Through the Alps and Up the West Coast. NZQN-NZWN.

(For March 13, 2021)

This is a reprise of a previous flight through New Zealand's Southern Alps and up the West Coast of the South Island. We shall use jet fighter trainers to go low through the valleys and near the mountain peaks as fast as our airframes and engines and airmanship allow. The route should provide great fun in all our simulators: FSX-P3D-MFS.



We begin our day at Queenstown Airport [NZQN], the popular South Island resort city. Take a second to look up to the southeast to see an imposing sight: The Remarkables. We depart over Lake Wakatipu [WAKATIPU], passing Queenstown on the northern side of the lake, and proceed westward over the Fjordland mountains (no need follow the valleys). We turn at Lake Quill and Sutherland Falls [SFALLS] and descend toward the Tasman Sea. Then we reverse east into Milford Sound [MSOUND], widely thought to be one of the natural "wonders of the world". (I can attest to its stunning natural beauty.) This is best appreciated down on the deck. You will want to slow down for a touch-and-go at the short commercial field at Milford Sound [NZMF].

After the airfield, we turn sharply northward along the Tutoko River and climb to pass by Mount Tutoko [TUTOKO]. Crossing the wide Hollyford Valley, we visit Climax Peak [CLIMAX] and the dramatic Mount Apiring [ASPIRE]. (The latter is known as the "Matterhorn of the South.") We descend onto the floor of the Matukituki Valley [MATUK] to fly over Lake Wanaka and the lovely resort town Wanaka to land at Wanaka Airport [NZWF], the site for the wildly popular biennial "Warbirds Over Wanaka" airshow.

We proceed north to fly low over Lake Wanaka [LAKEW], through narrow twisty Haast Pass [HAAST], and turn northeastwards [TP6]. In Landsborough Valley [LANDSB], we climb all the way to 9000-9500ft. Turning east, we slalom steeply down to Mueller Lake [TP7-TP8-TP9] and then land at Mount Cook Aerodrome [NZMC].

After catching our breath, we climb past Mount Cook [COOK] up the Tasman Glacier [TASGLA] which is New Zealand's largest and fastest shrinking glacier. We cruise along the top of the Southern Alps which divide the South Island's watersheds. Thirty miles on, near Mount Whitecombe and its associated glacier, we turn northward [TP11] and dive down the Hokitika River Valley onto the flat west coastal plain to land at Hokitika [NZHK]. Then northeast along the coast to the lighthouse at Cape Foulwind [FOUL] to land at Westport [NZWS]. Next we pass over the huge open-pit Stockton Mine [STOCK] and then the beautiful Kahurangi National Park to land at New Zealand's second-oldest city Nelson [NZNS] on Tasman Bay.

Finally, we fly over the acclaimed Pelorus River Valley and the tourist center and ferry-hub Picton [PICTON], cross over Cook Strait, and land at "Windy" Wellington [NZWN]. New Zealand's second-largest city (the "coolest little capital in the world") sits on scenic Wellington Harbour and extends into suburbs along valleys to the north and to the northeast.

This exercise is designed for the crucial training value of low-and-fast flying. (P3D pilots shall ignore any possible entertainment value.) However, please do not feel any need to do the whole route on-the-deck. If you need a break, please pop up and fly high to enjoy the South Island's scenic vistas.

Documentation
The flightplan can be found here.

Aircraft
The route is about 540nm. We shall need fast aircraft with a cruise of at least 320-350 kts. Recommended here, for their speed and maneuverability, are jet trainers. You might consider the Aero L-39 or the BAE Hawk. Each has an excellent payware rendition (Lotus and JustFlight). And highly recommended are Dino Cattaneo's T-45 Goshawk and Aermacchi MB-326 and Aermacchi MB-339. Many other aircraft, including other jet trainers and jet fighters, faster warbirds, and many nimble business jets, will work equally well. Of course, you should fly whatever you like. (I'll take the MB-339 in the "Ghost Grey" colors of the Italian Aeronautica Militare M55059.)

Scenery

FSX-P3D. The plan is designed for the Orbx New Zealand South Island and North Island (for the final landing) regional packages. It should work ok with Orbx Global and Orbx Global Vector but you will miss much of the detail. (If you use the Orbx South and North Island regional packages, you might want to disable Vector.) In addition, we shall fly into Milford Sound, Queenstown, Nelson, and Wellington. There are fine payware renditions for each, but these are not at all necessary for this flight.

MFS. Freeware include Milford Sound, Queenstown, Mount Cook peaks, Westport, Wellington Airport and Wellington City. These enhance the look, but are not necessary for the flight.

Time and Weather
This is primarily a VFR flight. We shall be maneuvering at speed in close proximity to water and granite and shall thus need good flying weather to enjoy the challenges. I recommend that we carefully consider the real weather conditions on March 13. If the skies are clear along the coast and into the mountains, then let's go with real weather. If there are cloud banks in the mountains, then we should use simulator weather presets to produce fine flying conditions. [This choice may vary by simulator and may need enroute adjustments.]

For our departure, please set your simulator clocks to 1530 local time. [FSX-P3D pilots might need 1430 to compensate for time zone anomalies in the simulator. Not sure.]

Particulars
Date and time: March 13, 2021, 1900 UTC.
Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel
Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com
Cross-Platform Multiplayer: JoinFS. Latest version is here. (FSX, FSX-SE, and P3D and MSFS2020)
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: North America 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 of time and effort. Thanks!

 

AND our simulators, including XP....which has UHD Ortho and over 50 custom payware quality freeware airports available for an exceptional flying experience, on top of every airport with 3D objects by default....just saying.

Edited March 11, 20215 yr by 1st fltsimguy

Flagrant advertising! 😀

3 hours ago, Ron Attwood said:

Flagrant advertising! 😀

Oh, and I meant in New Zealand of course. 😁

Edited March 11, 20215 yr by 1st fltsimguy

Saturday: checking the actual weather in Milford Sound. At the moment it is a beautiful late summer morning with partly cloudy skies and a temperature of 55°F. As it happens, Asobo and MeteoBlue have generated a slightly imperfect rendition of that weather. (Just thinking that MFS pilots might well be prepared to generate our own weather for the flight.)

Let's not forget our XP11 brethren. 🙂

1 hour ago, MM said:

Saturday: checking the actual weather in Milford Sound. At the moment it is a beautiful late summer morning with partly cloudy skies and a temperature of 55°F. As it happens, Asobo and MeteoBlue have generated a slightly imperfect rendition of that weather. (Just thinking that MFS pilots might well be prepared to generate our own weather for the flight.)

Looks like a strong case for scattered clouds. Or even High clouds.

Yes. Now let's see our XP colleagues generate a fine summer day like the one depicted above. ... Wait ...😎

4 hours ago, MM said:

Yes. Now let's see our XP colleagues generate a fine summer day like the one depicted above. ... Wait ...😎

Actually it can be done in XP, there is now a season switcher that does an OK job but nothing as good as that I'm afraid.  Something similar is apparently being worked on for version 12.  We shall see but otherwise one has to "switch seasons".  Not that realistic that's for sure.

 

Hmmm, Just come and fly with us Sir Bryan from Duncun. You're most welcome, (even in your XP). Just use that seasonal switcher and beam yourself over to NZ and fly with us!

Edited March 13, 20215 yr by nbrich1

7 hours ago, 1st fltsimguy said:

Not that realistic that's for sure

XP11 not that realistic? Surely not!

5 hours ago, Ron Attwood said:

XP11 not that realistic? Surely not!

I'm not fussy about snow anyway...🤣

To the non believers!  XP11.5+, my flying experience Milton Sound

 

https://imgur.com/n8w2DsL

https://imgur.com/WOZQq0Y

https://imgur.com/lml3Idp

https://imgur.com/meCd2Fe

The Milton Sound "facilities" default.

19 hours ago, 1st fltsimguy said:

The Milton Sound "facilities" default.

 

That pic bares a striking resemblance to "Milford" Sound in New Zealand where we flew on-line yesterday.    🙂

10 hours ago, jt_williams said:

That pic bares a striking resemblance to "Milford" Sound in New Zealand where we flew on-line yesterday.    🙂

Too bad I couldn't join you folks.  I continue to be extremely busy and the timing and length of flights is demanding.

I have worked for a week, "refurbishing" old (early 1900s to 1950s) family photos from my two sisters, cleaning, adjusting lighting, repairing tears, creases, sharpening and what I call pixel painting...it takes forever but the end result is amazing.