Hello pilots!
The first of the 2021 Endurance Race Series events is fast approaching! In this event, participants will fly from the Indian to the Pacific Ocean, racing across Australia from Perth (YPPH) to Sydney (YSSY).
Event Description
April 3-4, 2021
Perth (YPPH) to Sydney (YSSY), Australia
1,773 nautical miles
Estimated flying time: ~15-16 hours at an average ground speed of 120 knots
Charity to support: Royal Flying Doctor Service
“…a solo, single-stage, unsupported, road cycling race ocean-to-ocean across Australia. The race starts in Fremantle, Western Australia and finishes at the Sydney Opera House whenever you get there. The clock does not stop. There is no prize money. Nothing is at stake except honour.” Thus reads the description of the Indian Pacific Wheel Race (affectionately known as the “IndyPac”), said to be cycling’s most grueling long-distance challenge. We will be re-creating this incredible overland journey by air, flying an eastbound course across the entire length of Australia from Perth (the closest airport to Fremantle) to Sydney.
All events in the 2021 MSFS Endurance Race Series start at 8:00am in the local time zone of the departure airport. Depending on your time zone, this event could start on either April 3 or April 4. The official start time is midnight UTC on April 4. For those participants from North America, that is 8pm ET / 5pm PT on April 3.
Charity
As part of this event, please consider supporting Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service, a not-for-profit aeromedical organization. If you are livestreaming your race, please promote this organization and solicit donations from your viewers.
https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/donate/
Prize
@Jummivana is generously donating one (1) Orbx Cityscape Sydney scenery pack to the winner of this event courtesy of Microsoft!
Indian Pacific Wing Race Rules
- Full realism settings in MSFS must be enabled. In the Options Menu, “Piloting” must be set to “Hard” with the exception of “Take-off Auto Rudder” which can be on or off depending on your preference. “Aircraft Systems” and “Failure & Damage” must be set to “Hard”. All “Navigation Aids” must be turned off with the exception of “Taxi Ribbon” which can be on or off depending on your preference.
1a. The procedure for refueling is as follows: land at any airport and come to a complete stop. You can then re-fill your fuel tanks using the in-game menu along the top of the screen. You must wait a minimum of 10 minutes before taking off again for the next leg of your flight. During this 10 minute wait, you are permitted to taxi and reposition your plane, but you must remain on the ground and not exceed 50 knots. - Live Weather and Live Time must be turned on for the entire duration of the flight.
- Everyone will take off from YPPH simultaneously at exactly 8:00am Australian Western Standard Time (0000Z) on April 4. We will be playing on the home server of the departure airport (South-East Asia server).
- Pilots are free to plot their own individual flight plans from YPPH to YSSY. Waypoints and cruising altitudes are at each pilot’s discretion.
- Pilots can choose any of the default aircraft included in the Standard, Premium, or Premium Deluxe versions of MSFS (no custom add-on aircraft allowed), but you may only fly single piston engine GA planes. No airliners, jets, turboprops, or multi-engine aircraft are allowed.
5a. Additionally, the Beechcraft Bonanza is banned due to having substantially better performance than all the other GA planes.
5b. All planes must be flown stock from Asobo/Microsoft. No 3rd party mods, including liveries and flight model enhancements, are permitted.
5c. You are not permitted to switch aircraft types partway through the run. You must fly the same plane for the entire duration of the race. - Enabling the autopilot is allowed and, in fact, is encouraged. Please take bathroom breaks and periodically get up to stretch.
- Successfully landing at any airport creates a “save point”. If you crash (either virtually in the sim or your computer crashes), you may “respawn” and continue the race from your last “save point”. Your elapsed time does not reset, however.
7a. You can create a “save point” by performing a quick touch-and-go landing at any airport. You may not refuel during a touch-and-go, however. Refueling is only permitted if you wait on the ground for 10 minutes per Rule 1a. - All pilots must track their flight using https://simair.io/. This is to validate everyone’s time, flight path, and refueling.
- The deadline for registering for this event is 2359Z on Sunday, March 28.
2021 MSFS Endurance Race Series Rules
- Each race in the series will have an individual winner.
- The Grand Champion of the 2021 MSFS Endurance Race Series will be the pilot with the fastest total time across all four events combined.
- You must fly a unique aircraft type in each event to qualify for the Grand Champion. You may not fly the same plane in more than one race.
3a. Additionally, you may only fly one (1) of the following three planes across all four races: Cirrus SR22, Extra 330LT, Pitts Special S2S. For example, if you fly the Cirrus in the Australia event, you may not fly ANY of the Cirrus, Extra, or Pitts in any of the subsequent three races.
Registration Form (Deadline is 2359Z on March 28)
