The concept for this journal came at me all at once. With the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update X and the updates done to the US scenery it seemed like a good time to check out some of those updates and just generally appreciate the whole experience at the same time. That together with the release of the Beechcraft 18 made me feel like I wanted to do something special. This is the start of that journey.
The rules
When I do a series like this is usually set some rules. First, this will be a point to point experience across the United States. Each time I land I will endeavour to takeoff again in the same spot. I’ve done this on previous cross country experiences and it’s been fun!
Next, this is going to be all about one aircraft. The new Asobo/Carenado Beechcraft Model 18. It’s an ideal candidate for this journey with the range, speed, and avionics necessary to make this enjoyable and fun while flying low enough to enjoy some of the scenery.
Third, I’m not going to worry too much about seeing everything that’s been added. But I do want to get to some landmarks both from the first US World Update and from the second.
Finally. This is going to be flown with real time and real weather. Whatever comes my way across this journey will be from the live weather service. It’s summer in North America and we’ve already seen our share of intense summer weather both with high heat and intense storms. We’ll see if I run into those or not.
Those are my goals above. The full story will come when I’ve completed the journey but I have already set out and done a couple of legs of this experience and it’s been fun. I’ve journeyed the length of Long Island into New York’s JFK airport and then flown from there down to Washington DC where a bunch of new landmarks are on display. After that, I don’t know where I will go exactly but I know where I want to end up. The newly upgraded Catalina airport on Catalina island off the coast of Los Angeles with its custom scenery. Can’t wait!
First impressions of the Beech 18
The journey has already seen me put in a few hours into the new Beechcraft 18 and I have to say that I’m really loving it so far. There are some quirks and bugs such as a starter switch that’s in the wrong position and that doesn’t work until you move it back and forth. Or the fuel pump making more noise than the starting engines. But the experience on the whole has been fun and I’ve loved connecting with this classic airplane.
I’ll be doing a full review of the airplane and completing the journey in future articles so stay tuned for that!
Stormbirds 
Will there be drinks available during the flight?
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I’m taking recommendations 🙂
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Excited to see how the journey plays out for you!
On a MSFS related note, have you ever explored any of the 3rd party “campaign/career” addons for the game? Something like Skypark, Neofly, or OnAir?
I’m a big fan of DCS/IL-2/BMS and only recently checked out MSFS thanks to XBox Game Pass for PC. What they’ve done is really amazing but I think I’d stick around longer if there was more existing content for me to engage with (hence the campaign/career idea).
Just curious if any of those addons were worth exploring.
As always, keep up the great work!
-Stew
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Hey Stew! Thanks for the great question. I have attempted to get into some older stuff like FSE and then more recently FSCharter. I haven’t been able to make them work the way I want to so I’m still on the hunt for something that might work out.
Frankly, I have more fun setting my own course much of the time. But I can get the appeal. I’m looking into some of these and will definitely write about them when I get to something!
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I did something like this eons ago with the Flight 1 Baron in FS9 and have always wanted to do it again. I think the PMDG DC-6 might be a fun plane to do it in – I’d be able to cover a lot of ground but at a scenic altitude, plus enjoy operating a top-notch addon aircraft. The visibility out of that Beech 18 looks pretty good though!
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I would recommend Neofly for MSFS. worth the initial investment (basic functionality is freeware 🙂 ).
there is plenty to do in it (cargo, vip, sar, …) and career settings are customizable.
especially worth it for small scale operations.
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Great recommendation! Thanks for sharing that with us.
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Cool, hope you enjoy it.
I’ve been having some relaxing time with the Staggerwing about every two week when I got some time since mid-March. Started from Crete, then cross over to Libya, east to Egypt and followed the Nile down to Sudan then crossed over to Ethiopia by way of Eritrea and slowly making my way to Uganda in the latest leg. And I’ve still not made up my mind where I actually wanna go.
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That sounds like a great tour! I love the Staggerwing and I will be doing some more flying and journaling with that at some point.
Sometimes the best part of a tour like that is that you reach a spot and then you just get to choose where you go next. “Not all who wander are not lost.” Skies the limit!
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I’ve been using AirHauler 2. I set up a company with routes flown by AI pilots. The company aircraft are all bought on the second hand market, and I ferry them to my base for AI to use. It leads to some weird and wonderful flights. Like flying an Islander from southern England to St.Martin…
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That sounds incredible Ken! Thanks for sharing. I might have to check that out too.
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So was doing a australia to Japan Island hopping thing a while back and grew frustrated that I could not plan for more than point A to B (what if I wanted to fly to point Z and lsbd at every point in between? Has that changed ? Are you using an add on for it? I like the structure of some of the Bush trips where it tracks your progress and you start where you last landed and don’t have to abandon the entire effort if you close the program.
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Enjoy the tour. I second the Neofly recommendation. I was doing a tour of Scotland but found the default airfields there lacking. Thank heavens for Flightsim.to. I purchased the Beech 18 not expecting much but am very pleased with it. Yes, the sounds are currently off a bit but otherwise it is an enjoyable aircraft from an era I really like.
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