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Transcontinental Airway · 1920s–1930s USA
Arrows Across America
Follow in the slipstream of the pioneer airmail pilots — fly the original US Contract Air Mail routes, guided only by flashing beacons and concrete arrows across the American West.
A film by TheCorporatePilotDad
Now & Then
A surviving concrete arrow as it appears today from the air (left) and as reconstructed in MSFS along the original CAM5 route (right) — the twin-tailed arrow and 51-foot beacon tower rebuilt from Department of Commerce Airway Bulletins.
About this Product
In 1926 the US Postal Service and Department of Commerce began contracting air mail routes that would eventually criss-cross the USA. Each route was marked every ten miles by a path of yellow concrete arrows with flashing beacons mounted on 51-foot towers, interspersed with emergency landing fields.
Bare bones navigation from the dawn of commercial aviation. Flying really low and slow in all weathers, day and night, no autopilot required. Following in the slipstream of Leon D. Cuddeback and Elrey B. Jeppesen — founder of the aeronautical charts company that bears his name, who started out compiling notes for the routes he flew and selling them to fellow pilots.
Arrows Across America recreates the original US airway system in MSFS — using original maps, Department of Commerce Airway Bulletins and research by aviation historians to position each beacon precisely.
What's Included
- ✦ CAM4 — Los Angeles, CA to Salt Lake City, UT
- ✦ CAM5 — Salt Lake City, UT to Pasco, WA
- ✦ CAM8 — San Diego, CA to Seattle, WA
- ✦ CAM18 — San Francisco, CA to Salt Lake City, UT
- ✦ CAM26 — Salt Lake City, UT to Great Falls, MT
- ✦ CAM32 — Portland, OR to Spokane, WA
- ✦ Individually numbered beacon sites, positioned using original sectionals and surviving remains
- ✦ Intermediate Landing Fields with period-accurate lighting
- ✦ Night flying supported — rotating beacon lights visible from miles away
Research Sources
What People Are Saying
"This is an exceptional addon. It may seem simple, but very few of us would have been able to put together all of the details that are here. The result is not only a glimpse back into aviation history, but an opportunity to role-play what would have been an amazingly challenging job."Sal1800 — MSFS Forum
"This is incredible! I'm not a history buff, usually drawn to the modern high-tech stuff. But this is fascinating! By far the coolest addon I've seen."PopsMcDaddyo — MSFS Forum
"I flew with a 1920s radio broadcast playing on YouTube in the background. Very immersive. I decided to dead-reckon instead of using nav, so I took a pencil and wrote down a navlog on paper with beacon number, track and distance."WaldoP3pper — MSFS Forum (beta tester)
"These are the kinds of things that are a real treasure and can easily be forgotten to time — or in this case, exposed to a whole new generation of flight sim pilot."Sal1800 — MSFS Forum
"Add a little wind and dusk and this is terrifying. I salute those daring flyers — and a salute to you for this historic scenery."TOMSWFL — MSFS Forum
Arrows Across America
Transcontinental Airway · 1920s–30s
Free to download
Fly Now- ✦ Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
- ✦ Instant digital download
- ✦ 6 air mail routes
- ✦ Night flying supported
- ✦ Golden Age of Aviation Collection
- ✦ Evidence-led reconstruction
Screenshots
