Going Around the World in the Comanche

[Mustang]

After many years of thinking to myself that I would do this one day, I've taken the first step in a journey of a thousand miles - or rather more miles than that! I don't know how many months or years it will take to complete, but any time between now and retirement would be good. Due to frequent lack of time / lack of willpower when I have time / distractions by other games, forms of entertainment & family members, this may be a rather sporadic trip. But the main thing is that I've started.

I don't yet know my general route; I only decided to head in a roughly easterly direction...

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Update:

Progress Map available at the link below. Each leg contains a link to the images:

>>> FSX RTW Progress - Google Map <<<

Screenshot collection, leg by leg

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A huge thanks to A2A for the Comanche, which is the perfect aircraft for such an adventure. Making this gruelling trip in a non-Accu-Sim aircraft simply seems pointless and without challenge!

After some deliberation, I decided on using Ron Attwood's excellent (and somewhat patriotic-looking) repaint of G-APXJ, which is/was based at another local(ish) airfield, Netherthorpe. Many thanks for your efforts, Ron! The aircraft is configured without many fancy extras. Just the engine heater and sound-proofing. I expect I will pick up a few upgrades along the way...

Leg 1 was flown a few days ago, from my local airport East Midlands (EGNX) down to Lydd (EGMD), not far from Dover.
It was flown in the late evening, but I rolled back FSX-time to mid-afternoon to give me some daylight (not that there's much available at this time of year!) and had ASN sync the weather to FSX time. So I got the weather as it was earlier that day. And that was rather windy with a few showers! I was also rather shocked at how quickly the daylight disappeared!!!

I picked my route via a few airfields that I've visited for real, or which hold special significance, and then made my way under the airspace around London. Despite some strong winds and turbulence, a little icing during the rain showers and a minor struggle to find the airfield in the fast-approaching darkness, the first trip went well enough and marked my first cross-country flight in the Comanche. The cabin was nice and warm for the journey, so my wife (who was a last-minute 'addition' to the passenger seat!) didn't grumble too much

Click below for a short screenshot album with a few comments and a route-map at the link below:

FSX RTW - Leg 1 Album

And a few taster shots to brighten up the forum thread:







Unfortunately, I only have default scenery besides FTX Australia - look forward to reaching that part of the world! That said, I have upgraded much of the world's terrain mesh using FreeMesh X which will help greatly in the more remote parts of the world.

Leg 2 will see me hop across the channel and then head up over Belgium to stop off in the Netherlands, where I've a few real life friends. After that, who knows? I could go via Russia to visit extended family, or I could head south towards the Mediterranean for warmer climes and an escape from the winds and rain we have up here at the moment!

Suggestions for places to visit are welcome

Martyn

[Lewis - A2A]

Nice job Martyn, best of luck and look forward to seeing more of the adventure. The livery is very nice too

cheers,
Lewis

[Piper_EEWL]

Hi Martyn,

Sounds like an awesome plan! Nice screenshots. I'll be looking forward to seeing the progress on your trip. With all of you guys posting your trips the urge in my grows to do a rtw myself on day.

[boeingman29562]

I did a trip around the world last year on flight simulator, and had a ton of fun. Finding new places is one of the best parts, and the varying weather makes it a challenging experience! My only suggestion is to take it slowly. Don't rush it, just enjoy it my friend, it took me the better part of a year. Have fun, and happy new year!
Fly Safe!
Josh McCorquodale

[Jeffryintveld]

Nice to see someone else has started a trip around the globe! I started one myself as well, only posted it in the Pilot's Lounge:

http://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtop ... 23&t=50737

i started in Rotterdam and actually went north, yesterday i made it to the Faroe Islands!

[eighteez]

What a fun idea.

Is there any way to auto save your route? Like some sort of FSX-Google Earth tie in app that plots it?

That would be neat. A map of the whole journey.

[Jeffryintveld]

What a fun idea.

Is there any way to auto save your route? Like some sort of FSX-Google Earth tie in app that plots it?

That would be neat. A map of the whole journey.

Would be indeed nice, i was just thinking of grabbing a high res map of the Earth and just photoshop my route in.

[Piper_EEWL]

Would be indeed nice, i was just thinking of grabbing a high res map of the Earth and just photoshop my route in.

That'll be awesome!

[Mustang]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the comments and kind words. Jeff (or Jeffry, please correct me if I call you wrongly), I saw your RTW thread in the pilot's lounge and that partly inspired me to start my own trip at last

I flew leg 2 yesterday, so now I'm in The Netherlands. It was quite an uneventful flight. Navigation was quite challenging as I travelled across Belgium with no real landmarks or navaids in that part of my flight plan - just aerodromes to look out for as the 30kt wind tried to blow me well off course. I think I'll make more cross-references for my waypoints in future, or use more navaids and fewer aerodromes. Since true VFR navigation is perhaps harder in FSX than in real life due to the repeating textures and lack of detailed vector data (roads & rivers except major ones), I may have to fall back on VORs more. Or perhaps I'd better get practising with an E6-B flight computer?! I also found that I could not tune the ADF to .5 increments in the Comanche, which was rather a pain towards the end of my flight... I couldn't home in on the Rotterdam NDBs on 350.5 and 404.5 KHz!

