Dill52’s Air Cargo-Hauling Adventures and Extravaganza

[Dil52]

Hello all,
I'm new here and just recently recieved posting priveleges.
Thanks SOH staff for your quick responses to my request to join.

I acually was able to log into the Duenna flight tracking software and completed a few flights yesterday (Sunday, June 26 th).

**********

The adventure begins:

The CC Andean Airways introduction reads as follows:” Needed are highly skilled pilots with icy nerves who can manage dangerous missions with competence and cool.”

I guess I’ve always considered myself just that; however after yesterday's adventures I must digress. It’s been one calamity after another. I’d completed several practice runs quite successfully, but when the time to step up and fly for real, things just kept going wrong. I’ve taken off and forgot the baton, crashed a nice DC-3, forgot to refuel at Merida and was forced to execute an emergency dead stick at 13,000 feet near EL Palchal, just 28.3 miles from (SKBG) Palonegro at Bucaramanga, Columbia.

After the forced landing near SKBG, we made our way over to the nearest road and were able to wave down a bus, which is Columbia’s version of a mass transportation system which was filled with local farmers and their families on the way to the market with various kinds of farm animals, fowl, and of course coffee beans of which some would end at Starbuck’s no doubt. We managed to hire a local trucker to haul some fuel back up the mountain Plantation field where the grounded Gooney.

I don’t know what these people breath up here, but it’s certainly not very rich in O2. Then again many people here live to be well over the age of 100, so what do I know.
At one point in time I thought I saw a UFO, but my very lovely Co-pilot, Carmen, assured me that it was only the fact that I’d removed my Oxygen mask and was fatigued from all of the day’s flying events. An no, I wasn't seeing rows of burlesque dancers out on the mountains side, they were merely rows of young coffee trees. Nor is Juan riding a Ski-do, it’s only an ordinary jackass, ah er, donkey.

To explain the copilot:
Sometimes, along with bad fortune comes good fortune. While purchasing gas to fly off the mountain I met a young voluptuous, raven haired, Columbian, pilot named Carman who just happened to be out of work. Well, it didn’t take much convincing for my old copilot Clyde to hop on a charter back to Alaska, especially after a crash and a forced landing. So I hired my new Copilot who just so happens to know the Andes like the back of her lovely hand. Whew! Jackpot! Cachinga! If Carman were in a beauty contest with Raquel Welch and Marilyn Monroe in the sixties, they’d take 2^nd and 3^rd without a doubt. Man, I feel like Hugh Hefner driving a DC-3, my baby and me, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Well, perhaps some of the older pilots here know what I'm talkin about!

***********

Ahem, back to the flights

I decided to use the default DC-3 Cargo which includes the Radio Compass RMI.
The default DC-3 is a gas guzzler compared to some of the modified versions but it elliminates all temptations to disregard things like DME and other modern devices.
The Duenna flight tracking system is one of the greatest addons I've ever used.

As I mentioned above I crashed in heavy fog while attempting a go around at Miredia, Venezuela amoung other mishaps.

Attachment 40958
Leaving Alaska for Venezuela
Attachment 40959
At La Chinita Int ready to Go in the Morning
Attachment 40962
Successful landing at Miredia after reflying second flight after teh crash.

Attachment 40960
Taking off from the mountain after refueling near Bucaramanga

I'll post the details of each flight in subsequent posts.

[teson1]

Hello Dill,
welcome aboard.

Seems you've had a lot of fun already. This is what it's all about!

And we want photos...

[Dil52]

Hello teson1,

Thanks for the acknowledgement!

Trying to get over these mountains in the stock Gooney is like rowing a boat up the Amazon in the rainy season.

It's going to be interesting once we get south La Toma, Ecuador in the high Andes!

Yes, having a great time. It's nice reading the posts by the various participants. I've already racked up some demerit points...looks like we have some great pilots here.

Oh well, someone has to be last.

I'll try to remember to snap some more shots.... I should have gotten a pic of the crash.

[MM]

Dill, it would be great if you used the Duenna program to document your adventures. If you need help using that, please let us know. We have lots of experienced users here.

And for sure, welcome aboard! This should be fun.

--M

[Dil52]

Thanks Mike,

Sorry, I do need to catch up on the paper work! Sorting, posting and adding attachments has been more of a learning curve here than anything else.

