CV60

Leg 22 Flight 09 February 2020 Muscle Shoals, AL (KMSL) to John C. Tune Airport (Nashville, TN) (KJWN) Kmz (Google Earth) file can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/t-NQgopHfuoW (Link is good for 7 days) (Note: Because of real life issues, I actually flew this flight on 15 February, using weather saved from 09 February) I took off from Runway 18 at KMSL at 1940Z. The winds were 203/16 knots, This caused me to drift a bit to the east as I lifted off, but I corrected before getting too far off the runway center line. To avoid the high winds, I climbed to 6

Leg 22 pre-flight 09 February 2020 Muscle Shoals, AL (KMSL) to John C. Tune Airport (Nashville, TN) (KJWN) I'm continuing my flight up the Natchez Trail to its terminus in Nashville, Tennessee. The next few days will feature bad weather in the area, so if I'm going to get this flight in, I will have to do it today or wait until this weekend. My route will take me west from KMSL to pick up the Natchez Trail Parkway. I'll then basically follow it into Nashville. Because I'll be following the Parkway, the navigation will be relatively simple. The distance on this leg is 145 nm.

Real World Photos from legs 19-21 Much of the flight during these three legs has been along the Natchez trace, an approximately 444-mile long travel corridor used by American Indians, and European settlers, up until the 1800's. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace_Parkway) Image 1 A small segment of Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail; near Natchez, Mississippi. Photo by Ian Abbott Image 2 Emerald Mound There are several Indian mounds located near the Parkway. This is Emerald Mound, located north of Stanton, MS. It the

Leg 21 Flight 03 February 2020 Bryan (KSTF)(Starkville, MS) to Muscle Shoals, AL (KMSL) Kmz (Google Earth) file can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/t-ZCAPX0UtN5 (Link is good for 7 days) I was off the blocks at KSTF at 1949Z and airborne at 1957Z. Weather was as predicted, with high winds from the SW at 27 knots. I mis-identified a road, resulting in my getting lost fairly quickly enroute to Houston, MS. That also threw off my navigation to Tupelo, MS where I had intended a brief diversion from my route to fly over Elvis Presley's birthplace (although I did get

Leg 21 pre-flight 03 February 2020 Bryan (KSTF)(Starkville, MS) to Muscle Shoals, AL (KMSL) Today's flight wil take me further up the Natchez Trace. Enroute, I will fly over Corinth, Mississippi, as well as the Shiloh battlefield and landing at Muscle Shoals, AL. Why Muscle Shoals? Because it is my pilgrimage to where some of the greatest musicians in Rock and Roll recorded. https://www.al.com/entertainment/2016/12/the_20_best_songs_ever_recorde.html And, because it it mentioned in possibly the greatest Southern Rock song of all time: With that brief digress

Leg 20 Flight 02 February 2020 Vicksburg Regional (KVKS) to Bryan (KSTF)(Starkville, MS) Kmz (Google Earth) file can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/t-QVRZDPPngQ (Link is good for 7 days) It was a beautiful day for flying. Take off from KVKS at 2100Z was uneventful. Similarly, the landing at KSTF was at 2247Z and was unevenful. Winds were slightly less than predicted: around 20 knots from the SW at 3000 feet, but almost dead calm at ground level. No problems were experienced during the flight. Images are attached below: Image 1. 022104Z Feb 2020

Leg 20 pre-flight 02 February 2020 Vicksburg Regional (KVKS) to Bryan (KSTF)(Starkville, MS) I'm a bit of a US Civil War buff, so today's flight will pass briefly over the Vicksburg battlefield before continuing on to Jackson, MS, following (in reverse) the route the US Grant took in investing the Confederate fortress. From there, I will more-or-less follow the Natchez Trace north, landing at Starkville, MS for fuel before continuing the trip: Image 1. KVKS to KSTF For the next two days, the weather forecast is good. After then, it will deteri

Leg 19 Flight 28 January 2020 Louisiana Regional (L38) to Vicksburg Municipal (KVKS) .kmz file here: https://we.tl/t-aNJXlP3jTD (will be available for 7 days) Take off was at 1537 Local/2137 Z. I'm pressed for time to cover the 141 nm/132 minute flight before it gets dark. Sunset is at 1733L, with civil twilight ending at 1759L. That gives me only 12 minutes leeway to get on the ground at KVKS. During the flight, I had low winds from the south at 5-10 knots for most of the route. At several points during the flight I went through some light rain, but the ceilin

Leg 19 pre-flight 28 January 2020 Louisiana Regional (L38) to Vicksburg Regional (KVKS) Today's flight will take me partway up the Natchez trace, a route used by American Indiana and settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries. My route will generally be in a northerly direction, about 10-15 nm east of the Mississippi River. Navigation will be relatively simple, as the route will generally follow US Highway 61, a 4-lane road. Image 1. L38-KVKS A front coming from the west is bringing rain to Louisiana and western Mississippi. While the weather is cloudy, t

26 January 2020 No flying today. At least not to the east....

Real World Photos of Legs 17-18 (KIER-KLFT-L38) Starting out on Leg 17, I flew along the Red River. The Red River is a different from other inland rivers in that it is brackish, deriving its salinity from crossing over salt domes in Texas. Image 1. Red River Salt Deposits (Note: Photo taken in Texas, not Louisiana) Source: Wikipedia Although the Red River is navigable, it wasn't always so. Until the 1870's it was blocked above Alexandria, LA by "the Great Raft", an approximately 100 mile long log jam. In In 1833, Captain Henry Shreve, (whom Shrevesport, LA is n

Leg 18 Flight 22 January 2020 Lafayette Regional (KLFT) to Louisiana Regional (L38) .kmz file here https://we.tl/t-9S7KasHj0j (KLFT-L49) and here: https://we.tl/t-b0mOAujltI (L49-L38) My take off was at 1917Z. The first leg of the flight was uneventful. Some lowering visibility near Centerville, LA required me to to descend to 2000 feet for about 10 minutes . As I suspected, the Cub didn't have enough gas to get to L38, so I set down at Galliano Airport (L39) at about 2135Z to refuel. After getting airborne again, the flight to L38 was uneventful, and I landed at 2300Z, with

Leg 18 pre-flight 22 January 2020 Lafayette Regional (KLFT) to Louisiana Regional (L38) Weather looks good right now for the flight to Louisiana Regional. I'm taking a roundabout route to L38. If it were a direct flight, it would only be about 55 nm. However, I'm going to fly a somewhat circuitous 177 nm route over some of the Louisiana Bayou country. Image 1 KLFT-L38 I began my pre-flight at 1615Z. The weather at that time looked good. There is some weather moving in from Texas, but it should still be to my west by the time I land. Image

Leg 17 Flight 19 January 2020 Natchitoches, Louisiana (KIER) to Lafayette Regional (KLFT) Kmz file of flight here: https://we.tl/t-OEtVhDYy9U The flight was good. Take off was at 1937Z, with landing at 2118Z. Weather was as predicted, with high winds from the North. The only incident of note was that I had a close approach west of Forest Hill, LA with a small passenger jet wile flying at 3,500 feet. The jet crossed approximately 3/4 mile in front of me was heading south west and descending. It may have been heading for KACP, but it was fairly low for being that far out

Leg 17 pre-flight 19 January 2020 Natchitoches, Louisiana (KIER) to Lafayette Regional (KLFT) The rain has finally stopped, and the clouds have finally moved on to Georgia. This gives me an opportunity to get the Cub a little closer to the Gulf Coast. Image 1. National weather 19 January Clear skies, with a strong wind from the north is now centered on Louisiana. Most stations are calling for 20-25 mph winds. Image 2. Aviation Forecast 19 January 2020 Image 3 METAR Central Louisiana METAR: KIER [Natchitoches Rgnl] METAR: KI

Still no flying today, at least until this afternoon. A lot of rain in the Natchitoches area right now, and ceilings around 1000-1300 feet. The forecast (reproduced below) indicates clearing skies. Possibly I will be flying later this afternoon, but most likely not until tomorrow. For the 18/12Z TAF period, IFR/LIFR cigs plague all sites this morning as low level moisture surges north ahead of a cold front. Scattered to numerous showers will continue through much of the morning with some isolated thunderstorms possible later today as heating occ

No flying today. Too much "Terrain Obstruction Orange" on this picture: The forecast discussion doesn't look good, either. Possibly I'll get a chance to fly this weekend: Low clouds and fog blanketing the area again this morning ahead of an approaching CDFNT expected to sag slowly south through the region today. Expect VSBYS to improve mid morning or so, with CIGS slower to improve, lifting to IFR mid to late morning and perhaps MVFR for a time this afternoon. Isolated to scattered showers are possible with the front, and a combination

Yep, it is pretty. This whole part of the US is nice, scenery wise. Weather-wise? Notsomuch. At least today: Its been like this the past couple of days, and looks like it may last until Friday, so there won't be too many updates in this trip until then..... Edit: From the Forecast Discussion: IFR/LIFR conditions will hang around the Four-States region over the next 24-hours. A frontal boundary has stalled across the area, allowing for winds to decouple, and moisture to pool area wide. This will result in low cloud decks (and fog headed into tomorr

Here are some real-world images from some of the areas I flew over on this leg: Cotton Field near Natchitoches (Source: https://www.visittheusa.com/destination/natchitoches) Black Lake, LA

The flight was uneventful. Climbing out of Harrison County airport, the winds buffeted the Cub, but it settled down once I reached my cruise altitude. The flight was uneventful, and I made an straight in approach with a decent landing on Runway 17 at Natchitoches at 1703 local. My lack of recent stick time in the Cub, combined with some wind gusts, caused me to "float" the Cub a little farther down the runway before I touched down. Images are below: Image 1 Over Panola, TX Image 2 Approaching CE 'Rusty' Williams airport (3F3) Image 3 Over Black Lake,

Leg 16 pre-flight and flight 08 January 2020 Harrison County (Texas) (KASL) to Natchitoches, Louisiana (KIER) With the release of A2A's Piper J-3 Cub, I've decided to resume this little jaunt across the country. Today's flight is simply to get the Cub repositioned along the Gulf Coast. I plan on flying along it and into Florida for most of January, and begin to venture back north into Georgia and the Carolina's in late winter and early spring. The flight today will be brief, covering only about 90 miles, as real life has delayed my departure until 3:30 PM. Consequentially, I will

With A2A's release of the Piper Cub for P3Dv4, I will pick up this adventure in my brand-spanking new J-3. Stay tuned.....

If ya'll like WWI flying, there are some "deep immersion" virtual flyers at : https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4449449/deep-immersion-did-campaign-player-instructions-updated-28-nov-2018#Post4449449 who use "Wings over Flanders Field". Some of the writing is pretty good.

I was in Ohio for my high school class reunion, and happened to come across this classic GA fly in at the Springfield Municipal airport. Here are some photos: 1928 Kreider KR 34B2 1929 American Flyer 1931 Stinson JRS 1947 Stinson Voyager 150 1946 Globe Swift 1936 Waco YKS-6 1941 Piper J3L-65 1941 Piper J3L-65 1946 Piper JC3-65 1946 Piper JC3-65 1946 SILVAIRE LUSCOMBE 8A 2002 PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER Champion

Leg 15 pre-flight and flight -09 April 2019 Scholes International Galveston (KGLS) to Harrison County (Texas) (KASL) Today's flight is to take me to the North eastern corner of Texas, just east of Shreveport, Louisiana. (Image 1). I'll try to get off the ground by 1900Z/1400L, as it is a 210 nm flight. The weather looks good. Low winds and clear skies for the entire route. The winds at 3000 feet are predicted to be from the North or NW at only 5 knots, so headwinds won't be a significant factor on this leg, which is nice given the distance I'm flying. The TAFs are also ver