entire route
Visit the famous radio telescope at Arecibo and enjoy the beachs of Puerto Rico's central north coast.
NOTAM: Antonio/Nery/Juarbe Regional Airport Pol TJAB 3979 ft is 2 nm SE of Arecibo. You will pass it on the N and W.
Return flights:
31 nm: West along the coast to Dorado
68 nm: West along the coast to Los Molinos
96 nm: Entire route
Saint Barthelemy aka Saint Barts boasts a very short runway which ends right at the beach and, incredibly, accepts heavy aircraft from international destinations! Search the web for St. Barts landings and hang on to your towel!
NOTAM: The runway at Saint Barthelemy / Gustaf III Airport TFFJ is only 2107 ft long, so dress appropriately.
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a Commonwealth nation and the capital city is Basseterre, located on the larger island of Saint Kitts. Take off from Bradshaw TKPK 7221 ft on St Kitts and fly around both islands.
Entire route: 48 nm
directions20 nm: WP 1 - La Soufrie Volcano,
25 nm: Bequia Island,
74 nm: Union Island,
109 nm: Entire route nm
Climb to the volcano at the north of Saint Vincent and then take a leisurely flight down the rigged west coast. Hit the open waters to visit a few of the 32 islands in the Grenadines group to the south: Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, Palm Island, Petit Saint Vincent, Mustique, Baliceauz and Battowia.
NOTAM: Plan your ascent to La Souffrie carefully as the lip is about 4200ft in elevation. Better to gain altitude over the water than risk stalling into the mountainside during a max performance climb. Not that it ever happened to me!
The caribbean island of Saint Martin is shared by two separate countries. In the north Saint-Martin (France), and in the south Sint Maarten (Netherlands). In this flight you take off from Aeroport de Grand-Case and follow the border between Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten to the south.
San Andres and Providencia are territories of Colombia consisting of three islands: San Andres to the south and Providencia and Santa Catalina 50 nm to the north. Take off from El Embrujo SKPV 4232ft and cruise the coast, from Santa Catalina in the north to the treacherous reefs extending up the east coast.
San Andres and Providencia are territories of Colombia consisting of three islands: San Andres to the south and Providencia and Santa Catalina 50 nm to the north. Take a flight along the coast on San Andres, from Gustavo Rojas Pinilla Airport SKSP 7788ft.
The caribbean island of Saint Martin is shared by two separate countries. In the north Saint-Martin (France), and in the south Sint Maarten (Netherlands). In this flight you take off from Princess Juliana International TNCM 7537ft in the capital Philipsburg and follow the border of Sint Maarten.
Entire route: 16nm
Explore the many coastal towns and beaches in Trinidad's south west. The Point-A-Pierre POL (Petroleum, Oil, Liquid storage facility) is at the north end of the large coastal city of San Fernando. Follow the coastline all the way to Icacos Point which is the southernmost point on Trinidad.
Round trips:
24 nm: WP 1 Camden Airfield TTCO 3742 feet
38 nm: WP 1 and 2 to San Fernando
112 nm: Entire route
150 nm: South East Region. Trinidad's south eastern area is sparsely populated and covered by forest. If you want to experience that region then fly to WP 5 at San Francique, turn east and follow the coast. After about 40 nm the coast turns north at Galeota Port and continues for another 43 nm to Galera Point.
Of the two islands in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Tobago is the northernmost at about 14 nautical miles north of Trinidad. Take off from Crown Point TTCP 8992 feet and circumnavigate the island. Round trips:
12 nautical miles: Scarborough at Waypoint 1
18 nautical miles: Plymouth at Waypoint 6
46 nautical miles: Entire route
Just off the north coast of Venezuela lay the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, one of the larger island chains in the West Indies. Fly out out of Piarco International Airport TTPP 10,457, across the the capital Port of Spain, explore the north east coast of Trinidad and return across the east to west mountain range.
NOTAM: At Chacachacare. Venezuela is visible 5 nautical miles to the west across Bocas del Dragon.
Round trips:
58 nm: At WP 5 Diego Martin, turn south and follow the valley south for 5nm to WP 2 - Intersection at Fort George then return to Piarco airport.
