salt_air / southbound - Eastern Air Lines / L-049 / North America

[salt_air]

Note. We hear reports from Miami of an unofficial reprimand from President Eddie Rickenbacker of Eastern Air Lines. Pilot cited for poor fuel management.

The Committee.


Let's make this official,,,,after having a nightmare where the rest of the crew and myself were hanging from trees being handled quite like pinatas by none other than the "Boss" himself, I awoke to his voice.

Mr. Rickenbacker himself had apparently been on board the aircraft for the entire flight. Not disguised, but let's say incognito. You see eventhough Eastern had choosen their top crew for this expedition, the "Boss" knew us from the war and figured he'd better tag along just in case.

After a fifteen minute long up in the face toe to toe rant on company proceedures and race rules he proceeds to tell us what he thinks should be done about it.

salt_air: Whew, No Sir....that won't happen again!

"Boss": Okay, but just so you don't forget, I'll fly the next leg, the stewardess, who has done more work than the rest of the crew put togther will have the day off to sit as a first class passenger while you sir (that would be me) will act as steward for the flight.

So the crew makes the ordered assignment changes for the day and readies the "Connie" for the next leg..........

[salt_air]

Teletype recieved early yesterday caused a delay in the teams departure for Bolivia. Also caused a change in the crew assignments and has the the original crew back in place.

It appears Mr. Rickenbacker's interests were diverted towards Europe. So with that we find suitable connections and send him off on his way.

salt_air now finishes all of the pre-flight checks outside the aircraft and proceeds to the cockpit whistling a tune that sounds strickingly like tune made famous by Gene Autry known as 'Back in the Saddle Again".

With nods from the First Officer and Flight Engineer the announcement is made to seat the passengers.

EAL 541 taxis to RWY 19 for take off to Bolivia.

Hazy skies on the ground and no wind.

SPLP-SLLP

TOW= 85000 lbs

Payload= 19940 lbs

[salt_air]

Safe landing in La Paz, Bolivia. Glad to see such a nice long runway after a scenic but not very relaxing morning flight through the mountains.

After more than thirty minutes of hard climbing, you look outside the window to see the ground only a few hundred feet below. Very strange, and out the windscreens you're still looking to see if you're going to make it over the top of what mountains are left ahead. Sure enough there was a slight adjustment (swerve) "S" turn that was necessary to play it safe.

{NOTE} You know you're getting too close to the ground here when you look out the window to see folks in their very colorful loin cloths and "skyscraper" style headgear bowing at the waist with both hands raised high up over their heads as you pass by,,,,,so close that you can count all three of their remaining teeth each time they raise up smiling from the previously "bent over at the waist-touching the ground" position.

Once a safe cruise was established at FL 210 the next hurdle was that of not having NDB's for over an hour, nearly three hundred miles. Had to take the assumed heading needed to get close and I flew a zig-zag (SAR) style across that heading, like making sweeps, hoping the timing would have the last sweep headed toward La Paz. That also afforded glimses of smaller airports with no NAV-AIDS, but still a nice confirmation of position. Also lucky to have the advantage of Lake Titicaca, a huge body of water easily seen all the way in to the airport (SLLP). Map shows that we just needed to stay along the west side of the lake till near the southern end then guess at where to turn east towards La Paz. Lucky as well to have the NDB at La Paz sporting a 113 NM range to pull everything in line just before sighting the runway.

This would have been a treacherous and probably unsuccessful flight in total darkness or near zero visibility.

Glad to be on the ground again and safe. We'll be taking a break and making some adjustments before the next leg.

Landing weight= 77674.4 lbs

Fuel used= 7269.4 lbs

[salt_air]

EAL Flight 541 is headed to Santiago, Chile.

This will be our wildcard leg.

TOW= 88199

Payload= 19940

Hope we're havin' a good day.....:wavey:

[salt_air]

Thought about bustin' this leg up into two, but it's just too tempting to go for Santiago. Plus we are out here to have fun and the "Connie" needs to stretch a little bit. SLLP-SCAF-SCTI would have been a safe bet,,,oh well.

This will be Dead Reckoning at it's best with best being easiest or having the most references to call on. Loss of visibilty for long periods will be a disaster, but I'm not looking for those conditions up here at FL220.

{Note} Hard to type with fingers crossed.

Basically should be running across the ridge of the Andes with visual of the Pacific on the other side. Getting lost won't be a problem, but I'll need to keep as straight a flight path as I can due to only having around 70 NM's of "play" on the total distance limit.

There are NDB's along the coast that won't help with direction although that's not really a problem, they will let me know if I'm too close to the shoreline. Most of this won't make a lot of sense unless you're looking at a map of S. America. Weird to tune in a NDB and not want to "hear" from it.

First confirmation is still about half an hour away with a visual at Coposa (SCKP), then some lakes again, then that's about it untill I (hopefully) pick up the NDB's around Santiago.

Headwinds now so I probabaly won't be dumping any fuel. I'll take measurments at Coposa and then at half the remaining distance. The only real "bail-out" point would be out of the way at Mendoza (SAME). I'm going to be reluctant to make that decision unless there's no hope of getting all the way in.

