Sierra Madre Oriental and Big Bend National Park

[Viking01]

We explore the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico and Big Bend National Park in Texas.

The Sierra Madre Oriental runs northwest to southeast through the State, and the higher elevations are home to the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests. The northernmost fingers of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Sierra del Burro, and the Sierra del Carmen, reach the border with the United States at the Rio Grande.

We depart from Monclova (MMMV). With the enactment of the 1836 Constitutional Laws, by which the federal republic was converted into a centralized one, the state of Coahuila y Tejas was divided into two departments, Coahuila and Tejas (or Texas, as it would later become). Saltillo was confirmed as Coahuila's capital. However, 1835-36 was also the period of the Texas Revolution, and Texas became an independent republic. Today Monclova has one of the highest levels of commercial, industrial, and financial development, and currently has one of the lowest poverty rates among Mexican cities. Its metropolitan area has one of the highest labor productivity rates.

We track north and land at El Palmar (MMZK). Further north we reach the Rancho La Pena Airport (MMMR). We land at El Jardin (KSAO) and then cross the Border to the US.

We fly around Big Bend National Park and land at Terlingua (3TE8) and Big Bend (3T9). Terlingua is a mining district and census-designated place (CDP) in southwestern Brewster County, Texas, United States. The discovery of cinnabar, from which the metal mercury is extracted, in the mid-1880s brought miners to the area, creating a city of 2,000 people. The only remnants of the mining days are a ghost town of the Howard Perry-owned Chisos Mining Company and several nearby capped and abandoned mines. The mineral terlinguaite was first found in the vicinity of California Hill. Big Bend National has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States and was named after a large bend in the Rio Grande/Río Bravo. The park protects more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals. Additional park activities include scenic drives, programs led by Big Bend park rangers, and stargazing.

We stay close to the border and land at Presidio Lely (KPRS). Now we head north and visit the TARSA Marfa before finishing the flight at Marfa (KMRF). The Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) is an American low-level airborne ground surveillance system that uses aerostats (moored balloons) as radar platforms. Similar systems include the EL/M-2083 and JLENS.

The flight is 320 miles long and includes 6 landings. We want to cruise at about 220 knots. I will be in the OV10 Bonco. Please fly what you like.

The flight plans are here. No additional sceneries are available.

We try real weather. Please set your simulator for an 8 am local departure.

 

Multiplayer Particulars:

Date and time: Sunday, March 02, 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.

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