The Mexican Mountain Virtual Landing Strip (42MX) under Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS) is located in the United States, in Utah. It is a 1800 x 40 feet dirt runway, sloping slightly to the west.
The surrounding landscape is characterized by large cliffs and mountains whose peaks reach 6900 feet.
Once on the ground and near the campfire, we can hear the fire crackling and the RC Plane activities through the walkie-talkie left on the table. We can’t tell if anyone will be there when we arrive. This time, a young couple was enjoying the good weather and had taken the time to light a fire in my absence…
One final note from the company: pineapples on pizza are not allowed on the site.
If you have purchased the Bushplane Campout 42BC, the simulation will be all the more realistic.
Takeoffs and landings on the Bugalaga runway (WX53) in Indonesia can be classified as being in the challenging virtual flight category. The runway is not extraordinarily demanding, due to its comfortable size of 1478 feet by 75 feet. But the approach still requires more skill than a standard approach, especially with the trees on final and the steep slope.
Today’s flight with the MSFS 2020 flight simulator consists of taking off and landing on this sloping runway. To add to the fun, the flight must be done during adverse weather conditions. Indeed, the thunderstorms programmed in the virtual weather system complicate the task of the virtual pilot, as he has to deal with gusty winds and mechanical turbulence. And to add to the fun, the Pilatus normally used is replaced by a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B. The photo above represents the Bugalaga runway in reality.
Above is the virtual graphic interpretation of this runway located at 6233 feet above sea level (MSL) with the Cessna ready to take off. Asobo (Microsoft) did a good job.
The visibility could be better, but it does not prevent the aircraft from taking off on runway 06.
As you can see, the margin of error is pretty small for this aircraft that is less efficient than the Pilatus normally used in reality.
Immediately after takeoff, preparation begins for the outbound procedure and the 180 degrees turn that will put the aircraft on final for runway 24. The surrounding mountains require the pilot’s full attention.
Acceptable visibility but strong winds characterize the approach to Bugalaga.
Runway 24 is now visible in the mountains.
The approach speed with flaps out is about 82 knots.
The Cessna Grand Caravan C208B is about to touch down. You can see the steepness of the runway, which gets even steeper towards the end.
Once the aircraft has touched down, the virtual pilot must maintain enough speed to climb the hill at the end of the strip.
A last screen capture shows the aircraft having crossed the last hillock at the end of runway 24. The flight is short, but requires your full attention. Good luck to those who will try the experience!
Today’s twenty-minute virtual flight is conducted using Microsoft MSFS 2020 flight simulation software. The virtual airport at Elk River (NC06) in the United States, modeled here by Pilot’s, is located at approximately 3468 feet (ft) above sea level (MSL). Its sloped 12/30 runway can accommodate many types of aircraft as its dimensions are still 4600 feet long by 75 feet wide. A golf course is located near the airport facilities.
In the distance, the end of runway 30 can be seen rising rapidly. The trip to Mountain Air County Club Airport (2NC0), modeled by Cloud Studio, is made with a single engine Cubcrafters NX Cub.
In direct flight with GPS, the virtual pilot will have to climb at around 7000 feet msl to avoid the surrounding mountains. It is therefore important to adjust the air/fuel mixture during climb and descent for the destination. Also, don’t forget to adjust the altimeter (press “B”) as you move away from the point of departure. Near the summits, you will experience mechanical turbulence, which is normal.
The photo above shows the virtual airport of Mountain Air County Club (2NC0) with the MSFS 2020 flight simulator. The sloped runway is 2900 feet long and only 50 feet wide. A golf course surrounds this airport located at 4432 feet MSL. Since the winds are light, the approach will be on runway 14.
On final approach, it is easy to see the uphill angle of this airstrip, which is slightly more damaged than the one at Elk River.
As we continue to taxi to the end of runway 14, we notice the cliff that awaits the pilot who has not properly prepared his landing. No forgiveness!
An elevated view shows the threshold of runway 14 and the buildings associated with the golf club. A few golf loving pilots have already parked their aircraft to the left of runway 14. For this screenshot, I used the excellent X-BOX drone.
