Funny you should mention this- I just saw The Spirit of St. Louis (again) on TV, and was amazed (again) that Lindbergh managed to pull that off by dead reckoning alone.
That's the hard way...
I thought about doing the same thing in FS9, but it took three tries just to get the overloaded Ryan off the ground, and by the time I got to St. John I was exhausted. ;)
That's what made me ask.(The movie, I mean) If I can figure out how to do the multiplayer thing(so others can join in if they wish) I'm THINKING about trying it. I think I'd start out fresh though, none of that staying up for 22 hours before I "leave" business!
That would be fun, flying that with a group, but I simply don't have that kind of free time... I'd have to do it in bits and pieces.
But yes, if you're going to try it in real time, I'd recommend getting some sleep beforehand... Lindbergh was definitely very lucky, because he dozed off more than once and didn't crash or even wind up very far off course. The fact that he survived WWI and flying the mail in the 20s must have given him the impression that he would never die in an airplane... and it turns out he was right.
But I would recommend something he did do, if you're planning to do it in the Ryan: get some time in that thing with a much lighter load first. It's not easy to fly.
Good luck, and remember: no ATC, navaids, or GPS- just the earth-induction and mag compass (both of which went a bit crazy in the northernmost stretch of his great circle route).
Have fun.
I have the book, which outlines his waypoints and heading-change times; I' be happy to look that up for you if you want (once I get home next week).
:D
