Clever Title re. Italy

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

Sorry about the title, imagination has deserted me. Basically it's a flight from the west side to the north east side. There are some mountains, the odd lake or two and a quirky little airfield where the Italian Air Force forgot where they left one of their F104s

All the airports are hard runways and easy to find except for those in the lumpier part of Italy. Keep 'em peeled!

Aircraft in the 140-150ish cruise. I'll probably go Turbo Arrow

Brief history of the area: Well known for the Romans, (what have they ever done for us?) Ferrari, (famous for being red) Versace (whatever?) and military hats with lots of feathers. Oh, and for mislaying F104s

Flight plan is HERE

What else? Ah yes!

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Saturday, June 25th, 2022. 1800 UTC
Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel
Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server.

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!

If there's anything I've forgotten, which id highly likely, I'll make another post OR someone else will, pointing out various mistakes and omissions.

 

[somiller 694]

...the aqueducts!

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

Well, all right, the aqueducts, But what else have they done for us?

Incidentally, there's no scenery (that floated my boat) to download.

[robrooke 42]

What about  Ice cream,  Pasta ( all sorts),  Pizza,  & best of all     Sophia Loren.( now thats scenery ).

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

2 hours ago, robrooke said:

What about  Ice cream,  Pasta ( all sorts),  Pizza,  & best of all     Sophia Loren.( now thats scenery ).

Brulliant. Sophia Loren though? Looking a bit dated compared to the new scenery that's coming out.

[buzzbee 52]

NOTAM Saturday June 24th 2022 - Piper Turbo Arrow update. 

 

- ICAO type data updated (used for AI/multiplayer model matching)

Interesting note in the changelog!

[Bryan Rosier 31]

On 6/20/2022 at 8:42 PM, Ron Attwood said:

Well, all right, the aqueducts, But what else have they done for us?

Incidentally, there's no scenery (that floated my boat) to download.

Sanitation

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

Well yes OK, sanitation and aqueducts but etc. etc.

[MM 426]

Quick note for scenery addicts. I’m guessing that we intend to land at Rimini (LIPR) because, well, otherwise we have two long legs together joined by a VOR. Is that the case Ron?

If we use that airport, there is a good freeware Rimini “Frederico Fellini” (LIPR) by Pille83 at the flightsim.to site. Surely not necessary but a fine freeware offering.

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

Thanks Mike, I didn't see that one. But I'll 'fess up, I didn't put my best men on the job.

Aaaah! I see what you mean. I added the VOR to the flight plan instead of the airport. Oops! But of course you knew that didn't you? 😃

 

 

 

[MM 426]

Also, we pass near one interesting spot for aviation history: The Hotel Campo Imperatore on the Gran Sasso mountain range.

When the Italian government replaced Mussolini in 1943, they made him a prisoner and moved him several times as they were worried about security. As it happens, the Germans found him and put on a dramatic rescue operation...worthy of a Hollywood movie. The Grand Sasso raid was planned and executed by German Luftwaffe paratroopers who flew gliders onto a very high remote plateau in the Gran Sasso mountain range. Mussolini was being held in the Hotel Campo Imperatore near a ski station and a cable car. The paratroopers’ nine-glider flight clawed upward to gain altitude and then executed a dangerous landing on a small patch of steep rocky slope near the hotel. (One glider crashed and several troops were injured.) The Italian Carabinieri were overwhelmed and were “ordered” to stand down.

Otto Skorzeny (a legendary swashbuckling figure) of the SS had joined the raid and jumped in to be the primary figure to “rescue” Mussolini. He commandeered a Fieseler Storch and insisted on accompanying Mussolini down to Rome (and thus dangerously overloading the light STOL aircraft). The pilot nevertheless managed a skillful takeoff from the rocky ledge and recovered control as the overweight craft started to stall.  Skorzeny personally escorted Mussolini to meet the Fuhrer and managed to claim credit for the raid’s spectacular success. Read more here and here and perhaps look at an informative video with historic film clips and photographs.  

We probably don’t have the extra time divert to see this spot and the remaining hotel. (It adds 12 miles and more minutes due to the long climb. And this historic marker is not everyone’s cup of tea.) I have added an extra waypoint SASSO to Ron’s plan so that you can do a separate trip to take a look at the Campo Imperatore Gran Sasso site - if you like. The extra flightplan is available here.

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

I was just about to say that. 🤨