Very challenging flying! I haven’t had the time to try anything yet that really pushed my fuel capacity.
I learned a lot over time, to think I struggled with a 756nm leg and ended up landing short of the runway, out of fuel. I was still using auto mixture back then and flew too high getting iced up, twice.
Just over an hour to go still, no lights on the runway and not a lot of moonlight. Will be fun!
Leg 268, Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile to Limay Mahuida, La Pampa, Argentina
DAY05_16.PLN (9.6 KB)
Back to the mainland, to cross the Andes mountains another three times. Addicted to mountain crossings!
05-16 Robinson Crusoe SCIR 7:59 AM 366nm next
05-16 San Geronimo SCSG 10:14 AM
05-16 El Tapihue SCTW 10:20 AM marker in the wrong place
05-16 Vinamar SCVA 10:22 AM
05-16 Curacavi SCCV 10:28 AM
05-16 Arturo Merino Benitez Intl SCEL 10:37 AM Santiago capital
05-16 Eulogio Sanchez SCTB 10:46 AM
05-16 Uspallata SAMU 11:23 AM
05-16 Mendoza Airpark SAMQ 11:36 AM
05-16 Aeroclub San Martin SATP 11:44 AM
05-16 Aerotec SARD 11:49 AM
05-16 Rivadavia SARK 11:51 AM
05-16 San Carlos SAMS 12:08 PM Too short
05-16 La Consulta SALC 12:14 PM
4:13
05-16 La Consulta SALC 2:22 PM
05-16 San Fernando SCSD 3:04 PM
05-16 La Puerta SCPT 3:12 PM
05-16 Palo Alto SCAO 3:19 PM
05-16 Torca SCLI 3:28 PM
05-16 San Damian SCDM 3:32 PM
05-16 Quivolgo SCCT 3:42 PM
05-16 Santa Maria de Mingre SCMG 3:53 PM
05-16 San Javier SCSJ 4:00 PM
05-16 Panimavida SCIV 4:08 PM Tree at end of runway
05-16 Malargue SAMM 4:43 PM Provincial Reserve La Payunia 36°25’01.1"S 69°12’34.7"W
05-16 Confluencia SABC 5:16 PM
05-16 Lima Mahuida SAOZ 6:07 PM
Flight time 7:58 25 stops
Robinson Crusoe Airport, early morning
Time to check out the island(s)
Although the island was (re)named after the book in 1966 (originally “Más a Tierra”) the island in the story bears little resemblance to Robinson Crusoe island. Daniel Defoe’s famous novel was inspired by the true story of an 18th Century castaway, thought to be Alexander Selkirk (1676-1721), a Scottish privateer and Royal Navy officer who lived for four years and four months on the island (1704-1709)
Time for the sun to rise, hopefully one day that horizon glitch will be fixed
San Juan Bautista, the main town in the Juan Fernández Islands of Chile
San Juan Bautista, Fuerte Santa Barbara on the left
A coastal resort town in central Chile
Arturo Merino Benítez Airport serving Santiago, the capital of Chile
Located in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range
Mopocho river flowing through the center
Club Hípico de Santiago and O’Higgins Park
Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, built in 1938
Next to the stadium, Pista Atletica Estadio Nacional, and below Velódromo Estadio Nacional
Landing at Aerodromo Tobalaba - Eulogio Sanchez
San Cristóbal Hill and the view from Sky Costanera
Museum of Memory and Human Rights
Commemorating the victims of human rights violations committed from 1973 to 1990 during the civic-military regime led by Augusto Pinochet
National Museum of Fine Arts
That center picture makes me think of ST TOS episode “Who Mourns for Adonais” so maybe it’s Apollo
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
Heading into the Andes, Cerro El Plomo (17,783ft)
San Jose de Maipo, Santiago Metropolitan Region
Nevado del Plomo (19,910ft) on the left, I’m at 18,400ft
Luján de Cuyo Department in the northwest of Mendoza Province in Argentina
Rio Mendoza in the valley underneath me
Flying out of Uspallata, an Andean town near the Chilean border
Further over Mendoza, located in Argentina’s Cuyo region and the heart of Argentina’s wine country
Rivadavia Department, Mendoza Province
San Carlos ‘Airport’ proved to be a bit too short, approached too fast
Checking the coordinates on Google and Bing, no trace of any airstrip…
I got her off the ground again, not an airport
La Consulta Airport, a real airstrip
After a couple hours break, heading on over Tunuyán Department
Another shot of Volcán Maipo (on the left) now back in Chile
San Fernando, the capital of the province of Colchagua, in central Chile, close to the Tinguiririca River
Landing at Aeródromo Torca along Laguna de Torca
Lago Vichuquén next to the Pacific Ocean
Dunas de Putu
I’ve been called puta a lot in GT Sport, Putu is a small town close to the dunes.
Constitución in Talca Province, Maule Region where the Maule River flows into the Pacific
Piedra del Elefante at Constitución
Aerodromo San Javier along highway 5
Estero Machicura, irrigation canal fed by the Maule river and Central Hidroeléctrica Colbún
Quite an interesting bit of engineering
I took the screenshot from the white arrow. The blue line is a tunnel feeding water from the upper reservoir via one of two power stations to the lower reservoir, then through the canal feeding more farms back to the Maule river on the top left.
Third time over the mountains, Volcán Quizapú (12,428ft) and Descabezado Grande (12,969ft)
Laguna de la Invernada behind me on the left, my right
Calabozos (11,509ft) on the left
Malargue a city in Argentina’s Mendoza province, currently in the clouds
Here you can check out Volcan Malacara from the inside
In the Provincial Reserve La Payunia
One more flight, running out of light
Landing at Lima Mahuida, La Pampa, Argentina
Further south tomorrow. I’m at 37 degrees currently, days will be getting shorter the further south I go. Antarctica is on my list, but it will be a rather dark visit when I get there.
Definitely a beautiful part of the world, I’ll have to try it myself when it’s summer down there and winter up here to maximize the daylight opportunities.
Leg 269, Limay Mahuida, La Pampa, Argentina via Chile to San Carlos de Bariloche, Río ■■■■■, Argentina
DAY05_17.PLN (9.6 KB)
Day time is definitely getting shorter, dawn is taking longer as well. Today I started at 37 degrees South, daylight hours 10h06, and ended at 41 degrees South, daytime 9h45. Compared to where I am, 43 degrees North, currently 14h45 daytime. I’m starting to see more snow as well, heading into winter in South America while in Ontario we just got a blast of early summer.
05-17 Lima Mahuida SAOZ 7:00 AM Lago Sal Grande 37°27’14.4"S 67°01’20.0"W
05-17 Veinticinco De Mayo SA21 7:20 AM
05-17 Villa Regina SAWY 7:46 AM
05-17 General Roca SAHR 7:56 AM
05-17 Allen SAAE 8:00 AM
05-17 Cipoletti Aeroclub SACF 8:04 AM
05-17 Presidente Peron SAZN 8:08 AM
05-17 Loma La Lata SA20 8:23 AM
05-17 Loconpue LCP 8:55 AM
05-17 Caviahue SA43 9:06 AM
05-17 Atacalco SCAK 9:31 AM
05-17 Rucamalen SCUR 9:42 AM
05-17 El Litral SCUL 9:47 AM
05-17 Carriel Sur Intl SCIE 9:59 AM
05-17 Puerto Sur SCIS 10:11 AM
05-17 Los Pehuenches SCLB 10:25 AM
05-17 Isla Mocha SCIM 10:43 AM
05-17 El Budi SCSH 11:01 AM
05-17 Malloco SCMF 11:16 AM
05-17 Villarrica SCVI 11:19 AM
05-17 Curimanque SCKQ 11:24 AM
05-17 Hosteria San Huberto SAJD 11:42 AM
05-17 Aviador Carlos Campos(Neuquen) SAZY 11:52 AM
05-17 Meliquina SASK 12:00 PM
05-17 Lago Nahuel Huapi SASD 12:17 PM
05-17 S C Bariloche SAZS 12:20 PM
Flight time 5:20 25 stops
Lima Mahuida Airport before sunrise
First up today, a visit to Lago Sal Grande
A salt flat located in the east of the province of La Pampa
Long time no see, the Colorado river, or rather another Colorado river
Dique Casa de Piedra formed by Stone house dam (Dam Casa de Piedra) in the Colorado river
Rio Pincipal on the left, canal diverting water from the Rio ■■■■■ to feed more farms further from the river
Embalse los Barreales behind me
Antuco in Bío Bío Province, Chile
Sierra Velluda (11,761ft) tallest peak in Laguna del Laja National Park
Near Estero los Capados in Antuco
Hualpén, a Chilean city and commune belonging to Concepción Province and the Biobío Region
Landing on Isla Santa Maria, not far from the coast in the South Pacific Ocean
Landing on Isla Mocha, another island not far from shore
Very little wind today, on the coast. Above the mountains I got tossed around in up to 40 knot winds
Budi Lake, from the Mapudungun word Füzi which means salt, a tidal brackish water lake
Gorbea, heading to the mountains again
Volcán Villarrica (9,341ft)) one of Chile’s most active volcanoes
Also known as Rucapillán, a Mapuche word meaning “great spirit’s house”
Last erupted 2020, here is footage from its 2015 eruption
Villarrica National Park, Chile
Sendero al Mirador del Volcán Lanin (national park) Argentina
Volcán Lanin (12,293ft) part of both national parks mentioned above, situated on the border
Traful Lake
https://i.imgur.com/yO8P4My.png
Further over Los Lagos Department
https://i.imgur.com/pTg4LQ0.png
https://i.imgur.com/yA2Z5lG.png
To end this leg at San Carlos de Bariloche Airport
https://i.imgur.com/xtyYBkA.png
Very beautiful area! I’ll be making my way towards Patagonia tomorrow. I haven’t tried the bush trip there yet but heard good things about it.
