🌎 Seven Continents of Flight (in the Citation Longitude)

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 21 December 2020

With tomorrow’s significant MSFS update—not only for the VR feature—but, more importantly for me, updates to the Citation Longitude, I decided to fly the next leg of my “Seven Continents of Flight” tour to Bora Bora before the update hits. The reason being is that I don’t mind being “stranded” in Bora Bora if my Longitude “needs repair” because of the update! LOL! Although it was overcast flying into Bora Bora, one can still see it is a beautiful atoll island.

Today’s leg was from Auckland, New Zealand (NZAA) to one of my favorite places to visit in real life, Bora Bora (NTTB) in Tahiti, French Polynesia. The flight was 2546 miles and took 4.94 hours using an ETOPS regulated flight (ETOPS-120). This was also a flight in which I flew at and above the tropopause height. My final stats for this segment was that I burned through 8512 pounds of jet fuel (1271 gallons).

To date, my circumnavigation tour has taken me almost 48 hours of flight time for almost 24000 miles since November 30. I have 15000 miles to go before I touch down at my home base, KSNA, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport in California. Next up?..more flying over the South Pacific to Easter Island.

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 28 December 2020

In completing this Leg 12 portion of my “Seven Continents of Flight” world tour, I violated an important rule. I went against the ETOPS warning. I have been good at following the ETOPS recommendations so far (twice). This trip, even though it was an ETOPS-207 flight, warned me, “FLIGHT TIME EXCEEDS AIRCRAFT RANGE”. Although I had plenty of fuel between Bora Bora (NTTB) and Easter Island (SCIP), the contingency ETOPS airport (SCIE) was an additional 1930 nm and an additional 4 hours. I said to myself, meh…what the heck, I’m going anyway. I guess this violates two (and possibly three) of the five FAA “hazardous attitudes”! <shhh!> Yeah, I know…ETOPS is for commercial airliners. I do it to practice and to be safe (except for this particular flight).

As mentioned, this leg was from Bora Bora to Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and was approximately 2650 nm (5.7 hours). It was an afternoon take-off, but a night landing. It’s my first night landing on this tour since landing in Morocco on the 7th of December.

So far on this tour, I’ve flown more than 26000 miles for almost 54 hours total flight time and have used 93801 pounds of jet fuel (10240 gallons).

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 29 December 2020

In today’s world tour leg, I flew from Easter Island (SCIP) to Concepcíon, Chile (SCRM). This was my fourth ETOPS flight (ETOPS-180). The flight was 2220 miles and took 4.29 hours. I did traverse above the tropopause height for a short period at my cruise altitude at FL450. My final stats for this segment was that I burned through 7392 pounds of jet fuel (1104 gallons).

To date, my circumnavigation tour has taken me almost 58 hours of flight time for more than 28500 miles since November 30. I have 10200 miles to go before I touch down at my home base, KSNA, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport in California. Next up?..flying to my seventh and final continent, Antarctica.

#sevencontinents #longitude #flightsim #concepcíon #chile

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[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 31 December 2020

A major unexpected event happened on an otherwise smooth world tour. On my way from Concepcíon, Chile (SCRM) to Teniente R. Marsh Airport in Antarctica (SCRM), I had to divert to the Falkland Islands—specifically, to the RAF Mount Pleasant airbase (EGYP).

What happened, you ask? Well, just as I was leaving the southern tip of South America (Argentina), I checked the weather conditions at my planned destination in Antarctica (SCRM). The METAR was as follows…

METAR SCRM 010500Z 15015KT 0500 FG VV002 02/02 Q0985 NOSIG

The fog ceiling was 200 feet and since the minimums for any approach at this airport is either 760 or 860 feet (depending on the runway), I needed to divert to somewhere else…Falkland Islands, here I come! Two things had to happen: 1) I had to delete the original flight plan in my Citation Longitude’s FMS and reenter the new destination and arrival/approach. 2) I had to file the new flight plan and ask ATC for clearance (permission) divert to EGYP. Both of those happened surprisingly well. All was good and I landed at EGYP.

I will try to get to Antarctica tomorrow—weather permitting. The bottom line is that I now have to wait at least another day to touch down in my seventh and last continent of my world tour…better safe than sorry! Since it is still the year 2020, this diversion didn’t surprise me.

Today’s excursion took me approximately 1821 miles for just under 4 hours (3.8) and I used 5600 pounds of fuel (or about 840 gallons).

To date, my circumnavigation tour has taken me almost 62 hours of flight time for more than 30000 miles since November 30. I have over 8700 miles to go before I touch down at my home base, KSNA, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport in California.

