Back to Blighty

[G-HEVN]

Not sure if you can with a straight TACAN, or whether you need a VORTAC - my two radio nav textbooks are at odds on that, and it's not something I've ever tried (I might see if there's a TACAN somewhere in the area one day and try it, either Brize Norton, or Benso, most like) Anyhow, FS don't seem to have included it in the scenery, so the point is moot. (or maybe the scenery does funny things there too? I might try placing a few objects with Instant Scenery and see what happens...)

BTW, for the folks at home, South Pole Station (NZSP) is an FSX-only airport; you won't get there in FS9.

[towerguy]

just dug out my notes from my RNZAF pilots course and did some reading up.

yep tacan operates in the 962 to 1213 MHz range, the same as the 1000 MHz DME. It has the same channel allocation as the DME system and should be listed in the IFG.
it operates as a combined VORDME type system so acft fitted with a 1000MHZ DME can use distance information from the aid but not the bearing reference info.

Wow I had forgotten I even had some of this stuff - notes on Doppler, Omega and INS nav. even all my Australian ppl/cpl instucting notes and copies of practice exams etc.
Now I've got something to read for the winter - Choice!

[G-HEVN]

Leg 4: South Pole Station (NZSP) to Palmer Station (NZ12)

1508nm 8.9 hours (total 4802nm, 21.6 hours)

We only made the briefest of stops at the South pole - long enough to get the O2 recharged, fill the long range tanks and take a few photos. As I mentioned last time, the South Pole (properly the Amundsun Scott South Pole Station) is in the middle of a vast plain, at an elevation of 9,300 ft. (atmospheric conditions actually give a pressure altitude of 13,100 ft!). Almost all of that 9,300 ft is ice (apparently it's so heavy, that if you removed it, Antarctica would rise 3,300ft out of the ocean!). Being a sucker for a T-Shirt, I couldn't resist one they have on sale here. It has the legend Ski South Pole: 2 miles of base, 2 inches of powder


Photo: Scott Smith

The South Pole. It's the short one in the middle, with the brass thing on top.

And so we're ready to leave. The plane has been kept warm during the brief stay here (you really don't want to know the outside air temperature, but let's just say McMurdo was positively tropical in comparison!). We've got lots of sunblock on and our designer sunglasses, as well as the extreme cold weather gear. All that remains is to get going.


The FS implementation of South Pole Station is... interesting!


Photo: Robert Schwarz

For comparison, I've included a photo of the actual runway.


Once again, the scenery below us is all scrunched up, We're going to head North (okay, from the South Pole, all directions are North LOL!), except North in this instance is 325° Magnetic.


Eventually the landscape resolves itself into something more akin to hills and valleys, and, with oxygen supplies running low, we can descend below the magic 10,000feet.


We're flying up the Antarctic Peninsila, and just leaving the Antarctic Circle. Ahead is Anvers Island. Palmer Station is on that tiny spit of land above my left wing.


Descending towards the island. It's time to clear up all the books, sweet wrappers, drink bottles etc. so this aircraft looks like a professional cockpit and not some council rubbish tip!


On final, and we can see the station off to our left. The airstrip of course, is a little way out of town.


Down and safe. Those last few miles we were flying literally on fumes. I'm glad to see my fuel arrived before me - the base personnel have even got a pump fitted to one of the barrels ready. The truck is here to take us into town, and they're throwing a feast for us tonight - I guess they don't get visitors too often!




The solid line represents our route for today; the dashed magenta line shows the trip to date, and the dashed yellow line represents our next planned legs. You can clearly see on this map how far away the true and magnetic poles are.


Photos courtesy of U.S. Antarctic Program Photo Library http://photolibrary.usap.gov/index2.htm

http://www.southpolestation.com/
http://astro.uchicago.edu/cara/vtour/pole/

[G-HEVN]

Leg 5: Palmer Station (NZ12) to Ushuaia Intl (SAWH)

740nm 5.1 hours (total: 5542nm 26.7 hours)

The days are short here at this time of year, but they will extend as we head North, although that's not our main concern. Poor weather around Cape Horn, and extending into the Southern Ocean is our limiting factor, but it looks as though we might be able to slip through between frontal systems - if we time it right, that is!