70 nm plus: Explore the north east coast: Fly directly to WP 6, follow the coast to the east. At the most easterly point turn south and follow the coast. When ready, return via WP 7 or directly to Piarco airport.
72 nm: Entire route
Explore the southern cays in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Take off from JAGS McCartney International Airport MBGT in the capital, Cockburn Town. At Salt Cay there is an abandoned aerodrome with a 2804ft runway. Do a low level pass and check the runway condition before attemping a landing!
Return flights:
14 nm: Cotton Cay
44nm: South Caicos
77nm: Entire route
Enjoy the stunning crystalline water and complex lagoons in the South, East and Middle Caicos Islands. Consider stopping at Conch Bar airstrip to soak up some Caribbean sun! Fly out of South Caicos International Airport MBSC with a 6013 ft runway but be aware that Conch Bar is a modest 2433 ft, and is surrounded by a dense wood.
Return flights:
34 nm: Big Pond lagoon. Middle Caicos
39 nm: Cedar Point via WP 1 and WP 2
67 nm: Entire route
The U.S. Virgin Islands was purchased from Denmark by the U.S.A. for $25 million in 1917. Traditionally home to hundreds of sugar plantations, the main islands are Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas. Blackbeard, a notorious pirate, left a watch at capital, Charlotte Amalie, today known as "Blackbeard’s Castle". It is very difficult to spot from an aircraft. If you want to look for it, it’s located 2nm east of the threshold of RWY 28, and 0.2 nm from the shore.
Round trips:
14 nm: Turquoise Bay, near WP 5
45 nm: Entire route
Skirt the high altitude borders Andorra shares with France and Spain. You will need to climb to about 10,000 ft. Andorra lacks an airport so we take off from Aeroport La Seu d’Urgell at Catalonia, Spain, about 6 nm S of the border.
Most of the urban areas in Andorra are situated on the valley floors. Fly past the capital Andorra la Vella and return via broad valleys just over the border with Spain. Andorra lacks an airport, so we take off from the nearest which is La Seu d’Urgell LESU at Catalonia in Spain, just 6 nm S of the border. LESU is a spectacular airport in it's own right, being positioned on a plateau.
Cross the border into Turkey to have a close look at the biblical Mount Ararat which dominates the skyline in Yerevan. --/o\-- Temperature at the peak will be well below zero, so remember to turn on your anti-icing equipment. The peak is over 10,000 feet so you may need to bring an oxygen supply.
Follow the beltway in a counter-clockwise direction and complete a complete circle around Minsk.
--/o\-- The images here are all of the beltway, but of course the real action is taking place to your left, in Minsk. Once you are comfortable folowing the road you should be able to relax and enjoy the great views.
Tour a few of the beautiful lakes in and around Minsk. Best flown low and slow. I recommend 500 ft altitude and around 100 kts or less to best enjoy the scenery.
This is one of those flight plans that is MUCH easier to fly than it looks on paper, as we are basically following roads, and very prominent multi-laned roads at that. We are following a 6 land highway over the top of Brussels to the west, then south all the way down to the site of the Battle of Waterloo. Feel free to linger there, maybe land at a winery and enjoy the historical vibe. The return journey is simplicity itself as we fly directly north back to Brussels.
Recommended altitude: 500 feet
Recommended speed: 80-120 kts
Check out the vast energy extraction and storage and operations on the plains north west of Prague. At WP 1, Nova Ves, note the large POL storage facility on the left just before the town (CTR MERO Nelahozeves), and the large solar panel installation on the right. Beyond the mountain range north-west of WP 3,4,5 lays Germany.
Fly across Aarhus Bay and visit the second largest city in Denmark. Areas of interest: Hasle Hills (Danish: Hasle Bakker) is a landscape and recreational area of 15.5 hectares (38 acres) in the centre of Aarhus. Marselisborg is a park and recreation area on the southern edge of Aarhus.
Birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson, Copenhagen is a city of many treasures and pleasures. With their viking origins, the Danes have an intimate relationship with the sea. This flight will give us a broad view of the city and showcase the water frontage to the east and south.
Visit the 16th century castle, Kronborg Slot, at Helsingor on the east coast of Denmark. Fly up the coast and return via the Helsingormotorvejen (Helsingor Motorway).
WP 2,3 and 4 are shipping terminals. Vaike-Oismae Tik is a modern suburb in the north-west of Tallin, easily spotted by the ring of high-rises around a circular pool. Vannalinn is a cluster of medieval structures located on a hill in the centre of Tallin.
See how many golf courses you can spot as you take a golf tour of Finland's capital. Suomenlinnan island fortifications and church are definitely worth several fly-bys.
Turku is located on the Turku Archipelago, in the SW of Finland near Sweden and Estonia. Two of the important pieces of architecture are the Turun Tuomiokirkko (church) and Turun Linna (castle), both dating from the 13th century. On this flight we fly past these and then over a few of the hundreds of islands with their intricate framework of bridges.
The most complex airport seen yet on the tour. And... what a city! Home of Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, Debussy, Ravel, Faure. There are so many architectural marvels in Paris that we can only navigate to a few!
Visit the stunning chalk cliffs where Claude Monet almost drowned, and did not drown, but did however paint some of the most iconic seascapes in the Impressionist repertoire. This flight plan is slightly unusual in that we take two runs past the same stretch of coast (the chalk at Etretat), and in opposite directions.
This short and simple route will require many reflights in order to spot all the historical landmarks. The plan follows a river NW for 11nm and then W along a main road for about 8 nm. The title refers to the physical monument which is the Brandenburg Gate, with a nod to the towering musical edifice which comprise the six Brandenburg Concertos by J.S Bach, German composer (1685-1750) who is arguably the most important composer in western music.
Visit the the cradle of Western Democracy in sunny Athens. Marvel at the Acropolis, Parthenon and Theatre of Dionysius. Take a run on the beach at Marathon.
Explore the dramatic coastline of Cephalonia, one of the largest Greek islands, SW of the mainland. Cephalopoda are the class of molluscs which include squid and octopus, delicacies famous in Greek cuisine.
Blue Lagoon, Iceland, is a popular spa destination featuring an outdoor lagoon with mineral-rich waters in a lava field, and next to Svartsengi Geothermal Power Plant.
Notable features: Hallgrimskirkja: Christian cathedral with architecture referencing traditional Icelandic design. Perlan is a museum / restaurant with a rotating glass dome that stands on top of Oskjuhlia Hill, 0.3nm W of the airport.
Follow the River Liffey through the centre of Dublin then follow the gorgeous coastlines on the north side. Dublin Castle is 1.6nm after WP 1 and on the right, near Christ Church Cathedral. It's quite difficult to spot on a fly-by as Dublin centre is densely packed with interesting buildings.
Fly over Mt. Vesuvius, past Pompei and along the spectacular coast to the sunny island of Capri. Vesuvius is 4,200 ft at the summit, so plan your ascent according to your aircraft performance.
Rome, of course. Seat of the Holy Roman Empire. If you get permission to loiter in the airspace radiating 3 nm SE from St. Peter's Basilica, you may be able to spot the Pantheon, Colosseum, Circus Maximus and many majestic basilica.
Wave the flag at Kosovo's border crossings with Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. Note: RWY ALT is 1,787 ft.
Shorter return routes, to border crossings with:
88 nm | Montenegro
72 nm | Albania at Kasaj
63 nm | Albania at Morine
36 nm | Macedonia at Elez Han
40 nm | Serbia
Skopje, capital of Macedonia is situated in a broad and pleasant valley. Fly over the city and if you are game, attempt a landing at the grass strip to the NW at WP 5, which you will fly over as you turn right from WP 4. For an entertaining look at their most famous citizen watch the movie "Alexander", directed by Oliver Stone.
Fly all the way around the islands of Malta, located in a strategically vital location in the centre of the Meditteranean. Noticably barren, Malta often has to import fresh water.
Take off from the capital of Montenegro and explore the mountains to the NE. -/o\- CLASSIFIED: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY: You will enter Albanian airspace at WP 4. Fly at low altitude down the valley to WP 7 and take as many photos as possible, particularly looking for air defence facilities. If you are intercepted by the Albanian air force, just pretend you got lost! -/o\-
The area around Lelystad is a testament to human ingenuity and labour, being 3 metres below sea level.
