European Enhanced Terrain FlightSeeing Guide

Transcription

1 European Enhanced Terrain FlightSeeing Guide Welcome to the FlightSeeing portion of European Enhanced Terrain. This guide describes several adventures that you'll fly that take you through some of the gorgeous landscapes that demonstrate the visual detail of your new European Enhanced Terrain. For each adventure, there is a short description of the area in which you will be flying along with flight plans and maps. To make things even easier, you can start any of the adventures from the Flight Simulator menu by choosing Flight Select A Flight. In the listbox Choose A Category find and choose Abacus European Enhanced Terrain. Then select one of the adventures in the Choose A Flight listbox: English Channel Adventure French Alps Adventure Mount Vesuvius Adventure Scotland Highlands Adventure While the "official" aircraft of EET is the Piper Super Cub, you'll also see that some of the adventures use the Cessna 182 Skylane and Cessna 208 Caravan. We hope you enjoy flying in your new Europe.

2 The English Channel Adventure Louis Bleriot, a 37-year old French inventor, aircraft designer, and self-trained pilot, flew across the treacherous English Channel early on July 25, 1909 in an aircraft he designed himself. The flight from Les Barraques, France, to Dover, England, earned him the 1000 prize that the London Daily Mail had offered to the first aviator to cross the Channel in either direction. Today you will get to chance to remake history as we fly the channel again, almost 100 years later. From the Flight Simulator s opening screen, click Select a Flight. If you are already sitting at an airport, from the menu choose Flights Select A Flight. In the Select A Category list box find and select Abacus European Enhanced Terrain from the Select a Category list and finally choose English Channel Adventure from the list and click the OK button.

3 English Channel Adventure Flight Plan and Map

4 English Channel Adventure Flight We start our flight today just as Bleriot did, on a grass field near Les Barraques France. We are starting about 10 miles more inland than he did so we will have a slight disadvantage. Unless you consider that Bleriot made the crossing without even a map or compass! We start at Wizernes Field near the village of St. Omer, France. Check weather and your fuel load carefully. The object of our flight today is to fly as closely to his flight path as possible. For safety sake preset your GPS "direct to" the Dover England VOR. Now close your GPS and use it only in an emergency. (This is "just in case" you become lost as Bleriot nearly did). Takeoff from Wizernes field and use your compass to fly a heading of approximately 313 degrees. Use dead reckoning skills to correct for crosswind track. It will give you an eerie feeling once your feet pass over the French shore out to open water. If you hold your course steady enough, in no time at all you will see the English shore. If you see cliffs, you are close to Dover. (At this point you may sneak a peak at the GPS to see how close you came to Dover itself)to re-enact the flight you may find a clear farm field at the top of the White Cliffs of Dover in which to land. Please land carefully (unlike Bleriot, who fell 20 meters in a controlled crash that nearly destroyed his homebuilt aircraft). Have lunch in the field and enjoy some conversation with the locals who will certainly come running just as the villagers did to Bleriot in When you are ready, prepare to take off for Manston (EGMH) England. It is a short 14nm to this controlled regional airport. The control tower frequency is It sports an NDB, "MTN" on 347khz. It is here you will talk to members of the press about your courageous re-enactment of the Bleriot flight. You may use your GPS now if you wish!! But don't miss the beautiful scenery as you fly the coast!! After preparing for takeoff from Manston, set a "direct to" ICAO of LFQN on the GPS and return to Wizernes Field in France. You will certainly be a celebrity after this stunning feat!! (You don't get the 1000 prize this time... just bragging rights!) Congratulations! You have just completed the English Channel Adventure.

5 The French Alps Adventure Today's flight will be both challenging and scenic. You'll start your flight in the southern France and head due north into some of the most rugged and beautiful mountain scenery anywhere on the planet. You'll face many challenges on this flight. Use good preparation and common sense to guide you safely from Fayence to Courchevel France. From the Flight Simulator s opening screen, click Select a Flight. If you are already sitting at an airport, from the menu choose Flights Select A Flight. In the Select A Category list box find and select Abacus European Enhanced Terrain from the Select a Category list and finally choose French Alps Adventure from the list and click the OK button.

