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srgalahad
October 28th, 2009, 13:06
Well, I got the last mods done and looked at the weather.. GREAT winds aloft!
Then I looked at the clock and realized that I wasn't going to make it Vienna in time to make my free dinner with the boss... so, in the line of duty, flying must wait for another day. Will the wind still be favourable?

At least there was time for another tune-up flight...

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 08:14
Well, come H*ll or high water I just HAVE to get out of England and at least the winds look decent this morning, so...

EGUN to LOWW

for a lunch of schnitzel!

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 09:21
ABM Maastricht at :21, estimating LOWW 2+02

After some heavy build-ups along the coast it's clearing and the winds are holding

salt_air
October 31st, 2009, 10:56
Once on the ground in Vienna and after relief at the rest area....:jump: I've set up "free" food and drink for you with a friend that runs the airport cafeteria.

Just need to statisfy the required 2 minutes of ethnic dance from your specific locale....[say WHAT?]...Yeah, you see the establishment there prides itself on being able to cater to any one in the world while running an open stage for rolks from all over to share a little something,,,story, demonstration , or in this case a short dance that I'm sure would be enjoyed by all.

I've given them a hint of what to expect so they could have a band set up to perform the music you'll need to dance to live. Nothin' but class Rob,,,,no records for this little ditty,,,live music!

Oh yeah almost forgot, you'll be curious to know what sort of "step" will be required I'm sure, so I've taken the time to locate an example in the youtube archives,,,,I'll leave the link here.

Pretty smart choice (I think),,, about the right vintage and probably not too hard for ya.....:ernae: best part is no partner required.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WIvZu4dPQQ

Enjoy the dinner!!,,,,you can thank me later.

Cheers,

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 11:28
On the ground at Wien LOWW

CAREFULLY examining salt_air's "scheme" .. it may be well-worth buying my own meal but we'll see...

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 11:33
Welllllll... not a bad choice, but considering the abilities of the band, this was a better choice..

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XQdPr7MQdBQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XQdPr7MQdBQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

The Oompah band got right into the rhythm :ernae:

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 11:48
But, while the winds look good, I'll be like Canada's Singing Cowboy

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pX6aLcTMvd0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pX6aLcTMvd0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


and head out of LOWW for LGAT

(gotta find some bouzouki music to practice enroute)

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 12:16
Climbing out of Wein it looked like I was going to get slammed with a 20kt headwind, but on course and west of it I found a nice 21kt tailwind.

Now to blunder over a whole bunch of names I can't pronounce

srgalahad
October 31st, 2009, 15:15
A long day but safely down in smoggy Athens!

Somehow I managed to hang on to tailwinds almost all the way.

NOW, it's off to relax and see the sights and sounds of Greece for a bit...

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MOFRAGbNf_Q&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

smilo
November 1st, 2009, 14:27
no word for over 24 hours...
are you all right?
I hope you haven't been kidnapped
by that notorious female gang
that uses Barbra Yani
as a decoy!!!

EasyEd
November 1st, 2009, 17:11
Hey All,

Major style points for Buckwheat Zydeco and that great ol Hank Snow! :ernae:

-Ed-

srgalahad
November 2nd, 2009, 14:19
no word for over 24 hours...
are you all right?
I hope you haven't been kidnapped
by that notorious female gang
that uses Barbra Yani
as a decoy!!!

Ahhh.. how I wish I'd been taken by pirates or Amazons... but I've been recuperating in a dark, dank cave surrounded by boxes of Kleenex and various 'healthy' drugs, listening to the theme music of "One Flu over the Cuckoo's Nest".

Even the feverish dreams of Barba Yani have not been able to drag me back to the computer til now and I doubt I'll last much longer before I drift into anti-histamine heaven.:isadizzy:

smilo
November 2nd, 2009, 15:30
get well soon my friend.
get well soon.
Barbra is waiting...

patiently.

srgalahad
November 5th, 2009, 10:43
Well the doc (at least he said he was..) declared me "mostly healthy" and it looks like a fine day for flying.

departing Athens (LGAT) for Aleppo (OSAP)
-- with a full tank of fuel and some Barba Yani videos for Harpo, Groucho, and Chico. In case I get forced down I can make a rescue fire with old rags and my trusty Zippo. Maybe later I can get to see Gummo and Zeppo...

Enough of that.. time to kick the tires and light the fires... so to speak..

srgalahad
November 5th, 2009, 11:29
By the Ikaria NDB 37 minutes into the flight

No sign of the fresh coat of wax melting off the wings so I guess my altitude is not too high [phew!]

Now onward across Turkey

srgalahad
November 5th, 2009, 12:31
Abeam the beautiful coastal city of Antalya and halfway home on this leg. Tiny bit ahead of schedule.

Now for the nerve-wracking part... 160 nm with no sound of an NDB beeping in my ears. As long as the winds don't go strange I should be fine to the coast...:kilroy:

Grounds been rising for a while... no navaids so it's time for some Turkish IFR

srgalahad
November 5th, 2009, 13:16
Crossing the coast just southwest of Adana/Mersin, also the location of the historic city of Tarsus...

Tarsus (Greek: Ταρσός, Armenian: Տարսոն, Darson) is a historical city in south-central Turkey, 20 km inland from Mediterrenean Sea. It is part of Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area, fourth largest metropolitan area in Turkey with a population of 2.75 million. Tarsus is an administrative district in Mersin Province and lies in the core of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region.
With a history going back over 9,000 years Tarsus has long been an important stop for traders, a focal point of many civilisations including the Ancient Romans when Tarsus was capital of the province of Cilicia, scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra and birthplace of Saint Paul.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarsus_%28city%29

It also means I have about 40 minutes to go :icon_lol:

Watching vigilantly for fighters in/out of the vast Incirlik airbase (once a stopover for the U-2)

srgalahad
November 5th, 2009, 13:57
Oh Aleppo!
Baton is free at OSAP!

A bit tense for a few minutes. As I crossed the Syrian border the vis at 11,000 dropped to almost zero and made me doubt the 5.2 nm reported by OSAP Radio.
Fortunately cleared as I dropped though 7000 and a nice arrival after that! Even better-- 9 minutes ahead of flight plan!

srgalahad
November 6th, 2009, 14:23
Apparently the Syrians don't have enough gas to send up a weather balloon to check the winds. Will wait an hour to see if the desert sun brings some inspiration

srgalahad
November 7th, 2009, 07:30
OSAP to ORBS

The short-ish but navaid-less run across the desert to Checkpoint Baghdad...

srgalahad
November 7th, 2009, 09:28
Where's the Checkpoint Budweiser babes??

Down at ORBS

srgalahad
November 7th, 2009, 09:39
Find the fuel guy, part with cash, grab plate of some substance in airport restaurant, water the camel and I'm off ORBS to OIBB

:running:

srgalahad
November 7th, 2009, 11:52
Safe and sound at OIBB.

Nice place but too many military types wandering around with automatic weapons for a holiday spot

srgalahad
November 7th, 2009, 12:14
Winds look encouraging... sore butt or not I'm off again...

OIBB to OPGD (with a 'maybe' stretch to OPKC):kilroy:

srgalahad
November 7th, 2009, 15:43
Landed OPGD... what a barren place!

Would love to have been able to stretch to Karachi and cut out one stop but the winds never materialized, so...
Time for a rest in the tin shack on the airport after I make a deal with the goats

srgalahad
November 12th, 2009, 14:04
Funny winds over Pakistan and western India but might work..

Off OPGD for VIJO (with maybe a stop at Karachi if required)

srgalahad
November 12th, 2009, 16:01
Well, I found a semi-favourable wind layer.. way down at 3500 ft.. makes it tight on gas but it's still progress. Just a couple of knots below my average speed so it will hurt a bit, but not disasterously.

1 hour to go

srgalahad
November 12th, 2009, 17:00
ahhhhh.. smoggy, foggy Jodhpur...

barely see the green Duenna thru the goo

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 12:56
Surf's up!! errr the wind!

VIJO to VIAL (Checkpoint Allah)

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 13:48
There I was.. flat on my back, in the cloud and...

well, not quite, but a total elctrical failure 5 min. after take off in IFR conditions makes life interesting...
No autopilot
no radios
no lights
but the battery powered clock still runs

oh.. and no fuel gauges

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 14:17
and now isolated thunderstorms

This is so much fun..

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 15:11
YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!
Manual gear extension worked!!

On the ground at VIAL...
now where's the restroom????????????????????

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 17:06
Oops.. A-bad has fugged in.. time to leave

VIAL to VYSW with working electrics this time

Edit: I think Paul's post jinxed me... 3 min in MSFS locked up, joystick too .. reboot... restart flight

One more time on Friday the 13th

PRB
November 13th, 2009, 17:18
See, you should use Lucas Electrics. Then you wouldn't have that problem.

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 19:28
By Kolkata (Calcutta) VECC at :26
soon to be "out of India" and on the way across the water to Burma
should be an easy 1+20 from here

srgalahad
November 13th, 2009, 20:47
Enjoy
Your
visit
with
Burma

shave

and a haircut.. six bits!
Down at VYSW

Moses03
November 14th, 2009, 12:06
http://i34.tinypic.com/2vwzsyq.jpg

srgalahad
November 14th, 2009, 12:22
HEY!!! I resemble that remark!!!
TY Kevin. That's much nicer than some of the antiques you dredge up for the Mystery Airplane thread :icon_lol:


consider it stolen! :ernae:

Moses03
November 14th, 2009, 12:49
Good on reversing the sign order. I didn't notice that at first.:)

srgalahad
November 14th, 2009, 13:37
that's cause we tend to "think" left-to-right.. but I find I can work bass-ackwards and it make sense.
the one that gets me is the sign they paint on a highway. is it...

STOP
AHEAD

or should it be ...
AHEAD
STOP

to be read in steps, or all at once...

BTW.. is it true you can only have one sig pic at a time?

srgalahad
November 15th, 2009, 11:50
Thinking left to right (on the map)
Enough breeze to make it worthwhile so I'm off to Bangkok
VYSW to VTBD

FS9 RWWx

srgalahad
November 15th, 2009, 13:45
Just past halfway the winds started to drop - of course- but still on the tail.
Not enough to panic so I'll stagger onward. At least there's lots of fuel if I have to go hunting wind later.

srgalahad
November 15th, 2009, 14:40
Beautiful downtown Bangkok
We have arrived!

srgalahad
November 19th, 2009, 09:56
In spite of the winds...

VTBD to WSSL ( with possible diversion to WMKA)
FS9 RWWx
online (MAPE)

srgalahad
November 19th, 2009, 12:02
Wellllllllllllll... John's been online so there's no way I can even BUY some favourable wind. Making WSSL even with a loss of 20 kts would be ok, but no matter what I try I come up 20 nm short.

So, diversion to WMKA (at least I'll have a tailwind for a few moments :icon_lol:)

srgalahad
November 19th, 2009, 12:15
Oh sure.. 40 miles from destination and I have to run out to get some info for my car insurance -while they wait on the phone -- I guess being possibly uninsured is part of real life...

So, back to Bangkok for another try in a bit. :ichile::greenf::redfire:

3 hours :toilet:

srgalahad
November 19th, 2009, 14:34
One more time.. VTBD to WSSL

srgalahad
November 19th, 2009, 18:42
Lean, leaner... a bit more...