Leg 270, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río ■■■■■, Argentina via Chile to Perito Moreno, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
DAY05_18.PLN (9.9 KB)
Daytime is dwindling, sunrise today at my departure was 8:50 AM, (7:50 AM my time). I ended up further South, sunrise tomorrow won’t be until 9:27 AM (8:27 AM my time), sunset 6:12 PM (5:12 PM EST) but I’ll be further South again, earlier sunset. The terrain varies constantly, so much to see, it would be a shame to fly by in the dark.
05-18 S C Bariloche SAZS 7:15 AM
05-18 El Bolson SAKX 7:31 AM Drone cam landing
05-18 Puelo Bajo SCPB 7:41 AM Virtual vision landing
05-18 Contao SCCK 7:50 AM
05-18 Quemchi SCQW 8:04 AM
05-18 Castro SCCD 8:11 AM Short runway
05-18 Quenac SCQE 8:16 AM
05-18 Isla Apiao SCIA 8:22 AM
05-18 Isla Talcan SCIK 8:30 AM
05-18 Chaiten SCCX 8:36 AM Road on runway
05-18 Chaiten SCTN 8:41 AM Hilly runway
05-18 El Amarillo SCEA 8:47 AM
05-18 Chaiten SCCW 8:55 AM
05-18 Futaleufu SCFT 9:09 AM
05-18 Trevelin SAYZ 9:19 AM
05-18 Esquel SAVE 9:27 AM
05-18 Estancia Tecka SATX 9:44 AM
05-18 Jose De San Martin SAWS 9:58 AM
05-18 Estancia Rio Cisnes SCRE 10:14 AM
05-18 Villa Tapera SCRC 10:24 AM
05-18 Puerto Cisnes SCPK 10:43 AM
05-18 Caleta Blanco SCIH 11:00 AM
05-18 Quitralco SCQO 11:12 AM
05-18 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez SCII 11:38 AM
05-18 Los Antiguos SAQE 11:46 AM
05-18 Perito Moreno SAWP 11:56 AM
05-18 Lago Buenos Aires SAPR 11:58 AM Perito Moreno
Flight time 4:43 26 stops
7:15 AM, 35 minutes before sunrise, departure from San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche glowing along Nahuel Huapi Lake
Cerro Tronador (11,453ft) extinct volcano towards the back
Caleta Aulen, Hualaihué, Los Lagos, Chile
Sunrise over Quemchi (now at normal exposure)
Quemchi located in the eastern shore of Chiloé Island
The sun isn’t in a hurry to climb up in the sky
Another one of those dual use runways
It doesn’t look all that busy though irl, Aerodromo provisional Santa Bárbara
Heading into the mountains, naturally
Another Chaiten Airport, this one at Puerto Cárdenas
Carr Austral bridge over the Yelcho river at Puerto Cárdenas
Actually a gravel strip right on the road, I came in right over a car crossing the end of the runway
Futaleufú Department, Chubut Province, Argentina
Following the Cisnes River back into the mountains
Caleta Blanco Airport at Caleta Andrade
Located on Isla Las Huichas, just took off again
Cordillera Castillo (8,776ft) behind the mountain ridge I’m flying along
On the way to Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez
Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Airport
Home to unique marble cave networks
Last stop for today in Perito Moreno
Perito Moreno is better known as the glacier with the same name, still 460km from here.
Tomorrow, Patagonia and the Perito Moreno glacier
Leg 271, Perito Moreno, Argentina to Torres del Paine, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile
DAY05_19.PLN (5.3 KB)
The legs are getting shorter, yet the visual variety is only increasing. Patagonia is beautiful. The last time I looked at this part of the Earth was in FSX, not much to see. Quite a difference 14 years later.
05-19 Lago Buenos Aires SAPR 8:00 AM
05-19 Perito Moreno SAQH 8:12 AM Patagonia 32 knot headwind
05-19 Entrada Baker SCEB 8:36 AM Cochrane - Flamingos 47°14’1S 72°26’48"W
05-19 Cochrane SCHR 8:48 AM
05-19 Lago Brown Airstrip SCBR 8:58 AM
05-19 Hipolito Yrigoyen Lago Posadas SCCO 9:12 AM
05-19 Lago Vargas SCVS 9:38 AM
05-19 Enrique Mayer Soto SCCR 9:47 AM O’Higgins - Flamingos 48°14’20S 73°34’32"W
05-19 Rio Pascua SCTP 10:07 AM
05-19 Villa O’Higgins SCOH 10:22 AM
05-19 Laguna Redonda SCIO 10:37 AM
05-19 Lago Viedma Airstrip SCDV 11:14 AM
Lago Argentino - Flamingos 50°18’16"S 72°47’59"W
Perito Moreno Glacier 50°28’22.9"S 73°02’28.6"W
05-19 Cerro Castillo SCPY 12:24 PM
Flight time 4:24 12 stops
Departure from Lago Buenos Aires Airport, not long before sunrise
There it is, early sunrise higher up
Flying over Lago Buenos Aires Department
World Heritage Site cave known for ancient art
Further over Lago Buenos Aires Department
Spotted a Flamingo at the lake
Chasing him/her with the drone
Managed to get close, and fly by in a flash
On to Cochrane, known for inventing FTL flight in 2063
Actually a Chilean town and commune in Capitán Prat Province of the Aisén Region
Lago Brown Airstrip, frosty grass
Lago Pueyrredón and Lago Posadas separated by road RP39
Lago Pasodas, I would pick the bike over crossing that bidge
Hipolito Yrigoyen Lago Posadas
Further over Río Chico Department, I’m about to get iced
Glaciar Calluqueo through a break in the clouds
Las Vargas Airport, it took a long time to stop on this icy runway
Enrique Mayer Soto Airport in a bend of the Río Cochrane
Taking off over the half frozen Río Cochrane
In the rain, I’m glad there is no collision detection. This would make quite a mess
Odd how you either get one or a thousand!
Pretending to fly with the birds (pause on, pause off, birds keep going)
Flamingos fly at about 30 knots, the Shock Ultra can fly that slow with full flaps
Villa O’Higgins, a small town in the Aysén Region of southern Chile
located at the start of Lago San Martin, fed by the Mayer river and Rio Mosco
Puerto Bahamondes on Lago San Martin
Marking the end of La Carretera Austral, Chile’s Route 7, starting in Puerto Montt, 1240 km up north
Candelario Mansilla below, coast guard station on Lago San Martin
Lago San Martin covers 1,013 km² with 8 defined arms, fed by glaciers
Laguna Redonda Airport on the Rio Obstaculo
Close to the border with Argentina
Las Vueltas River flowing into Lago Viedma
A glacier feeding Lago Viedma at Paso Huemul (hiking area)
Flying up the glacier coming from Cordon Mariano Moreno (11,434ft) and Cerro Torre (10,262ft)
Fitz Roy (11,020ft) located behind Cerro Torre (seen here)
https://i.imgur.com/GALNYyy.png
Quick stop at Lago Viedma Airstrip and off again
https://i.imgur.com/Pd4BmcK.png
Lago Viedma is a glacial lake on the border between Argentina & Chile
https://i.imgur.com/mQkiG4P.png
Continuing on over Lago Argentino Department
https://i.imgur.com/jGnCCbA.png
https://i.imgur.com/adnNAfR.png
A lost Flamingo looking for the flock, called a “flamboyance”
https://i.imgur.com/jUfJEwP.png
Amazing birds and always great to hear David Attenborough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVgZXUKJc4A
Arriving at the Perito Moreno Glacier
https://i.imgur.com/oAqkqqC.png
At the Perito Moreno Glacier footbridges
https://i.imgur.com/la8vgyE.png
https://i.imgur.com/SV9BiRK.png
Following an arm of Argentino lake to check out other parts where the glacier feeds the lake
https://i.imgur.com/beESJsI.png
The clouds had something to say about that, a peek further along
https://i.imgur.com/5uKX39s.png
Torres de Paine, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica
https://i.imgur.com/vJr8kxs.png
Cordillera del Paine (9,462ft)
https://i.imgur.com/ONjtVI9.png
Cerro Paine Grande (9,462 ft) with Lago Grey behind
https://i.imgur.com/2WzAeXw.png
Cerro Paine Grande and Cordillera del Paine
https://i.imgur.com/mOikz6m.png
View of Cerro Paine Grande from Lake Pehoé
https://i.imgur.com/A0G7C3i.png
Located in Torres del Paine National Park
https://i.imgur.com/smVTw5b.png
Samiento Lake
https://i.imgur.com/Hhy86eu.png
Lago el Toro
https://i.imgur.com/ye8NFwO.png
Final stop today at Cerro Castillo Airport, Torres del Paine
https://i.imgur.com/NIB9WLY.png
Torres del Paine where Google got a ticket
https://i.imgur.com/WEZXHiR.png
Tomorrow, further south. I’m at 51 degrees atm, sunrise tomorrow will be at 9:31 AM local time (8:31 EST) Sun sets at 6:10 PM, no daylight saving time here.
