MM

Tico Surf and Cloud For Saturday, October 10, 2026 Michael MacKuen Today we explore two of Costa Rica’s main tourist attractions. To support our lavish lifestyles, and to settle our bar tabs, we have been engaged to conduct charter flights for tourists wanting an overview of the country. Our first flight starts from the national capital San José. We fly down to the surf beaches of the Nicoya Peninusla. And then we climb up the Tilarán Mountains to take a look at the cloud forests at the heart of Costa Rica’s successful turn toward ecotourism. After passing the Arenal Volcano, the El Viejo Volcano, and the Poás Volcano, we return to San José at its GA airfield Tobías Bolaños. Lovely quiet beach at Puerto Carrillo We start the day at Juan Santamaria [MROC], the primary international airport for Costa Rica’s capital San José. Heading for the beaches, we pass the striking red Catholic Church of Grecia. This 19th century structure is notable for its iron framing and sheet metal walls, made from Belgian components to withstand earthquakes and transported from port via oxcarts through primitive mountain roads. Then we fly over the hilly terrain and down to the old port Puntarenas and its city airport Chacarita [MRCH]. One of the first Spanish towns, Puntarenas was built on a spit of land and served as Costa Rica’s main international port until the 20th century. We continue over the large Gulf of Nicoya, executing a quick touch-and-go at Nandayure [MRNA], the rough grass strip on Chira Island, and land at Nicoya [MRNC]. The large town (25,000) serves as the capital and transport hub for the remote and underdeveloped Nicoya Peninsula. Passing over the coastal hills, we reach the Pacific Coast at Tamarindo [MRTM]. As late as the late 1980s this was a small fishing village. Then part of The Endless Summer II (the sequel to the 1960s film that launched international surfing) was filmed here and the opening scene is credited with launching the tourism boom that made Tamarindo the coast’s 21st century center for surfing and ecotourism. We begin our tour of the coast’s small town beaches that are valued for their surfing and their friendly people who have made yoga camps and ecotourism a real success. The first stop is Nosara [MRNS], 2mi inland, with a fast growing town of over 5,000. Its Playa Guiones is a destination world famous for its consistent waves and over 330 days per year of surfing conditions. Nearby is the grand beach of the Ostional Wildlife Refuge, now protected for its breeding turtle populations. Then Puerto Carrillo [MRCR] a beautiful remote beach which retains its lovely natural setting as it has not yet been heavily developed. And Punta Islita [MRIA], a small airport that supports the series of secluded beaches in southern Nicoya Peninsula. We continue along the coast to Cóbano Airport [MRAF], a small modern airport newly opened in 2023 to serve the tourism industry. We’ll circle the nearby beaches and cliffs of Santa Teresa, Cabo Blanco, and Montezuma. We finish our peninsula tour at Tambor [MRTR], a lovely coastal strip that was until recently the main airport for the local region. We can still enjoy the challenging approach over the water and between the trees. Next we turn north to Aranjuez [MRAJ], a small grass strip which will set us up for a trip into the Tilarán Mountains. We visit Monteverde, a small town founded by Quakers who were attracted to Costa Rica after WWII by its pacifist constitution. Part of their project is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. In the 1990s, this ecotourism site attracted thousands of visitors a year – nowadays it is more like 250,000 visitors a year. Next door, just to the east, is the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. (This private reserve was originally founded in the 1980s to protect the rainforest from agricultural development. Its funding was initiated by school children from Sweden – and eventually supported by kids from 44 other countries. The two entities constitute Central America’s largest nature biological preserve – its success symbolizes the modern ecotourism movement in Costa Rica. We fly low over the cloud forest to enjoy its natural beauty from the air – though to be fair the real experience is on the ground below the canopy! We continue north to turn at the Arenal Volcano. This conical shaped volcano stands at 5,358ft and has a crater 460ft in diameter. It was active from 1968-2010 and it remains one of the most active volcanoes in the world. We turn east to land at La Fortuna Arenal-El Tanque [MRAN]. Then southeast and a climb up over the Volcán Viejo (“the Old Man Volcano”) which is a possibly extinct stratovolcano (6,962ft) with a location so remote that few tourists visit. And we climb further up to get a good look at Poás Volcano (8,858ft). The main crater includes Laguna Caliente, one of the world’s most acidic crater lakes (a pH level comparable to battery acid) with continuous gas emissions and a bottom coated in liquid sulfur. This is one of the world’s most hostile environments. At the very top is the emerald-green Botos Lagoon, a cold clear rain-fed crater surrounded by a lush cloud forest. The main volcano remains active with minor ash eruptions and gas venting (the latest notable activity was 2017, 2019, 2025 and 2026.) We then descend over the sprawling city San José to land at Tobías Bolaños [MRPV]. The downtown “business” GA airport supports aviation schools, private aviation and charter flights that link the country’s beaches, national parks, and eco-tourism sites with the national capital. Documentation The flightplan can be found here. Aircraft Our flight is about 300nm in length and thus needs a fast GA aircraft with a “high cruise” of 160kts. As for our “Charter” operation, some of our clients prefer a small nimble aircraft with great views, such as a Rockwell Commander 114, Piaggio P.149 or a Vans RV-14. Other clients prefer a larger “real” airplane such as a Cessna Caravan or Daher Kodiak. 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. San Jose Juan Santamaria [MROC]. Alvargas Tamarindo [MRTM]. Alvargas Nosara [MRNS]. MulberyWing Carrillo [MRCR]. matiasbarrenechea20 Punta Islita [MRIA]. MulberyWing Cobano [MRAF]. MulberyWing Tambor [MRTR]. ARKA506 Aranjuez [MRAJ]. Alvargas La Fortuna Arenal-El Tanque [MRAN]. MulberyWing Tobias Bolanos [MRPV]. Alvargas 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.) San Jose Juan Santamaria [MROC] has a payware rendition on the MSFS Marketplace. Payware addons are not necessary. If you have them, use them. Time and Weather For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 10:00am local for October 31, 2026. We typically prefer real weather. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Saturday, October 31, 2026. 1800 UTC (1900CEST, 1400EDT, 1100PDT) (Note this week’s odd timing due to differences in Daylight Savings Time changes.) 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!

Note that if we start at 1700 UTC, that translates to: 1800 CEST (Germany) 1300 EDT (Toronto etc) 1200 CDT (Houston) 1000 PDT (Vancouver) Is this ok for everyone?