Made it to Seletar and no going to find a sling.. Singapore that is.. or maybe a couple of dozen....

srgalahad
November 20th, 2009, 14:11
WSSL to WRSJ (fuel alternate WIIH)
FS9 RWWx

srgalahad
November 20th, 2009, 17:46
Down at WRSJ (Surabaya)

srgalahad
November 23rd, 2009, 14:38
A short hop

WRSJ to WRRA

I think those guys knocking on my door at 5 am were not the "police"...

srgalahad
November 23rd, 2009, 15:45
Down at WRRA

srgalahad
November 24th, 2009, 07:54
Boss called and said if I don't get to Melbourne my Mexican holiday is canceled....

So.. WRRA to WRKK
Online, FS9 RWWx

srgalahad
November 24th, 2009, 10:09
Down at WRKK
Looking forward to hopping to Australia to see hopping 'roos

Darwin next

srgalahad
November 24th, 2009, 12:03
WRKK to YPDN

Darwin, here I come!

srgalahad
November 24th, 2009, 13:05
ho hummmmmmmmmmmm
1:10 to Darwin
Water, water everywhere...

Apparently including in the skies over Darwin

srgalahad
November 24th, 2009, 14:16
OZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

down at YPDN

srgalahad
November 25th, 2009, 11:49
YPDN to YTNK

FS9 RWWx
If the winds hold downstream - I might possibly make it to YCCY...

srgalahad
November 25th, 2009, 13:45
going for the gusto!

Abm Tennant Dreek, continuing to YCCY (Cloncurry)

salt_air
November 25th, 2009, 14:41
Doin' a fine job Rob.

Foster's on the house when you get into Cloncurry...:ernae:

Don't claim any knowledge of Team United when you get to Charleyville....


We were there for a long time and ,,,,well,,,you'll thank me later for the warning :cool:

srgalahad
November 25th, 2009, 15:33
with a bit of luck and some guessing..

Down at YCCY (16.1 # of fuel left)

srgalahad
November 25th, 2009, 16:24
Mexico is calling...

YCCY to YBCV

srgalahad
November 25th, 2009, 18:35
Arrival at YBCV

srgalahad
November 26th, 2009, 16:26
In spite of the real world closing in around me (supposed to be packing - shorts, tees, golf clubs)
it looks like the best time in the next 36 hours to head south.

YBCV to YMEN
with some decent (but not great) tailwinds
ETE 3:08

srgalahad
November 26th, 2009, 18:19
Less than forecast winds for first 45 min.. there goes the ETE:pop4:

Then MORE than forecast winds ( or better angle) after that.. and there goes the ETE again :isadizzy:

about 1+15 to go through the goo thatAus. calls "sky"

srgalahad
November 26th, 2009, 19:41
YMEN!
AMEN!

I just could NOT fly another 4 minutes to try to hit the mark.. I'm just glad to be here and done :icon_lol:

Dangerousdave26
November 26th, 2009, 19:44
:applause:

Congratulations on a job well done.

Willy
November 26th, 2009, 19:44
Congrats Rob! :ernae: Have a good time in Mexico!

MM
November 26th, 2009, 20:02
Excellent all around. :icon29:

Golf, beer, sunshine, gorgeous scenery...who needs that? ... Sounds just fantastic! Have a great time.

EdGeneer
November 26th, 2009, 20:32
Congratulations, Rob.... Welcome to Melbourne.... (again, hehehe, with or without the little blue pill)

Have a cold one on me... :icon29:

jkcook28
November 27th, 2009, 07:36
Welcome mate! http://freesmileyface.net/smiley/Drinks/drinking-1.gif (http://freesmileyface.net/Free-Drinks-Smileys.html)

arrvoo
November 27th, 2009, 10:04
Many congrats Rob, great job

salt_air
November 27th, 2009, 14:03
Well done Rob, you did the Staggerwing proud!

Enjoy yourself while you are "down under" Texas...:ernae:

donlimpio
December 1st, 2009, 05:44
Congratulations! guess you're having Marguaritas now instead of stale ale