Iceland Tour, Part 1

[CavalierDuck 106]

Iceland Tour, Part 1

 

In my absence from last weekend's fun in the Alps, apparently I was volunteered to put up a flight plan for Iceland this coming weekend (serves me right for missing a week!).  So here we go.  This flight will be considerably enhanced by the use of the free Orbx FTX Global Iceland Demo scenery (link below), although this is not required. All airports are included in FSX default scenery.

 

The tour will start at Reykjavik Airport (BIRK).  This is not the main international airport for Iceland, which is at Keflavik about 40 miles away, but a smaller field in central Reykjavik for domestic routes and GA traffic.  We will head first to the Vestmannaeyjar (Vestmann Islands) (BIVM) just off the south coast, and the scene of a major volcanic eruption in 1973.  From here we take a tour along the volcanoes and icecaps of the southern Iceland coast including Mt Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano responsible for closing a large part of Europe's airspace in 2010.  We pass Vatnajokull, the largest icecap in Europe covering 8% of Iceland's landmass on our way to Hofn (BIHN).  After Hofn the next stop is Egilsstadir (BIEG), the principal airport in eastern Iceland.  Although well-equipped with ILS and a 6500ft runway, the approach can be challenging in less-than-perfect weather due to the surrounding terrain. From Egilsstadir we head to Thorshofn (BITN), the most northerly point on the tour and just below the Arctic Circle. We then fly inland to Reykjalid (BIRL), in one of the most active volcanic geothermal zones in Icleand.  We conclude this weeks's tour at Akureyri (BIAR), Iceland's second city.

 

As a number among us are aspiring entrants to the upcoming MacRobertson Air Race I have targeted this week's flight for faster aircraft, ideally in the 200-220kts range, to allow those who want to practice in their race aircraft to do so.  Hence the high mileage this week (409nm).  Recommended aircraft could include King Airs, PC-12s, Lancairs, Spartan Executives. Another fast option for non-racers might be one of Ant's T-28s, or even a favourite warbird.

 

Next week:  a more leisurely return from Akureyri to Reykjavik via the Westfjords.

 

Recommended scenery:

- Orbx FTX Global Iceland Demo [FREE]

 

Flightplans:

- Skyvector

- FSX

- Plan-G

 

Date and time: Saturday 18th October, 19:00 UTC

 

Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel

 

Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com

Multiplayer: FSX Multiplayer (IP will be provided on Teamspeak)

 

Don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer speadsheet! (linked here)

 

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

I'll be using the Lancair IV-P N5VZ

 

 

Which I'll also be using in the Australia to UK race.....God help me!

[jt_williams 291]

-

 

I will flying the Flight 1 King Air on Saturday which I will also be flying in the MacRobertson in Reverse.  For the Iceland tour I have chosen a paint to honor the continuation of an un-diminished United Kingdom which I also hope will please Ron. :smile:

 

 

 

 

The team will fly a different paint in the MacRobertson Modern era.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

 

 

For the Iceland tour I have chosen a paint to honour the continuation of an undiminished United Kingdom which I also hope will please Ron.

 

Undiminished?  We're falling apart at the seams mate. :(

[MM 424]

A forced-learning experience in the winds of Iceland. The Carenado PC12 with Bert's avionics tweaks.

 

[CavalierDuck 106]

Tonight I will fly the Flight1 King Air B200, in preparation for the modern age reverse MacRobertson.  For this evening I will be in this Aussie Air Ambulance paint scheme.

 

[jt_williams 291]

Another great tour by Nick.

 

 

A picture of the group on the ramp at the final airport Akureyri (BIAR).  Myself in the Scottish Ambulance King Air (G-SASC), Ron in  a Lancair IVP (N5VZ), Nick in NSW Ambulance King Air (VH-AMQ), Mike in the  Pilatus PC-12, and the wingtip of Rob's Turbine Duke is just visible on the right edge of the pic (sorry Rob).  Not shown is Roman who flew in his dependable Spartan Executive featuring NDB navigation. There is this guy who is teaching a course on this.

 

 

 

I was the first to arrive at Vestmannaeyjar (BIVR), the first stop of the Iceland tour.  I monitored the arrival of the other aircraft on the G1000 as everyone converged at nearly the same time and was thinking "this is not going to end well." Everything turned out fine as each pilot annouced their landing intentions and sequenced in nicely for landing.  The one near mishap was due to the failure of a pilot (who will remain annonymous) who failed to vacate the active runway promptly.