Just tried to use MSFS2024 and got a message saying something like “You are in a queue. Too many users are using the simulator at the same time.” This is sort of inadvertent black humor. Microsoft has been justifiably bragging that they have produced a very popular flight simulator. And now they are telling us that we cannot use the simulator because there are too many users. Yogi Berra, the American New York Yankees baseball player of the 1950s was once asked if he had gone to the popular night club Toots Shor's the previous evening. “No. It’s so crowded that no one goes there anymore.”

Simple procedure (done 1000s of times). From Free Flight and the World Map screen. 1. Choose Departure Airport and Runway. (Maybe Arrival.) 2. Click on Flight Conditions (Upper right panel). The screen will change. a. Under Weather and time, choose “Preset” b. Now look at right column and pick the first preset “Live” c. In the center column pick the time, month, day and year. d. Now select “Save and Back” (on the lower left). 3. Select Aircraft and Start flight.

Wagga Wagga to Bondi Beach For Saturday, October 10, 2026 Michael MacKuen Today we fly from the capital of Australia’s inland Riverina area through the Blue Mountains to the Pacific Coast of New South Wales. En route we will see parts of the prosperous agricultural plains, the race track at Mount Panorama, the rugged cliffs of Katoomba, and the Illawarra embankment. At the end of the morning, we shall switch to helicopters/aircraft to get a better look at Sydney’s impressive cityscape and its beautiful extended harbor and visit the coastal sights of Dover Heights and Bondi Beach. We land at Sydney Kingsford Smith’s Heliport. Mount Panorama from above We start the day at Wagga Wagga [YSWG], the economic and cultural capital of New South Wales’ Riverina region. These are rich farmlands irrigated by snow melt via the Murrumbidgee River. At 57,000, Wagga is one of the largest cities in Australia’s interior and provides the region with “metropolitan standards of shopping, cafes, recreational facilities and nightlife.” The city hosts RAAF Base Wagga whose runway is shared with the city’s civilian airport. After departure, we swing over the photogrammetry city to get a sense of what the inland “capital” looks like. And then we proceed northeast over the rolling hills of the eastern Riverina. Along the way, we stop at Cootamundra [YCTM], Young [YYNG], and Cowra [YCWR], each a large town which once had and since lost regular regional commercial passenger service. Then as we approach Bathurst in the Central Tablelands, we see Mount Panorama which hosts Australia’s prime motor racing event the Bathurst 1000. The circuit’s northern part has two long straights and the start-finish-pits and grandstands. The southern part rises and descends 500ft in a series of tight-fast turns. A wonderful combination of racing tactics, driving skill and courage. (This year’s race will be held Sunday morning October 11, 2026, starting about 6 hours after our visit.) Well worth circling counter-clockwise to see the track and the lay of the land! We pass over the city and land at Bathurst [YBTH] with a long sealed runway and a second shorter crosswind runway. The airport had scheduled airline service until 2022 and continues with flying schools and plenty of general aviation traffic – especially from the Sydney basin airports Bankstown and Camden. Next we turn toward the Blue Mountains. The blue haze is produced when light with shorter wavelengths is scattered by atmospheric particles of a specific size – in this case particles emitted by the mountains’ plentiful eucalyptus trees. These rugged hills and plateau escarpments are carved in sandstone bedrock, with sharp ridge lines separated by gorges up to 2,500ft deep. Early British settlers considered the range impassable. After a quarter century of exploring, they discovered that the best way west was on the top of ridges “over the mountains” rather than in valley passes “between the mountains.” Having a direct route from Sydney to the interior opened up the rich agricultural lands of New South Wales. Reaching the “Blues,” we shall land at Katoomba Airfield [YKAT], a country field that has seen minimal use since its opening in 1969. It is currently closed to aircraft and helicopters and available for use only by emergency services. We have been given permission to make a quick landing to inspect its suitability for further use. (Special caution is warranted due to the proximity of high power lines.) We take off to the south for a few “tourist attractions.” The first is Scenic World, with a cable car over the Katoomba Falls and a cableway to the floor of the Jamison Valley 1,020ft below. Then the distinctive Three Sisters made of sandstone sculpted by wind, rain and rivers over time. (By one popular Aboriginal legend, three sisters fell in love with three brothers of a nearby tribe. By law, marriage was forbidden and so the brothers decided to capture the sisters. In an ensuing tribal battle, an elder turned the sisters to stone to protect them. Alas the elder was killed in the fighting and the sisters remain in stone. This story may be inauthentic.) The striking rock formation receives more than 600,000 visitors per year. We turn south over the Jamison Valley and over Lake Burragorang, an artificial reservoir that serves as greater metropolitan Sidney’s primary source of drinking water. This is all part of the Blue Mountains National Park. Then east to Camden Airport [YSCN] which is now used as a general aviation overflow airport for over-crowded Bankstown Airport. It has one asphalt runway, one grass runway, and two glider strips. Since privatized, it now hosts flying schools, aero clubs, gliders, and hot air ballooning all of which generate about 300 aircraft movements per day. Camden enjoys Towered ATC six days a week except for Saturdays when CTAF rules apply. Next we fly 25nm to the south and pass over the Illawarra Escarpment before descending about 1500ft to the Illawarra Plain below. This is a narrow coastal strip between the imposing escarpment to the west and the ocean to the east. The Illawarra includes two cities, Wollongong (240,000) and Shellharbour (70,000). We land at Shellharbour Airport [YSHL]. Especially interesting to us, the regional airport is now home to the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS). While other notable aircraft are stored here at the museum, we can see the B747 “City of Canberra,” a Lockheed Neptune P-2, and a PBY Catalina (around the corner). We head north along the coast to Wollongong, a successful hard-working gritty industrial city. In the 19th century, discovery of coal in the escarpment and the arrival of railroads made this a coal-mining region. In the 20th century, a steel industry