It’s quite well done. The airplane flies well and the autopilot does a nice job. I will say that it is a bit devoid of the personality you find in old school aircraft with steam gauges, It is quite unique though and the challenge is eeking out the range by choosing an optimal altitude based on winds and having the patience to set a low power setting and leave it there. I flew a 670nm leg this afternoon from La Grande Riviere to Iqualuit cruising at just 148 knots the whole way. I landed with about 20% charge left in the batteries.
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Well not in real life. But AFAIK FLIR cannot see through clouds, so in this situation (with overcast) you wouldn’t see anything on that FLIR/DLIR display in real aircraft. The implementation in MSFS uses the synthetic view that is used on Garmin, but colored all green (well mostly green, they weren’t able to re-color the runways) to “simulate” FLIR image.
Don’t worry, I’m from Poland and accustomed to people who can drink way too much 
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There are some users that like FLIR for rural flying in Australia, allegedly kangaroos show up pretty well on FLIR in low-light conditions.
I know you don’t want to hit any animal with an airplane… but you really don’t want to hit a full sized roo!
Photo from the State Library of Qld, via Wikimedia commons
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Another fun fact. It can’t see through glass either.
Something to do with the temperature differential on each side IIRC (former AN/TAS 6A operator)
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Or get hit by one…
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Ah sorry, misunderstood. That is true however. We used to try to take that into account when planning target attacks.
We were kind of spoiled however. Being based out of Yuma, AZ, we usually had uncharacteristically good weather. 
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Part 10 - Change of Direction
Time to start heading East and because I have a couple of long, boring overwater stretches with not a lot of landmarks, I’m back in the E1000… told you I would probably be using it a fair bit this year.
At least I have figured out the numbers I need for ‘best cruise’
First up: lets pretend I flew the Albatross or took a snow mobile or reindeer sled or walked back to Petropavlovsk and can now depart from UHPP… enroute to PADK
I have also started using Little Navmap for flight planning. I have had it for a while but was a bit daunted/overwhelmed by all the options. After following the advice I am too quick to give others but tend to ignore myself, I bothered to RTFM and I am now loving all the extra functionality that it provides…
I’m probably doing it wrong, but this is a step up from my previous flight planning which was - just use the direct to button and enter the ICAO code for the airfield 
Dasvidaniya Russia
Just cruisin’
Coming up on Eareckson Air Station, formerly Shemya Air Force Base.
Now that I have programmed a proper approach, the AP now flies an approach… funny that 
Hello Freedomland
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The next leg will be going from Kristiansand to Bergen in Norway. Forecast is quite bad, seems like there’s a solid low hanging cloud cover over Norway today, but we’ll do our best and if all fails, there’s a magenta line on the tablet!
During take-off the weather is still quite agreeable, only the low clouds are of concern. But maybe there are ways around them, or below them?
No surprise, there’s no gap in those clouds. And on my way northwest we’ll need to cross some mountains, so probably best to stay over the clouds and descent later.
Finally some sight of the ground.
But then it’s back into the clouds and rain. What to do now?
With help of the airport direction via the radio menu (cheat?), I get closer and closer to Bergen. But sight stays abysmal. First I try my luck at 1km height, no sight. Then down to 500 meters. No sight. And finally at 300 meter I see glimpses of the much to close ground.
Somewhere there must be the airport, I saw some lights from a taking-off aircraft.
I’m cleared for landing, straight in, but Tower reports that’s there traffic behind me. Wonder what they will do if they realize I’m not even making 200 km/h?
Seconds later I get clipped/passed by some airliner. My landing clearance is revoked seconds later, but I’m touching down already. With some effort I take the very first exit onto the taxi way.