I actually had permission to log into the Duenna program and fly on Sunday, but hadn't recieved permission to post in the message boards until Monday, yesterday.

I just tried to post and attach the documents and graphics for several of Sunday's flights, but ran into problems sorting the information in order so I'll just post a couple flights per post and add pictures until I catch up if that's OK?

I just discovered there's an 8 attachment limit per post as well.

I see now why each flight should really be a separate post if we want to add screen shots as well.

Here are the first two flights on Sunday.

1. SVMC-SVBK
Taking off SVMC 26/06/2011 11:00:17 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 23342.0 lbs
Fuel: 1197.0 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SVBK
Fuel Used: 693.2 lbs
Flight Time: 01:02:43
Maintenance Points: 0
Attachment 41072

Attachment 41070

**********************************************
2. SVBK-SVMD
Taking off SVBK 26/06/2011 12:06:57 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 23349.4 lbs
Fuel: 1204.4 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
Crashed
Fuel Used: 357.8 lbs
Flight Time: 00:38:53
Maintenance Points: 4 (Crashed near SVMD-(Attempted to go around after missed approach in heavy fog)
Attachment 41069

Attachment 41071

**************************

Posting may take longer than the flights themselves. At least until I catch on.

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the flights and this site.
It's just that, in all the years I've been flight simming. I just never got into posting screen shots.

I've been using Microsoft Picture Manager/ Resize/ Web Large 640-480px for most screen shots so far. I don't own any other graphics software except for various photo viewer programs includeing some HP photo software stuff that I don't like.

To everyone: Feel free to critque my posts, size of screen shots, etc.
Any advice and help with posting will be appreciated.

Regards,

Dil

[MM]

Looking great, Dil.

The screenshots are simply a delight. Great to have you join the gang.

--M

[Dil52]

3. Taking off SVBK 26/06/2011 12:06:57 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 23348.3 lbs
Fuel: 1203.3 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SVMD
Fuel Used: 397.1 lbs
Flight Time: 00:37:28
Maintenance Points: 0



Attachment 41076 Attachment 41077

Successful landing at Meridia on reflight


Attachment 41078

[Dil52]

Looking great, Dil.

The screenshots are simply a delight. Great to have you join the gang.

--M

Thanks Mike,

You have no idea how much I appreciate the feedback!

Now to keep catching up here.

Dil

[Dil52]

4. SVMD-SKBK
Taking off SVMD 26/06/2011 14:19:18 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 22750.3 lbs
Fuel: 605.3 lbs
Payload: 6,000

Arrival
N 7* 26.032' / W 72* 48.758'SKBG 28.4nm
Fuel Used: 605.3 lbs
Flight Time: 00:52:58
Maintenance Points: 4 Forced Landing (Out of Fuel) Poor fuel planning on
this leg.
Attachment 41083

Attachment 41082

Forced emergency landing forgot to add fuel at Merida.

Attachment 41081

The nice thing about FS9 scenery is the lack of it.....obstacles like trees, bushes, coffee groves, houses that get in the way at these times.....

[Dil52]

6. SKBG-SKBO

Taking off SKBG 26/06/2011 23:40:54 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 22403.0 lbs
Fuel: 898.0 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SKBO 27/06/2011 00:49:44
Fuel Used: 795.1 lbs
Flight Time: 01:08:50
Maintenance Points: 0

Attachment 41088 Attachment 41087

This concludes Sunday's flights.


Note:
PRB, I hope I'm not causing you a big headache by posting all these flights late. ...Dil

[Dil52]

Monday Flights 27/06/2011

7. SKBO-SKMZ

Taking off SKB0 27/06/2011 16:43:50 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 22103.5 lbs
Fuel: 598.5 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SKMZ 27/06/2011 17:28:33 UTC
Fuel Used: 132.7 lbs (-465.8 lbs)
Flight Time: 00:44:43
Maintenance Points: 0

Attachment 41095 Attachment 41094

[Dil52]

8.SKMZ-SKPI

Taking off SKMZ 27/06/2011 17:33:05 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 22702.9 lb
Fuel1197.9 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SKPI 27/06/2011 19:12:27 UTC
Fuel Used: 201.6 lbs (-996.3 lbs)
Flight Time: 01:39:22
Maintenance Points: 0

