Part 7: Visiting South America

Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me again as we are gradually approaching the end of this virtual adventure. There are anyway still many legs more to come and beautiful places to visit, then just make yourself comfortable, relax and take a little hour of your time to share these further flights with me.

But don't forget to fasten your seatbelt! We haven't experienced difficult landings or mountain flying since Part 3, but I'm glad to announce that those things are back!

We'll first visit Quito in the Andes, as the 'roof' of Around the World 2006-2007; then fly a long range sector towards Ushuaia, the most southern town in the world, close to Cape Horn with the worst weather conditions encountered in this feature. Finally, we'll conclude this 7th part with a well deserved rest on Rio de Janeiro's beaches.

This new article will also see the last Airbus systems to be introduced as we'll quickly focus on the Hydraulic, Pneumatic and Air conditioning–Pressurization systems.

Leg 28: Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe (France) – Quito, Ecuador

Quito is then the highest point to be visited in this journey. The city elevation is, on average, 2800 m (9200 ft), making it the second highest capital in the world after La Paz in Bolivia. Quito is located only 25 km south of the equator and is surrounded by eight volcanoes, among which one has continuing activity and is under constant monitoring. The Guagua Pichincha's latest big eruption occurred in 1660 when over 10 inches or 25 cm of ash covered the city. The latest eruption, though less devastating, was recorded in 1999 and caused significant disruption of activities including the closing of the international airport. When the latter is open, its approach is not that tricky and is easier than those we had experienced in Sion or Kathmandu earlier in this review. We cannot say about it so much of the takeoff as we shall soon see in the next leg.

Horizon Dreams will kindly carry some extra cargo for Air France on this sector.

The additional load was taken in mind in the fuel planning and TOW computing.

Flight Plan

From POINTE-A-PITRE/LE RAIZET (PTP/TFFR) to QUITO/MARISCAL SUCR INTL (UIO/SEQU) Alternate SEGU GUAYAQUIL TFFR11 TULEX3S TULEX UA550 QIT SEQU35

Distance 1442 nm (2668 km)

A rather simple flight plan indeed, we'll remain on the same airway for the entire route. Our departure from Le Raizet is to be followed by a 180° turn towards Caracas in Venezuela, Bogota in Colombia as next, then Quito. There is no Standard Arrival published for the destination, the ILS approach to runway 35 will directly begin at Condorcocha VOR/DME (QIT), located north of the airport and city.

Ready to push!

Powerful take off... please enjoy, the next one will not really see that pitch!

Already at 26000 ft, this shot reveals the typical shape of Guadeloupe, looking like a butterfly.

Guadeloupe is actually made up of two distinct islands, Grande Terre (above) and Basse Terre (below), the latter housing the Soufrière active volcano.

FAA approach chart (public domain) provided by www.fscharts.com

DO NOT USE FOR REAL WORLD NAVIGATION

To land on Quito Rwy 35, we'll first cross QIT VOR at 17000 ft, then fly downwind on the CAT C track until being 16 miles away, then turn back to final for localizer capture, descending to the final approach altitude of 12000 ft. Aircraft approach category is assigned following the aircraft approach speeds range and is used in calculating airspace and obstacle clearance during the approach procedure. Category C is ours with an initial approach speed range of 160/240 KIAS and a speed at runway threshold (VAT) range of 121/140 KIAS. VAT is based on 1.3 times stall speed (VSO) in the landing configuration at MLW. We have high terrain on both sides of the approach area, and in particular the 15900 ft peak of the Guagua Pichincha volcano, located west of the airport.

Crossing QIT VOR, approach begins. Excellent weather and unlimited visibility!

D16 QIT is reached, beginning the base leg for localizer capture. Quito is visible on the top of the picture.

Quito airport was literally built the middle of the city. Current approach speed is 146 kts.

A bit like Tehran, earlier visited in Around the world 2006-2007, the city is rising towards the mountain. But the mountain is a volcano in this case, nothing else than the active Guagua Pichincha itself!

Leg 29: Quito, Ecuador – Ushuaia, Argentina

If many destinations first scheduled in the birth of this project were unfortunately cancelled later, this new one was to be kept in every case. Ushuaia is an extreme location that is known as the southernmost town in the world. With 45600 residents, Ushuaia is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego province in Argentina and its seaport is the closest one to Antartica, making Ushuaia one of its possible gateways. The town has also given its name to a famous French television nature magazine.