Leg 272, Torres del Paine, Chile via Argentina to Palmer Station, Antarctica
DAY05_20.PLN (7.6 KB)
On to Cape Horn and Antarctica, with a mid flight immunization.
05-20 Cerro Castillo SCPY 8:20 AM 8:31 AM sunrise 5:10 PM sunset
05-20 Teniente Julio Gallardo SCNT 8:30 AM
05-20 28 De Noviembre SAWT 8:35 AM
05-20 Coy Aike SAXW 9:13 AM Plane animations broken
Can’t operate G1000, broken, restart
05-20 Coy Aike SAXW 9:20 AM
05-20 Norberto Fernandez SAWG 9:29 AM
05-20 Rio Chico SARJ 9:32 AM
05-20 Posesion SCBS 9:46 AM 31 knot winds
05-20 Punta Catalina SCPX 9:57 AM Unclear runway
05-20 Franco Bianco SCSB 10:05 AM
05-20 Cinco de Enero SCQA 10:20 AM Plane animations broken
05-20 Oazy Harbour SCQB 10:24 AM
05-20 Tres Chorrillos SCTH 10:28 AM Belly landing, gear showing but not actually there
05-20 Marco Davison Bascur SCID 10:37 AM Plane healed itself
05-20 Carlos Ibanez Del Campo Intl SCCI 10:41 AM Punta Arenas - Seagulls 53°7’36"S 70°51’36"W
05-20 Almirante Schroeders SCDW 11:00 AM 42 knot winds
05-20 Yendegaia SCNY 11:34 AM Marker misleading
05-20 Ushuaia Est Aeronaval SAWO 11:44 AM
05-20 Ushuaia Intl Malvine Is SAWH 11:47 AM
05-20 Guardiamarina Zanartu SCGZ 11:58 AM 600nm next 32 knot tailwind
05-20 Palmer Station Skyway 64°46’29.5"S 64°03’06.1"W 2:55 PM
Flight time 6:35 19 stops
Ready to depart from Cerro Castillo Airport, Torres del Paine
Landing at Aeropuerto Teniente Julio Gallardo along Golfo Almirante Montt (bay)
Airport serving Puerto Natales on the left
Rio Corpie Aike, must get a lot of melt water in spring
Gdor, Mayer, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
Odd terrain on the way to Rio Gallegos
Río Gallegos on the Gallegos river
Home to (a) Monumento a los caídos en Malvinas (left) honoring fallen Falklands War soldiers
View from Republic Square and Plaza San Martin on the right
Also here Museo de los Pioneros, my grandparents still had a lot of those things
Crazy wind at Posesion Airport - San Gregorio, Santa Cruz Province, Chile
Those ‘magnetic’ wheels (since last update) make it a lot easier than it should be
Punta Catalina Airport at End of Y-685 (road)
There is no Punta Catalina here according to Google or Bing, can’t tell if there is an airstrip or not
Located in Primavera, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile
Cinco de Enero Airport, kinda hard to see
Tres Chorrillos Airport, belly landing
Plane animations were broken and I had no way to tell anymore whether the landing gear was up or down. It was stuck in the down position (drawn) yet apparently it was up. The G1000 still responded so I kept going. The plane animations fixed themselves (or reset) a bit later.
Marco Davison Bascur Airport
Unnamed on Google and Bing but at least there is a visible runway
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport
Near the tip of Chile’s southernmost Patagonia region
Located on the Strait of Magellan, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
Museo Nao Victoria (left) with a replica of one of Ferdinand Magellan’s 16th century galleons
Almirante Schroeders on Dawson Island
Timaukel and Karukinka Natural Park
Monte Darwin (7,999ft) hidden in the clouds on the right, where the ice comes from
Yendegaia Airport, maybe, no trace on Google nor Bing maps
Beautiful place to take off from though
Ushuaia, a resort town in Argentina
Located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the southernmost tip of South America
nicknamed the “End of the World.”
Or simply Aeropuerto de Ushuaia
Navarino Island on the right with Etnobotánico Omora Park ahead
Served by Aeropuerto Guardiamarina Zañartu
Puerto Williams is known as a starting point for trips around Cape Horn
It’s also a gateway to trails around the jagged peaks of the nearby Dientes de Navarino
Along Drake Passage, connecting the Atlantic & Pacific oceans,
running between Chile and Antarctica
Wollaston Islands, south of Navarino Island
Cabo de Hornos National Park on the right
Southernmost Point of the World on Isla Hornos
Better known as Cape Horn, Monumento Cabo De Hornos (Cape Horn Monument) on the right
In memory of the seamen from every nation who perished in the battle against inclemency of nature in the southern seas around the legendary Cape Horn. It is indeed very windy here
Leaving Chile behind, to Palmer Station, Antarctica
I got my in flight vaccination while the sun continues to sink slowly. Popped out for a bit to get my first does of Pfizer. Good news, I could still fly afterwards. Jk, so far it causes less ‘agitation’ than a Tetanus shot. Hopefully by the end of summer things can start to go back closer to normal.
Anvers island sticking out of the clouds, almost there
Palmer Station is down there somewhere
There it is, slightly overshot, heading down
Palmer Station, 1:55 PM local time, 28F
Sunrise tomorrow will be 9:27 AM, sun set 3:01 PM, yet I’ll be further south again.
Leg 273, Palmer Station to Base Belgrano II, Antarctica
DAY05_21.PLN (2.4 KB)
A rather dark leg today. It’s winter time in Antarctica and I flew away faster from the sunrise than it could catch me. Most pictures are with boosted exposure, I only saw the sun after sending the drone straight up.
05-21 Palmer Station Skyway 64°46’29.5"S 64°03’06.1"W 8:00 AM 195nm next 9:27 AM sunrise 3:01 PM sunset
05-21 Rothera Research Station Airfield 67°34’08.9"S 68°07’44.6"W 9:13 AM 226nm next 40 knot tailwind
05-21 Fossil Bluff Skiway 71°19’45.6"S 68°16’01.2"W 10:28 AM 219nm next 32 knot tailwind increasing to 60 knot
05-21 Sky Blu Skiway 74°51′22.8″S 71°34′9.6″W 11:44 AM 534nm next
05-21 Base Belgrano II SAYB 2:36 PM Marker 22km from actual base
Flight time 6:36 4 stops
Palmer station 7 AM local time, although time zones mean much less this far south
Ready for departure, plan was to land at sunrise on my first stop
However a strong tailwind (40 knots) blew me south a lot faster than expected
Over Anvers island to Rothera Research Station
The sun is trying to come up, but it’s just the glow of early dawn at high exposure
Rothera Point Airport, clouds moved in as well, pitch black down here
A popular spot for Walrusses to hang out
They like to snooze right on the only ‘road’ on the base
Heading further south, small break in the clouds
Flying towards Fossil Bluff Skiway
Nothing here in game, still pretty
Fossil Bluff Skiway
It’s only open during the summer months and is essentially a petrol station for the Twin Otters flying to the Antarctic interior.
Pictures thanks to Matthew Phillips’ blog
Worth checking out, documenting his trip there Februari 2019
It was only getting darker, I send the drone straight up to see where the sun was
No clue how high I send the drone, but it looks to be quite a way up
Zooming over Ski Blu Skiway with a 50 knot tailwind, 180 turn to land
It’s not much in reality either
Can be used by Dash-7 aircraft, making it easier to bring in supplies
One more flight, a long one, off I go again
Normal exposure view at 12:54 PM, 76.7 degrees south (58.3W) at 8,000ft
Asking Google where I am returns ‘unavailable’
Approaching Base Belgrano II while the moon rises above the horizon
Not the night sky I’m familiar with
There was nothing at the marker, actually there was no marker either. The Garmin map doesn’t work this far south but AP still directed me somewhere, 22km from the actual base. It might be where the airstrip is, however nothing was visible on any map nor in game
Touchdown close to base, 77.9 degrees south. The hills match yet nothing else to see
Base Belgrano II, permanent, all year-round Argentine Antarctic base and scientific research station
It looks like a Chinese expedition came over for a visit
So there are southern lights as well, aurora australis
Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows excavated in a cave in the ice near the base
Apparently there are 8 churches in Antarctica. This one is the most southern place of worship of any religion in the world.
