Switzerland became a country in its modern form in 1848, when it adopted a federal constitution and transformed from a confederation of separate states into a federal state.However, the origins of Switzerland as a political entity date back much further: The traditional founding date of the Swiss Confederation is August 1, 1291. This is when three cantons (Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden) formed an alliance for mutual defense. Over the centuries, more cantons joined this loose confederation. Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in 1648 by the Peace of Westphalia. The modern federal state of Switzerland was established in 1848 following a brief civil war (the Sonderbund War) in 1847.

 We depart from Geneva (LSGG).

Geneva is a global city, a financial center, and a worldwide center for diplomacy due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many agencies of the United Nations and the ICRC and IFRC of the Red Cross. In the aftermath of World War I, it hosted the League of Nations. It was where the Geneva Conventions on humanitarian treatment in war were signed. It shares a unique distinction with municipalities such as New York City (global headquarters of the UN), Basel (Bank for International Settlements), and Strasbourg (Council of Europe) as a city that serves as the headquarters of at least one critical international organization without being the capital of a country. The city has been referred to as the world's most compact metropolis and the "Peace Capital". Our first POI is the Batiment des Forces Motrices, the powerhouse of a former hydropower plant. It is now a cultural center. Very close by is the Brunswick Monument, a mausoleum built in 1879 to commemorate the life of Charles II, Duke of Brunswick. He bequeathed his fortune to the city of Geneva in exchange for a monument to be built in his name, specifying that it be a replica of the Scaliger Tombs in Verona, Italy.

We fly east of Lake Geneva and pass over a Radar Station and the Restaurant La Barillette, situated on a mountain with the same name, which is very hard to see. Now we reach the Rolex Learning Center, a public library, and the main research library of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, a public research university. In downtown Lausanne, we see the Lausanne Cathedral. It was originally built as a catholic church. Construction work started around 1170. The Protestant Reformation, in particular the variant that came from nearby Geneva, significantly affected the cathedral, with it eventually being turned over to a Protestant denomination. In 1536, a new liturgical area was added to the nave, and the colorful decorations inside the cathedral were covered over. Other major restorations occurred later in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 20th century, major restorations occurred to restore the painted interior decorations as well as to restore a painted portal on the South side of the cathedral. We land at La Blecherette (LSGL).

We continue along the lake and visit Chillon Castle, an island medieval castle which gives access to the Alpine valley of the Rhône. Chillon is amongst the most visited medieval castles in Switzerland and Europe. Successively occupied by the House of Savoy, then by the Bernese from 1536 until 1798, it now belongs to the canton de Vaud and is classified as a Swiss Cultural Property of National Significance. We continue and need to climb. On the way to the Chamois Summit, we pass over the Glacier 3000 Cable Car station and reach the Peak Walk, which is a pedestrian suspension bridge linking two mountain peaks. On the other peak is the viewpoint of the Glacier 3000 company. Scex Rouge is about 5 m (16 ft) higher than Glacier 3000's viewpoint. Peak Walk is the world's first suspension bridge which connects two mountain peaks. The bridge is 107 m (351 ft) long, 0.8 m (2.6 ft) wide, and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) high with a 15% slope. It has four pieces of key supporting steel cables with a 120-tonne loading capacity. The bridge has a partial glass floor that offers views down through it.

We land at Sion (LSGS). The first POI after take-off is the Basilica de Valere. The castle and basilica of Valeria, named in honor of Valeriana, mother of the Roman city prefect Titus Campanius Priscus Maximianus, who is documented in 43 AD, are located on one of the two hills that dominate the eastern old town of Sion. Established in Celtic times, the castle and church were first mentioned in a document in 1049. We continue and overfly the Statue of Christ the King. The monument is located on a 50-meter-high rock at an altitude of 1,200 meters, from where it overlooks the Chamonix Valley. It is only accessible on foot. The statue stands on an escarpment of non-metamorphosed Permian sedimentary rocks, distinguished by their dark colors and a variety of rock types. Abbé Claude-Marie Delassiat conceived the erection of this monumental statue, inspired by a papal encyclical, to illustrate the universal reign of Christ. With the support of the Vatican and a successful fundraising campaign, construction was advanced, and the statue, intended to symbolize unity and peace among people, was erected on the Rocher d'Oran opposite Mont Blanc.

Next we pass the Euseigne Pyramids, fairy chimney rock formations. These are small natural reliefs, which are between 10 and 15 meters tall, are crowned by a stone, and were formed by the deterioration of moraines. Thanks to their relatively big weight, these blocs protect the pyramids by compressing the underlying moraine. Now we pass over three dams. The first one is the Grande Dixence Dam, the tallest gravity dam in the world. A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold back water by using only the weight of the material and its resistance against the foundation. Gravity dams are designed so that each section of the dam is stable and independent of any other dam section. The next is the Mauvoisin Dam. In 2016, the dam was the location of the world-record highest successful basketball shot. 28-year-old Australian Derek Herron (from the YouTube channel How Ridiculous) launched a basketball from the top of the dam, where it fell 180 meters (590 ft) directly into a net placed on the ground below. The Place Molin Dam is already in Italy. Now we reach the famous Matterhorn Glacier with the Gornergrat South Observatory close by. The next PI is the Ganter Bridge, which is the second-longest-spanning bridge in Switzerland after the Poya Bridge. It is located along the Simplon Pass. We land at Munster (LSPU).

Leaving Munster we must climb to overfly the Sphinx Observatory. It is an astronomical observatory located above the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland. It is named after the Sphinx, a rocky summit on which it is located at 3,571 m (11,716 ft) above mean sea level, making it one of the highest observatories in the world. Accessible to the public, it is also the second-highest observation deck in Switzerland. The mountain top has been tunneled to fit an elevator that ascends to the observatory from the Jungfraujoch railway station, the highest such train station in Europe. The observatory plays an important role in a range of long-term experiments; it serves as a solar spectrometer for the Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics at the University of Liège, Belgium, and plays a key role in a LIDAR experiment conducted by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. Very close is the Schilthorn. It is the highest mountain in the range lying north of the Sefinenfurgge Pass. The Schilthorn lies above the village of Mürren, from where a cable car leads to its summit. Now we reach the Tseuzier Dam. The reservoir has a volume of 51 mio m³ and a surface area of 0.85 km2 (0.33 sq mi).

We land at Saanen (LSGK). About 9 miles northwest is Gruyéres Castle, one of the most famous castles in Switzerland. It was built between 1270 and 1282, following the typical square plan of the fortifications in Savoy.  The castle was purchased by the canton of Fribourg in 1938, made into a museum, and opened to the public. Since 1993, a foundation has ensured the conservation as well as the highlighting of the building and the art collection. About 14 miles north we reach the Poya Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge. The bridge is 851.6 meters (2,794 ft) in overall length with a 196 m (643 ft) main span over the Sarine River, which is the longest main span in Switzerland. We cross the Lake Neuchâtel and reach Valagin Castle. Built on a rocky promontory upstream from the Seyon gorges, the castle was the residence of the lords of Valangin from the mid-12th to the 16th century, during which time the entire structure underwent significant development. Attached to the lordship of Neuchâtel in 1592, the fortress lost its importance and experienced nearly three centuries of decline. At the end of the 19th century, the remaining buildings were restored and converted into a museum, a function that continues to this day. We reach Bern, the de facto capital city of Switzerland. Here we see the Palace of Switzerland, housing the Swiss Federal Assembly (legislature) and the Federal Council (executive). It is the seat of the government of Switzerland and parliament of the country. The building is a listed symmetrical complex just over 300 meters (980 ft) long. It is considered one of the most important historic buildings in the country. It consists of three interconnected buildings. The two chambers of the Federal Assembly, the National Council and Council of States meet in the parliament building on Bundesplatz. Next to it is the Bern Minster, a Reformed cathedral (or minster), built in the Gothic style. Its construction started in 1421. Its tower, with a height of 100.6 m (330 ft), was only completed in 1893. It is the tallest cathedral in Switzerland and is a Cultural Property of National Significance. About a mile east is the Zentrum Paul Klee. It is a museum dedicated to the artist Paul Klee, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. It features about 40 percent of Paul Klee's entire pictorial oeuvre. In 1997, Livia Klee-Meyer, Paul Klee's daughter-in-law, donated her inheritance of almost 690 works to the city and canton of Bern. Additional works and documents donated and loaned by the family and the Paul-Klee-Foundation and a further 200 loans from private collections contributed to creating a very large collection of works by the artist. It takes the form of three undulations blending into the landscape.

