Why Custom Flight Routes Elevate the Aerosimulation Experience

Modern aerosol simulators—from Microsoft Flight Simulator to X‑Plane—offer an unprecedented level of visual fidelity. Yet many pilots simply start at a default airport and fly to another without ever exploring the world's most breathtaking scenery. Crafting custom flight routes specifically designed to showcase global highlights transforms the simulator into a virtual travel experience. Whether you are training for real‑world VFR navigation, building an educational geography tour, or creating content for a YouTube channel, a well‑planned scenic route keeps the experience fresh and immersive.

By designing a route that passes over iconic landmarks, dramatic terrain, or vibrant cities, you turn a routine flight into a curated journey. This not only deepens your own engagement but also provides a powerful tool for sharing the beauty of flight simulation with newcomers. The ability to control aircraft speed, altitude, and time of day further lets you highlight the scenery exactly as you envision it.

Essential Tools and Software for Route Planning

Before plotting your first scenic flight, familiarize yourself with the tools that make custom route planning efficient and precise. Most simulators include a basic flight planner, but third‑party applications add powerful features such as dynamic waypoint insertion, real‑world weather integration, and scenery overlay maps.

  • SimBrief – A free, web‑based flight planning tool that generates detailed dispatch files, including fuel and route optimization. Its integration with MSFS and X‑Plane allows you to load the plan directly into your aircraft’s avionics. Visit SimBrief
  • Little Navmap – An open‑source flight planner and moving map tool. It shows terrain elevation, airways, and navaids, making it ideal for low‑altitude scenic routes. Download Little Navmap
  • Navigraph Charts – Provides Jeppesen‑style approach and en‑route charts. While primarily for IFR, its terrain and obstacle data help you plan safe scenic routes through mountainous regions. Learn about Navigraph
  • Built‑in World Map (MSFS 2020/2024) – Use the in‑game world map to place waypoints by clicking on points of interest. It displays elevation profiles and satellite imagery, a good starting point for quick scenic flights.
  • Google Earth + KML Export – Plan a 3D fly‑through in Google Earth, then export the path as a KML file. Some simulator tools can convert KML to aircraft‑ready flight plans.

Using a combination of these tools ensures your route is both visually rewarding and operationally safe, especially when navigating around controlled airspace or high terrain.

Step‑by‑Step Guide to Crafting a Scenic Flight Route

Follow this structured process to create a route that truly showcases the world’s scenery highlights.

1. Select Your Region and Theme

Decide the geographic area and type of scenery you want to feature. For example:

  • Natural wonders: Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, Patagonian fjords
  • Urban skylines: New York City, Hong Kong, Dubai
  • Mountain ranges: The Alps, Rocky Mountains, Himalayas
  • Coastal or island scenery: Amalfi Coast, Greek islands, Norwegian fjords

Having a clear theme makes it easier to choose waypoints and narrative angles.

2. Research Points of Interest

Use Google Maps, Wikipedia, or travel photography sites to identify specific landmarks along your intended corridor. For a Grand Canyon route, you might choose waypoints over the South Rim, Colorado River bend, and Desert View Watchtower. For an urban flight, include skyscrapers, bridges, and stadiums.

Make a list of 8–12 waypoints, but you can always simplify later. More waypoints give you flexibility; fewer keep the flight flowing naturally.

3. Plot the Route in a Planning Tool

Open Little Navmap or the simulator’s world map and start placing waypoints. Consider these factors:

  • Altitude: For scenery viewing, fly between 1,500 and 5,000 feet AGL. Too high and details blur; too low and you risk terrain collision or lack of overall context.
  • Leg distance: Keep each leg between 15 and 30 nautical miles for a route that lasts 45–90 minutes total. This allows time to enjoy each scene without overwhelming the viewer.
  • Avoid restricted airspace: Use current charts or sim‑integrated data to steer clear of military zones or major airports.
  • Use visual checkpoints: Instead of only VORs or waypoints, choose prominent landmarks (lakes, highways, coastlines) that are easy to spot and photograph.

4. Adjust for Scenery Add‑ons

If you have installed high‑quality scenery add‑ons—such as Orbx regions, Aerosoft airports, or freeware photorealistic meshes—plan your route to fly directly over those areas. An add‑on‑enhanced region can look dramatically better than default terrain, so prioritize those tiles.

5. Test the Route and Refine

Fly the route in a fast aircraft (e.g., a TBM 930 or Cessna Citation) to preview the overall pacing. Note where scenery becomes repetitive or where a better viewpoint exists. Adjust waypoints, altitude, or even speed to improve the visual flow. Repeat until each segment offers a distinct highlight.

