Mediterranean Algeria

[MM]

Mediterranean Algeria
For March 08, 2025
Michael MacKuen

We continue our trip across the top of the Maghreb by flying the length of Algeria’s Mediterranean coast. We pick up the route at Tiaret and fly to Algiers and then through the rugged  Kabylia region while getting a good look at the Tell Atlas mountains. Finally, we visit historic Constantine and then end our day at the large industrial city of Annaba. This land enjoys a Mediterranean climate on the coastline and a drier environment south of the mountains. While it comprises only a fifth of Algeria’s land (most of which is the Saharan desert) it hosts 90 percent of the country’s 46 million citizens. The population take pride in their war of independence (1962) from colonial France, has been gifted with substantial reserves of oil and natural gas, and has been ruled by an authoritarian military-backed oligarchy that has insured short-term political stability with unknown long-term costs.


Rugged Kabylia between the Djurdjura Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea

Our day begins with an afternoon departure from the old caravan town Tiaret [DAOB]. For centuries, this was the northern terminus of the main West African trans-Sahara routes. We head north over the mountains to Algeria’s fertile farmland. The western part is mostly supplied with irrigated water from the Chelif river. This is Algeria’s longest river and its water is so thoroughly allocated that it often runs dry before reaching the sea. We land at Chlef [DAOI], the French-founded farming center that is now named after the river on whose banks it sits.

Next we fly to Algiers, the country’s large capital city. We first circle north to see some famous sights: the 5 July 1962 Stadium (the new nation’s first “Olympic” stadium that seems to have aged over the years), the Hotel El Aurassi (a 1971 modern luxury hotel whose hilltop position overlooks the historic city center and harbor below), the City Center (whose French colonial architecture gave Algiers the nickname “the White City”) and of course the busy portside. Next are two striking modern monuments: the Martyrs Memorial (or “Magam Enchaid,” a 1982 tribute to the fallen heroes of the revolution), and the Great Mosque of Algiers (or “Djamaa el Djazaïr,” which was opened in 2019 as the world’s third largest Mosque with the world’s highest minaret. Designed in a modern interpretation of classic themes, most would agree about its beauty if they might disagree about its purpose and its costs). We land 3 miles south at the large international airport Algiers Houari Boumediene [DAAG]. (Depending on winds, we might land on 09 and depart from 05 or land on 23 and depart 27.)

We leave for the mountains. East of the capital lies Kabylia (or Kabylie), sometimes called “Africa’s Switzerland.” Over the centuries, the rugged mountainous terrain allowed the Berber population to maintain their autonomy despite the nearby cities and coast being ruled by several grand empires. Even the French found it difficult to subjugate the area (though they eventually prevailed). And the current Algerian government continues to use force to suppress local separatist movements. We fly southeast to the higher Tell Atlas ridges and can see Kabylia’s steep rolling hills and rows of mountains between our flightpath and the sea. We reach the majestic Djurdjura National Park and Djurdjura Massif (7,572). And then follow the fertile Soummam valley down to Béjaïa [DAAE], the cultural capital of Kabylia. In addition, Béjaïa is now the principal oil port of the western Mediterranean with the associated petrochemical industry and oil refinery operations.

Then we take a shortish hop over the Tell Atlas to see the narrow twisting mountain route inland through the Kherrata Gorge to Sétif, a colonial agricultural town and now a modernizing city in the Highlands. Sétif Aïn Arnat [DAAS] is both a civilian airport and a major military helicopter and commando base. And then back over the Atlas mountains and “Little Kabylia” to Jijel Ferhad Abbas [DAAV]. The city Jijel is surrounded by dense cork-oak forests (for which it is famous) and it has become a local (Algerian) tourist attraction.

Crossing the Atlas chain again, our next destination is the historic city Constantine. Ancient Cirta was a Berber royal capital and then a regional capital of the Roman Empire, eventually renamed in honor of Constantine the Great. This old city is built on a high mountain-top plateau split by a thousand-foot-deep ravine. Bridges traverse the ravine to connect the two halves of the city – some are large modern structures and others are colonial-era iron bridges still in use today. We fly over the bridges and ravine – though the default depiction is only vaguely representative of the city’s dramatic landscape. Today Constantine is the commercial center of eastern Algeria and has a total population of about one million. We proceed south to Constantine Mohamed Boudiaf [DABC].

Our final destination is Annaba, Algeria’s fourth largest urban area. The city was a coastal port Hippo Regius under the Roman Empire. (This was the main home of Saint Augustine, the great theologian and philosopher.) Later renamed Bon and Bȏne, the city prospered during the 16^th-18^th centuries hosting the Barbary Pirates – as did Algiers, Béjaïa and Jijel. Under French rule, the city grew as a port for exporting iron ore and phosphates and nowadays Annaba has developed Algeria’s most extensive industrial economy. We land at Annaba Rabah Bitat [DABB].

Documentation
The flightplans can be found here.

Aircraft
This is a flight of 445 miles along the Mediterranean coastline. We shall want aircraft with a “fast cruise” of about 220ktas. Some possibilities include the C414 Chancellor (with some rocket boost), the Beech B60 Duke and Turbine Duke, the Beech King Air C90, the Daher TBM 850/930, and the Pilatus PC-12. Faster yet are the Beech King Air 350 and the Cirrus Vision Jet. I’ll probably fly the TBM 850 or PC-12. As ever, please fly what you like.

Additional Scenery
All of the airports are in the default simulator. I recommend the following scenery to enhance our experience. (These are MSFS2020 sceneries that work well in MSFS2024.) Thanks to the authors for their talent and efforts.

Recommended:
Tiaret Abdelhafid Boussouf Bou Chekif [DAOB]. karis5963r  
Chlef [DAOI]. moh_3431
Bajaia Soummam Abane Ramdane [DAAE]. karis5963r
Setif Ain Arnat [DAAS]. karis5963r
Jijel Ferhat Abbas [DAAV]. karis5963r
Constantine Mouhamed Boudiaf [DABC]. moktarbo33
Annaba Rabah Bitat [DABB]. karis5963r
Algiers City. (Algiers stadiums and high-rise buildings). Pretzed
AL-Jazayer Ville. (Algiers Martyrs Memorial and Great Mosque.) Abdelkrim

You can get a download package here (838MB). [Alternatively, those careful about their downloads might instead prefer a “LIGHT” package here (304MB). This excludes DAAS and DAAV and includes the rest.]

There is also an excellent payware rendition of Algiers Houari Boumediene [DAAG] by NetDesign. For 2020/2024. See Orbx, iniBuilds, and simMarket. (This package includes exquisite depictions of the Martyrs Memorial and Grand Mosque of Algiers, as well as Nelson Mandela Stadium on the Rwy 09 approach. To avoid conflicts, do not simultaneously install the Abdelkrim freeware.)

Time and Weather
For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 2:00pm local for March 8, 2025.
We typically prefer real weather.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Saturday, March 8, 2025. 1900 UTC
RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel
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). Please be kind enough to enter the title exactly as it stands in the title=”xxx” line of the aircraft.cfg file. Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!