Exploring the world in the Beechcraft Bonanza

Leg 178, Wahai, Seram Island, Indonesia to Keep River National Park, Northern Territory 0852, Australia

DAY02_16.PLN (9.5 KB)

Heading down under with a couple more Indonesian islands along the way to Darwin

02-15 Wahai;Seram Island WAPV 4:20 PM
02-15 Bula WAPB 4:42 PM
02-15 Bandanaira WAPC 5:17 PM
02-15 Dumatubin WAPL 6:14 PM
02-15 Karel Sadsuitubun WAPF 6:20 PM
02-15 Rar Gwamar WAPD 6:52 PM
02-15 Nangasuri WAPK 7:03 PM
02-15 Aru WA1B 7:20 PM
02-15 Larat WAPO 8:19 PM
02-15 Mathilda Batlayeri WAPS 8:41 PM
02-15 Saumlaki/Olilit WAPI 8:48 PM
02-15 Minjilang YMIJ 9:59 PM
Plane animations broken, cockpit broken, G1000 broken, restart
02-15 Minjilang YMIJ 10:08 PM
02-15 Croker I YCKI 10:12 PM
02-15 Smith Point YSMP 10:24 PM
02-15 Vashon head YVSH 10:33 PM
02-15 Cape Don YCPD 10:43 PM
02-15 Leanyer YLEN 11:04 PM
02-15 Pickertaramoor Airstrip YPCM 11:14 PM
02-15 Bathurst I YBTI 11:25 PM
02-15 Darwin International YPDN 11:44 PM
02-16 Larrakeya YLAD 12:08 AM
02-16 Larrakeya YLAY 12:30 AM
02-16 Palumpa YPUA 12:44 AM
02-16 Kununurra YKUD 12:59 AM
02-16 Legune YLGU 1:15 AM
02-16 Kunurra YKUC 1:26 AM

Flight time 8:57 25 stops

First sign of the sun at Seliha

Flying over Seram island in between the Ceram and Banda Sea

Approaching Bula

Bula Airport

Banda Neira, small island south of Seram island

Pretty place

Home to Fort Nassau (left), the first Dutch fort built on Banda in 1609

And Fort Belgica built in the 17th century to replace a 16th century Portugese fort in its spot. It swapped to British hands a few times but despite its name it was built and owned by the Dutch East Indies.

Banda islands with Banda Neira the smaller of the set

Kai Kecil Island

Terrain quality isn’t that great around here, looks lovely on the ground

The Arafura Sea

Rar Gwamar Airport on Warmar island

Dobo on the north side of the island

Bandar Udara Benjina Nangasuri

Near Rebi on Trangan island

Ngoerita island through the gap in the clouds

Larat Island

Lara Airport

One more look back at Yemdena island while heading to Australia

Arriving in Australia at Croker island

Still on the Arafura Sea, near Minjilang (behind me)

Croker I Airport

Smith Point Airport

Which is in Garig Gunak Barlu National Park

Leanyer Airport on Melville Island

Coming in to land at Bathurst I Airport on Bathurst island part of the Tiwi Islands with Melville island

Nightcliff, northern suburb of the city of Darwin

Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory and a former frontier outpost

Home to Darwin Aviation Museum

And Charles Darwin National Park

Ecologically diverse wildlands with a large wetland area & historic World War II sites

Crossing the Finnis river

Palumpa, Nganmarriyanga NT 0822

The weather got really bad, near Fossil Head

Calling it a day at Kunurra, located at the eastern extremity of Kimberley

I’ll be in Australia for the rest of the week, lots to see here

1 Like

Leg 179, Keep River National Park, Northern Territory 0852 to Tanami, Northern Territory 0872, Australia

DAY02_17.PLN (11.2 KB)

This time I expected a big country, I didn’t expect so much emptiness in the Northern Territory. I have to be careful not to overwrite my screenshots. I already did at least once since everything is named the same! Maybe a flaw in Google maps, it’s also very hard to find any on the ground pictures. Plenty air strips, not a lot of people around.

Kununurra departure

Over Mirima National Park

Coming up on the Forest river

River through a forest, the Forest river

Oombulgurri Airport ahead, very easy to spot landing strips here

Faraway Bay

Long Island, no medium on this one, or maybe there is

Borda island

Approaching Mitchell Plateau, north-west Australia

Over Drysdale River

Gibb, not that far from Mount Elizabeth which shows as a red question mark on Google maps

I didn’t spot a mountain peak either. “The best steak on the gibb” is the only comment.

Mount Barnet Airport next to Barnett river and Kupungarri Community

Mount hart station

Over Kimbolton flying towards the Indian ocean

Molema Island

Cockatoo island

Derby

It can be more green here as well

One Mile Dinner Camp on the right, food with a view

Boab prison tree, named after a myth saying the tree’s trunk was used as a temporary holding cell

Mowanjum Art and Culture Center on the right, celebrating aboriginal culture

St George Ranges

Another Derby Aiport (unnamed on Google) in St Geoge Ranges

Nice area, definitely getting very dry now

Entering the Tanami desert

Lake Gregory Airport

Balgo Hill Airport

Tanami Airport

Tanami desert ground view

Tomorrow to the east coast, a lot more desert to cross to get there

Leg 180, Tanami, Northern Territory 0872 to Dunk Island, Great Barrier Reef, Austrlia

DAY02_18.PLN (9.9 KB)

East, to the Great Barrier Reef

02-17 Tanami YTMN 4:06 PM
02-17 Supplejack Down YSUJ 4:22 PM
02-17 Hooker Creek YHOO 4:49 PM
02-17 Cattle Creek YCAC 5:17 PM
02-17 Elliott YELL 6:01 PM
02-17 Ucharonidge YUCH 6:23 PM
02-17 Eva Downs YEVA 6:42 PM
02-17 Anthony Lagoon YANL 7:00 PM
02-17 Cresswell Downs YTET 7:13 PM Weird road patterns 17°54’59.7"S 136°17’26.4"E
02-17 Benmara YBNM 7:38 PM
02-17 Mount Isa YMOS 7:56 PM Uknown airstrip at 17°28’11.9"S 137°55’21.7"E
02-17 Westmoreland YWML 8:16 PM
02-17 Mornington I YMTI 8:46 PM
02-17 Bentinck Island YBTK 9:05 PM
02-17 Sweers Island Resort YSWE 9:12 PM
02-17 Karumba YKMB 9:43 PM
02-17 Lotus Vale YLOV 10:01 PM
02-17 Vanrook Station YVRS 10:17 PM
02-17 Highbury YHHY 10:49 PM
02-17 Gamboola YGAM 11:04 PM
02-17 Wrotham Park YWMP 11:15 PM
02-17 Maitland Downs YMDW 11:37 PM
02-17 Daintree YCBY 11:57 PM
02-18 Yalkulka YYAK 12:08 AM
02-18 Cairns International YBCS 12:28 AM Great Barrier Reef
02-18 Innisfail YIFL 12:48 AM
02-18 Dunk Island YDKI 1:04 AM

Flight time 8:58 26 stops

Supplejack Downs (cattle farm) early morning

Flying over Lajamanu NT 0852

Hooker Creek Airport at Lajamanu

Must get a lot of business needing 2 runways

Over Gurindji NT 0852

More color near Cattle Creek Airport

Cattle Creek Airport

Heading further east over Tanami East

A road through Pamayu

Elliott Airport at Lake Woods Conservation Covenant

Pictures from Lake Woods Conservation Covenant

On approach to Ucharonidge Station

Elliott Mungabroom road near Eva Downs Airport

Creswell Downs Aiport

Calvert road through Creswell NT 0852

Does anyone know why so many roads have all these run offs in the Northern Territory?