Flight Plan

From QUITO/MARISCAL SUCRE INTL (UIO/SEQU) to USHUAIA INTL (MALVINAS ARGENTINAS) (USH/SAWH) Alternate SCCI PUNTA ARENAS SEQU35 DEP3 QIT UG426 LIM UL302 TOY UG551 MON UG550 NAS UW115 DARWN USU SAWH25

Distance 3440 nm (6364 km)

But prior to going there, we have to make the machine get airborne from one of the highest airports in the world, introducing the most critical takeoff of this journey.

With the rather heavy fuel load needed for the flight (46 tonnes exactly) and a Takeoff Weight of 201 tonnes (MTOW 230 T), a full takeoff (TOGA) with Packs OFF will be performed from runway 35.

Packs are a device of the Air conditioning system, being itself fed by the Pneumatic system. The latter feeds the Hydraulic system for hydraulic reservoir pressurization. We will briefly focus on the 3 systems here, as the last Airbus systems to be introduced in this review.

The Hydraulic system provides hydraulic pressure to operate major components such as flight controls, slats and flaps, landing gear, thrust reversers and cargo doors. The Airbus hydraulic system has three separate and independent systems : Blue, Yellow and Green, each system having its dedicated pumps and reservoir.

On the A330, the Blue system is pressurized by a pump driven by Engine 1. The Yellow system is pressurized by a pump driven by Engine 2.

The Green system is pressurized by two pumps respectively driven by each engine. A further pump driven by the ram air turbine supplies the Green system in an emergency. Each system has also manually controlled electric pumps that may run automatically in case of engine failure.

Lower ECAM (SD) Hydraulics page after Engine 1 start.

Engine 2 is not running yet, explaining the amber warning for the Yellow system.

The Pneumatic system supplies air pressure for Air conditioning, engine start, wing anti-ice and hydraulic reservoir pressurization. High pressure air can be supplied by Engine bleed systems, APU bleed or external power if available on the ground. APU bleed (or external power) will usually be used for engine start while the engine bleed systems will feed the Air conditioning and other systems inflight while the APU is normally not running.

Engine bleed air is bled from the engine's high pressure compressor (the N3 spool on the Rolls Royce engines powering our A330). Please refer to Part 3 for a more complete description of the jet engine. In fact, each spool (N3 in this case) has its own pressure stages for compressor and turbine : high (HP), intermediate (IP) and low (LP). Bleed air is normally taken on the IP stage of the high pressure compressor. If pressure and/or temperature is not adequate, air will be bled from a HP stage of the same compressor. Engine bleed air pressure is regulated by the engine bleed valve for each engine. The engine bleed valve closes during engine start or when APU bleed is ON.

SD Bleed page, after engine start with APU bleed ON and engine bleed valves closed (left); inflight with APU

OFF and engine bleed valves open and the air bled from the IP stage of the high pressure compressor (right).

The Air conditioning system provides ventilation, humidity and temperature control for the cockpit and cabin. The two air conditioning packs are supplied by hot air from the pneumatic system. The conditioned air leaving the packs is then routed to a mixing unit where recirculated cabin air is added. During flight a ram air inlet can be opened to supply the mixing unit with ambient air if both packs fail or if smoke removal is necessary.

When maximum efficiency is required from the engines in difficult takeoff configurations such as at MTOW, short runway and/or high airfields, takeoff will usually be planned with packs OFF. In that way, the Air conditioning system will not take air from the engines, ensuring optimum performance.

Overhead's Air panel with Packs OFF

Finally, the Pressurization system controls the cabin air pressure to maintain safe differential pressure (DP) between inside and outside the aircraft. The cabin pressure is represented by cabin altitude following the standard atmosphere laws. In that way, rate of change of cabin pressure is represented by cabin vertical speed. The cabin vertical speed is controlled by the outflow valve, which vents cabin air overboard. Two additional safety valves prevent excessive differential pressure, either positive or negative. Cabin pressurization is usually automatically controlled for each flight phase, but can also be manually controlled by changing the cabin vertical speed.

SD Pressure page, seen after takeoff with Packs still OFF (left) and a bit later with the normal situation and Packs ON (right).

