Flights 11-20:
YBAS to YBWP Alice Springs, Australia to Weipa, Australia. Back to flight levels. In the book Dallas flies this at FL370. Plan for J64 then W319 to ISMUN, then North to the COE NDB and then the Scherger TACAN SGR then direct to Weipa airport. That last waypoint is so you fly over the Scherger RAAF base where they are still planning on building Spaceport (which is mentioned in the novel). You have VOR, NDB, and RNAV approaches available in Weipa if weather turns on you.
YBWP to WAFF Wiepa, Australia to Palu Mutiara Sis Al Jufri, Indonesia. In the novel Dallas lands at WAMM Palu Mutiara Airport which was severely damaged in an earthquake and resulting tsunami in 2018. It reopened in 2024 with the ICAO designator WAFF. Dallas flew this direct to in the novel and given the lack of suitable airway navigation to make it within the range of the Starship it makes sense to do it this way. Check winds aloft and use FL320, FL340, or FL360 depending on winds. WAFF has a VOR and RNAV approach for runway 15 if the weather has turned for the worse.
WAFF to WAQQ Palu Mutiara Sis Al Jufri, Indonesia to Tarakan, Indonesia. This is a particularly interesting flight from the novel as it has Dallas winding his way VFR at 13,500 up the Utari peninsula of Sulawesi, a winding gooseneck that takes him hundreds of miles out of his way, just to see an area of land he had dreamed of since grade school. You will need the altitude since the mountain has several tops above 10,000’! At the northern tip of that peninsula, use the airport at Manado, ironically now using the ICAO code of WAMM (remember the last flight?), and head direct to Tarakan WAQQ at FL350 over the Strait of Makassar. If you want to use an airway you can go direct DIANI and pick up A211 which takes you to the Tarakan VORDME TRK located on the field.
WAQQ to RPLL Tarakan, Indonesia to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Phillippines. This is another mixed low level VFR and then flight level journey and I can only wonder if fuel would actually hold out for such a flight. Fly over the jungle at 6,500 feet to the Sibu NDB SB to see the Rajang and Baleh rivers written about in “Into the Heart of Borneo” (a favorite novel of Dallas), then sharp turn to the right and climb to FL370 to the Mulu VORDME VZU, then direct to the Caticlan NDB CT intercepting TR21 then B472 to LIGPA just South of Manila. Multiple IFR approaches into Manila if weather doesn’t treat you well.
RPLL to RJOA Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Phillippines to Hiroshima, Japan. The airways are almost a direct routing so autoroute with Navigraph and use FL330, FL350, or FL370 depending on winds. There are islands along the way so you could break this flight up into one or two stops along the way rather than stay in the air for so long.
RJOA to RJCW Hiroshima, Japan to Wakkanai, Japan. This is a sightseeing flight but instead of VFR Dallas chose to file IFR at 11,000 feet but when he started flying he was in and out of scattered clouds and requested 9,000 and it was approved. The routing I figured out for this flight is OYE CBE NJA OJT TLD GTC MXT YOROI. The pass alongside Mt. Fuji is quite impressive. It’s a long flight for such low altitude so keep fuel flow under 400 pph in each engine… you might make it!
RJCW to ZSSS Wakkanai, Japan to Hongqiao, Shangai, China. If you autoroute this flight it will take you along the NorthWest coastline of Japan. Dallas wanted to fly over Seoul, South Korea, the hometown of the lady he had met in New Zealand. While this routing is effortless in the sim I can’t imagine the routing would be as easy to negotiate with the three countries involved. If you use the Gimpo VORDME KIP you will fly directly over Seoul. Check winds aloft and use FL320, FL340, or FL360 depending on winds.
ZSSS to ZUUU Hongqiao, Shangai, China to Shuangliu airport, Chengdu, China. This is a difficult route to figure out from the picture in the book and even the description given of the flight. In the novel it is flown at FL330 and you initially head South over Shanghai proper then turn NorthWest to hopefully see evidence of the Great Wall of China near Xining and Lanzhou, then finally South to land at Chengdu. On the first leg you will pass over the Yellow River basin while known for its farming it is also famous for flooding. The land tapestry in this area will look different than anywhere else you have flown. If you plan your flight to first cross the Andong VORDME AND that will take you South over Shanghai, then turn NorthWest towards the Zhongwei VORDME ZWX followed by the Zhonghe VORDME DZH, then direct ZUUU. As you approach ZWX and then fly towards DZH the ridgeline will see signs of the serrated remnants of the Great Wall… at least as MSFS has represented it. There are a few add on sceneries which include some segments of the Great Wall but not in this area.
ZUUU to VNKT Shuangliu airport, Chengdu, China to Tribhuvan International, Kathmandu, Nepal. Navigraph or Simbrief will zag around a bit but it’s mostly direct. Check winds aloft and use FL340, FL360, or FL380 depending on winds. You are going to really notice when you get into the Himalayans how the ground is closer, many of the peaks are over 20,000 feet. You are also very likely to experience some serious headwinds so make sure you aren’t exhausting your fuel reserves. The landing in Kathmandu is trickier than you might expect, it is considered one of the hardest in the world. Mountains all around, high winds, and if IMC you are going to want to use that ground radar.
VNKT to ZWTN Tribhuvan International, Kathmandu, Nepal to Hotan, China. This flight is going to take you over the Plateau of Tibet where you will again be flying over terrain that is over 20,000 feet! No airways on this route, just a few waypoints. I used Simbrief since I liked it’s plan better than Navigraph. Check winds aloft and use FL340, FL360, or FL380 depending on winds. Your headwinds shouldn’t be as pronounced as the last flight. There is an ILS and VOR approach if weather is poor. The change in ground topography is interesting to note on this flight.