Visit two enormous complexes where the controlled environment allows year-round production of flowering plants and vegetables: WP 2 - De Tuindershoek is a large complex of greenhouses run entirely by robots. Apparently. WP 3 - Grimme Groencentrum in Luttelgeest is a nursery covering more than 2 hectares.
There are also hundreds of wind turbines between WP 5, 6 and 7.
At WP 7, Houtribsluizen is a lock at the start of a 26km road on the Houtribdgk dam.
You are following the river / canal complex for the entire flight after WP 1, so I haven't cluttered up the waypoint descriptions by repeating that each time.
WP 7 is a white suspension bridge, nicknamed 'The Swan'.
The terrain here is very flat and the turnpoints are easy to spot so this flight works well at 500ft altitude. Fly at 1000 ft to see more features.
Fly around Amsterdam, taking in the North Sea canal.
"The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam." - Wikipedia
The terrain here is very flat and the turnpoints are easy to spot so this flight works well at 500ft altitude.
Fly the 15nm south from Gardermoen in a simple flight plan which takes you around the capital, Oslo.
These recon images were captured at 10:45 a.m. The sun is very close to the southern horizon at this latitude, but at least the glare is absent as we pass Oslo on the second and third legs of the flight.
There is a plethora of bridges in this region, so you'll see that those at WP 1 and WP3 have several VERY close neighbours. Pick any bridge as your turn point.
I added two waypoints to the plan flown in the RECON videos. However they lay on a straight line between WP 1 and WP 3 (Intility Stadium) and between WP 3 and WP 5 (Ullevall Stadium). So the earlier RECON videos are still valid references.
With the Nordic sim updates to the default scenery you'll see a lot more churches and distinctive architecture than in those videos.
This is quite a long flight at 100nm. In essence it's very simple, flying along two almost parallel fjords. NE for 20nm along the first and SW for 25 nm along the second. Note: Be aware that the water in these fjords is above sea level. At the city of Tao the land is about 500ft and the water beyond around 300ft.
Fans of the EF2000 sim family from the 1990's will remember the sound of the Trondheim radio operator. The terrain in that sim was advanced for it's time and now we get to see what this part of Norway really looks like.
Turns out there are a lot of quarries!
Fly along the shores of the River Tagus on the eastern side of Lisbon.
At WP 3, the shopping mall, you will see a number of flooded irrigated areas at a river mouth. The mall is just to the right.
The final waypoint Forte de Monsanto, is a 19c fort (now a prison) and distinctive landmark 2.5nm SW of Lisbon Airport.
Fly around Lisbon and along it's southern beaches.
The flight plan is simplicity itself:
1. WNW to the Airbase
2. WSW to the coast
3. Follow the coast E
The final waypoint Forte de Monsanto, is a 19c fort (now a prison) and distinctive landmark 2.5nm SW of Lisbon Airport.
Take a scenic flight over some of the many waterways around and within Bucharest. You will see lakes, islands, dams, spillways, canals, water treatment plants and bridges!
Follow the shoreline, two long bridges, and the ring road around the harbour and outskirts of St. Petersburg. The Peterhof Palace was built by Peter the Great in response to the Palace of Versailles.
St. Petersburg was formerly known as Petrograd and Leningrad. It is a strategic port in Russia's north-west and was famously besieged by the Wermacht in World War II from 8th Sept 1941 to 27th Jan 1944.
Follow the elevated roadway north along Neva Bay to the Lakhta Center (87 story skyscraper). Beyond it is Lake Lakhta, fed by the Kamenka, Glukharka and Yuntolovka rivers.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is a Russian Orthodox church. Nearby landmarks include: Peter and Paul Fortress, Field of Mars and the Admiralty Building.
Moskovsky Victory Park is opposite the large round EXPOFORUM Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Take a short run down the west side of Russia's capital, Moscow, and return over Red Square. The entire area is replete with architectural marvels and bears many re-flights. Note the RWY ALT is 612 feet, so a good default cruising altitude would be 1,600 ft.
Fly clockwise along the magnificent ring road surrounding Moscow. Despite the number of waypoints, this flight can be flown visually in just 3 steps:
1. Fly HDG 113 for 6 nm to pick up the ring road at WP 1
2. Follow the highway
3. At WP7 you will see the river junction to your right (the same as in 'Gremlins in the Kremlin'), turn HDG 342 for 5nm to the airport.
As with all the 'follow the road' flights, most of the interesting sights will be to your left and right. In this case Moscow will be to your right, so feel free to break off and explore any points of interest, knowing you can always follow the ring road back to WP7 and the airport.
The RWY ALT is 612 feet, so a good default cruising altitude would be 1,600 ft.
San Marino is a geographically small country located within the borders of Italy. The nearest airport is Rimini Military, on the east coast of Italy and about 5 nm from the San Marino Border.
This flight incorporates the capital, which is 1 nm long atop a central ridge, and the S and W borders. Consider WP 4 optional. The Italians won't mind a minor transgression into their airspace, it happens all the time over San Marino.
An alternate approach to seeing all of San Marino would be to fly to the capital at WP 2 and then clockwise around the ridge.
NB: A slow aircraft is recommended (cruise speed 80-100 kts). Jet aircraft will find very difficult to stay within the borders.
Between WP 6 and 7 you will see Tiro a Volo San Marino (Shooting Club) on the left.
Follow the main road network to Serbia's second largest city, Novi Sad and return via the Danube River. The flight is in 3 simple legs:
1 - HDG 300 for 23 nm
2 - HDG 360 for 20 nm
3 - Follow the Danube River SE back to Belgrade (WP 3 to WP7).
Kosice is the second largest city in Slovakia. Fly over Kosice and follow the motorways in a counterclockwise direction until you reach the large dam at Ruzin.
Explore the idyllic valley setting of Ljubljana, capital of Slovakia.
Start at Kranj, 3 nm W of the airport. Proceed HDG 148 for 12 nm, following the river and the parallel main road. WP 3 is a prominent landmark, a medieval hilltop fortress Ljubljanski Grad with a commanding view of Ljubljana.
Orbit over Ljubljana until you run out of film, then head up the western valley to Duplica, where you can stock up on film at the enormous shopping mall!
Take a cross country jaunt past the two highest peaks in the region and return along two charming and broad valleys.
The flight can be broken into two stages:
WP 1 - WP 4: Climb to about 8,500 feet and fly E
WP 5 - WP 8: Follow the main road W along the valley floors.
Fly over just a few of the architectural wonders from the ages in Madrid. Fly north for 5 nm to the Circuito del Jarama then fly HDG 210, take a deep breath, rig for slow flight and enjoy the many wonders of Madrid. There is just too much to see in one circuit so in this flight I've focussed on the east of the city.
Looking directly across the water to Denmark, Gothenburg is Sweden's second largest city. This flight plan looks a little convoluted, but it is essentially following the river, harbour shore, and back to the river.
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. Let's fly past Edinburgh Castle, north across Firth Forth and into the Scottish Highlands.
WP 1 and 2 are the highest points in Edinburgh itself.
At WP 2, Crow Hill, the Scottish Parliament Building and the Royal residence Holyrood Palace are at the base of the hill to the NW. Edinburgh Castle is on a hill 1.2 nm HDG 290.
WP 3, Inchkeith Island will set you up nicely for WP 4 - Kircaldy Harbour
WP 5 is the highest hill in the area north of Firth Forth, and sets you up for a lazy left turn over Loch Leven at WP 6.
The Forth Bridge is the most prominent landmark in the area, 2 nm N of Edinburgh airport. There are actually three bridges at that location, Queensferry Crossing, Forth Road Bridge and Forth Bridge and as of January 2022, you can fly under all of them with no collision. If you are careful!
Take a cross country flight from the British outpost which guards the straits of Gibraltar. Fly west across the bay to the port of Algeciras, follow the Jerez los Barrios motorway to Barbate Dam, and return along the coast to the south.
London features a plethora of landmarks, best digested in small chunks! This flight hits a selection of landmarks between Heathrow Airport in the west and the Millenium Dome in the east.
This flight hits a selection of landmarks between London City Airport in the west and Southend Pier in the east. Up to WP 5 the flight follows rivers: the Thames and the River Medway.
London City Airport can be easily found as it is only 1.5 nm E of the Millenium Dome.
