Paseo de la Castellana
For Saturday, September 19, 2026
Michael MacKuen

Here we fly from Galicia to Madrid, the central capital of Spain. We start from the Atlantic coast, pass through the rugged northern tip of Portugal, cross the dry plains of the Castilian Plateau, and then take a helicopter trip through the heart of Madrid.


Paseo de la Castellana Madrid

We depart from the Aerodromo Naturmaz [LEMZ], a charming little GA airstrip nestled along the shore of the Fervenza Reservoir in Galicia. Our first point of interest is the Cape Finisterre Lighthouse, placed far out on the cape that the Romans called the “End of the World.” The light is important to protect shipping along the jagged coastline that has accumulated many shipwrecks over the years. We continue along the Atlantic to the Rande Bridge and then to Vigo, our second of the major cities in Galicia. Vigo has long been a significant port though its economy lay stagnant well into the 20^th century. This changed in the late 1950s when the French firm Citroen established a car production plant in the city. (Now named Stellantis Vigo, the plant now produces over 500,000 cars per year.) Vigo has become  the home port for several of the world’s largest fishing companies and a center for industrial fishing. And its container shipping and “roll-on roll-off” facilities make it one of Spain’s main transit ports. We’ll pass over the city to see the old town and its castle ruins, the shipping, fishing, and automobile ports, the Stellantis Vigo auto plant and the Celta Vigo football stadium. We climb up behind the city to land at Vigo Peinador [LEVX], a relatively small regional commercial airport.

We turn southeast toward the Spanish-Portuguese border to fly over the forests, peat bogs, and rugged mountains of the Gerês-Xurés Biosphere Reserve. And then to the pretty site of the aeroclub at Chaves [LPCH]. (Runway 34 is uphill and slightly preferred.) Then further along the hills and valleys of northern Portugal to the larger regional airport at Bragança [LPBG]. Note the F-104 guarding the field.

Next we cross the dry Spanish plain to Matilla [LETC], near Valladolid. The private field hosts pilot training and general aviation, especially ultralights. And then to Segovia to see the famous Alcázar of Segovia which served as a royal palace and fortress for the Kings and Queens of Castile from the 12^th century. Standing on a rocky hill at the western end of the Old City, this is one of the world’s most impressive medieval castles and one of the most visited landmarks in Spain. (It served as the model for Walt Disney’s artists drawing Snow White and the Seven Dwarves!) And the Aqueduct of Segovia was built in the 1^st century by the Romans to channel water from the mountains to the city’s fountains, public baths, and private houses. The aqueduct was preserved over the years and was in use until 1973. We turn southwest  to land at the nearby Aeroclub of Fuentemilanos [LEFM].

Flying over the Guadarrama Mountains toward Madrid, we pass the enormous cross of the Valley of Cuelgamuros. At Franco’s orders this monument, and the associated burial grounds were built as tribute to all who died in the bloody civil war of the 1930s – nominally as an act of reconciliation. (Not quite, of course.) And after Franco died in 1975 he was buried here and the valley became a shrine to the Fascist regime. In this century, governments have tried to defuse the situation by relocating Franco’s burial site and redefining the monument as a symbol of the struggle for democracy. Nevertheless, about 300,000 people come to this monument every year. The problem, of course, is that feelings still run high some fifty years after Franco died.

And then over the ridge near Mount Abantos and down to El Escorial, the 16^th century royal palace and monastery (and basilica, pantheon, library and school). For centuries this building served both secular and religious purposes as the monarchy and the church found common purpose. El Escorial is the largest Renaissance building in the world. It now attracts some 550,000 visitors a year.

We fly to Madrid-Barajas [LEMD]. Once down, you might shift to either a helicopter or a low-and-slow fixed wing aircraft. (The easiest thing to do is reload the simulator at the threshold for Madrid [LEMD] Rwy 32L. Alternatively, you can start at the heliport Aena Madrid [LEPET].  We will take a tour of the city’s sights even if the photogrammetry is not up to the very latest standards. [There are more points-of-interest listed here than you can really see – even a low-and-slow flight. The idea is that you have some things in mind when you look at the city and a chance to recognize things that trigger your interest.]

Our first point of interest is Atlético - Metropolitano, the newish stadium for Atlético Madrid, historically the city’s second-best team and the country’s third-best team. Then, remaining in the suburbs we see Real Madrid Sports City (a new large training ground), and the MVRD Mirador Building (an architectural statement made by turning a neighborhood on its side).

Then we reach the Paseo de la Castellana, the long north-south boulevard that defines the spine of the modern city. The first sight is the Cuatro Torres Business Area (CTBA) which sites four tall skyscrapers built between 2007-2009. These are the four tallest buildings in Spain and constitute four of the top ten buildings in Europe. A bit further south is the striking Puerta de Europa with each tower built with at 15° inclination to frame the Plaza de Castilla. When flying, please avoid the 300ft bronze-gold obelisk in the center of the plaza. Soon we see the Real Madrid - Bernabéu, the very recently rebuilt home to Real Madrid, historically the richest and most successful team in professional football. Then we pass a second business district, government ministries, and museums while the boulevard changes its name a couple of times. We get to the Museo del Prado, the national art museum which hosts grand collections of European art, 12^th through the 20^th centuries, based on the former Spanish royal collection. This is one of the world’s premier art galleries. Just around the corner we see the Museo Reina Sofía which is mainly dedicated to Spanish art of the 20^th century, including important collections of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali.  Its prized masterpiece is Picasso’s Guernica (1937).

We turn northeast and pass El Retiro (a royal park that became public in the nineteenth century), the Movistar Arena (a public sports/concert venue now home to Madrid’s two pro basketball teams), and Las Ventas (the legendary bullfighting ring, largest in Spain).  Then back across the center of the city to La Puerta del Sol (formerly an eastern gate to the old city and now a busy public square that is a center for public gatherings and sites important government functions), and Plaza Mayor (the main square originally in the heart of Madrid which now hosts markets on weekends). Then, slowing down, the Cathedral sitting just across the square from the Royal Palace (nowadays a ceremonial structure, the royal family lives elsewhere). Nearby is the Plaza de España with its monument to Cervantes (and Don Quixote). Facing the square are two iconic 1950s skyscrapers: the Edificio España and the Torre Madrid (both now upper tier hotels).

Finally, we turn around and fly 4nm to the southwest to land at the joint military-civilian airfield Madrid Quatro Vientos [LECU]. There is space to park south of the runway at the newer tower (marked in red on Little Navmap).

Documentation
The flightplan can be found here.

Aircraft
Our flight is 379nm in length and thus needs a speedy GA aircraft. We fly 356nm in fast airplanes and then dismount to helicopters or light aircraft for the final 23nm. Good choices include the Beech Baron (turbo), Beech Duke, Cessna 404/414, Lancair Legacy, and Piper Aerostar. Others will do the job as well. I’ll probably choose the Aerostar and the Huey for Madrid. As ever, please fly what you like.

Scenery
All of the airports are in the simulator. We have a few enhancements that will help a bit. Thanks to these talented authors.

A Fervenza, Mazaricos Naturmaz [LEMZ].  43North
Finisterre Lighthouse.  RafaMata
Vigo Peinador [realistic ground] [LEVX].  bouill
Aerodromo de Chaves [LPCH].  SVicente
Braganca [LPBG].  SVicente
Matilla de los Canos [LETC]. AirHispania (use 2024 version)
Fuentemilanos [LEFM].  AirHispania
Cuelgamuros Valley Cross.  michelvp
Madrid Cuatro Vientos [LECU].  AvalDesign
AirHispania Libraries. AirHispania. (You need this AirHispania library. But if you already have it, be sure not to duplicate.)

Temporarily, you can get the freeware package here. The package may also include freeware creations that are difficult to find. (Please check for duplicates of previously installed packages.)

Madrid Barajas is an Asobo handcrafted airport. There are payware versions of Vigo and Madrid. These are not necessary. If you have them, use them.

Time and Weather
For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 10:00am local for September 19, 2026. We typically prefer real weather.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Saturday, September 19, 2026. 1800 UTC (2000CEST, 1400EDT, 1100PDT)
Where: RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: South-East Asia 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!

Correction

I forgot to include this smallish POI in the download list:
Finisterre Lighthouse.  RafaMata

Now corrected in the post and the download file. But if you have already set up, you will want to get this and install it to see the lighthouse.

--M