During the climb, I wanted to be gentle and avoid maximum climb performance. From 20,000 ft to 31,000 ft, I climbed at a steady 1,200 ft/min – a controlled ascent that kept the Jet relaxed and the fuel consumption moderate.
In cruise, I let the autothrottle operate on factory settings, which at 31,000 ft produced a speed of Mach 0.52, roughly 302 knots. Over the water, it was a routine flight: focusing on the instruments, watching the sun set, and occasionally glancing at the seemingly endless “water desert” below and the traffic around me.
The landing, however, became somewhat hectic. The planned runway was changed, and the approach procedure had to be adjusted in the FMS. The airspace around Keflavik was busy – an evening rush hour. During the final approach, a TCAS alert sounded, caused by an Airbus at the 5 o’clock position less than a mile away. Users of Just Flight Traffic know how tricky such situations can be, as AI aircraft sometimes behave strangely, closing in during final approach and virtually “attacking” you. Microsoft ATC did not intervene or correct the spacing.
Upon touchdown, I was eager to clear the runway via the nearest taxiway. Although I had heard the go-around order for the Airbus, it was uncomfortably close, adding tension to the final moments. Somehow, Microsoft Ground “lost” me, and I couldn’t request a proper parking spot. In the simulator, I ended up placing my aircraft on the nearest stand, which was actually intended for freighters. Feierabend. Na gut.
Conclusion: It was a fantastic journey, flying from Duluth, Minnesota, to Keflavik in stages, and I hope I’ve inspired others to attempt similar flights. When the MSFS 2020 was still brand new, I had flown a Piper Seneca V (Carenado) in the reverse direction from Keflavik to Bangor – a completely different style of flying. At that time, it was not possible to complete the trip with only one stop in Greenland.
Yes, I did that. As a pensioner with no obligations, I occasionally come up with ideas like that.My longest single flight was quite a while ago and was also modeled on the reality. In P3D V 4, I flew nonstop from Paris to Reunion in the Indian Ocean with Air Austral's Boeing 787 “Dreamliner.” That was a little over 11 hours in one go.