Between Creswell and Benmara

Over Nicholson Northern Territory 0862

Westmoreland Airport, Queensland 4830

Big storm brewing near the coast, flying to Gangalidda, Queensland 4825


And out over the Gulf of Carpentaria

Mornington I Airport on Mornington Island, Queensland

Sweers Island

Gamboola Airport

Bellevue, Queensland 4892

Maitland Downs Airport

Daintree, Queensland 4873

Beautiful and dangerous coast

Yalkulka Airport

Approaching Cairns

Cairns in tropical Far North Queensland

Cairns is considered the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park

Innisfail Airport, the storm has really picked up in intensity

Last stop for today at Dunk island in a heavy thunderstorm

No chance of visiting the Great Barrier Reef in this

Under better circumstances

I’ll be heading South along the coast tomorrow, towards Brisbane

Leg 181, Dunk Island, Great Barrier Reef to Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

DAY02_19.PLN (14.5 KB)

I don’t know what’s up with the weather in Australia, visited the sunshine coast in the pouring rain. I was flying between the buildings at the Gold coast to get some decent visibility. Forecast for Saturday (they’re a day ahead compared to me) is cloudy and more rain.

It doesn’t make airport hopping any less fun. More actually, dipping through the clouds, anxiously waiting for the ground to show up while hoping you guessed the approach somewhat right.

02-18 Dunk Island YDKI 4:00 PM
02-18 Ingham YIGM 4:26 PM
02-18 Palm Island YPAM 4:43 PM
02-18 Townsville International YBTL 5:01 PM
02-18 Bohle Plains YBOH 5:13 PM
02-18 Donnington Airpark YDOP 5:18 PM
02-18 Ayr YAYR 5:34 PM
02-18 Bowen YBWN 5:58 PM
02-18 Hideaway Bay YHAB 6:09 PM
02-18 Shute Harbour YSHR 6:23 PM
02-18 Hamilton I YBHM 6:34 PM
02-18 Lindeman Island YLIN 6:41 PM
02-18 Mackay YBMK 7:02 PM
02-18 Palmyra Airstrip YPYA 7:08 PM
02-18 Sarina YSAB 7:38 PM
02-18 Hollins Bay YHOY 7:54 PM
02-18 Williamson YWIS 8:04 PM
02-18 Rockhampton YBRK 8:28 PM
02-18 Emu Park YEMP 8:40 PM
02-18 Great Keppel Is YGKL 8:47 PM
02-18 Gladstone YGLA 9:07 PM
02-18 Agnes Water YAWT 9:26 PM
02-18 Bundaberg YBUD 9:47 PM
02-18 Pacific Haven YPAC 9:59 PM
02-18 Hervey Bay YHBA 10:09 PM
02-18 Urangan YURA 10:17 PM
02-18 Toby’s Gap Airstrip YRAI 10:27 PM
02-18 Cooloola Village Airpark YCXA 10:39 PM
02-18 Gympie YGYM 10:52 PM
02-18 Noosa YNSH 11:03 PM
02-18 Maroochydore/Sun shine Coast YBSU 11:12 PM
02-18 Caloundra YCDR 11:21 PM
02-18 Caboolture YCAU 11:31 PM
02-18 Tangalooma YTGA 11:44 PM
02-18 Kooringal Airstrip YWEI 11:54 PM
02-19 Brisbane Intl YBBN 12:03 AM
02-19 Archerfield YBAF 12:14 AM
02-19 Logan Reserve LGRS 12:23 AM
02-19 Heck Field YHEC 12:32 AM
02-19 Southport YSPT 12:41 AM Gold coast 27°57’6"S, 153°25’52"E
02-19 Gold Coast YBCG 1:02 AM PG Area

Flight time 9:02 40 stops

Dunk Island departure, still raining

Visiting Otter Reef, just to confirm water masks are still missing here

The data is on Bing maps (right), it’s just a matter of getting proper water masks down under

Palm Islands next to the Great Barrier Reef

Great Palm Island Airport

On a better day you can spot whales here

Magnetic island, named by captain Cook for its (later not reproduced) effect on his ship’s compass

Townsville in northeastern Queensland

Strand Park on the left and a shot of the coral reefs around Magnetic Island

Burdekin River surrounding Peters Island

Between Guthalungra and Camp Reef

Stone Island off the coast of Bowen

Hideaway Bay, population 205

Airlie, looks to be a port town for cruise ships

Hamilton Island

Whitehaven Beach in Whitsunday Islands National Park just North of here

Kelvin National Park back on the mainland

West Hill State Forest

Waverley Creek, rivers run dry, creeks are over 400 meters wide!

Williamson Airport

Milman, Queensland 4702

Rockhampton

Emu Park on the Capricorn coast

Singing ship monument, makes music in the wind

The Keppels

A group of islands in the Coral Sea near the southern end of the Great Barrier reef

Big Woody island with Harvey Bay in the background

It’s getting gnarly again, Caloundra Airport

Kooringal Airstrip

Brisbane, capital of Queensland

Build around the Brisbane river and Moreton Bay

Story Bridge, opened 1940, named after John Douglas Story (1869-1966)

Brisbane city hall, build from 1917 to 1930

View Kangeroo Points Cliff Park, Wheel of Brisbane and Roma Street Parkland

Forest lake, one of the sprawling suburbs of Brisbane

The Spit Gold Coast, start of a sandy strip with a beach

Sea world along the beach

Southport Spit coming up on Macintosh Island

Right over Main Beach Tourist Park

Macintosh Island Park and Grand Mariner Residential Resort

Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences

Hotel Grand Chancellor

Burley Waters

And final stop today, Gold Coast Airport

Pretty good photogrammetry area. Hopefully the weather will cooperate a bit more for the next one at Newcastle.

Leg 182, Gold Coast, Queensland to Gundaroo, New South Wales 2620, Australia

DAY02_20.PLN (10.5 KB)

More bad weather along the Eastern coast of Australia, which made for some interesting landings and surreal cloud landscapes higher up in the air.

