Willy's How much abuse can a Beech 18 take in the Andes?

Willy

Willy

Administrator
Fred and I left Curacao yesterday for Maracaibo in the mighty Twin Beech for a trial flight under load. It flew pretty good so I guess we've got the load properly balanced. Wnen we got to SVMC, I just followed a AVENSA DC-4 in on final. No sense in bothering the tower about clearance to land for both of us.

We should take off from here later on if the weather is cooperative.
 
Taking off SVMC -> SVBK
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs (Me, Fred & Sassy)
 
Taking off SVBK -> SVMD If I can get Fred away from the senoritas.....
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs (Me, Fred & Sassy)
 
That was an interesting flight. Climb like heck, then dive like heck. At least we made it in one piece without incurring any maintenance points. Navigation was easy enough. Just fly down the valley until I got to the next airport. Although there was a bit of a crosswind on landing and I had to crab it down between the buildings and trees and down the bank onto the runway. Heck of a way to run a airline!

Here's the particulars for those that follow that kind of thing:

Flight time: 00:28:29
Total Flight time: 01:20:03
Landing weight: 8455.7
Fuel used: 123.4 lbs
Total Fuel used:364.3 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 4000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=0ke24pWcjB4CJRO2SP7qPKHHTk
 
Taking off SVMD -> SKBG Time to get out of Venezuela!
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs
 
Oops, think I might have made a serious navigational error. I'll know for sure in a bit and have time to get my lies together.... er stories straight... er..... review the data. That's it! Review the data....

Still enroute to SKBG, I hope..
 
Somehow, it worked out okay. I was cruising along on altitude hold at 10,500ish following a ridge on it's northside with the plan of crossing the next ridge (north/south one) that was coming up in front of me, then hanging a left to the airport. Not really paying attention to the compass as I was following the ridge. Glanced at the compass and I was headed south instead of west and no idea how long I'd been going in the wrong direction. Turned back to the west and flew straight until until I got to the N/S ridge and hopped it hoping that I was still to the north of the airport. Sure was glad to see it come into view in the fog.


Flight time: 00:55:22
Total Flight time: 02:15:25
Landing weight: 8319.1
Fuel used: 265.0 lbs
Total Fuel used:629.3 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 6000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=VidXxMiLHEuHRTr6XVpVIWgsfuo

Think I'll stop here for a while. Got a bunch of maps to study.
 
Taking off SVMD -> SKBO
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs
​
 
Headwinds, deep fog, cumulogranite, flying VFR in IFR conditions, everything to make a pilot's life more "interesting". Navigated by mountain range again, but at the last, the RDF needle was pointing right between a couple of mountain peaks, so I went between them and found the valley that Bogata sits in. Then all I had to do was find the right airport in the fog. Good thing that SKBO has two runways.

Flight time: 01:07:38
Total Flight time: 03:23:03
Landing weight: 8261.7
Fuel used: 320.2 lbs
Total Fuel used:949.5 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 8000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=8TcdguahqjA7fetCsJUtXfiqM
 
Onward, before I get bogged down in Bogata.

Taking off SVBO -> SKMZ
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs

My "Loadmaster" was feeling a bit out of sorts last night....
 
Hopped the ridge I figured about 5-10 miles from SKMZ and there it was almost directly below us. OOPS!! Chopped the throttles to idle, lowered the speed to below 120kias, dropped the flaps and gear and made like an SBD at Midway. It was a pretty wild ride down that mountainside. Not one of my favorite ways to make an approach, but it worked... Although I think I stressed out my loadmaster a bit more.

Flight time: 00:29:26
Total Flight time: 03:52:29
Landing weight: 8445.3
Fuel used: 135.8 lbs
Total Fuel used: 1085.3 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 10,000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=EJMYIiMVUuIuzlgmFURgIvu8
 
Need to move on before whatever passes for the FAA in Colombia catches up to me about that approach....

Taking off SVMZ -> SKPI
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs
 
Well that wasn't so bad. Take off, turn left, hop the ridge over into the big valley and follow it to the airfield. Although I didn't spot the airport in the fog until I was right alongside of it. No biggie though. Did a 180 and landed. Too bad there's not much here. Probably have to spend the night in the plane.....

Flight time: 01:16:44
Total Flight time: 05:09:13
Landing weight: 8235.3
Fuel used: 348.0 lbs
Total Fuel used: 1433.3 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 12,000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0
Total Airports: 6

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=iU1Lkc9CY0hRPAKzfMggYz8bQ
 
Taking off SKPI -> SKPS
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs
 
Had to shut down due to honey do.

Restarting

Taking off SKPI -> SKPS
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs
 
Well, that was interesting. I got a bit confused in the mountains, got off my intended course and had to do a bit wandering between the peaks. Good thing that SKPS has a NDB or I'd still be up there somewheres.

Flight time: 00:31:04
Total Flight time: 05:40:17
Landing weight: 8439.2
Fuel used: 144.4 lbs
Total Fuel used: 1577.7 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 14,000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0
Total Airports: 7

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=wBJpu6GDNLMRATFGD7wq7JxJFE
 
Off again, Ecuador or bust...

Taking off SKPS -> SEQU
MTOW: 8750 lbs
TOW: 8585 lbs
Fuel: 710.62 lbs
Cargo: 2000lbs
Crew: 348 lbs
 
Once again saved by the Radio Compass. There I was feeling my way between the mountain tops in the fog and about the time that I'm figuring I need to start looking ahead for the airport, I glance at the needle and it's pointing to the right. I look out the side window and there's the airport. Oops....


Flight time: 00:43:11
Total Flight time: 06:23:28
Landing weight: 8371.7
Fuel used: 205.8
Total Fuel used: 1783.5 lbs
Cargo delivered this flight: 2000 lbs
Total Cargo delivered: 16,000 lbs
Maintenance Points: 0
Total Airports: 8

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=YVt9XF4YS6huZNJbSzTkDHJ1qA
 
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