Historic flight plan

1949: British South American Airways and the Bermuda Triangle routes

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.

Period1949AuthorMichel LagneauReading5 min

39Waypoints~ 51 070 kmDistance3Segments

Interactive route, leg by leg, with animated playback.

Real route map

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

01Atlantic and South America02Bermuda and Caribbean03Transatlantic return

Pre-flight briefing

British South American Airways and the Bermuda Triangle routes

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.

Atlantic routes between prestige and mystery

British South American Airways was created in 1946 to link the United Kingdom with South America and the Caribbean. Its Bermuda services became famous after the disappearances of Star Tiger in 1948 and Star Ariel in 1949.

This flight plan follows the airline’s major routes: the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Florida and South America. The long sectors suit an Avro Tudor, while the regional legs work well with a DC-3.

Period1949

AirlineBritish South American Airways

Suggested aircraftAvro Tudor for long routes, DC-3 for regional sectors

NavigationGPS recommended

Before departure

The oceanic legs need careful fuel and weather planning.
The Buenos Aires to Santiago link was temporarily suspended on 1 November 1949; in the simulator it remains flyable if you climb gradually to a safe altitude and check the terrain carefully before Santiago.
The route works as two experiences: long-haul Atlantic flying first, then shorter services through the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Suggested route

Route 1 - United Kingdom, South Atlantic and the Andes

This chapter structures the Route 1 - United Kingdom, South Atlantic and the Andes segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

EGLL → LPPT → GOOY → SBNT → SBGL → SBSP → SUMU → SAEZ → SCEL

Route 2 - United Kingdom, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Panama and Chile

This chapter structures the Route 2 - United Kingdom, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Panama and Chile segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

EGLL → EGPF → EINN → CYQX → KLGA → TXKF → MYNN → MKJP → MPMG → SPIM → SCEL

Route 3 - Bahamas

This chapter structures the Route 3 - Bahamas segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

MYNN → MYBS → MYGW → MYAT → MYAM → MYEH → MYEM → MYER → MYNN

Route 4 - British West Indies and the South American coast

This chapter structures the Route 4 - British West Indies and the South American coast segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

MZBZ → MKJP → MDHE → TKPK → TAPA → TLPC → TBPB → TGPY → TTCP → TTPP → SYCJ → SVMP → TNCC → MKJP

Route 5 - Bahamas, Florida and Cuba

This chapter structures the Route 5 - Bahamas, Florida and Cuba segment with regular legs and distances to monitor in the navigation block.

MYNN → KMIA → MUHA

Navigation steps

Route 1 - United Kingdom, South Atlantic and the AndesLondon / Heathrow EGLL → Lisbon LPPT 844 NM
Lisbon LPPT → Dakar / Léopold Sédar Senghor GOOY 1,508 NM
Dakar GOOY → Natal / Augusto Severo Intl SBNT 1,629 NM
Natal SBNT → Rio de Janeiro / Galeao-Antonio C Jobim Intl SBGL 1,115 NM
Rio de Janeiro SBGL → Sao Paulo / Congonhas Intl SBSP 194 NM
Sao Paulo SBSP → Montevideo / Carrasco Intl SUMU 832 NM
Montevideo SUMU → Buenos Aires / Ezeiza Intl SAEZ 124 NM
Buenos Aires SAEZ → Santiago / Arturo Merino Benitez Intl SCEL 615 NM
Route 2 - United Kingdom, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Panama and ChileLondon / Heathrow EGLL → Glasgow EGPF 300 NM
Glasgow EGPF → Shannon EINN 247 NM
Shannon EINN → Gander Intl CYQX 1,716 NM
Gander CYQX → New York / La Guardia KLGA 952 NM
New York KLGA → Hamilton / Bermuda Intl TXKF 670 NM
Hamilton TXKF → Nassau Intl MYNN 802 NM
Nassau MYNN → Kingston / Norman Manley Intl MKJP 428 NM
Kingston MKJP → Panama City / Marcos A. Gelabert Intl MPMG 562 NM
Panama City MPMG → Lima-Callao / Jorge Chavez Intl SPIM 1,268 NM
Lima-Callao SPIM → Santiago / Arturo Merino Benitez Intl SCEL 1,328 NM
Route 3 - BahamasNassau Intl MYNN → Cat Cay / Bimini - South Bimini MYBS 105 NM
South Bimini MYBS → West End MYGW 61 NM
West End MYGW → Green Turtle Cay / Abaco - Treasure Cay MYAT 84 NM
Treasure Cay MYAT → Hopetown / Marsh Harbour MYAM 21 NM
Marsh Harbour MYAM → Spanish Wells / North Eleuthera MYEH 65 NM
North Eleuthera MYEH → Governor’s Harbour MYEM 22 NM
Governor’s Harbour MYEM → Rock Sound Intl MYER 24 NM
Rock Sound MYER → Nassau Intl MYNN 71 NM
Route 4 - British West Indies and the South American coastBelmopan / Belize City - Philip S. W. Goldson Intl MZBZ → Kingston / Norman Manley Intl MKJP 659 NM
Kingston MKJP → Ciudad Trujillo / Santo Domingo - Herrera Intl MDHE 389 NM
Ciudad Trujillo MDHE → Basseterre / Robert Bradshaw Intl TKPK 420 NM
Basseterre TKPK → St John’s / VC Bird Intl TAPA 54 NM
St John’s TAPA → Castries / George F. L. Charles TLPC 193 NM
Castries TLPC → Bridgetown / Grantley Adams Intl TBPB 105 NM
Bridgetown TBPB → St George’s / Point Salines Intl TGPY 149 NM
St George’s TGPY → Scarborough / Crown Point TTCP 76 NM
Scarborough TTCP → Port of Spain / Piarco Intl TTPP 45 NM
Port of Spain TTPP → Georgetown / Cheddi Jagan Intl SYCJ 307 NM
Georgetown SYCJ → Caracas / Metropolitano Intl SVMP 551 NM
Caracas SVMP → Willemstad / Hato Intl TNCC 178 NM
Willemstad TNCC → Kingston / Norman Manley Intl MKJP 570 NM
Route 5 - Bahamas, Florida and CubaNassau Intl MYNN → Miami Intl KMIA 160 NM
Miami KMIA → Havana / José Martí Intl MUHA 204 NM
Havana MUHA → Nassau Intl MYNN 297 NM