So this years flight will be a short one for me, Although I toyed with the idea of making it longer, ultimately i decided to keep it short and sweet.
Quick hop from KTBR Statesboro GA to KCLT Charlotte NC
For this we will use the Default XP 12 SF50.
Taxied and lined up for take off
Climbing to 230
Cruising into the night
Parked at KCLT ready for Xmas!
Merry Christmas to all and A happy New year as well!
Now that is uncanny…
I’d had enough flying for a while and Uncle Rex and I decided that discretion is the better part of valor, so we aren’t going to barrel roll the Beech. We both agreed it must have been the whisky talking 
Much better to catch up with family (or kin as my uncle says) for a couple of days.
But it is time to continue the odyssey. Next stop Baltimore.
It turns out that my uncle has a friend who is really keen to fly the Beech I have rented and makes a proposal… I fly his plane down to Baltimore, he and Rex will follow in the Beech 18.
“Yeah, I guess that sounds OK, what will I be flying?”
Hmm, not quite sure what to make of that? Looks like it could be fun though? A quick check flight and handshake later… look out crab cakes, here I come.
Very modern… perhaps too modern. I feel like I am not so much flying this as programming it!
Actually kind of boring once everything is set up. OK, maybe not boring, after all an autopilot is an autopilot.
Perhaps after the Beech, soulless is a better word?
I guess if I am going to be a passenger I might as well sit back and enjoy the view.
So tempted to take it down low and do some barnstorming, but I’m in enough trouble with the authorities after my ‘approach’ into St Louis.
Can’t deny it scoots along though, I am going to be at KBWI well ahead of my uncle and his friend, Bob.
I was encouraged by Bob to give the AP ILS landing a try, so I have. Direct approach to 15L and even though I am only about 10 miles out and I can’t see it yet, decide to get the flaps out and gear down.
Bloody computer can land a plane better than me 
Turn off the AP, I got it from here…
And goddamnit, long again! What is it with me and jets?
Oh well, this is where my uncle said they would meet me. I might be waiting a while, this Cirrus is significantly quicker than the 18.
Maybe I can get a decent coffee around here? Ahh, who am I kidding - I’m in the US and I’m at an airport 
Having been stuck in Narsarsarsarsarasasasarsasuaq for 12 days, its time to get a move on. As most of the delicacies in Greenland involve killing a sea mammal, we’ll continue with the alcohol theme.
According to Wikipedia…
Greenland Brewhouse was Greenland’s first brewery. It was located in Narsaq in Southern Greenland and was founded in December 2004. The beer was brewed from water derived from melted icebergs. Melt water was collected from icebergs and transported to the brewery by local fishermen on their fishing boats.[1] Greenland Brewhouse pioneered ‘ice beer’, brewed from 2000-year-old natural Arctic ice harvested from glaciers.
Ice Beer made from Ice… The clue’s in the name. (I should be in marketing for these guys)
A crate of beer in the hold, its time…
Leg 6: BGBW → CYQX Gander International Airport
I’d forgotten that the further west I go, the earlier in the day it is when I fly. So trying to get this done at 11am was OMGo’clock in Greenland. Fortunately it takes me around 30 minutes to get the bird started and programmed. Also need to give hairy palms a shave before he grips the yoke.
Since I’d landed at N…thingy there’d been a thaw. I’m not sure if that’s because with Rex weather, the ice/snow buildup is cumulative, never mind, its nice to see some Green land. ha ha.
This was the longest leg so far, some 800 miles, mostly across the sea…
After playing “I spy” with HP for an hour, it was soon time to think about the descent. ToD calc showed around 80 miles. This put us into the muck quite quickly.
Checking the EFB, the handy map feature showed I’d coasted in between Musgrave Harbour and Deadman’s bay. Checking the map, there’s some great names, but looks like with all the small lakes they got bored the more they got inland… “Fourth pond”, “Fifth pond” and you guessed it “sixth pond” soon after.
No surprise after reaching 2600ft (localiser int height) pressing the buttons did absolutely sod all. What the heck have I done now. I re-checked everything and still couldn’t get it to work. Time to break out the flying jacket and do some pilot stuff.
A nice steady touchdown, airbrakes out and taxy to stop. Turning to HP with a grin, I asked what he thought of that then… Stony silence. Then his left arm shot out and he was pointing at the EFB.
“What?” - I followed his gaze and looked at the Jepp’s chart. “What?”. Then I saw it. “Ah, that”.
Chart says ILS freq: 109.5, I have 109.9 programmed. 
Balls.
As an addendum, TOM/TG (The Old Man/The Guru) has finally got a move on.
Departing from Welshpool, flying the Fenix A320, he’s kidnapped 42 members of the Builth Male Voice Choir for the journey, plus he’s carrying 250kg of Barra Brith and 250kg of Caerphilly cheese
All this extra weight meant a scary take off from Welshpool to Cardiff. The choir broke into song “Nearer to my God go thee” as he clipped the trees. Arriving at Cardiff after a figure 8 final (no idea what that means - dimwit Keets), 2 Choir members having never been further than the papershop, applied for political asylum thinking they’d arrived in the New Country
@weaponz248 Congrats on the journey’s end. Long or short, you made it! 
A slight faux pas. There is no Boston Cream in there. That’s how you get your tea thrown in the harbor, so to speak!
That’s funny, I thought Bob was your uncle! 
EDIT: Oh yes, and…
I’m glad you finally got out of there. You were beginning to look a little pale. And drunk. 
On Saturday I flew the next leg, had to get out of Long Island.
I don’t know what they put in that Ice Tea of theirs, but it sure makes me wanna dance all night and my head hurt all morning.
Today’s ride is my trusty old P-38 by FlyingIron (man, I have to finish that Britain trip). I wish the developers would finally patch a few things in this (such as the mixture), but it flies nicely enough for today.
I tend to forget how large this single seat fighter is. Every engine of this monster is quite literally Cessna-sized.
Two times sixteenhundred horse power make this climb like a turboprop.
Heading west from KISP toward that Big Apple city.
Found it! And I patted my own back for not forgetting the oxygen (this time). This plane likes high altitudes to fly fast.
Some Yankees play Baseball down there.
And I may not be their biggest fan, but as an NFL fan I have to take a picture of the stadium both the Jets and Giants play in, MetLife stadium was my next waypoint.
Headed southwest.
Philly. The Eagles (another NFC East rival of my favourite team) play in that stadium near the river, next to the harbor.
The Susquehanna river mound. This place is called the Cheesecake, no… was it Cheshire Cat? no… uhh… ah, yeah, Chesapeake Bay. I read that it is quite shallow, so it isn’t always fully flooded, similar to the Wadden Sea back home in Europe.
Yet another city with an NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens play here.
Originally I planned to fly into Washington D.C., but there was a no fly zone. (I heard that some important guy lives there). So I took the opportunity to visit some other place and turned northwest.
There is something special about flying a 80 year old piston engine plane, at 30,000ft and 240 knots.
I was enjoying the view so much that I almost forgot to descend, so I did it P-38 style, reaching 400 knots or so. Luckily I had dive brakes, because I got a little fast. I was too busy for taking screenshots so the next picture is already close to my destination. This is a famous place in US history.
A lot of lives were lost in those fields I am flying over.
There is a museum here.
On final. Welcome to Gettysburg.
Ok, this airfield isn’t made for this size of plane it seems. Parking might be difficult.
Squeezed my plane between those. Again I was blown away by the size of this thing.
The next one might be my last leg, haven’t decided on that yet.
Thanks for reading!
Having virtually nothing to do with the Christmas flight, I did find myself in DC. With a Harrier.
So, it was time to do this.
Leg 38 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, USA (KDCA) TO N 38deg 53.23min W077deg 01.17min.
Thought for the day…
Given my circumstances, I decided to try and recreate one of my favorite scenes.
On June 7, 1991 Captain John Rahm USMC flew a Day Attack Harrier from Andrews AFB to the National Mall.
