Route 66 – Part Six–Arizona to California
For Wed. November 26, 2025 

https://www.roadtripusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/California-AmboyRoysDinerRoute66-Michaelurmann-Editorial.jpg

Background

This is a continuation of our flights via Historic Route 66 trip in msfs2024 in the vintage Douglas DC-3 (1930’s) aircraft. This section of the historic highway has increasingly interesting terrain as elevations are definitely getting hillier and much more rugged and will continue as we travel westward.  

This is vintage Route 66 excursion is between Kingman, Arizona and San Bernardino, California. I thought this would be the final Route 66 excursion however after re-examining there will be a Route 66 Part 7 to finish off the last but very interesting section, that being in the greater Los Angeles area. 

The Mother Road has carried travelers through eight states and countless small towns, but for many, the heart of the adventure begins with Route 66 in Arizona and Route 66 in California. This stretch of the historic route offers some of the most iconic stops on the entire road trip, from ghost towns tucked into desert hills to neon diners and quirky roadside attractions that feel pulled straight from the past.

Crossing the Arizona state line, you’ll find yourself surrounded by dramatic landscapes, with the Colorado River carving a natural border and desert highways leading you west toward California. As we fly west over these towns, you’ll see why this part of the historic Route 66 is so often celebrated—it’s a living museum of America’s car culture, family vacations, and the glory days of the old road before the Interstate Highway System.

On the California border, the journey takes on a new character. Here the Mother Road Route winds through desert outposts, ghost towns, and in our next excursion, the bustling streets of Los Angeles, ending at the Santa Monica Pier—the symbolic western terminus of Route 66.

In this second to last section of our Route 66 series, we’ll guide you through Arizona and to the outskirts of LA: San Bernardino. As we are retracing the early years of the highway this stretch of Route 66 proves why it’s still known as America’s Main Street.

(https://www.cruiseamerica.com/trip-inspiration/route-66-arizona-california-the-final-stretch)

Our Trip

This is part six which covers historic Route 66 from Kingman, Arizona to San Bernardino, California. The trip is 301 nm long. This route starts at AZ97/X Bar 1 Ranch and contains eight intermediate stops: KIGM/Kingman, KEED/Needles, CL18/Danby, AM66/Amboy Field, 5CA4/Ludlow, KDAG/Barstow, 6CA8/Depue and KCCB/Cable with our final stop being KSBD/ San Bernardino,  California.

Aircraft: 
This trip along/over Route 66 was intended to be flown in the Douglas DC-3 in MSFS2024 but as always, please fly your aircraft of choice.

DC-3 Mod: https://flightsim.to/file/43893/duckworks-dc-3-improvement-mod by Imenes

Add-on Scenery:  All airports except AM66 are in the default sim:
https://flightsim.to/file/88356/amboy-airfield-california by littlebit (ICAO AM66)
https://flightsim.to/file/56025/roy-s-motel-office-and-residence-amboy-california* (*Supporting libs required)

FP, itinerary, etc can be found here. 

Time and Weather
Prefer to fly real weather if possible but if not, the few clouds or high clouds might make a nice choice.  For takeoff: set the simulator time to @0630 (ish) local.  (This time simulates a dawn flight and so that the sun is behind us and NOT in our eyes for the entire trip as we are heading west!)

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Wednesday, November 26, 2025 - 1800 UTC, 1400 Eastern
AVSIM Discord Server: https://discord.gg/K5Vy6UxWNm  - AVSIM GROUP EVENTS-WED. COM1
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: EAST-USA 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). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks! 

Norm Richards
November 2025

 

Is that a real photo or a screenshot at the top? I think it's a real photo based on the URL, but the fact that it took me 5 minutes to figure out, and that I'm still not 100% sure one way or the other shows how insanely far MSFS graphics have come.   

Sounds like a fun adventure and a good way to meet other simmers!

It is a real photo.. not a sim screenshot! 

All are welcome. Feel free to join us!