02-19 Gold Coast YBCG 3:56 PM
02-19 Murwillumbah YMUR 4:00 PM
02-19 Tyagarah YTYH 4:12 PM
02-19 Ballina YBNA 4:23 PM
02-19 Evans Head YEVD 4:34 PM
02-19 Palmers Island/Yamba YPLI 4:48 PM 28 knot headwind
02-19 Lord Howe Island YLHI 6:59 PM
02-19 Port Macquarie YPMQ 8:56 PM
02-19 Dexfield Park YDFD 9:04 PM
02-19 Camden Haven YCMH 9:15 PM
02-19 Taree YTRE 9:26 PM
02-19 Old Bar Heritage YOBR 9:34 PM
02-19 Forster (Wallis Is) YFST 9:45 PM
02-19 Maitland YMND 10:09 PM
02-19 Raworth YRAO 10:19 PM Short ‘runway’
02-19 Williamtown Military YWLM 10:27 PM Newcastle 32°55"10"S, 151°47’52"E PG Area
02-19 Aeropelican YLMQ 10:50 PM
02-19 Warnervale YWVA 10:59 PM
02-19 Somersby Airstrip YSMB 11:07 PM
02-19 Kingsford Smith Intl YSSY 11:32 PM Sydney
02-19 Holsworthy Army Airfield YSHW 11:40 PM
02-19 Wedderburn YWBN 11:49 PM Wollongong 34°25’12"S, 150°54’24"E PG Area
02-20 Shellharbour YSHL 12:12 AM
02-20 Mittagong YMIG 12:23 AM
02-20 Bathurst YBTH 12:54 AM Mount Panorama 33°26’53.8"S 149°33’22.7"E
02-20 Eglinton YEGG 1:11 AM
02-20 Orange YORG 1:22 AM
02-20 Cowra YCWR 1:41 AM
02-20 Gundarooo YGDO 2:13 AM

Flight time 10:17 28 stops

At least it wasn’t raining on departure

Flying by the Rous river in a gloomy early morning

Murwillumbah Airport

Brunswick River at Brunswick Heads

Cape Byron, the most easterly point of mainland Australia

Cape Byron Lighthouse, build in 1901

Evans Head, New South Wales 2473 at the head of the Evans river

Home to the F111 Museum

Yamba Airport on Palmers island, the rain has come

Heading out over the Tasman Sea to Lord Howe’s Island

Better views at 7,500ft

Heading for trouble

I guess I shouldn’t be flying straight into this

Which way is up!

Almost time to descent into that seething mass below me

Lord Howe Island spotted at about 500ft

Lord Howe Island Airport

Normally a tropical paradise

Neds beach with a form of sea cucumber or jellyfish?

Heading back to the main land

Climbing out of the lower layers of the storm, cruising at 7,500ft

Quite the ride, I can still feel the plane getting tossed about

Port Macquarie at the mouth of the Hastings River in New South Wales

Home to a Koala hospital and a different interpretation of painted rocks

Old Bar Heritage Airstrip, build 1925

Maitland Airport, double socked

Newcastle, harbour city in New South Wales. Here looking at Nobbys lighthouse from 1858

Newcastle Ocean baths, 1920s ocean swimming pool with an art deco pavilion

Unfortunately photogrammetry gets flattened at the coast

The real things, pretty close

Queens wharf on Hunter river

Christ Church Cathedral opened 1902, but a church was present on the site since 1817

Merewether Ocean Bath featuring a winter swim club

Oh it gets down to 17c in winter, ocean temperature down to 66F. My kids jump in the pool when it’s still below 60F… 66F water is fine for a quick swim. Not bad here today, -6c, light snow.

Sydney, not the capital of Australia, but the most famous city of Australia

Of course the Sydney Opera House, build from 1959 to 1973

Left of the Opera the Man O’War Steps, build from 1810. For 150 years, Man O`War Steps served as a landing and embarkation point for men of the British and Australian Fleets in peace And war.
From these steps 2,215 officers and sailors of the Royal Australian Navy left to serve their country in the Great War 1914-1918, the Second World War 1939 - 1945, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, never to return to enjoy the fruits of their labours in their native land.

I can’t resist a bit of dangerous flying

Under the harbour bridge, or rather what MSFS made of it

The real Harbour bridge and a picture from the Museum of Contemporary Art

Australian Museum, founded in 1827, Australia’s oldest museum

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium hosting over 700 species of fish

And the Australian National Maritime Museum on the right

Coming in for a quick landing at Kingsford Smith International Airport, aka Sydney Airport

Flagstaff Point Lighthouse at Wollongong, build in 1936

“Five islands” just of Red Point

Red Point. Kinda puzzling why this has the PG treatment, but not Sydney

Port Kembla, still fun to check out the seaport

Wobbly trains and all

BlueScope Steel Springhill Works and Flat Products Metalworks

Looking back at this small photogrammetry strip from Barrack Point, Shellharbour

Time to head inland to my favorite place in Australia, flying by Kanagra Walls

To Bathurst. I wonder if my wife would like to move here.
https://i.imgur.com/UgJXgyU.png

For Mount Panorama!
https://i.imgur.com/DTkdRZs.png

Best track on Earth after the Nordschleife
https://i.imgur.com/PHxclar.png
Murray’s and Hell corner at the front here, The chase on the left after Conrod straight

Flying over The Esses into The Dipper
https://i.imgur.com/B9jJiJq.png

View from the other side, Skyline and and Sulman Park to the left
https://i.imgur.com/rOdZhtE.png

Love it, some of my favorite moments on the track at The Chase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmC78QGRQJg

Onwards to the capital, passing by Cadia Hill Gold Mine
https://i.imgur.com/cpWc5Rm.png

A bit more dramatic in reality
https://i.imgur.com/TSglgPH.png

Stopping at Gundaroo for now, just North of Canberra
https://i.imgur.com/iJVAIqn.png

I’ll be exploring the capital tomorrow, then heading out to the west towards Uluru

Leg 183, Gundaroo, New South Wales 2620 to Mount Ebenezer, Northern Territory 0872, Australia

DAY02_21.PLN (11.2 KB)

Canberra is a beautifully rendered photogrammetry area, very nice. Then a long long way to Uluru out into the outback. I got close, not quite there yet. There’s a lot of desert!

