Congratulations! Loved the trip reports.
Merry Christmas to everyone! And an oldie but a goody for you all.
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Merry Christmas everyone!
I have in fact completed my Christmas trek but ran out of time before I could write up the last couple of legs. I’m on the road this year hopping all over the place… I’ll try to write up my reports when I get home. In the meantime, I’d like to say thanks to you all for some very entertaining reports. It has been an interesting trek with a different twist (ie we were all heading to different places this year). I’m hoping to get back to my much delayed Lewis and Clark trek… we will see how that goes.
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The last leg of my flight, from Gettysburg (W05) to Charlotte (KCLT), 328nm that took me around two hours in the P-38.
Sadly LittleNavMap lost the connection to MSFS for some reason, so I only have the planned route here, not the one I actually flew.
Decent weather for a flight. I had to roll over the grass though, as the taxiway was blocked by some dude in a car.
Here we go! I took off with half fuel, I feared that otherwise the runway might not have sufficed.
I stayed below the clouds on my way south.
Frederick, MD
Somewhere at this point LittleNavMap quit, so I flew this proper VFR. Not too bad in this area, lots of landmarks present. Such as this place, where the Potomac cuts through the hills east of the Appalachians near Bolivar.
The weather cleared up a bit so I climbed south of the Potomac to pick up some speed.
I got lost a bit because I was busy looking at the terrain, but then I spotted Lake Anna.
I almost landed to get a Whisky, but then I realized that this is Lynchburg, VA, and not TN.
Smith Mountain Lake. I was nicely on course for a change, southeast of Roanoke.
Martinsville. That means that I am almost in the right state at least!
I continued south, and then I saw that large airport and realized I had drifted off course again. That’s Piedmont Triad International Airport (KGSO).
Salisbury and High Rock Lake.
That’s an interesting interchange, between Concord and Charlotte. You can also see the Charlotte Motor Speedway and KJQF there.
Charlotte, NC. As always I am way too high. And so is my plane. 
The Carolina Panthers play in that large stadium, and off my right stabilizer is my destination, KCLT.
On final to runway 18C, but then I was ordered to go around for some reason.
I saw more big guys coming into this runway, so I asked to change to 18L, and got the permission.
Almost there. This time the big guy was patiently waiting. Thank you!
I cleared the runway as quickly as possible (this is the 5th busiest airport of the US IIRC, so there is a lot of traffic here) and searched for a parking spot. Eventually I parked on an available space in the southeast of the airport.
And with this shot of Charlotte Douglas International Airport my 2022 Mudspike Christmas Flight ends.
4600 nautical miles from EDSB to KCLT the way I flew it.
Thanks for reading!
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Nice job! Congratulations on finishing her up and welcome to Charlotte. 
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Leg 9: KPHL → KCLT Charlotte Douglas International
Full of festive spirit, thanks to @Deacon211, it took a few days to get the final long hop done. By now, I’ve got to grips with the 146 and its all becoming very calm in the cockpit.
A case of Victory Brewing’s “Dirt Wolf” in the hold.
Early start, lets do this
Cheers Philly
I’ve noticed since flying in NA, its a lot busier with aircraft criss crossing all over.
Do I need to drop flares?
Overhead Washington
The sun was out, clear skies, so the “weather bomb” isn’t being accurately represented by the weather injector. A shame as it would feel very festive.
Descending in to Charlotte, I’m blown away by the graphics in the sim (again).
Charlotte
Almost down…
I realised during the descent I’d setup for the shorter of Charlotte’s four runways. That’s got to be a controllers nightmare.
Spoiler alert
Parked.
A quick visit to @BeachAV8R, drop off some gifts, then a quick hop to my final destination remains.
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Congrats to everyone that made it and participated (even if you didn’t make it). I managed to get in to the airport just west of KCLT (KAKH? SkyVector tells me). Charlotte was looking a bit busy as I approached and I didn’t want to clog up the approach with a slow helicopter :-). I will try to post the last segment of my flight in the near future but I am somewhat bust with some of the effort to move the articles from the WP side of the site and into the forums … and with visiting family 
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I’ll try to write up my AAR’s tomorrow…. But my RL Christmas trek flown 24th - 28th Dec looked something like this…
I almost made it home last night but we hit ‘duty day’ limits at Houston when we cleared customs. 
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Wow. You made some serious miles there!
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The bride managed to find a packet while on a shopping and mail run this morning. Now that I have tried them, I have to agree. There is one problem with them though… only four to a pack!
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I am actually trying to wrap my head around that route!
and congrats to @TeTeT and @Aginor ! ( for the other finalists, no report = didnt happen 
)
we are moving up north along the coast of Peru now
finally something different from the dry lands
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Sorry bro. Timing out sucks. Especially go home leg over Christmas.
I’m glad that they aren’t easier to come by here! 
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Well, after 4 legs and a 14 hour duty day it was probably for the best. We could have flown the last (empty) leg under Part 91 but it was close to midnight, both pilots were beat, Austin Executive doesn’t have the longest runway and the tower closed at 10pm.
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Hehe, ‘tis the season! 
The final leg…
After spending some time at the Nascar hall of fame, it was time to get the final leg completed.
The final gift…
A Nascar “Pint” glass, that’s not a pint
Leg 10: KCLT → KRDU Raleigh - Durham International
Rolling…
With not much fuel on board for such a short hop, the takeoff was a little sporty.
Fly it like you stole it
The short flight over to RDU is one I’ve done in RL as a passenger when visiting, so knew it wasn’t far.
Approaching Raleigh
As we approached Raleigh, I recognised Research Triangle Park, having worked for a company that had an office there back in the early 2000’s. My last visit was in 2009, but I could pick out the office.
Falls Lake
Soon I was crossing Falls lake, in the UK this would be a reservoir, its way too big to be a lake. The last time I saw this in RL, I was on it fishing for Crappy bass with my late Uncle.
US 70 looks busy
Nicely down
Pulling in to the terminal, I shut down and opened the cargo doors to unload the gifts for @Navynuke99 Hopefully he’s around for a beer.
A very enjoyable trek. Thanks @Deacon211 for organising the secret santa aspect. Great fun. I wish you all a Happy New Year!
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Nicely done!
I’m pretty sure your approach came in over my house- I’m between Falls Lake and 70 and often on the approach/ departure end of one of the runways.
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Beautiful! Brilliantly done.
Just one question?
What’s that clear liquid at the bottom of that beer glass?
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It must be Gin or Vodka…
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I thought the same thing.
I ripped the pic from the NASCAR hall of fame online shop. I can understand they may not want to endorse beer, but what were they thinking. It looks like some weird growth in the glass. 
I’d still love to go and have a nose around though. The amount of times I’ve been to the US and still not seen a live NASCAR or Indy car race kills me.
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Lived in the USA my whole life and I have never been to one of them either. Not like it would be a great hardship to attend one either considering that Auto Club speedway, formerly California Speedway, is less than twenty miles from my house…
Wheels
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