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#sevencontinents #longitude #noantarcticforyou #falklandislands
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[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 04 January 2021

So, it took me five days to get out of the Falkland Islands and land at my seventh and last continent! Specifically, I took off from RAF Mount Pleasant airbase (EGYP) and landed at Teniente R. Marsh Airport in Antarctica (SCRM)

I had tried for five days (well, four, as I had no plans to fly on New Year’s Day), but the weather at my destination wasn’t cooperating at the times when my piloting schedule allowed me to fly. It was always overcast, windy (24-27 kt crosswind landing), and foggy with only a 200 feet ceiling (minimums are 760 feet). I considered flying late at night and early mornings (Antarctica time), but nothing fit my schedule, so I was grounded in the Falkland Islands.

Well, it finally happened this evening (at the white continent, it was the next afternoon at 16:30). The conditions for landing were broken clouds, 16 kt landing crosswinds, but otherwise visibility of 6 sm with a ceiling of 2000 feet. The temp was 1°C. The approach is VOR/DME so I didn’t have the luxury of ILS or RNAV. However, it was a great day for flyin’!!

The METAR:

SCRM 050300Z 28016KT 9999 FEW006 BKN020 01/00 Q0991 NOSIG

After having conquered all seven continents in the Citation Longitude, my remaining destinations on my way home are Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Mexico City; and finally to my base of operations—where this trip started on 30 November—John Wayne/Orange Co. Airport in Southern California.

Today’s historic trip took me approximately 718 miles for 1.8 hours and I used 2747 pounds of fuel (or about 410 gallons).

To date, my circumnavigation tour has taken me almost 64 hours of flight time for more than 31000 miles since November 30. I have over 8000 miles to go before I touch down at my home base, KSNA, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport in California.

The image below is the Teniente R. Marsh Airport in Antarctica (SCRM). You can see my Citation Longitude parked over in the grass parking area. Thank you, @GrafDresche over at flightsim.to, for hand-crafting this airstrip.

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#sevencontinents #longitude antarctica

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 06 January 2021

Well, I never want to fly to Antarctica again! With all the days of delays because of all the high winds, overcast skies, and cloud deck with 200 feet of vertical visibility (and fog), I can’t leave quickly enough. I was only here 36 hours, but that’s enough. I can’t imagine what it would be like in the winter!

Anyway, I gladly flew out of there (Teniente R. Marsh Airport (SCRM)) in the aforementioned conditions. Within five minutes, I broke through to sunny, serene vistas. About 4.5 hours later, I touched down in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at Ezeiza International Airport (SAEZ). It was another night landing after an uneventful flight (I like those). The majority of the cruise phase of the flight was being up above the Tropopause height.

I have now conquered all seven continents, flying in my Citation Longitude. I’m making my way back to Southern California by way of Lima, Peru, and Mexico City.

To date, my world circumnavigation tour has had me flying almost 68 hours for more than 33000 miles since November 30. I have about 6100 miles to go before I touch down at my home base, KSNA, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport in California.

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#sevencontinents #longitude #buenosaires

[GrafDresche]

Thank you very much for your mention! I am glad you liked my airport.

If you like, you can also check out my two other Antarctica stations, SAWB and EGAR. Both are actually younger creations and a little more detailed and sophisticated than SCRM. Cheers and a happy new year!

• Chris

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 08 January 2021

Had a beautiful sunset takeoff from Buenos Aires, Argentina (SAEZ) on my way to Lima, Peru (SPJC) tonight.

Other than a little turbulence over the Andes Mountains, the flight was very smooth and quiet. As part of my preflight briefing, I saw a SIGMET and knew to expect the turbulence.

I have now conquered all seven continents on this tour, flying in my Citation Longitude. I’ll be making my way back to Southern California by way of Mexico City in the next few days.

To date, my virtual world circumnavigation tour has had me flying over 72 hours for more than 35000 miles since November 30. I have about 4100 miles to go before I touch down at my home base, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport (KSNA) in California.

#sevencontinents #longitude #lesgainous #limaperu

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 09 January 2021

Just completed the next-to-last leg of my “Seven Continents of Flight” tour. This one was from Lima, Peru to Mexico City.

Flying in my Citation Longitude, I have now taken off and landed in all seven continents, I’ll be making my way back to Southern California in the next few days. I may spend the week here in Mexico City, being a tourist and sightseeing, like I’ve done a few times in real life.