Switching off the Packs is not sufficient though to ensure optimum takeoff performance. Also, maximum takeoff thrust is required and is provided by moving the thrust levers to the TOGA gate (that will not be a reduced thrust or FLEX takeoff then). In the meantime, thrust will be applied with parking and toe brakes set until the target TOGA thrust is reached, monitoring the engines EPR value on the upper ECAM.

Flaps (and slats) are high-lift devices. When deploying, they increase the camber (by rotation) and surface (moving backwards in a translation) of the wing, creating more lift and reducing the aircraft stall speed, thus making it more effective at low speeds (during takeoff and landing). Lift is one of the two aerodynamic forces created by the wing when moving in the air; the other component is the drag that is against the motion and will also increase when flaps and slats are deployed. The aerodynamic resultant is one of the 3 forces undergone by the aircraft, the two others being the thrust (provided by the engines) and aircraft weight.

For our present takeoff, flaps will be set to CONFIG 3, the highest flap setting available for takeoff on the A330.

The takeoff rotation speed VR is 164 kts (303 km/h) for this particular departure from Quito. The takeoff speed will vary with aircraft takeoff weight (TOW), aircraft configuration (flaps and slats setting) as well as air density. The latter will be affected by airfield elevation and air temperature. The greater will be these two factors, the lower will be the density and the greater will be the takeoff speed. In the meantime, a headwind will reduce the ground speed needed for takeoff, as there is a greater flow of air over the wings.

The rather cool temperature (7°C) of this morning in the Andes and a light headwind will not really help much and our takeoff run will be long... very long. We will rotate at the very end of the runway, making this takeoff the most thrilling one of Around the world 2006-2007!

Let's see how the Before takeoff checklist is looking like this time:

BEFORE TAKEOFF

FLIGHT CONTROLS........................CHKD 
FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.....................CHKD
FLAP SETTING...........................CONFIG 3 CHKD 
TCAS...................................ON
V1, VR, V2, FLEX TEMP..................157, 164, 164, TOGA 
CABIN CREW.............................ADVISED
ENGINE START SELECTOR..................NORMAL
PACKS..................................OFF 
ECAM TAKEOFF MEMO......................'TAKEOFF NO BLUE'  

After the takeoff we should immediately turn right to climb and get clear of terrain, then turn back towards QIT VOR once above the clouds and finally turn left to join the UG426 airway, first bound to Lima in Peru. Santiago de Chile will be next and we will finally fly over Punta Arenas prior to reaching Ushuaia, where the landing, I'm afraid, will not be picnic either.

Here we go! This is the only time in this journey that we move the thrust levers to the TOGA gate for a full thrust takeoff.

TOGA power set, but we're not moving! Parking and toe brakes will be released at EPR = 1.73 (current value is 1.56). We had to wait 30 seconds until the ECAM computed thrust limit was reached, and the engines stabilized at full power!

Approaching the end of the 10236' (3120 m) runway, still 10 kts (18.5 km/h) below the takeoff speed, how do you feel?

Liftoff! I would really have enjoyed a few more meters of concrete anyway.

And the game is not over. We have to accelerate, climb and get clear of terrain.

Left turn towards Ascazubi NDB (ZUI) on the Standard Departure 3.

Approaching 11000 feet with a current climb rate of 1800 ft/min. Slats are still extended (CONFIG 1) and TOGA thrust still applied!

Thrust reduction altitude was though reached a few seconds later.

Now safe above the clouds (17000 feet), turning above Condorcocha VOR (QIT) and finally heading south towards destination.

The departure is concluded and we fly over Quito for the last time, climbing to the cruise altitude (now @ 24500 feet).

AFTER TAKEOFF/CLIMB

LANDING GEAR....................UP
FLAPS...........................RETRACTED
PACKS...........................ON
ALTIMETERS......................STD X-CHKD

General view of the Overhead panel (seen here during the After take off/Climb checklist), as modeled by PSS. Not every switch is functional though.

The VOR ILS DME approach to Ushuaia is rather easy if we do not take into account of the severe weather conditions encountered during our landing: a low cloud base, turbulence and a strong wind with 40 kts gusts and shear. Arriving from the west via DARWN waypoint (no STAR published here as well), we are supposed to fly over Ushuaia VOR, then proceed on the downwind leg until being 16 miles away from the DME, descending to 5100 feet and finally turn left for localizer capture. Please check that your seatbelt is securely fastened.

