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The Flight Simulator Around-The-World Race
The Flight Simulator Around-The-World Race is an annual event conducted between the top flight simulation websites. Enthusiasts from each site gather online to fly their team's virtual baton around the world as fast as possible. The race was first run in 2003. From the beginning, the race has been an open contest with the simple objective of having fun. It is administered by a small executive committee of a few enthusiasts.
Teams
Currently, four websites field teams for the race. They are:
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee has the final authority in running the race. It creates, modifies, and interprets the race charter and rules. The members of this committee are listed below. Please feel free to click on their names in order to contact them via e-mail.
Race History
| Year | Champion |
| 2003 |  |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 |  |
| 2006 | |
| 2007 | |
| 2008 |  |
| 2009 | |
| 2010 | |
The first two races took place only between Flightsim.com and AVSIM.com only, and saw the community's interest piqued as AVSIM took the "Tornado Trophy" both years. The third year, 2005, saw the introduction of a new competitor, Sim-Outhouse.com. A spirited contest and a strong showing of all three teams gave way to the eventual triumph of Flightsim.com. Race journals chronicling the events of each year's race have traditionally been kept, beginning with the second running of the race. They may be found here:
Trophy
In addition to the pride, glory, and bragging rights that a race victory brings, each forum is traditionally awarded possession of the "Tornado Trophy," named for the inspiration behind the RTW Race, Ian Dale, known online as TornadoWilkes. The trophy is seen below.
FAQ
How can I get involved?
You can be a pilot in the race yourself or you can follow the race through this site and the forums of the competing websites. For links to the forums, see either the Teams or Pilot Resources pages. For a detailed, step-by-step description of how to fly as a pilot in the race, see the tutorial below.
Who's in charge of the race?
A small executive committee works together to make administrative decisions regarding the race. The current composition of the committee may be seen under the "committee" section above.
Do I need special software or hardware in order to take part in the race?
The only software you need to be a part of the race is Microsoft Flight Simulator and a small, freely-downloadable race authentication program that you can get from this website. For hardware, nothing more than the flight control device you use to fly is needed. Please see the tutorial below for more details.
Do I need to have Flight Simulator configured in a special way in order to fly in the race?
Yes. We require that realism be set to the most realistic level and real weather to be turned on. For specific settings, please see either the Tutorial or the Rules section.
Tutorial
So, you want to be a pilot in the race. Great! Here's how to do it.
1 - Pick a team. The first thing you need to do in order to take part in the race is to pick a team to fly for. There are four teams competing in the 2009 race. These teams are listed in the Teams section of this website. Explore each website, and pick your favorite one. Once you've reached a decision, it's time to make sure your computer is configured properly for the race.
2 - Configure Flight Simulator for the most realism. In order to make the race realistically challenging for everyone, we require a few of Flight Simulator's settings to be configured appropriately. Start Flight Simulator and select the settings page. Next, click the Realism button. Move the General and Crash Tolerance sliders under Flight Model all the way to the right. Then, under Crashes and Damage, select Detect Crashes and Damage and check Aircraft Stress Causes Damage. Finally, under Engines, uncheck Unlimited Fuel. Adust any other settings as you see fit and click OK. Then, select Weather. Check Download Winds Aloft with Real World Weather, adust other settings as you see fit and Click OK. Next, go to your graphics settings and ensure that "Cloud Coverage Density" is set to at least "High." Finally, ensure that your Flight Simulator clock is set correctly. Go to an airport in your time zone and make sure that the Flight Simulator clock reads the same as your desktop clock. That's it. Your simulator is all set for race day.
3 - Practice for the race (optional). Read over the rules to see what kind of aircraft you can use, and search file libraries or payware developer's websites for a plane to use. Then, practice! Always use real-world weather and real time so you'll be ready for what you're going to experience during the race.
4 - Race Day. On race day, go to the race forum of your team's website. When someone posts that the baton is free, reply by saying that you have the baton. Then, load Flight Simulator. Select the aircraft you want to race with and the airport that the baton was declared free at. Then, click on Change under Weather and select Real-World Weather with 15-minute updates. Once the weather has been downloaded and loaded into the Simulator, click on Fly Now. (Note: If you know what airport the baton is going to be free at, you could do all of this before claiming the baton and have your simulator running when you post that you have the baton. This might save your team some valuable time.) Now, minimize Flight Simulator (Hold down the "Windows" key and press 'D'), start the RTW-Duenna program, and claim the baton. Fly to another airport along your team's route around the world. You may not have the baton for more than two hours (unless special circumstances apply), so make sure you plan your flight accordingly. After the flight, authenticate your flight using the Duenna. Upload the picture and text produced by the Duenna to your team's forum (the process for uploading varies from forum to forum, check with your website) and post it along with the statement that the baton is free at the airport that you landed at. Congratulations! You just helped your team around the world!
5 - Special Notes. Please read all the rules before flying in the race. This tutorial is intended to give you some instruction as to how to fly in the race, but does not take the place of the Rules.
Flight Simulator Around-The-World Race Official Website - Contact Matt Smith with any questions.