Welcome to the 222nd flight in Gunpilot’s new SHORTER series of Challenging flights, carrying on from the past nearly 5 years of events that have outlasted all other flight planners.
Flight Details:
Departing Osaka in a loose but enthusiastic gaggle, the Grand Caravan squadron climbed into the morning haze, their propellers humming like a swarm of optimistic lawnmowers. The E1 Expressway unfurled below them, a silver ribbon threading through Japan’s mountainous backbone with all the grace of a calligraphy stroke drawn by a caffeinated monk. As the aircraft banked northwest, the terrain transformed dramatically—urban sprawl gave way to lush valleys, jagged ridgelines, and peaks that looked like they’d been plucked from a samurai epic. The expressway clung to the contours of the land, diving into tunnels, leaping across gorges, and occasionally vanishing into the folds of the earth like a shy eel.
The journey was less a flight and more a scenic rollercoaster with altitude. Each bend in the expressway revealed a new vista: terraced rice fields glowing in the morning light, temple rooftops peeking through cedar forests, and sparkling dams that invited a landing if the guys could locate a suitable place to set down. Navigating this route required more than just stick-and-rudder skills—it demanded a sense of humor and a strong stomach. The occasional hilltop landing challenge added spice to the adventure, but the real thrill came from the challenge thrown down towards the end of the flight where it was a competition to see who could idle glide the furthest. By the time Yonago Airport came into view, nestled between the mountains and the Sea of Japan, the squadron had earned not just bragging rights but a newfound appreciation for the wild beauty of Japan’s interior—and possibly a group discount on chiropractic adjustments.
The Texas Turbine Super 900 Upgrade
The Texas Turbine Supervan 900 upgrade is a kit for the Cessna 208 Caravan that replaces the original engine with a more powerful Honeywell TPE331-12JR, a Hartzell 110-inch four-blade propeller, and other components to significantly boost performance. The upgrade offers improvements such as increased cruise speed, shorter take-off distances, a faster rate of climb, and increased static thrust. This conversion enhances overall efficiency, allowing for longer cruise distances for the same fuel consumption and lower per-hour operating costs over time.
This mod to the stock Cessna Grand Caravan in MSFS2024 will be available for those who don’t already have it when they join the flight…Come to the departure airstrip 10 mins before takeoff time to get the mod
As well……grab this tree remover mod if you have not already done so, will make flying in PNG that much easier on approaches and departures https://discord.com/channels/780018927731474462/833178846324457484
The weather has been left as a surprise on the day - LIVE WEATHER at local time .
The Aircraft for this event is the iconic Cessna Grand Caravan WITH the SUPER 900 Upgrade
When: Friday 24th October 2025 @ 2300UTC**
Where: Japan
Flight Duration: Approximately 2 hrs (dependant on numbers present and how well they fly)
Aircraft: Cessna Grand Caravan
Server: SOUTH EAST ASIA
Discord Server: GUNPILOT’s Server . Click on this link and you will be sent a very welcoming INVITE that will enable you to fully participate in the radio chatter with all the other pilots in the flight
Voice Chat accessed by clicking on Comms Radio
(Discord). If you are going to fly with us, ensure to join into the chatter on Comms Radio. If you don’t then you will miss out on a number of challenges that are given over the radio and you will have no idea what is going down.
E1 Expressway Japan.pln (6.7 KB)
E1 Expressway Japan.lnmpln (4.9 KB)