African Expedition, Part I

This is the first flight of the “Crossing Africa” series. We will cross Africa from west to east, not necessarily in a straight line, and with different airplanes.

We begin our crossing in Monrovia, Liberia. We depart from Roberts International Airport (GLRB) and follow the coast to Greenville (GLGE), Liberia. Greeville is the gateway to the Sapo National Park. Our next stop is at Zwedru (GLTN), Liberia, the largest metropolis in the southeast, and the key inland transportation center in the region. The intersection of the two main highways linking the 5 counties in the region lies some 13 km (8 miles) southwest of the city. The William D. Coleman Airfield, with its gravel-surfaced runway, lies within the city limits and provides only domestic services.

We reach the Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city is Yamoussoukro. The country's largest city and economic centre is the port city of Abidjan. With 31.5 million inhabitants in 2024, the Ivory Coast is the third-most populous country in West Africa. Its official language is French, and indigenous languages are also widely used. The country has a religiously diverse population, including numerous followers of Islam, Christianity, and traditional faiths often entailing animism. Before its colonisation, the Ivory Coast was home to several states. The area became a protectorate of France in 1843 and was consolidated as a French colony in 1893 amid the Scramble for Africa. It achieved independence in 1960, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who ruled the country until 1993. Relatively stable by regional standards, the Ivory Coast established close political-economic ties with its West African neighbours while maintaining close relations with the West, especially France. Its stability was diminished by a coup d'état in 1999 and two civil wars—first between 2002 and 2007 and again during 2010–2011. It adopted a new constitution in 2016. Ivory Coast is a republic with strong executive power vested in its president. Through the production of coffee and cocoa, it was an economic powerhouse in West Africa during the 1960s and 1970s, then experienced an economic crisis in the 1980s, contributing to a period of political and social turmoil that extended until 2011. Ivory Coast has again experienced high economic growth since the return of peace and political stability in 2011. Despite this, as of the most recent survey in 2016, 46.1% of the population continues to be affected by multidimensional poverty. As of 2023, the Ivory Coast is the world's largest exporter of cocoa beans and has high levels of income for its region. The economy still relies heavily on agriculture, with smallholder cash-crop production predominating.

We land at Daola (DIDL), Ivory Coast. After a short break, we reach our destination, Yamoussoukro (DIYO), the capital city of the Ivory Coast. In March 1983, President Houphouët-Boigny made Yamoussoukro the political and administrative capital of the Ivory Coast, as the city was his birthplace. This marked the fourth movement of the country's capital city in a century. Ivory Coast's previous capital cities were Grand-Bassam (1893), Bingerville (1900), and Abidjan (1933). Most economic activity still takes place in Abidjan, and it is officially designated as the "economic capital" of the country.

The flight is 360 miles long with four landings. The flight plans are here.

We want to cruise at about 220 knots. The King Air, the PC-12, or other aircraft in that speed range are suitable. I will be in the BlackSquare Starship. Please fly what you like.

Additional scenery:

The Africa to Go freeware offers slight improvements for GLGE and DIYO.

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

Multiplayer Particulars:

Date and time: Sunday, September 28, 2025. 1600 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!