6 The "French Alps" Adventure Flight Plan and Map

7 The "French Alps" Adventure Flight You will start your flight at Fayence France (LFMF). This is a village in what is commonly known as "The South of France". Fayence is perched on a hilltop to the north, overlooking the plains to the south. Fayence was once a fortress town and it has kept the charm of its medieval origins. Today you will be transporting yourself and a friend to Courchavel for a skiing vacation. A little trivia about Fayence, the airfield on the plain just south of the town is a major sailplane center. The gliding club here is considered the best in Europe normally you would find many sailplanes here from all over Europe. Your first leg of this trip takes you to the Saint Pons Airfield (LFMR) in Barcelonette France. The leg of this trip is only 47nm so consider your fuel load carefully. You will need to climb to 8500' to clear the ridges of the Southern Alps. You will be using GPS for navigation, but you ll need to concentrate on flying and not tracking an NDB or VOR. Set your "direct to" LMFR prior to takeoff. Use the GPS as a guide as you navigate through the mountains. Your ascent to 8500' should begin immediately after takeoff. The foothills of the Alps are deceiving as you approach. Make sure you start the climb early! After takeoff utilize the GPS to set up an initial heading of 358 degrees (approximately) Be careful of flying into box canyons as you struggle to gain altitude. This leg is beautiful but can be deadly! As you approach your first stop at St. Pons, you will note the strip lies in a deep valley. You will need to fly a steeply descending downwind leg to lose altitude. Turn base over the village and line up carefully. Be ready for crosswinds and wind shear in this valley! After landing, grab some snacks, fuel up as needed and prepare to depart to your next destination, Grenoble. You will be flying "direct to" the Le' Versoud Field (LFLG) This leg is a bit easier but scenic nonetheless. You should ask for a flight following after take off and fly direct to LFLG. This destination is a controlled field. The tower frequency is and ATIS is on MHz. The runway is nearly 3000' and is served by small regional airlines so be aware of the tower's commands and watch for traffic. Grenoble was the site of the 1968 Olympic Winter Games. Despite the hospitality of the town, this particular Winter Olympics was filled with controversy. Ask any of the locals you meet or take a side trip to visit some of the Olympic sites. A beautiful town and friendly people are trademarks of Grenoble! After your break in Grenoble, prepare yourself for a difficult flight and a landing at one of the most challenging strips available in flight simulator. Our last leg is to Courchevel (LFLJ). Located at 6300' ASL, this strip is high and SHORT!! It has an extremely difficult approach to either end of the runway. But we'll talk about getting there first... [Note: FS2002 may not have the Courchevel airport. You can redirect your flight to Challes Les-Eaux (LFLE) by flying a heading of 15 degrees from Grenoble for 21.2 nm. After departure from Le' Versoud Field in Grenoble, you will need to immediately initiate a climb to at least 8500'. The terrain in the direction of Courchevel rises from 730' to 3000' ASL in a little over two nm. If your craft can't keep up with an extreme climb rate like that then you must circle to gain altitude. A good spot for this is in the valley 3 miles east of the field. Once you have sufficient altitude track the GPS "direct to" LFLJ. You will soon be flying over some of the most beautiful mountains in the world.

8 The weather in the Alps can change rapidly. When you are approaching Courchevel you will make the decision whether or not to attempt this landing. Contact Courchevel tower on MHz about 15 miles from the airport for landing instructions. Use caution and watch your airspeed. In this high altitude environment your aircraft will react much differently than at sea level! After your successful landing, take a deep breath... Park by the tower and unload your gear. You have a right to feel a little proud, as you have just met a serious aviation challenge! Enjoy the slopes! Congratulations! You have just completed the "French Alps" Adventure!!

9 The Historic Mount Vesuvius Adventure On August 23rd, 79 A.D. a mountain near modern day Naples Italy, volcanically erupted burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Covered by over 75 feet of ash and pumice, the thriving Roman metropolis of Pompeii became a grave for over 20,000 Roman citizens. The fury of this mountain, Mount Vesuvius, has been unparelled in modern history. Adding greatly to its sense of history is the fact that almost nothing was seen of Pompeii for more than 1500 years! What happened to Pompeii preserved a treasury of information about life in the ancient Roman Empire. It's citizenry frozen in the volcanic debris. Casting its 4200' shadow over the Bay of Naples, the mountain was last active between 1913 and The eruption is thought to be the end of an eruptive cycle that began in 1631! From the Flight Simulator s opening screen, click Select a Flight. If you are already sitting at an airport, from the menu choose Flights Select A Flight. In the Select A Category list box find and select Abacus European Enhanced Terrain from the Select a Category list and finally choose Mount Vesuvius Adventure from the list and click the OK button.

10 Mount Vesuvius Adventure Flight Plan and Map

11 Mount Vesuvius Adventure Flight Your flight today begins in the Italian town of Pontecagnano (LIRI) very near Salerno, Italy. It is here where you have contacted the Italian authorities for permission to fly into the controlled airspace around Mt. Vesuvius and land on the shallow slopes at its base. After taking a bus to the ruins of Pompeii and completing a tour, you will return to your aircraft for a short hop to Naples and an evening of Italian nightlife! Before take off, make sure you announce your intentions on CTAF, You will be departing to the west. On a clear day you may visually navigate to Mt. Vesuvius by taking a bearing of 299 degrees after takeoff and simply watching for a mountain of nearly 4300' directly in your path. Another method is to tune your GPS "direct to" your end destination of Naples at "LIRN". This will take you directly to Mt. Vesuvius. Mt. Vesuvius sits by itself on a relatively flat plain. After completing and aerial tour of the slopes, find a place to land near the base of the mountain. There are many farms and vineyards and several fields capable of handling a small aircraft. Use caution and treat the locals with respect. You will have a friend for life if you take the landowner up for a short hop before you leave! (We suggest that you take note of your current landing position in "map view" and exit flight sim for a virtual Internet tour of Pompeii. You will find it adds a great deal to the quality of your adventure. Simply go to your favorite search engine and search for Pompeii. You will find numerous sites giving a great pictorial and verbal history of famous Pompeii, Herculaneum and Mt. Vesuvius,) After take off from the local's field, proceed directly to Naples (LIRN). You will be landing at Capodichino Mil Field. This is a controlled field with a tower frequency of and an ATIS of This field sports an 8700' paved runway so the landing should be a breeze! After preparing your aircraft for it's overnight stay, take a taxi to a downtown hotel and enjoy an evening in beautiful Naples! Congratulations! You have just completed the "Historic Mount Vesuvius" Adventure.

12 Scotland Highlands Adventure As one of four nations in the United Kingdom, Scotland stands alone for it's unique landscape and proud people. With a population of 5.1 million and a square area of 78,772 sq km (30,414 sq mi), the bad climate adds an edge to both. Fiercely independent and tremendously diverse, the people of Scotland will show you both a "land that time forgot" and a "modern technologically advanced society". Enjoy your trip as we fly the "Middle Highlands and Maritime Isles of Scotland. From the Flight Simulator s opening screen, click Select a Flight. If you are already sitting at an airport, from the menu choose Flights Select A Flight. In the Select A Category list box find and select Abacus European Enhanced Terrain from the Select a Category list and finally choose Scotland Highland Adventure from the list and click the OK button.

13 Scotland Highlands Adventure Flight Plan and Map

14 Scotland Highlands Adventure Flight Today's adventure starts in Plockton Township (UK10) on the northwest side of the main island of Scotland. It is here a passenger or two for a scenic flight to the Isle of Skye and points beyond will join you. At the conclusion of today s trip you will be on the other side of the Scotland near the metropolis of Edinburgh. Preflight your craft carefully; you may want to take a picnic lunch as well. If you a flying a Cub or similar aircraft there will be numerous places to touchdown between flight legs... Well, let's go! Your first destination is Glenforsa (ULL) on the Isle of Mull. It is 50nm SSW of your departure point. As these Isles and the rugged shoreline can disorient even the most skilled navigator, we recommend you use your GPS to give you a track to your destination on all legs of the flight. After departure from Plockton, take a heading of 198 degrees. You can fly low on this leg and I recommend you do. Look for cottages and farms on the southern tip of the beautiful Isle of Skye. As a matter of fact, why don't you take a detour and do some sightseeing around the Isle. Once you are ready, track the GPS south to your destination of Glenforsa. There are many beautiful villages here on the Isle of Mull where the Glenforsa Field resides. Take your time and enjoy the scenery. Watch for castles and the remains of old castles on your trip around the Isle of Mull. After landing in Glenforsa, check the weather for the next leg of the flight to Oban, Scotland. It is a short over water hop to the field in Oban called North Connel (OBN). This leg is short, only 17nm. If you want you may use GPS or track the CNL NDB at Oban on 404 KHz. The strip at Oban is paved but it is narrow and can have treacherous crosswinds. There is also a set of power lines on the north side of the field running parallel to the runway. Be careful on landing at this one. Your stop in Glenforsa will require you to check for the needed fuel to make the next leg of 75nm. You are heading to northerly suburb of Edinburgh called Fife (EGPJ). You will fly over the beautiful Loch Awe (Lake Awe) and see many farms and the smoothly rolling countryside. You will also fly over or near many of Scotlands other Loch's. Before departure, dial in a "direct to" of "EGPJ" on your GPS. We will be tracking the GPS all the way to Fife. You will note in your GPS view that you will be flying between several controlled and restricted airspaces. If you track the GPS you will stay clear of the airspace. Fife will present a challenge on landing, as it is located in the middle of the town. Contact CTAF on several miles out and announce your intentions. This field is uncontrolled but there can be quite a bit of traffic. There are tall buildings completely surrounding the field. Use caution and a clean, controlled approach. After landing, deplane your current passengers, as you will be flying a flight instructor 21 nm to a very unique strip called Crail (EG0A). It s on a very windy peninsula and sports 4 runways laid out in a "star" pattern. You will see how unique it really is as you approach. You may simply fly the coast in an easterly direction or load your GPS to EG0A. The body of water to your right is called the "Firth of Forth". This is a very windy location so choose from the many runways to best suit your upwind needs. I think you'll agree that this flight over Scotland yielded beauty and geographic diversity for you and your passengers. Nice Job! Congratulations! You have just completed the Scotland Highlands Adventure.