The first flight today would take me only a little over two miles from DCA to the Mall. As I noted, the original flight was flown from Andrews. But since I had just landed at DCA I figured I’d just stage the jet here.
The original flight was also flown by VMA-231, the Ace of Spades. Unfortunately, the only Day Attack grey on grey livery available is that of VMA-311, the Tomcats; a Yuma squadron with its own storied past.
Hopefully history will forgive me.
I loaded her light to ensure solid VL performance by the time that I travelled the whole two miles.
She was off the ground like a scalded (tom)cat! 
No point really in even raising the gear. I just took a leisurely turn to the north up the Potomac.
As Captain Rahm originally stated when offered an orientation flight before his landing,
“If you can’t find the Washington Monument, you’re having a really bad day!”
The Mall itself was, surprisingly, a bit more difficult to find at 600ft or so. The surrounding buildings and low angle obscuring it until I got close.
I’m not actually sure how the captain flew into the zone originally. There’s something that you’d just as soon as not avoid hitting on all sides of you.
In the end, I just chose a cross deck pattern to bring me in perpendicular to the Mall, but as close as possible into the wind. Once I gave the FAA Headquarters a good dusting (talk about being under the microscope! 
), I eased her down and in to about where I thought the original landing pad was.
Once I settled into a 60ft hover, I tried to set up for the photo shoot. The original landing was done on a 96x96ft steel mat, so as to not decorate the entire National Mall with sod.
But, try as I might, I just couldn’t get the angles right.
Even moving as close to the capitol as I dared without melting the statue of Ulysses S Grant, the perspective seemed off…no doubt due to some camera jiggery pokery that I couldn’t quite duplicate in MSFS.
This was about as close as I could manage.
I also tried to change the time of day a bit to capture the light better.
But, with the landing occurring in June and this shot being taken in December, it was always going to be just a little different.
Anyway, gas about gone, I set her down on the grass.
I guess I’ll call that a mission success(ish)!
Leg 39 N 38deg 53.23min W077deg 01.17min TO Raleigh–Durham International Airport, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (KRDU)
Since I could hardly call that, “Earning my Marine Corps pay for the day”, I felt that I had to press on a little farther.
Precisely 199NM farther to visit @Navynuke99 for (what is now almost appropriately) the holidays.
In keeping with the theme of the day, I decided to break out the brand new Miltech MV-22 in the livery of VMM-263, the Thunder Chickens (Gotta love the name!).
This will be my first time flying the Osprey. So, let’s see:
Potential complexity: High.
Preparation: None.
Conclusion: Ops normal. We’re a GO for launch! 
There’s an old aphorism that perfectly describes my takeoff out of the Mall.
It’s called:
“Killing snakes in the cockpit”
whereupon every stick, throttle, and pedal in the aircraft hit every control stop at least once, sometimes more, thus savagely ending what might otherwise have been a promising life for any serpents who had, against all odds, found their way into the flight deck.
And let me tell you…I killed the **** out of 'em.
Once all the screaming had stopped; by the passengers, by the co-pilot, and even by myself…
(Incidentally, Crew Chiefs don’t scream…they just sigh patiently and roll their eyes at the pilots)
…we levelled out just under the overcast.
A slow and somewhat more measured transition to level flight later, we set a course towards Raleigh.
More or less.
Maybe I should have read the manual first… 
What started out as an object lesson in why you should locate the anti-icing controls BEFORE you enter icing, turned into a modestly nice day somewhere south of Fredericksburg.
I love a good training opportunity as much as the next guy, but I was not sorry to see this happen.
The clouds never completely departed, but largely ceased to be an impediment to my one day collecting Social Security. 
While I set about teaching myself the Osprey’s nav system the hard way (while using it), I was gratified to have a few fairly unmistakable landmarks, like the rather enormous Lake Ana northwest of Richmond, to guide me.
A second lake, Kerr, north of Raleigh served as my second major landmark and told me that it was time to start down.
Much of this relatively short leg had been over the great expanse of rural Virginia and North Carolina. Lovely, but fairly nondescript for the discerning, but generally haphazard, navigator.