We land at Bern-Belp (LSZB). After departure, we reach two more castles. First is the Trachselwald Castle. The name of the rulers of the castle was first mentioned in 1131. The castle itself may date back to the 10th century but the 11th or 12th century is more likely. The castle was rebuilt or expanded several times. Its oldest parts are the keep, which was built out of tuff, and one-half of the main building. These parts of the castle were built in the second half of the 12th century. Next is Habsburg Castle, a medieval fortress located in what is now Habsburg, Switzerland. At the time of its construction, the location was part of the Duchy of Swabia. Habsburg Castle is the original seat of the House of Habsburg, which became one of the leading imperial and royal dynasties in Europe. The castle was built around 1020 by Count Radbot. The name of "Habsburg" was not added to the noble title until Radbot's grandson, Otto II. He added "von Habsburg" to his title, thus beginning the House of Habsburg.

We land at Zurich (LSZH). After departure, we overfly the city and see the Swiss National Museum. It displays many objects that illustrate the cultural and historical background of Switzerland. It also contains many ancient artifacts, including stained glass, costumes, painted furniture, and weapons. Close to the lake is the Grossmuenster, one of Zurich’s churches. The twin towers of the Grossmünster are regarded as perhaps the most recognized landmark in Zürich. According to legend, Charlemagne discovered the graves of the city's martyrs Felix and Regula and built the first church as a monastery; started of current building around 1100; in the first half of the 16th century, the Great Minster was the starting point of the Swiss-German Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger. We fly over the Stadium and the Uetliberg TV Tower before landing at Hausen (LSZN). We reach Lucerne and visit the Kapellbrücke. It is a covered wooden footbridge spanning the river Reuss diagonally. Named after the nearby St. Peter's Chapel, the bridge is unique in containing several interior paintings dating back to the 17th century, although many of them were destroyed along with a larger part of the centuries-old bridge in a 1993 fire. Subsequently restored, the Kapellbrücke is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, as well as the world's oldest surviving truss bridge. It serves as the city's symbol and as one of Switzerland's main tourist attractions. Next is the Swissporarena, a multi-use stadium, completed in 2011. It is used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of FC Luzern of the Swiss Super League. Finally, we head for Mount Pilatus to see the Hotel Pilatus Kulm. The hotel is situated directly on Mount Pilatus, one of Switzerland's most famous mountains. From here, you have a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, Lake Lucerne, and the Alps. The hotel was built in 1890 and completely renovated in 2010. The combination of historical charm and modern comfort makes the hotel a special place. The rooms are comfortably furnished and offer all the amenities you need for a relaxing stay. We finish this flight at Buochs (LSZC).

The flight has 377 miles and 7 landings. We want to cruise at about 160 KIAS. I will be in the BS Analog Bonanza, but many GA single-engine or light twins are suitable as well. Please fly what you like.

Flight plans are here.

Additional scenery:

Swiss Mountain Tree Fix: Swiss mountains tree fix (trees on mountains removed) for Microsoft Flight Simulator | MSFS

LSGG: https://flightsim.to/file/4515/geneva-lsgg-airport-basic

LSGL: https://flightsim.to/file/35043/lsgl-lausanne-la-blcherette

LSPU: https://flightsim.to/file/10826/lspu-munster-airfield

LSGK: https://flightsim.to/file/61989/flugplatz-gstaad-saanen-lsgk-for-msfs

LSZC: https://flightsim.to/file/33938/buochs-air-base-lszc-switzerland-tag21

LSPU, LSGK, LSZB, LSZH, LSZN are available as Payware from ORBX or Aerosoft.

Bern is an enhanced ASOBO Airport

 

We could try real weather. But with the Alps summits in clouds, we would miss many POIS. I suggest taking the weather preset #1. Let’s depart at 11 am.

 

Particulars:

•        Date and time: Saturday, September 7, 18:00 UTC    
•        RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel
•        MFS Multiplayer: US Eastcoast 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!

Looks like a lovely flight!  BTW, the gfp flightplan loads up fine "as is" in the GTN, no need to revert to the "user waypoint" version.. 😉

Thank you Bert!

BTW, there is an extensive update available for the Swiss Mountain Tree Fix add on.