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Great Ozzie
October 31st, 2009, 11:35
From AOPA & Vectorsite.net:

The PC-12 has a cabin as large as a King Air 200 yet is powered by a single PT6 (specifically, a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67B, that is 1,600-shp de-rated to 1,200 shp). Unlike a lot of other PT6 engines, the Pilatus' -67 has an automatic start sequence. One pushes the "start" half of the starter- generator switch and waits for the ITT to show a light-off. After the engine's compressor stabilizes at 46 percent, the starter automatically shuts down and the generator automatically comes on-line.The PT-6 can be considered relatively bulletproof, with an average catastrophic engine failure rate of one per 160,000 hours. Even if something should happen to the engine, the PC-12 has a glide ratio of 16:1 (At 18,000 feet AGL, this should translate to almost 50nm).

While the Caravan can be viewed as a utility truck with seats and the TBM 700 is a personal luxury hot rod, the Pilatus PC-12 is more like the proverbial Swiss Army knife. Various configurations include:

Corporate Commuter: Nine passenger seats
Executive: Custom executive transport, typically six passenger seats
Freighter: Max cargo load approximately 2200lbs.
"Combi": a mixed passenger-freight variant, with four passenger seats and 5.95 cubic meters (210 cubic feet) of cargo space

The PC-12 is in service with various military and paramilitary services as a utility aircraft, one of the best-known users being the US Air Force, which operates the type as the "U-28A". There is a more recent configuration added, known as the "PC-12 Spectre." Features include a retractable EO/IR turret under the rear fuselage, a digital video recorder and a military communications / datalink system.

Like all single-engine turboprops, the PC-12 stalls at 61 knots. It is certified for single-pilot IFR operations. The PC-12 has "amenities" such as color weather radar, engine fire detection, known icing certification, air conditioning and a backup generator.

It mixes well with terminal traffic: whether flying at a "Heavy" approach speed of 180kts or Bonanza speeds of 120kts. Final can be flown at 80kts. One owner found that... although the approach to the 2,300-foot, sea-level strip looked "kind of funky at first," he soon found that the airplane could stop by midfield with almost no braking.

(I am looking forward to the "Reverse Thrust/Gear Down/Flaps" approach :icon_lol:

My PC-12 is wearing the RedBull - Sauber F1 Race colors by "Butch, via the kind folks at AussieX." Flying under Swiss Registry, HB-FOT was manufactured in 1995 and Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG is the current owner/operator.

Great Ozzie
October 31st, 2009, 11:38
Taking the Baton from Mildenhall :unitedkingdom: to Bucharest :romania: (EGUN-LRBS)

This should prove interesting (as with EasyEd's flight)... 1000nm is a walk in the proverbial park for the PC-12 with no winds & Stnd. Press/Temp
But that isn't the case obviously and it's leap now or wait 3 or 4 days (when the current systems push thru).

Great Ozzie
October 31st, 2009, 16:20
Again Duenna didn't start! And I know I saw it start! At the end of the flight greeted with a Duenna Error Box "Can't start flight, server says" (like YPDN-YPCV Error). And I didn't bother to check the Race Tracker... another item to enter on the checklist!

:banghead: just... :banghead:

Great Ozzie
October 31st, 2009, 20:00
Taking the Baton from Mildenhall :unitedkingdom: to Bucharest :romania: (EGUN-LRBS)

Great Ozzie
November 1st, 2009, 00:01
Safely Released the Baton at Bucharest :romania: (LRBS)

EasyEd
November 1st, 2009, 07:48
Hey All,

Nice plane! Nice run!

You had the kind of winds I was looking for but didn't get so I was 20 mins slower. I also noticed that during a lot of the trip I had quartering headwinds of about 15 kts yet I was slowed by the sim over 20 kts - don't know how that happened a temporary sim glitch I think. Between the headwinds and having to throttle way back at the end I was slow.

Now to see what happens getting to ORBS.

-Ed-

Great Ozzie
November 1st, 2009, 11:49
Thanks Ed,

Yes winds were good for the most part that first (non-duenna) run and even better the 2nd run. I wasn't enthusiastic about flying until 4am (my time) but felt I better get it done because forecast winds for today looked less favorable.

I've been looking at the upper level winds forecast at http://euro.wx.propilots.net/ and comparing to current reported by ASA along the route to ORBS... as much as I am champing at the bit to get airborne, looking at the forecast winds for Tuesday morning makes me think it will be worth waiting till then. Certainly will be "keeping a weather eye..."

Great Ozzie
November 3rd, 2009, 04:24
Taking the Baton from Bucharest :romania: to Baghdad Intl. :iraq: (LRBS-ORBI)

Ed! We have a window of opportunity with these winds! Saddle up!

EasyEd
November 3rd, 2009, 07:50
Hey All,

Do I ever wish I could but I have this thing called a job in the way. :isadizzy:

-Ed-

Great Ozzie
November 3rd, 2009, 08:11
Safely Released the Baton at Baghdad Intl. :iraq: (ORBI)

Dang Ed... yes life can be quite wacky that way. Excellent Tailwinds tho.

Am just so :banghead: with myself as not long after takeoff I had the Baghdad ILS dialed in... but I mistakenly had the ILS for Rwy 33L and not ILS 15L (which I had planned for). Failed to double check the Freq. before descent.

After flying a half dozen coupled ILS approaches last nite into Baghdad (wx was perfect for it... 1sm viz and Rwy Lights didn't come into view until near the DH / 200' AGL)... today's mishap caused the autopilot to nearly drive me into the sand miles short of the runway. :angryfir:

Great Ozzie
November 3rd, 2009, 09:29
Taking the Baton from Baghdad Intl. :iraq: to Gwadar Intl. :pakistan: (ORBI-OPGD)

Great Ozzie
November 3rd, 2009, 15:21
Safely Released the Baton at Gwadar Intl. :pakistan: (OPGD)

Posted here earlier on AVSIM (http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=265483)

Race Tracker Link (http://www.fsrtwrace.com/track/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=TvaeVQJTkcylORpIFMSygjMZVsA) but Duenna was not able to "stop flight" this time on the server...

Great Ozzie
November 5th, 2009, 06:20
Some pics from the previous day's flight.

Great Ozzie
November 5th, 2009, 06:29
Taking the Baton from Gwadar Intl. :pakistan: to Allahabad :india: (OPGD-VIAL)

Great Ozzie
November 5th, 2009, 10:25
Safely Released the Baton at Allahabad :india: (VIAL)

Another Hazy Day in India

Great Ozzie
November 5th, 2009, 10:52
Taking the Baton from Allahabad :india: to Yangon Int. :malaysia: (VIAL-VYYY)

Great Ozzie
November 5th, 2009, 14:27
Safely Released the Baton at Yangon Int. :malaysia: (VYYY)

Great Ozzie
November 21st, 2009, 16:06
Taking the Baton from Yangon Int. :malaysia: to Seletar, Singapore :singapore: (VYYY-WSSL)

(ehem, am posting just a *cough* "few" minutes after take-off)

Great Ozzie
November 21st, 2009, 19:53
Safely Released the Baton at Seletar, Singapore :singapore: (WSSL)

So nice to have a baby girl home from college for the weekend... but how to be upset with her when she walks by daddy's computer and steps on the controller cable unplugging it, leaving daddy with a pseudo-emergency and only x-y axis control once it's plugged back in? CTD / Fatal Error occurred only after getting a good Duenna, so why worry? :icon_lol:

Great Ozzie
November 23rd, 2009, 10:18
Taking the Baton from Seletar, Singapore :singapore: to Sultan Hasanuddin Intl, Makassar, South Sulawesi :indonesia: (WSSL-WAAA)

Great Ozzie
November 23rd, 2009, 14:13
Have safely released the Baton at Sultan Hasanuddin Intl, Makassar, South Sulawesi :indonesia: (WAAA)

Great Ozzie
November 23rd, 2009, 15:46
Taking the Baton from Sultan Hasanuddin Intl, Makassar, South Sulawesi :indonesia: to Darwin Intl :australia: (WAAA-YPDN)

Great Ozzie
November 23rd, 2009, 18:59
Safely Released the Baton at Darwin Intl :australia: (YPDN)

Great Ozzie
November 24th, 2009, 07:08
Taking the Baton From Darwin Intl :australia: to Charleville, QLD :australia: (YPDN-YBCV)

Great Ozzie
November 24th, 2009, 11:27
Safely Released the Baton at Charleville, QLD :australia: (YBCV)

Bry Rosier
November 24th, 2009, 13:10
Nice one Rob , good Aussie winds :) one to go

Great Ozzie
November 24th, 2009, 13:20
Thanks Bry...

I was rushing to start the last one but just before loading FSX again re-checked winds aloft for the route and they had dropped from +13 to +4. So now I am debating whether to wait and risk better (or worse) winds in some hours or just take the plunge now... Winds out of Charleville are near perfect tailwinds almost 30 kts, but the next 4 stations enroute show a complete reversal and I can't really figure out what they are doing.

Maybe it's time for another Goose Flight. :mixedsmi:

Great Ozzie
November 25th, 2009, 08:35
Taking the Baton From Charleville :australia: to Melbourne :australia: (YBCV-YMEN)

"For the Precision Challenge my Estimated Flight Time Enroute to Melbourne is: 2hrs 34minutes"

Great Ozzie
November 25th, 2009, 11:12
Safely Released the Baton at Melbourne :australia: (YMEN)

Bry Rosier
November 25th, 2009, 11:36
Congratulation Rob , a very solid , well executed run in the Pilatus :ernae:

MM
November 25th, 2009, 12:21
Great stuff, Rob.:icon29:

arrvoo
November 25th, 2009, 12:46
Nicely done Robs. Congrats again

donlimpio
December 1st, 2009, 05:51
Well done congratulations!

EdGeneer
December 1st, 2009, 12:37
Welcome to Melbourne, Ozzie!!!

Have a cold one, on the house!!! :icon29: