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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
**The OFFICIAL All Sims Air Tour Thread**
- Thread starter ViperPilot2
- Start date
A Ford Trimotor flew the original Tour, I believe it carried some of the organizers and journalists, so I thought it deserved an appearance in our recreation. Livery is probably fictional, one of Gary Smith's creations (my complaint with his site - no differentiation between real, fictional, and semi-fictional liveries).
A grey day at KAGC (in reality our area is currently experiencing clear sunny skies and daytime temps around 50F).
KHLG, Wheeling Ohio County Airport; opened in 1947 with DC-3 flights for TWA and Capital. 160 miles to go.
Cruising 4500ft at 100kt.
OA00, Taildragger Airport, Cambridge OH; no info other than it is privately owned, opened in 1988, and requires prior permission to land.
KCMH, Port Columbus International, in the background; renamed in 2016 to John Glenn International ("CMH" stands for "Columbus Municipal Hangar", the original name of the airport in 1929). A Naval Air Station during WWII, over the years it also hosted production lines for the F-100, RA-5, T-2, T-28, OV-10, and T-39; in the eighties it hosted Concorde flights. KCMH was the home airport of Jerrie Mock when she made her 1964 flight around the world in a Cessna 180. This Trimotor will pass over my home, about 4 miles WSW of KCMH.
Twenty miles out and my view seems somewhat obstructed
Drop to 2800 ft to get below the clouds and look for I19, which boorishly has no navaids (and sounds like an interstate highway). And there it is
225 miles in an hour and 54 minutes
A grey day at KAGC (in reality our area is currently experiencing clear sunny skies and daytime temps around 50F).
KHLG, Wheeling Ohio County Airport; opened in 1947 with DC-3 flights for TWA and Capital. 160 miles to go.
Cruising 4500ft at 100kt.
OA00, Taildragger Airport, Cambridge OH; no info other than it is privately owned, opened in 1988, and requires prior permission to land.
KCMH, Port Columbus International, in the background; renamed in 2016 to John Glenn International ("CMH" stands for "Columbus Municipal Hangar", the original name of the airport in 1929). A Naval Air Station during WWII, over the years it also hosted production lines for the F-100, RA-5, T-2, T-28, OV-10, and T-39; in the eighties it hosted Concorde flights. KCMH was the home airport of Jerrie Mock when she made her 1964 flight around the world in a Cessna 180. This Trimotor will pass over my home, about 4 miles WSW of KCMH.
Twenty miles out and my view seems somewhat obstructed
Drop to 2800 ft to get below the clouds and look for I19, which boorishly has no navaids (and sounds like an interstate highway). And there it is
225 miles in an hour and 54 minutes
bosspecops
Members +
What's not to like about a Tri-Motor? Fabulous looking aircraft. 
FWIW, there was a National Parks Air Service; in business from 1927 to 1938, when it merged with Western Air Express (which eventually became part of Delta). But they never flew Trimotors, and I've found no evidence this livery is accurate, though the logo is. They flew a single route from Salt Lake City to Ogden to Pocatello to Butte to Helena to Great Falls; advertising two planes per day. Originally operated a pair of Stearman C3s on an airmail contract, then passenger service with 3 Fokker Super Universals, a Boeing 80, and 3 Boeing 247s.
(Note the two wheel cart under the tailwheel. This was common from the huge Gotha and Staaken bombers of WWI through the early thirties as an easy way of handling large aircraft on the ground. The long handle is just visible to its right, a man would walk behind the plane using this handle to steer the cart, and thus the plane. Must have been an odious job, given what the propwash would have kicked up from the airfields of the day.)
(Note the two wheel cart under the tailwheel. This was common from the huge Gotha and Staaken bombers of WWI through the early thirties as an easy way of handling large aircraft on the ground. The long handle is just visible to its right, a man would walk behind the plane using this handle to steer the cart, and thus the plane. Must have been an odious job, given what the propwash would have kicked up from the airfields of the day.)
Last edited:
lucb
SOH-CM-2026
Leg25 KAGC->I19 Greene Co Jackson
The weather forecast predicted a ceiling of 20,000 feet, but in fact it was much lower.
We were forced to descend to below 3,500 feet. There was a lot of light turbulence, but...
Fortunately, Amy's precise navigation and the US22 road (although barely visible) led us to the I19.
LEG26 I19->KYIP
As soon as we flew over I19, we were flying under IFR.
By the time we reached Springfield, the sky had cleared.
Unfortunately, it didn't last. As we travelled north, the sky became overcast. As we approached KYIP, the clouds cleared again.