Attachment 41099 Attachment 41098

[Dil52]

9 SKPI-SKPS

Taking off SKPI 27/06/2011 19:20:34 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 22469.4 lbs
Fuel964.4 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SKPS 27/06/2011 20:11:38 UTC
Fuel Used: 546.2 lbs (-418.2 lbs)
Flight Time: 00:51:04
Maintenance Points: 0


Attachment 41101 Attachment 41100

[Dil52]

10 SKPS-SEQU

Taking off SKPS 27/06/2011 20:58:24 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 23948.5 lbs
Fuel1803.5 lbs
Payload: 6,000
Arrival
SEQU 27/06/2011 21:52:13 UTC
Fuel Used: 418.2 lbs
Flight Time: 00:53:49
Maintenance Points: 0

Attachment 41109 Attachment 41110

Third load delivered.
No problems today thanks to my new copilot Carmen, and Dave Bitzer for solving a gauge problem with.


Attachment 41111

This concludes all backed up postings and flights from Monday.

We can now get back to flying. The paper work is caught up. Whew!



EDIT: I tried to delete this post and place it under « Dill52’s Air Cargo-Hauling Adventures and Extravaganza but I don't see an option to delete.

Again, I owe MM, PRB and Willy a huge apology for the SNAFU of the day.
When we get to SALTA I'm buying the first few rounds for you guys!!!!!!!

[Moses03]

I merged your threads Dill.

Moses

[Dil52]

Thank you Moses,

Let's see if I can get through a day here without messing up.
I owe some rounds as well.

Hope this cargo pays well.

[Dil52]

11 SEQU-SERB

Taking off SEQU 28/06/2011 17:17:50 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 22989.5 lbs
Fuel: 844.5 lbs
Payload: 6,000

[Dil52]

Arrival
SERB 28/06/2011 18:00:40 UTC
Fuel Used: 482.9 lbs
Flight Time: 00:42:50
Maintenance Points: 0

Attachment 41126 Attachment 41125

SERB Chimborazo Airport at Riobamba, Ecuador
Ready to head to La Toma for another delivery.
Attachment 41124
Still a lot of fog an low ceilings.
Looks like the AI is working again.
For some reason I keep loosing it. It's on again off again.

I wrote this in the maintenance log for the mechanic: AI quitting off and on
His replay was: Warned AI to stop quitting off an on.
What a guy! That brings a whole new meaning to "Attitude Indicator!"

As long as the P&Ws keep purring we "be a doin alright."

[Dil52]

12. SERB-STEM
Taking off SERB 28/06/2011 19:48:00 UTC
Takeoff Weight: 223505 lbs
Fuel: 846 lbs
Payload: 6,000

[Dil52]

Arrival
STEM 28/06/2011 20:53:42 UTC
Fuel Used: 715.2 lbs
Flight Time: 01:04:49
Maintenance Points: 1 (busted altitude restrictions by 59 feet while playing with the sextant.) Good grief!!!

I hope this isn't cheating.
I thought, since we were cruiseing toward Toma, I'd take a quick reading.
if anyone is interested in the sextant. It's actually very simple if you know some simple rules.
1. The -(minus) settings are for South of the Equator and West of the Prime meridian aka the International Meridian or Greenwich Meridian. The international dateline is 180 degrees East and West of the prime meridian, depending on which direction you want to travel from the UK as example.
2. Plus numbers (without a plus sign) on the sextant are North of the Equator and East of the Prime Meridian.

Below: The sextant is merely telling us that we are where we are. In this case the settings are very close to the location of the aircraft at the time of the reading.
Miles = 0
Attachment 41153


To take a reading from the sun, which is the only star available during the day, we must first find the azimuth of the sun from due north. That is, if it were in the east 90 degrees, the south 180 degrees, and in the west would be 270 degrees. Actually the sun will never be in the morth or south but stars will be at night) Notice I have the sextant as 190 degrees (this is not correct). (To let you in on a little secret the azimuth doesn' matter in the FS sextant but to find them makes it more realistic). Actually the sun was more like 280 degrees at about 3 PM when the shot was taken. Once you click the eye piece you simply adjust the little wheel on the right to find the elevation of the sun. The ideas is as shown to get the little ball in the center if the circle by adjusting the elevation wheel. You have exactly 60 seconds to achieve this before the eye piece disappears (thats the brown circle and the bubble is between the two parallel verticale lines)
Attachment 41154

Here, the -4 degrees and -79 degrees are where we want to go. In this case they're rouphly the degrees (without explaining minutes) Latitude and Longitude of La Toma in FS9. Atually La Toma is exactly S4° 00.00' in FS9. Loja (La Toma), Ecuador is exactly 4 degrees south in Earth Goolge as well. Good stuff MSFS!