Descending towards Ushuaia VOR – lucky to catch the lightning, but is that the sign of an eventful end of flight?

Approaching the VOR. The altitude at which it should be crossed is normally given by ATC in the official procedure, but I let the autopilot managed vertical guidance (DES mode) decide it for me here. Note that despite a rather tight fuel safety margin planned at Quito because of the critical takeoff situation, we have now more than 13 tonnes of remaining fuel. A few minutes from now I'll really appreciate this comfortable extra fuel quantity in the tanks, it will be needed.

At 16 nm from the DME and 5100 feet, turning back for localizer capture.

Final leg, established at 11.7 nm from the DME. The airport should be behind this 'wall'.

Clear skies, runway in sight! But this shot doesn't help a lot to reveal the severe windy conditions occurring now.

Autoflight APPR mode still engaged, with both autopilots active.

Ushuaia here we come. This is what I believe anyway.

Autopilot off, manual landing. Not easy to keep the runway alignment but things don't seem to happen too bad.

This time, this is definitely bad. MISSED APPROACH! Engaging the TOGA gate to provide full thrust for a go around.

Outside view of my achievement. I was setting my heart on not recording such a fault during the entire journey, I'm afraid to say I didn't make it!

Climbing away, gear up, retracting the flaps and initiating the missed approach track for a second attempt.

Established once again, gear down and now playing my last card : if I miss a second time, I'll decide to divert to the alternate.

Touchdown! The left main gear at least. Not the best landing for sure but a true landing though.

Burning more rubber as the nose and right main gear hit the ground on their turn.

Follow the arrow... vacating the runway to reach the very small Ushuaia apron.

The difficult approach was well worth it. Ushuaia's electric sunset, in the middle of the southern winter.

Leg 30: Ushuaia, Argentina – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

As promised, a peaceful leg will conclude the 7th part of this series. Back to sunny beaches with a 5 hours or so flight to Brazil's most famous – and contrasting city.

Flight plan

From USHUAIA INTL (MALVINAS ARGENTINAS) (USH/SAWH) to RIO DE JANEIRO/GALEAO ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM INTL (GIG/SBGL)

Alternate SBGR SAO PAULO SAWH25 USU5B GRA UT101 MDP UA310 CRR UA309 PAG UA308 BCO UA304 SCR SBGL10

Distance 2353 nm (4353 km)

The USU5B standard departure from Ushuaia Rwy 25 will lead to Rio Grande VOR (GRA), we'll then hug the eastern coast of South America, passing Montevideo in Uruguay and Porto Alegre in Brazil.

The approach will be a piece of cake this time and we will be directly inbound on the landing runway axis. The approach path, however, passes just between two mountains, respectively 3195 and 3363 feet high. That could be dangerous in low visibility conditions but will not give us much concern today. To make things even more easy, the initial approach speed and approach chart altitude constraints were entered in the MCDU, and we will let the autopilot deal with the descent profile while we'll enjoy the landscape.

FAA Approach chart (public domain) provided by www.fscharts.com

DO NOT USE FOR REAL WORLD NAVIGATION

Inserting speed and altitude constraints for Santa Cruz VOR (SCR) on the MCDU Flight Plan page.

The Nav Display in Plan mode (CSTR selected) seen once we've added a further 4000' constraint for NARA, following the information provided on the approach chart. The autopilot used in managed guidance mode will then fly the correct approach profile for us.

The sun rises as we cross Rio Grande at 29000 feet. Note the white spot of another aircraft flying below.

Approach begins at Santa Cruz VOR. We are at then thousand.

Passing NARA @ four thousand. Here's one of the two mountains on the right.

7 miles more to go. Now at 3500'.

One mile later, 3000 feet. Ipanema Beach is behind that further mountain.

Short final for runway 10, concluding one of the easiest approaches in this journey.

Crossing runway 15 with Rio de Janeiro downtown in the distance.

Reaching the gate. Does anybody see a marshaller?

This is the end of Around the world 2006-2007 seventh article. We have now only one part more to go. In Part 8, we'll first cross the Atlantic and make a few stops in Africa and the Indian Ocean. Then, we'll little by little head back towards Europe and conclude this round the world feature. A few last technical topics, such as ETOPS flights, will be introduced also.

Cédric De Keyser
Brussels, Belgium
cdk@ngi.be