Vatican City is a small city/state within the borders of Italy, and seat of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
In this shortest of flights we take in two structures which neatly bookend the transformation from the old world to the new.
Note that Vatican city is only about 3,500 by 2,800 feet, so a slow aircraft or helicopter is advisable.
Bahrain is an island country on the Persian Gulf, consisting of 50 natural islands and 33 artificial islands. Fly around the capital, Manama. Start by flying across the northern shoreline to WP1.
Fly a round trip from the main international airport serving the Greek part of Cyprus to the capital, Nicosia. From Mosfiloti Quarry you have the option of following the main highway NNW into Nicosia.
Check out some of the most fanciful creations in 20c architecture as you fly around the capital of Dubai.
The "World Islands" are a manmade group of 300 islands in the shape of a world map. Palm Jumeirah is a group of artificial harbours in the shape of a palm tree. Burj Al Arab is a 321m (1,053ft) tall luxury hotel, with a helipad at 210m (689ft). Burj Khalifa Tower is the world's tallest building at 830m (2723ft).
As soon as you take off on HDG 240, you will see the Giza Pyramids. Fly directly west over Cairo to the Tahya Misr bridge Turn south and take a leisurely flight along the Nile River and through Cairo.
At the Marazeek Bridge turn west to the Bent Pyramid and proceed north, saving the magnificent Giza Pyramid complex for last!
The largest collection of monuments is at the Giza Pyramids, with the Giza, Khafre and Menjaure pyramids and the Great Sphinx. NOTAM: You will see spectacular lighting on the faces of the Giza pyramids at about 0550 hrs.
Explore the southern portion of this geopolitically crucial waterway. Fly out of Faid on the Suez Canal at Great Bitter Lake to the southern entrance to the Suez Canal. NOTAM:
32 nm: Fly around Great Bitter Lake
74 nm: Entire route
Explore the northern portion of this geopolitically crucial waterway. Fly out of Port Said and down the Suez Canal for about 50nm.
Return via the territory west of the canal, which is lush for about 100 nm. The east is barren desert all the way to Israel.
NOTAM: Follow the canal from WP1 to WP4. On the way fly past 4 aiports: Al Ismaillia Airport (HE44), Ismaillia Airport (HEIS), Abu Suwayr airport (HE35) and As Salihiyah Airport (HE39). It's always good to be familiar with local places to land!
16 nm: Fly around Port Said
121 nm: Entire route
Fly out of St Catherine on the Sinai Peninsula and visit Mount Catherine (Gabal Katrine) at 2,629 m (8,625 ft), the highest mountain in Egypt.
NOTAM: 24 nm: Mount Catherine at WP 4 | 83 nm: Entire route including two valley runs. Airport elev. 4,333 ft
EASTER EGG: About 11.6 nm past WP5 there appears to be a crash site to the right of track.
Fly out of Sharm El-Sheikh International on the Sinai Peninsula at the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba. Check out the local resorts and then fly overland to the southern entrance to the Gulf of Suez.
NOTAM:
16 nm: Fly to the El Fanar Beach and return
83 nm: Entire route
Fly out of Bandar Abbas on the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz. Enjoy the spectacular knife edge ridges north of the city.
For a short flight along the Bandar Abbas shoreline fly to WP 1.
20 nm: WP 1 | 104 nm: Entire route
NOTAM: Plan for the high altitude. You have 10 nm after WP 1 to climb to 8000 ft.
Follow the steep gorges along the Karun River from Karun to Abbaspur Dam. Continue deep into the valleys and then climb back to the west to spot the third dam near Anbar.
At WP 7 you can optionally fly slightly east of track to follow the Karun river back to Masjed Soleyman.
10 nm: Fly S for 5 nm from the airport for a local flight over Masjed Soleyman | 98 nm: Entire route
Take off from Mehrabad Intl and fly across the northern border of Iran's capital, Tehran.
Notes on the landmarks and their location in Tehran:
WP 1-3 are in a straight line along the N edge.
Chitgar Lake is about 5nm from the NW corner.
Milad Tower, Iran's tallest structure, a good navigation reference point.
Imam Hossein University is the last building complex on the NE corner.
Ghale Morgi Airport OIIG is 5nm S of Milad Tower and 2.5nm from RWT 29 at Mehrabad Intl.
NOTAM: RWY ALT is 3,281 ft. Cruise at 5,500 feet as the ground rises to the north.
Explore the valleys to the north of Iran's capital, Tehran as you visit Amir Kabir Dam. Exercise caution between WP 6 and WP 7 as the valley is both narrow and meandering. NOTAM: RWY ALT is 3,281 ft. The ground rises steeply to the north.
Fly out of Basrah in the southern part of Iraq, where Iraq narrows to a 20nm strip between Iran and Kuwait.
SHORT route:44nm | Basrah City
MED: 89nm | Visit the borders with Iran and Kuwait. At WP 2 the Iran/Iraq border flows from the N to the Arvand River. From that point on remain on the S side of the river. At Al Seeba you will be within 2 nm of Abadan Airport in Iran. At Hajjam Island you will be within 3 nm of Umm Qasr Airport in Kuwait.
LONG: 126nm | Go to the mouth of the Arvand River on the Persian Gulf.
The first two legs to the Mosul Dam make a nice 50nm flight. Either fly in a straight line to WP 1, or you can take a leisurely flight along the Tigris River in the shade of the palms.
If you have the time or the available speed, carry on to a second dam at Duhok and return through the lush valleys found in this part of northern Iraq.
Following the road after WP 3 will take you slightly S of the track and set you up nicely to fly through the gap in the range to Duhok Dam.
A short hop around Tel Aviv on the coast of the Mediterranean, which was the capital of Israel until 1949.
NOTAM: Just 0.2 nm SE of the threshold to RWY 02 at Sde Nov Airport is an enormous chimney belonging to Reading Power Station. This is one of the most amazing hazards I've seen in 250 countries! I don't know which was there first, airport or power station?
20nm: Fly over the biblical towns of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. 120nm: The border between Jordan and Israel runs up the centre of the Dead Sea. Fly across the biblical towns of Jerusalem and Bethlehem and Jerusalem, look at the vast hydro projects at the south end of the Dead Sea and return at low level along the western shore.
NOTAM: Jerusalem RWY is 2,461 ft. The Dead Sea is below sea level, so if you have an analogue altimeter it will bottom out if you fly at low level.
Explore one of the geographically smaller gulf nations, at 91 by 75 miles in dimension.
Located next to Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia at the NW corner of the Persian Gulf, Kuwait is in a strategically important location.
The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Causeway is a bridge that runs 12 miles NE across Kuwait Bay to Shumaymah, near the borders of Iraq and Iran.
Fly NW out of Kuwait International to Al Jahra and return via the shoreline.
27 nm WP 3,4,5 | 78 nm Entire route
Salalah is the capital of Dhofar province, subject to monsoonal weather and known for it's role in the spice trade. Fly SW along the plateau and return at low level via the spectacular cliffs lining the Arabian Sea.
NOTAM: 20 nm: Local flight over Salalah | 114 nm: Entire route
Explore the dramatic terrain south of Muscat at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. If you're flying a sedate mission, enjoy the spectacular scenery and use your cell phone to take lots of snaps. If you want more high-octane excitement fly a 'Top Gun: Maverick' style low level profile flight. Turn on 'G effects' for maximum drama! The flight works well either way. If you fail, do not pass go. Rather, go to the prison at WP 7.
21 nm: WP 1 and 7 | 119 nm: Entire route
NOTAM: WP 2-3: Keep the ridge on your left and the smaller hills on your right. | WP 4 - Enter the valley and follow the road. | WP 5 - If you have enough 'smash', perform a max G pullup and go inverted over the ridge. If you're flying more sedately, use the large valley to perform climbing turns. | WP 7 - Check your fuel state and if necessary divert straight to the airport.
Explore some of the lush wadis to the west and south of Riyadh City.
35 nm: WP 7 across Riyadh and return | 82 nm: Entire route
NOTAM: Ap elevation is 2035 ft.
Follow the 4th Ring Road around Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
In the centre of Mecca and visible from all directions is the Masjid al-Haram, also known as the Great Mosque of Mecca. Adjacent to the mosque is the Makkah Clock Tower, topped by a gold crescent.