Tomorrow, heading a bit further into Antarctica (east wards) before heading back towards the light. No point waiting for the sun to rise “Down all day” at Base Belgrano II. The moon should come up at 10:11 AM, though won’t rise more than 12 degrees above the horizon. From the 25th the moon will be up all day long for the next 8 days. Interesting.
Those Dash 7’s are beasts! You don’t see many four-engine prop planes any more besides the C-130 Hercules. Also had no idea there were so many churches somewhere that has so few people, that’s awesome.
Leg 274, Base Belgrano II to Neumayer III skiway, Antarctica
DAY05_22.PLN (2.6 KB)
Another dark leg, exploring Antarctica in winter time. It’s a fascinating continent, very big as well
FS2020 only has Belgrano II (Coats Land) and McMurdo (Ross Ice Shelf) included. There is no terrain at all from about 85 degrees and as far as 72 degrees elevation data goes missing. The rest still has the correct base height but is as flat as a pool table. It gets up to 12,500ft at Dome Fuji! I didn’t go to Dome Fuji, visited a couple research stations closer to mapped areas.
05-22 Base Belgrano II SAYB 7:49 AM 175nm next
05-22 Halley Skiway 75°34’54.0"S 26°32’28.2"W 8:50 AM 403nm next
Propeller level stuck on minimum, no clue why, no power to take off, restart
05-22 Halley Skiway 75°34’54.0"S 26°32’28.2"W 8:57 AM 403nm next
05-22 Kohnen Skiway 75°0′6.88″S, 0°3′59.83″E 11:20 AM 9,550ft 187nm next
05-22 Troll Airfield 71°57′19.4″S, 2°28′2.63″E 12:27 PM 4,010ft 100nm next
05-22 SANAE IV Skiway 71°40′20.58″S, 2°49′29.48″W 1:04 PM 2,670ft 122nm next
05-22 Neumayer III skiway 70°38′6.74″S, 8°15′48.74″W 1:47 PM CTD on end flight
Flight time 5:51 5 stops
Base Belgrano II early morning, although since its night all day, does it matter?
First flight is to Halley Research Station
A large part broke off on Februari 26, A-74, twice the size of Chigago
No clue if this opening is part of it, doesn’t correlate to any map
Landed at Halley Skiway. The base is unmanned in winter, but it seems someone left the lights on
Mysterious lights right where the British base is supposed to be
I went over to investigate, just a couple lights, nothing else to see
Halley VI Research station, measurements from Halley led to the discovery of the ozone hole in 1985
Brunt Ice Shelf near Halley Research Station
Time to move on, faint glow of dawn on the horizon
I’m on the edge of the world here, no more elevation data
Kohnen research station, lonely building on absolutely flat terrain
Ground level is at 9,550ft here, despite lacking a height mesh
Kohnen Research Station, a German summer-only polar research station
Someone did the effort to match it up after a rumor went around aliens were there…
Getting back to the height mesh
Moonlight is plenty for exploring
With the benefit of beautiful night skies
Unnamed ridge, at least on Google and Bing
Down there is Troll Station, spotted
Troll Station, a Norwegian research station
Looks rather slippery for my rubber tires
Full year base for continuous, long-term monitoring series in meteorology, radiation, atmosphere, upper atmosphere, environmental toxins and seismology
It looks like different teams visit each other often
Beautiful place to do research
It’s another one with just a couple floating lights
Awesome spot for the fourth South African research base in Antarctica
They’re monitoring neutrinos there
http://natural-sciences.nwu.ac.za/space-research/research-areas/antarctic-research
Located in Queen Maud land, stunning geography
Not so much in game, room for improvement
On to Neumayer III, mysterious mountains ahead
I’m at 13,800ft, are these real mountains, there is nothing on the map
There are giant holes and straight edges as well, maybe just noisy data
More odd mountains sticking out
Neumayer III skiway, nothing here
Neumayer III station, a German Antarctic research station of the Alfred-Wegener-Institut
The station is moving with the shelf ice at about 200 meters per year towards the open sea. Hydraulic lifting feet prevent new snow from causing the platform to sink
Maybe one update we’ll get views like these at the poles
That was my final stop for today, next flight requires a bit of timing (departure 1AM) to fly to the Falkland islands via South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It’s going to be a long one.
No sunlight today, although I could have caught the sun at Neumayer III. In the air only though, it says down all day since May 21st. At 8:30 AM my time the sun should have been visible above the horizon higher up in the air. The sun returns here on July 23rd.
Antarctica is very interesting to explore. I would love to go back after an Antarctic world update.
275, Neumayer III skiway, Antarctica via South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands to Stanley, Falkland Islands
DAY05_23.PLN (1.8 KB)
Two long flights with an improvised refueling stop at Grytviken, South Georgia Island. (There are no airports on the entire island chain) The bay was already frozen, fine to land on and I had pre-ordered 80 gallons of fuel off Amazon to be delivered in port ahead of time
05-23 Neumayer III skiway 70°38′6.74″S, 8°15′48.74″W 1:54 AM 1279nm next
7,000ft 16.0% 2515rpm -1F IAS 111 TAS 121 GS 147 ETA (Montegu) 7:46 AM
FLC mode 111, climb to infinite, hopefully speed stays up if icing happens in the night
17,980ft 16.0% 2516rpm -20F IAS 111 TAS 147 GS 164 ETA (Montegu) 7:04 AM (ETE 22)
Reduce mixtue to descend to see Montegu island
Montagu Island 58°26’04.5"S 26°20’05.6"W 860nm + 419nm
7,000ft 20.0% 2516rpm 22F IAS 146 TAS 162 GS 160 ETA (Grytviken) 9:51 AM
05-23 Grytviken 54°16’52.7"S 36°30’28.5"W 9:56 AM 780nm next
Flight time 8h31 Fuel used 67.78 avg 150.2 knots avg 18.87 nmpg
12,000ft 30.0% 2440rpm 7F IAS 143 TAS 169 GS 196 ETA 2:02 PM
05-23 Stanley SFAL capital 2:12 PM
Flight time 12:18 2 stops
1:54 AM Departure time at Neumayer III
I had to put the plane on the ground first in slew mode, haven’t figured out yet how to start on the ground from a set of coordinates
Plane in the air pointed at Montagu Island, select full tank, time to catch some sleep
7,000ft 16.0% 2515rpm -1F IAS 111 TAS 121 GS 147 ETA (Montegu) 7:46 AM
I set the fuel mixture to 16%, 2515 rpm (prop 93%) which gave me an IAS of 111. GS 147 thanks to a strong half tailwind. Icing is a big risk of course so I set altitude far out of range (30K ft) and activated FLC mode to ‘climb’ at 111 knots, thus staying at the same level.
The idea is that if the plane ices up, FLC mode will lose altitude to maintain speed. Actually it tries to maintain the same altitude until the speed drops too low, then AP pushes the nose down to prevent a stall. It will do this in altitude hold mode as well, the difference is, in altitude hold mode it keeps trying to steeply climb back to the assigned altitude, causing worse and worse near stalls until you’re in the ocean. FLC mode stops climbing when speed drops below the assigned value. More stable, much higher chance at surviving the night while sleeping.
The other extreme happened, when I checked in early morning (6:45 AM) I found my plane at nearly 18,000ft. I guess as the plane got lighter (less fuel) it started gaining altitude. And by gaining altitude, the fuel mixture started getting closer to ‘power’ level. (Heavily leaned for 7,000ft). Thus the engine kept gaining power by climbing due to the plane getting lighter.
