James_Fuller01

The adventure has begun! With the Inibuilds A350 released just a few days ago, I couldn't wait to take my favourite aircraft of all time on a proper round-the-world journey. As a longtime A350 fan (especially with a Cathay Pacific livery), I was beyond excited to finally have a high-quality version of this beautiful bird in the sim. Flight Logbook Leg 1: 28/02/25 | Route: EGLL-KLAX | Aircraft: A350-1000 | Flight No: VS7 | Distance: 4,846 NM | Flight Time: 10:03 Leg 2: 28/02/25 | Route: KLAX-NZAA | Aircraft: A350-900 | Flight No: DL65 | Distance: 5,760 NM | Flight Time: 12:09 Leg 3: NZAA-VHHH Leg 4: VHHH-YSSY Leg 5: YSSY-WSSS Leg 6: WSSS-RJTT Leg 7: RJTT-EKCH Leg 8: EKCH-OTHH Leg 9: OTHH-FACT Leg 10: FACT-EDDM Leg 11: EDDM-KJFK Leg 12: KJFK-LEMD Leg 13: LEMD-SBGR Leg 14: SBGR-SCEL Leg 15: SCEL-KATL Leg 16: KATL-FOAR Leg 17: FOAR-LTFM Leg 18: LTFM-LFPG Leg 19: LFPG-CYVR Leg 20: CYVR-EGLL You can see the full plan here: https://shorturl.at/3Qirc ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEG 1: LONDON HEATHROW (EGLL) TO LOS ANGELES (KLAX) I kicked off my journey on February 28th, 2025, operating flight VS0007 from London Heathrow (EGLL) bound for Los Angeles (KLAX) in the Virgin Atlantic A35X. After a quick briefing, we departed runway 27L with a takeoff weight of 254,947 kg - well below the maximum of 322,000 kg. The weather was perfect, with barely any wind (316/016) and excellent visibility. We climbed smoothly to our planned cruise altitude of FL390 as London's sprawl gave way to the English countryside below. Our route took us over Scotland, Iceland, and the breathtaking ice sheets of Greenland before crossing Canada and entering US airspace. The frozen landscapes of Greenland against the deep blue North Atlantic were absolutely stunning - definitely a highlight of this leg! We followed the DEFERTE oceanic route, crossing through EGLL/27L, UMLATIG, UMLAT, WELIN, TNT, and various waypoints across the Atlantic, including BALIXY, before descending into KLAX/25L. The A350's systems were a joy to manage throughout the flight. Even when we encountered moderate turbulence over eastern Canada, the aircraft handled it beautifully. The approach into LAX offered spectacular views of the Los Angeles cityscape and the surrounding mountains as we touched down smoothly on runway 25L. Flight Stats: Aircraft: Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 (Inibuilds) Flight: VS0007 (28FEB2025) Route: EGLL - KLAX Distance: 4,846 NM (GND), 4,720 NM (Air) Block Fuel: 68,102 KG Trip Fuel: 60,060 KG Flight Time: 10:03 hours Now it's a quick turnaround at LAX before our 2pm local departure (10pm UK time) on the Delta A350-900 bound for Auckland (NZAA)! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEG 2: LOS ANGELES (KLAX) TO AUCKLAND (NZAA) After landing in KLAX, it was time for the second leg of my round-the-world journey in the Inibuilds A350. This time I'd be flying the Delta A350-900 (N503DN) operating as DL65 from Los Angeles to Auckland - a pretty long trip across the Pacific that would really put the aircraft through its paces. Departure was scheduled for 23:00 UTC on February 28th (3:00pm local LAX time), with the flight plan showing a route of 5,746 nautical miles. Looking at the documentation, we'd be crossing the Pacific following a track that took us southwest from LAX passing near Hawaii before making the long stretch to Auckland. This being an overnight long-haul, I was particularly excited to test the Inibuilds A350's automatic step climb functionality. Our flight plan included multiple step climbs starting at FL340, then up to FL360 near AHNDO, progressing to FL380 around 12N145W, and finally reaching FL400 near SAPIX as our fuel burn reduced during the journey. I went to bed around 11:30pm UK time with the aircraft cruising beautifully over the Pacific, and woke up at 8:30am the next day to find it had perfectly executed all programmed step climbs, reaching FL400 as planned. I was really impressed with how the A350 handled all the automation for me overnight, without a hitch! As dawn broke, we began our descent into Auckland. The approach offered amazing views of New Zealand's North Island with its landscape really shining in the early morning light. The weather was perfect with light winds and good visibility, making for a smooth approach. We touched down on runway 23L at Auckland International Airport right on schedule, after a flight time of 12:09. And, after landing, I had time to appreciate the beautiful Auckland scenery. The terminal was bustling with activity, with Air New Zealand's distinctive koru-tailed aircraft dominating the gates alongside others from Qantas and various international carriers. The Delta A350 looked right at home among them. Flight Stats: Block Fuel: 89,924 kg Trip Fuel: 74,911 kg Flight Time: 12:15 hours Distance: 5,746 NM (ground), 5,662 NM (air) Average Wind: 276/018 Cruise Profile: CI 75 Next up on this adventure will be the journey from Auckland to Hong Kong in a Cathay Pacific A350-1000. Safe flying, everyone!