02-20 Gundaroo YGDO 3:39 PM
02-20 Canberra YSCB 3:46 PM Canberra 35°18’32"S, 149°7’28"E PG Area
02-20 Tumut YTMU 4:24 PM
02-20 Wagga Wagga YSWG 4:43 PM
02-20 Federation Hsd YFDN 4:53 PM
02-20 Narrandera YNAR 5:12 PM
02-20 Leeton YLEE 5:21 PM
02-20 Griffith YGTH 5:34 PM
02-20 Goolgowi YGGI 5:46 PM
02-20 Hillston YHLS 6:00 PM
02-20 Mungo Lodge YLMU 6:49 PM Mungo Man, Salt lakes 33°33’59.4"S 142°11’57.5"E
02-20 Scotia Sanctuary YSCA 7:26 PM
02-20 Tandou Lake YTAD 7:49 PM
02-20 Menindee YMED 8:01 PM
02-20 Koralta Station OZKL 8:20 PM
02-20 Wonnominta Stat YWMA 8:44 PM
02-20 Tibooburra YTIB 9:12 PM
02-20 Naryilco YNRL 9:34 PM
02-20 Orientos OXO 9:49 PM
02-20 Nappa Merrie YNAP 10:05 PM
02-20 Cardillo Downs YCOD 10:16 PM
02-20 Pandie Pandie Airport YPDI 10:45 PM
02-20 Birdsville YBDV 10:54 PM
02-21 Old Andado YOAD 12:09 AM
02-21 Andado YADO 12:16 AM
02-21 New Crown YNCS 12:29 AM
02-21 Finke YFNE 12:38 AM
02-21 Alice Springs YALB 12:51 AM
02-21 Impadna YIMP 1:07 AM
02-21 Erldunda YERL 1:16 AM
02-21 Mount Ebenezer YMBZ 1:34 AM

Flight time 9:55 30 stops

Gundaroo departure, lovely morning

Straight to Canberra Airport, to the capital of Australia

Canberra, the name probably derived from a local Aboriginal word for ‘meeting place’

Melbourne and Sydney both wanted to be the capital, thus in 1913 a place in between was chosen

Canberra Parliament House, opened 1988

The National Museum of Australia

A look inside

Rond Terrace and Anzac Parade with various memorials all along

The Australian War Memorial at the end of Anzac Parade

It looks like there was a ceremony going on when the PG data was taken

Inside the war memorial

Before moving on, a flyby by the Telstra Tower

Billapaloola Nature Preserve

Tamut Airport

Blowering Power Station at Wereboldera

Downside farming community near Wagga Wagga, interesting patterns in the fields

Currawarna located in the central east part of the Riverina

Glenelg, New South Wales 2810

Leeton Airport

Furlong, leaving civilization behind

Lake Mungo

Where Mungo Man was discovered in 1969, estimated to be over 40,000 years old

The Salt Lakes, Pooncarie, not as wet as they appear in the game

Nitchie Lake and Lake Milkengay

Snake Island in the Menindee Lakes

Menindee Lakes

Near Little Topar

Koralta Station

Packsaddle, New South Wales 2880

Wonnominta Stat Airport

Silver City Highway crossing Twelve Mile Creek

Orientos Airport at Sturt National Park

Sturt National Park

Cardillo Downs, South Australia 5731

Near Birdsville

Simpson NT 0872

Andado Station

And final stop at Mount Ebenezer

Another ‘mountain’ that shows up as a ? on Google maps

What a difference between the coast and interior. No more rain. Tomorrow to Uluru, actually I already flew past it hours ago. Currently flying over the Gibson Desert, very dry with some hidden gems.

Leg 184, Mount Ebenezer, Northern Territory 0872 to Onslow, Western Australia 6710, Australia

DAY02_22.PLN (9.6 KB)

A long flight over the outback, a lot more varied than I thought it was.

02-21 Mount Ebenezer YMBZ 3:25 PM
02-21 Angus Downs ANZ 3:38 PM Drone cam landing, max exposure
02-21 Curtin Springs YCSP 3:51 PM Mount Conner 25°29’46.2"S 131°53’59.9"E
02-21 Ayers Rock (Connelan) YAYE 4:14 PM Uluru 25°20’43"S 131°2’23"E
02-21 Kings Canyon YKCA 4:57 PM Gosses Bluff Crater 23°49’07.6"S 132°18’31.6"E
02-21 Narwietooma YNWT 5:34 PM
02-21 Papunya YPAY 5:49 PM
02-21 Mount Liebig YLBG 6:04 PM
02-21 Kintore YKNT 6:41 PM
02-21 Patjarr YPTJ 7:46 PM
02-21 Cotten Creek YCTC 9:04 PM
02-21 Rudal River YRUD 9:19 PM
02-21 Tracies Field YTCF 9:29 PM
02-21 Nifty YCNF 9:49 PM
02-21 Woodie Woodie YWWI 10:01 PM
02-21 Warrawagine YWWG 10:23 PM
02-21 Muccan Station YMUC 10:41 PM
02-21 Coongan YCOG 10:53 PM
02-21 Port Hedland Intl YPPD 11:18 PM
02-21 Mundabullangana YMDB 11:34 PM
02-21 Roebourne YROE 11:55 PM
02-22 Karratha YPKA 12:07 AM
02-22 Mardi Station YMDZ 12:29 AM
02-22 Barrow I YBWX 12:45 AM
02-22 Thevenard Island YTHV 1:05 AM
02-22 Onslow YOLW 1:16 AM

Flight time 9:51 25 stops

Leaving very early on a Sunday, max exposure drone cam to the rescue

Angus Down Airport before dawn, pitch black without the drone

Still some augmented exposure approaching Mount Conner

Mount Conner (2,818ft) flat top

Shaped like a horseshoe according to the description, I’m not really seeing it

Sun rise at Ayers Rock (Connelan) Airport, Ayers rock aka Uluru in the distance

Uluru, located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and sacred to indigenous Australians

Quite a chunk of sandstone, it took 550 million years to turn into what it is today

There’s much more around here, for example Kata Tjuta - Valley of the winds

Also known as Mount Olga, Uluru visible at the horizon

Somewhere else over Petermann NT 0872

Lake Amadeus

A lot less water irl

Kings Canyon

Watarrka National Park

Pretty amazing at ground level

Over Mereenie NT 0872

Gosses Bluff Crater, millennia-old crater possibly caused by an asteroid hit

Also a sacred site to local indigenous people

From a local guide: The only place where the stories the Aborigines and the geologists tell are almost the same = it fell down from the sky

Over Namatjira NT 0872

Mount Zeil (5,023ft)

Mount Zeil region, NT 0872

Over Kunparrka

Mount Liebig (4,180ft) also an Aboriginal community with the same name

Lake Macdonald in the Gibson Desert

It’s a seasonal lake, pretty much dry most of the time

Ngaanyatjarra-Giles

Patjarr Airport

Gibson Desert Nature Reserve

Little Sandy Desert, Western Australia 6646

I would call it the chromatic aberration desert

Probably from the lens used for the satellite pictures

An unknown (unlabelled) lake in Gibson Desert North

Cotten Creek Airport

Rudal River Airport

Tracies Field

Nifty Copper Mine. There are a lot of iron ore mines in the area as well.

