The Alpine Odyssey is an 1000 mile 'ridge lift' route through the heart of the Alps for chilled glider pilots and keen beginners. It's divided into 10 stages that you can tackle one day at a time. Each stage takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes on average. You have the choice of 'realism' and 'adventure' weather modes and two wind speeds. Try the 'adventure' 18kt weather first.
If you have never flown a glider before, you can acquire the basic skills with the included practice flights and then learn as you go!
Alpine Odyssey
The Complete User Guide
Updates
- Release 1.3b adjusts the 'adventure' weather
- Release 1.3 offers 'realism' and 'adventure' weather options for different piloting styles
- Release 1.2 restrains the weather to be more in line with soaring safety requirements (as requested)
- Release 1.1 adjusts to the route to allow for Asobo's atmospheric model update causing new and difficult downdrafts
- Release 1.0
Trailer
Contents
- A comprehensive user guide
- Weather presets
- Two practice flight plans
- The complete set of Alpine Odyssey flight plans
- Audio encouragement David Attenborough's AI twin
FeGo
After loading your tasks, why don't I have a tow plane? It keeps disappearing! As soon as I load another flight plan or random airport, my tow plane (Wilga) is there. If the wind direction is correct, I would like to take off with a tow plane, but that doesn't seem possible.....
Floyd author
1 months ago
Scooty
😊
Edit: i can´t give it another 5-stars, as i already rated it ages ago.
Floyd author
4 months ago
giopen
I thank you very much for this glider route, it has been so exciting. I've been a glider and paraglider pilot, flying on Piedmonts and Lombardy Alps (LILC on Varese Lake as starting airport), but I never did a so long route even if it was in my dreams. Just for information, best months to fly on Alps are April and May, when Southern winds and strong thermals (expecially in the afternoon) allow you to fly for hours.
Floyd author
The endorsement of a IRL pilot has to be a good thing :0)
1 years ago
Gilbo
What a blast. Did the whole trip in VR and just finished the last leg. I've been flying the AS33Me since it came out and this 1000 miles really works it. You can go fast or slow, but you have to stay high. I love the twists and turns rather than just blasting down big valleys or ridges. Particulary fun in VR. It's a clever and crafty route you have picked Floyd and very scenic. And the weather just makes it, particularly landing in cloud and rain. Thankyou for the time you must have spent putting this flight plan together.
Floyd author
I couldn't have wished for a better review of the flight. Your experience of this trip is exactly what I enjoyed myself and its immensely satisfying to know you enjoyed it in the same way. I only use VR myself, its the only way to fly :0)
1 years ago
FeGo
Do I understand correctly that all tasks are flown with the same weather and wind direction?
Floyd author
Everything in this pack has been carefully considered and backed by David Attenborough, although to be fair, he doesn't know that. The Alpine Odyssey is a relaxing challenge that can be tacked by enthusiastic beginners or experienced pilots who want a pleasant scenic flight, culminating in an interesting accomplishment.
The purpose of having consistent weather is to eliminate that variable from your ability to complete the challenge. In other words you will not be able to claim that the weather was against you when you crash out of the route - it will only be because you failed to read the terrain and wind properly.
The mathematically precise wind direction will help the less experienced or those without instrumental help to orient themselves for ridge lift using a map display only. From a realism point of view, its not unrealistic to have several days of similar weather in a row, so I don't think that is an issue.
The weather hasn't been ignored, I have spent weeks tuning the cloud cover to heighten the scenic interest by hiding some of the long range views as you go, and that is a lot harder to do than it sounds. It makes a significant difference to the experience even if you don't consciously think or care about it. The clouds also add variety to the peaks and will occasionally will act as a visual obstacle during your flight that you will have to negotiate. If you are unwary when you enter a cloud you may find yourself sliding down a rock face as a result. In addition, the interaction between the clouds and the terrain changes slowly throughout the challenge as you enter and exit the Alps due to altitude of the mountains, providing a subtle change in the flying environment, and that wasn't an accident either.
2 years ago
funbird55
Floyd, you are a genius, i usually fly the big jets, and this had made me a glider inthusiast, what a lovely way to enjoy MSFS2020. Please please do more. i love you Floyd. i just visited Gloucester with my familiy and enjoyed the loverly views close to Bristol and Gloucester gliding club, watched the real gliders soaring around, just done the same route, and it was amazing. you have changed my whole view on gliding with your Alpine Odysee. I thank you from my heart xxx
Floyd author
Thanks :0)
2 years ago
Scooty
You made me wanna become a gilder pilot!
I have absolutely no idea of gliders so far, only coming from GAs and a bit bushflying... which glider do you suggest to start with and to maybe also make this trip, as beginner-friendly as can be?
Floyd author
I started the same way, and its actually a lot easier than it seems to stay aloft. Once you get the hang of tracking the wind direction against the slopes you will be doing well and then ready to refine the controls.