developed (under BHP), and the industrial deep water port was built and European immigrant workers arrived to make this the industrial heartland of Australia. Approaching the city we see the BlueScope Steel Works (the largest in the country) and Port Kemba with its coal, fertilizer and grain export facilities and automobile roll-on-roll-off docks. In recent decades, the city has transitioned to a more modern mixed economy with some success. Further up the coast, we note the site of the shipwrecked Queen of Nations, a clipper ship than ran aground and sunk in 1881. In its diverse cargo was a shipment of 2,000 cases of brandy. Many members of the public visited the wreck and took advantage of the opportunity! We continue northward to the Sidney suburbs to land at Bankstown [YSBK], the city’s primary general aviation airport. This is a very busy place with 3 runways, 24 hour operations, 180 businesses, and about 700 aircraft movements per day. We switch to helicopters or sightseeing aircraft for a city tour. (There are too many items on the itinerary to really see on a single pass. Maybe pick a few to look for.) We head northeast to see several Western Sydney sports facilities at the Olympic park that includes Stadium Australia (rugby, soccer) and the Sydney Showgrounds (AFL football, cricket, and stock shows). Then up to Lane Cove for a look at the leafy North Sidney suburbs along the north shore of Sydney Harbour. Lots of recreational boating here. Then Luna Park, a popular century-old theme park. And then a look at the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932) that spans the harbor to connect the central city with the north. (This remains one of the world’s longest spanning-arch bridges.) Just beyond is the remarkable Sydney Opera House (1973) that is globally acknowledged as an outstanding example of 20th century architecture. We turn across the towers of the modern central business district and pass south along Darling Harbour (with tour boats, an aquarium and a maritime museum) and circle the University of Sydney (a world class research institution). Then back north over Central (the main railway station serving 250,000 passengers per day) and we pass east of the CBD over the green corridor of Hyde Park, The Domain, and the Royal Botanical Gardens (and get another look at the Opera House). Crossing the harbor again, we note Admiralty House (the Governor General) and Kirribilli House (the national Prime Minister’s official residence in Sydney) and the Royal Yacht Squadron. Eastward, we see Taronga Zoo with its famously photogenic views of wildlife juxtaposed against Sydney Harbour. Then back over the harbor to Rose Bay a seaplane base (from WWII). Next are the toney suburbs of the South Head peninsula. We fly over Vaucluse House (a preserved 19th century estate) up to the naval base at Hornby Lighthouse. And south along the spectacular seaside cliffsides running down the east coast of South Head. We see Macqaurie Lighthouse (oldest in Australia) and the reserves along Dover Heights. With views of the harbor and the ocean, Vaucluse and Dover Heights are some of the most desirable and affluent neighborhoods in Australia with a number of new houses winning national architectural awards. Next is the suburb Bondi and its world famous Bondi Beach. A popular public facility since the 1880s, Bondi Beach now averages around 2 million visitors annually making it one of the top “tourist” spots in the country. This surf-and-sand life is just minutes from downtown Sydney. We turn inland to see the adjacent Allianz Stadium (the new Sydney Football Stadium designed for rugby and soccer) and the Sydney Cricket Ground (cricket, AFL football) – both sites host Sydney professional teams as well as national/international competitions. A mile further is Randwick Racecourse, Sydney’s primary horserace track since the mid-nineteenth century. Finally, we reach Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport [YSSY]. We land at Sydney Heliport just south of the threshold for Rwy 25. Fixed wing aircraft can land on Rwy 25 and taxi over to the Heliport. Plenty of room. Documentation The flightplan can be found here. Aircraft Our fixed wing flight is about 310nm in length and thus needs a fast GA aircraft with a “high cruise” of 180-200kts. In addition we have a 38nm tour of Sydney. Good fixed-wing choices include the Beech Bonanza (TC) or Baron (TC), Cessna 310, Cessna 404/414, and Piper Aerostar. Faster than necessary but also suitable would be the Beech Duke and TBM 850/930. Others will do the job as well. I’ll probably choose the Beech Baron along with the Bell UH-1H Huey. 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. RAAF Wagga Wagga [YSWG]. Redbaron601 Cootamundra [YCTM]. Redbaron601 Young [YYNG]. Redbaron601 Mount Panorama Circuit and Heliport. MechanicalMad Camden [YSCN]. SkyCraft_Studios Bankstown Upgrade [YSBK]. kenlarsen Bankstown Bunnings Warehouse [YSBK]. kenlarsen Rose Bay Sydney [YSRB]. Redbaron601 Bondi Beach Sydney. Simblitz Sydney Scenery Fix for 2024. MrAviatorPilot Sydney Heliport [YSSY]. rockthebeats 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.) Bathurst [YBTH], Shellharbour [YSHL] and Sydney [YSSY] are Asobo handcrafted airports. I would recommend the excellent payware Fly Tampa version of Sydney Kingsford Smith [YSSY] now updated for MSFS2024 at Orbx. (If you use the Fly Tampa version of YSSY, do not use the above-listed Sydney Heliport addon.) And the payware Orbx Sydney Landmarks is also excellent and updated for 2024. (Note, however, that the latest WU21 Sydney photogrammetry is pretty good.) [Caution. The 2020 payware Bankstown [YSBK] may not play well in 2024.] These payware addons are not necessary. If you have them, use them. Time and Weather For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 08:00am local for October 10, 2026. We typically prefer real weather. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Saturday, October 10, 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!

The Pilatus PC6 is a natural competitor. But this group is probably looking forward to seeing a MSFS2024 version of the Farman F.120. 🙂

Spectacular flying! 😎

POI Addition for Canberra - Cook Memorial Waterjet If you like, here’s a terrific little addon, an active water jet (built in 1970) which serves as a memorial for Captain James Cook’s voyages of discovery. (The current FS.to write up indicates a Melbourne location – but it is properly in the heart of Canberra. The creator is Japanese and this may be a lapse in translation.) Thanks to the author. You can find it here: Captain Cook Memorial Waterjet. michibiki3578. The original “The Snowy Scheme” description above has been augmented to show this extra point-of-interest. It is also been added in the scenery download.