And finally, the last final
After a long taxi ride, we turned off the engine. Last night at the hotel. Amy mischievously took a bottle of Bollinger Champagne (James Bond's favourite) out of her cooler bag and we toasted our memories and dreamed of other adventures.
The end?
The weather forecast predicted a ceiling of 20,000 feet, but in fact it was much lower.
We were forced to descend to below 3,500 feet. There was a lot of light turbulence, but...
Fortunately, Amy's precise navigation and the US22 road (although barely visible) led us to the I19.
LEG26 I19->KYIP
As soon as we flew over I19, we were flying under IFR.
By the time we reached Springfield, the sky had cleared.
Unfortunately, it didn't last. As we travelled north, the sky became overcast. As we approached KYIP, the clouds cleared again.
And finally, the last final
After a long taxi ride, we turned off the engine. Last night at the hotel. Amy mischievously took a bottle of Bollinger Champagne (James Bond's favourite) out of her cooler bag and we toasted our memories and dreamed of other adventures.
The end?
Jerrie was under immense pressure from her husband to complete the Flight, and she wished she could have more opportunities to do some of the things she wanted to do and see.
I think I finished the tour with the flight to I19 (if not, please advise and I'll go from there back to KYIP). For now, I returned to Bolton Field, Columbus, in an old favorite - my Cierva. The one with the custom paint and improved avionics which participated in our Orient Express flight was sadly destroyed (in reality a year's worth of FS mods were lost to a dead SSD last year) so I'm flying a default British civil registered aircraft, with new panel ...no idea what it's doing in the US, ask the folks at I19. (In the words of that great philosopher, Bugs Bunny, "I don't ask questions, I just have fun".)
Half throttle she's airborn with a 20-30 yard roll (this is a late model Cierva, ca 1937, with the "jump start" option, distinguished by the small drive shaft running from the fuselage to the rotor head; this allowed spinning the rotor to near operating speed before starting the takeoff run, then disengage the clutch and fly with normal autorotation)
Leaving I19
Panoramic view
Cruise 80kt at 3900 ft; passing local airfields such as "Millertime" and "Port-O-John"
Bolton Field ahead
No real approach or altitude requirements, when you get there just cut throttle and autorotate down, using a little throttle for maneuvering; you can land easily on a taxiway, a parking lot, even a helipad; but ATC wants me on runway 40
55 miles in 42 minutes, hope there's a rental car waiting
Half throttle she's airborn with a 20-30 yard roll (this is a late model Cierva, ca 1937, with the "jump start" option, distinguished by the small drive shaft running from the fuselage to the rotor head; this allowed spinning the rotor to near operating speed before starting the takeoff run, then disengage the clutch and fly with normal autorotation)
Leaving I19
Panoramic view
Cruise 80kt at 3900 ft; passing local airfields such as "Millertime" and "Port-O-John"
Bolton Field ahead
No real approach or altitude requirements, when you get there just cut throttle and autorotate down, using a little throttle for maneuvering; you can land easily on a taxiway, a parking lot, even a helipad; but ATC wants me on runway 40
55 miles in 42 minutes, hope there's a rental car waiting
Melo965
Members +
Leg 27: Greene County/Lewis A Jackson Regional Airport (I19) to Willow Run (KYIP) Part 1
Flying the Percival Mew Gull in MSFS 2020. Using Active Sky FS for weather and Little Navmap for navigation. Using FSLTL for AI traffic.
Engine started on the ramp at I19. 54% fuel on board for this leg of the journey. Very quiet here on the ramp. Wind direction indicated a takeoff on runway 25.
Lined up for takeoff on runway 25. A beautiful day for this last flight!
Climbing out and on the way to Willow Run.
Very flat here in the Midwest from horizon to horizon.
Near Indian Lake State Park.
Half way there now.
Findlay airport (KDFY) is on the right.
Wood County airport (1G0) also on the right.
Downtown Toledo in the distance.
Lake Erie also off my right wing.
Continued in Part 2 . . .
Flying the Percival Mew Gull in MSFS 2020. Using Active Sky FS for weather and Little Navmap for navigation. Using FSLTL for AI traffic.
Engine started on the ramp at I19. 54% fuel on board for this leg of the journey. Very quiet here on the ramp. Wind direction indicated a takeoff on runway 25.
Lined up for takeoff on runway 25. A beautiful day for this last flight!
Climbing out and on the way to Willow Run.
Very flat here in the Midwest from horizon to horizon.
Near Indian Lake State Park.
Half way there now.
Findlay airport (KDFY) is on the right.
Wood County airport (1G0) also on the right.
Downtown Toledo in the distance.
Lake Erie also off my right wing.
Continued in Part 2 . . .
Melo965
Members +
Leg 27: Greene County/Lewis A Jackson Regional Airport (I19) to Willow Run (KYIP) Part 2
Willow Run in sight ahead. Wind direction indicated a landing on runway 23.
Downwind for 23. Detroit Metro Wayne County (KDTW) is the very large airport off of my right wing (not pictured), but I am still far enough away on this downwind leg to not interfere with operations at that very busy airport.
Base leg for runway 23.
As I turned on to final for 23, saw that the runway looked unusual, so I quickly got tower permission to slip further right and land on 23R. (After landing I looked up that runway 23 was cement instead of asphalt like 23R. It just did not look comfortable on final)
Final for 23R.
Over the numbers on 23R.
Landed and rolling out on 23R. The last landing of this Air Tour.
Parked on the deserted ramp at Willow Run. Shut down with 45% fuel left or 39 gallons. No surprise that everyone else has already left since I arrived on the last official day of the Air Tour.
I compiled a full route flight plan from Willow Run back to Willow Run. With extra landings at Meigs Field (KCGX) and Emporia Municipal (KEMP). My full route was listed as 3,399 nautical miles in my flight planner. My rough estimate of my actual nautical miles flown in the Percival Mew Gull was closer to 4,500 nautical miles.
My Percival Mew Gull which flew very well the whole way. I landed at Willow Run after only 2 refuel stops along the Tour. Using (87 gallons times 2) plus 48 gallons of the third tankful. Only bought 222 gallons of fuel for the entire Mew Gull journey!
I also very much enjoyed the short flights in the Breguet XIV Latécoère and the Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah along the way.
Breguet XIV Latécoère.
Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah.
I only flew these three, but I was very impressed by the wide variety of aircraft that most of you flew throughout this Air Tour. Very well done by everyone, no matter how many aircraft you chose to fly. It was a lot of fun and an honor to fly this route with all of you! And special thanks to ViperPilot2 for coordinating this event!
And now that the Air Tour is completed, I may head over to the Michigan Flight Museum here on the field to see if they need a pilot for one of these three airworthy aircraft:
Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Greyhound"
Douglas TC-47D Skytrain "Hairless Joe"
North American B-25D Mitchell "Rosie's Reply"
Or check out these aircraft on display currently in residence.
Bell AH-1J SeaCobra
Franklin PS-2 Glider
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
SPAD S.XIII – Replica
Willow Run in sight ahead. Wind direction indicated a landing on runway 23.
Downwind for 23. Detroit Metro Wayne County (KDTW) is the very large airport off of my right wing (not pictured), but I am still far enough away on this downwind leg to not interfere with operations at that very busy airport.
Base leg for runway 23.
As I turned on to final for 23, saw that the runway looked unusual, so I quickly got tower permission to slip further right and land on 23R. (After landing I looked up that runway 23 was cement instead of asphalt like 23R. It just did not look comfortable on final)
Final for 23R.
Over the numbers on 23R.
Landed and rolling out on 23R. The last landing of this Air Tour.
Parked on the deserted ramp at Willow Run. Shut down with 45% fuel left or 39 gallons. No surprise that everyone else has already left since I arrived on the last official day of the Air Tour.
I compiled a full route flight plan from Willow Run back to Willow Run. With extra landings at Meigs Field (KCGX) and Emporia Municipal (KEMP). My full route was listed as 3,399 nautical miles in my flight planner. My rough estimate of my actual nautical miles flown in the Percival Mew Gull was closer to 4,500 nautical miles.
My Percival Mew Gull which flew very well the whole way. I landed at Willow Run after only 2 refuel stops along the Tour. Using (87 gallons times 2) plus 48 gallons of the third tankful. Only bought 222 gallons of fuel for the entire Mew Gull journey!
I also very much enjoyed the short flights in the Breguet XIV Latécoère and the Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah along the way.
Breguet XIV Latécoère.
Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah.
I only flew these three, but I was very impressed by the wide variety of aircraft that most of you flew throughout this Air Tour. Very well done by everyone, no matter how many aircraft you chose to fly. It was a lot of fun and an honor to fly this route with all of you! And special thanks to ViperPilot2 for coordinating this event!
And now that the Air Tour is completed, I may head over to the Michigan Flight Museum here on the field to see if they need a pilot for one of these three airworthy aircraft:
Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Greyhound"
Douglas TC-47D Skytrain "Hairless Joe"
North American B-25D Mitchell "Rosie's Reply"
Or check out these aircraft on display currently in residence.
Bell AH-1J SeaCobra
Franklin PS-2 Glider
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
SPAD S.XIII – Replica
bosspecops
Members +
Nice one Melo, glad you you made it, and flying such a significant aeroplane too.
I must add up all my miles and fuel burnt on the Tour, should make for some LARGE numbers!
I must add up all my miles and fuel burnt on the Tour, should make for some LARGE numbers!
Well said Melo ... so much fun ... and a very special thanks to the folks here at SOH for their willingness to host the event!
Our previous flights, before immigrating here, started with "a flight for us niners" (those luddites clinging to FS2004), recreating the Cleveland Air Race from San Diego to, oddly enough, Cleveland, using WWII fighters.
A Route 66 flight following that highway from east to west, using any GA aircraft from the thirties through the seventies, was next. Somewhere around this time it was decided to form a club, and all sims were welcome. Further flights included
- Orient Express, following the route from Paris to Istanbul, in helicopters.
- Sand and Snow, from West Africa across the Sahara, the Middle East, the Himalayas, landing in east China; any aircraft you wish.
- recreating the 1976 Australia Air Race, from Perth to Sydney following the southern coast, using any aircraft that actually participated (a long list)
- follow the Panama Canal in any floatplane or amphibian
- a Grand Canyon flight of several hundred miles, in helicopters, in the canyon
- a short flight in New Zealand ending at a resort airport buried in coastal mountains
- a T6 Texan commemorative flight around the Normandy beaches and English Channel
We discussed following the 1934 McRobertson Air Race route, England to Australia, but the 1931 National Air Tour garnered more attention (doesn't mean McRobertson is dropped).
Anyone is welcome to propose a flight, there's no formal voting; we discuss everything and somewhere along the line something catches everyone's imagination, and we have a new flight.
Those sound like some of the flight plans we might have done here at one time. Some of the original SOH founders plus a few others (MM/MikeMike from AVSIM (maybe) was a regular plus others) used to fly in online multi-player sessions almost every night and lots of fun was had by all who took part. The collective name for the group was 'Flight 19' after the infamous TBM Avenger flight that went AWOL in the Bermuda Triangle. It was usually a case of somebody would come with a multi-leg flight plan that was made available to all, the group would collectively decide on planes to start with and off we'd go. There was usually some illicit contraband involved somewhere in the narrative as the group lived up to its reputation claimed on the homepage of being the 'Notorious Hideout for FlightSim Renegades, Outlaws and Scofflaws'!
Happy days!
Rob (srgalahad) and myself are the only two left at the moment and we still fly online together 5-6 nights per week. We are currently flying a flight plan (that keeps getting extended) that started just after Xmas (after we completed the Air Tour) in Key West and we flew to Cuba for a full tour of the island's airports then flew west to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and followed the coastline south-east to Venezuela where we did a tour of all the Orbx airports there. After that we headed to the mouth of the Amazon and then flew up the Amazon to the source. From there we flew to Rio and then turned west again to the Pacific Coast of South America. We are currently heading north along the coast and the plan is to eventually head back across the Gulf of Mexico to the East and pick up the Caribbean Islands and then island hop back to Key West. Legs tend to vary in length but tend to be roughly 100-200 miles or so depending on terrain/availability and we will fly the whole gamut of aircraft usually for 5-6 legs or more until we get bored and then switch out again.
Anyone is welcome to join us if they so wish and we fly on the dedicated SOH JoinFS multiplayer server and use the SOH TeamSpeak 3 voice server to communicate.
Happy days!
Rob (srgalahad) and myself are the only two left at the moment and we still fly online together 5-6 nights per week. We are currently flying a flight plan (that keeps getting extended) that started just after Xmas (after we completed the Air Tour) in Key West and we flew to Cuba for a full tour of the island's airports then flew west to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and followed the coastline south-east to Venezuela where we did a tour of all the Orbx airports there. After that we headed to the mouth of the Amazon and then flew up the Amazon to the source. From there we flew to Rio and then turned west again to the Pacific Coast of South America. We are currently heading north along the coast and the plan is to eventually head back across the Gulf of Mexico to the East and pick up the Caribbean Islands and then island hop back to Key West. Legs tend to vary in length but tend to be roughly 100-200 miles or so depending on terrain/availability and we will fly the whole gamut of aircraft usually for 5-6 legs or more until we get bored and then switch out again.
Anyone is welcome to join us if they so wish and we fly on the dedicated SOH JoinFS multiplayer server and use the SOH TeamSpeak 3 voice server to communicate.