Pilots Notes
• Welcome to Discover USA! Before we discuss each flight and you embark on your
epic journey here are a few key facts that we hope will fascinate you.
• There are a total of 68 flights stretching the length and breadth of the USA
• We travel to all 4 corners of the continental USA and also take the time to visit
Hawaii and Alaska
• The journey takes us across the entire USA, landing in over 45 of the 50 states and
overflying the remainder!
• The route is in the format of a continuous tour that will eventually return you to
the starting airport
• There are over 12000 miles of flying, taking over 200 hours to complete in
the Beechcraft 18!
• We have worked hard to choose the best of nature and man, visiting both beautiful
cities and dramatic natural landscapes
• Each flight on loading already has a flight plan pre�loaded for your convenience.
Each flight plan has been carefully devised to steer your aircraft over the most
interesting landmarks between each destination
• For those who enjoy a challenge we have also included some of the USA’s most
difficult approaches!
We hope that you enjoy a memorable and epic journey
around the USA! Remember to send us a postcard!
Flying The Flights
Each flight will load with the Beechcraft aircraft. Each flight starts with a full fuel
load. The fuel tank loading has been kept simple to allow easy access to the flights
regardless of your simulation experience. If you are a veteran flight simmer, please
feel free to adjust the fuel load before each flight. We do realise that many of you
gain great enjoyment from fuel planning.
For your reference the fully laden Beechcraft
18 should, under optimum piloting, have
a range of a shade under 1000nm, so full
tanks should be considered as that distance
under normal circumstances. None of the
flights are of this duration, so each flight can
be safely flown from loading the situation.
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Again, we emphasise that the aircraft is fuelled and ready to go upon loading the flight
and manual fuel adjustment is only recommended for those who enjoy the additional
challenge of careful calculation.
If you wish for greater performance data please refer to the included tutorial which adds
a greater level of technical information for the aircraft.
For those wishing to confirm the exact routing for each flight, opening the flight
simulator flight planning tool and choosing the Navlog option will display both the
route of flight, waypoint by waypoint and exact distances between each waypoints
and origin and destination airports. Those flying using online organisations such as
VATSIM or IVAO can transpose the waypoints from the navigation log to the flight plan
tool of the online organisation using simple cut and paste. Alternatively, those who
choose to fly offline can enjoy the full facilities of the default Air Traffic Control within
the simulation. Each flight is ready to go simply by opening the ATC window within
the simulator and requesting IFR clearance. Technically each of these flights are best
considered VFR (visual flight rules) flights, however, we have chosen to deem them as
full instrument flights within the ATC simulation. This ensures that you will receive full
en�route guidance and a vector to the final runway upon arrival at your destination.
Alternatively, you may wish to fly without any air traffic control guidance, either
simulated or through an online organisation and again the aircraft is fully configured for
flight in this manner.
If you choose to fly these flights using one of the online organisations you may wish to
share anecdotes with your fellow pilots who are also taking this journey. Please feel
free, should you desire, to place “Discover USA” in your online flight plan notes to
signal to other pilots that you are engaged in this adventure. By doing this, we heartily
encourage you to be in contact with your fellow adventurers who are displaying this
note to swap anecdotes and stories of how your adventure is progressing. When flying
online, half of the fun is the sharing of the experience!
We have taken care to ensure that there is little cloud coverage or winds for the flight.
This is deliberate as much of the enjoyment of the adventure is in the sightseeing. Flying
over banks of heavy cloud would ruin the flight experience. This also ensures that those
wishing to fly under VFR rules are not disappointed. Experienced simmers, or those
looking for more of a challenge after completing the journey are welcome to reprise
each of the routes with weather of their
choice. Be aware, however, that this does require appropriate visibility for landing
when flying the Beechcraft 18, unless another aircraft is chosen that is equipped for a
landing in low visibility conditions.
At any time the included Beechcraft can be substituted for an aircraft of your choice
simply by selecting the aircraft from the aircraft menu in Flight Simulator
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Customised Scenery And Airports
Discover USA is fully compatible with third party scenery, photo�scenery and mesh
expansions for FSX. In fact, the use of such scenery will only serve to enhance the
enjoyment from this journey. Please note however that each flight starts at a specific
location on the airfield that is appropriate to the default FSX airport sceneries. If you
use a third party expansion airport for any of our origin airports you may find the
aircraft being parked in undesirable locations. This is an unavoidable limitation of
additional airport scenery. The simple solution is simply to slew your aircraft
(using the slew keys) to an appropriate parking place within your version of the airport.
Enjoying The View
Our journey visits a great number of exciting cities and we encourage you to explore
each in depth. We recommend that you take the time to explore each city by flying
around it and exploring the sights before moving on. This can be achieved by simply
taking off from the airport and flying over each city spotting key landmarks. We have
not provided a flight plan for this city sightseeing, although most flights will cross over
each of these cities on final approach to the airport. Our hope is that you take a little
time after arriving at an airport to see the sights before moving on to the next flight
plan. Do not feel constrained by our 68 flights. If you find an area of interest feel free to
explore and return to the formal flight plans when you are ready to continue to the next
destination.
Your Journey
This journey around the massive nation of the USA has been deliberately crafted to
give a wide range of experiences, from small airstrips, to regional airports, to major
international hubs, to give a wide mix to suit a range of flying styles. You will be doing
everything from landing on small strips hugging the Pacific Ocean, to landing on a
grass strip in Missouri to visiting Miami International Airport and much more besides!
You can also expect to visit some of the most challenging airports in the USA that will
put your flying skills to the test, from navigating the mountains of Aspen Colorado to a
high altitude landing at Lake Tahoe to negotiating the Rockies and Cascade ranges!
Visiting Hawaii and Alaska
Our included flights are not limited to the contiguous United States as you are also given
the opportunity to visit Hawaii and Alaska. These flights are separate to the circular tour
of the continental USA and can be flown individually.
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Charts
Charts are available for the entire US airports at www.myairplane.com
They are available for free download from the site, by selecting the “NACO approach
plates option” from the menu at the left. Incidentally, the title is a misnomer as departure
and airport parking charts are also available from this menu option.
Flight 001 - Bangor to Boston
Our journey starts at Bangor, Maine. The airport is regularly visited by transatlantic
aircraft, being one of the most popular entry ports into the USA. As such the airport is
well equipped to handle a multitude of traffic. With the airport being regarded as the
gateway to the USA, it is a perfect starting point for our exploration of this enormous
country.
Flight 002 Boston To New York
A short flight down the eastern seaboard brings us to the thriving, iconic city of New
York. Whatever you are looking for, the Big Apple has it all! Regarded as the financial
and tourist centre of the USA, it certainly is the apple of the country’s eye! We land at
La Guardia airport, a busy hub serving domestic flights to all corners of the USA.
Flight 003 New York to Wilkes-Barre
Our flight to Wilkes-Barre brings us to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1769
and formally incorporated in 1806, the city has an estimated population of 43,123,
according to the 2000 census. Wilkes-Barre is one of the two cities of the ScrantonWilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which has an estimated 2007
population of 549,430.[1]
Wilkes-Barre and surrounding Wyoming Valley are framed by the Pocono Mountains
to the east, the Endless Mountains to the west and the Lehigh Valley to the south. The
Susquehanna River flows through the centre of the valley and defines the northwestern
border of the city. After the man made metropolis of New York, a visit to Wilkes-Barre
reminds us of the natural beauty of the eastern USA.
Flight 004 Wilkes-Barre to Buffalo
We travel north to the border with Canada and the city of Buffalo. Here, you have the
opportunity to visit the adjacent Niagara Falls, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in
the world! Buffalo is the closest airport to the falls. To visit the Falls, depart from Buffalo
Airport, travelling some 17 miles north-northwest.
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Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin
glaciations (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved
a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not
exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than 6 million cubic feet
(168,000 m³) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow and almost 4
million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North
America.