The Snowy Scheme For Saturday, September 26, 2026 Michael MacKuen Today we fly through Australia’s Snowy Mountains, the site of the historic Snowy Scheme. We start from Canberra and enjoy a few highlights from the nation’s “Bush Capital.” Then we head south and west through the Snowy Mountains to see several components of the massive hydroelectricity and irrigation project that produced needed power and diverted water to inland Australia. Both outcomes were critical for Australia’s development. We finish near the slopes of Mount Hotham in the Victorian Alps whose snow season runs from June to October. Tumut Pond Dam We begin at Canberra [YSCB] of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This is a purpose-built seat of government located between the then (and now) rivalrous cities Melbourne and Sydney. Entirely a planned city started from scratch (1913) and hardly more than a village in 1949, it started to develop momentum in the 1960s so that it now houses most major institutions of the federal government and has grown to 480,000 and become the largest inland city of Australia. We shall take a quick tour over a few points-of-interest. First we depart the airport to the northwest and turn over the Australian War Memorial and its first class ANZAC museum. (The site is currently under substantial renovation.) Then we head toward Capital Hill travelling down the Anzac Parade and over Lake Burley Griffin to see the Old Parliament House [1927-1988] (now a fine political history museum) with the National Gallery to the left and the National Library to the right. (You can also see the Captain Cook Memorial Waterjet.) Then the current Parliament House located at the apex of the federal triangle at the top of (and underneath) Capital Hill. After circling for a moment, we turn sharply north to fly over the National Museum of Australia (great), Australian National University (ANU campus center, here the Social Sciences), and the Australian Institute of Sport (national teams train here). We leave the urban area and cross the ACT/NSW border. A few miles further we execute a touch-and-go or low pass at a private farm airfield in Walleroo (apparently gravel but modeled as a grass strip). Then west over the Brindabella Range (the northern tip of the Australian Alps) to Tumut [YTMU]. The town has roots in sheep grazing and the main industry revolves around logging and paper mills. It sits on the Snowy Mountains Highway and is locally known as the “Gateway to the Snowy Scheme.” The Snowy Scheme is a massive engineering project constructed between 1949 and 1974 when Australia had a population of only 8 million. It was designed to harness the fast flowing Snowy River whose water runs sharply downward from the Snowy Mountains into the sea. The overall scheme was to create reservoirs of the Snowy melt and divert it in two streams (a) through the Tumut River and into the Murrumbidgee River of New South Wales and (b) into the Murray River of Victoria. And simultaneously, the fall of the water would be used to generate hydroelectric power. The diverted water would enable the stable development of fruit and vegetable agriculture inland. And the electric power would provide a substantial boost for Australia’s growing industry and population. The original design included 7 power stations, 16 major dams, 90mi trans-mountain tunnels, and 50mi aqueducts. The ambitious project came through as hoped – before deadline and under budget. Perhaps as important was a change in Australia’s demographics and culture. In 1949 it was clear to the national leadership that the enormous project would require a considerable number of skilled workers. And the practical source of such workers would lie in post-war Europe, especially in the war-torn countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Additionally, WWII seemed to teach an important lesson: for Australia to survive in the new world, it would have to populate its land. And that new population would come not only from Britain but also from different cultures on the continent. The ethos of pre-war Australia had been grounded in English traditions – and kept that way by design. Now Australia would include important minorities of new and different immigrants. We get our first view of the Snowy Scheme 8 miles south of Tumut: the Blowering Dam and its reservoir located on the Tumut River. At the south end of the Blowering Reservoir we land at Talbingo Airfield [YTSR]. The neatly maintained private strip is now managed by Snowy Hydro and its use requires the company’s permission – duly granted to our team. (The strip has recently been extended for water-bomber use during fire season.) Just south of the airport is the Tumut Power Station #3 and the Talbingo Dam. This is the main hydropower unit in the scheme, generating 1,800 megawatts – not quite half the total. The Talbingo Dam was the largest and last of the sixteen dams completed as part of the Snowy Scheme. A set of pumps draws water from the pond below back up into the Talbingo Reservoir for later generation use in periods of peak-demand. This is a “pumped power storage” mechanism. (The current under-construction Snowy Scheme 2.0 uses the Talbingo Reservoir as the bottom storage for another pumped hydro power station.) We continue south along the Talbingo Reservoir and the Tumut River to touch-and-go at Cabramurra Airfield [YCUR]. This is a challenging high altitude grass strip, once used by military Beavers and Caribou, but now is essentially an emergency field. Happily, we have received permission to execute a touch-and-go to practice emergency procedures … A half-mile away is the Snowy Hydro company town Cabramurra (the highest settlement in Australia). Nearby are the Tumut Dam/Power Station #2 (below) and the Tumut Pond Dam (just south). [These facility waypoints are marked for your attention but are not required.] Further along, we land at the small aeroclub grass strip Adaminaby [YADY]. The original town was displaced by the Eucumbene Reservoir, the largest part of the project which feeds the Tumut River power stations. The current town hosts one of Australia’s iconic big things: The Big Trout. It also hosts the national Snowy Scheme Museum which celebrates the determination and skills of the people who did the job. Then we move on to Cooma-Snowy Mountains Airport [YCOM] which is a skiing-season commercial field with links to Sydney and Brisbane. Otherwise it handles sparse general aviation and aeromedical traffic. (Since 1949 the headquarters for the construction and, later, operation of the Snowy Scheme has been in the town Cooma, nine miles to the east.) Twenty miles further to the southwest is the Jindabyne Reservoir which stems from the Snowy River. This is the source of the water for the Murray River hydropower stations and eventually water for the Murray River irrigation systems. The Jindabyne settlement is now a resort town: in summer it attracts campers full of tourists for fishing, water sports, mountain biking and bushwalking; in winter it services the busy ski slopes in the nearby mountains. We land at Jindabyne [YJIN], the grass strip above town. Continuing, we fly over the Thredbo Resort village and the Thredbo ski slopes (5,000ft). And then we pass near Mt Kosciuszko (7,310ft), the highest peak in Australia. On descent to the north we pass over the impressive Murray Power Station #1 and Murray Power Station #2 (together 1,500 megawatts). The electric power goes into the national grid and water flow merges into the Murray River four miles downstream. With official permission, we land at Khancoban [YKHA], a grass/asphalt combination strip next to the Snowy Hydro company town and tourist center. Heading west over the border into Victoria, we enjoy a quick stop at Corryong [YCRG], a general aviation and glider airport. We proceed to Mount Beauty, a town built for the construction of Victoria’s main hydroelectric scheme. It is now a year-round resort town, best known for its being the gateway to local skiing in the mountains above, notably the Falls Creek Alpine Resort. We land at scenic Mount Beauty Airport [YMBT] a popular GA field located one mile north of town. The airfield is known for housing a local soaring/gliding club – be aware. After a few minutes enjoying the picturesque setting, we climb upward through the East Kiewa Valley and pass over the Rocky Valley Dam that supports the main power station of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme. Located nearby is the popular Falls Creek Resort with a family-friendly car-free alpine village (4500 beds). We then turn west to see Mount Hotham Alpine Resort (5740ft). Compared to Falls Creek, Mt Hotham is much more challenging with an atmosphere focused on the raw skiing experience rather than resort amenities. Our final destination is Mount Hotham Airport [YHOT], at 4,260ft the country’s highest fully-operational airport. Opened in 1999, the facility hosted regular ski-season service to Melbourne, Sydney (and other cities) for 15 years. It is now used only for general aviation, charter flights and business jets. After our journey, we shall take a car to Mt Hotham to enjoy the signature Chateaubriand at Jack Frost Restaurant & Bar (open for our visit). When asked about flying in this area, one veteran local pilot concluded a long description with: “Watch the weather, as with anywhere but more so over the alps, winds and clouds can catch you out without warning. Only venture over the Snowies in calm, clear skies and then be alert to changes. BTW, it is stunning on a nice day, well worth the effort.” Documentation The flightplan can be found here. Aircraft Our flight is about 280nm in length and thus needs a moderately fast GA aircraft with a “high cruise” of 140-150kts. Good choices include the Beech Bonanza, Cessna 182, Diamond DA40, Piaggio P.149, Piper Comanche, Rockwell Commander 114, and Vans 14. Others will do the job as well. I’ll probably choose the Rockwell Commander 114. 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. Talbingo [YTSR]. wolfmanslack Cooma [YCOM]. Redbaron601 Jindabyne [YJIN]. wolfmanslack Khancoban [YKHA]. Milosanx Mount Beauty Enhancement [YMBT]. ahunter95 Mount Hotham [YHOT]. Redbaron601 Captain Cook Memorial Waterjet. michibiki3578 (Canberra) 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.) Mount Beauty is an Asobo handcrafted field but it will benefit from the freeware enhancement. Corryong is an Asobo enhanced small field. There are payware versions of Canberra and Mount Hotham. 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 26, 2026. We typically prefer real weather. (That said, we will heed the veteran’s advice and avoid high winds and heavy weather.) Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Saturday, September 26, 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

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 20th 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 12th 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 1st 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 16th 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, 12th through the 20th 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 20th 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!