17,980ft 16.0% 2516rpm -20F IAS 111 TAS 147 GS 164 ETA (Montegu) 7:04 AM (ETE 22)
A lot faster higher up, also consumes more fuel though, I was just in time to switch tanks
Bristol Island up first, part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Havfruen Peak (1,200ft) sticking out
Montagu Island, the largest of the South Sandwich Islands, British overseas territory
The island was first sighted by James Cook in 1775, and named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
The first recorded landing was made by the Norwegian whaler and explorer Carl Anton Larsen in 1908
Mount Belinda (4,490ft) is the highest peak on the island
Mount Belinda last erupted 2001-2007
Also a good spot for penguins to have a rest
Leaving Montagu behind, on to South Georgia Island
7,000ft 20.0% 2516rpm 22F IAS 146 TAS 162 GS 160 ETA (Grytviken) 9:51 AM
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Freezing up as winter season is here
Mount Carse (7,640ft) 2 nautical miles north of the head of Drygalski Fjord
Further over South Georgia Island
Vast colonies of king penguins breed in this broad cove, also home to elephant seals
Approaching Grytviken at King Edward Cove
Grytviken, used to be the largest whaling station on South Georgia
Flight time 8h31 Fuel used 67.78 gallongs, avg 150.2 knots ground speed, avg 18.87 nmpg
Gytviken is home to Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton’s grave (1874-1922) An Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration
South Georgia Museum, one of the most remote museums on the southern hemisphere
Taking off from Grytviken after filling up the tanks
Next stop, the Falkland Islands, 780nm from here
Queen Maud Bay and Mount Cunningham (4,000ft)
Leaving the main island behind
Bird Island where my right wing is pointing, the first island off the main island
Home to Bird Island Research station, nature preserve
Alastair Wilson uploaded a whole bunch of 360 degree views of this amazing place
12,000ft 30.0% 2440rpm 7F IAS 143 TAS 169 GS 196 ETA 2:02 PM
Safe between the layers of cloud, cruising to the Falkland Islands
Nearly there, kinda worried about icing while punching through the lower cloud layer
No problem, still ice free, not a thick layer either
Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
The Falkland Islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory, disputed by Argentina
Making a turn over Stanley to land at the airport
Enough flying for today, good place to start tomorrow
Stanley with the late 1800’s ■■■■■■ Church Cathedral on the right
1982 Liberation Memorial, commemorates all British Forces and supporting units that served in the Falklands War and helped liberate the Falkland Islanders from Argentine military occupation in 1982
Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust
Tomorrow, back to Argentina after exploring the Falkland Islands. The long trip home has begun. 10,760 km to go, but I’ll make a lot of zigs and zags as usual on the way back up.
Leg 276, Stanley, Falkland Islands to Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
DAY05_24.PLN (9.6 KB)
The Falkland islands are hit and miss in game, very pretty in real life. Same for the east coast in southern Argentina. The marine life is amazing in this part of the world.
05-24 Stanley SFAL 7:49 AM
05-24 Mount Pleasant EGYP 7:57 AM
05-24 Lively Island SFSS 8:02 AM
05-24 Stanley SFTI 8:07 AM
05-24 Bleaker Island SFSX 8:12 AM
05-24 Sea Lion Lodge Airstrip SFSN 8:18 AM
05-24 Sea Lion Island Airstrip SFTD 8:21 AM
05-24 George Island SFSU 8:29 AM
05-24 Speedwell Island SFSW 8:34 AM
05-24 Fox Bay East Airstrip SFTE 8:42 AM
05-24 Fox Bay Clay Airstrip SFST 8:44 AM
05-24 Chartres SFSO 8:49 AM
05-24 Hill Cove SFSM 8:56 AM
05-24 Saunders Island Landing Strip SFSF 9:01 AM
05-24 Carcass Island Landing Strip SFSG 9:09 AM Unclear runway
05-24 West Point Island Landing Strip SFSL 9:13 AM Unclear runway
05-24 New Island SFSP 9:25 AM
05-24 Santa Cruz SAWU 11:16 AM 35 knot wind
05-24 Comandante Luis Piedrabuena SA33 11:22 AM 29 knot headwind
05-24 Gobernador Gregores SAWR 11:56 AM
05-24 San Julian SAQN 12:26 PM
05-24 Tres Cerros SAYG 12:35 PM
05-24 Bahia Laura SAPK 12:53 PM
05-24 Puerto Deseado SA63 1:09 PM
05-24 Puerto Deseado SAWD 1:11 PM
05-24 Puerto Deseado West SA19 1:13 PM
Flight time 5:24 25 stops
Stanley Airport, ready for take off
Lafonia, southern peninsula of the Falkland Islands
The weather system showing off over the Bay of Harbours
Hill Cove on the shore of Byron Sound
Saunders Island home to a sheep farm
Carcass Island, population a lot of penguins
I’m not sure if I’m on the right airstrip, it’s probably one of the other straight sections
Yep, checking on Google I landed on a patch of dirt, the white paint markers are on the other two with the marker somewhere between the three.
Remote, picturesque part of the Falkland Islands
A sanctuary for birds & marine mammals
Back to Arentina, reaching the mainland at the end of the Santa Cruz River
Comandante Luis Piedrabuena and Isla Pavón
Highway 3 crossing the Santa Cruz River at Comandante Luis Piedrabuena
N288 winding through Corpen Aike Department
Gobernador Gregores ahead in Río Chico Department
Approaching Estancia Santa Elena
Final stop today in Puerto Deseado on the Deseado River
Originally called Port Desire, a city of about 15,000 inhabitants and a fishing port in Patagonia
Competing with the original fishermen
Further up along the coast tomorrow, towards Buenos Aires. Still a long way from here.
Leg 277, Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz Province to Las Grutas, Rio ■■■■■, Argentina
DAY05_25.PLN (9.0 KB)
Back up along the same departments as I went down, except on the east coast. Totally different landscape. It actually feels a bit like flying over Fallout 3, lot of browns.
05-25 Puerto Deseado West SA19 7:56 AM
05-25 Puerto Deseado SA62 8:02 AM
05-25 Puerto Deseado SA61 8:16 AM
05-25 Caleta Olivia SA31 8:19 AM
05-25 Fitz Roy SAKJ 8:26 AM
05-25 Canadon Seco CDS 8:40 AM
05-25 Caleta Olivia SAQW 8:47 AM
05-25 13 De Diciembre SARA 9:02 AM
05-25 Gen Enrique Mosconi Intl SAVC 9:08 AM
05-25 Sarmiento SAQQ 9:22 AM
05-25 Colonia Sarmiento SAUT 9:35 AM
05-25 Lago Musters SAVM 9:37 AM
05-25 Las Plumas Filed SAOO 10:31 AM
05-25 Dique Florentino Ameghino SAPQ 10:45 AM
05-25 Dolavon SA45 11:01 AM
05-25 Trelew Aeroclub SA34 11:10 AM
05-25 Almirante Zar SAVT 11:12 AM
05-25 Rawson SARW 11:17 AM
05-25 Punta Delgada Field SAPO 11:41 AM
05-25 Caleta Valdes Field SAPM 11:49 AM
05-25 Puerto Piramides SAPT 12:00 PM
05-25 Bahia Dorada SATT 12:21 PM
05-25 Sierra Grande SA91 12:27 PM
05-25 Antoine De Saint Exupery SAVN 12:49 PM
Flight time 4:53 23 stops
Puerto Deseado, ready for departure at sunrise
Short hop to my first stop, SA62 (no name) in Deseado Department
Taking a peek above the early morning fog
Crossing Highway 3 headed for the coast, no name available for the river
Caleta Olivia located at the northeast of Santa Cruz province, on the San Jorge Gulf
El Gorosito • Monumento al trabajador petrolero, monument to the oil workers
Autódromo General San Martín at the end of the runway of Comodoro Rivadavia flying club
Serving Comodoro Rivadavia in the Patagonian province of Chubut
Escalante Department, there are a lot of oil wells around here
Landing in Sarmiento, Colonia Sarmiento Airport ahead
And back over Lago Colhue Huapi
Lake Musters and Lake Colhue Huapi
In case you didn’t have Fallout 3 vibes yet
Escalante Department, the lake is completely dry on google maps
Las Plumas along the Rio Chubut in the valle de los Mártires
Further along Mártires Department
Dique Florentino Ameghino holding back Embalse Florentino Ameghino filled by the Rio Chubut
Villa Dique Florentino Ameghino located next to the Florentino Ameghino Dam
The Sword of Damocles comes to mind
Circuito Automovilistico Dolavon
Along the shore of the Valdes Peninsula on the Argentine Sea
Golfo San Matias along Biedma Department
Aeródromo Bahia Dorada ahead, finally one that’s easy to spot
Las Grutas, a busy Argentinean resort town on the Gulf of San Matias in northern Patagonia
Home to long beaches, backed by cliffs pocked with caves
Good place to end today’s leg. Time flies. Heading up further towards Buenos Aires tomorrow, more of Argentina to discover.
Leg 278, Las Grutas, Rio ■■■■■ to Frias, Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina
DAY05_26.PLN (7.3 KB)
Lovely day today in Argentina, if live weather was accurate. Heading up straight north, farm country mostly with some nice surprises.