The only bright spot was that KRDU stuck out like a sore thumb from the forest.
Which is good since, ever since the last patch, I have begun to experience horrifying stutters when I’m around major sceneries.
There was no finesse putting this baby down on the ground.
I’m just glad I didn’t flip it!
Well, made it to the ramp somehow.
A fun day (except for the stutters) for Marine aviation and I wish them, and all the service people, wherever they are and wherever they are from, Peace on Earth for the Holidays.
And for @Navynuke99, I bring a plate of delicious Stroopwafles from the Netherlands.
If Crack were a confection, they’d be Stroopwafles. I’d eat them in my sleep if I could get someone to move my jaw.
And that’s it. One leg left.
Glad to see you all making your way to your destinations this holiday. Can’t wait to read more as the Holiday approaches.
Thank you Mr Google, there was no way that I would have remembered the name of the ‘crab cake place’ or how to get there, but a search for - best crab cake baltimore - and there it is. As soon as I saw the photo, “yep, that’s the place”
Now that I have started scratching that foodie itch, poutine in Canada and lump crab cake in Baltimore, I’m starting to think of other delicacies. Do I head North for a bit and grab a Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia (I have had a pretty good one in DC, but I would have to get the ‘best’ in Philly? Right?).
Or head South for Creole, BBQ or TexMex? Mmmmm, chimichangas.
All those foods that I would visit the US again in a heatbeat for.
You know what, plenty of time for that after the holidays. for now let’s just get to Charlotte, I’m sure they have to have a decent restaurant or two?
Back in ‘my’ Beech 18. But this time I am going VFR, even though I uploaded a flightplan, I have literally printed out maps and charts and ruled lines with a pencil 
I am also going to hand fly the entire leg - no autopilot or time compression. The only concession I have made is to pause for screenshots.
And lift off:
Heading towrds DC, Don’t know what that arena is? I bet @Aginor would?
Hmmm, Do you think I might be in a bit of trouble flying here?
My VFR ‘plan’ is to basically use airfields along the way as visual waypoints… I mean what could possibly go wrong
KYNG
KRMN
KGSO
KRUQ and time to plan my descent
On finals
A bit too far to the right and high but I got this
Hello Charlotte.
Merry Christmas everyone, but before I get to your presents, there are a number of thank you’s that I have to make.
First and foremost. My loving wife who not only tolerates and allows me to indulge in my passion for flying ‘pretend aeroplanes’ actually brought me in-flight snacks and topped up my drink on some of the longer legs.
To all my fellow Mudspikers. For your friendship, encouragement and bad influencing. If it wasn’t for you, flying pretend aeroplanes would be
A special shout-out to @Deacon211 for organising this years Fly-In.
And finally Dame Milkstool.
Oh, oh, oh what a (wonderful) Gal.
Now. about those presents…
It would be downright un-Australian to turn up without beer. I don’t know how this stacks up against @Keets ice beer from Greenland but it is a decent drop from a local brewery - careful it is 5.8% ABV
And. If there was one item that I always (and I mean always, under pain of death) had to bring for my American friends whenever I was coming over it is these.
Enjoy 
I think I do!
That’s the FedEx Field, home of the Washington Commanders, a team that plays in the NFC East division of the NFL, together with the Philadelphia Eagles, NY Giants, and Dallas Cowboys.
Me like!
When in NL, I always make a few locals laugh when in the supermarket I stuff the shopping cart full of Stroopwafles
Nicely done on all counts!!
Funny you pulled into RDU when you did- we landed in mid-afternoon yesterday, so I like to think we met up at one of the bars or restaurants right off the property- unless you had time to run 20 minutes down the road to my house.
I have no clue where the last several weeks have gone, except for the ether called Grad School (one more class left next semester!). I’m thinking I may be resetting, making a tour of the Carolinas, and then giving a slow tour of the Charlotte area for all of y’all that are heading that way.
congrats ! to both of you @weaponz248 and @Harry_Bumcrack
NASA : good job on the low level nav test. as we know you are in no hurry, how about something little faster?
frontseater : did they say something? this thing is so noisy I cant hear a thing
backseater : 
I like, it starts really easy
… next flight …
frontseater : do I really have to do all the work myself !?
backseater : 
frontseater : eat this !
backseater : was I thinking out loud on the previous flight !?
backseater : sure I was !!
Unfortunately, western NC barbecue is crap, so that’s working against you, and right now “culture” in Charlotte pretty much exclusively means “trendy and expensive, and/or a brewery.” Especially since so many of the former staples that had been institutions have closed down, usually because they could no longer afford the lease, or because they were offered massive amounts of money to sell their little shops to be turned into a five over one building full of luxury condos that only folks relocating from New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and the Bay Area would be able to afford.
But I can definitely give you some great advice on where to get a beer! Or six.
That gives me a sad 
And unfortunately is happening here as well. If it isn’t all those Mom & Pop stores that have been there for generations, it is live music venues being forced to shut down or green spaces being turned into apartment blocks.
About the only business’ that are thriving are trendy cafes so all the inner city hipsters can get their “double de-caf soy latte’s” and “smashed avocado on toast”… and who really needs a dozen places to get a coffee within a one block radius?
Now that on the other hand gives me a happy
Yeah, it’s unfortunate that every city starts to look like every other city.
CLT does have some good beer though!
cue Harold Faltermeyer
Today’s flight was going to be another in the BAE 146, right until Hairy Palms slipped on the top stairs, banging his head on the door and needing to go to hospital. Having already gandered around Gander , despite cries of “I’m not leaving my wingman^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hco-pilot”, I was persuaded to continue with the flight on my own. Obviously I’d need something appropriate. Sitting in the hangar beyond the 146 was something long, sleek and shiny. That’ll do.
A quick trip to the airport shop/shack…
You know you want it.
Leg 7: CYQX → CYFC Fredericton International
Lined up on the departure, revving up the engine, listen to her howling roar. 
Climbing out through the cloud unsurprisingly didn’t take long. I’ve not flown the F-18 in MSFS before, and was busy trying in vein to find the DCS switches I usually flick. Even so I was enjoying this dumbed down version.
I’d taken a full fuel load just so I could have some burner action, reluctantly at FL30+ I pulled back on the throttle back to dry power. (boooooo)
Checking the waypoints, things were whizzing along. This really is a nice way to travel, sun on your helmet 
and No Hairy Palms giving me the silent treatment.
As we approached Prince Edward Island, the clouds below became more dense and I lost visual of the ground. There was still about 10 minutes to the final waypoint but I couldn’t remember if there were any high bits. This is where I’d normally turn to Hairy Palms and ask, be given the stonewall response and do whatever.
Grabbing a favourite keepsake of his, I envoked the spirit of HP.
Decision made I decided to get below the hard deck… Fortunately the cloud cleared around 4,000ft.
Heading in to the final waypoint it was time to wake up this sleepy town with an ear shattering low pass.
As we have the low cloud, it was going to have to be the rolling display.
After several low fast passes, one slow high alpha with full reheat to help clear some driveways of snow, it was time to put down. Joining a nice left hand pattern, scrubbing speed I turned onto finals.
Landing, I couldn’t find the nosewheel lock, so ended up leaving the bird at the side of the runway. Time for an impromptu stop, drop off a gift or two for Fridge and be on my merry way.
As I approached the ready room, in walked HP with a bandage on his bonnet. No idea how he beat me here, but it was good to see him.
“You can be my co-pilot anytime” I said. Fully expecting the correct response, I kept nodding with my eye brows raised. He just gave me the thousand yard dead mans stare and walked off.
Amazing AAR! Hilarious Top Gun references, and that opening bit is absolute gold!
Did we have a post of the year already?
Seconded!
Agree. That opening is pure gold.
Very kind words, I’m humbled, I feel that there many better writers and posts in this thread and it’s not on a par with Cygon_Parrot’s talent for story telling.
I did enjoy writing it though. 