Crossing the Apennines. Four cities and a beach For Saturday, September 12, 2026 Michael MacKuen We take a quick trip across Italy to see several old cities now portrayed in photogrammetry. Beginning at the classic beach town Rimini, we fly along and over the Northern Apennines to see Florence, Bologna, Pisa and finally Genoa. The Old Harbor of Genoa We start at Rimini Federico Fellini International [LIPR]. After departure, we can get low and fly along the now classic European public beach to turn at the five-star Grand Hotel Rimini (where Federico Fellini in his youth worked as a caricaturist and in his later successful years would routinely stay in suite 315). Turning inland at the historic Rimini Lighthouse we see the Tiberius Bridge and then the Arch of Agustus, both built by the Romans as part of their essential Via Flaminia, the white gravel and stone road that connected Rome with the Po Valley and the north. At the edge of the old town is the Castel Sismondo, build by the Sigismondo Malatesta, the most prominent member of the family who ruled Rimini and much of the region during the 14th-16th centuries. After taking a close look at the town, we continue 7 miles onward to San Marino Torraccia [LIKD] with its aeroclub and beautiful sloped grass runway. After departure, we take a gander at the Three Towers of San Marino which once were important defensive bastions and are now a tourist attraction. Then over the rugged southeastern edge of the Northern Apennines to Florence Peretola [LIRQ]. To see the famous sights, we fly east along the Arno River and turn at the Palazzo Pitti which served the Medici family, the banking and political dynasty that ruled Florence, influenced the papacy, and shaped the Renaissance for three centuries. Then, too quickly to see everything, there is the Ponte Vecchio (city’s the oldest bridge with shops hanging over the river), the Piazza della Signoria (the political focus of the Florentine Republic), Arnolfo Tower (the iconic 312ft medieval watchtower that dominates the skyline), the Basilica of Santa Croce (the burial site of notables including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini), the Cathedral of Santa Maria di Fiore (the city’s cathedral and one of the world’s largest churches whose dome is the largest masonry dome ever constructed), the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella (famous artwork) and David (marks the museum in which is located Michelangelo’s David, his masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble). We turn at the Stadio Artemio Franchi (football) and climbing we pass over the Badia Fiesolana, the former monastery that now houses the European University Institute (the EU’s excellent research center for the social sciences). And then to Bologna. The east-west run of the Apennine Mountains posed a serious barrier to north-south travel until well into the nineteenth century when railroads crept up the valleys and through small tunnels. Nowadays, the rail lines do the trick well enough and Italy’s A1 Autostrada now has enough tunnels to make for fairly easy transit. We fly to Bologna Gugielmo Marconi [LIPE], only 4 miles from the city center. After a moment, we take a quick aerial tour starting with the Bologna Fair District (a modern fair and business district) and then into the old city with the University of Bologna (from 1088 the oldest degree granting university, one that remains one of the largest in Europe), the Two Towers (Garisenda & Asinelli, both leaning, are symbols of the city), the Piazza Maggiore (city’s central square), and the Basilica of San Petronio (named after the city’s patron saint), the PalaDozza (classic basketball arena), and the Arena Garibaldi (football). Proceeding southwest into the foothills, we fly 23nm to land at the mid-sized Pavullo Airport [LIDP]. The field hosts general aviation, gliders, a flying club, a flight school, and helicopter operations. Each year through 2024 the club hosted a “Flight & Fun” international event for general aviation. We depart and climb to look at Monte Cimone, the highest peak in the Northern Apennines. Then following the descent to the Tuscan plains below we approach Pisa. We get a close look at the Plazza of Miracles including the Cathedral of Pisa and the leaning Tower of Pisa. These are beautiful works of architecture. And for many tourists, they are selfie-bucket-list material. We fly over the rest of the old city and land at Pisa Galileo Galilei [LIRP], the busiest airport in Tuscany. Then west along the Ligurian coast to Luni [LIQW]. Nowadays, this is joint military/civilian airport. It is primarily a Navy and Coast Guard helicopter base, and it also hosts a local flying club for general aviation. After a minute, we fly past La Spezia and along the steep and rugged coastline to the historic seaport Genoa (or in Italian Genova). For much of the early modern period (1300-1800) Genoa was a major trading power in the Mediterranean (rivaled only by Venice). Given that dominance, and the need to protect its trading routes, it simultaneously wielded considerable military and political power. Before landing, we will take a few minutes to look at the excellent photogrammetric representation of the current city. We approach over colorful Boccadasse, until recently a working fishing village and now a highly desirable residential neighborhood. Then up the hills to the recently refurbished Stadio Luigi Ferraris (football). Then down the hills to the great city center (with too many sights to process at once). Included are markers for the Plazza Corvetto, the Plazza de Ferrari, the Palace of the Doges (the ducal rulers of the wealthy republic lived here), and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. A glance up the hill marks the Museums of the Strada Nuova (a set of former elegant palaces owned by fabulously wealthy merchants and used to entertain visiting dignitaries). Then into the Old Port with the Bigo (a Renzo Piano architecture gem whose lift raises tourists in a cable car and whose arms support the roof of the dockside plaza) and the Biosfera (a glass sphere housing the ecosystems of the tropical rainforests). A mile along is the Lighthouse of Genoa (La Lanterna is a symbol of the city. Built in 1543, this is the world’s fourth oldest lighthouse – after the Tower of Hercules in A Coruña. And when measured from its rock base, it is the second-tallest in the world.) We pass over several large docks of Genoa’s important modernized port before landing at Genoa Cristoforo Columbus Airport [LIMJ], locally known as “Sestri.” This is a modestly busy international airport (2 million per year). For a post-flight gathering, we should taxi to the back of the General Aviation parking (spots 310-313 in the freeware) near the Aeroclub of Genova and just opposite the Piaggio company hangars. Documentation The flightplan can be found here. Aircraft Our flight is 278nm in length and thus needs a moderately quick GA aircraft. Because one of the features of this event is the photogrammetry for the main cities, I would recommend an aircraft with good vision. A couple of naturals would be the Piaggio P.149 and the Vans RV-14 – but lots of planes will do the job nicely. I’ll pick the RV-14A. 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. San Marino Torraccia Airfield [LIKD]. FG91X (Required for best experience) Bologna Guglielmo Marconi [LIPE]. manuele Genoa Cristoforo Columbo [LIMJ]. simog (Choose 2024 version. Do not install Simog-GenovaHarbor) 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.) There are payware renditions of Rimini, Florence, Bologna, Pisa and Genoa. These are not necessary. If you have them, use them. Time and Weather For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 2:00pm local for September 12, 2026. We typically prefer real weather. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Saturday, September 12, 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!