Last night was spent at Palmer Station, sharing a meal with the 40 or so scientists living here, and discussing the hot topics of climate change and flight sim desert textures. It's only minus four degrees here, with the pack ice not yet fully formed.

Out at the plane, the covers come off, and the last of our stored fuel goes into the tanks. It'll be a nice feeling when we can once again just roll up to the fuel bay and ask "fill it to the tabs please"! And so we're off, waving a last goodbye to the frozen continent of Antarctica.



The first part of the journey takes us along the Antarctic Peninsula to Isla Rey Jorge, from where we'll track a VOR radial out into the Southern Ocean. The sun is low in the sky, but it seems to hang almost indefinitely as we progress North.



And so we head out over the ocean, with the sun in our face and the moon at our backs. With nothing to watch out of the window, I settle down to read a book.



I'm jolted out of my reverie: Something's wrong. It's getting dark outside, so I switch on the lights. Then it hits me: It's too d*mn quiet! A sweep of the panel confirms my fears - the manifold pressure is down to 20 inches, and falling. We're still over 150 miles from the coast, and we're going down!

After the initial panic subsides, routine kicks in and I work through the engine failure checklist. All seems well, apart from the engines slowing down. Now it becomes obvious what has happened: The sudden darkness is not night, but cloud. We're in IMC, and a glance at the OAT gauge confirms it's below freezing. Alternate air is full on, but still MP is going down. 15 inches now. I begin to wonder how low this cloud goes - we've already dropped 4000 feet and it shows no sign of stopping. Finally at 3000 feet we can see the ocean below us, cold and uninviting, but away from the cloud's freezing influence the engines begin to thaw and the power gradually creeps back up. Phew!



Crawling along at 3000 under the clouds, we cross Cape Horn, and into Chile.



Very quickly we reach the mountains of Navarino Island. Is 3000ft enough to clear them? It bloomin' well better be! There's no way I'm heading back up into that cloud!



I'm talking to GuardiaMarina approach. They clear us through their airspace, but can't give us a radar service because we're too low. We're told to "remain visual". Yeah, right!



At the end of the mountains, we're into the Beagle Channel, and Argentina. We thank the controllers as they hand us over to Ushuaia approach. "Victor November, you are radar identified. Would you like vectors to the ILS?"

"Please!"

"Roger. Turn right 295 degrees, descend 2000 feet, and report established"



Despite what the old adverts might have said, happiness is two whites and two reds at decision height!




Buenas noches, señores, Welcome to Argentina.

[ardypilot]

That was an exciting leg- does FSX really model engine failure when the temperature falls?

[G-HEVN]

Yup! You don't get airframe icing though, just engine.

[scon]

Cool, nice APP

[towerguy]

interesting - reading the specs for the seneca2, its actually designed for flight into icing conditions. are the engines normally carburated? perhaps carb ht if they are.

[G-HEVN]

A brace of Continental TSIO-360s, so no carbs. So far as I can tell, the failure mode is buildup of impact ice on the intake scoop and air filter when in freezing cloud. Use of Alt Air (which takes unfiltered air from inside the cowl) is supposed to circumvent the problem, particularly considering the plane is certified for flight into known icing. According to the POH, it is not recommended to use alt air as a preventative (unlike carb heat), but only when there is an actual reduction in MP. (oh, and never in dusty conditions.

The JF Seneca did not respond to alt air (it is no longer taking air from the blocked source, so MP should rise), so I wonder if either FS is not sophisticated enough, or the plane, or both...

[towerguy]

oh well good to see you got out of it anyway

[G-HEVN]

Leg 6: Ushuaia Intl Malvine Island (SAWH) to Stanley (SAFL)

423 nm 3.1 hours (total: 5965 nm 29.8 hours)

Like many people, the first time I heard of the Falkland Islands was 25 years ago, when Argentina invaded, and Britain went to war (although, technically, neither side actually declared war). I was at uni in Portsmouth, and watched the fleet sailing out, then followed the exploits of "our lads" on TV with the rest of the country. I'm not going to detail the events of the conflict here - there are plenty of places on the nweb where you can find out what happened if you don't already know. So, with this being the 25th anniversary year, and being in the area, there's simply no excuse not to visit...

