Spookster's Cape-to-Cape - better late than never...

[Spookster67]

Well, I've been waiting to start this event for weeks, and finally there's a gap in my real-world commitments that will enable me to do so.

Haven't done much planning yet, other than that I'm heading from Hammerfest to Prague (LKKB) with a full fuel load. Here goes...

[Moses03]

Welcome aboard Martin.

[Spookster67]

1:40 into the flight and the I'm on the Baltic Coast as planned. The Mew Gull is doing fine, and the initial headwinds have switched to tailwinds.

p.s. I'm flying in FSX, with FSX weather, and RTW Race scenery settings. The aircraft is the Percival P6 Mew Gull (Lee Hall).

[Dil52]

Yes, good to see you here Martin....good luck....and nice choice of aircraft. Bring her on down here sir.

[Spookster67]

Thanks guys. :salute:

3:28 and overhead Stockholm Bromma, with 694nm covered. Averaging about 200knots over the ground, so about another 2:50 to run.

In the log book so far:

0 depart ENHF
14 (mins) NDB ALA
42 NDB HET
?? NDB OG (never received the signal)
98 NDB TRU (and the Baltic coast)
128 NDB VNA
198 NDB ERK
208 overhead ESSB (Bromma)

[Spookster67]

Now into Poland, and have got the NDBs back (it was VFR along the coastline in southern Sweden).

263 Oland island south tip
296 Polish coast
310 NDB CHO

[teson1]

Good entry to the stage, Martin !
I see you've almost arrived in Prague . 1200 nm. What a flight!
Good luck with the landing.
Ha, a flight or two more from you and I'll have my tailend charlie position back

[Spookster67]

Down safe at Prague Kbely (LKKB).

Attachment 64901

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...MB6EuHAx2EsLVw

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/cv...uHAx2EsLVw.txt

[Spookster67]

Well I took a few pictures, but to be honest, northern Sweden isn't that photogenic... Just lots and lots of trees and lakes.

Anyway, I passed Stockholm Arlanda
Attachment 64907

and Bromma
Attachment 64908

and 6 and a bit hours later landed safely just outside Prague.
Attachment 64909

Hand-flying into the Alps tomorrow - and probably some more interesting scenery to get pictures of.

[Spookster67]

Prague (LKKB) to Bolzano (LIPB), hand flown over the Alps. A nice easy flight across the gradually climbing German foothills, and then some interesting turns along the valleys through the Alps. I ran up the valley that goes to Innsbruck, but then turned left at the RTT NDB and climbed up past Mayhofen and over a 7500 pass into Italy. From there I picked up the Brenner pass road and followed it gradually down to Bolzano. In fact Bolzano took me by surprise, and I arrived at 220 knots without time to slow down and make a sensible approach, so after a quick touch and go I flew a circuit and landed safely.

Attachment 64932

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...m9587nuUL4ThYY

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/0g...7nuUL4ThYY.txt

2 hours bonus for a hand-flown landing at Bolzano, plus 15 minutes bonus for flying from a designated fuel stop.

[Spookster67]

Attachment 64936

The lake is a good sign - I'm in the right valley!!
Attachment 64934

Now the fun starts...
Attachment 64937 Attachment 64938 Attachment 64939

Bolzano, and the airport just around the corner, but I was too high and fast for a landing first time.
Attachment 64940

[Spookster67]

Bolzano to Interlaken, hand flown. I lost track of which valley I was in on the map, so I just relied on the Bolzano NDB (290 radial) to know that I must be roughly in the right place. All I had to do then was find a lake and fit it's shape to the map... The Klontalersee came to my rescue, and from there a left turn brought me to Lake Lucerne and into the valley to Interlaken.

Attachment 64957

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...5UKtS8GudNhokw

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/NP...S8GudNhokw.txt

15 bonus for the leg Bolzano to Interlaken, plus 15 bonus for staying below 12,000 (actually I stayed below 10,000 - the Mew Gull really doesn't like it up in the thin air)

[Spookster67]

Interlaken to Marseille. Didn't want to go high, so I went round the moutains rather than over or through them. Nice views of Mont Blanc as I crossed its foothills.

Attachment 64983

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=W4s0X5TeBKBpwDX 0ti4CQnGD0d8

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/W4...i4CQnGD0d8.txt

15 mins bonus for a hand-flown flight out of Interlaken.

[teson1]

Well done !
I'm just putting the same flight together. Seems we had the same ideas.

[MM]

A powerful pair of Percivals...

[Spookster67]

Bolzano to Interlaken.

Attachment 65022 Attachment 65023 Attachment 65024 Attachment 65025 Attachment 65026

Interlaken to Marseille via the foot of Mont Blanc which towered above me. In my P6 cockpit I've got a pair of stopwatches, a pair of ADF gauges for NDBs, and a wind drift gauge. Plus a selection of switches for cabin lights, pitot heat and autopilot, all without labels (which just makes it more exciting when you're looking to turn the autopilot off quickly!!)

Attachment 65027 Attachment 65028

[Spookster67]

Ooops, having now had time to read the rules a little more thoroughly, I notice that I ought to have been posting before starting each leg. I'll try to do that properly from now on... :salute:

I'm heading from Marseille (LFML) to Colomb-Bechar (DAOR). If I can find Mallorca out in the Med, I'll know I'm roughly on course.

[Spookster67]

Down safe at DAOR (Columb Bechar).

Attachment 65087

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...MdSRg3oUkOa668

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/VM...g3oUkOa668.txt

Attachment 65088

Sunset over the Med, and I arrived in Africa after dark. Finding the town was easy with all its lights on, and the airfield had a good beacon - unfortunately the runways didn't have lights, so it was a really tentative landing, not wanting to break the gear.

[Spookster67]

After just a few hours sleep it's up at 3am for a 4am departure south. I'm heading for Niamey (DRRN) in one hop, since the Mew Gull can make it that far, and that gives me fewer airfields to look for without any Navaids.

It should be light by 8am, and by 8.15am I'll be hoping to see the Niger somewhere near Bourem, ready to follow it southeast-wards down to Niamey. If I don't see the river, well I'm lost...

(edit: controls issue on first take-off roll, so re-started flight/duenna)

[salt_air]

Making great time Martin ... rollin' along nicely!


I really like that panel ... brilliant.

[Spookster67]

That went to plan nicely - the sun came up, the Niger appeared in the distance, and after a while following it down stream I spotted a city that had the required number of islands and bridges, plus a big airport to its south east. It must be Niamey...

Attachment 65152

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...NCCqLZWeYTGbDo

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/vo...LZWeYTGbDo.txt

[Spookster67]

Making great time Martin ... rollin' along nicely!


I really like that panel ... brilliant.

Thanks Salt. Yes, that panel has everything I need, and nothing more. I made it for the LM 2009, and it's perfect for this event too.

Pics from the trip across the desert:

Sunrise
Attachment 65153

Possibly a big river to the west...
Attachment 65154

Along the Niger to a city that could be Niamey...
Attachment 65155

Airport in sight.
Attachment 65156 Attachment 65157

[Spookster67]

A quick re-fuel, grab some breakfast, and we're off again. Now heading for Douala (FKKD).

[Spookster67]

Down safe at FKKD, after coming through some thunder and lighting in the last 30 minutes. Pretty turbulent on approach, but plenty of runway to play with.

Attachment 65175

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...rFES5AiHdSkEpc

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/logs/fO...5AiHdSkEpc.txt

[Spookster67]

Heading for the next mandatory fuel stop, Kinshasa (FZAB).