Light Flight Sicilian Style

[MM]

Light Flight Sicilian Style
For March 26, 2025
Michael MacKuen

We shall enjoy an afternoon in light aircraft over the beautiful rugged landscape of Sicily. We depart from the small “Eagles Field” outside Paternó skirting around Mount Etna and then along the northern coast. We’ll turn south inland and then briefly to the southern coast and finally to the east to the Syracuse Flying Club home field. Most of these stops are light aircraft airstrips used for sport flying by local aviators. (For an example that includes four of our airfields, see this video.)

We begin at the Campo Volo Eagles Paternó [CT15]. (This is an addon – and MSFS will give you a strange airfield name {Wysocki Field} when you select the field. If you do not have the addon installed, begin at Campo di Volo Il Cherubino LIST.) We shall fly northeast along the southern and eastern edges of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. We land at the delightful Aviosuperficie Angelo D’Arrigo [IT10 LIPP]. (This is another addon. The author’s ICAO and MSFS ICAO are IT10 and LIPP respectively.) Then around the mountain and over some terrain before descending to the coastal resort airstrip at Campo di Volo Capo d’Orlando [LIRO]. We proceed along the gorgeous coastline, landing at the sport fields Aviosuperficie Minotaurus e Medusa [LIAC] and then Campo di Volo Albatros [LISC].


Home of the Aeroclub of Central Sicily

After a moment, we head south climbing over the rising terrain of the interior to Campo di Volo AvioClub Centro Sicilia [LISR]. Then southwest 18nm to the Agrigento area and the remains of the ancient Greek city Akragas. This is the Valley of the Temples, a world-famous archeological site with many Greek structures in varying stages of decay. The best preserved building is the Temple of Concordia nicely represented by Asobo. We continue along the southern coast to the Aviosuperficie Agrigento [LITY] and the Campo di Volo Club Aeronautico Gela [LIIN]. (The latter indicates Rwy 23 due to powerlines south of the field.) Then the Aviosuperficie Caltagirone Massarotti [CT12]. This is beautiful, and interesting, as it is nestled in a little valley between higher hills. (You might like to see the striking approach here.) (On the map and your GPS this is a mere waypoint. The airport does not translate into the MSFS2024 data base. If you need a substitute location, use nearby Aviosuperficie Bosco di Mezzo [LIHM].)

Afterwards a 32nm leg to the southeast coast and a cluster of three attractive little airfields. We might be careful with the small hilltop Aviosuperficie Eloro Norto [SR07]. And then the popular Aviosuperficie Avola Galina  [SR04 LIFB]. (Here is a brief video.) Finally, we land at Aviosuperficie Rinaura [SRSIR LICI] which hosts the Avio Club Siracusa (brief clip). The members have offered to share a post-flight refreshment.

Documentation
The flightplans can be found here.

Aircraft
This is a flight of 249 miles. We shall want light sport aircraft with a “fast cruise” of about 125ktas. Some possibilities include the JMB VL3 (with rocket boosters), C172 Skyhawk, the Pipistrel Virus, the Cubcrafters XCub or NXCub, and for “wind-in-the-wires” the Stearman (modern). Also the Vans RV-8 and RV-14 are of the proper type but faster than necessary: some throttle control will be necessary. I’ll probably fly the Pipistrel Virus. As ever, please fly what you like.

Additional Scenery
Not all of the airports are in the default simulator. I recommend the following scenery to enhance our experience and to add some character. (These are MSFS2020 sceneries that work well enough in MSFS2024.) Thanks to the authors for their talent and efforts.

Recommended:
Campo Volo Eagles Paternó [CT15]. Sidewinder82
Aviosuperficie Angelo D’Arrigo [IT10 LIPP]. kelemaco
Campo di Volo Capo d’Orlando [LIRO]. kelemaco
Aviosuperficie Minotaurus e Medusa [LIAC]. kelemaco
Campo di Volo AvioClub Centro Sicilia [CLSDF LISR]. kelemaco
 Aviosuperficie Arigento [LITY]. EddiZ
Campo di Volo Club Aeronautico Gela [LIIN]. kelemaco
Aviosuperficie Massarotti Caltagirone [CT12]. Sidewinder82
Aviosuperficie Eloro Norto [SR07]. Sidewinder82
Aviosuperficie Avola Galina [SR04 LIFB]. kelemaco
Aviosuperficie Rinaura [SRSIR LICI]. kelemaco

You can get a download package here (0.5MB). (This is a small footprint. The authors use several of the commonly used 2020 libraries. These work well in 2024.)

And very optional. This early-photogrammetry package gives a sense of the scale of the Greek city. Unhappily, Asobo’s enthusiastic trees obscure most of the ruins. (If you use this, disable the package’s Concordia subfolder to avoid conflict with the excellent Asobo version.)
Agrigento Valley of the Temples. kelemaco (300MB)

Time and Weather
For takeoff on Wednesday, set the simulator at 2:30pm local for March 26, 2025.
We typically prefer real weather. The forecast is for clouds, rain, and thunderstorms. As this is a sport-flying joyride, we may prefer the “High Clouds” preset.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Wednesday, March 26, 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!
 

[Bert Pieke]

Wrong flight plan?  I get the Agean tour when downloading..

[MM]

Thanks for finding that Bert. Link now fixed.
-M

[MM]

NOTAM. Aviosuperficie Caltagirone Massarotti [CT12]. This lovely real world airstrip will not appear in your MSFS2024 GPS. Here are some specifics: The airstrip lies between two ridges. The grass runway 04/22 is 2016ft long at an altitude of 1208ft. The slight slope mildly prefers landing on 04 but 22 is fine.