A final photo shows the buildings and flowers associated with the golf club. The bird recordings are easily heard, which enhance the scene. Flight simulation enthusiasts wishing to repeat the experience should do so under VFR conditions to keep an eye on the mountain tops during the approach.
An Air Saguenay DHC-3 Otter has made it from Québec to Kokoda, in Papua New Guinea. It is expected to work around the remote mountain airfields for a while.
Today, the Otter heads for Launumu, a mountain airfield that is at an elevation of 5082 ft asl and 1200 feet long.
The pilot has to watch for the birds in order to avoid any collision in flight…
Following the Kokoda trail is a good way to reach Launumu.
If the mixture is not adjusted, the Otter will lose a lot of steam trying to climb up to 7,500 feet to cross the first line of mountains.
Anybody landing and departing from Launumu deals with high density altitude. This is not only due to the elevation of the airfield but also to the very warm and moist air present in the region. Consequently, some additional airspeed is required on the approach and on the departure.
When a pilot lands southwestward in Launumu coming from Kokoda, he must dive in a valley to lose altitude, which will increase the aircraft’s airspeed. The Launumu runway is in sight.
If the airspeed is not promptly corrected, the approach to the Launumu runway will be too fast. Any airspeed above 60 knots forces the pilot to overshoot (unless you are ready to virtually die a few times while trying).
So, once the higher mountains are crossed, a good way of losing altitude without gaining airspeed is to use flaps (at the corresponding airspeed) and do a tight 360 degree coordinated turn while descending. That way, the pilot will end up in line with the runway and at the speed you want, which is around 50 knots.
The Otter floats endlessly because of its huge wings.
On final for Launumu, the pilot might end up having to deal with the bushes that are close to the runway. It is not unusual for the Otter or the Beaver to complete a difficult approach with bushes wrapped around the landing gear.
Launumu has a surprise for the newcomers. If the pilot lands southwestward, like it was just done here, and the aircraft is not stopped within approximately 600 feet, it starts accelerating since there is a pronounced slope downward in the second half of the runway. This slope leads to a cliff. In case of a missed approach, the pilot can use the slope downwards and dive in the valley at the end of the runway to build up airspeed and start a new approach.
Now that the hard work is done, it is time to wait for the passengers and cargo, and plan the next leg…
The virtual scenery and clouds required softwares like REX, REX Texture Direct, Cumulus X, FTX Global, FTX Global Vector and Pilot’s FS Global 2010.
Well, that is it! The first glider just arrived at the Fane Parish airport in Papua New Guinea…
Before it is officially offered as a tourist attraction for the region, some attempts at taking-off and landing must be done. The first trial attracts a few people!
The descent along the twelve degree sloped runway is a bit rough for the glider’s low wings, as there are some bushes that will have to be trimmed!
The weather is nice and very warm. The only potential problem is the mountain ahead.
Finally, the pilot cuts the link. He is free to go!
The glider flies silently over the lush area of Papua New Guinea.
Using the rising warm air currents, the glider gains altitude.
Why not a pass over Fane?
Here is another isolated village alongside a mountain.
A last steep turn in order to realign for the approach at Fane Parish.
The airbrakes are out and the speed reasonable. The sloped runway is just ahead, on top of the mountain to the right.
Keeping just enough altitude on the approach to be safe.
Now that the landing is a sure thing, it is time to use the airbrakes again to slow down as much as possible.
Keeping in mind that this mountain airfield as a good slope, it is better to have a bit of extra speed. Nobody likes to stall a few feet over a runway!
What an experience it was! But I’ll need some help to pull the glider up the slope!
The virtual flight was great, the view was worth every penny, and I think that this could become a new touristic attraction for the region and the more wealthy visitors…
The virtual flight below was made with the FSX flight simulation platform. The last time I flew at Limberlost Ranch, I used a Cessna C-207 ( The Cessna C-207 in Limberlost Ranch ).
This time, I tried the sloped and laterally uneven runway with a Twin Otter. This one is painted with the real colours of the Province of Ontario Ministry of natural resources (C-FOPG). The only problem I expected was regarding the larger wings of the Twin Otter once close to the hangar.
Finally, everything went well. The only difficulty was to manoeuver near the hangar to reposition the aircraft for take-off. With several ajustments to the propeller’s pitch, I was eventually able to turn around.
Since the fence is low enough, it is not a problem for the aircraft’s wings.
Near the grass runway’s threshold are a few tall trees that require, for safety measures, a slight banking. Just in case…
Limberlost Ranch is a fun challenge. It is part of a package called Blue-Canyon Nyack and sold by Orbx. If this is not challenging enough for the flight simulation buff, it is always possible to add strong direct crosswinds and that should do it!
The reason for the delays and the positive side for the consumers
Digital Aviation & Aerosoft have finally completed their long awaited project to make a virtual CRJ-900ER and CRJ-700ER Bombardier regional jets. Months later than expected, the flight simulation enthusiasts can now try those two new virtual aircrafts. The CRJ is mostly used to link smaller airports and remote areas to the main hubs. The aircraft can rapidly reach its cruising altitude and stay there a long time, but it is not intended to be a really fast aircraft.
The company explains that, since the beginning, it had underestimated the complexity of the project and, because of ongoing delays, ended up having to catch up with the competition. In order to offer a superior product than the competition, Digital Aviation and Aerosoft had to review what it initially considered as an almost completed project.
The CRJ-900ER and CRJ-700ER had their exterior almost completely redone; the consumer now ends up with a much better looking aircraft. The project manager says that it is only due to the patience and kindness of potential customers that the project was saved. It pays to be nice!
The first flight with the CRJ
For the first flight, the manual recommends to first choose and activate one of the default FSX aircraft with the engine running. The pilot then selects the CRJ of his choice. It seems that doing so will prevent a lot of problems.
The virtual 2D cockpit
The virtual 2D cockpit helps save a few FPS. An easy access to the different sections of the cockpit is available since it is divided in several logical panels numbered from 1 to 9.
Navigation
The virtual pilot has access to an updated NavDataPro (May 2017) database for air navigation. It is the world’s most used database in aircraft. The aircraft is also compatible with the popular Navigraph database.
How does a standard computer deals with the new CRJ?
I have flown both aircrafts on several virtual airports like St. Maarten (Fly Tampa St. Maarten), Montreal international (Fly Tampa Montreal), Denver international (Flightbeam Studios) and Valdez (ORBX) without problems with regards to the computer’s processors and FPS. It was certainly out of question to try to land at the Courchevel airport (LLH Creations), with its short sloped runway, but a low pass at high speed caused no stutters.
Flying the CRJ at low speed
The CRJ offers a good margin of manoeuver when it comes to flying at low speed. But due to the position of the engines, the aircraft’s nose will raise rapidly when the throttle is brought back to idle. In a constant and progressive descent, that does not cause a problem. But if the manoeuver is done on short final when the aircraft is still above 50 feet, the rapid change in the aircraft’s attitude could induce a stall.
The air brakes
One cannot rely too much on the air brakes to slow down the CRJ. They have limited efficiency, both for the virtual and the real aircraft.
Floating tendency
If the aircraft arrives over the threshold at a higher speed than recommended, it will float for a long distance before finally touching down.
Landing and take-off distances
The CRJ-900 and CRJ-700 operate on relatively short runways. The CRJ-700 needs 5040 feet for take-off (at maximum weight) and landing, under the standard ICAO conditions. The CRJ-900 requires 6060 feet for take-off and 5260 feet for landing. The maximum range has been established to be around 1300 and 1400 nm.
Managers that facilitate the use of the CRJ
For the CRJ, Digital Aviation & Aerosoft have created managers that allow choosing the number of passengers, cargo, as well as calculating the fuel weight, the center of gravity and the amount of trim required. There is even a FS2 Crew option if desired. Another manager facilitated the addition of liveries.
The flight simulation enthusiasts had been anticipating the arrival of that regional jet for a long time; some did not believe anymore that it would one day become a reality (that includes the company too!). The flight simmers now have access to a world class and high quality regional jet.
For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation
The following pictures show a virtual flight in United States. The trip is from KBLU ( Blue Canyon-Nyack) to Limberlost Ranch (CA21) then to Gansner Field (201). Landing and taking-off from Limberlost Ranch is a nice challenge.