Marble Bar, Western Australia 6760

Muccan Station

Port Hedland, made it to the West coast!

Redbank bridge lookout and Pretty Pool Park in Port Hedland

Sherlock, Western Australia 6714 along the Indian Ocean

Karratha in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

Thevenard island

A nature reserve nowadays

Last stop today in Onslow, just on the coast here, population 848. I’ll be heading South along the coast tomorrow.

Leg 185, Onslow to Perth, Western Australia, Australia

DAY02_23.PLN (11.6 KB)

02-22 Onslow YOLW 4:30 PM
02-22 Minderoo Station YMDR 4:38 PM Virtual vision landing
02-22 Yardie Homestead YDAA 5:01 PM
02-22 Exmouth YEXM 5:11 PM
02-22 Learmonth YPLM 5:18 PM
02-22 Giralia YGIR 5:35 PM
02-22 Cardabia Station Airstrip YCAA 5:56 PM
02-22 Coral Bay YCOY 5:59 PM
02-22 Warroora Homestead YWRR 6:08 PM
02-22 Warroora Station Airstrip YCAV 6:12 PM
02-22 Gnaraloo Station YGAR 6:26 PM
02-22 Canarvon YCAR 6:53 PM
02-22 Shark Bay YSHK 7:20 PM
02-22 Useless Loop YUSL 7:32 PM
02-22 Tamala YTML Skip, under water
02-22 Billabong Road House YBLB 8:14 PM
02-22 Murchison Shire YMSS 8:52 PM
Restart, memory usage spiking (over the empty desert…) 36 GB Ram committed
02-22 Murchison Shire YMSS 9:02 PM
02-22 Wooleen Homestead YWEE 9:12 PM Hard to spot, faded +60
02-22 Pia YPIX 9:21 PM
02-22 Murgoo YMGO 9:29 PM
02-22 Dalgaranga YDGR 9:48 PM
02-22 Dalgaranga Gold Mine YDGA 10:00 PM
02-22 Mount Magnet YMOG 10:16 PM
02-22 Golden Grove YGGE 10:37 PM
02-22 Rothsay Mine YROT 10:54 PM
02-22 Dalwallinu YDWU 11:15 PM
02-22 Ballidu YBIU 11:28 PM
02-22 Wongan Hills YWOH 11:38 PM
02-22 Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon Airstrip YBOO 11:52 PM
02-23 Chittering Airstrip YLOW 12:03 AM Short runway +46
02-23 Pearce YPEA 12:11 AM
02-23 Perth Intl YPPU 12:23 AM

Flight time 7:43 31 stops

Departing from Onslow ahead of dawn

Mindaroo station

Yardie Homestead

Exmouth Airport near North West Cape

Sunrise of Exmouth Gulf

Over Lyndon near Camp 14 Mile Beach

Camping Ozzie style

Coral Bay Airport

Beautiful area, needs some proper water masks

Shark Bay Salt works at Useless Loop

Shark Bay, known for its islands, diverse wildlife, seagrass & rare mineral deposits

Tamala Airport, err

It exists, flooded by eternal high tide

Wooleen Homestead

Dalgaranga Gold Project, lot of gold around here

Ex Karara Rothsay WA 6620

Rothsay Mine

The Coonderoo river

At Ballidu

Part of Damboring Nature reserve

It’s unfortunate the water polygons cover up all the multi colored (mostly dry) seasonal lakes

Final stop today in Perth on the west coast

The capital of Western Australia at the mouth of the Swan River

The Bell tower on the right where you can ring the bells if you like

Surely much appreciated by the people living around it :slight_smile:

Freemantle prison, partly turned into an art gallery with guided tours around the prison

Or you can visit the Shipwrecks Museum in an 1850’s commissariat building

Incredible museum telling about the historic ship battles fought around Perth

A couple gold mines to visit tomorrow, I wonder what the Super pit looks like in FS2020

Leg 186, Perth to Eucla, Western Australia, Australia

DAY02_24.PLN (10.6 KB)

Australia in a nutshell, fly for 9 hours, still in the same state

02-23 Perth Intl YPPU 4:54 PM
02-23 Langley Park Airstrip YEAA 4:58 PM
02-23 Rottnest I YRTI 5:08 PM
02-23 Garden I YGAD 5:18 PM Short Runway
02-23 Serpentine YSEN 5:29 PM
02-23 Murray Field YMUL 5:37 PM
02-23 Pinjarra North Airstrip YPIJ 5:28 PM
02-23 Dwellingup Airstrip YPII 5:54 PM Newmont Boddington gold mine 32°45’33.3"S 116°21’14.3"E
02-23 Narrogin YNRG 6:20 PM
02-23 Wagin YWGN 6:34 PM
02-23 Kojonup YKOJ 6:48 PM
02-23 Frankland Valley YKOO 7:05 PM
02-23 Frankland YFRK 7:12 PM Faded runway
02-23 Cranbrook YCRN 7:25 PM
02-23 Albany YABA 7:49 PM
02-23 Bremer Bay YRAA 8:23 PM
02-23 Hopetoun YHPE 8:46 PM
02-23 Ravensthorpe YNRV 8:53 PM
02-23 NorseMan YNSM 9:47 PM
02-23 Kambalda YKBL 10:18 PM
02-23 Kalgoorlie-Boulder YPKG 10:35 PM Fimiston Open Pit (Super pit) 30°46’39.6"S 121°30’20.1"E
02-23 Coonana YCNN 11:20 PM
02-23 Zanthus YZAN 11:32 PM
02-24 Kanandah YKAN 12:02 AM
02-24 Rawlinna Station YRWA 12:14 AM
02-24 Rawlinna YRAW 12:20 AM
02-24 Haig YHAG 12:39 AM
02-24 Forrest YFRT 1:21 AM
02-24 Eucla YECL 1:51 AM

Flight time 8:57 28 stops

Langley Park Airstrip in Perth at dawn

Sunrise over Perth

Rottnest Island, home to the quokka, a small wallaby-like marsupial

Garden Island, home to a naval base

Serpentine Airport

Christmas creek, or rather lake thanks to South Dandalup Dam

Dwellingup Airstrip

Newmont Boddington gold mine (and copper mine as well)

Since 2016 the largest gold mine in Australia

Balicup Lake Nature Reserve

There are lots of these little lakes around Western Australia

Mostly dry though, seasonal lakes

Jebarjup Nature Reserve

Reef Beach, Bremer Bay WA 6338

Ravensthorpe Airport

North Cascade Seasonal Lake

Norseman on Lake Cowan

Another seasonal lake, Norseman Aerodrome

Lake Cowan

Widgiemooltha

Lake Lefroy

Kambalda Airport

Kalgoorlie-Boulder with the super pit on the right

Fimiston open pit gold mine (The super pit) previously the largest gold mine in Australia

(Right on a boundary of mismatched scenery tiles, hence a picture of one corner)

Opened 1893, 3.5 km x 1.5 km and 1,180 ft deep producing 850,000oz each year

Expected to remain operational until 2035

A fly by in a real plane

Emu Flat

Coonana Airport and train station on the Trans-Australia Railway

Kanandah Airport further along the railway

Haig Airport and train station

This goes on and on, longest straight railway section in the world, 478km without any turns

Forest Airport and train station

Ending the day on the coast in Eucla, leaving the railway for a while

Eucla Jetty and high cliffs further along the coast

Further east tomorrow, towards Melbourne and Tasmania

Leg 187, Eucla, Western Australia to Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia

DAY02_25.PLN (12.6 KB)

Into Victoria today, gold rush country. Unfortunately map quality is pretty poor around here but I still found the place where the biggest ever gold nugget was found.

