Historic flight plan

1939: Railway Air Services, from Scilly to Shetland

A Michel Lagneau historic route presented as a clear cockpit briefing, ready to help you prepare the simulator, follow each stopover and enjoy the journey.

Period1939AuthorMichel LagneauReading3 min

16Waypoints~ 1 479 kmDistance3Segments

Interactive route, leg by leg, with animated playback.

Real route map

Approximate track based on the article waypoints and available aeronautical coordinates.

01Southwest to Midlands02Northern England and Scotland03Toward northern isles

Pre-flight briefing

Railway Air Services, from Scilly to Shetland

Understand the mission

Start with the historic context: it sets the atmosphere, aircraft choice and overall logic of the journey.

Prepare the simulator

Check scenery, recommended aircraft, fuel and weather before launching the first leg.

Follow the legs

Use the airport codes, flying times and route notes to build your navigation leg by leg.

Enjoy the journey

Let the route shape the experience: adjust lighting, document waypoints and take time to rediscover the story.

Historic flight plan

Michel Lagneau route notebook

Settle into the cockpit, prepare your aircraft and follow the journey as a proper historic crossing.

Across England and Scotland in one long diagonal

Railway Air Services was founded in 1934 and disappeared in 1946 through nationalization into British European Airways. Its network linked the far ends of the United Kingdom with an almost railway-like logic: one stage after another from the southwest to the northern islands.

The route begins in the Scilly Isles, crosses southwest England, climbs through the Midlands and the north, then continues toward Scotland, Orkney and Shetland.

Period1939

AirlineRailway Air Services

Suggested aircraftLight single-engine aircraft

NavigationGPS with VOR/DME and ADF/NDB

Flying notes

This route is best flown in several short stages: distances are manageable and the scenery changes quickly.
From Glasgow onward, watch weather and wind carefully: Wick, Kirkwall and Lerwick introduce a stronger maritime character.
The pleasure comes from the clear progression, like an air service following the country’s backbone.

Suggested route

Southwest England to the Midlands

This chapter structures the Southwest England to the Midlands segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

EGHE → EGHC → EGHD → EGTE → EGGD → EGBB

Northern England and Scotland

This chapter structures the Northern England and Scotland segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

EGBB → EGCC → EGGP → EGNH → EGNC → EGPF

Toward the northern islands

This chapter structures the Toward the northern islands segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

EGPF → EGPT → EGPE → EGPC → EGPA → EGET

Navigation steps

Southwest England to the MidlandsScilly Isles / St Mary’s EGHE → Land’s End / St Just EGHC 27 NM
Land’s End EGHC → Plymouth EGHD 63 NM
Plymouth EGHD → Exeter EGTE 33 NM
Exeter EGTE → Bristol EGGD 47 NM
Bristol EGGD → Birmingham EGBB 73 NM
Northern England and ScotlandBirmingham EGBB → Manchester EGCC 57 NM
Manchester EGCC → Liverpool EGGP 20 NM
Liverpool EGGP → Blackpool EGNH short sector
Blackpool EGNH → Carlisle EGNC 70 NM
Carlisle EGNC → Glasgow EGPF 79 NM
Toward the northern islandsGlasgow EGPF → Perth / Scone EGPT 49 NM
Perth EGPT → Inverness EGPE 70 NM
Inverness EGPE → Wick EGPC 63 NM
Wick EGPC → Orkney Islands / Kirkwall EGPA 31 NM
Kirkwall EGPA → Shetland Islands / Lerwick - Tingwall EGET 90 NM