Around the World From NZ to NZ.

[kiwibarguy]

AGGF Kirakira (Solomon Island) > AGGH Henderson Aifield (Guadal Canal, Solomon Islands)






Today i'm flying in the skies that Wildcats and Zeros once flew.

Guadal Canal, the 'turning point' in the war for Japan. Many brave New Zealanders lost ther lives here.

You can see the terrain within which they fought in must of been hell. Guadal Canal is head high grass. You can't see 2 feet ahead in some places so the soldiers said.

There were many battles fought here in the Air, Sea and Land.







Henderson Airfield was named after Lofton R. Henderson, the commanding officer and naval aviator who was the first man to be shot down and killed in the battle of Midway.

If you are interested in the battles of the Pacific you can click on this link to see how the making of 'The Pacific' is going. It is now currently being filmed in Australia, made by the creators of 'Band of Brothers'. Click here to check it out > <a href="http://www.pacificfans.com/production-news...re-from-the-set" target="_blank">http://www.pacificfans.com/production-news...re-from-the-set</a>
Please remember this trip will not be only about war. I just felt that Guadal was worth mentioning as it is important history for all New Zealanders. I definitely reccomend to everyone checking the Wikipedia sites on 'Guadal Canal', just like Passchendale, least we forget.

[kiwibarguy]

AGGH Henderson Airfield/ Honiara(Solomon Islands)> AGGN Gizo (Solomon Islands)




Wind calm, Visibility 80km, Light clouds, Temp 28 degrees, Dew point 25 Degrees

Goodbye Guadal Canal, of we go to Gizo.

Jepperson said light clouds but there seemed to be more than a few. Heavy crosswinds ( the heaviest so far ) spectacular lightning and thunder.

I like this shot. i was trying to capture the lightning but it's so fast. maybe i should have slowed down to half speed to capture it. Next time.

Guadal Canal

Whistling winds with a beautiful view. I'm flying! Flying up through the Georgia Sound. New Georgia can be seen on the left in the horizon. Within this tiny collection of islands there are over 10 different languages.



Coming into Gizo i realised that the Airport barely fits on the island itself. What a clever way to make money. A ferry service to get off as well.

In the distance, the highest point of the Solomon Islands. Makarakomburu 8,028 ft. (2,447 m)
It is said that in the past Cannibals lived here but they now no longer remain. Now that is what i call a true 'Survivor Island'. Ther can only be one. "Im sorry Putalu, you have been eliminated , grab the salt'.

We have touch down.

Coral Runways

Bugger, the ferry service operates only on weekends.
Time for a drink, hmmmm, maybe a Cosmopolitan tonight. 30ml Vodka, 30ml Cointreau, 30ml lime juice, 30ml Cranberry Juice, shaken and served in a 120ml Martini glass. made the kiwibarguy way. yummy.
Thanks for checking out my trip.

[Alex]

Nice shots barguy, looks like a salt runway if anything - should be no shortage there.

Thanks for posting, I'm enjoying watching your progress around the world.

Alex

[kiwibarguy]

QUOTE (Alex @ Oct 11 2007, 06:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice shots barguy, looks like a salt runway if anything - should be no shortage there.

Thanks for posting, I'm enjoying watching your progress around the world.

Alex

Thanks mate, i appreciate your words. It takes a bit of work but its worth it in the end.

[kiwibarguy]

Gizo AGGN (Solomon Islands) > Buka AYBK ( Papua New Guinea)



Lovely weather to take off in.

Great last leg of Solomon Islands. Plenty of lakes and terrain.



I toured around the world from London to The Bay
It's Hammer go Hammer MC Hammer Yo Hammer and the rest can go and play
Can't touch this hmm hm hm hm, hm hm, hm hm can't touch this. well there goes my credibilty.


I tried to find out about this place shown above but couldn't find any info on it, basically it's one of those in the middle of nowhere places.

Goodbye Solomons, i have reached the Bouganville border which devides the Solomons from Papua New Guinea.

I was going to download that 'lumber jack ' programme that you can get to trim the Airport's fauna but i thought nahhh i kind of enjoy it.

Safe! I have been sick this week so my next flight should be a bit more informative. see you then!


Name that plane?

[cowpatz]

Hey I'm enjoying the cocktails as much as reading about your flights.
I have noticed in a couple of your screen shots that the nosewheel looks a little flat or underground.
I have used the technique listed in this article to sort out some of my aircraft contact points.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=...les&page=cp

cheers
Steve

[kiwibarguy]

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Oct 20 2007, 11:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey I'm enjoying the cocktails as much as reading about your flights.
I have noticed in a couple of your screen shots that the nosewheel looks a little flat or underground.
I have used the technique listed in this article to sort out some of my aircraft contact points.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?l ... es&page=cp

cheers
Steve

Cool thanks for that. I'm a bit useless at computer stuff but have given it a read and may try in the future. i still have trouble with liveries hahahaha!!. Still wearing my beginner's badge.


Thanks for checking out my trip and keep the suggestions coming. i love them!

[SUBS17]

Amazing shots kiwibarguy the concept of flying around the world in FSX is a cool one I might do it with a Hornet when I get acceleration.

[kiwibarguy]

Buka AYBK Papua New Guinea>AYTK Tokua Papua New Guinea




It's an early start for me!

I wanted to catch the Sunrise, and it was lovely.

Flying over to the Main Islands of Papua New Guinea today. Volcano central.

Clear skies.

More water....



Lovely skies above.

I installed a mesh programme for all of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia and NZ and i'm already impressed. More 3-D like, more defined topography and better res. here is the link below.

<a href="http://www.simviation.com/fsx_terrainmesh.htm" target="_blank">http://www.simviation.com/fsx_terrainmesh.htm</a>
'FSX-STRM Mesh for Australia, New Zealand and PNG (Papua New Guinea) This STRM mesh will update your FSX default Mesh giving you a much better resolution than the default mesh that comes with default FSX. We have used the latest Data available fixing all voids where possible'.

Well over 280 mb but well worth it.

Coming in to land at Tokua, the newest Airport for Papua New Guinea since Rabaul's Airport was destroyed in the Eruption of Tavurvur in 1994.

Tomorrow i will go for a tiki tour around Tavurvur, a little bit of a volcano sight seeing tour.


Volcano tour in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

Above we can see how they have rebuilt the town of Rabaul taken in 2007 (left) to what it was like (right) on the day of the eruption in 1993. Luckily all were evacuated.







Off for a quick flight around the town of Rabaul and Tavurvur.

Up ahead in the distance Tavurvur shadows the town of rabaul, awaking from its slumber in 2006 after its massive eruption in 1994 to show signs again that she is far from over.

flying along the back of the Volcano.

Coming around to the town of Rabaul, they have built it from scratch.

Lying below this is mud and ash is the Rabaul Airport. No longer in use we fly back to Tokua, an Airport they built after the eruption.
In 1937, over 507 people died when Tavurvur unexpectedly erupted.

Time to go back to Tokua, a great little trip.

[flightsimaviator]

Cross-country on multiplayer tonight, tomorrow this time till nine from Palmerston North-Paraparaumu-wellington

[kiwibarguy]

QUOTE (flightsimaviator @ Oct 30 2007, 07:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cross-country on multiplayer tonight, tomorrow this time till nine from Palmerston North-Paraparaumu-wellington

thanks for this but i read it today 31/11/07 a bit late yeah

[kiwibarguy]

Tokua AYTK Papua New Guinea > AYHK Hoskins Papua New Guinea


Today i am flying from Tokua (just outside Rabaul) down to the little Western Peninsula of New Britain Island to Hoskins. Check out the map above.


The weather is truly excellent today, no clouds, no wind.


See ya later Tokua.


Our final wave goodbye to Rabaul. I hope they dont have to contend with Tarvurvur for a while. Now we will head South West and make our way down New Britain Island to fly over a much bigger and angrier volcano than Tarvurvur.

Her name is Ulawun.


Not a happy looking volcano. Cheap property, high insurance.



Ulawun is situated 130km South West of Rabaul. One of the most active volcanoes in Papua new guinea. There are 6 that they watch very carefully, and this is one of them.


This is her having a little hissy fit last year. Note the side fissure.


Microsoft have censored Ulawun's look for a more hill like effect.


There lays Hoskins. Kimbe Bay which is close to Hoskins is famous for its huge corals, big fish and caves.


A perfect day for flying. Thank you for joining me today. We will head off soon to the main island of Papua New Guinea to Lae. Join me again. see ya.
By the way, tomorrow is the start of Movember. I and 19 other mo bros will spend the next month growing for Men's prostate cancer. Go the mo!!

Birds of Paradise

Time for a drink? Well how about this little lady called a 'Birds of Paradise'. I won the 'New Zealand Culinary Fare Supreme Winner Award for best open cocktail' this year. This is my creation.
Peel one mandarin into a pilsner glass with one scoop of crushed ice. In the shaker goes another mandarin and 30ml vodka, muddled, 15ml Campari, 60ml Mandarin Liqueur, shake and strain into the glass and top up with Cranberry juice. Mmmm
Garnish with 2 palm leaves and a long peel of lemon. Serve.

[G-HEVN]

Good cause.

[Kelburn]

again another great tour. You're coming along well

[Q300]

Good luck on the trip, and keep these great shots coming.

[kiwibarguy]

Crossing the Vitiaz Strait

Hoskins (AYHK) Papua New Guinea > Nadzab, near Lae (AYNZ) Papua New Guinea

Wind 164 at 1kts, Clear Skies, another fine day of flying. I know full well that the monsoon season starts from November right through to March, and i haven't got anywhere near South East Asia yet. i think i will be in for some rain in the coming legs.
Today we fly along New Britain to the unique Long Island which i spotted on an atlas as being quite peculiar, across the Vitiaz Strait which is the water that devides the main land from New Britain.



Weather this great can't last.


Well i just love listening to the latest Radiohead 'In Rainbows' while writing up this blog. Awesome band.


The western most point of New Britain, with the strait in front of us i will head out to Long Island.


The beautiful Vitiaz Strait with deadly sharks under the surface. You wouldn't last a minute floating out here.


The very impressive Long Island. Basically two volcanoes on either ends have created this wondeful caldera with has become a lake.

Yes, it is a lake not a lagoon. Wicked ay!

Long Island has two Stratovolcanoes (conical shaped with layers of hardened lava) that last blew in 1993.


With the Mountains approaching i had to ascend slowly and hope that the mountains weren't going to get any higher.

This is the highest i have flown on the journey. At this point i was starting freak out. I had to really climb, but this litle lady doesn't like a rate of climb too steep.


My trusty Skyhawk clears the ridge and from here all is good.


Time to bring her down.


Here we are.


This is Nadzab Airport. A major airport in WW2. It's just north out of Lae. I had been warned from 'World Aero Data' that birds and animals could be a danger when landing. I breathed a sigh of relief when i remembered that i hadn't downloaded any.

Here is the site. Great to look at!!! http://worldaerodata.com/


Thank you again for joining me. Time for a drink. How about a 'Swamp Water'. Simply pour 30ml of Green Charteuse into a highball with ice, top up with Pineapple Juice and drink.
Cheers!! The mo is starting to grow! Next time we will be flying through some serious mountains as we take on the Central Range.


Central Range. The low parts.

See ya

[LMerraine]

Awesome stuff, really enjoying this series, you've got a lot of patience.

Talking to some others tonight, may try and shoe horn into the around Aussie in an eggbeater

[G-HEVN]

Another good set I did a lot of flying for a VA around PNG a couple of years back, so it brings back some good memories

[kiwibarguy]

A big thanks to the following members

Alex
Cowpatz
SUBS17
Flightsimaviator
G-HEVN
Kelburn
Q300
LMerraine
Naki
Trolly
towerguy
Ian Warren

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. You are the reason i keep taxiing out for another leg.

[G-HEVN]

Hey, I've learned so many new...

...


cocktails!