The 2024 Australia Rally...

[taoftedal]

Good news ... Piper would like to sponsor all the Piper's ... and pick-up any lodging fees (aircraft or other) for them along the route.  We even get a hat!  Lycoming will have AP’s on hand in YPJT to check things over for everyone in the event ... and Shell would like to top off everyone before departure and then again when we arrive in YSBK ... no stickers required!

 

You can add Piper into my ‘sponsors’ box TomP!

 

[defaid]

New year, new plane.

 

With everything reassembled, it was time I got familiar and comfortable. The very short hop from Perth to Jandakot was extended via a few points of interest and a couple of beacons on the 2nd of January in clear, if windy, weather. YPPH metar said "fm0030 mod turb blw 5000ft till 0200". The turbulence returned intermittently throughout the flight.

 

Are we driving there?

 

We first put down at Geraldton 200 miles up the coast just for the hell of it and to try a couple of circuits with as much weight as the '76 would require. Things like stall speeds, low speed handling and the best altitude for a compromise between economy & speed had been of interest. However, after the first approach, a perfect crosswind of 15 kt at 80° across the runway prompted me to go around a couple more times for the practice. Left downwind, right downwind, depart.

 

Geraldton.

 

Crabbing down short final.

 

We headed off to have a look at Morawa and overflew the adjacent NDB before I managed to see the field. The place put me in mind of a Mid-Welsh upland village enjoying an infrequent hot, dry summer with the airfield on the unusable boggy ground. As we flew through the hedge on short final I had nightmare visions of a tussock on the runway ripping off the gear.

 

Hoping this was the runway.

It wasn't.

 

These dirt runways really need some maintenance.

 

We visited Rottnest Island for a look at the lighthouse, without stopping, and finished by requesting an ILS approach to Pearce before turning south for Jandakot's 06R while a Caravan took 06L.

 

Photoscenic Rottnest Island...

 

... and the lighthouse.

 

Mugshot at Jandakot.

 

As we were tying down, we caught wind of some problem with refuelling at Caiguna and, since we now had two planes on the continent, thought we might be able to do something about it. d j elected to stay in Perth to keep me on the straight & narrow while we sent the rest of the crew on ahead with the lorry.

 

There's a galley and even an elsan. And 100 kg of assorted fluids. Just don't smoke too close.

 

FS Metar and archived weather for now but as the crashes & freezes seem to have been caused by the wrong version of fs9.exe, I think I'll retry FSrealWX. 572.7 nm in 4h 23m averaging 130.7 knots over the ground, with a couple of circuits, t&g's and a taxi around Pearce. It left me with 39.5 kg fuel out of 196. That means my max range is just over 700 nm flat out at 2000 feet.

[jgf]

Departing CYAZ

 

a view that makes you want to stay

 

somewhat less hospitable scene

 

850 miles and four hours to 5000 ft of gravel a hundred miles from nowhere

 

the teeming metropolis of Teslin, pop 239

 

I'm curious about the unknown places I fly, here's the real thing

 

 

[MAD1]

OK, am progressing. Just cleaned the cabin ceiling, had a bit of mildew from being closed up. Looks great now, 1981 cream vinyl. And just now had a first look at SkyVector. Nice! Created an account, started to fill in a Flight Plan. Will now compare with the FS2002 inbuilt facility. YPJK > YKNG 131 nm. So, if I can flog the plane to do 150 nm/h average (maxing at 165), SV estimates 53 min. That's bearable, steering all the way. (I note SV specifies not to File unreal flights, so presume I'm OK using the planning part, just don't File a plan etc.)

Also, I now understand this comp, it's not a speed race (fastest wins) but an accuracy race, precision (I like that), person closest to their planned timing wins.

 

Now, I presume it's not in the race spirit, but I realise a person could be sneaky and log a slower flight time for a leg, go faster and get to the destination early, then just tootle around in a personal holding pattern before landing right on the planned time. I wouldn't do that of course.

[ViperPilot2]

52 minutes ago, MAD1 said:

OK, am progressing. Just cleaned the cabin ceiling, had a bit of mildew from being closed up. Looks great now, 1981 cream vinyl. And just now had a first look at SkyVector. Nice! Created an account, started to fill in a Flight Plan. Will now compare with the FS2002 inbuilt facility. YPJK > YKNG 131 nm. So, if I can flog the plane to do 150 nm/h average (maxing at 165), SV estimates 53 min. That's bearable, steering all the way. (I note SV specifies not to File unreal flights, so presume I'm OK using the planning part, just don't File a plan etc.)

Also, I now understand this comp, it's not a speed race (fastest wins) but an accuracy race, precision (I like that), person closest to their planned timing wins.

 

Now, I presume it's not in the race spirit, but I realise a person could be sneaky and log a slower flight time for a leg, go faster and get to the destination early, then just tootle around in a personal holding pattern before landing right on the planned time. I wouldn't do that of course.

 

You got it! Now, click on the "Navlog" button, and you'll get a .pdf of your Flight Plan with Speed and Altitude. It looks like this for the whole Route:

 

vp² AU Rally Southern 215.pdf

 

The Navlog is the Document you'll send to @TomPenDragon as your Official Time Log for the Timed Rally.

 

Spend some time goofing around with Altitude/Speed/Fuel Burn; you'll be playing with the Black/Blue/Red thingies a bit.

Remember when I told you to set Cruise at 23#MP (Black) /2300 RPM (Blue)? Try moving the Blue knob to 2100 RPM and watch the Fuel Flow gauge. Does it drop at all? Does your Speed also drop, or does it stay the same?

 

This is the stuff Pilots do to maximize Fuel Efficiency. Experiment a bit. When you find something you like, put it into SkyVector, get a Navlog and send it off to Tom. We've got until Monday 1/8 to turn them in. 

[taoftedal]

10 hours ago, MAD1 said:

I realize a person could be sneaky and log a slower flight time for a leg, go faster and get to the destination early, then just tootle around in a personal holding pattern before landing right on the planned time. I wouldn't do that of course.

 

Nope ... don't want the committee to send these two after you.  

 

 

Sorry ... didn’t intend to implicate PP in the Vampire ... so I put him in another Sabre.  

 

Edited January 7 by taoftedal
Clarification

[taoftedal]

...or worse yet.  

 

[ViperPilot2]

6 minutes ago, taoftedal said:

...or worse yet.  

 

 

Not even close. Remember, The Lady's here. She'd like to play nice with everyone, but push the Envelope and you might find her on your Six... 

 

[jgf]

6 hours ago, taoftedal said:

...or worse yet.  

 

 

I saw them recently, their aim may be a bit off now

[ScottishMike]

I don't mean to be a pedant but...

I have just looked at SkyVector and found the following:

For timed entrants using real weather the predicted flight time for each leg will depend on the weather on the day the leg is flown so cannot be predicted before that.

We all know the route we will be following, the important part is as you put it on page 1:

“After each Leg is completed, each Participant will submit their Time Behind, Even, or Ahead (T) in the following Format:

Name/Leg #/T Time

Example: ViperPilot2/# 1/T +3

All PIREPS will be sent via Private Message to @TomPenDragon here at the FlightSim Site. Enter the PIREP in the Subject Line of the Private Message.”

What I am saying is:

Do we have to submit a SkyVector plan by Monday 8^th. January?

[defaid]

11 minutes ago, jgf said:

 

I saw them recently, their aim may be a bit off now

 

This is so disturbing on so many levels.

[Bossspecops]

I'll have to re-think my strategy as on current timing I'm not going to make Perth before the start date. 

 

I'll try and cram in two sectors/day for a while and see how it goes.

 

Currently over the Persian Gulf en route to Masirah Island, a place I know well from my Albion days. And I've been there for real too, NOT the coldest place on the planet, I think it was 110 F in the shade, and the customer's roof top 'cooling water' tank was heating up his hydraulics! 