Flight 005 Buffalo to Detroit
We reach the Great Lakes as we visit Detroit the “motor city”, home of the US car
industry and motown music! This is also a chance to fly along Lake Erie, the 4th largest
lake of the United States
Flight 006 Detroit to Chicago
We continue across the Great Lakes to Chicago, the “Windy City”. If you choose
real-world weather, you can certainly expect some wind, especially in the Winter!
Chicago is located in north-eastern Illinois at the south-western tip of Lake Michigan. It
sits on a continental divide at the site of the Chicago Portage, connecting the Mississippi
River and the Great Lakes watersheds. The city lies beside freshwater Lake Michigan,
and two rivers—the Chicago River in downtown and the Calumet River in the industrial
far South Side—flow entirely or partially through Chicago. The Chicago Sanitary
and Ship Canal connects the Chicago River with the Des Plaines River, which runs to
the west of the city. Chicago’s history and economy are closely tied to its proximity
to Lake Michigan. While the Chicago River historically handled much of the region’s
waterborne cargo, today’s huge lake freighters use the city’s Lake Calumet Harbor on
the South Side.
Flight 007 Chicago to Milwaukee
We reach the state of Wisconsin. Known as the dairy state, Wisconsin is the major
supplier of milk products for the USA. The largest city of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, is also
known for another more potent liquid, with the city being renowned for its breweries!
Remember you cannot drink and fly, so if you wish to partake of the local beverages be
sure to leave a couple of days before your onward flight!
Flight 008 Milwaukee to Iowa Falls
We cross into the prairie lands of Iowa to visit Iowa Falls. The city is a transportation
hub, with the airport being accompanied by the Union Pacific railroad and US routes
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20 and 65.
Flight 009 Iowa Falls to Rochester
We head north, into Minnesota to visit the city of Rochester. Given the local nickname of
the “Medical City”, Rochester is home to a number of medical institutions, including the
famous Mayo Clinic. Hopefully, neither yourself or your aircraft will require a medical
and mechanical service at this stage of the journey!
Flight 010 Rochester to Minneapolis
We reach Minneapolis, Minnesota. The city is renowned for the abundant local water.
In addition to being sited on the Mississippi there are over 20 lakes and rivers in
the area. Minneapolis is recognised as a primary business centre for the region with
extensive commercial flights in and out of the area.
Flight 011 Minneapolis to Pierre
We cross into rural South Dakota, arriving at the state capital of Pierre. The small
population of a shade under 14,000 serves as a reminder that this is a state of
landscapes, rather than cities.
Flight 012 Pierre to Rapid City
We remain in South Dakota for a visit to Rapid City. Unusually, the city is split in two by
a range of mountains, separating the eastern and western sides of the city. Take care
when planning your arrival into the airport to avoid this natural obstacle!
Flight 013 Rapid City to Cheyenne
We cross into Wyoming, landing at the state capital of Cheyenne. If you are using
real-world weather, be aware that the “Chinook” winds blowing downwind of the Rocky
Mountains are renowned for creating blustery conditions at the airport!
Flight 014 Cheyenne to Aspen
One of the real challenges of this journey is the arrival into Aspen Colorado. This
famous ski resort is nestled in a tight valley surrounded by the Rocky Mountains on all
sides. This is definitely a flight where charts and pre-study is highly recommended for
ensuring a safe arrival route into the resort!
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Flight 015 Aspen to Salt Lake City
We reach Utah and make a landing at Salt Lake City airport. With an opportunity to
make a direct crossing of the Rockies, this is one of the most dramatic of the entire
journey
Flight 016 Salt Lake City to Idaho Falls
We arrive in Idaho at Idaho Falls. Idaho is another rural state, renowned for its potato
production!
Flight 017 Idaho Falls to Helena
Helena is the capital city of the state of Montana. The state has much to offer, including
the chance to fly across the Yellowstone National Park
Flight 018 Helena to Missoula
Missoula is the second city of Montana and is home to the University of Montana.
Despite recession, the city was recently cited as the 10th best place in the USA to start a
new business, in a CNN survey.
Flight 019 Missoula to Spokane
We continue inexorably west, reaching the state of Washington and Spokane. With a
population of 202,319 as of 2008, Spokane is the second largest city in Washington,
and the fourth largest in the Pacific Northwest, behind Seattle, Portland, Oregon, and
Boise, Idaho
Flight 020 Spokane to Darrington
Another flight that is something of a challenge, with a landing at Darrington Municipal
Airport. This small airstrip is located along a narrow valley so ensure that you have
firmly researched your arrival route or referred to charts. Mastering the arrival into
Darrington is well worth the effort for the spectacular mountain vistas that surround the
airport in a horseshoe configuration!
Flight 021 Darrington to Roche Harbor
We reach the very edge of the continental United States, landing adjacent to the the
Canadian border at Roche Harbor, on San Juan Island. Roche Harbor is unique on this
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journey for being the only offshore island (excepting Hawaii) that we visit on the tour of
the USA.
Flight 022 Roche Harbor to Boeing Field
Boeing Field, on the outskirts of Seattle, is as the name suggests inexorably linked to
the Boeing Aircraft Company. Boeing maintain a manufacturing plant at the airfield
and it was here that the Boeing 737 took its maiden flight. Another claim to fame of the
airfield is that it is used as the airport of choice for the Presidential Boeing 747 aircraft
when on visits to the region. If that is not enough, a museum of flight is also located at
Boeing Field, complete with a preserved Concorde aircraft.
Flight 023 Boeing Field to Portland
We head south to Portland Oregon. Portland lies in the Marine west coast climate
region, marked by warm, dry summers and rainy but temperate winters. This climate is
ideal for growing roses, and for more than a century, Portland has been known as “The
City of Roses” with many rose gardens—most prominently the International Rose Test
Garden.
Flight 024 Portland to Eugene
We continue across Oregon, heading ever further South, arriving at Eugene Oregon.
Flight 025 Eugene to Shelter Cove
We cross into California, landing at the idyllic Shelter Cove Airstrip. This tiny airstrip
projects from both sides into the Pacific Ocean and is a regular destination for “fly-ins”
with pilots attending from all over the world. The runway is extremely close to the sea
on three sides, with cliffs forming the fourth side. Seals can be seen basking on the
rocks and this is an excellent place to visit for close-up views of the seasonal whale
migrations!
Flight 026 Shelter Cove to
Little River
A short flight down the coast to the
airstrip at Little River. As there are no
refuelling facilities at Shelter Cove,
those of you flying with maximum
realism and managing your own
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fuel will want to refill your tanks here. In fact, this is the norm for aircraft visiting Shelter
Cove.
Flight 027 Little River to Truckee-Tahoe
We head inland to Lake Tahoe, with a landing at high altitude at Truckee-Tahoe airport.
This is a difficult approach so ensure that you research the airfield before arrival. At
5,900ft above sea level, this is quite the approach! The effort is worthwhile with a
fantastic panoramic view of the entire Lake Tahoe!
Flight 028 Truckee-Tahoe to Half Moon Bay
We head to the San Francisco bay area and a landing at Half Moon Bay. Half Moon
Bay is a coastal city around 25 miles south of San Francisco. Our arrival brings us over
the famed Silicon Valley, home to many of the computing corporates such as Apple.
Flight 029 Half Moon Bay to Monterey
Officially, our flight to Monterey should take us south, but what would be the fun in
missing the views of San Francisco! With this in mind the flight plan initially tracks north
over the city and directly over the Golden Gate Bridge. There is an opportunity to get
a stunning view of the bridge, whilst making a 180 degree turn directly over it as the
route turns south! We then follow the California coastline south to the famous tourist
destination of Monterey.
Flight 030 Monterey to Yosemite
We turn inland, travelling almost due east over the grandeur of the Yosemite National
Park.
Flight 031 Yosemite to Las Vegas
We travel across the Nevada Desert to the bright lights of Las Vegas! Rather than
landing at the international airport we will be landing at North Las Vegas airport, a
much quieter airport used by General Aviation and executive transport. Feel free to fly
over the city and view all the hotels and casinos that make Las Vegas the most famous
tourist destination in the world!
Flight 032 Las Vegas to Grand Canyon
A chance to visit another of the world’s most amazing destinations. From the man made
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attraction of Las Vegas we turn to one of the natural wonders of the world, with an
opportunity to fly over the Grand Canyon!
Flight 033 Grand Canyon to Palm Springs
Our journey ticks off another tourist destination with a visit to Palm Springs. Palm
Springs is a key tourist destination, especially in the winter. It also is renowned for
playing host to the holiday homes of the rich and famous!
Flight 034 Palm Springs to Los Angeles
We cross the vast expanse of the Los Angeles conurbation to land at Burbank Airport,
the closest airport to downtown Los Angeles. In addition to being a popular commuter
airport, Burbank lives in cinema history as being the location where the airport scenes
were filmed for the iconic movie, Casablanca!
Flight 035 Los Angeles to San Diego
We continue southwards to the United States border with Mexico and the thriving city of
San Diego. Mexico is just a few short miles from the airport and is visible on the left as
you turn towards the sea for final approach.
Flight 036 San Diego to Phoenix
We head out east across the desert, to the heat of Phoenix Arizona. If you are using
real weather, or a weather engine be prepared for some low level turbulence on final
approach. The heat generates strong updrafts and thermals that can cause quite severe
turbulence in the summer months!
Flight 037 Phoenix to Albuquerque
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, with roughly over half of
the state population residing inside the city limits. This is another high airport, with the
runway at nearly 5500ft above sea level. This coupled with the heat makes aircraft
performance challenging. You can expect a longer take-off run in the hot and thin air at
this elevation and a reduced climb performance. Bear this in mind when planning your
departure
Flight 038 Albuquerque to Amarillo
We cross into the Lone Star state of Texas for a landing at Amarillo. Amarillo grew from
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humble beginnings with the arrival of the railroad in the 19th century. The railroad
brought prosperity and a reputation as a major centre for trade in livestock. In the 21st
Century technology leads the way with the production of the V-22 Osprey, helicopter/
fixed wing hybrid aircraft and, perhaps ominously, the only nuclear weapon assembly
and disassembly plant in the USA.
Flight 039 Amarillo to Oklahoma City
We head into the state of Oklahoma and a visit to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City is
an important livestock market, featuring one of the top livestock markets in the world.
Oil, natural gas, and petroleum products are major products of the economy, as the city
is situated in the middle of an oil field, with oil derricks even on the capitol grounds.
Several prominent energy companies are headquartered in Oklahoma City. The federal
government is also a significant employer; located in the city limits are Tinker Air Force
Base and the United States Department of Transportation’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical
Center, which houses several offices of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Oklahoma City is also within the area known as “Tornado Alley” a stretch of the USA
that is prone to severe Tornado activity. In fact, Oklahoma City was visited by the
strongest Tornado ever recorded in 1999, when a twister with recorded wind speeds of
318MPH wreaked havoc across the state.
Flight 040 Oklahoma City to Wichita
We cross in to Kansas, remaining in Tornado Alley. Indeed movie fans will often
associate Kansas with Dorothy and her being swept away to the Land of Oz by a
tornado in “The Wizard of Oz” Returning to the real world from Oz, Wichita is also
fondly remembered in entertainment for the haunting “Wichita Lineman” song which
became a massive sales phenomena for country singer Glen Campbell.
Flight 041 Wichita to Springfield Missouri
We arrive in Missouri with a landing in Springfield. Interestingly Springfield is one of
the most popular city names in the USA, in use all over the country. It is because of this
that Springfield was chosen as the city name in the popular cartoon “The Simpsons”.
Was this cartoon Springfield based on the one in Missouri? The producers of the series
are not willing to say!
Flight 042 Springfield to St Louis
We continue across Missouri with a landing in St Louis.
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Flight 043 St Louis to Louisville
Louisville is situated on the Ohio River in north-central Kentucky at the Falls of the Ohio.
As it includes counties in Southern Indiana, the Louisville metropolitan area is often
referred to as Kentuckiana. The river forms the border between Kentucky and Indiana.
A resident of Louisville is referred to as a Louisvillian. Although situated in a Southern
state, Louisville is influenced by both Southern and Midwestern culture. It is sometimes
referred to as either the northernmost Southern city or the southernmost Northern city in
the United States!
Flight 044 Louisville to Nashville
We head across to Tennessee and a visit to Nashville. Often regarded as the natural
home of country music Nashville plays host to the “Grand Ole Opry”, the country music
stage show that has had a weekly run since 1925, introducing and hosting nearly all of
the stars of the country music genre.
Flight 045 Nashville to Little Rock
We reach Arkansas and the city of Little Rock. Little Rock was named for a stone
outcropping on the bank of the Arkansas River used by early travellers as a landmark.
La Petite Roche (French for “the Little Rock”), named in 1722 by French explorer and
trader Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe, marked the transition from the flat Mississippi
Delta region to the Ouachita Mountain foothills. Travellers referred to the area as “the
Little Rock” and the landmark name stuck.
Bill Clinton became the first resident of Arkansas to gain the office of President of the
United States, giving his acceptance speech at the Old State House, in Little Rock city
centre.
Flight 046 Little Rock to Dallas
We return to Texas and arrive in the city of Dallas. Founded in 1841 and formally
incorporated as a city in February, 1856, the city’s economy is primarily based
on banking, commerce, telecommunications, computer technology, energy, and
transportation, home to several Fortune 500 companies. Located in North Texas and a
major city in the American South, Dallas is the core of the largest inland metropolitan
area in the United States that lacks any navigable link to the sea. The city’s prominence
arose from its historical importance as a centre for the oil and cotton industries, its
position along numerous railroad lines, a strong industrial and financial sector, and its
status as a major inland port. For many Dallas is also synonymous with the television
soap opera bearing the same name, depicting the life of oil tycoon JR Ewing.
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Flight 047 Dallas to New Orleans
We reach the state of Louisiana, arriving in New Orleans. Regarded as a major cultural
centre and renowned for its jazz music and festivals, the city tragically fell victim to
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when flood defences were overwhelmed. The city was
inundated and over 1500 people lost their lives. Undaunted the proud people of the city
are picking up their lives and are determined to rebuild New Orleans, from the ground
up in many badly affected regions.
Flight 048 New Orleans to Jackson
Named after the President, Andrew Jackson, the city is the capital and the most
populous city of the state of Mississippi.
Flight 049 Jackson to Montgomery
We reach Montgomery, Alabama. Prior to European colonisation, the left bank of the
Alabama River was inhabited by the Alibamu tribe of Native Americans. The Alibamu
and the Coushatta who lived on the opposite side of the river were adept mound
builders. Present-day Montgomery is built on the site of two Alibamu towns: Ikanatchati
(or Ecunchatty or Econachatee), meaning “red earth”; and Towassa, built on a bluff
called Chunnaanaauga Chatty.The first Europeans to come through central Alabama
were Hernando de Soto and his expedition, who came through Ikanatchati and camped
for one week in Towassa in 1540.
The next recorded European visits in the area happened well over a century later,
when an expedition from Carolina went down the Alabama River in 1697. The first
permanent European settler in the Montgomery area was James McQueen, a Scottish
trader who came to the area in 1716.
Montgomery was thrust into the spotlight of the early African-American Civil Rights
Movement. On December 4, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up
her bus seat to a white man, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The Montgomery
Improvement Association was created by Martin Luther King, Jr., then the pastor
of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, and E.D. Nixon, a lawyer and local civil rights
advocate, to organize the boycott. In June 1956, Judge Frank M. Johnson ruled that
Montgomery’s bus segregation was illegal. Luther King would go on to become an icon
throughout the world for his advocacy of equality for all. Despite his tragic assassination
his legacy lives on today throughout the world.
Flight 050 Montgomery to Orlando
We reach Florida and the playground that is Orlando. One of the most popular tourist
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destinations in the world, Orlando hosts Disneyworld and the Epcot Centre and a host
of theme parks!
Flight 051 Orlando to Miami
We continue south through the Florida panhandle to the city of Miami. Often referred to
as the Gateway to the Americas, Miami is an iconic global city due to its importance in
finance, commerce, culture, media, fashion, education, film, print media, entertainment,
the arts and international trade.
Downtown Miami is home to the largest concentration of international banks in the
United States as well as home to several corporate headquarters and television studios.
Additionally, the metropolis’ namesake port, the Port of Miami, is the busiest cruise ship
passenger port in the world in both passenger traffic and cruise lines.
The airport of our arrival, Miami International is also one of the busiest airports in the
world, serving destinations right across the globe!
Flight 052 Miami to Tampa
We return to a northerly track across Florida, arriving at Tampa. The city of Tampa is
renowned for its numerous sports teams and range of activities. It was recently regarded
as the best city to live for the “twenty somethings” by Forbes.
Flight 053 Tampa to Jacksonville
We continue north through Florida to Jacksonville. The city is the second on our journey,
named in honour of the 4th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. Surprisingly,
the city is the largest in Florida, with a population larger than that of Miami.
Flight 054 Jacksonville to Atlanta
We leave Florida, passing into Georgia with a visit to Atlanta. The city is a key
transportation hub for the south-eastern United States, with Atlanta International Airport
being the busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger numbers. We avoid the
crowds, landing at a much smaller regional airport adjacent to the city. If you intend to
fly here in the summer months, utilising a “real weather” option it is important to note
that the hot and humid climate gives rise to regular thunderstorms. A bumpy landing into
Atlanta is quite the norm for many parts of the year!
Flight 055 Atlanta to Columbia
We arrive in South Carolina, visiting the state capital of Columbia
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Flight 056 Columbia to Raleigh
We continue through the Carolinas, reaching Raleigh, North Carolina. Renowned for its
parks and trees, Raleigh is often referred to as “The City of Oaks”
Flight 057 Raleigh to Washington D.C.
We pass through Maryland and Virgina, reaching the capital of the United States,
Washington D.C. We land at Ronald Reagan Airport, named in honour of the hugely
popular President Ronald Reagan. In the real world, much of D.C. is a no-fly zone due
to security concerns. However, we have no such limitation in Flight Simulator, so take
the opportunity to fly over the city to spot the White House, the legislative buildings and
the Pentagon!
Flight 058 Washington D.C. to Charleston
We detour into West Virgina to visit Charleston. The city plays host each year to a
number of events and fairs and is regarded as a city of culture. From dance festivals
to symphony orchestra evenings to barbershop quartets, to firework displays, there is
always something happening in this vibrant city.
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Flight 059 Charleston to Cincinnati
We count down another state with a visit to Cincinnati, Ohio. In the early nineteenth
century, Cincinnati was the first American boomtown in the heart of the country to rival
the larger coastal cities in size and wealth. As the first major inland city in the country,
it is sometimes thought of as the first purely American city. It developed initially without
as much recent European immigration or influence as took place in eastern cities.
But by the end of the nineteenth century, with the shift from steamboats to railroads,
Cincinnati’s growth had slowed considerably and the city became surpassed in
population by many other inland Midwest cities, especially Chicago.
Flight 60 Cincinnati to Indianapolis
We arrive in Indiana, with a visit to Indianapolis. For much of its history, Indianapolis
has oriented itself around government and industry, particularly manufacturing.
Today, Indianapolis has a much more diversified economy, contributing to the fields
of education, health care, and finance. Tourism is also a vital part of the economy of
Indianapolis, and the city plays host to numerous conventions and sporting events.
Of these, perhaps the most well known is the annual Indianapolis 500. Other major
sporting events include the Brickyard 400 and the Men’s and Women’s NCAA
Basketball Tournaments.
Flight 61 Indianapolis to Pittsburgh
We return to Pennsylvania, landing in Pittsburgh. The city is especially known for its
steel industry, often being referred to as “Steel Town”. In addition, gas and other energy
businesses play a large part in the local economy.
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Flight 62 Pittsburgh to Trenton
We arrive in New Jersey, and the city of Trenton. The first settlement which would
become Trenton was established by Quakers in 1679, in the region then called the
Falls of the Delaware, led by Mahlon Stacy from Handsworth, Sheffield, UK. Quakers
were being persecuted in England at this time and North America provided the perfect
opportunity to exercise their religious freedom.
By 1719, the town adopted the name “Trent-towne”, after William Trent, one of its
leading landholders who purchased much of the surrounding land from Tracy’s family.
This name later was shortened to “Trenton”.
During the American Revolutionary War, the city was the site of George Washington’s
first military victory. On December 26, 1776, Washington and his army, after crossing
the icy Delaware River to Trenton, defeated the Hessian troops garrisoned there (see
Battle of Trenton). After the war, Trenton was briefly the national capital of the United
States in November and December of 1784. The city was considered as a permanent
capital for the new country, but the southern states preferred a location south of the
Mason-Dixon Line.
Flight 63 Trenton to Providence
We reach the smallest state of the union, the tiny Rhode Island as we visit Providence.
The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, to give the state it’s full official
title is more commonly referred to as Rhode Island is a state in the New England
region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area. Rhode Island borders
Connecticut to the west and Massachusetts to the north and east, and it shares a water
boundary with New York’s Long Island to the southwest.
Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen original colonies to declare independence from
British rule and the last to ratify the United States Constitution.
Rhode Island’s official nickname is “The Ocean State,” a reference to the state’s
geography, since Rhode Island has several large bays and inlets that amount to about
30% of its total area.
Flight 64 Providence to Bangor
Our tour of the contiguous USA finishes as we return to our starting airport of Bangor,
Maine. However, the tour is not over yet, with visits to Hawaii and Alaska ahead.
Flight 65 Honolulu to Hilo
We traverse across the Hawaiian chain with a fantastically scenic flight from Honolulu
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to Hilo. Rather than plot a direct course our journey winds its way around many islands
and scenic bays and is a real highlight of the Discover USA package.
Flight 66 Anchorage to King Salmon
We take a short tour of Alaska in the final three flights of Discover USA. Our first flight
takes us from the International Airport at Anchorage, west to the wonderful named
King Salmon Airport. If flying with real weather during winter months, you can expect
significantly challenging weather conditions and lots of snow! If this proves too much of
a challenge, flying in the summer months is much easier!
Flight 67 King Salmon to Sand Point
We continue west across Alaska to Sand Point.
Flight 68 Sand Point to Dutch Harbor
Discover USA concludes with what is regarded as one of the most difficult approaches
in the world! We land at Dutch Harbor. This small airfield is surrounded by high ground
that has to be negotiated on finals with a sharp turn in the bay! If you can fly this
approach in the winter then you really are a master pilot!
I hope that you have enjoyed this incredible tour of the USA. If you are keen for more
flights, this might also be a good opportunity to let you know that we have also created
a number of similar challenges with our Around The World In 80 Flights, Pole to Pole,
Discover Great Britain, Discover Europe and Discover Arabia titles. Taken as a whole
these titles add around 40,000 hours of flying visiting a massive range of destinations!
Jane-Rachel Whittaker
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Legal
Beechcraft Model 18 is a trademark of Beechcraft Corporation and is
used under license to RailSimulator.com Ltd d/b/a/ Dovetail Games.
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