I guess I got really lucky that Bergen was reasonably clear. Maybe some setting that makes this automatic for airports? Two minutes out, I didn’t see much and was a bit lucky not to fly into the next hill at my 300 meter altitude. Don’t know how many aviation rules I broke in this flight, but it was definitely a fun one to memorize 
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Hmm. I always enjoy reading these posts and feeling like I’m riding along with you guys each year. However, this year I might actually be able to take part myself. I’ll be taking my trusty Just Flight 172 and it looks like I should be able to make it in 4 hops, although knowing me I’ll probably get sidetracked along the way:
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Leg 8
I’m planning a long leg today - while I love India, the weather is awful - it is not a great day for sightseeing and I need to get a move on if I’m going to get to Svarlbard before Christmas!
This is right at the limit of the range of the King Air, but we should be able to do it…
Departing Chennai IFR
The weather away from Chennai is better, but still problematic for sightseeing around the cities
On descent into Bengaluru (Bangalore, if you’re stubbornly English
) - I’m looking for the statue of Shiva next to HAL airport …
But I’m not sure we’ll find it in the smog!
I had to go back and review the footage I took during the overfly …
I’m fairly certain the sim has put a small tan building with a black roof amongst a bunch of trees (ahead of the starboard wingtip) where the Shivoham Temple should be. No sign of the statue (I’m clearly expecting too much here!)
As we head northwest through the mainland, I come across some of the most remarkable scenery!
I believe that is the Alamatti Dam under the tail of the aircraft, with the Krishna River beyond.
Descending into Mumbai for some more sight seeing … maybe?!
Again, recording video and going back after the flight allows us to find…
Wait, someone put a block of apartments where the Gateway of India triumphal arch was!! (just ahead of the starboard wing, adjacent to the starboard engine)
At least the Office of the Department of Fisheries building on the Sassoon dock is recognisable…
Disappointed, I climb away from Mumbai, avoiding the obvious bumpy clouds
But we do get a glimpse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Mumbai and Juhu airstrip just next to it.
I don’t have any more fuel to descend and circle for sightseeing, but there’s still some sights to see along the way
In the background behind the tail you can just make out Girnar (the green hill) where, according to the Jains, Nemināth (a cousin of Krishna) achieved Nirvana.
Turning outbound over Jamnagar to cross the Gulf of Kutch
Transiting at high level over Karachi - I really don’t have the fuel to descend for a look at the city
Ormara, Pakistan
Allegedly turtles nest on the beaches to the right of the photo
Coasting in over Pasni
I’ve had to descend - there was a 20 knot headwind at altitude!
The terrain is distinctly different again, but now we’re on the home run to Gwadar
Runway in sight!
Safely down at Gwadar International Airport, and the customs van has just pulled up to check our papers.
That’s the longest amount of time I’ve spent in the air so far, though I did do more time and distance with a refuelling stop between Rockhampton and Darwin on 17 September. And we obviously had less help from the wind than the leg between Dili and Bintulu on the 22nd. And as a reminder, I’m flying this in real time with real weather!
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Welcome to the party!
Also, nice job, @Torc! I appreciate your knowledge of the region. I find myself having to look up most of what little I can identify. 
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I wanted to post is sooner (as I did this flight the same day as the final one with the Nighthawk), but MSFS2024 Tech Alpha came out of nowhere and I was preoccupied with other things.
Anyhoo, after getting into Savlbard, I’ve opened a tab in a bar for some thirsty Australians grabbed a quick beer and meal, and returned back to the apron where this thing awaited me for a “reverse-flight-speedrun”.
In essence I was curious how fast I’m able to get back to my origin airport in the SR-72 Darkstar. I wanted to keep inside 30 min window.
As you can see (lower part of the MFD), I’ve got little over 1500nm to go.
The cold start and taxi took me not more than 3-4 minutes.
I’ve taxied to the end of the runway to use all of its length, as IIRC the Darkstar isn’t a good STOL machine.
Aligned with the runway centerline i make a last quick sweep of the cockpit…
…before engaging full afterburner for take off.
Moments after lift off I disengage the AB to limit the noise and turn south to align with the course - it’s quite important as it’s hard to turn when you’re going MACH 10.