The reading of Miles -65 is because we're south and using minus numbers.
30 nm miles farther south (toward Toma) be Miles -35 etc until zero. Which would at least be the LOP (line of possition) near La Toma. Since the sextant isn't that accurate we would actually head a few degrees east or west to offset the LOP so we we''d be pretty sure to turn the right direction to find La Toma once we reached Miles 0 or our LOP.
Attachment 41155
In this case the orange arrow on the Radio Compass is pointing straight up as it's tuned into NDB/LOJ 414 Khz. So we don't really need the sextant today to find La Toma.

A point of interest when talking about LOP (line of position). I'm sure many navigators back when NAVAIDs came out used the term frequently. (now we call them radials)
When using only VOR or NDB and no DME, a "line of position" is a great tool for finding the airport you're searching for in the fog, low clouds or scud. If the VOR or NDB are not located at the airport, once you get on the correct radial (LOP), fly the direction you believe to be correct. That's the only way I found SKPI (Patalito) in a very dense fog or cloud. It still took 20 minutes.





Attachment 41157 Attachment 41156

Please don't take this the wrong way. I'm by no means "Mr. Know it ALL." I'm barely a third of the was through the flights and have accumulated 9 points already.

Not to mention all the posting errors.
I'm positive that I have the Staff and some Charter members here pulling their hair out by now.

I pledge not to use the Sextant as a DME again.
Just thought it might interest some pilots here.

Think I'll take the evening off and have a Sarsaparilla.

Regards,

Dill

[PRB]

Did somebody say free beer...? You're on a roll, Dil52! I'll have to get my DC-2 cranked up before I'm the last one across the finish line!

[Dil52]

We're celebrating the crossing of the Equator.

We'll leave a tab open at a Casino to be named later...your choice


Carmen knows all the hot spots!

In the mean time you've got some flying to do PRB.

[Great Ozzie]

I pledge not to use the Sextant as a DME again.

I thought using a sextant was ok (even encouraged during Evita)?

Just thought it might interest some pilots here.

Yes an interesting read. One type of navigation I never learned and still wish to do.

Btw Dill, you are so correct about LOPs (I call them that too when drawing out on a map from a VOR or NDB).

If not already, you might want to consider using something like Plan-G (I just started using it myself). It can be either sync'd with the plane (not to be done for this race) or just used as a map. No Compass Rose over the VORs (like on Sectionals, I miss that) but there is a right-click on a point "QDM: range and bearing". I use that for 2 or more LOPs to determine a point on the map.

If you have a 2nd comp, very nice to display the map (plus all the info it provides).

[Dil52]

Thanks Ozzie,

That Plan G looks good. I downloaded the main program, but haven’t done anything with it yet or even downloaded the patch. I’m almost positive it will, but do you know for certain if it can be used with both FSX and FS9? I don’t have a second computer, or two monitors. That would be nice. I create a flight plan in FS, print it out and use a plotter. I also have a hardcover world atlas, and am now getting into using Earth Google. I once had FS Navigator, but lost a computer that refused to boot up. One of these days I’ll pull the HD out of the old computer, slave the drive, and get the information.

My world atlas still has LOP's (routes) drawn in pencil from my first Amelia Earhart recreated flight around the world in FS2000. There are so many more modern tools these days. It still comes in handy now a again. At least I can get elevations by the shaded colors of the mountains, and from peak elevation marks (in meters). I keep it handy here in the flight bag.

Dil

[Dil52]

It looks like we're grounded today.
I hate to waist this big high pressure system over Ecuador, but some things came up.

We’ll take the opportunity to change the fluids and repair a bent landing gear from a forced landing earlier.

Besides, my passport expired in 1951 and there’s some paperwork involved, so they say. The picture of a five year old on it just didn’t fly with the officials.

Attachment 41244