Dil52's Cape to Cape Flights in the Golden Age Northop Gamma 2A

[Willy]

Congratulations Fred! The drinks over at the hotel are on Salt..

[CavalierDuck]

Congratulations on finishing, good job!

[Dil52]

Thank you all! Keep on flying down here and I'll be following all your flights and reading your news articles and accounts.
The greatest part about this whole experience is flying from point A to point B and then reading about all the different aircraft, experiences, and thoughts that everyone else has and the how they accomplish them in different ways.

I surely want to thank everyone here at SOH for making this such an enjoyable time.
Each time I fly these adventures I find it to be a whole new learning experience.

I'm no a computer guru by any sense of the word nor an expert on vintage aircraft.
I had no idea there were so many aircraft to choose from.
I spent a whole weekend trying to figure out which aircraft I'd fly and that was before they added the reference column.
A year ago, about the only add-on aircraft I had was a MAAM DC-3 package, which all I had to do was push one button and it self installed.

Once I chose the aircraft I had no idea how to add an auto pilot to it.
I'd added a Sperry, but the auto pilot didn't work, or so I thought.
The AI and HI worked and were easier to use, since they're bigger than the stock ones, so I kept it on the panel.
After hand flying all the way to Marseille, Mike showed me how to make it work.
I think, basically it was changing a zero to a one.



I don't think I could have made it all the way to Cape Town hand flying only.
I know the toggle switch on my Yoke, that I use for trimming, would certainly have been worn out by now.


Austin is usually my ace mechanic when it comes to dealing with that stuff behind the panel and under the cowling.
He's sent me more cfg files in the past year then he probably wanted to.
I'd just back up my old one, place his file in the folder, and whala, a great looking functional panel appears.
I'd actually figured out how to add a 200 pound cargo bay to haul mail, but that was about the extent of it.
I'd also found some old 55 gallon drums, stuck them in the fuselage for more fuel, but the committee ruled fowl play, so I scrapped them for some beer money and continued on this great journey.
Oh, yes and I managed to place a homer in the aircraft as well.

The path around the coast was easier to navigate than the desert run, but I don't think the Gamma 2A would have made it on the fuel. It certainly wouldn't have had to enough if I'd gotten lost like I'd done in the Alps.

The last flight was nearly the coup-de-gras of all the flights.
Soon after take off, it seemed like everyone I know, called me on the phone. One thing was figuring out a material list for a weekend project coming up. That was the easy one.

Then the real world weather threw everything in a book at the Gamma. It's a good thing I don't have a force feed back chair. I would be sore for days after that flight.


Just some thoughts about this great adventure!


Dil52

[salt_air]

One word bud .... Terrific!

Drinks are free ... come and get 'um.





Great story kine and for those that paid attention ... another tutorial.

Fine Job Fred!!!

[Dil52]

As always, thanks Austin!

Well, I guess Josephine (I liked her swim scene ) up there in Broken Hill got rich and oldpropfan won himself and brand new Beechcraft!

The officals up in the head office at Texaco wouldn't let my wager on flights.
They said it wouldn't be good for their image.
However they made it well worth my efforts with a nice bonus.


Perhaps now I can pick up another aircraft and fly another day.

I hear there's some crop dusting work up in Canada spraying trees or something, and, Oh yes, the Navy is looking for pilots to take off and land on boats....can you imagine that?

[PRB]

Congrats Fred! And a big thanks for the sextant write up! I installed the one from the DD4 DC-3 into the Lockheed and have been reading the manual. Looks like fun!

- Paul

[jt_dub]

Great final leg Fred! Should be quite a party at the bar. Remember Austin gets the tab so order the finest.

[Moses03]

Excellent run Fred. Enjoy the cold ones.

[RedGreen]

Way to go, Fred! Well done!

[MM]

Fred, we had a blast following your narrative. The stories and photos were great, giving character and meaning to the long legs. (Loved your story about the movie company in Broken Hill.)

And thanks for the push toward celestial navigation.

[Dil52]

Thanks for your congrats everyone!
We’re having a great party down here and sending a toast up to Jeff in the north. Cheers!

Not exactly accurate aircraft, but you get the idea!
Salt_Air, Willy, Moses, myself and, MM.....hope I have everyone so far here at Cape Town South.

Jeff, jt_dub, up there in Cape Town North!



We're setting up more parking and keeping a keen eye out for more pilots coming in.



Dil52

[teson1]

Nice group shot. I just wonder where the pilots are...
Good flights, Fred, and everyone who has arrived (and is flying).

[Dil52]

Nice group shot. I just wonder where the pilots are...
Good flights, Fred, and everyone who has arrived (and is flying).

The pilots are all sitting at the outside bar located up on top of this building, having some refreshments and watching for our fellow pilots to arrive .

Notice that we're keeping everyone awake in the hotel. Practically all the lights are still on, because everyone's at the party!
Hurry down here!!!



We have a great view, so grease your best landing.


PS: We have some olympic judges on their way to London, so look for all 10's across the building after you land!


Dil52

[oldpropfan]

Congrats on a great run, knew you could do it in 2. If the plotter part of the sextant worked in FSX I'd be working on using it, you've given some great examples of how to do it.

Hope nobody falls off the roof while you guys are having fun at the bar!

edit: Just saw you came in almost 12 hrs under your reference time, that's some fantastic flying!!

[Dil52]

Congrats on a great run, knew you could do it in 2. If the plotter part of the sextant worked in FSX I'd be working on using it, you've given some great examples of how to do it.

Hope nobody falls off the roof while you guys are having fun at the bar!

edit: Just saw you came in almost 12 hrs under your reference time, that's some fantastic flying!!

Thank you! I knew, when I heard that you put up the title for the Beech, I couldn't let you down.

The final tally was a couple hours and change over the reference time, but I'm well satisfied......considering I could have lost 4 hours after the first flight.