Quick look at the “Max Mach Profile”. I haven’t flown this bird for more than a year tbh.
I’m engaging the AB again while ascending to FL300 for the Supersonic transition phase.
After crossing 20k ft I roll inverted and initiate 1g pull to gain some speed .
During my 20° descent I roll out wings level and pull back again achieving M1.8 at the lowest point at 18k ft.
As I gain height and the air gets less dense I accelerate to Mach 3+ above 30k ft. Time to engage fuel cells and switch to scramjets.The engine ramps close the airflow to turbojet engines while opening it for the scramjets.
After scramjets activate the initial acceleration is ubelievable - severel Gs lateral at least. I quickly accelrate to Mach 7+ at 120k ft.
At this speed I can see ionized plasma being formed on the aircraft’s nose.
According to the flight profile we should stick to 120k ft, but since I want to push the speed more I climb to even higher altitude, while keeping my eye on mantaining the correct track. Small heading error can aacumulate to high track offset while traveling this fast.
I’m so high I can see the cloud rendering boundary
Almost at Mach 10, and 240k ft I notice the Moon rising above the horizon to my left.
200nm later you can clearly see the distance between the Moon and horzion line increased. Time to start planning for a descend.
I take a quick glance to the right - I can see all of Denmark in the distance.
On the left I see pretty much the entirety of the Baltic States.
I consult the Profile page once more for descend limits - I should stay above the hard deck of 80k ft until I decelerate to Mach 3.
At those speeds things happen rather quickly, I hope I don’t overshoot…
Only 100nm to go while I’m at Mach 4.65 and 157k ft. I’m afraid I might initiated the descend phase too late.
Mach 4.24 at 78k ft. A bit too fast, but I hope for the denser air to provide more drag to slow me down. Only 35nm left.
I think this will work, I take a glimps outside to chek on the weather.
After slowing down below Mach 3 I disengage scramjets and disable the fuel cells. The switchover to turbojets is successful.
I keep throttle at idle while performing rapid descend slowing down to Mach 1.
In the end i barely overshot my destination - Mach 1 at 28k ft I enter into a circling descend over the airport.
Looks like the wether is good for visual landing.
I’m setting up my approach for runway 21.
I really hate landings in this thing. The limited forward visibility forces you to use that synthetic view display. Combined with high landing speed of this bird I put it in the leage with the F-117 of hardest aircraft to land in MSFS2020.
Gear down, coming in from the side to keep the runway in sight.
Turning into the centerline, wish me luck…
Safely down, though I touched down way too far for my liking. Thankfully this runway is pretty long.
I vacate the runway and head for the hangar.
What a ride, all in all from getting into the aircraft in Savlbard until this point only 25 minutes have passed.
WTF this guy is doing.
Sorry pal, I don’t have reverse gear in this thing…
After short while I was on my way again, can see my hangar ready and waiting.
Passing across the public road, I believe the commuters don’t mind me blocking traffic in this thing.
Parked inside the hangar I swicth her off. Again - what a beast!
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Now that is some serious dedication. 
Wheels
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Great shots!
That thing takes MSFS to a new level…pun intended! 
@boomerang10 Is that the default 320? Nice livery whomever it belongs to.
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Manged to squeeze one more leg from Stavanger to Kristiansund (please do not confuse with one of my previous destinations Kristiansand).
I have not flown the Transall lately. Here I was looking at the “office” and, besides being stunned by how well it is represented in the sim, was wondering what all those round gauges wanted to tell me (yes, I was afraid to look up at the engineer’s panel).
Comfortably sitting in the chair, I firewalled the throttles and…
…ruined someone’s approach 
Fortunately this was AI traffic by FSLTL.
Climbing to cruising altitude. What a great day to fly!
Bringing Santa new sledges.
Did I mention it was a great day to fly?
When preparing for the approach and landing (propper old school NDB / VOR / ILS navigation; will check the FMS some other day), I missed at which point the terrain below turned white. First time this Christmas flight. And I feel like it will stay with me all the way to Svalbard.
