PRB's Pacific Patrol II(a)

[PRB]

Ok, so I made it to Rabaul. But check out this geologic feature of the southeast end of New Ireland. The map is from Plan-G, and the FS shot is where I think I'm over it. Turn out it's a seismic fault, called either the Weitin Fault or the Sapom Fault. They're both there, but my quick Google research did not make it clear to me which was the visually striking one. They do get big quakes around here...

 

[PRB]

Headed down the New Britain coast to Jacquinot Bay (JCB)

 

[PRB]

Fun filled flight from Rabault to Jacquinot Bay. In the pics you can see the first view of Wide Bay, as we came over the top of the Baining Mountains, then Wide Bay itself, with the airport at Gonaili (GON) below, and the final approach into JCB.

 

[PRB]

Gusap or bust. Filling the tanks for this one...

 

[PRB]

Good flight to Gusap.

 

[PRB]

Onward to HFD. Flight plan says it's a Hay field. Hope all the farm equipment are is cleared out. Should wait for Moses03 to land first. That'll clear the field of any obstructions...

 

[PRB]

Made it to the Hayfield!

 

[Willy]

Onward to HFD. Flight plan says it's a Hay field. Hope all the farm equipment are is cleared out. Should wait for Moses03 to land first. That'll clear the field of any obstructions...

And any Tiki Huts, Snow Cone Stands, etc.

 

[PRB]

And any Tiki Huts, Snow Cone Stands, etc.

Rgr that. Anything taller than a B-29 wing.

Some kodaks of the flight to Hayfield. I like looking up the geography of the places we're flying over, but sometimes Google and the Interwebs in general are inadequate. For example, the airport at Aiome (AIO) sits on the banks of a river, but what is it called? Google maps is useless, and so was Google in general. But, I have a world atlas published in 1979. An actual book. And inside, it can be revealed, it is the Ramu River! So there.

The Ramu River, and the airport at Aiome (AIO), just where it was supposed to be, off to the left.

Kar Kar island over yonder. The big volcano/island.

Crossing the Tepik River. Hayfield should have been about ten minutes out from this point, which it was.

Final approach, Hayfield.

 

[Moses03]

Should wait for Moses03 to land first. That'll clear the field of any obstructions...

Always willing to help.

 

[PRB]

Always willing to help.

Checks for any cement blocks in the back of the Grumman, and makes sure Celine Dion greatest hits CD is still under the seat...

Headed for WABB using RealWXLite.

 

[PRB]

Started by the dawn's early light from Hayfield. Even RealWXLite said it was nice out. But that didn't last long...

 

[PRB]

Made it up to Frans Kaisiepo (WABB). 11,000 foot paved runway? Dang! I didn't know what to do. Almost crashed.

 

[PRB]

Couple more kodaks of the flight to WABB. This plane sure does have a lot of windows. I liked the RealWXLite experience. The weather was "solid undercast" for most of the flight. At the start it was clear, and just before I got to WABB it cleared up pretty good. Used WAJJ as a navigation checkpoint, and spied it through a hole in the clouds when I got there. And there seems to be a better variety of weather than the default wx engine, even when it is producing weather...

 

[PRB]

Westward, to the Turkey's Head (WA1A).

 

[PRB]

Down safe at WA1A.

 

[PRB]

Taking off for WAMR using FSRealWXLite.

 

[PRB]

FS locked up within sight of destination. Longest leg, of course. Had to crowbar FS from the computer.

 

[PRB]

Try this one again. WA1A to WAMH using FSRealWX2

 

[PRB]

Made it to Naha (WAMH). This time. On final approach, with seconds to land, both hands occupied by stick and throttles, FSRealWXPro V2.0 decides to "stop working", and Windows, being helpful as ever, decides to inform me of this fact by placing a nice pretty window on my computer screen, perfectly obscuring my view of the runway ahead. I was too close to take my hands off the control to respond to the helpful window, so landed blind. Almost blind. I'm very happy about it right now. Got a Kodak. Motoring north across the beautiful Celebes Sea.