Explorer Flight Missions - Iceland
Beyond the Arctic Circle: An Icelandic Adventure
This September, TPC pilots leave the familiar behind and venture into Iceland's wild north and west, where fire, ice, mountains, ocean, and unpredictable weather combine to create one unforgettable flying adventure. This month’s missions are curated by Balazs | TPC333.
Iceland is a country where the landscape seems almost deliberately designed to make pilots stop looking at their instruments and stare out the window. Volcanoes, glaciers, fjords, black-sand coastlines, and enormous stretches of wilderness make this one of the most spectacular places in the world to explore from the air. For September, TPC Explorer heads north to experience Iceland beyond the usual tourist routes, connecting five regional airports on a journey through the country's rugged interior and coastline.
The adventure begins at Reykjavík Airport (BIRK), Iceland's domestic aviation hub and our gateway to the expedition. From the capital, we head north toward Thórshöfn (BITM), leaving the more populated southwest behind as the landscape becomes increasingly remote. The flight carries us toward Iceland's northeastern corner, where broad valleys, rugged coastline, and open wilderness replace the familiar surroundings of Reykjavík.
From Thórshöfn, the Explorer continues west to Húsavík (BIND), following Iceland's northern coastline. Húsavík sits on the shores of Skjálfandi Bay and is surrounded by mountains and some of the country's most dramatic northern scenery. This leg takes us deeper into Iceland's wild north, where weather, terrain, and the North Atlantic all become part of the flying experience.
The expedition now turns toward Grundarfjörður (BIGS) on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The character of the landscape changes once again as we leave the northeast behind and cross toward western Iceland. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is often described as Iceland in miniature, packing volcanic peaks, lava fields, glaciers, beaches, and rugged coastline into a remarkably compact area. It is exactly the sort of place where a pilot can appreciate why Iceland earned its reputation as the Land of Fire and Ice.
From Grundarfjörður, we continue south toward Hólmavík (BIHI) in Iceland's remote Westfjords region. This is where the expedition really starts to feel like an adventure. The Westfjords are characterized by enormous flat-topped mountains, deep fjords, isolated communities, and long stretches of virtually untouched landscape. The route demands attention as we navigate one of Iceland's most rugged regions, with the terrain rising dramatically from the sea around us.
The final leg brings us back toward Reykjavík, closing the loop on our Icelandic expedition. After five flights across the country's northern and western regions, the return to the capital marks the end of our journey. But the real reward has been everything between the departures and arrivals: remote airfields, dramatic coastlines, volcanic landscapes, and some of the most extraordinary scenery Iceland has to offer.
Five legs. Five regional airports. One spectacular island.
Admin Notes:
You can fly these missions on your own or get a group going - it’s up to you. Make sure you choose an appropriate aircraft and conduct proper flight planning.
To get the Explorer server role (access to Explorers DISCORD channel) and 2500 TPC Points:
Fly each leg described below (500 points per leg).
Leave a comment on this post with details about your journey.
Post pics from your flight in screenshots channel on DISCORD.
[OPTIONAL] Post a video of your landings in streams and videos channel of TPC Discord, for extra 500 TPC Points per video!
Leg 1: BIRK → BITM
Thórshöfn (BITM)
Location: Tucked deep inside the rugged, glacier-carved Þórsmörk (Thormund) valley in South Iceland, situated directly between three massive ice caps—including the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano.
Runway & Infrastructure: This is a primitive, uncontrolled backcountry airstrip featuring a short, unpaved grass and gravel runway (09/27) roughly 2,526 feet in length. It features zero runway lighting, no terminal, and no electronic instrument guidance systems (ILS). Because the field sits at the absolute epicenter of the southern volcanic zone, it is highly susceptible to localized volcanic ash trapping and toxic gas accumulation. The surrounding glacial peaks generate violent, unpredictable downdrafts and severe mountain-wave turbulence.
Leg 2: BITM → BIND
Húsavík (BIND)
Location: Situated in the completely uninhabited, barren interior Highlands of Iceland, along the notorious Sprengisandur highland route. It rests at a high elevation of 2,625 feet above sea level, surrounded by vast black sand deserts and massive glacial ice caps.
Runway & Infrastructure: A highly remote, completely unstaffed mountain airstrip. It features a single short gravel runway (05/23). There are absolutely no lights, no navigation aids, no terminal buildings, and no aircraft fuel available. Exposed completely to the harsh interior highland elements, you must manage severe crosswinds with zero weather monitoring data or air traffic control guidance.
Leg 3: BIND → BIGS
Grundarfjörður (BIGS)
Location: Positioned in the remote, desolate northeastern lowlands of Iceland, situated along the path of the glacial Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, just north of the vast Möðrudalsöræfi desert plateau.
Runway & Infrastructure: A basic, uncontrolled backcountry airfield featuring a single 2,083-foot unpaved gravel runway (01/19). The field is entirely unmonitored with no terminal, no hangar facilities, and no electronic navigation aids (ILS/NDB). The short gravel runway presents significant braking and traction challenges. The surrounding terrain is wide open but highly susceptible to severe, shifting Arctic crosswinds blowing off the northern ocean.
Leg 4: BIGS → BIHI
Hólmavík (BIHI)
Location: Situated in the dead center of Iceland's uninhabited interior Highlands, along the historic Kjölur (F35) route. It sits directly on a geothermal hot-spring plateau between two massive ice caps: the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers.
Runway & Infrastructure: An extremely isolated, unstaffed mountain airstrip featuring a single 2690-foot unpaved gravel runway (17/35). There are absolutely no terminal buildings, no runway lights, and no electronic navigation aids. During a volcanic crisis, unpredictable freezing downdrafts coming off the ice caps mix with dense geothermal steam from the hot springs, creating a high-stress, low-visibility manual flying environment with zero margin for error.
Leg 5: BIHI → BIRK
Reykjavík (BIRK)
Location: Located right in the heart of Iceland’s capital city, just minutes from downtown.
Runway & Infrastructure: Features three active asphalt runways (the longest is 5,141 feet) equipped with a full control tower and instrument approach systems.Simulation Challenge: Serving as the central hub for domestic aviation, it becomes incredibly congested during emergencies. In a volcano scenario, its close proximity to the Reykjanes volcanic systems makes it highly vulnerable to sudden wind shifts that can push ash directly across the capital's approach paths.
