World Tour Leg 15 - Misrata to Al Bayda

After refueling and spending the night in Misrata, I decided to wake up soon and take off very early in the morning. The place can be too hot, so the earlier I'm on air, the better. I took off from runway 15, ascending quickly to 5500 ft. This time I didn't need to flight too high, and I wanted to enjoy the landscape.

I left Misrata behind, the third city in population and very important location specially during the Ottoman Empire. The plan for this leg was a long flight of about 500 nm, all along the coast. On my left, water. On my right, sand. For hundreds of miles.

I could have taken a shortcut from Sirte to Benghasi, but I didn't like the idea of flying for so long over the sea, far from a ground to land in case of emergency. Let's leave this for crossing the oceans, in a far future. By now, I'm flying over Sirte, birth and death place of Gaddafi and traditionaly loyal to him.

Following the coast I pass over few scattered villages until I arrive to Mersa Brega, another location severely hit by the war due to its industrial power. At this point I headed north, following Bengazhi VOR, leaving the city at my left-hand side. Benghazi, second city in size and importance of Libya, was leading the opposition to Gaddafi during the Civil War.

From this point I begin to see some vegetation and really beautiful waving hills, stablishing two altitude levels on the terrain clearly differentiated. Being my destination in the top layer, the approach resulted to be quite interesting.

I saw Al Bayda. This city contains the tomb of a companion of Muhammad and was developed with the idea to be the capital of Libya, although later it was decided to keep it on Tripoli. Right after Al Baida, I saw the runway 10 of my destination. Calm winds and soft approach, ending in a quite smooth landing.

I was tired. This has been the longest leg until now. Those 500 nm over the flat desert felt like many hours. But the job is done and I have advanced a lot. Let's find new eastbound jobs!

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Technical details:

HLMS - HLLQ

ABU-QURAYN SIRTE BEN-YAUAD MARSA-BREGA BENGASI EL-BEIDA

Distance: 500 nm

Average GS: 195 kt

Average alt.: 550 ft.

METAR:

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