Africa V - Equatorial Guinea and Gabon

This tour takes us on a journey from the Atlantic coast of Central Africa into the equatorial rainforest interior. The route crosses two nations and traverses some of the most biologically rich and historically layered terrain on the African continent. The landscape is dominated by dense equatorial rainforest and meandering river systems.

We depart from Bata (FGBT), Equatorial Guinea, the largest city and the commercial and administrative heart of the country's continental territory. The population has grown dramatically in recent decades, driven by oil revenues and internal migration, and estimates now place the city at well over half a million inhabitants, making it one of the fastest-growing urban centers in Central Africa. The city has a long and layered history rooted in Spanish colonial administration.

Departing Bata and heading south-southwest over the Gulf of Guinea, we cross the mouth of the Muni River estuary and arrive at Corisco Island (FGCO). The island covers only about 14 square kilometers, making it small enough to see in its entirety from the air. The island's name, Corisco, originates from the Portuguese word for lightning, a testament to the fierce gales encountered by early sailors. Corisco International Airport opened on 10 October 2011 and was originally conceived as part of a project to turn the island into an important tourist centre. The airport currently lacks a functioning control tower for commercial scheduled services.

From Corisco, the route crosses briefly back over open water and enters Gabonese airspace, tracking south along the coast to the capital. We land at Libreville's Léon M'ba International Airport (FOOL). The town is the administrative capital of Gabon, located on the northern banks of the Gabon River as it opens into the Gulf of Guinea. Originally a port city for the timber industry, Libreville grew significantly during French colonial rule in the nineteenth century and has remained the capital since Gabon's independence in 1960. The city's founding story is one of liberation. In 1848, freed slaves founded the city of Libreville, which literally meant "free town," naming it as the symbol of their own liberation.

Departing Libreville and heading southeast, we follow the Ogooué River basin, one of the great rivers of Central Africa. The landscape below transitions from coastal urbanization to dense equatorial jungle broken only by the shimmering loops and channels of the river. We arrive at Lambaréné (FOGR), sitting on an island in the Ogooué. Lambaréné is a trading and lumbering centre with a steamboat landing, an airport, and road connections to Kango, Ndjolé, and Mouila. The town is globally known for one extraordinary reason: it is where Albert Schweitzer established his famous hospital. Albert Schweitzer opened the hospital in 1913 in Lambaréné, where he ran it until he died in 1965. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952 for his work there and used the prize money to build a leper colony. Schweitzer was a remarkable polymath — a theologian, philosopher, organist, and physician — who spent the majority of the last five decades of his life caring for the sick along the Ogooué River. The hospital continues to operate today and has become a leading African center for malaria research, recognized by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The leg from Lambaréné to Koulamoutou (FO23) takes us deeper into the interior of Gabon. The town sits at an elevation of approximately 326 meters above sea level. Its name is said to derive from local words meaning "place of the mango trees." The final leg gets us further east and slightly south, descending from the forested uplands toward the Ogooué River once more.  Franceville is most strongly associated with one of Gabon's most important political figures. The city was the birthplace of President Omar Bongo Ondimba, who ruled Gabon for 42 years until he died in 2009. Franceville is an active trading centre in a mining region. The exploitation of manganese at Mouanda and uranium at Mounana, both to the northwest, has greatly stimulated population growth and commerce in the area. We land at the M'Vengue El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba International Airport (FOON), the third largest airport in Gabon, which is also home to the Gabonese Air Force.

The flight is 380 miles long with 4 landings.

The flight plans are here.

We want to cruise at about 250 knots. I will be in the Beech Starship, but the King Air, the PC-12, the PC-24, or other small business aircraft are suitable. Please fly what you like.

Recommended scenery:

Bata – FGBT

You may have downloaded it already.

We try real weather. Please set your departure time to 8 am local.

Multiplayer Particulars:

Date and time: Sunday, April 12, 2026. 16:00 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!