05-26 Puerto San Antonio Este Airstrip SAYN 7:52 AM
05-26 Reserve Caleta de los Loros Airstrip SA92 8:04 AM
05-26 Gobernador Castello SAVV 8:22 AM
05-26 Stroeder SAFD 8:37 AM
05-26 Punta Alta SA64 8:51 AM
05-26 Bahia Blanca Aeroclub SABA 9:14 AM
05-26 Darregueira SAGT 9:38 AM
05-26 Macachin SA49 9:52 AM
05-26 Santa Rosa SAZR 10:07 AM
05-26 Eduardo Castex SAEU 10:24 AM
05-26 Huinca Renanco SAHU 10:44 AM
05-26 Martin Fierro SAVK 11:02 AM
05-26 Rio Cuarto Aeroclub SA17 11:21 AM
05-26 Area De Material SAOC 11:25 AM
05-26 Villa Rumipal SAXA 11:49 AM
05-26 Villa General Belgrano SAWW 11:56 AM
05-26 Mina Clavero SAMX 12:12 PM
05-26 Villa De Soto SACS Salinas Grandes 12:32 PM Trees at end of runway
05-26 Frias FRS Lago Salinas de Ambargasta 1:25 PM
Flight time 5:33 18 stops
Puerto San Antonio Este Airstrip, ready for departure at sunrise
Heading out over San Antonio Department
Golfo San Matias in sight near Pozo Salado
Viedma on the Río ■■■■■ in northern Patagonia, central Argentina
Puente Ferrocarretero Carmen de Patagones
Villarino Partido (provincial subdivision) of Buenos Aires Province
Also the name of the city Bahía Blanca along Bahía Blanca
Home to Museo de la Aviación Naval Argentina
Department Capital, plenty variety in farming styles
Eduardo Castex, capital of Conhelo, in La Pampa Province
Home to Parque Temático de la Prehistoria “Livio M. Curto"
Looks so warm and inviting, reminds me of The vanishing of Ethan Carter
Landing at Rio Cuarto Aeroclub
Rio Cuarto on the Cuarto river
Elena, Cordoba - Hwy 36
The road network is up to date, the aerial imagery is pretty old
Embalse Nuclear Power Plant on Embalse Río Tercero
Villa Rumipal on the other side of Embalse Río Tercero
Villa General Belgrano, named after the creator of the Argentine flag Manuel Belgrano (1770-1820)
Salinas Grandes, Salta Province
Amazing terrain, worth the detour
Last stop today in Frias, Santiago del Estero Province
This was the last detour before Buenos Aires, tomorrow I’ll get there for sure! (probably)
Leg 279, Frias, Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina to La Calera, Lavalleja Department, Uruguay
DAY05_27.PLN (13.4 KB)
Saying goodbye to Argentina via the capital, Buenos Aires, then into Uraguay.
05-27 Frias FRS 6:58 AM Lago Salinas de Ambargasta
05-27 Sebastian Elcano SA96 7:50 AM
05-27 Campo San Jose SAOW 8:11 AM
05-27 Sunchales Aeroclub SATW 8:22 AM
05-27 Anibal Brizi SAES 8:37 AM
05-27 Esperanza SAEP 8:39 AM
05-27 Sauce Viejo SAAV 8:45 AM
05-27 Diamante SAEG 8:55 AM
05-27 Terminal 6 SASW 9:09 AM
05-27 Pettilep II SAHM 9:13 AM
05-27 Don Jose SAFA 9:15 AM
05-27 Rosario/Islas Malvinas SAAR 9:17 AM
05-27 Alvear Aeroparque SAGO 9:23 AM
05-27 Pueblo Esther SAHB 9:25 AM
05-27 Acindar SAVU 9:32 AM
05-27 San Nicolas De Los Arroyos SNY 9:36 AM
05-27 El Girasol SAUE 9:46 AM
05-27 San Pedro SAVO 9:49 AM
05-27 Baradero SABD 9:56 AM
05-27 Buenos Aires SABO 9:58 AM
05-27 Zarate SAZC 10:07 AM
05-27 Belen De Escobar SABS 10:17 AM
05-27 San Fernando Intl SADF 10:23 AM Buneos Aires capital
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti 34°32’43"S 58°26’59"W
05-27 Jorge Newbery Aeroparque SABE 10:41 AM
05-27 Matanza SADZ 10:49 AM
05-27 Ezeiza Intl Ministro Pistarini SAEZ 10:52 AM
05-27 La Caida SAFN 10:58 AM
05-27 Tolosa SALY 11:08 AM Trees at end of runway
05-27 Laguna De Los Patos Intl SUCA 11:20 AM
05-27 Juan Lacaze SUJL 11:26 AM
05-27 Ricardo Raver SUEC 11:34 AM
05-27 San Jose SUSJ 11:40 AM
05-27 Angel S Adami Intl SUAA 11:52 AM Montevideo capital
05-27 Capitan Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza Air Base SUBL 11:55 AM
05-27 Carrasco Intl/Gen C L Berisso SUMU 12:08 PM
05-27 Military Aeronautical School SUGA 12:11 PM
05-27 La Calera SUCL 12:25 PM
Flight time 5:27 36 stops
Departure from Frias in the early morning fog
Sun rising almost opposite to the moon, full moon was yesterday
A seasonal lake located in the middle of the salt flat
It fills up with flamingos in summer, depth is only knee high when full
Mar Chiquita Lake, 775-square-mile natural saltwater lake
I can’t see the other side from this height, big lake
Sunchales, city in the province of Santa Fe
Rio Coronda flowing to Buenos Aires
La Capital Department, start of an immense river delta fed by Río Coronda and Río Paraná
Pre-Delta National Park along the Paraná River delta
Rosario, the largest city in the central Argentina province of Santa Fe
Sociedad Del Estado Municipal Hipódromo Rosario, the oval on my left wing
Monumento Histórico Nacional a la Bandera
1957 memorial honoring Argentine hero Manuel Belgrano
San Fernando Intl in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina
Heading into the city over Barrio Infico
Jockey Club Golf and Hipódromo de San Isidro to the left
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti
Home of the River Plate club & 1978 World Cup games
Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo next to Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery on the Rio de la Plata
Plaza de Mayo, named after the 1810 revolution that took place here, leading to Argentina’s independence
Puerto Madero, revamped dockside area on the right
Casa Rosada, palace that houses the presidential office
Teatro Colón (Columbus Theatre), 1908 opera house, amazing
Acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world
A peek in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Burzaco in Almirante Brown Partido, the edge of Buenos Aires built-up area
Tolosa Airport, this is what I mean with trees at end of runway
The trees are cleared, except for one line right at the start of the runway, doh!
Crossing the Rio de la Plata to Uraguay
Laguna de los Patos International Airport
I erm, landed on the long taxi way, that’s not a runway I’m aiming for
Rodriguez, San José Department, Uraguay
Montevideo, the capital of Uraguay, Parque del Prado below
Teatro de Verano, 1956 outdoor amphitheater
Plaza Indepencia with Palacio Salvo, view from Palacio Salvo in the middle
Estadio Centenario, built between 1929 and 1930 to host the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup, as well as to commemorate the centennial of Uruguay’s first constitution
Amsterdam Tribune on the right, named so because it was where the Celeste were crowned Olympic champions for the second time in 1928 (first time 1924 in Colombes, France)
Contemporary Art Space, formerly La penitenciaria de la calle miguelete (Ex Cárcel de Miguelete)
Reminds me of the prison in Half Life 2
A peek in the National Museum of Visual Arts
Final stop today at La Calera Airport on the Campanero River
Beautiful day, here as well, it was time to head out
Tomorrow on to Brazil, visiting the big cities along the coast.
Leg 280, La Calera, Lavalleja Department, Uruguay to Curitiba, State of Paraná, Brazil
DAY05_28.PLN (11.4 KB)
Uruguay and southern Brazil. I’ll be in Brazil for the next few days, massive country. It’s a bit smaller than Canada (85%) but has well over 5 times the population, over 212 million people.