[defaid]

14 minutes ago, ScottishMike said:

Do we have to submit a SkyVector plan by Monday 8^th. January?

 

Which I too will find tricky, having only half a day left and that pretty well booked up.

 

Also, are we all using SkyVector or will any plan & estimate do? My usual planner (works well for me with archived weather  ) looks like this. I can easily modify it with columns for actual times & variance or anything else.

 

[jgf]

3 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

I'll have to re-think my strategy as on current timing I'm not going to make Perth before the start date.

 

I know the feeling, roughly 3400 miles and I'm still in North America, should cross the Bering Strait today.  May have to clone this plane and send my evil twin to Australia.

[jgf]

5 minutes ago, defaid said:

are we all using SkyVector

 

I've no idea how to use it.  I plan my flight one leg at a time with the default planner and supplement my navigation with FSNAV (and even then some of these tiny fields have me scouring the landscape for them).

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, defaid said:

are we all using SkyVector

I'd say use whatever works for you.

I use SkyVector, but only because I used it in real.

Basically, the race official should receive something with your route and TIMING, to compare to your actual route flight times.

But, I would think that if your real life is preventing that from happening, it should not prevent one from participating.

[Bossspecops]

I use FSTramp, I know how it works and can almost use it blindfold. At my age I'm not sure i want to try something else new in this field. 

 

Currently about to cross (or hit.....) some hefty looking mountains in Quatar.   An hour out from Masirah. 

 

[taoftedal]

1 hour ago, defaid said:

This is so disturbing on so many levels.

 

Agree defaid ... this is far more frightening than anything VP2 may have in his hanger ... 

[PhrogPhlyer]

4 hours ago, ScottishMike said:

I have just looked at SkyVector and found the following:

The statement on SkyVector is primarily to ensure that people do not "FILE" a flight plan.

Using SkyVector planning/charts/airport info is good solid flight training.

As a flight instructor, I see Nothing wrong with our usage, as long as no on attempts to actually file their flight plan (which goes to the FAA).

 

4 hours ago, ScottishMike said:

Do we have to submit a SkyVector plan by Monday 8^th. January?

This was my response/opinion to defaid's similar concern.

2 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

I'd say use whatever works for you.

I use SkyVector, but only because I used it in real.

Basically, the race official should receive something with your route and TIMING, to compare to your actual route flight times.

But, I would think that if your real life is preventing that from happening, it should not prevent one from participating.

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

11 hours ago, taoftedal said:

Looks like free expression of 1st and 2nd Amendments to the US Constitution.

That must have been one heck of a strict Catholic school!!!

[PhrogPhlyer]

3 hours ago, defaid said:

Nice spreadsheet.

Is this something you'd consider sharing?

[ViperPilot2]

Confusion, confusion, confusion... All My Fault.

 

You DON'T have to use SkyVector; I just suggested it to MAD1. Use whatever Planning method that works for you.

 

I said Monday January 8th because I thought I saw a Post from Tom about turning them in "a couple Days"... My Bad.

 

Turn them in when you can; just don't wait until the last minute.

 

The Start Date of Monday January 15th is just when Participants can "Officially" Start their Event; it doesn't mean EVERYBODY has to Start on the 15th... Start when YOU'RE ready to. That's why the Event is 45 Days long!

 

Relax, Folks... Everyone's got plenty of Time! I know there's some that are making their way to Perth, so just keep on doing what you're doing; no need to rush.

 

Sorry if this Reply comes across as being "curt" in its Tone... My Apologies.

[TomPenDragon]

Clarifications Re: Timing and Scoring

(And some thoughts on race strategy)

 

TomPenDragon here (this is me; I’m not writing this “in character”)

 

PIREPs are the accounts that each participant posts publicly. They are distinct from what you will send me via PM.

 

Via PM, I only want the ICAO code of the Leg and the +-Variance between your plan and your actual time. Please do not include flight plans, planned times, actual times, etc. in your PM’s to me.

 

Should you wish to participate in an interview, PM is also where we will conduct the interviews. Should I make a mistake with your timing, PM is where you should send the correction.

 

The reason for this is logistics: I am going to be getting a lot of PM’s. Keeping them simple and structured is the only way I am going to be able to both serve as TSO (Timing and Scoring Official) and meet my own goals for this event, which are to develop the Radio Chachapoya concept and to have some fun flying and getting to know Australia.

 

Similarly, for the Entry Deadline of 10 January, I do not need a complete flight plan, simply your current intent of the route(s) you wish to run, and this is only because I am setting aside 10 – 15 January to develop the Timing Leaderboard and I need to know what I am timing.

 

A PIREP (Pilot’s Report) is your story to the group. Tell it any way you wish. Some of us are better with words; some tell their stories through screenshots. Some are simple and straightforward; some are novellas. The correct way to tell your story is the correct way for you. What makes us so rich as a group is not just the stories we tell but the variety of ways we tell them. So, Rock On! Stretch a little; since the group’s inception this has always been a safe space for storytellers.

 

This said, since the last event, pride and courtesy have resulted in participants including screenshots of both their flight plans and their actual times in their PIREP’s. We always have used an honor system, honorably. You tell us you scored V0’s throughout your run and we will believe you. You do not have to prove it. But, not only does posting your plans and actuals in screenshots put your money where your mouth is, if you are struggling with the format, it helps us diagnose and aid you in flying the race more successfully.

 

So, in the Spirit of the Race, here are a few tips from the winner of the last event:

 

• Do not plan more than one flying session at a time. The obvious reason is the weather changes (if you are using real weather or an approximation of typical weather). A less obvious reason is that with each iteration of planning-flying-recording actual time, you learn more about it and get better at it.

• Break each leg up into multiple waypoints whenever possible, and calculate plan vs. actual at each point. Speed up or slow down depending on your progress. Your flightplan is your flightplan; if a waypoint is not in a direct line between your departure and destination airports, no problem.

• Plan for less than maximum cruising speed, so you have some leeway if the winds turn against you.

• In the real world, if you are not instrument-rated and you run into unexpected clouds, you turn around, land at an alternate or your departure airport, and figure out what went wrong. Similarly, if you find your timing for a leg completely blown, there is no harm in turning around, fueling at an alternate if needed, heading back to your departure airport and figuring out what went wrong, then flying the leg again. But:

  • Once you have landed at a destination airport and posted the result, it is final (no do-overs).

  • If you fly multiple legs in a session via fly-over and decide to turn around before landing to head to the previous leg’s airport, your time for the previous leg is the total time until touchdown, not the time that you recorded for the previous leg. Example:

    • I plan a four-leg flight: 1(departure), 2 (1:20), 3 (0:30), 4 (destination, 1:00)

    • Actual for Legs 2 and 3 are 1:20 and 0:29 respectively, for Cumulative V of -1 to Leg 3.

    • 30 minutes into my run towards 4, I turn around and head back to 3. It takes me another 30 minutes to get back there and land.

    • My actual to 3, then, is 0:29 (time from 2 to 3) + 0:30 (to turnaround) + 0:30 (to wheels down), or 1:29, which versus plan gives a V+59 to airport 3.

    • Why? A flyover is not the same as a landing.

• Read the posts. Copy what other people are doing (if you are doing well, everybody is going to be copying you). Share your race strategy (put it into your stories). And if you find the timing aspect of the event more stressful than fun, there is no problem with going Free Flight, even after you have posted some timed legs to the Leaderboard.

[jgf]

30 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

Sorry if this Reply comes across as being "curt" in its Tone...

 

Good clarification.  Thanks.

[TomPenDragon]

40 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

Sorry if this Reply comes across as being "curt" in its Tone... My Apologies.

We crossed posts.  I think I might have just out-curted you, bro.  It's a good thing this is Flight Simulator, not Train Simulator, because sometimes it seems we go off the rails more often than Norfolk Southern.  But we always find our way back on track...