Gunter’s Sunday World Flights

Join us every Sunday for about 2 hours when we fly somewhere in the world. We are using different airplanes for these flights, from small GA planes to jets. No experience is necessary. If you have ever wanted to give multiplayer flying a try and have not known where to start, and enjoy a calm and relaxed environment with like-minded others, this is the place for you.

• Where: DigitalThemePark Discord
• When: Every Sunday at 10:00a PT / 13:00p ET / 1700 UTC
• Requirements: Your simulator and aircraft of choice

Sunday, February 22 Flight

Hi everyone,

This is a helicopter tour around the French Island of La Réunion. It will take us from the western lagoons, through the dramatic volcanic “cirques” and active peaks, and finally to the northern capital. It is a recycled trip; we’ve been here before.

La Réunion is an overseas department and region of France located in the African region, with a population of approximately 910,985. Its capital and largest city is Saint-Denis. Before the arrival of French colonial subjects and immigrants in the 17th century, Réunion was an uninhabited island. Its tropical climate led to the development of a plantation economy focused primarily on sugar; slaves from East Africa were imported as fieldworkers, followed by Malays, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indians as indentured laborers. Today, the largest proportion of the population is of mixed descent, while the predominant language is Réunion Creole; however, French remains the sole official language. Since 1946, Réunion has been governed as a French region and thus has a similar status to its counterparts in Metropolitan France. Consequently, it is one of the outermost regions of the European Union and part of the eurozone. Owing to its strategic location, France maintains a large military presence on the island. The trip begins at the La Saline Les Bains ULM platform (FME8), located on the sunny west coast. This area is characterized by its white sandy beaches and a protective coral reef. Immediately after takeoff, we will be over the Lagon de la Saline, a shallow, turquoise expanse that serves as a marine sanctuary. We head down to the beach and follow it to the first POI, Planch’Alizé, a well-known beachfront landmark at La Saline les Bains. From here, we continue a northerly heading and make three stops at heliports or Ultralight landing strips. We then turn inland to explore the three Cirques: The Cirque de Mafate is the most remote of the three, accessible only by foot or helicopter. It is a haven for hikers and is characterized by jagged ridges and isolated hamlets known as “îlets.” The Cirque de Cilaos is known for its thermal springs and vineyards. Cilaos is dominated by the Piton des Neiges, which is the highest point in the Indian Ocean at 3,070 meters, and the Cirque de Salazie is famous for its countless waterfalls, including the Voile de la Mariée (Bride’s Veil). In the southeast is the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active basaltic volcanoes in the world. Its “Enclos Fouqué” caldera creates a lunar landscape of dried lava flows and smoking craters that contrast sharply with the island’s lush greenery. On the way, we stop at multiple heliports. They are sometimes hard to spot and pretty small. After leaving the Hélistation Ciel 974, we head for the coast and land at Pierrefonds (FMEP), the island’s secondary international airport. It serves as the primary gateway for those exploring the “Wild South” and the volcano. From here, we follow the coast in an easterly direction, make a short stop at the Chu de St-Pierre (FMES) before turning inland again to explore the Piton de la Fournaise area. We make some more stops in the mountains before heading for the north coast. We make two more stops and finish the flight at La Réunion – Roland Garros (FMEE), the island’s main hub in Sainte-Marie, near the capital, Saint-Denis. Named after the famous French aviator born in Réunion, it handles long-haul flights from Europe and Africa.

The flight is 100 miles long and offers 19 heliports or small airstrips for landing. Some are very close together, so we can find a landing place for everyone. We want to use a small helicopter, and there are some climbs involved. I will be in the Taoag UH-1 helicopter. As always, please fly what you like

The flight plans are here.

Additional scenery: all links refer to flightsim.to

The required scenery is here in one package (2.7 GB). A huge thank you to Guillaume L, AtomicDZ, and three other great creators!

We try real weather. Please set your simulator for a 9 am local departure.

Cheers

Gunter