02-24 Eucla YECL 4:18 PM
02-24 Border Village YBOV 4:21 PM
02-24 Ceduna YCEU 4:30 PM
02-24 Cook YOOK 5:00 PM
02-24 Ooldea YODA 5:30 PM
02-24 Barton Siding YBTN 5:51 PM
02-24 Ceduna YCDU 6:35 PM
02-24 Streaky Bay YKBY 6:57 PM
02-24 Elliston YELN 7:24 PM
02-24 Cummins YCUM 7:52 PM
02-24 Port Lincoln YPLC 8:02 PM
02-24 Thistle Island YTHI 8:16 PM
02-24 Port Lincoln YWGI 8:26 PM
02-24 Althorpe Lighthouse Airstrip YHON 8:40 PM
02-24 Rocky River YROK 8:57 PM
02-24 Parndana YPDA 9:11 PM
02-24 Kingscote YKSC 9:20 PM
02-24 Penneshaw YPSH 9:32 PM
02-24 Aldinga YADG 9:48 PM
02-24 Huntfield Airfield YNOA 9:54 PM
02-24 Adelaide Intl YPAD 10:14 PM
02-24 Murray Bridge YMBD 10:32 PM
02-24 Sherlock Ultralight Airfield YTAI 10:44 PM Short runway
02-24 Tintinara YTIN 11:04 PM
02-24 Cooranga YCNG 11:30 PM
02-24 Lucindale YLUI 11:37 PM
02-24 Edenhope YEDE 11:52 PM
02-25 Horsham YHSM 12:10 AM
02-25 Donald YDOD 12:28 AM
02-25 Bridgewater YBGR 12:48 AM Welcome Stranger 36°45’39.5"S 143°39’07.2"E
02-25 Navarre YNVE 1:06 AM
02-25 Stawell YSWL 1:17 AM
02-25 Pomonal Airstrip YSTE 1:25 AM
02-25 Hamilton Aero YHML 1:41 AM
02-25 Mount Gambier YMTG 2:07 AM

Flight time 9:49 34 stops

Departing from Eucla at sunrise

Border village on the border between Westernand South Australia

And I’m back on the Trans Australia Railway

Cook Train Station and Airport in Nullarbor

Pretty much a ghost town nowadays

Ooldea Train Station, end of the straight railway line section

Barton Siding

Diversion to the coast, Ceduna

Small town on the Great Australian Bight

Elliston on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula around Waterloo Bay

More high cliffs

Point Drummond at Mount Hope

Thistle Island

Althorpe Lighthouse Airstrip, fun place to land

Althorpe Islands Conversation Park

Sheidow Creek South side of Adelaide

Boral Quarries

Morphettville racecourse and Adelaide Airport

Adelaide, South Australia’s cosmopolitan coastal capital

South Australian Museum and Art gallery of South Australia

Near Donald, Victoria 3480

Kooyoora State Park

Bridgewater

Is that a reference to https://twitter.com/ruddthedud1 ?

Found it, the “Welcome Stranger” monument

As seen on Gold Rush, Parker’s trail

Next to Gold Rush we also get Aussie Gold Hunters aka The Dirt Dogs here, great show

Mount William

Hamilton Aero

And final stop today in Mount Gambier

Known for its blue lake and Umpherston Sinkhole turned into a garden in 1886

And the Engelbrecht cave

Great for diving

Tomorrow Melbourne and Tasmania.

Leg 188, Mount Gambier, South Australia to Triabunna, Tasmania, Australia

DAY02_26.PLN (13.2 KB)

Tasmania is amazing! A few weeks ago I didn’t even think it was a real location, just something from Loony tunes, the Tasmanian devil. Which is real as well, and ugly. I prefer the cartoon version.

02-25 Mount Gambier YMTG 4:06 PM Server issues, disconnected/connected repeating
02-25 Portland YPOD 4:25 PM
02-25 Port Fairy YPOO 4:42 PM
02-25 King I YKII 5:26 PM
02-25 Apollo Bay YAPO 5:58 PM
02-25 Anglesea YANE 6:15 PM
02-25 Lethbridge Airpark YLED 6:25 PM
02-25 Bacchus Marsh YBSS 6:37 PM
02-25 Melton YMEL 6:46 PM
02-25 Melbourne Intl YMML 6:55 PM
02-25 Essendon YMEN 7:03 PM Bad performance, manipulators thread
02-25 Moorabbin YMMB 7:15 PM
02-25 Tooradin YTDN 7:25 PM
02-25 Leongatha YLEG 7:38 PM
02-25 Welshpool WHL 7:51 PM
02-25 Killiecrankie YKCK 8:30 PM
02-25 Flinders I YFLI 8:40 PM
02-25 Lady Barron (Flinders Is) YLDB 8:49 PM
02-25 Cape Barren Island YCBN 8:59 PM
02-25 Clarke Island YCKD 9:29 PM
02-25 Boobyalla Airfield YSCC 9:25 PM
02-25 Bridport YBDP 9:37 PM
02-25 Georgetown (Tas) YGTO 9:48 PM
02-25 Devonport YDPO 10:00 PM
02-25 Warratah YWRT 10:22 PM
02-25 Zeehan YZHN 10:37 PM
02-25 Strahan YSRN 10:49 PM
02-25 Queenstown YQUN 11:06 PM
02-25 Bathurst Harbour YBHB 11:27 PM
02-25 Glendevie YGVE 11:43 PM
02-25 Bruny Island YBYI 11:52 PM
02-26 Sandfly YSFY Hobart 12:05 PM 42°52’52"S, 147°20’0"E PG Area Sailing
02-26 Cambridge YCBG 12:24 PM
02-26 Hobart YMHB 12:27 PM
02-26 Lagoon Bay YLAG 12:41 PM
02-26 Darlington YDAR 12:54 PM Unclear Runway
02-26 Triabunna YTUA 1:03 PM Faded Runway Trees in the way

Flight time 8:57 36 stops

Departing from Mount Gambier

Discovery Bay Coast Park

Bridgewater blowholes and petrified forest

Portland, Victoria 3305

Port Fairy Airport along Belfast Lough

King Island in between the mainland and the main island of Tasmania, in the middle of the Bass Strait

Sea Elephant Conservation Area

Rocky Point

Apollo Bay back on the mainland

Cozy little airport

Lethbridge Airpark

Melbourne International Airport

Essendon Airport or Essendon Fields as it says there

Melbourne, the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria

Build around the Yarra river, Flinders street station down there

Flinders street station on the right

Melbourne Art Center

Moorabbin Airport next to Capital golf course

Cranbourne racecourse

Horse races look to be popular around here

Korumburra out the left window

Toora North

Killiecrankie Nature Recreation Area on Flinders island, Tasmania

Killiecrankie Airport

Heading South over Flinders island

Flinders I Airport

Clarke Island Airport. I couldn’t find it at first, hidden behind a forested ridge

Clarke Island with Ca[e Barren Island behind

Boobyalla Beach in Rushy Lagoon, Tasmania (main island)

George Town in north-east Tasmania, at the mouth of the Tamar River

Shearwater on the north coast of Tasmania

Over Sprent

Huskisson river

Huskisson River Forest Reserve

Zeehan on the west coast of Tasmania

Strahan, former port now tourist destination

Macquarie Heads

Macquarie Harbour

Southwest Conservation Area

Queenstown (TAS) Airport

From the other side

Joe Page Bay

Horseshoe Creek

Glendevie, Huon Valley in the South-east region of Tasmania

Glendevie Airport on the top of a hill

Lodge Bay

Kettering on the d’Entrecasteaux Channel opposite Bruny Island

Sandfly Airport

Sandy Bay with Wrest Point Hotel Casino

Hobart on Sandy Bay and River Derwent
https://i.imgur.com/K21yp6t.png

The royal yacht club of Tasmania on the right
https://i.imgur.com/LbvzqLa.png

Sailing World Championships are held here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Vd1R6A_o0

Leaving Hobart after a look at the rest of the photogrammetry area, Nyrstar Hobart Smelter
https://i.imgur.com/1cp2BVq.png

Africa Gully Nature Reserve
https://i.imgur.com/jggkZiE.png

Boomer Bay with water masks! First time I see those
https://i.imgur.com/j2StxGC.png

Marion Beach on Little Chinaman Bay
https://i.imgur.com/T7ziWNZ.png

Shoal Bay with Goldings Reef
https://i.imgur.com/zkV9x7z.png

Goldings Reef
https://i.imgur.com/4p03Sh5.png

Final stop for today in Triabunna, mind the trees while landing here
https://i.imgur.com/XQ1xTc8.png

That concludes my tour of Australia, on to New Zealand tomorrow. Actually I’ve already been flying over Lord of the rings country for a couple hours and it’s pretty amazing!

Leg 189, Triabunna, Tasmania, Australia to Murchison, New Zealand

DAY02_27.PLN (12.9 KB)

This is going to be a long post, 16 hour flight, New Zealand is awesome.

02-26 Triabunna YTUA 9:01 AM 883nm Red eye flight, 7.5K ft 16% mixture
M16% FL75 44F IAS 116 TAS 132 GS 126 857.0nm 40.00 gallons rt
16% FL75 44F IAS 105 TAS 118 GS 107 483.0nm 22.10 gallons rt 20.9 nmpg clouds slowing down
17% FL75 44F IAS 115 TAS 129 GS 119 474.0nm 36.88 gallons lt
17% FL90 38F IAS 128 TAS 147 GS 136 380.0nm 31.13 gallons lt 16.3 nmpg
18% FL90 38F IAS 134 TAS 154 GS 144 371.0nm 30.55 gallons lt
18% FL90 37F IAS 134 TAS 154 GS 144 294.0nm 25.58 gallons lt 15.5 nmpg
19% FL90 37F IAS 137 TAS 161 GS 151 286.0nm 25.01 gallons lt
19% FL90 37F IAS 123 TAS 141 GS 140 191.0nm 18.00 gallons lt 13.6 nmpg clouds slowing down
20% FL90 37F IAS 125 TAS 144 GS 143 180.0nm 21.54 gallons rt
20% FL90 37F IAS 125 TAS 143 GS 141 68.0nm 12.24 gallons rt 12.0 nmpg clouds slowing down
02-26 Center Island Airstrip NZRV 3:51 PM Fuel used 55.36 gallons
02-26 Invercargill NZNV 4:01 PM
02-26 Centre Bush Aerodrome NZCB 4:11 PM Unclear runway
02-26 Gore NZGC 4:24 PM
02-26 Balclutha Aerodrome NZBA 4:40 PM
02-26 Dunedin NZDN 4:54 PM
02-26 Taieri NZTI 5:01 PM
02-26 Oamaru NZOU 5:27 PM Tower in the way
02-26 Waimate NZWM 5:35 PM
02-26 Glenshe Airstrip NZOR 5:51 PM
02-26 Oamaru NZOB 5:57 PM
02-26 Alexandra NZLX 6:13 PM
02-26 Cromwell Racecourse Aerodrome NZCS 6:24 PM
02-26 Queenstown NZQT 6:38 PM
02-26 Queenstown NZQN * 6:43 PM
02-26 Manapouri NZMO 7:10 PM
02-26 Te Anau NZTZ 7:16 PM
02-26 Milford Sound NZMF 7:47 PM
02-26 Martins Bay Aerodrome NZMJ 8:03 PM
02-26 Makarora Airstrip NZMW 8:33 PM
02-26 Pukaki NZUK 9:02 PM Landed on lonely straight road first, wrong ‘runway’
02-26 Glentanner NZGT 9:16 PM
02-26 Mount Cook NZMC 9:24 PM
02-26 Franz Josef Aerodrome NZFJ 9:46 PM
02-26 Hokitika NZHO 9:54 PM
02-26 Manuka Point Lodge Airstrip NZMN 10:29 PM
02-26 Darfield NZDF 10:45 PM Unclear runway
02-26 West Melton Aerodrome NZWL 10:58 PM
02-26 Worthy Lodge Airstrip (Ladbrooks) NZLI 11:08 PM Banks Peninsula 43°46’49.1"S 172°56’09.3"E
02-26 Christchurch Intl NZCH 11:43 PM
02-26 Woodend NZWJ 11:53 PM Unclear runway
02-27 Oxford NZOF 12:05 AM
02-27 Lake Haupiri / Gloriavale Christian Community NZGE 12:33 AM Tree at end of runway
02-27 Hanmer Springs NZHR 12:57 AM
02-27 Murchison NZMR 1:18 AM

Flight time 16:17 35 stops

Departure from Triabunna, 11 PM local time

Off to New Zealand, bye bye Australia

The moon is out keeping me company

Climbing to 7,500 ft cruising altitude

Reduced the mixture to 16% before leaving the plane to fend for itself, slow and steady

Cruising at IAS 126, TAS 132, GS 126, bit of a headwind

Coming back 3 hours later the clouds have risen a bit, creating turbulence which slowed my plane down to IAS 105, TAS 118, GS 107, stronger headwind as well. The plane has been running at nearly 21 nautical miles per gallon, saving far more than needed.

