(FS2024) Korean Air Boeing 747-8i - Denver to Honolulu...

[P_7878]

First of all, just as some of us must feel a sense of "withdrawal syndrome" if we don't visit these Forums on a daily basis...🙂...or don't fly our favorite SIM at least on a weekly basis, likewise, I feel an uncomfortable psychological sense of "withdrawal"...🙂...if I don't fly the 747 (Queen) in the SIM for a period longer than a couple of months (it has been so since my earliest times in this hobby). 

So, today, I decided to take out the MSFS/Asobo 747-8 on a relatively long-haul trip (haven't done such a trip for a while...). I'm also making use of the MSFS (U.S.) City Update 10. There are 5 cities that have been scoped in this City Update. Choosing 2 out of the 5, for this flight, I depart from KDEN/Denver airport and arrive in PHNL/Honolulu airport. The RW (KDEN/PHNL) flights are typically operated non-stop by 777-200s, or/and with one connection at KLAX (or KSFO) by a typical combo of a/c pairs from a selection of (A321/A321neo, B738/B739, B38M/B39M (took me a minute to guess that these are 737 MAX 8/9...🙂...) etc.).

The RW flight distance is typically ~3,300 miles, which (reasonably) matched my SimBrief flight plan distance when the SIDs/STARs are factored in. I flew overland first for about 900 miles, immediately past the Rockies upcoming to the west of Denver City and then later the coastal mountains of California (if you wish, see my previous post on California), till I got my feet wet...🙂...on the Pacific Coastline. Then I flew on for another ~2,000 miles in the tranquility (and monotonous boredom...🙂...) of the Oceanic segment. I have chosen to leave Denver in the dawn light and, and during the course of my flight, over the Pacific Ocean, I witnessed a serene and beautiful dusk...with the western sky (and my airplane) abundantly bathed in the full glory of the (resplendent) MSFS lighting...🙂... (followed by nightfall by the time I approached the Hawaiian Islands and finally touched down into PHNL).

This Asobo 747-8 stood up admirably to the challenge of my long-haul flight today e.g., there was no (anomalous) loss of mid-flight avionics which I've occasionally experienced with both the 747-8 and the 787-10. To reduce my flight-duration (accounting for required attendance at a local cultural event later in the evening today...🙂...), I've performed portions of the oceanic cruise phase at SIM Rate 2X. Otherwise, I have stayed true to the SimBrief Waypoint sequencing of the route (with occasional "pauses" inserted...for health breaks and such...this, as you might guess, being a (highly demanding) single-pilot operation...🙂...).

For livery, I've selected the attractive colors of "Korean Air", an airline I recall flying often in my old SIMs but have never flown here in MSFS. Historically, Korean Air is no stranger to 747. Having introduced the 747 into service in 1973, over the next 50+ years, it has operated no less than 85 total 747s, of most variants (-200, -300, -400, -SP, -8). Whenever I see (or fly) the Korean Air 747 in the SIM, my mind uncontrollably (always) drifts to the fateful and tragic (1983) incidence of Korean Air Lines Flight 007. Far cry from today's modern LNAV/VNAV based (seamless...🙂...) navigation of the 747-8 that I'm flying here today, those were the days of the INS (Inertial Navigation System) tasked to maintain lateral course between selected flight plan waypoints pre-programmed into the INS computer. If you are not a professional pilot (as I'm not either...🙂...) but ever flew, in the SIM, the 747 "Classics" such as the (-100, -200, -300, and -SP), with their analog instrumentation and INS CDUs, this excerpted text below from the Wiki of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 would make ready sense to you (btw, we miss a 747 Classic in MSFS...speaking purely from an aviation enthusiast's perspective).

"The lateral navigation of the autopilot system of the 747-200 has four basic control modes: HEADING, VOR/LOC, ILS, and INS. When the INS navigation systems are properly programmed with the filed flight plan waypoints, the pilot could turn the autopilot mode selector switch to the INS position and the plane would then automatically track the programmed INS course line, provided the plane was headed in the proper direction and within 7.5 nautical miles of that course line. If, however, the plane is more than 7.5 nautical miles from the flight-planned course line when the pilot turns the autopilot mode selector from HEADING to INS, the plane would continue to track the heading selected in HEADING mode as long as the actual position of the plane was more than 7.5 nautical miles from the programmed INS course line. The autopilot computer software commands the INS mode to remain in the "armed" condition until the plane moves to a position less than 7.5 nautical miles from the desired course line. Once that happens, the INS mode would change from "armed" to "capture" and the plane would track the flight-planned course from then on."

The 747-200 airliner, en route from Anchorage to Seoul, owing to navigational errors related to the principles above, had somehow drifted from its planned route, that resulted in ultimate tragedy.

Anyway, speaking of happier (current) times of Korean Air 747s, I was struck by this coincident bit of news I came across today, on the very same day I chose to fly the Korean Air 747-8, without my prior awareness of this (remarkable) Korean Air milestone that is taking place today on April 25, 2025.

"On April 25, 2025, Korean Air will bring back its Boeing 747-8i on the prestigious route between Seoul Incheon and Atlanta. This flight will once again claim the title of the longest nonstop scheduled 747 passenger flight by distance, overtaking the Frankfurt to Buenos Aires route. While other routes, such as the Beijing to Washington Dulles service, hold the block time record, Korean Air’s route will stand out due to its unique detour around Russian airspace. This adjustment places Seoul-Atlanta in a distinct category of long-haul travel, pushing it to the forefront of aviation records."...Well done... [Note: Due to safety concerns, and operational challenges, instead of flying directly over Russia, flights to Atlanta from Incheon are rerouted through the Pacific Ocean, near Alaska, which adds approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes to the flight time.]

Hope you enjoy this collection of Korean Air 747 images from my long-haul flight today...as I lift off westward from KDEN/Denver Runway 26. Note the tented roof of Denver's main terminal (one of the most recognizable airport terminals in the world; one I’ve had chance to visit) that is hard to miss (see one shot below). After 3,000+ miles and 7.5 hours, I've landed into PHNL (ILS) Runway 08L (see images and EFB Map displays for supplementary positional information along my route)! 

It was a satisfactory flight indeed...especially when everything worked as expected...of course within the limited knowledge bounds of yours truly in the command of this 747-8...🙂...

Thanks for viewing...! And happy flying...with MSFS 2020/2024, P3D, XP, FSX, DCS, AFS etc. as the case (or cases) may be for yourself as of today...🙂...!

Edited April 25 by P_7878

[pmplayer]

Always nice to see the 747 for a fly, fine set of shots !

cheers 😉

[Alaska738]

Great set of shots! 😉 

[P_7878]

pmplayer, Will, rmeier, John:

Thanks for the responses and glad you liked these pictures of the 747...🙂...

Cheers...!

[andiflyit]

Nice shots of the big bird P_7878!

[P_7878]

Hi Andreas: Thanks much for the comment...🙂...Cheers...!