05-28 La Calera SUCL 7:03 AM Dam 32°49’51.8"S 56°25’15.5"W
05-28 Garcia Brum Airstrip SUPA 7:56 AM
05-28 San Gregorio SUSG 8:10 AM
05-28 SAMAN Vergara SUVE 8:42 AM
05-28 Pista PLA e Silva SJEN 8:58 AM Unclear runway (textures missing)
05-28 Rio Grande SJRG 9:25 AM
05-28 Sao Lourenco Do Sul SSRU 9:43 AM
05-28 Da Praia Velha SJGX 9:54 AM Narrow runway
05-28 Mostardas SSMT 10:07 AM
05-28 Solidao SNPV 10:19 AM
05-28 Aerolis SIQI 10:24 AM
05-28 Palmares do Sul SBRW 10:32 AM
05-28 Capivari SSCV 10:35 AM 27 knot headwind
05-28 Salgado Filho Intl SBPA 10:50 AM 32 knot wind
05-28 Montenegro SSNG 11:04 AM
05-28 Garibaldi SSGA 11:17 AM
05-28 Aeroclube de Bento Goncalves SSBG 11:24 AM
05-28 Veranopolis SSVN 11:31 AM
05-28 Nova Prata SSNP 11:35 AM
05-28 Vacaria Novo SNEE 11:51 AM
05-28 Bom ■■■■■ SSBJ 12:06 PM
05-28 Forquilhinha SBCM 12:27 PM
05-28 Regional Sul SBJA 12:35 PM
05-28 Tubarao SIEZ 12:41 PM
05-28 Hercilio Luz Intl SBFL 1:08 PM
05-28 Sonhar SJSH 1:20 PM
05-28 Costa Esmeralda SDEN 1:26 PM
05-28 Ministro Victor Konder International SBNF 1:38 PM
05-28 Clube de Aviacao Ceu Azul SWON 1:53 PM
05-28 Lauro Carneiro De Loyola SBJV 2:01 PM
05-28 Afonso Pena Intl SBCT 2:23 PM
Flight time 7:20 30 stops
Ready for departure from La Calera Airport
Setting out over Durazno Department
Held back by Dr. Gabriel Terra dam, built from 1937 completed 1948
Dr. Gabriel Terra Leivas (1873-1942) was the President of Uruguay from 1931 to 1938
A controversial figure, known for the Terra Dictatorship
Out flows the Rio ■■■■■, making its way to Embalse de Rincon de Baygorria
I’m heading back towards the coast over Tacuarembó Department
Those straight lines are not texture issues as I first assumed
They are created by tree farms
Tupambae, in Cerro Largo Department, eastern Uruguay
Making a stop in Vergara, a small city in Treinta y Tres Department
Lagoa Mirim, forming the border with Brazil
Leaving Uruguay behind, crossing the lake into Brazil
Santa Vitória do Palmar, the southernmost municipality in Brazil
Anselmi, between Lagoa Mirim and Lagoa Mangueira, ocean further to the right
Careful Capybara friends, there are crocodiles (Yacare caiman) out here
South Atlantic Ocean near Olimpo
Landing at Aeroporto Regional de Rio Grande
São Lourenço do Sul on Lagoa dos Patos (lagoon)
Praia das Ondinas on the lagoon
Lighthouse Cristóvão Pereira on Lagoa dos Patos
In between Lagoa dos Patos and the South Atlantic Ocean
Lightning is intensifying, I’m getting closer to the storm
Porto Alegre, the capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Sul
Located on the Guaíba River in southern Brazil
Usina do Gasômetro, the Public Market and Park Marinha do Brasil
Montenegro Airport, visibility nearly gone
Barão, a little break from the rain
Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul
All that rain makes pretty valleys and waterfalls
Aeroporto Regional Sul Humberto Ghizzo Bortoluzzi - Jaguaruna
Ponta das Laranjeiras on Lagoa Imaruí
Ibiraquera, State of Santa Catarina
Ibiraquera on the South Atlantic Ocean
Ponte Hercílio Luz, Brazil’s longest suspension bridge, opened 1982
It’s under water in FS2020, maybe because it’s not far car traffic, foot/bicycle traffic only
Navegantes on the Itajaí-Açu river
Beto Carrero World, large scale theme park in Praia de Armação do Itapocorói
Guruva, climbing back up the ridge
Last stop this leg in Curitiba
Afonso Pena International Airport
Home to Museu Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012) was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture
Next leg, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Amazing Journey, Very nice to mix some screens with real photo’s. I have wrote down a bunch of places which are a must to visit for me as well thanks to you Will keep following you for sure. Fly on!
Leg 281, Curitiba, State of Paraná to Fazenda Ribeiro Manso, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil
DAY05_29.PLN (15.9 KB)
A great leg today, the coast of southern Brazil is amazing. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are well deserved to be the best known cities in Brazil. A lot to see this leg, a lot of stops as well, long post.
05-29 Afonso Pena Intl SBCT 5:53 AM
05-29 Banaer de Jacupiranga SIVW 6:19 AM Trees at end of runway
05-29 Registro SBWS 6:27 AM 40 knot tailwind, lot of turbulence
05-29 Ica SSMW 6:44 AM
05-29 Fazenda Caicara SDCR 6:54 AM
05-29 Interlagos 23°42’05.6"S 46°41’52.6"W 7:10 AM Sao Paolo
05-29 Congonhas Intl SBSP 7:14 AM
05-29 Marte SBMT 7:21 AM
05-29 Guarulhos Intl SBGR 7:28 AM
05-29 Sao Jose Dos Campos SBSJ 7:43 AM
05-29 Base De Aviacao De Taubate SBTA 7:51 AM
05-29 Pindamonhangaba SDPD 7:55 AM
05-29 Guaratingueta SBGW 8:02 AM
05-29 Ilha Dos Porcos Grandes SILI 8:21 AM Trees at end of runway
05-29 Angra Dos Reis SDAG 8:26 AM
05-29 Fazenda Bom Jardim SDCZ 8:31 AM
05-29 Fazenda Portobello SDPA 8:33 AM
05-29 Santa Cruz AB SBSC 8:44 AM
05-29 Clube CEU SBIX 8:47 AM
05-29 Jacarepagua SBJR 8:55 AM Christ the Redeemer
Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro 22°54’37"S 43°10’51"W
05-29 Santos Dumont SBRJ 9:16 AM
05-29 Galeao-Antonio C Jobim Intl SBGL 9:27 AM
05-29 Itaborai SBNY 9:41 AM
05-29 Marica SDMC 9:50 AM
05-29 Saquarema SDSK 9:59 AM
05-29 Cabo Frio SBCB 10:10 AM
05-29 Ponta Da Costa SDPC 10:13 AM
05-29 Sao Pedro De Aldeia SBES 10:16 AM
05-29 Umberto Modiano SBBZ 10:20 AM
05-29 Rio das Ostras SSTY 10:26 AM
05-29 Trimonte SNAO 10:29 AM
05-29 Macae SBME 10:36 AM
05-29 Vila de Tocos SIBC 10:51 AM
05-29 Bartolomeu Lisandro SBCP 10:58 AM
05-29 Itaperuna SDUN 11:14 AM
05-29 Ponte Nova SNCZ 11:46 AM
05-29 Alvinopolis SBNQ 11:55 AM
05-29 Lagoa Santa SBLS 12:18 PM
05-29 Tancredo Neves Intl SBCF 12:22 PM
05-29 Fazenda do Brejo SWZT 12:38 PM
05-29 Tranquilo Testolin SNTT 12:56 PM
05-29 Silvio Goncalves de Mello SWWT 1:02 PM
05-29 Morada Nova De Mina SNMM 1:06 PM
05-29 Tres Maria SNAS 1:20 PM
05-29 Fazenda Marreco SIPJ 1:26 PM
Flight time 7:33 44 stops
Alfonso Pena International Airport, ready for departure
Cajati municipality in the state of São Paulo
Juréia-Itatins Mosaic (nature preserve)
On the ground at Aeroporto de Ultraleves
Parelheiros, one of 96 districts of the city of São Paulo
Repressa Billings on the south side of the city
Represa de Guarapiranga with Autódromo José Carlos Pace
Better known as Interlagos
I landed on the straight, not completely flat but very landable
Highlights from the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix
An excellent track guide by TheKie25
Landing at Congonhas-São Paulo Airport
Heading downtown over Esporte Clube Sírio
Praça Carlos Gomes - Liberdade
Jos Mauro De Vasconcelos in the center (library)
Landing at Guarulhos International Airport
The greater metropolitan area of São Paulo is home to 22.3 million people
Municipal Theatre of São Paulo in the middle, built 1911
A peek in the Museum of Art of São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand
On to Santa Isabel, State of São Paulo
That green space is for power lines, goes all the way through the city and beyond
Parque Mambucaba ahead on the coast
Praia do Laboratório along the shore
Angra dos Reis in the State of Rio de Janeiro
Jacarepaguá and Jacarepaguá lagoon with the smaller Marependi lagoon on the right
https://i.imgur.com/mlbFUpP.png
Rio de Janeiro, population 13.5 million
https://i.imgur.com/ULUTZ6x.png
Home to the iconic 38 meter tall Christ the Redeemer statue
https://i.imgur.com/3t8S2ZR.png
Located on top of Mount Corcovado
https://i.imgur.com/a3HwFhi.png
Accessible by train and escalators
https://i.imgur.com/Lmt7eUK.png
Jockey Club Brasileiro behind Mount Corcovado on Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon
https://i.imgur.com/gD5Iu9h.png
Largo do Boticário below. Cobblestone plaza with overgrown remains of historic houses
https://i.imgur.com/rrqE30c.png
Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
https://i.imgur.com/ReMh6sA.png
Taking a closer look while aiming to fit in between the two skyscrapers in front of me
https://i.imgur.com/6HHbhti.png
Landing at Rio de Janeiro Airport RJ Santos Dumont
https://i.imgur.com/UhF5jxt.png
Rio-Niterói Bridge crossing Guanabara Bay
https://i.imgur.com/0hIEw2Y.png
8.26-mile concrete bridge between Rio & Niterói, one of the longest in the world
https://i.imgur.com/K1GJ4A6.png
Galeo-Antonio C Jobim Intl
https://i.imgur.com/dR2nvSd.png
Officially RIOgaleão - Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim
https://i.imgur.com/fCv5qUB.png
The beaches around Rio including the famous Praia de Copacabana
https://i.imgur.com/2NU2kXL.png
Escadaria Selarón, public stairway adorned by artist Jorge Selarón (1947-2013)
https://i.imgur.com/BPBQaKI.png
The stairs feature tile from at least 60 different countries, as people began sending or bringing him tile from all over the world when his work on the stairs became known
A peek in the National Museum of Brazil before 2019
https://i.imgur.com/kro16wM.png
In a great tragedy, millions of objects, including most of the building were lost in September 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT8dNfsaBsA
The salvage operation is ongoing
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-48023691
Rio de Janeiro is also home to the biggest carnival in the world, the 2020 Samba Schools competition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIF2eyUNpBc
For the first time since the 1918 Spanish flu, this year carnival was cancelled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UONmYh751F8
Next year will be one to look out for
Taking a closer look at Galeão International Airport on departure
https://i.imgur.com/a9jrszR.png
Good thing I don’t have a license, can’t lose what you don’t have
https://i.imgur.com/Jhrw6gP.png
https://i.imgur.com/ppQ9Pc9.png
https://i.imgur.com/57cRgc7.png
Flying over Praia da Bandeira on the way out of Rio de Janeiro
https://i.imgur.com/sQSpCsa.png
Itaboraí
https://i.imgur.com/rajDhK9.png
Aeroporto Municipal de Maricá on Lagoa de Maricá
https://i.imgur.com/rqZxAEa.png
Maricá
https://i.imgur.com/I9LgJzT.png
Saquarema
https://i.imgur.com/3xu7tAI.png
Flying out of Saquarema Airport, doesn’t look like the airstrip is still in use on Google maps
https://i.imgur.com/nVIIcjj.png
There is a horse grazing on the overgrown field
Ponta do Capim
https://i.imgur.com/6LFbkbZ.png
Araruama Lagoon
https://i.imgur.com/rtwb2rL.png
Cabo Frio Airport
https://i.imgur.com/gbqTv1Z.png
Rio das Ostras
https://i.imgur.com/asO4O4h.png
Carrapato
https://i.imgur.com/HwlU8x0.png
Campos on the Paraíba do Sul river
https://i.imgur.com/haKIlnq.png
Antônio Prado de Minas
https://i.imgur.com/4hqfwri.png
Canaã, this landscape goes on for miles
https://i.imgur.com/kyma7pO.png
Ponte Nova on the Rio Piranga
https://i.imgur.com/suWbfZk.png
https://i.imgur.com/NZ7liH2.png
Alvinópolis
https://i.imgur.com/KsKIWSw.png
Caeté
https://i.imgur.com/4dII2wt.png
Sete Lagoas in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais
https://i.imgur.com/wowwDuh.png
Home to Monument State Natural Cave Rei do Mato
https://i.imgur.com/6Ht9Qyf.png
Paraopeba, pretty dry here
https://i.imgur.com/yQxKAy3.png
Represa Três Marias
https://i.imgur.com/jXLrbmQ.png
The water level must have been a lot higher at some point
https://i.imgur.com/HJMseQk.png
https://i.imgur.com/qOr3vlA.png
Três Marias municipality
https://i.imgur.com/cAJACMH.png
Barragem de Três Marias - MG
https://i.imgur.com/IPzrwUX.png
Bridge to nowhere on the right, no idea what it is for
https://i.imgur.com/L8GBbgL.png
Also here Cachoeira Das Virgens, listed as museum, Uncharted vibes are strong
https://i.imgur.com/mz56nsq.jpg
Final stop today at Fazenda Marreco Airport on the San Francisco River
https://i.imgur.com/evIfa5J.png
More Brazil tomorrow, heading to the capital Brasilia.
Leg 282, Fazenda Ribeiro Manso, State of Minas Gerais to Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil
DAY05_30.PLN (12.4 KB)
A trip to, mostly farm country. Visiting the capital, Brasilia, Sobradinho Reservoir and then back to the coast to Salvador.
05-30 Fazenda Marreco SIPJ 7:05 AM
05-30 Fazenda Buritiz SDYI 7:12 AM
05-30 Fazenda Vargem Bonita de Cima SBJZ 7:29 AM
05-30 Fazenda Cana Brava SNNB 7:39 AM
05-30 Fazenda HJ SNYI 8:03 AM
05-30 Fazenda Pamplona SWFA 8:14 AM
05-30 Pres Juscelino Kubitschek Intl SBBR 8:28 AM Brasilia capital
05-30 Brasilia 15°45’58.16"S 47°54’18.35"W 8:36 AM Not sure if it still exists
05-30 Fazenda Santa Izabel SSLJ 9:20 AM
05-30 Fazenda Parana SJUU 9:27 AM
05-30 Fazenda Barriguda SJGY 9:35 AM
05-30 Divinopolis de Goias SBSS 9:48 AM
05-30 Fazenda Sao Sebastiao SWXH 9:56 AM
05-30 Fazenda Horita SJEW 9:58 AM Building on end of runway
05-30 Sete Povos SDCM 10:06 AM
05-30 Fazenda Santo Angelo SJFX 10:10 AM
05-30 Fazenda Querubim SJAZ 10:13 AM
05-30 Warpol SJWP 10:17 AM
05-30 Fazenda Nossa Senhora do Carmo Airstrip SDEX 10:21 AM
05-30 Fazenda Buriti SSNW 10:31 AM
05-30 Aba SNDH 10:42 AM
05-30 Barreiras SNBR 10:45 AM
05-30 Cotegipe Airstrip SBRC 11:02 AM
05-30 Fazenda Santo Antonio da Serra do Boqueirao Airstrip SBIG 11:15 AM
05-30 Barra SNBX 11:36 AM
05-30 Xique-Xique SNXQ 11:48 AM
05-30 Remanso SB2J 12:21 PM Short runway with traffic
05-30 Sobradinho SNBD 12:54 PM
05-30 JMF SB26 1:19 PM
05-30 Jacobina SNJB 1:36 PM
05-30 Itaberaba SNIB 2:07 PM Bad texture area
05-30 Castro Alves SSRF 2:26 PM
05-30 Bahia Aeroclube SNVR 2:50 PM
05-30 Dep L E Magalheas Intl SBSV 3:06 PM
Flight time 8:01 33 stops
The sun is alreeady up, ready to depart from Fazenda Marreco Airport
Taking off along the São Francisco River
Fazenda Vargem Bonita Area rural
It’s classified as an agricultural association, but the reviews mention it as a waterfall
There is no river near the marker, a mystery
João Pinheiro, farms fed by the Rio Verde
Fazenda Pamplona
Most farms have airstrips here, farm hopping
Pres Juscelino Kubitschek Intl, aka Aeroporto Internacional de Brasília
Quick stop, back in the air to explore Brasilia, the capital of Brazil
Taking of over Nascente do Lago Paranoá
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet and Mané Garrincha Stadium, both on the left
The National Congress below me
That group of house isn’t supposed to be there, it’s Three Powers Plaza
Brasilia is a planned city that became Brazil’s capital in 1960 (Salvador and Rio de Janeiro pre 1960) Chiefly designed by Oscar Niemeyer and laid out in the shape of an airplane
Monumento Dois Candangos (1959) paying tribute to the workers who helped build the country on the left
Rito dos Ritmos in the gardens of the Alvorada Palace on the right
Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge aka Ponte JK spanning across Lake Paranoá
Designed by Alexandre Chan, named after Juscelino Kubitschek (1902-1976) Brazil’s president from 1956 to 1961, considered the main figure supporting the construction of the planned city
Cathedral of Brasília, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, completed 1970
Itameraty Palace (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) the National Congress and Alvorada Palace (presidential residence) all designed by Oscar Niemeyer. What a legacy to design a whole city (and live to be a 104)
Brasilia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987
Rio Calheiros, I guess the start of the river
São Desidério, going a step back up
Rio Mosquito, no wonder they prefer to have the farms on the top floor
Fezenda Nossa Senhora do Carmo, still farm hopping
An untouched part of the jungle
Joining back up with the São Francisco River
Where it flows into the Sobradinho reservoir
The reservoir measures approximately 320 km long
4,214 km² in surface area, and a storage capacity of 34.1 km³, 15 largest in the world
Halfway along the reservoir Remanso Airport
Or rather Praça Iraci Ferreira de Castro, not an airport (anymore)
Usina Hidrelétrica de Sobradinho
The Sobradinho Dam, a large hydroelectric dam was completed in 1982
The dam generates power by utilizing six 175 megawatts Francis turbine-generators
Totalling installed capacity, 1,050 megawatts
Jacobina in the Centro Norte Baiano mesoregion of Bahia
Praia de Mutá at the end of Rio Jaguaripe
Aeroclube da Bahia Airfield at Barra do Pote
Farol da Barra - Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra at the tip in Salvador
Salvador, the capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia
Itaipava Fonte Nova Arena (left) built for the Confederations Cup in 2013
Salvador is located on the Bay of Saints
Salvador along Av. Lafayete Coutinho
Elevador Lacerda, Plano inclinado Gonçalvez baixo and Igreja e Convento de São Francisco
Making my way to my final stop this leg, São Cristóvã
Officially Salvador International Airport - Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães
Tomorrow exploring more of Brazil along the coast to the mouth of the Amazon river