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MM
October 29th, 2009, 06:43
This is the Beech Duke VH-TKE in which Australians Denys Dalton and Terry Gwynn-Jones set a piston-engined round-the-world record of 122 hours in 1975. That East-bound record has since been broken by an Aerostar while the West-bound record is held by a Cessna 414A. Significantly for our event, VH-TKE still holds the London-Darwin and London-Brisbane records. In all, Dalton set seven world records in the 1968-built aircraft. It now hangs from the ceiling in Brisbane's Queensland Museum.

To honor those achievements, we have "virtually borrowed" the aircraft from the Museum and are now rebuilding the Lycomings and refitting the ship with modern instruments. (The repaint is by "Squeeker" and can be found at OZx: http://www.aussiex.org/index/news.php.) When prepartions are complete and the crew becomes available, VH-TKE will take off for the "Sunburned Country."

Great Ozzie
October 29th, 2009, 07:39
Mike...

You picked some very expensive engines to overhaul... I hope the museum is paying for all this. :p:

salt_air
October 29th, 2009, 08:17
Gorgeous aircraft Mike.

Fare well on your way.....:wavey:

MM
November 14th, 2009, 16:16
Well, after so many hours in the "cozy" cockpit of the Mew Gull, it will be a pleasure to cruise along in Beechcraft comfort. The Duke, though not especially suited for racing, has real style.

Refurbishing the aircraft ... hey, it's only money.

Let's see if we can get VH-TKE back to Oz. This first leg aims to reach Budapest.

Active Sky Advanced.

MM
November 14th, 2009, 19:43
Routine flight in Modern General Aviation. Gosh, with these GPS things, navigation seems pretty tame stuff. All was fine with good tailwinds, a cakewalk really. :sleep:

The only interesting moment came with 23kts crosswinds on landing at Budapest. But Rob Young's beautifully modeled Beech aerodynamics came through nicely under duress. Great stuff, that.

MM
November 15th, 2009, 05:43
Hungary? Maybe some Turkey?

Early morning departure for Ankara.

MM
November 15th, 2009, 08:45
Long routine flight over Romania and the Black Sea. Landed in hill-encircled Ankara. Happy that the cloud cover dissipated to reveal the nearby elevations before they scraped aluminum shards off the bottom of the fuselage.

Another 16kts crosswind on landing. ASA is adding interest.

MM
November 15th, 2009, 09:06
A splash of fuel for the aircraft and a pit stop for the crew...and we're off for Baghdad.

MM
November 15th, 2009, 11:54
Quick trip over mountainous Turkey and then gazing at the rivers and sands of Mesopotamia.

Into Baghdad.

MM
November 15th, 2009, 17:35
Toddling down the river and over the pond to Bushere (OIBB).

MM
November 15th, 2009, 19:31
Routine leg with mixed winds and haze over the Gulf...but worked out well in the end.

MM
November 16th, 2009, 15:14
Headed out of Bushere over Iran to Khuzdar in Pakistan. With Bry's warning about ASA acting up, switching back to standard FSX Weather (with 15 minute updates). Not sure what's happening, but when flying over inhospitable territory, discretion is the better part of valor.

MM
November 16th, 2009, 18:41
Tailwinds all the way made for an enjoyable easy trip that otherwise would be marginal on fuel. Approach to Khuzdar requires weaving around a hill but no problem during daylight. Beautiful little city nestled in the mountains against a desert lake.

MM
November 19th, 2009, 14:32
Out of Khuzdar, Pakistan for Allahabad. Hoping for acceptable winds--giving REX2 a chance with 60nm updates.

MM
November 19th, 2009, 17:57
Down safely in the perpetual smog and haze of Allahabad.

MM
November 20th, 2009, 12:59
Where goes Willy, opportunity calls. Leaving VIAL for VEBS.

Continuing with REX 2.0 Real Wx. (Gosh. Forecast is 1SM viz at VEBS. Hope the ILS operators are not on strike.)

MM
November 20th, 2009, 14:45
Down into the fog-enshrouded Bhubaneswar. Good to have modern equipment operating today.

MM
November 20th, 2009, 15:05
Following Willy across the Bay of Bengal to the old penal colony at Coco Island.
--
Stormy weather over ocean. Diverting to larger airfield at Port Blair. Forecast viz is 3SM without ILS or working NDB. At least VOPB is longer and without trees on the threshold.

Willy
November 20th, 2009, 15:08
I hope you have better luck with the winds than I have had the past few flights.

MM
November 20th, 2009, 18:10
Halfway to Coco Island the METARs showed a local storm with 3SM viz...not good for a small plantation airstrip. So diverted to Port Blair VOPB with its longer runway and VOR off the field. (The METAR also showed 3SM visibility.) During the trip over the Bay of Bengal, the storm passed through Port Blair leaving fog -- which led to me to execute some careful positioning for the GPS approach.

Happily, all this was unnecessary. When I got to Port Blair it was a splendid sunny morning. All was good with the world...

MM
November 21st, 2009, 05:42
Early start from Port Blair over the Adaman Sea toward the island state Penang. (VOPB-WMKP)

MM
November 21st, 2009, 08:42
An early morning departure gave views of the sunrise over the Adaman sea. Unfortunately, unexpected headwinds came with the morning light. The long flight over water was capped with a beautiful approach into Penang.

The island was part of the British colonial Straits Settlements before becoming part of Malaysia after WWII. Originally swampy and malaria stricken, it was known as the "White Man's Graveyard." Neverthless, the capital George Town became one of the region's commercial and financial centers during the 19th century. Now, having been a free port, the island has generated one of Asia's largest electronics manufacturing industries and still attracts Chinese and European immigrants.

MM
November 21st, 2009, 10:00
After a quick brunch at the Eastern and Orient Hotel (one of the great colonial era hotels), leaving for Singapore and Raffles (the most famous of those grand hotels).

Bry Rosier
November 21st, 2009, 10:10
Me Too :ernae: I think you`ll arrive well before me so I expect a nice cold Pint of Tiger on my arrival:icon29: Please :)

MM
November 21st, 2009, 11:45
Thunderstorms over Malaysia...anyone surprised. Looked pretty ominous after a while, and it turned out to be a ride. Happy that the weather cleared for a routine final into Singapore. A familiar sight to us all. Now to see the man at Raffles for a spot of refreshment.

MM
November 21st, 2009, 12:19
And next, Banjarmasin, a city known for (among other things) its gold and diamonds. Nice to visit a productive city, eh Willy? ;)

Left a drink at Raffles' Long Bar for Bry.:icon29:

Continuing on with REX2 with 60nm updates.

MM
November 21st, 2009, 15:41
Long flight over the South China Sea and the southern coast of Borneo. Winds were like the little girl...when good, very very good, and when bad, horrid.

Frightening moment when the gear would not deploy...but they eventually did. Will have to check for cinder blocks in the wells.

MM
November 22nd, 2009, 06:49
Then, over the Java Sea to Maumere on Flores. (WAOO-WATC) Headwinds in forecast.

According to Wikipedia, the reefs in the Maumere Gulf were once considered among the world's best diving spots. Now, however, thanks to "bomb fishing" and the use of toxic chemicals in the fishing industry, about 75 percent of the reefs have been damaged or destroyed. Guess that's what economists call "externalities."

MM
November 22nd, 2009, 09:35
Long flight with constant headwinds. (REX2 has had same winds for many hours...) While over the Java Sea, spent some time looking for Pirates...you know, private enterprise taxation agents. But the trip was rewarded by a beautiful descent into the Gulf of Maumere and a sight of the spectacular scenery offshore.

MM
November 22nd, 2009, 09:56
And then quickly off for the "Thunderstorm Capital of the World" Darwin.

MM
November 22nd, 2009, 12:41
Passed over the "shark-infested" Timor Sea and down safely at Darwin. (Back to the land of FTX, OZx, and the airports of Anthony Lynch.)

MM
November 25th, 2009, 08:55
Out of Darwin for Mt. Isa. (YPDN-YBMA)

MM
November 25th, 2009, 12:18
Thunderstorms climbing out of Darwin, naturally, and then JC's mysterious headwind generator produced 30kts on the nose for 350 miles of fruitless wind searches. Suddenly, the wind turned out of the north and started to help.

Finally, safely into Mount Isa, the centerpiece for the Mount Isa Mines, one of the most productive single mines in world history (lead, silver, copper, and zinc). Originally a gold town, it really boomed after the great finds of the 1960s and has fluctuated with the subsequent fall and rise of the mine's fortunes.

MM
November 25th, 2009, 17:59
A spot of refreshment and AVGAS and we're off for the bright lights of Charleville.

MM
November 25th, 2009, 20:25
Out of Mt Isa and over the raw arid Outback. Had delayed a bit and arrived late. Had to descend quickly, racing the sun downward, to make a dusk arrival at windy Charleville.

MM
November 27th, 2009, 07:07
Final leg to Melbourne.

Forecast is tailwinds aloft--but with REX2 (or ASA) one never knows. We'll go with the maximum legal "optimistic" ground speed. (Average plus 5 percent.)

SWAG: 2 hours 45 minutes.

...

Real world tailwinds? REX scoffs at the very idea of tailwinds. 28 kts on the nose!

MM
November 27th, 2009, 10:37
Well not a very successful effort, this. Flight planning is made all the more interesting when the real world gives 40-60 kts tailwinds out of the north, REX2 gives the same (more or less) on its own internal information, and then REX-FSX combination produce 28 kts almost on the nose for 600 miles.

Not sure that REX2 is a serious weather engine.

Landing reminded me of "old days." After experimenting with GEX-EU, I forgot and left the scenery settings too high when returning to FTX Australia and produced something approaching a slide show on finals. Pretty pictures, though.

Willy
November 27th, 2009, 11:26
Congratulations Mike! :ernae:

Nothing like having flown the race twice all by yourself!

Dangerousdave26
November 27th, 2009, 12:02
Good Job Mike :ernae:

See you in a couple days. :icon_lol:

arrvoo
November 27th, 2009, 12:13
Nice job mike. Second Duke is 2 or 3 thousand miles behind you

Bry Rosier
November 27th, 2009, 12:28
Very nicely done Mike :) Totally agree with all the weather engines mentioned , makes weather planning very pointless :( I would love to see default "real-world" flightsim weather made as an "only weather allowed " ruling for the RTWR !! A contentious issue maybe , but we will all be flying on a level playing field . Again congratulation getting both new and old safely to the other side of the world :ernae:

salt_air
November 27th, 2009, 13:52
Great job Mike!

Superb photograhy and a very enjoyable read.

An excellent effort in both classes.

It was a pleasure to follow both threads!


:guinness:

donlimpio
December 1st, 2009, 05:45
very nice. Well done. Congratulations, well and the rest, cheers!