Advanced Techniques for Showcasing Scenery

Once you have a basic route, apply these techniques to elevate the presentation.

Dynamic Lighting and Time of Day

Lighting is the single most important factor in scenery photography and videography. Schedule your flight at:

  • Golden hour (dawn/dusk): Warm, long shadows that emphasize terrain contours.
  • Midday: Flat lighting but clear visibility for distant landmarks.
  • Night: City lights and starry skies if your scenery includes realistic night textures.

Use the simulator’s time warp feature to fly during the exact lighting you want, even if your real‑world schedule doesn’t match.

Weather and Atmosphere

Clear weather (CAVOK) is best for showcasing scenery, but a few scattered clouds at the right altitude can add depth. For a dramatic effect, try flying just above a thin overcast layer with the terrain peeking through. Use real‑weather mode to experience authentic conditions, but consider manually setting “few clouds” for a perfect balance.

Camera and Views

To create cinematic recordings:

  • Use drone‑style external cameras (e.g., the “Showcase” or “Fly‑By” views in MSFS).
  • Smoothly pan around landmarks using an Xbox controller or joystick axis for camera control.
  • Record multiple angles: cockpit, wing‑mount, and chase. Later you can edit them together for a dynamic sequence.
  • For still screenshots, use the built‑in drone camera in MSFS (RCtrl+Spacebar) to position freely.

Narration and Music

If you plan to share the route as a video or live stream, add a calm narrated explanation of each landmark. Brief historical or geological facts keep the audience engaged. Background music—instrumental and low tempo—complements the visuals without overpowering them.

Showcasing Specific Regions: Examples and Inspiration

Here are three sample scenic routes you can adapt for your own simulations.

The Grand Canyon, USA

Start: Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (KFLG)
Waypoints: South Rim (Mather Point) → Desert View Watchtower → Navajo Bridge → Horseshoe Bend → Monument Valley (UT)
Altitude: 2,500 ft AGL over the canyon, 3,500 ft over Monument Valley
Duration: ~90 minutes in a Piper Archer

Flying through the canyon itself is risky due to elevation changes; stay above the rim for safe overviews. The contrast between the red rock formations and the Colorado River is spectacular.

The Alps, Switzerland/Italy

Start: Lugano Airport (LSZA)
Waypoints: Lake Como → St. Moritz → Jungfrau region → Matterhorn → Geneva
Altitude: 6,000 ft MSL (about 2,000–3,000 ft above peak terrain)
Duration: 2 hours in a Cessna 172

The Alpine scenery truly shines with the ORBX Switzerland add‑on. Fly through valleys for dramatic mountain passes, but always maintain sufficient terrain clearance. Timing the flight for late afternoon gives the snow‑capped peaks a golden glow.

New York City to Boston, USA

Start: Teterboro Airport (KTEB)
Waypoints: Manhattan skyline (Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center) → Central Park → Long Island Sound → Mystic Seaport → Boston Harbor
Altitude: 1,500 ft AGL over Manhattan, 2,500 ft over water
Duration: 1.5 hours in a DA62

This urban route is ideal for showcasing photorealistic city sceneries. Fly low over the Hudson River for the legendary “Hudson River Corridor” (requires careful radio calls even in a sim!). The transition from skyscrapers to coastal New England is visually rich.

Sharing and Publishing Your Custom Routes

Once your route is polished, share it with the flight simulation community. Many simmers actively seek new scenic routes to fly.

  • Export as a flight plan file (.pln, .fms, .gfp): Use your flight planning tool to save the route in a format others can load. Little Navmap supports multiple export formats.
  • Post on community hubs: Websites like Flightsim.to and AVSIM allow you to upload flight plans along with screenshots and descriptions.
  • Create a PDF guide: Include waypoint coordinates, recommended aircraft, and scenery add‑ons used. Add images of each key landmark.
  • Record a video tour: Upload to YouTube or Vimeo with the route description in the video description. Link back to the downloadable flight plan.

Providing a clear, easy‑to‑follow package increases the chance others will enjoy and even remix your route.

Conclusion

Custom flight routes are more than just a list of waypoints—they are carefully choreographed journeys that reveal the artistry of our planet (and the sim developers who modeled it). By investing time in planning, testing, and refining, you can transform a routine simulation session into a memorable virtual sightseeing tour. Whether you fly alone for relaxation, stream to an audience, or teach geography to students, a well‑designed scenic route remains one of the most rewarding ways to experience flight simulation. Start with a small region, experiment with the tools and techniques above, and soon you will be creating routes that inspire others to take to the virtual skies.