As of today, my virtual world circumnavigation tour has had me flying over 78 hours for more almost 38000 miles since November 30. After another 1400-1500 miles, I’ll be back at my base of operations, Orange Co./John Wayne Airport (KSNA) in California.

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#sevencontinents #longitude #lesgainous #mexicocity

[Arvoification]

I gotta admit: your journey was so inspiring, i started my own tour a couple of days ago. By now my stops were as follows:
My Homebase (Stuttgart, Germany) EDDS - OTHH (Doha, Qatar), followed by a short trip to the himalayas OTHH - VNKT (Kathmandu, Nepal) with the RNAV 02 being one of the most thrilling approaches in the real world. Imagine gliding down a Valley of 5-7000’ft tall mountains in a 777…
Next on my bucketlist was Pulau Langkawi, one of Malaysias jewels… VNKT - WMKL. Had to spend some time on the beaches there
Right now I’m on my way to Jakarta, Indonesia. WMKL - WIII which will be a short stopover before heading to Australia, probably Adelaide. I like to keep my trip a little more spontaneous than your thorough planning, so my way over the pacific ocean is yet to be planned. Looking forward to it though

[LK2PRGM]

@Arvoification

Right now I’m on my way to Jakarta, Indonesia. WMKL

Nice. I’m glad this inspired others.

Where are you now?

[LK2PRGM]

UPDATE: 10 January 2021

Mission Accomplished!

41 days
39183 miles
81.73 hours
137186 pounds of jet fuel (20483 gallons)
Seven continents

As mentioned in the original post above, this was my “Seven Continents of Flight” tour, where I flew the Citation Longitude business jet in semi-realistic mode by filing and following flight briefing recommendations, live weather, real-time flying with real-time fuel considerations, ETOPS adherence, ATC observance, etc. I began and ended at my base of operations at the Orange Co./John Wayne Airport (KSNA) in Southern California.

I learned and discovered quite a bit from this mission:

• I had to learn NDB/DME approaches (not all airports have ILS or RNAV)
• Dubai’s arrival was the most unique STAR on my tour (VUTE3B for runway 12R)
• Although many of my landings were at night, the most picturesque arrivals were Bora Bora (NTTB) because of, well, it’s Bora Bora; and Darwin (YPDN) because of the Timor Sea and Beagle Gulf with the Tiwi Islands.
• The weather is very unpredictable in Antarctica—specifically at the Teniente R. Marsh Airport (SCRM)
• Having (and preparing for travel to) an alternative airport in your flight briefing/plan is a must!
• The Longitude—with the available flight dynamics mod along with the avionics mod—is a very capable and enjoyable aircraft to pilot.
• The cost of jet fuel would have been US$28,676.20 (U.S. avg of US$1.40/gal). Price was US$1.33/gal on the departure date and US$1.47/gal on the return date)

I want to thank those of you that have been following my journey. I’m sure it won’t be long before I think of another mission to fly!

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#sevencontinents #longitude #missionaccomplished

[Arvoification]

First of all congratulations on finishing your trip!
Right now i’m on my way from Adelaide YPAD to Queenstown, NZ, NZQN. Looking forward to the RNAV 05 approach there

[Arvoification]

Queenstown RNAV 05 is one of the most exciting and beautiful approaches you can get, definitely recommend you try this one in the Longitude

[LK2PRGM]

On this tour, I flew into Auckland. I believe the whole country is a beautiful approach!

[Arvoification]

Auckland is pretty, too! I added a stopover in Auckland and landed in Papeete (NTAA) just a few minutes ago. From there, I went on a little side quest to Bora Bora

[LK2PRGM]

@Arvoification

and landed in Papeete (NTAA) just a few minutes ago. From there, I went on a little side quest to Bora Bora

Congrats. I’ve been to Bora Bora and Papeete in real life and—on my Seven Continents of Flight tour—I had downloaded the mods to both airports. The scenery/airport is done very well when compared to my memory of those places.

[Arvoification]

Lucky you! What a beautiful place, reminded me of Hawaii but only less developed.
Are there any new plans for the next Tour? I’m thinking of maybe another full circle around the earth, this time only in the northern hemisphere as there was plenty of night flying over the vast pacific during this one…

[LK2PRGM]

@Arvoification

…any new plans for the next Tour?

Actually, I just started using Neofly to do a little career role-playing with MSFS. I just started with it a couple of days ago and have only flown five flights with it and now have almost US$44000 in the (virtual) bank. These are short missions and I finally get a chance to fly slower with smaller prop planes (although I can work my way up to biz jets and airliners, too). It’s a lot of fun!