20 nm: Fly to the Great Mosque and retyrn | 37 nm: Entire route
Fly out of Syria's second largest city, Aleppo, follow the Turkish border to the west and return via Maydanki Dam.
12 nm: Fly 6 nm NE to across Aleppo | 62 nm: WP 6, Maydanki Dam | 117 nm: Entire route
NOTAM: At WP 2 and 3 the outpost are on the Turkish side of the border. At WP 4 you will see Karasu Dam 2.5 nm N and on the Turkish side of the border.
Latakia is the principal port city of Syria. Fly east out of Hamah to the Mediterranean coast, up to Latakia and return by way of four dams.
6 nm: NE for 3 miles to cross tha city of Hama |
22 nm: WP 7 - Mahardah Dam and return |
42 nm: WP 7 and WP 6 and return |
86 nm: WP 1, Tartus Port and return |
148 nm Entire route
Fly out of Jirah Military Airbase at Lake Assad, up the Euphrates River past Tishrin Dam and return following the main roads.
NOTAM: Follow the river to WP 3 and then main roads from WP 3 to the end of the flight.
46 nm: WP 2, Tishrin dam and return |
24 nm: WP 7 Rasm al-Abed Airport OS66 and return |
106 nm: Entire route
Enjoy the pastoral valleys to the NW of Antalya, one of the largest citiess in Turkey andthe capital of Antalya Province.
31 nm: Across Antalya to WP 7 and return
71 nm: Entire route
Fly the length of the strategically important Dardanelles Strait which connects the Agean Sea to the Sea of Marmara.
During World War I, on April 25th 1915 the Australia New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) landed south of Suvla bay as part of an offensive to open the Dardenelles Straits to Allied warships. The campaign lasted 11 months, ended in stalemate, and the forces were withdrawn in January 1916. The ANZAC Corp were assisted by British, Indian, Irish, French, and Newfoundland troops. The Gallipoli Campaign is commemorated annually in Australia and New Zealand and is the most significant day on their calendar remembering military casualties.
Helles - British landings on April 25th, 1915. Anzac Cove - Beach where ANZAC forces landed. Suvla Bay - Site where the British IX Corps landed on August 6th 1915.
Round trip distances:
7 nm: Cannakale and Canakkale Port Services Command, 1nm before WP 7
14 nm: WP 2 - Gallipoli Battlefield
40 nm: WP 6 - Town of Geliboli
81 nm: Entire route
Take in the sights of Turkey's capital Ankara via three local lakes. 21 nm: WP 4, Esertepe Vadis Park and return
25 nm: WP 1 , Bayindir Dami and return
36 nm: WP 2 , Susuz Golu and return
62 nm: Entire route
Igdir Province is adjacent to NE Turkey and borders Armenia, Azerbaijab and Iran. Igdir Airport is adjacent to the town of Kulluk
Fly out of Igdir, patrol the border with Armenia between WP 1 and 2. Between WP 2 and 3 fly along the border with Iran. Then return via the biblical location of Noah's Ark, Mount Ararat.
NOTAM: WP 2, Aralık is located in a bulge on the Turkey - Armenia - Iran border. Mount Ararat is 16853 ft (5,137 m) tall, so take an oxygen supply and use anti-icing measures.
38 nm: Lake Balik at WP 4 and return
50 nm: Mount Ararat at WP 3 and return
75 nm: Border patrol WP1,2,3 and return
114 nm: Entire route
Fly west out of Cerklje and return along the Sava River. It's definitely rewarding flying both directions along many of the valleys and rivers in Slovenia.
Gorizia Castle is just to the west of the border with Slovenia, overlooking mountain passes to the north and the west. You won't see Predjama Castle from the north as it's cut into a cliff facing south. Fly off the plateau and look right as you turn west to Divaca.
Explore the valleys about 20 nm south west of Ljubljana airport. From the grassy peak at Blegos (the second highest mountain in this region at 1562 m) you can see the Julian, Karawanks and Kamnik–Savinja Alps.
Head 26 miles north east of Ljubljana airport to Lake Sostanj. Lake Sostanj features three large bodies of water, from west to east: Druzmirsko jezero, Sostanjsko Jezero and Skalsko jezero