Aligned with the localizer (well, almost) and waiting for the glideslope to come live.
At this moment, I was in a solid winter Norwegian soup.
(sort of missed the weather at my departure)
Anyway… the approach was flown by hand because it is so much more fun than…
…just using an autopilot… which in this case is custom coded and surprised me on a couple of occasions in such a way that I tend to not to trust it 
Well, maybe next time I will give it a try just to see what happens 
Safely down. FSLTL doing a nice job with the locally correct AI traffic.
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congrats @damson to be the first to reach the des on your first Xmas flight! nice job!
I didnt even start yet
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Hey apollon01, Kristiansund is my planned next stop as well, if I can find it with the Condor I plan to do the flight on the weekend.
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I’ve got a special little aircraft to set off my journey! A Fokker F-28 Fellowship
Erm no… No that one, sorry chaps not going to Mordor at this time of the year!
This one!
Had a few days to run it through some basic maintenance as it has been parked for… well, some time. The engines are still surprisingly okay given it’s age but i’ve pulled all the filters, drained the oil, smashed some fresh 2197 in and hope for the best! The lovely people at Eindhoven airport also furnished a fresh interior, apparently I need to take ‘people’ with me where I am going… I wanted to just bring, cargo that isn’t alive… Alas!
The batteries were completely dead, so they have been replaced as well, a quick check also shows the exterior lights to be operational, though they too will be replaced soon enough, for now I just need enough systems MEL’d to get this plane outta here to a more suitable location for a minor overhaul!
Eventually the APU sputtered alive, thought it left a few unidentified bits behind on the tarmac, my copilot Pilot McPilotFace(Not sure if that is their name but I am not going to learn it, Dave/Debby or Slagathor will do for the future) suspected some rodent or bird leftovers. I hope the latter because rodents could mean cut wiring and I don’t feel like spending a few days hunched over in the aft cargo trouble shooting wiring issues!
All the pneumatic valve’s operated within acceptable means which is good news when trying to start a engine! After routing the air through the pneumatic panel which just oozes character I can fire up engine one! Oil pressure rises, the HP spool comes up to max motoring and we keep it there for a bit before introducing fuel, make sure it’s good and empty from leftover bits(Did I mention I was also too lazy to boroscope?).
Dave takes us out to the runway whilst I take a quick nap. My flightplan was pretty much ‘point the compass at N’, which admittedly got me some protests from Slagathor(Formerly known as Dave, he doesn’t deserve that name anymore after such subordination) but I shouldered on, being the brilliant navigator that I am.
Also, we are doing this VFR because it’s a small country, the birds are flying and so are we!
Turns out a empty Fokker sure does want to go!
Flying over the town of ‘whatever’
Doing a quick operational check of the speedbrake, sure helps this aircraft get down because it does like to float a lot!
The flight was uneventful and soon enough we reach my planned destination, Eelde Airport, Groningen. Here we will do some proper maintenance to get this show on the road, plus the contract stipulates that we depart from here, because apparently the PAX, and I quote “They do no wish to drive 3 hours down to Eindhoven you git”… Yeah it surprises me too.
As soon a we are slowed down I happily let go of the controls and let the underpaid minion handle the taxi in. Gotta make sure the hotel bar is still open and properly stocked up! After a short taxi and some choice words from ATC as we drive between two high-winged regional aircraft to our final destination(Something about it being not allowed? I don’t know).
Hopefully all the parts I’ve ordered have arrived!
The Just Flight aircraft are so much fun to fly, Really love the attention to detail in them. Haven’t flown a flightsim in a while so it was a good time figuring everything out once more. I do love the Thrustmaster Boeing Yoke, really captures the feel of the real thing though obviously way to light and flimsy but that can be forgiven. I do wish the spring-clip that can hold a piece of paper would work though, I love playing with that when I am bored.
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