Nevertheless, I had my GPS on as back-up in case I got too off course, though I would never navigate by it. It's just useful to have in case of difficulties.

A few more pics at the link below. I made sure I had a little more daylight on this one!

FSX RTW - Leg 2 Album




As for a map, I had already started preparing one. I remember seeing someone else share one here on the A2A forums for their RTW trip some months ago, where they added in their screenshots to each leg, which could be selected on the map. I figured it was easier to share/view the images by another service (hence Flickr) and provide the map link separately:

Click below to view - still a long way to go!!!! If you click on a leg, it will give you further details and the album link etc.

FSX RTW Progress - Google Map

I could plot out my exact route for each leg, but for now I've made it a simple point-to-point plot of each leg. As the last image in the Flickr album shows, my route was anything but straight! This was to go around A-C airspaces to avoid the need for clearances and potential traffic clashes, as well as avoiding unnecessary time spent over water. Although I think I mis-planned the altitude for one of my waypoints and ended up flying in class A airspace over Rotterdam; rather a no-no for VFR, but FSX ATC obviously didn't care! So no harm done

Where to next? I'm not sure yet... but looking at the map I expect I'll end up in Germany somewhere.

[Mustang]

After a rather length delay, I finally dragged myself away from the lovely Dutch people in Lelystad and set off for Germany!

In reality, over the Christmas break we decided to re-arrange the house somewhat, so the last couple of weeks saw a lot of clearing of junk, decorating a pink-painted room we inherited from the past residents of our house and then moving my computer into its own room. My wife gets a new desk and lots of working space for her job, I get a room all to myself to sim in. What a good deal all around! When I had time to fly, the real-world weather was against me however... low clouds, rain, poor visibility.

Anyway, on with the trip!

I had the rough idea to head east across Germany, Poland, Belarus and Russia, visiting distant family before turning south for warmer climes. However, on consideration of the poor default FSX terrain and the sheer flatness of that route, I changed my mind and have headed south towards the Alps. Instead I'll run a more southerly course towards the Mediterranean and enjoy some of the sights and slightly warmer weather.

I started to plan a course towards Luxembourg, but decided to run through western Germany to take in some scenery and interesting river valleys along the Rhein. With headwinds and some 2 hours in the air, I arrived at my destination of Mannheim City (EDFM), a little south of Frankfurt. I made a rare missed approach coming in to Mannheim. I slightly misjudged my turn to final and ended up on short final with the plane not quite trimmed out and steady. Before I knew it, I was halfway down the 3000ft runway and still floating. Usually in FSX I'd push my luck, put it down and stamp on the brakes, but with the Comanche I guess I felt more 'responsible' and called off the landing. Wise choice and the next landing was much better!

Next stop, the Alps!

FTX RTW Leg 3

The map at the link in the last post (and on the front page) is updated.

And a few taster shots as before:


Crossing the Ruhr just south of Essen


Passing Koblenz, the river Lahn branching off the Rhein

[eighteez]

Thanks for the update!

[Mustang]

You're welcome, hope a few are enjoying the pics! They're aren't all so exciting but it will be fun to look back on my progress in some months and remember all the places I've flown over.

Latest trip completed a couple of days ago. Perfect weather; slight tailwind almost clear skies for much of the trip and no turbulence to speak of, even once I got into the valleys of the Alps. I was expecting ASN to cause me some bumps and updraughts/downdraughts but not at all.

Click for album:

Leg 4 - EDFM Mannheim (Germany) to LOWI Innsbruck (Austria)

Google Map updated with some info on each leg

I have stock scenery but am running FreeMesh X which gives a slightly higher resolution terrain mesh than FSX out of the box. Looks great

[Piper_EEWL]

Nice pictures and nice routing! Innsbruck is a really cool airport (for the ones that like it a bit tricky at least ). I like flying through valleys in the Alps (or Rockies) if the weather is permitting.

Thanks for posting the progress!

Happy flying

PS: In case you're going back to Mannheim there is a great freeware scenery from Flighport. Ist very well worth a look.

[Lewis - A2A]

Nice update and got to love that livery, just looks so good

Are you running with stock ATC or not using any ATC on the trip?

thanks,
Lewis

[LZ-WIL]

Hi,

Nice track of the journey in google, great shots. I have one question though, why do you divert from Kortrijk (EBKT) north east and then go back south to Austria? Was it site seeing, weather or airspace restriction? I am just curious. Keep up the great journey.

Cheerz,
Will