Group Single Engine Flight Around the US

[Ali Mahvan]

I've decided to fly a single engine airplane around the US in real life upon the completion of my IFR endorsement. In preparation, I've decided to fly that same single engine aircraft, a Piper PA-32-300 Saratoga II TC, around the US in Xplane on VATSIM. 

If you'd like to join, and fly together as a group (I wouldn't mind putting together a group of 5-10 GA aircraft to travel together), reach out! I've completed approximately 20% of the journey thus far on a mix of ProjectFLY and then VATSIM. As of tonight, we're out of KSGJ, Northeast Florida Regional airport.

The journey began at KFHU, Fort Huachuca Municipal in Sierra Vista, AZ. We will be ending the trip there, once we're finished circling the country. We typically fly in short 2-3 hr legs. Looking forward to putting a group together.

If all goes well, we'll potentially begin another group to fly around the world. Maybe we'll even meet up for the real flight.

[Andreas Fuchs]

Hi Ali,

is your complete route set? Or will the next leg always be planned spontaneously? If it is a fixed route, you may have more success in dragging people in by listing all the upcoming legs, the dates and approximate times for these flights.

One good way of presenting the flights would be a screenshot of Skyvector with the entire plan or at least of the next few legs, it may raise the appetite of other pilots.

Also, the forum has a dedicated section for group flights: https://forums.vatsim.net/forum/305-come-fly-with-me/

Are you a member of the new Discord server of VATSIM? Maybe also post there.

[Ali Mahvan]

22 hours ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

is your complete route set? Or will the next leg always be planned spontaneously? If it is a fixed route, you may have more success in dragging people in by listing all the upcoming legs, the dates and approximate times for these flights.

One good way of presenting the flights would be a screenshot of Skyvector with the entire plan or at least of the next few legs, it may raise the appetite of other pilots.

Thanks for following up. While I wanted to plan it, I figured out very quickly that because of the nature of GA aircraft and unpredictable weather, it's a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of planning. Prior to the leg, we check the METARs, and try to find the most direct route, stopping at places of interest (Grand Canyon VFR, New York Hudson River VFR, Seaplane Harbors, Kittyhawk First Flight, etc)

So far, it's been pretty cool. I'll post in the discord as well. Thanks for the recommendation.