I've been in Ushuaia for several days, and taken advantage of the 'down time' to get the plane serviced. It's not actually due a 50 hour check, but after the rigours of Antarctica, it's worth making sure the ice hasn't caused any damage.



The engineers say it's okay, so it's time to set off. We're cleared to taxi out onto 07, where a dusting of snow gets blown back by our propellers...



Climbing out into the hills of Tierra Del Fuego. The hills are low enough, and the cold air makes us climb like a rocket.



4000 feet will see us high enough over the peaks and also clear of cloud, so we can enjoy the view.



On our right, Beagle Channel, scene of our dramatic arrival into Ushuaia, just a few days ago.



The sun is still quite low in the Northern sky.



As we get closer to the coast, the cloud gets lower, and the wind starts to pick up. We're now getting some mild to moderate turbulance from the mountains. Bump! Woah! It's after the second or third bump that I notice we've lost the COM2 box. Over several minutes (it's hard to keep a grip on the knobs with the plane bouncing about) I try all the usual tricks of cycling the power and generally hitting it, but to no avail. Com2 is gone, and Nav2 is gone.



I figure we'll get to smoother air once away from the coast and the wave influences of the mountains, but don't you believe it! Woah! Oomf! Whey! It doesn't take much of this before we start to look - and feel - somewhat green. Finally we find a calmer layer between clouds. Above us, heavy ice laden clouds, where, despite the known icing certification in the POH, and the assurances of the Argentinian engineer, we immediately start to lose manifold pressure (I guess the clouds can't read!), and below us can be occasionally be glimpsed the cold, unfriendly, water.



Finally, there's a huge sigh of relief when the Falklands come into view. My original plan had been to take a low level tour around the islands on the way in. Visit the famous battle sites - Goose Green, San Carlos/Bomb Alley and so on. But thanks to the turbulent crossing, we agree that getting onto solid ground is a much higher priority. Here you can see us on final into Stanley, with Mt. Kent in the background.



Over the Eastern side of the island, the weather clears, and our approach into Stanley is smooth, with virtually CAVOK conditions. As the runway comes up to meet us, I Casually remark "I hope they've filled in the bomb craters!"

[G-HEVN]

Leg 7: Stanley (SFAL) to Comodoro Rivadavia, Gen. Enrique Moscone Intl. (SAVC)

535nm, 2.2 hours (total: 6500nm, 32 hours)

"And they actually signed it off as fit to fly?" This was Paul, the maintenance engineer at Stanley. We'd just been watching a flypast of old warbirds, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Falklands war, and there was a hint of snow in the air. I'd been unhappy with the plane's performance on the way across; the engine alternate air system didn't, and I'd lost the second nav/com box, with nav1 also behaving erratically.

"The good news is we can fix the anti ice system. The bad news is the avionics are basically shot; you're going to need all new boxes - even the transponder, plus wiring." Well, that's a blow! New avionics will cost more than the value of the plane. Considerably more, in fact. Time to talk to Mike the Money....

Mike is a mover and shaker as well as an aviation nut. If you want it, he can probably find it. But he also knows when to walk away, and sadly this is the time. Mike's in town for the festivities as part of a shakedown of his newest 'runabout'. We agree that the sensible thing to do is sell the Seneca and put the cash towards a new plane. The best chance of finding a replacement plane for the tour is on the mainland, and Mike agrees to give me a ride.


This is Mike's 'runabout', fresh from Kansas and only 20 hours on the clock. We're lined up on 27, ready to depart. It's snowing lightly, and we're cleared up to 6,000...



Away into the wild er, grey, yonder. She's not fast, but easily maintains a steady 2000fpm on the climb out.


This bird is licensed for single pilot operations, so Mike has let me take the right seat and get some stick time.


The Isle of Man register has only been open a month or so, and Mike had his registration papers filed the day it opened, but even so, didn't manage to be the first M-reg Citation!


Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we have to get our own coffee! And that's a lot of effort - this bird is really quite cramped on the inside!


Oof! Thud! Gerroff! Oww, that's my leg! Good job you can't see the contortions trying to get back into the P2 seat!


