Around the Black Sea - Part II

We continue our tour around the Black Sea and depart from Chisinau (LUKK), the capital and largest city of Moldova. This city of around 700,000 people sits in the central part of this small Eastern European nation. Moldova is a landlocked country. It gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and is one of Europe's poorest countries, though it has a rich winemaking tradition dating back thousands of years. Chisinau itself features a mix of Soviet-era architecture and modern developments, with wide boulevards and numerous parks. The official language is Romanian, though Russian is also widely spoken.

Flying southeast, we reach Odesa (UKOO), Ukraine's third-largest city and most important port on the Black Sea. This historic city of about one million people has been called the "Pearl of the Black Sea." Founded in 1794 by Catherine the Great, Odesa developed as a cosmopolitan trading hub with a unique character reflected in its beautiful 19th-century architecture, including the famous Potemkin Stairs. The city has a rich cultural heritage with strong connections to literature, music, and humor. Odesa has been significantly affected by the ongoing war with Russia that began in 2022.

Continuing along the coast, we reach Mykolaiv (UKON), a major shipbuilding center located at the confluence of the Southern Bug and Inhul rivers near the Black Sea. With a population of around 470,000 before the current conflict, Mykolaiv has been a crucial naval construction hub since the Russian Empire. The city is sometimes called the "City of Shipbuilders." Like Odesa, Mykolaiv has been heavily affected by the war.

Our next destination is Skadovsk (UKSK), a small resort town with a pre-war population of around 17,000. This quiet seaside town in the Kherson Oblast has traditionally been known for its sandy beaches and shallow waters, making it popular for family holidays. Flying further west, we arrive at Khersones (UKSV) near Sevastopol in Crimea. This region is dominated by the ancient Greek archaeological site of Chersonesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is significant both historically and militarily. Sevastopol is home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet and has been a major focal point in the ongoing conflict, experiencing drone attacks and military activity. Final Destination: Gora Klementyeva (Mount Klementyev), Crimea.

This flight concludes at Gora Klementyeva (UKKB), located near the town of Koktebel on Crimea's eastern coast. Mount Klementyev is famous in aviation history as one of the world's premier sites for gliding and soaring. The mountain's unique aerodynamic properties create consistent updrafts, making it ideal for unpowered flight. Since the 1920s, it has been a training ground for glider pilots and the site of numerous aviation experiments. The nearby town of Koktebel is a resort area known for its natural beauty, vineyards, and connections to Russian poets and artists.

The flight is 388 miles long with 4 landings. We want to cruise at about 250 knots. Good choices are the CJ4, the PC-24, the PC-12, or any small business jet or fast turboprop. I will probably be in the PC-12. Please fly what you like.

The flight plans are here. The GTN database does not include any Russian airports. Therefore, the GTN flight plan ends at URKA.

Recommended scenery:

Chisinau – LUKK (from previous flight)

Mykolaiv – UKON (from previous flight)

Shadovsk UKSK

Khersones – UKSV

Chisinau is available as payware from ORBX.

We try real weather. Please set your simulator for a 1 pm local departure.

Multiplayer Particulars:

Date and time: Sunday, February 8, 2026. 17:00 UTC

Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server

These flights are events posted at DigitalThemePark. For these Sunday flights, we use DTP’s Discord Server 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!