Yes, a “double whammy”. I got the Flightplan and Scenery URLs mixed up. The correct entries are: Flightplan and Scenery. (I have also corrected the entries in the original post above.) Thanks!

Cool Spain For Saturday, September 5, 2026 Michael MacKuen We go to the coolest part of Spain. At the end of a very hot European summer, we want our Spanish holiday to be as cool as possible. Accordingly, we shall fly along the northern coastline to enjoy “Green Spain.” Here the Atlantic Ocean winds are trapped by the Cantabrian mountains with a resulting climate that is oceanic, relatively wet and cool, similar to that of Ireland or the Pacific Northwest. We start at the old French resort town Biarritz and travel to the corner of the peninsula at A Coruña. Bilbao’s Calatrava-designed terminal We begin our journey at Biarritz, the historic resort city in the French Basque Country. For centuries the town was a whaling center, but in the mid-nineteenth century it became a glamorous destination when Empress Eugenie built a palace on the beach. For the years of the Belle Epoque it attracted noble-born aristocrats and the nouveau riche from all around Europe as well as North and South America. The town has remained a favorite over the years. In the 1950s, an American filmmaker and his Californian friends started surfing these waters – which became a center for European surf culture. We depart from the tourist airport Bayonne-Anglet [LFBZ] and pop over to the coast to see the classic seafront with its Biarritz Lighthouse, the Hȏtel du Palais (the grand historic palace refreshed), the Art Deco Casino, the old fishing port, and the surfing beaches along the Cȏte des Basques. We fly south to cross the Spanish border into Spain’s fiercely independent Basque region. We shall execute a touch-and-go at the airport San Sebastian [LESO] before proceeding to the city center of San Sebastián (or Donostia in Basque). This is a newly popular resort city famous for its beaches, taverns, music, and nightlife with both an International Flim Festival and Jazz Festival. (In comparison, Biarritz is seen as more quirky with a laid-back “surfer” vibe.) San Sebastián is renowned for its Basque cuisine, with many Michelin-starred restaurants (the second-highest per capita in the world). And in addition, it is especially known for pintxos ([PEEN CHOS] tiny bite-sized dishes served with drinks, smaller than tapas common in traditional Spain). These are especially bountiful in the bars of the Old Quarter. We pass over beautiful La Concha Bay before proceeding to the west. Along the coast we pass over El Flysch Zumaia, the vertical cliffs of sedimentary rock layers that are of geologic interest as one of the best exposed outcrops of deep marine sediments in the world. (Best seen from the west.) For a different crowd, these are famous as a filming location for Dragonstone in the Game of Thrones. Further along, we see the San Juan de Gaztelugatxeko hermitage. The islet is connected to the mainland by a narrow stone bridge with a winding staircase of 241 steps. The original building dates from the nineth century. The setting was the inspiration for Dragonstone in the Game of Thrones with the islet being topped by a digitally created castle. A few miles on, we descend and slow down to enter the harbor at Bilbao. This is the Basque Country’s biggest city (about 1 million) and de facto capital. The historic port became heavily industrialized in the twentieth century right through the Francoist era. Since the 1990s the city has been in the process of deindustrialization and transition to the service economy. The key was the 1997 opening of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum and the associated infrastructure development and urban renewal. This sustained effort has led to international recognition and awards for its sustained planning and innovative architecture. The photogrammetry of Bilbao is really good and it is worth the effort to make a slow circle along the Nervion River. (We’ll get an overview. To do this properly requires a helicopter excursion.) Sights include the Vizcaya Bridge (the world’s oldest transporter bridge), Athletic Club San Mames stadium (Basque-only players, Football), Iberdrola Tower (tallest in the region), Guggenheim Museum (famed for stunning architecture as well as modernist collection), Zubizuri Bridge (white structure and glass bricks), Casco Viejo (Old Town with pintxo bars and a cathedral), Bilbo Arena (Basketball), Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre (Bull fights). Then back over the Guggenheim for a different look and then the top of the Artxanda Funicular (view of city). We land at Bilbao [LEBB] with its dramatic Santiago Calatrava-designed terminal building opened in 2000. The scheme, with two symmetrical wings and a sharp tip at the center, is certainly beautiful. However, it may not gracefully handle the current passenger flow that is already twice the intended capacity. Our next destination, leaving the Basque Country and entering Cantabria, is Santander. This is another old port city with a thriving fishing industry and a busy ferry service to the UK. The central city was destroyed in the 1941 fire: much of the city is relatively new. This is the founding location of the multinational Bank of Santander (4th largest in Europe) and it retains a nominal headquarters. The city is now a service center. We approach at the north to see the Palacio de la Magdalena, a lovely palace gifted by the people of Santander to the royal family in 1909. (Since 1931 it has served as a public building, a conference center, and a popular tourist attraction.) Then we swing south past the small football stadium and the interesting Palacio de Deportes (Basketball). We land at Seve Ballesteros Santander [LEXJ]. This is an expansion of an earlier airport and is now designed for about two million passengers annually (twice current traffic). The airport is working (with Ryan Air) to increase flights. Next we turn to a bit of fun in the Cantabrian mountains. We climb up into the Picos de Europa, a striking mountain subrange that is formed from limestone. Erosion has produced the dramatic karst formations that will catch our eyes. We shall take advantage of the opportunity by flying an embedded circle through the highest reaches of the range – needing something like 7,000 feet to clear the designated flightpath (the nearby highest peaks are over 8,000ft). Then on to the port town of Aviles and it new (2011) Oscar Niemeyer International Culture Center. The Brazilian Niemeyer, one of the world’s most acclaimed modernist architects, donated the project to the region of Asturias. Dedicated to education, culture and peace, the Center is Niemeyer’s most important project in Europe. Local planners hope to use the project as a catalyst for the town’s transition from an industrial to a service economy. After a quick look, we turn to land at the nearby international airport Asturias [LEAS]. We fly west along the Cantabrian coast to make a brief stop at a small airfield Villaframil [LEVF] near Ribadeo. Then, just after departure, we remain low and slow along the coast to see the playa de las Catedrales (or Beach of the Cathedrals), a name derived from its cliff formations. At low tide, the size of the cliffs, natural arches, and sea caves is apparent – with many big caves whose roofs have collapsed due to the erosion of the waves. The 100ft high arches may resemble a cathedral’s flying buttresses…hence the “tourist” name. (Do not fly low directly over the cliffs!) Afterwards we fly west toward A Coruña. On the way, we pass over As Pontes de Garcia Rodriguez. The small town hosts Spain’s largest natural gas plant. Notably, its chimney (1200ft) is the country’s highest structure and is Europe’s second highest chimney. When we finally approach A Coruña. At the city’s northern tip is the Tower of Hercules, the oldest known Roman lighthouse stemming from the first century. This has become the iconic symbol of the city. A Coruña had long been an important port but, by the mid-twentieth century, it had become a backwater. Happily in the 1970s and 1980s the city experienced a dramatic recovery, part of the “Spanish Miracle.” Success has continued into the twenty-first century and the city is now Galicia’s main industrial and financial powerhouse. We land at A Coruña Airport [LECO], located on a small mesa 4 miles south of the city center. Documentation The flightplan can be found here. Aircraft This Saturday flight traverses the northern coast of Spain. With a length of 385nm, we want aircraft that can sustain a fast cruise of 190kts. Many aircraft may be suitable for this mission. Some popular choices might include the Beech Baron B58, Beech Duke, Cessna 404, Cessna 414AW, Lancair Legacy, Piper Aerostar, and maybe the Beech Bonanza A36TC. I’ll choose the Duke. 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. Biarritz Bayonne-Anglet [LFBZ]. BMW freeware San Sebastian [LESO]. SrTeam Seve Ballesteros-Santander [LEXJ]. CapitanTan Aeropuerto de Asturias [LEAS]. EdelSim In addition to the airports, I would also recommend this light photogrammetry – which is relatively small in size. Biarritz City Photogrammetry (Waterfront only). Troglodytus 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.) Note that Bilbao [LEBB] and A Coruna [LECO] are good Asobo-enhanced airports. There are payware renditions of Biarritz Bayonne-Anglet [LFBR], San Sebastian [LESO], Bilbao [LEBB], Santander [LEXJ], Asturias [LEAS]. These are not necessary. If you have them, use them. Time and Weather For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 3:00pm local for September 5, 2026. We typically prefer real weather. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Saturday, September 5, 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!

Top of the Rockies For Saturday, August 29, 2026 Michael MacKuen This morning we’ll take another look at the Colorado Rockies. This time we shall focus more on the peaks and ridges at the top of the mountains. Starting at Steamboat Springs, we head south over and through the core of the central Rockies, flying through the Elk Range, the Sawatch Range and the Front Range, ending up with an extended view of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Capitol Peak and its Knife Edge We depart from the GA airport at Steamboat Springs [KSBS]. When the town was founded in the late nineteenth century, its economy was based on ranching and mining which remain important today. At first skiing was a necessary mode of transportation during the harsh mountain winters. However, in 1913 Carl Howelsen, an immigrant Norwegian, introduced ski jumping along with contests for ski racing, dog sledding, and other winter events. The town’s enthusiasm for winter sports spread to town all over the Rockies. And Steamboat Springs has produced more athletes for the Winter Olympics than any other town in the US. We fly south to Eagle County Regional [KEGE] which serves as the commercial airport of the Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts. Airline traffic is decidedly seasonal with the winter ski season being very busy. (Of regional ski airports, Eagle County ranks second – behind Aspen and ahead of Jackson Hole.) The terminal has just been redeveloped and expanded. And the long runway (9,000ft) was rebuilt specifically designed to allow larger aircraft to land safely even in reduced visibility or adverse weather – as might occur in the midst of Rocky Mountain ski season. (In 2010 the History Channel rated KEGE as Number 8 on its list of Most Extreme Airports.) We take off for a quick (steep) flight to Aspen Pitkin County [KASE]. The original 1946 gravel airstrip was developed in the 1950s into a busy commercial airport that connects the city with not only Denver but also Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Just recently, the airport has begun a process to lengthen and enlarge the now 8,000ft runway, scheduled to be completed in 2027. The terrain and weather affect traffic which, for commercial aircraft, is mostly landings on Rwy15 and takeoffs on Rwy33. Without going into town, we depart circling to the southwest. We climb high to cross over the Elk Mountains, passing near Capitol Peak (14,237) and Snowmass Mountain (14,101). These are two of the state’s 53 fourteeners, mountains of 14,000 feet. The “14ers” comprise a list of natural targets for mountain climbers. (With its Knife Edge northeast ridge, Capitol Peak has proven especially challenging and dangerous.) We pass Ragged Mountain and descend to the interesting and attractive plateau-sited North Fork Valley [7V2]. Then east passing Mt Gunnison (12,725) and between West Beckwith Peak and East Beckwith Mountain. Once past, we see Kebler Pass. The pass hosts one of the country’s largest aspen groves – and one of the world’s largest living organisms. (The above-ground instances reproduce from a single root system and clone in a completely identical way. The aspens, parts of the same root structure, can span an entire mountainside.) When the leaves turn gold in the Fall (Mid-September into Early-October) they create a spectacular foliage display. The Kebler Pass is traversed by a hard-packed gravel road (suitable for cars) and it thus attracts many visitors. This may be one of the most photographed spots in Colorado. We land just south of Crested Butte at Buckhorn Ranch [0CO6], a private airpark community with splendid mountain views. Next we head northeast into the Eastern Elk Mountains, aiming first for Star Peak (13,527), a distinctive point that is relatively accessible for climbers. We continue past Truro Peak to the Sawatch Range and catch a glimpse of Independence Pass (12,095). When miners in Leadville found gold in the Sawatch, they built a road to the new camp at Independence, carving a path through the mountains to take advantage of the high pass on the Continental Divide. The gold disappeared but the beautiful road remains. Further to the east is the prominent Mount Elbert (14,440) which is the highest point in Colorado and the second highest in the contiguous United States (to Mount Whitney). A few miles to the north stands Mount Massive (14,421), the second highest summit in the state. The name comes from the elongated shape which includes five “14er” peaks in the formation. (Apparently, in the 1930s there was as dispute about which of the two peaks was higher when the 1920s measurements indicated a difference of only 12 feet. Proponents of Mt Massive built large piles of stones on the summit to boost its height only to have the Mt Elbert proponents demolish them.) We descend to Leadville’s airport Lake County KLXV] at 9,934 MSL. The airport provides a useful high altitude training and testing environment for all sorts of aviation – nowadays with an especially active helicopter facility. Arriving GA pilots may obtain a free Certificate of Navigation commemorating the high-altitude landing – by visiting the Leadville Air Center FBO. Matching souvenirs are available for purchase… Departing northeast into the Mosquito Range, we note fourteeners Mount Bross (14,178), Mount Democrat (14,156) and Mount Lincoln (14,293). These neighboring peaks are often climbed together. Then into the Front Range and the distinctive Mount Blue Sky (14,266). Tourists can take the 28-mile scenic road up to the summit (mid-June through Labor Day). The peak can be seen from Denver and the city bought nearby Echo Lake and built the road with the idea of creating a National Park (an idea nixed by the Forest Service). This is the highest paved road in North America. The peak was long known as Mount Evans after John Evans the former Colorado governor who helped found Northwestern University and the University of Denver. Unfortunately he was also connected with the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre in which Colorado volunteer soldiers brutally killed and mutilated about 150 peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho (mostly women, children and elderly). The 2023 renaming was meant to honor the Cheyenne and Arapaho. We continue north and west to land at Granby-Grand County [KGNB], a small town airport. After a few minutes we climb back up to the front range Apache Peak (13,441) of the Indian Peaks (Arapaho, Kiowa, Shoshone, Pawnee). We continue northward to the Rocky Mountain National Park and Mount Meeker (13,061) and the impressive Longs Peak (14,259), the only fourteener of the park. The latter is one of the most prominent mountains in Colorado as it rises 9,000ft above the western edge of the Great Plains. You might enjoy two artistic renderings: Ansel Adams (1941), Longs Peak from Road; and Albert Bierstadt (1876), Estes Park and Longs Peak. We continue to circle the peaks, including Hallett Peak (12,720) and Mount Julian (12,933), before we cross over to the Never Summer Mountains. The range constitute the western border of the National Park and forms part of the Continental Divide. The range is young, small and tall with a north-south length of 10mi and with ten distinct peaks rising more than 12,000ft. The names are interesting. The “Never Summer” comes from Arapaho, the peaks Nimbus, Cumulus, Cirrus (as well as Stratus) were named in 1932 after the types of clouds, and Nokhu Crags at the northern end is Arapaho for “Eagles Nest.” The tallest peak Mount Richthofen (12,945) is named for the nineteenth-century pioneering German geographer and geologist Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen. We cross back east to the Mummy Range and the sharp rugged point of East Desolation Peak (12,949) and then Hagues Peak (13,573) and scenic Mummy Mountain (13,430). These are less-climbed peaks and present their own challenges. Then we pass over Estes Park itself, the tourist town that serves the Rocky Mountain National Park. (The historic 140 room Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is a classic NP hotel. It is also the haunted “Overlook Hotel” for Stephen King’s The Shining. The AI rendition is only approximate.) We finish by flying over Boulder and landing at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC). Our destination is now a very busy GA airport for Denver. (This the 2006 renamed “Jefferson County” or “Jeffco”.) It has 718 operations a day with 476 aircraft based here. Two FBOs operate at the airport, Signature Flight Support (near the Terminal) and Sheltair (at the East Ramp). And in 2018 Pilatus Aircraft’s large new center for the PC-24 became operational at the southwest corner of the airport. Once we land, we can congregate at the airport terminal building located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Rwy 12L and Rwy 3. (Just the west of the Signature FBO.) Perhaps we can meet a local friend for a refreshment. Documentation The flightplan can be found here. Aircraft This Saturday encourages us to fly “on the top of the Rockies.” With a length of 370nm, we want aircraft that can sustain a fast cruise of 180-190kts at altitudes over 13,000ft. Given the high mountain flying mission, with some climbing involved, we want something with turbochargers/turbines or powerful piston engines. Many aircraft may be suitable for this mission. Some popular choices might include the Beech Baron B58 (TC or P), Beach Duke (turbo charged or turbine), Cessna 404, Cessna 414AW and maybe the Beech Bonanza A36TC or the Piper Aerostar. I’ll choose the Black Square Baron B58TC (Stock C-GVGI). 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. Eagle County Regional [KEGE]. Windhover Colorado Mountains Tree Fix. THEOLI4D (Select FS2024 pack.) Colorado Seasons Enhanced & Mountain Airports. csharpe (You want 0CO2 airport. And be careful to use a single seasons enhancement: either for Bijan vegetation or for Default vegetation. Use only one of the two.) Montrose Regional [KMTJ]. csharpe (You want 7V2) Rocky Mountain Metro [KBJC]. edu0811 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.) There is a very good payware for Rocky Mountain Metro [KBJC] by Propair Flight (2020/2024) – just now on sale for half price at ORBX for about $9.47. Highly recommended. And Xometry has a payware (2020 only) for Eagle County [KEGE] that has decent ratings. Time and Weather For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 9:00am local for October 7, 2026. Pick this date to show the addon fall seasons enhancement. We typically prefer real weather. Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Saturday, August 29, 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!