Increased the mixture to 17%, speeding up to IAS 124, TAS 139, GS 128

Also climbing to 9,000 ft to stay above the clouds, but still low enough to avoid icing (37F outside)

The moon is sinking below the clouds, luckily dawn is already approaching

At 17% mixture the plane managed 16.3 nautical miles per gallon and sped up to GS 136 above the clouds. Might as well take the opportunity to measure higher mixture rates.

18% mixture gives me IAS 134, TAS 154, GS 144

Sunrise should be soon now

Somewhere behind the clouds, I’m flying between two layers

As long as I’m not in a cloud, I’m moving fine, staying at 9,000ft

18% mixture brought the fuel economy down to 15.5 nautical miles per gallon
19% next, speeding up to IAS 140, TAS 161, GS 151

Amazing to fly through here, but it’s getting a bit cramped

Sun spotted for a minute

It looks to be clearing up a little bit

Nice warm sunshine

19% mixture lowered the fuel economy to 13.6 nautical miles per gallon. The clouds created turbulence slowing me down to IAS 123, TAS 141, GS 140. The headwind is pretty much gone though.

Final stretch at 20% fuel mixture, IAS 125, TAS 144, GS 143

The clouds go all the way down and higher is no option, 1c less and my plane will ice up

There are stretches where the clouds are a bit lower, beautiful sights

20% fuel mixture resulted in 12.0 nautical miles per gallon, now it’s time to start my descent

Approaching Stewart Island, New Zealand

Stewart Island, aka Center Island in the game

Also known as Raratoka Island, tiny landing strip after such a long flight!

Safe landing, 6h 50 flight time, 883nm traveled, 55.36 gallons used

Over all 16.0 nmpg at average 129 knots ground speed

Invercargill Airport, proper landfall on New Zealand

Off to explore the country, Dunsdale Recreational Reserve

Bushy Beach Scenic Reserve at Oamaru, the largest town in North Otago

Home to the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony and Steam Punk HQ, niche museum

Oamaru Airport is ‘interesting’

Flying over Kyeburn Diggings

Mount Kyeburn

Gimmerburn

Moa Creek, putting Archimedes and fractions to work in farming

Cromwell ahead, located in the Otago region of New Zealand

Cromwell Racecourse Aerodrome, more horse racing

Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown

Cecil Peak

Queenstown, the adventure capital, set against the Southern Alps

Queenstown Airport, one of the star airports in the game

Many scenes from the Lord of the Rings were filmed around Queenstown

Here’s a handy map with all the movie locations

Flying out along Table Bay

Following Lake Te Anau into Fjordland

Fjordland also provided plenty backdrops for LotR

And is totally awesome to fly through

Reminds me of the fun I had in Norway, with more trees

The weather adding to the danger

3D vision display essential with zero visibility in between

From one fjord to the next

To arrive at a mostly frozen Milford Sound

To the west coast, Jamestown on Martins Bay

Martins Bay Aerodrome, landing path cut out in the forest

Back into Fjordland

Following Wilkins river

Approaching Makarora

Makarora, a small community within the Queenstown-Lakes District

Makarora Airstrip next to the Makarora river

Going a bit higher next over Hunter Valley

Amazing mountains in New Zealand!

Hunter river flowing into Lake Hāwea

Lake Hāwea in the opposite direction

Mount Sutton 6,585ft

Lake Pukaki

Glentanner Aiport, ice flowing into the lake

Mount Cook Airport with Mount Cook ahead, the highest mountain in New Zealand (12,218ft)

Tasman Lake

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park

Waiho River on the west coast

Franz Josef Aerodrome

Ōkārito, small coastal settlement on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island

Following the Perth river next

The Warrior Mountain Peak (11,273ft)

Newton Peak (2,113ft) and the Rakaia river

Rolleston Range

Turning around to land at Manuka Point Lodge

Manuka Point Lodge Airstrip

Ben More Mountain Peak (6,338ft)

Heading out east to Akaroa Harbour on Banks Peninsula

Ōnawe Peninsula inside Akaroa Harbour, an ancient vulcanic plug

Banks Peninsula, Otepatotu Scenic Reserve on the right

Oxford Airport, back on the mainland

Lees Valley

Grey Hill (6,053ft) in Arthur’s Pass National Park

Mount Turnbull (2,788ft)

Arthur’s Pass National Park

Otira Stagecoach Hotel in the middle with Gollum on the roof

Lake Haupiri Airport

Mount Longfellow (6,227ft)

Mons Sex Millia (6,020ft)

Waiau River, Canterbury

Mount Clara (6,381ft)

Nelson Lakes National Park

And final stop at Murchison on the northwest side of the South Island

What an incredible flight, New Zealand is the place to explore. Exhausted., but totally awesome. New Zealand has the total package to make FS2020 shine.

I’ve tried catching up to you and see where you on the world map, but when I go where you are suppose to be I cannot see you. You must be flying Cloaked. I can see you when I set you as a Departure which is the only option I get on the world map. I am also on the same server as you are, but when I try to go there and fly next to you, you are no where to be seen.

You must have some setup option set to not allow others to see you. Now I can see that you west of NZGS (Gisborne) but when I fly to where you are reported to be at, I can’t see you.

Take a look, I would like to join you from time to time and fly with you.

I don’t have multiplayer enabled! No name tags in my screenshots :smiley:

Actually I don’t know how to turn it on, it’s set to on when I look in Options → Data. But that says live traffic is on as well and I’m certain I turned that off long ago.

Well. I’m flying very close to you. Maybe you have to go to General, Show Traffic Name Plates on to see me. flying at 7700 Feet.

I see LINJIAMING flying in front of me on a DR40. Now I also see ScrambleMilk in front of me.

Now steady at 8500 on AP. Flying TBM 930, Heading 302.

I’m at 4,000 ft heading to NZGS atm. I put the name plates on but don’t see anything. I’ve never seen another player actually. I have seen live traffic, but turned it off when it was causing issues.

I always assumed I was flying in empty places, although in Europe I would have seen someone hen I still had traffic on.

I will head and land in NZGS. Headed there now. Had to set FMS up.

I see you no, had to reload from the world map

Yes, that’s me. I assume, close to ground level for airport. At 3700 now. Will land in 32 or 14. Okay, now I see you behind me. I paused for a bit. Also slowing down.

Landing on 32.

Still can’t see me? I see more and more name tags now. Currently 5 minutes out from NZRO, then heading to NTZG