Rob O. Cape to Cape in the DH.88

[Great Ozzie]

Since Miss Nellie approved the two week extension for the completion of the race, I figured that I'd see how far I could get

Same same... maybe I see you Willy over Norway.

Departing: ENHF Hammerfest to EDDF Frankfurt-Main

(am on the Buzz Server btw)

Nasty Wx departing Hammerfest... was nearly on top by 11.000MSL where winds started swinging around toward the tail. Severe Clear @ EDDF... NNE'erly winds so planning Rwy36 as the Comet despises a x-wind.

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: EDDF Frankfurt-Main

Lots and Lots of Runway.

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=GkMI33qNwecXC5y7dqUFLLJiyO4

 

[Great Ozzie]

Departure: EDDF Frankfurt-Main to LSMI Interlaken Mil

* Hand Flying

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: LSMI Interlaken Mil

Bonus: 15 min for EDDF-LSMI - Hand-flying

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=joVJj8fNuttFizQhUCOWyvcVSU

 

[robert41]

Welcome to the fun Rob.

 

[Great Ozzie]

Thanks Robert. :salute:


Departure: LSMI Interlaken Mil to LIPB Bolzano

* Hand Flying

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: LIPB Bolzano

Bonus:
2 hrs Landing at LIPB
15 min LSMI - LIPB -- Hand-flying
15 min LSMI - LIPB -- Under 12.000

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=QmasZkNwW97l6ZFpiciozm6Vj8

 

[Great Ozzie]

Departure: LIPB Bolzano to LIML Linate Milan

* Hand Flying

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: LIML Linate Milan

Bonus:

15 min LIPB - LIML -- Hand-flying

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=ulZKs7m0oz2gpGEZGH1zZvTc

 

[Great Ozzie]

Departure: LIML Linate to DAAG Houari Boumediene

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: DAAG Houari Boumediene

DAAG 271730Z 34008KT 7000 FEW030 SCT100 23/18 Q1014

Viz was a smidge low for VFR* (7000m / 4sm)... Flew the 251° Bearing from ZEM NDB, and knowing I would be inside 10nm when abeam the OA compass locator... still I was a bit surprised when the runway appeared. A gentle 360° turn to lose altitude and some airspeed returned things right as rain for a nice descent to landing.

*Ok... technically "Marginal VFR" as min in U.S. is 3sm (1000 / 3) but 4sm viz and I'll be filing IFR.

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=gxOKIyPBQl3uGgJKyG6L1LtcdM

 

[Great Ozzie]

Departure: DAAG Houari Boumediene to DAOR Bechar

Ufff... DAOR 271700Z 18020G30KT 5000 DRSA FEW033CB SCT040 BKN100 34/02 Q1014

20 Gusting to 30??? Drifting Sand??? Dang... just dang...

 

[MM]

Looking good, Rob. Nice to get the de Havilland into the event.

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: DAOR Bechar

Thanks Mike... (btw sorry not sooner).

Mecheria (DAAY) was a mess. Fortunately, I had established myself well on tracking out from the Tiaret NDB... knowing (at least my read) I would not be able to use the NDB at Mecheria. When you see time expire... very tempting to plug in the freq for a quick check to see if you passed. However, in my case, giving another 30 secs or so (I track / round off to the minute) and DAAY appeared (or at least this green oasis I knew would be the airport). So I was fairly satisfied with the dead reckoning aspect. Wasn't until I was about 5 min or so out, that I flew past a pilotage checkpoint (huge mound of sand - at least 6500'MSL elevation). A "small" comfort that I was very close to being on-course. Visibility at Bechar had improved to at least 5 miles... much, much easier finding the airport.

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=ztiIkr1kaYccZK7TRwpxc4KJmU

Pic 1: Experiencing the joyously low visibility at Mecheria. You can see you cannot really see the end of Rwy 24.

Pic 2: 6500'+ (MSL) Sand Mountain North of Bechar (you can actually see where this is on the FSX map).

Pic 3: Relief... Huge town is Bechar (what else? ) and the runway environment can (barely) be made out (west side of city)... well it could be when flying on a large monitor... small pic makes it kind of hard to see.

 

[Great Ozzie]

Departure: DAOR Bechar to DRRN Diori Hamani

Plan now is to fly approx. 4 & 1/2 hours solely by Dead Reckoning with the hope of intersecting the Niger River somewhere between Bourem (GABR) and Gao (GAGO). Then just a simple matter of following the River to Niamey. In between two broken layers at 11.000 with great visibility...

 

[Great Ozzie]

Ay yi yi...

Estimating just a half hour from "the river" and I get a fatal error. Not used to seeing these.

Oh well... try again tomorrow.

 

[Great Ozzie]

Departure: DAOR Bechar to DRRN Diori Hamani

4+ hrs of just E6B'ing...

Update:

4hrs & 20mins and "the river" is in sight. Seems I am a smidge East of where I was shooting for (the big bend that turns south). Was aiming for Bourem (GABR) which appears 10+ nm to the West of me. Ok tho as the current heading should put me very close to overflying Gao (GAGO - "last" visual checkpoint before the big city of Niamey).

 

[Great Ozzie]

Arrival: DRRN Diori Hamani

phew! btw. 8kt x-wind... a touch of upwind engine kept the nose straight (relatively ) for the rollout.

Tracking-URL: http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=hiFwJc5SGRw1u7Sqyrw13AmY

 

[MM]

Great flying, Rob. The Niger has been a pleasant sight for all of us.

 

[Great Ozzie]

Thanks Mike. Yes sir, was a pleasant site indeed... kind of like the Mississippi of the Sahara.

I take it no NDB usage until within a 100nm of the coast (i.e. no using the NDB at Kainji). Not a big problem as "The Gulf of Guinea" provides a 'when to turn East' checkpoint. ;-)

Departure: DRRN Diori Hamani to FKKD Douala

Edit:

Nutty Comet... 10kt x-wind and the plane wants to show me how easy it is to ground loop... just about had the right engine pulled back to idle to keep things straight (until after rotating ).

dang... between the clouds... and being half mesmerized watching "Alice in Wonderland" (Disney Channel) I nearly missed my checkpoint... the airport at Ajaokuta.