This is a pair of historic flying boat flight plans for the Tasman Empire Airways Ltd "Coral Route", flown in the South Pacific between 1951 and 1960. Two flight plans are included. One is set at land airports, as the required water runways are not available in the core sim. The second set is at water runways created specifically for the Coral Route by @Skylane, available here:
https://flightsim.to/file/58643/flying-boats-era-s-hydrobases
Note: While we don't yet have a Short Solent in MSFS, the Boeing 314 Clipper from PILOTS', the Latecoere 631 from MS/Bluemesh, or the Dornier Do X from MS/Oliver Moser are acceptable substitutes, with the Clipper being perhaps the closest analogue to the Short.
HISTORY:
The Coral Route was an historic air route operated by TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited) during the 1950s. TEAL was a predecessor to Air New Zealand, and the Coral Route was one of its most iconic and adventurous routes, a service for well-to-do travelers who were keen to soak up the culture of the remote Pacific Islands they visited.
The Coral Route connected New Zealand with Fiji, the Cook Islands, and French Polynesia. Stops to Samoa and then Tonga were introduced in 1952. It was primarily serviced by TEAL's fleet of Short Solent flying boats.
The route was named after the coral reefs that were prevalent in the region, and it played a crucial role in connecting New Zealand with its Pacific neighbors. Before the advent of long-range land-based aircraft, flying boats like those used on the Coral Route were essential for reaching remote island destinations without developed airports or runways.
The Coral Route was not only a lifeline for transportation and commerce but also a symbol of adventure and romance in the golden age of aviation. Passengers traveling on the Coral Route experienced the thrill of flying over vast expanses of ocean and landing in exotic island paradises.
In 1953, a young Queen Elizabeth II flew with TEAL to Fiji. The flying boat Aotearoa II flew the Queen and Prince Philip from Suva to Lautoka and back on a sightseeing trip. It was the first time the British royal family had chartered a flight on a commercial airliner.
With advancements in aviation technology and the development of land-based aircraft with greater range and efficiency, by 1960 the era of flying boats came to an end. TEAL eventually transitioned to operating land-based aircraft exclusively, and the Coral Route ceased to exist as a scheduled air service.
REFERENCES:
Atlas Obscura https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/coral-route-teal-flying-boat
Auckland Museum https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/collections/topics/the-coral-route
Video: The Last Iconic Short Brothers Flying Boat, The Iconic Coral Route Thru the South Pacific: https://youtu.be/9Fn0euHxv3I