On final for runway 25 at Gen. Enrique Moscone Intl.


Straight down the ILS, and right on the money!


Well, thanks for the lift, Mike. Now, anyone got a plane for sale...?

[ardypilot]

Awesome repaint there- what model Citation is that?

[Naki]

Likewise - especially like the rego "M-oney". Trolly the Citation model is called a Ciationjet or CJ-1. There was a RL one based in Christchurch but it was replaced by a larger CJ-3 about a year ago.

[G-HEVN]

It's the CitationJet, CJ1. Seats 5 in the cabin, plus 2 crew, in distinctly "cosy" conditions (ie less room than economy, but nice leather seats!). One of my old instructors now flies one for NetJets, and he let me have a go one time . This particular paint is for the Eaglesoft bird, and should be on avsim shortly (FSX only though).

The 'M' register belongs to the Isle of Man, and it only opened a six or seven weeks ago. M-oney hadn't been allocated last time I looked. It's designed to be a 'registry of convenience', along similar lines to Bermuda. The IOM, of course, is between Britain and Ireland, but neither part of the UK, nor of the EU.

[G-HEVN]

BTW, if you have the FSX Eaglesoft CJ1, you can now get the paint from avsim, filename cj1_m-oney.zip

[G-HEVN]

Comodoro Rivadavia (SAVC) to San Carlos de Bariloche (SAZS)

425nm, 3.4 hours (total: 6926nm, 35.4 hours)

the 'highlight' of the last four days in Comodoro, was a tour of the cement works. I never realised there were so many different types of concrete (and, if I'm honest, I never wanted to)! I'd made enquiries regarding planes for sale, and checked the local aviation press, with no results. Then one day John Cole flew in.

An easy going American, John owns a diesel DA40. "It's real useful in this neck of the woods, where avgas can be rarer than a sound head on new year's day". The Diamond Star was one of the first planes I flew after getting my licence, so, when John agreed to let me fly it to San Carlos, I jumped on the idea



As we climbed out, John was extolling the virtues of the Thielert diesel engine: It runs on cheap Jet-A, is more efficient - 5 gals per hour - and so has a longer range. It's also turbo normalised up to 12,000 ft. "Ah but.." I countered, "the diesels are notoriously unreliable..." John laughed, "Not this one!"



FADEC engine management means there's just a single power lever: push it forward to go fast, pull it back to go slow.



We cruise along at a comfortable 8500ft. Any higher and we'd be in the couds and need to file IFR, lower and we'd be too low, the Patagonian terrain climbing as we head into the mountains. At Esquel, a sharp right turn...



We're following the Chubut river towards San Carlos, when pthruppp pop bug bug bug boing! What the? "Holy smoke!" exclaimed John. "No, Black smoke." I said, craning my neck to see behind us.



With the engine running rough, John ran through the emergency checks. Nothing seemed to be showing in the dials - Ts & Ps all okay, and the engine revs were still up. Checking the map, we're not quite halfway between airports. We decide to press on, since although it's further, we're maintaining straight and level. If something's failed in the engine bay, a steep turn in the mountainous valleys could well make things much worse. We put out a pan call, to explain our position.



Almost immediately I begin regretting this decision. I'm not quite sure if we're losing height, or the mountains are rising to meet us. Oh and the barometer is also falling! It's most disconcerting. Meanwhile the engine is coughing and spluttering, and I'm sure our airspeed is a little less than it was...



It seemed like an eternity, but It can only have been 20 minutes, and we're out of the mountains. Soon a lake is visible on our left, and we start looking for the airport on its shores. "Diamond zero alpha, you're cleared straight in, runway 29, number one". Truly welcome words.



As we approach the airport, the engine finally gives up, and the sudden silence is almost deafening. The prop, windmilling away, comes to a stop just as the wheels touch the runway, and the aircraft quietly rolls to a halt.



Now, can anyone give us a tow to the apron?

[Naki]

That was a close call! - whre did you get the Diamond Star from?

[chopper_nut]

Jeeze, everyones either had an engine failure or been shot at. Doesnt bode well for me.

[towerguy]

Jeeze, everyones either had an engine failure or been shot at

OR BOTH!