For this flight simulation, I used the FSX flight simulator, the Carenado Cessna C-207 equipped with bush tires and REX clouds.
Airborne from KBLU.
Enroute from KBLU (5284 ft ASL) to Limberlost Ranch and it’s 1700 ft grass runway (1650 ft ASL and about 23 NM east of KBLU), you pass by the Nevada County airport (O17) that has also received a special treatment from ORBX.
It might be necessary to fly over the Limberlost Ranch airport before starting an approach, so that you have an idea of what to expect on final.
Limberlost Ranch has a sloped runway (in fact, a multiple slope runway). Part of it is asphalted, but most of it is grass. You make the approach for the grass section. Note that there is a fence on the side at the beginning of the runway. The virtual aircraft should not touch the field before it has passed the fence (for more realism).
With a bit of crosswind, taking-off from this short runway can be demanding. The aircraft feels really sloppy (and I mean it) and behaves more like a boat than a plane during the acceleration to get airborne. It is essential to avoid the line of trees on the left side of the runway. A bit of flaps is required as it is the norm for soft runway operations. Careful but essential use of the rudder will also make your take-off a success.
Enroute to Gansner Field.
Gansner Field is about 41 nm north of KBLU. The virtual airport is very well made and nestled in a valley. Coming in from KBLU, you need to pass 6000 ft mountains before diving for that 3419 ft asl asphalt runway.
The fully enjoy those virtual flights, it is suggested that you install the different layers of Orbx products (Global, Vector, Open LC) as well as the KBLU virtual scenery.
Have a good flight!
For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation
Ken Hall and Tim Harris have created a new virtual scenery for flight simulation enthousiasts. It is called “Tapini” and sold by ORBX. Their penultimate creation, AYPY Jackson’s International, allowed the virtual pilot to fly in very demanding virtual airports along the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. “Tapini” represents a whole new challenge and I have included several screen captures to show you how the different runways look in this new virtual scenery.
“Tapini”, still in Papua New Guinea, allows the virtual pilot to test his skills on seven new runways located in difficult areas of the Owen Stanley Range. Those airports also constitute a serious test for any aircraft, like in the picture above where damages to the right engine were sustained at Yongai.
To improve the virtual clouds while flying between the different airports, I used either REX or FSGRW weather engines. The cloud textures and weather effects were improved by one or many of the following products: Cumulus X, PrecipitFX, REX Texture Direct and REX Soft Clouds.
As variety is more fun, and also due to the different challenges created by those runways, the following virtual aircrafts were used: Carenado C-185F, Lionheart Creations PA-18, Virtavia DHC-4, Aerosoft DHC-6 Twin Otter and Milton Shupe DHC-7.
The “Tapini” scenery gives the pilot a choice between the seven following runways:
ASB (Asimba)
A tricky, very short runway near a river.
This is a very interesting runway, best done with a STOL aircraft like the Caribou DHC-4. The inhabitants might have to help you clear out some branches along the runway, considering the size of the aircraft. The runway slopes down on take-off, which helps to build up speed.
FNE (Fane)
A one-way, really challenging 12 degree sloped runway, with unpredictable winds.
The runway sits on top of a hill. It is an amazing experience to land there. No wonder there are a lot of people watching the arrivals and departures.
If you slow down too quickly with an aircraft as big as the DHC-7 on that sloped runway, the twelve degree angle prevents you from moving forward. You must let the aircraft come down the runway very slowly, using the power to control the descent and the rudder to stay aligned on the runway, then apply take-off power for a few seconds to build just enough momentum to get above the hill.
To turn the aircraft around, it’s a combination of power and reverse thrust until you clear all the obstacles (any humans venturing behind the aircraft will also be cleared during the operation…).
There is a not so friendly man with a rifle watching the airport’s operations. Even the United Nations staff do not stay longer than necessary…
KGH (Yongai)
A very bumpy one-way sloped runway. A real bush aircraft is needed here!
Even with a real bush aircraft, there is a possibility that one of the aircraft’s propellers hits the ground while taxiing on the runway. There are so many deep holes that are hard to see, I can only wish the best of lucks to everyone trying out this airport!
Keep a close watch on the area near the little house at the end of the runway. The DHC-6 was really shaken while turning around for take-off. One of the propellers hit the ground but no problems were detected…until the aircraft was airborne. The fire alarm then went off, just as the aircraft was passing the runway threshold, seconds before flying over a cliff.
So much for the planned trip… and it was out of the question to return to Yongai on one engine. I had to pull the handle to stop the fire, feather the prop, cut the fuel where it was not needed anymore then head to the Kokoda airport as it was a sure alternative, having a long runway and an elevation that did not require the use of extra power.
KSP (Kosipe)
A relatively short runway that requires good calculations from the pilot, since it is located high in the mountains.
The Cessna C-185F is a very well suited aircraft for that runway. Make sure not to be too heavy on the brakes, as new C-185 propellers are hard to find in Kosipe. You can land in both directions. Ensure that the mixture is set properly as the airport is above 6300 feet.
ONB (Ononge)
A curved and very bumpy runway! For those who like low flying. Make sure you choose the good aircraft here; there is not much manoeuvering area once on the ground.
Ononge looks really scary when you show up on final for the first time. You wonder if the little trail that you see can really be a runway. For that kind of situation, the little Piper Pacer is an excellent aircraft, approaching slowly and braking on a dime. The runway is curved in the middle so you will need a bit of right rudder to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway.
I guess all those people with their cargo are waiting for a bigger airplane than mine…
TAP (Tapini)
A challenging one-way sloped runway nestled in a tight valley. You can even use an ILS to arrive there!
This is a superbly designed area and airport. I visited it with the DHC-4 Caribou but any other big STOL aircraft would have fitted there. There is enough room to manoeuver. It is not too bumpy. There is an interesting slope: it starts downward and ends upward: this helps to slow down the aircraft after landing.
WTP (Woitape)
Looks like a no brainer, but there is no margin of error on this one-way slightly sloped runway. Very precise calculations and settings are required if you want to land there with something else than a small aircraft.
I found the runway to be very slippery with the De Havilland DHC-7. I must say that there was a good crosswind, as I was flying with real life weather and winds. The DHC-7 behaves like a big boat while decelerating on such a runway.
The Woitape scenery is gorgeous. It is nice to have all those well designed virtual aircrafts, people and animals on site as this makes the scenery so much more realistic.
I love this new Orbx product. When you fly in such a realistic scenery, the brain does not make much difference between what is real and what is virtual. It really works! And if you use real life weather downloaded from the internet, it’s even better.
I tried the seven airports included in the “Tapini” virtual scenery and they are quite demanding. Yongai was the most challenging airport of them all. I had to do two missed approaches there since I ended up too high on the approach. I eventually got it right, like in real life!
I used the Microsoft flight simulator X (FSX) for all the virtual flights, but other platforms would have worked as well (Dovetail Games FSX Steam edition (FSX: SE) and all versions of P3D). The following products were also installed on my flight simulator: FTX Global, FTX Global Vector and Holgermesh, as well as Pilot’s FS Global 2010.
It is a totally immersive virtual experience and you have to forget everything else when undertaking those challenging virtual flights… if you want to make it “virtually” alive!
For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation
If you are looking for a challenging virtual flight, why don’t you try the route Syangboche –Lukla with the Aerosoft Twin Otter? It is a very short flight, few minutes only, where the aircraft will be constantly descending until its destination.
The approach in Lukla can be tricky due to a 12 degree sloping runway. You have a feeling of coming in too quickly, but you must resist the temptation to reduce speed since, at this altitude, the stalling speed increases with all aircrafts.
Runway 06 is used for landing, and 24 is for departures. There is no possibility of a missed approach. You either succeed or you crash since there is a high rock wall at the end of runway 06.
So the flight is made from Syangboche (OACI code:VNSB, altitude : 3748m and a 400m runway) towards Lukla (OACI code:VNLK, altitude 2860m and a 460m runway).
The scenery and objects around Syangboche are a creation of ORBX. Once you get closer to Lukla, you will notice a change in the scenery details, since you are entering the Aerosoft Lukla scenery (you have to buy this additional scenery to make the flight more realistic).
The integration of the two scenery styles is very well achieved.
This flight will require all your attention. Good luck! For other challenging virtual flights, visit my website.
For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation