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USA TOUR event | 53rd Leg: Long-Range Military Flight | SAT FEB 11TH 16:15Z - SUN FEB 12TH 0900 UTC

FIFTYTHIRD TRIP
Departing Des Moines International Airport (KDSM): Des Moines, Iowa
Arriving Francisco C. Ada, Saipan Intl. Airport (PGSN): Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

*************************************************************************************************************************
Leg Distance: approx Ferry 6150 nm
Competing Aircraft: Any Military Aircraft with Jet Engines
Expected Cruising Speed:at or around 0.81 Ma
Expected Cruising Altitude:at or around FL320
Expected Duration (en route): Ferry 16 h en-route
**************************************************************************************************************************

The Long-Range Military Flight

The USA Tour continues in 2017 -- the year I estimate it should conclude. Last
year's final route took us to Des Moines Iowa flying Fighter Jets.

On February 2017, as the tour starts its last season, we reach the
fiftieth-third route. This leg is remarkable and record-breaking. Firstly, it
is the longest route of the whole tour to be flown in one single non-stop
flight: a complete 6150 nm ferry. Secondly, it is one of very few legs
crossing the International date line, and arrives to the Eastern-Most USA tour
destination, concluding all four extreme cardinal points of the USA tour
destinations during its 5 years:

• Northernmost, Elmendorf Airforce Base, Anchorage, Alaska -- arrived
• Southernmost, Tafuna Airforce Base, Pago Pago, American Samoa --arrived
• Westernmost, Tafuna Airforce Base, Pago Pago, American Samoa --arrived
• Easternmost, Francisco C. Ada Airforce Base, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands -- planned

Another interesting note about this Leg is that this corresponds to the final
"All Military Aircraft Leg. Future legs are either "All Civilian" or "Hybrid:
Civilian and Military Aircrafts". The topic of which is to be announced.

Due to the extraordinary lenght of the Ferry route, this leg in addition
features "Support routes". Companying pilots can either

1. Choose to fly the Ferry route with the tour participants
2. Choose to participate by completing one or more of the cleared
   supporting routes below

Aircrafts

To participate in the USA tour a pilot can choose to use any Jet-Engined
Military aircraft that can either

1. Complete the complete route in Ferry mode
2. Be able to successfully complete Aerial Refueling (AAR) maneuvers

Pilots are encouraged to join in any of the needed modes, which are

1. Ferry Pilot, Military Cargo or Bomber
2. Tanker and support aircraft
3. Escort Fighter

Per popular request we will bring this tour of the leg to the regular FG servers. Hopefully we can show a very nice populated event, and maybe meet new friends

Please notify below all of the following information: Pilot Name,
route(s) to complete, Aircraft(s) of choice, Role in the Tour

Keep in mind, that the Tour will appreciate your participation as a Pilot in
any of the supporting routes, but, as always the goal of the tour is to travel
from Point A (Des Moines) to Point B (Saipan). And doing so having lots of fun
and flying with Friends.

I strongly support an effort to realism, and thus I encourage attempting AAR
maneuvers, but I won't dissuade a pilot to fuel-cheat over the ocean if it
were becoming necessary (:blush:)

GCMAP


Route:

Ferry

The Ferry Route is the official USA Tour 53rd route, and it will be flown as
planned below, by participants:

Duration (enroute), 16h05min
ETD: 02/11/2017, 16:15 UTC [Local Time (Des Moines): 02/11/2017, 10:15]
ETA: 02/12/2017, 09:00 UTC [Local Time (Saipan): 02/12/2017, 19:00]

The Ferry route is followed by the pilots completing the complete route From
Des Moines To Saipan. It takes at least 16 h to fly the ferry enroute. We will
complete this leg at FL300-FL340 flying at or around Mach 0.8.
If you are completing this route make sure to either (1) choose a military
aircraft capable of completing the indicated range or (2) choose a military
aircraft capable of performing AAR maneuvers or (3) an aircraft fitting both
one and two above.



SKYVECTOR



Supporting Routes

Supporting route: Des Moines
The First supporting Role is to provide Escorts or Tankers facilities
between Des Moines Intl, IA (KDSM) to the Seattle Area, WA
(KTCM).



Duration (en-Route), 3h20min
ETD 02/11/2017, 16:15 UTC [Local Time (Des Moines): 02/11/2017, 10:15]
ETA 02/11/2017, 19:25 UTC [Locat Time (Seattle): 02/11/2017, 11:25]

SKYVECTOR



Supporting route: McChord
The First supporting Role is to provide Escorts or Tankers facilities
between the Seattle Area (WA) and the waypoint 49N50 in the North
Pacific. Departing From McChord, and after Assisting the Tour, the Pilots head
for landing in Elmendorf, Anchorage (PAED).



Duration (en-Route), 4h30min
ETD 02/11/2017, 19:15 UTC [Local Time (Seattle): 02/11/2017, 11:15]
ETA 02/11/2017, 24:00 UTC [Local Time (Anchorage): 02/11/2017, 15:00]

SKYVECTOR



Supporting route: Elmendorf
The First supporting Role is to provide Escorts or Tankers facilities
between the waypoints 49N50 and 45N70 in the North Pacific. Pilots depart
Elmendorf Airfoce Base in Anchorage (PAED) and after assisting the tour return
for landing at Cold Bay Airport (PACD).



Duration (en-Route), 5h15min
ETD 02/11/2017, 23:45 UTC [Local Time (Anchorage): 02/11/2017, 14:45]
ETA 02/12/2017, 05:00 UTC [Local Time (Cold Bay): 02/11/2017, 20:00]

SKYVECTOR



Supporting route: Henderson
This supporting Role is to provide Escorts or Tankers facilities
between the waypoints 41E80 and 30E60 in the NorthWest Pacific. Pilots depart
Henderson Field in the Midway Atool (PMDY) and after assisting the tour return
for landing at Wake Island Airfield (PWAK).



Duration (en-Route), 7h00min
ETD 02/12/2017, 01:05 UTC [Local Time (Midway Atoll): 02/11/2017, 14:05]
ETA 02/12/2017, 08:05 UTC [Local Time (Wake Island): 02/12/2017, 20:15]

SKYVECTOR



Supporting route: Wake
This supporting Role is to provide Escorts or Tankers facilities
between the waypoint 30E60 in the NorthWest Pacific and the Arrival at
Northern Mariana Islands. Pilots depart Wake Island Airfield (PWAK) and after
joining the tour will fly to the arrival on Saipan (PGSN).



Duration (en-Route), 5h00min
ETD 02/12/2017, 04:00 UTC [Local Time (Wake Island): 02/11/2017, 16:05]
ETA 02/12/2017, 09:00 UTC [Local Time (Saipan): 02/12/2017, 19:00]

SKYVECTOR




PROCEDURES

Charts

• KDSM
• KTCM
• PAED
• PGSN

SID

• DES MOINES SEVEN DEPARTURE

Multiplayer Server

Operations will take place in the regular Flightgear Multiplayer servers.


Communications

Communications will take place with mumble. Important messages can be relayed on FGChat.
Sincere thanks to Michat for offering the intercom room and channels. This will be located in the FG mumble server:



To install and prepare the mumble (any OS), see here:
http://mumble.sourceforge.net/Main_Page


Forum

Follow us in the Free Flight Free Speech Flightgear Forum at
http://www.thejabberwocky.net

IH-COL

Report: IH-COL (name) will test the Boeing KC-137R StratoLiner "Zeus" (Aircraft) as Tanker (Function chosen) for the whole duration of the Ferry (Route)

https://github.com/FGMEMBERS/KC-137R

http://www.webinfomil.com/2012/09/fac12 ... -dios.html



Hi All,

I am joining the 53rd Leg of the tour, and I am considering Flying the Stratotanker KC137R by J. Maverick and iTouchpods, derived from the B707 by LakeOfConstance-Hangar.

I'm joining too, i'll fly a Boeing KC-(version to decide)!!

@IH-COL Thanks for choosing that!
I'd suggest you use the KC-137R-RT as it can be refueled as well. I highly encourage the use of the KC-137R family planes as they are more reliable, much more fuel efficient and better equipped for such a long flight than the current 707TT.
I may perform the first supporting route and part of the 2nd and 3rd (Doing a KDSM>PACD mixed route 3,300NM approx) with KC for you guys as doing it all may be prohibitive for my clock time (otherwise I do it overnight with PC opened; don't think so, I'd have done that 2 years ago when I still had the laptop which could have been way less consuming).
Will see...
Regards, Mav

I am working on a tanker version of the An-124. She can make the ferry and carry additionally 150t fuel (a little less than two KC-135s). I did some testing on the freighter version yet, but I am optimistic, I get her up as tanker. For compatibility reasons, I decided to use the same AAR system as the KC-137 series.

There is a problem with AAR with other planes though. The C-5 is currently not AAR capable, I am not sure about the C-141 and I am pretty sure, the Russian long range transports are all not AAR capable in FG.

C-141? Is there on in FG??
Regards, Mav

I thought, FGUK has one

I might fly the whole route with Herby's Ilyushin Il-76MD. It should be better range than the older TD model. I don't think the Il76 could refuel so it will have to be a low cargo weight, high fuel weight flight.

jwocky wrote:I thought, FGUK has one

I don't think there's one. FGUK has C-17.
Regards, Mav

Awesome. I'll join in a E-8R J-STARS