If you download the pack you will find two starter trails that you can learn the basics with. The first is simply a long straight ridge. The second is a ridge with steps in it which requires more effort since the steps create dead air zones. When you have conquered that one you are ready to learn as you go with the 1000 mile route from coast to plains!
The route was created using the AS33ME, and although its a racing glider I found it intuitive to use its controls, and I liked its weight. The user guide explains all you need to know, and you can also use its built-in propeller for take-off. It also has a control that shows you the relative wind direction, which is really useful. The only other glider I have used is the Discus 2b, which is now updated to 2c. This one is quite light compared to the AS33Me, and the wind will easily lift it above the peaks where you can stay as long as you like. The AS33Me requires more tactical effort to get to the same position.
You could try out the available gliders on the practice routes to see how you like them, whilst at the same time learning how the controls affect your flight.
2 years ago
Kiwi0ne
Any chance of updating this to SU9, please 😊
Floyd author
Sorry I missed this! They were always compatible with sim update 9, I didn't realise that I'd have to keep that setting up to date. I have checked them and they seem good without modification since they were not very dense in the first place, unlike the Epic Clouds which became gritty looking after SU9.
2 years ago
RasenganFlyer17
Is this supposed to be used with the API thermals from Kinetic Assistant?
Floyd author
I made the entire route by using ridge-lift only, and I have adjusted some of the route sections after flying the route several times. In theory you wouldn't need to use thermals unless you find it more entertaining.
If you are having trouble staying aloft it could be that your glider isn't happy with following the route that was created using the AS33, but I found the Discuss 2b that I originally used a year ago made the route a little too easy by floating a lot more readily. To counter that you can reduce wind speeds with the included presets. But that's not the issue you might be alluding to here.
You can also land out (or crash) on this route by starting a section at too low an altitude. I have done this several times myself on my own route, even after several run-throughs.
It pays to take time at the start of each section to climb to a position where you can follow close to or over the summit of a ridge and then work to maintain that position (I'm not a glider pilot, its just what I learned in the sim). If you set off on a section beneath the ridge top, its more interesting but potentially more painful because it can put you in quite awkward positions with respect to the wind and the shape of the valleys. Even if you hug the ridge tops you will probably still get into trouble from time to time anyway.
Note: one of the reasons I chose the AS33 is that it shows you the direction of the wind with respect to your heading, and you can make that follow the aircraft orientation so its always up. Without that indicator I would gradually drift into a bad position.
To make it easier to, I did make the wind direction southerly so without a wind indicator you will still know where the wind should be coming from most of the time.
If you master all of that, then you could try flying the route in reverse against the wind, it's much harder.
I hope that helps :0)
2 years ago
Maverick333rd
Finished Leg 10. Leg 9 was a bit of a challenge but so worth it. Nice trip, beautiful scenery, absolutely loved it. Thanks Floyd, it was great! See some more pictures, I have a few more to load.
Floyd author
I checked the route using the AS33 so maybe the flight characteristics of your glider made section 9 a bit more difficult than intended, or maybe I just got lucky! I did change section 9 before release but on both routes I could find some lift and not crash out. I didn't do so well when I started section 1 the other day... I took a risk and found myself on the ground feeling stupid (sigh).
I like your screenshots, the Alps are a beautiful destination, there is something really special about the look of the geology and the traces of human habitation running throughout.
I recently adjusted the saturation down by 5% using the OpenXR toolkit and it makes the already beautiful scenes that much more realistic (worth a try if you haven't done it already. A figure of 45% saturation worked for my headset).
Anyway, I'm really glad you enjoyed the route! I think going from end to end is worth the effort and its a very complete experience as well as a nice achievement :0)
2 years ago
Maverick333rd
Floyd likes to give us Rainbows. I like Rainbows, see picture!
Floyd author
A particularly fine double rainbow you have there :0)
2 years ago
Maverick333rd
Just finished Leg 3. I had a big grin on my face when I saw where LFHU was after going to near the bottom of the adjacent valley looking for the airport then having to climb back out and find it! Nice to have a little curved ball like that thrown in, or was it my lack of planning? Loving it so far, taken far too long on each leg sightseeing.
Floyd author
It wasn't intentional but this kind of thing happens eh. I trapped myself dozens of times when trying to build a decent route, but it is kind of fun to have a few problems along the way :0)
2 years ago
Floyd
I'm so glad to see that the 100 milestone has been passed! I first flew this route on the Discus 2b when it first came out a year ago since MSFS first made it possible for a complete flight in reasonable DEM data. The Alps have such interesting scenery.
fStopper
Very nice, thank you.
Floyd author
I hope you enjoyed the scenery and clouds along the way :0) (and the distinguished narrator) I've flown this route a lot to make sure its do able etc. and the Alps are are such an interesting place to fly. It just had to be done.
2 years ago
ensifera23
Wonderful! 10 out of 10 😊 Thank you very much! Hope you make more of these Soaring Plans!
Floyd author
Thanks for the encouragement :)
2 years ago