Work continues in putting together the first session, which you can pencil in for week commencing Monday 8th November at 1900GMT. This has yet to be confirmed, but is rated as very likely to be Thursday, 11th November. Candidate airfields to be visited for touch and go, or maybe a beer stop or tech stop include.
Details now finalised… This is your route for session one!
Innsbruck (LOWI) Departing 1930GMT Get on board as near 1900Z as you can.
Bolzano (LIPB) touch and go
Samedan (LSZS) touch and go
Ambri (LSPM) touch and go
Mollis (LSMF) Tech stop. Fuel, beer and ration pack.
Mereingen (LSMM) touch and go
Interlaken - (LSMI) now inactive, but still irresistible. Touch and go.
St Stephan (LSTS) touch and go
Saanen (LSGK) touch and go.
Sion (LSGS) Tech stop, fuel, beer and time to address any personal hydraulic problems
Special sections will include the old Alpine Magic Sion complex and the “Ambri to Mollis express.”
First part of session (above) to include the main, low level portion which will make your eyes pop. A visit to the AlpineMagic complex of valleys near Sion and the Matterhorn are definite. A new highlight will be the Ambri to Mollis express. Tricky approaches, concentration on engine and fuel management (watch that jetpipe temp!) and pure low level group flying are the core of this first part.
Second part will, (time permittting) give a chance to explore mid level formation opportunities, with the lead flying a stable autopilot heading giving pilots chance to practice and refine loose formation work. I really recommend that you turn damage and stress damage OFF, because even if you are able to hack it, the tyro behind you could clatter into you and spoil your whole day. Plan here is to recover to Innsbruck for a dusk, or twilight landing. The session is fast paced and there will be always something to do or prepare for. Most of all, it will be fun.
I am still working on a comms solution and it looks likely that Teamspeak might provide this. A fallback will if needed, likely be Discord. Further details to follow in the coming days. I have two main ideas for the session itself. Those that can either send me a PM or friend request across the sim, to Magic6420 cam join the session that way and therefore get the core session settings. Those that wish to join as Ad hoc users will just need to be on the deck at Innsbruck (LOWI) and follow the rest of us. Smoke will be on to enable a good visual opportunity for following aircraft. There will be hopefully 3 experienced flyers on these routes from the FSX group UK317, with whom I have had the privilege of flying this last eight or so years. They are excellent mentors and pilots and will always be there to encourage and assist others.
The two things that we are really missing in MSFS, are comms and at this stage, no real ATC coverage. For now, we can work around the first issue and hope for the latter in the near future, but we will make it work.
So. Send those PMs to me or send those friend requests via the sim. Watch this threadfor updates, refinements and other NOTAMS. I hope to hear from you soon. Around fifteen Hawks and maybe even more, barrelling through the Alps will be an enjoyable thing to be part of. Oh. One final thing. Put the word about to other Hawk users!
PS by the time of the session, the Hawk update should be out and those extra 100 gallon drop tanks could be very handy. Plan on using them.