[salt_air]

Under the provisions of the rules set forth by the Rules Committee I declare this flight cancelled due to family issues.

I'll need to leave and do not for see getting back untill later in the day maybe tonight.

Nothing too serious, just needs my attention.

Good Day to All,

[salt_air]

Must have been dreamin' to think I would be left alone for four or five hours so I could fly. Don't remember ever having that scenario play out when I planned for it to happen.

I suppose we all live in hope even if we die in despair. Meanwhile....:running:

I'm not going to attemp a long leg right now. The "Connie" will have to wait for the trip back to the states when I'll see just how far it will go on a tank full or should I say four tanks full.

EAL flight 541 continues with a hop to Antofagasta.

SLLP-SCFA

TOW= 82800

Payload= 19940

[salt_air]

Safe landing at SCFA

Visibility poor on approach (sounds like a broken record), btu the rest of the trip had excellent visibility with parly cloudy skies. Winds changed direction and speed a little too often for comfort so we took a little bit slower cruise just in case a big tailwind came up and pushed us into overspeed.

Landing weight = 77648.8 lbs

Fuel used= 5093.7 lbs

Flight time = 02:03:07

[jt_dub]

Glad to see you pushing south.

I've flown RTRW baton legs into Antofagasta in two races at night and both times the visibility was poor. Must be fog from the Pacific.

[salt_air]

Glad to see you pushing south.

I've flown RTRW baton legs into Antofagasta in two races at night and both times the visibility was poor. Must be fog from the Pacific.

Yeah, and unless your real familiar with the terrain there, you could easily get into trouble with an straight in approach from the north.

BTW: Congrats on finishing in one piece. Looks like you did a super job!


:guinness: :guinness: { never could drink just one }

[salt_air]

Journey is getting nearer to the end and the crew is getting a bit of a pep in their step,,,,I thought it was our diet for the last few days, but it may be genuine excitement.

Pushing further southward along the coast and then turning towards the foothills of the Andes to Santiago. This will leave only one more flight untill we arrive at Buenos Aires.

Hope the good luck we've enjoyed stays with us to the finish.

Weather looks good. 9 kt winds out of the west and hazy skies that should clear through climb out to FL 180. Runnin' along the beach and ample NDB's although this one we could get by with just a compass and a watch.

EAL 541 departing Antofagasta for Santiago.

SCFA-SCTI

TOW= 83796 lbs

Payload= 19940 lbs

[salt_air]

EAL flight 541 has suffered a mid-air crash while the pilot was in the back of the plane......good thing I was sittin' down or I'd have soiled myself.

Looks like overspeed on descent not sure, just know I returned to see a text file and map instead of the simulator running.

The Connie is back at Antofagasta.

We'll take off again after I go outside to the driveway to retrieve my chair and repair the window I just threw it out of.

[RedGreen]

Hope the good luck we've enjoyed stays with us to the finish.


Thou hast jinxed thyself.... :isadizzy:

[salt_air]

Thou hast jinxed thyself.... :isadizzy:


Yup,,,,shoulda knocked on wood or something.........

[salt_air]

Let's try it again. :running:

EAL 541 To Santiago, Chile.

SCFA-SCTI

TOW= 83400

Payload= 19940

[salt_air]

Well,,,,,,finally safe and sound at Santiago after a near perfect flight. Finally got here, finally used up some of the reserve fuel dumping zero pounds (a first), finally had the visibility change on turn to final from blizzard conditions to clear (that's scary).

Don't know yet what's on tap at the "waterin' hole" across from the airport, but I'm about to find out.
:ernae:

Landing weight= 77185.3 lbs

Fuel used= 6159.8 lbs

Penalty time= 02.0 hrs
(carry from cancelled flight on previous attemp post #62)

[salt_air]

Team Eastern, flight 541, sits poised on the ramp in Santiago, Chile ready to make it's last flight into Buenos Aires, Argentina.

All loaded up with passengers, cargo, and fuel, ready to go.....:running:

SCTI-SAEZ

TOW= x

Payload= 19940 lbs

[salt_air]

EAL flight 541 is down and safe at SAEZ.

Landing weight= 76687.2 lbs

Fuel used= 6846.7 lbs

No Penalty time

Had to do a little bit of manuvering to get across the Andes as SCTI sits kinda close. That technically had me lost for a spell where I had to use orientation to the moutains to come up with a general direction that might put me back on the intended flight path. Didn't miss by too awful much, had to use a beacon that was a little out of the way but got me back on course. Nice ride across, but the usual poor visibility and strong winds all the way to landing.

What a journey, what a relief, what a great event!

Thanks to everyone on the committe, all the participants for there support and interest and to all the guys at SOH for hosting this really good time.

Warm regards to All,

[RedGreen]

Congratulations on finishing the journey. :applause:

[MM]

Well done! Welcome to the City.

[Dangerousdave26]

Good Job

:ernae: