Today we fly from Kyrgyzstan to China.

We depart from Manas International Airport (UCFM), the main international airport in Kyrgyzstan. When Kyrgyzstan gained independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991, the airport began a steady decline as its infrastructure was neglected for almost ten years and a sizable aircraft boneyard developed. Approximately 60 derelict aircraft from the Soviet era, ranging in size from helicopters to full-sized airliners, were left in mothballs on the airport ramp at the eastern end of the field. After the 11 September terrorist attacks and the beginning of the United States invasion of Afghanistan, the United States Department of Defense immediately sought permission from the Kyrgyz government to use the airport as a military base. U.S. forces arrived in late December 2001 and immediately the airport saw an unprecedented expansion of operations and facilities. All derelict aircraft were rolled into a pasture next to the ramp to make room for coalition aircraft, and large, semi-permanent hangars were constructed to house coalition fighter aircraft. Additionally, a Marsden Matting parking apron was built along the Eastern half of the runway, along with a large cargo depot and several aircraft maintenance facilities. A tent city sprang up across the street from the passenger terminal, housing over 2,000 troops. The American forces christened the site "Ganci Air Base", after New York Fire Department chief Peter J. Ganci, Jr., who was killed in the 11 September terrorist attacks. It was later given the official name of Manas Air Base, renamed Transit Center at Manas in 2009, and closed and handed over to Kyrgyz authorities in 2014.

We head towards the Issyk Kul Lake and land at Iyssk-Kul (UCFL). Formerly known as Tamchy Airport, Issyk-Kul International Airport started its operations in 1975 as a reserve airport for the nearby Cholpon-Ata Airport. The current runway and terminal were built in 2003. In the same year, the Kyrgyz Government renamed Tamchy Airport to Issyk-Kul International Airport. It is a class 4D airport with CAT I instrument landing facilities and lighting on both the runway and stands. The Issyk-Kul Lakel is an endorheic saline lake in the western Tianshan Mountains. It is the eighth-deepest lake in the world, the eleventh-largest lake in the world by volume (though not in surface area), the deepest lake whose deepest point is above sea level (939 meters or 3,080 feet), and the third-largest saline lake. Although it is located at a lofty elevation of 1,607 meters (5,272 ft) and subject to severe cold during winter, it rarely freezes over due to high salinity, hence its name, which in the Kyrgyz language means "warm lake".

We fly along the northern lake shore, cross the border with China, and head to Karakol (UCFP). This is the 4th largest city of Kyrgyzstan and a major hub for visiting the lake. Now we cross the Tian Shan mountain range and arrive at Aksu. We land at the International Airport (ZWAK). The name Aksu means "white water" (in Turkic) and is used for both the oasis town and the Aksu River. The economy of Aksu is mostly agricultural, with cotton, in particular long-staple cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), as the main product. Also produced are grain, fruits, oils, and beets. The industry mostly consists of weaving, cement, and chemical industries. The land currently under the administration of the Aksu City is divided into two parts, separated by the Aral City. The northern part hosts the city center, while the southern part is occupied by the Taklamakan Desert. Aksu Airport is considered a military airport in China (although also available for civil usage). Only aircraft registered in China can land in Aksu. This means if you are flying to Aksu from international origins you have to land in a major airport in China like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, and change to China registered aircraft. (We, of course, can use our planes!).

Now we head north, cross the Tian Shan mountains again, and land at Dadamtu (ZWYN). Our next landing is at Xinyuan Nalati Airport (ZWNL). This is an airport that mainly serves tourists to the Nalati scenic area in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Our final leg leads us to the Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport (ZWWW), an international airport serving Ürümqi, the capital of Northwest China‘s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Being the largest province-level division of China by area and the 8th-largest country subdivision in the world, Xinjiang spans over 1.6 million square kilometers (620,000 sq mi) and has about 25 million inhabitants.

The flight has a length of about 740 miles and 5 landings. We want to be fast, cruising at about 420 knots. I will be in the IFE Tornado in the German Navy livery. Please fly what you like.

The flight plans are here

Recommended scenery:

UCFM: https://flightsim.to/file/53663/manas-international-airport-icao-ucfm

ZWYN: https://flightsim.to/file/60287/zwyn-xinjiangyining-airport

ZWAK: https://flightsim.to/file/74218/halua6683-zwak-akesuhongqipo-airport

ZWWW: https://flightsim.to/file/36712/rmqi-diwopu-international-airport-simple-version

The complete package is here.

 

We try real weather. Please set your sim for a 10:00 am local take-off.

 

Multiplayer Particulars:

Date and time: Sunday, January 19, 2025. 1700 UTC

Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server.

These flights are events posted at DigitalThemePark and use DTP's Teamspeak Channel for communication.

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!

Once they saw that the German Navy was sending aircraft on a special mission in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and China’s Xinjiang Region, the US Navy brass decided to send along a carrier-based F-35C to accompany the flight. It was not clear how the strategic location of this mission pertains to a blue-water Navy. But classic naval doctrine suggests that the underlying rationale of Alfred Thayer Mahon be respected. A naval aviator, enjoying his shore leave in San Diego, was thus surprised to be sent to mid-January Kyrgyzstan. 😉