The 2024 Australia Rally...

[TomPenDragon]

9 minutes ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

Reading over the guidelines for the race...

Hmm, I think you're right!

What guidelines are those?  Should the Organizing Committee put out a clarification (might be a good idea in any case, since they are all several pages back by now)?

[jgf]

I thought we had dead-ended at UHMA, anything  in range was back in US territory, even a couple of small military bases in the far west Aleutians (which would have left me nowhere to go). 

 

(Even considered adding more Russian scenery in hopes of finding some local airports, farm strips, anything;  but the most I could find was scenery for Kamchatka which included three nearly abandoned Soviet military bases, the closest still out of range and the farthest would leave me near the south end of the peninsula with nothing but the Kurils ahead ...and no sign of any airports of any size along that route.)

 

But extending my search to the safe limit of my plane's range I found UHMM, Sokol, 800 miles away, straight line distance, probably over 900 miles flying, half of that over water.  I've flown 865 miles at normal cruise before, landing with 8 gallons left;  economical cruise, nearly forty knots slower, supposedly gives near 1100 mile range.  So we strip all excess weight from the old girl (wonder if it's legal to fly naked in Russia), put in every ounce of fuel we can, and hope I don't end up wondering how far she can glide.

 

From Sokol I have three options.

[jgf]

17 minutes ago, TomPenDragon said:

since they are all several pages back by now

 

We've managed to meander this thread also, lol.

[ViperPilot2]

13 minutes ago, TomPenDragon said:

What guidelines are those?  Should the Organizing Committee put out a clarification (might be a good idea in any case, since they are all several pages back by now)?

 

Clarification, Attribution and what else?

[TomPenDragon]

Just now, jgf said:

We've managed to meander this thread also, lol.

Just a little.  The Route 66 finished with 994 posts.  We've already hit 500 here and the race hasn't even started yet.

 

Changing the subject: What about the rules/guidelines/suggestions is unclear to each of you?  The current single-thread structure presents some difficulties.  What would an ideal thread structure be to you?  I hate to pressure you, but could we have your answers before end-of-day (18:00 your time) 11 January to give us time to put this all together?

[Melo965]

29 minutes ago, jgf said:

From Sokol I have three options.

 

This might help you get through Russia.   Severo-Evensk (UHMW), and Okhotsk (UHOO), and Nikolaevsk-on-Amur (UHNN)

 

I made these three Russian airfields (for FSX) for the Silver Spitfire round the world flight in 2019.  Might work in FS9 as well, very simple - just the runway and taxiways and one small hangar building at each airfield.  Accurately placed based on real world location.

 

Filename here in the library is UHXXx3_Silver_Spitfire.zip

 

 

 

    

[jgf]

We made it!  945 miles in 5+ hours with 20 gallons to spare.

No navaids, so had to go with direct GPS route.

 

We're off.  Wonder where that Skyhawk is headed, there's nothing within its range.  Slow, 800fpm, climb to conserve fuel, cruise at 10500ft, 28mp, 1800rpm, which gives about 154kt GS and 28gph fuel use ....but it's like having to drive a Ferrari at 40mph (normal cruise is about 35kt faster).

 

At the halfway point I'm showing a 120nm cushion so crank mp to 32, and cruise to 168kt, as fuel burned off this went to 172kt at the end. 

 

Nothing to show for the trip, just 900 miles of this-

 

Map showed half the trip over water but the GPS route was a large arc that had me skirt the coast the last part of the trip, this was as close as i got to the sea.

 

Twenty miles to go, and 25 gallons of fuel.

 

There it is, with a Cessna taking off as I approach.

 

Sokol, at least it looks inhabited.  After five hours of nothing but tweaking the fuel switch.  Now park and streak to the facilities looking for clothes.

 

But I now know she's good for a thousand mile trip if necessary.

 

 

 

[jgf]

5 hours ago, Melo965 said:

Might work in FS9 as well,

 

Unfortunately, no.

 

UHOO gives this

 

then the plane pops into the air and settles to (panning around there is no land anywhere in sight)

 

UHNN and UHMW (hard to tell, the plane is sitting on a flat black plain under a starry sky, nothing visible in any direction)

 

This is the location listed for UHMW

 

Oh well.  Now we know. 

 

 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

3 hours ago, TomPenDragon said:

What guidelines are those?  Should the Organizing Committee put out a clarification (might be a good idea in any case, since they are all several pages back by now)?

My comment was intended as a joke following JMSR's self proclaimed win.

[taoftedal]

6 minutes ago, jgf said:

But I now know she's good for a thousand mile trip if necessary.

 

... 

[ViperPilot2]

If there's any clarifications anyone needs, please fire away. Looking forward to everyone's participation, I thank you for coming along for the journey, and for your patience.

 

Good Luck to All! 

[MAD1]

Well, I signed off 'over and out' as MAD1, no intention to communicate until 15 Jan (US date, 16 Jan WA date). So here is my alter ego, the 'Aussie Correspondent'. I should have applied to the Editor of Radio Chachapoya, Elias Pacheco, for a job, probably voluntary (no pay) as a Chachapoya 'Aussie Correspondent' (if there's a newspaper accompaniment to the Radio, perhaps the 'Chachapoya Chronicle', then I'm filing my first copy here. (Did intend to pm Elias to apply and seek permission to publish, but as he's asleep at this time, am applying the old adage 'Take action and seek forgiveness later'!).

 

As a rolling series of articles, here is a start (places are numbered in the B&H race order). They'll hopefully be of interest to the 'armchair travellers' in the Gaggle. (References will be to Wikipedia, Google Maps [G] which has good photos, and others including Geoff Goodall history). There are many stories to tell, but limited space in the Chronicle, and your correspondent has a life to live and can't waste all his life compiling stories.)

2 YKNG Katanning [G]. Deep in the wheat belt (and sheep belt) of the Western Australian dry farming lands. From the coast, e.g. Perth/Jandakot, there is the coastal strip, with good rain, and good farming. Further east, you pass into dry country. Flat as a tack. For some, quite boring. But rich farming, large hectares (acerages) out here.

 

3 YNSM Norseman [G]. Minerals country, gold.

 

4 YCAG Caiguna [G]. We're far into the Nullabor Plain now, desert country. For us east coast folk, nothing worthwhile out here. However, the desert country, like all deserts, to those who grow to appreciate them, is very beautiful in it's starkness. (I just wouldn't want to live here). Between Balladonia to the west and Caiguna is Australia's longest straight stretch of road, 146 km (90 miles).

5 YFRT Forrest [G]. In the 'middle of nowhere'. Now we're on the main east-west route for both flying and trains. In the old days, West Australian Airways was a major player pioneering the air route from the east side to the west side of Australia. So why is there a fully paved airstrip here? Well, it's an emergency diversion airfield for flights across Australia, a Jumbo can land here. Nowadays, commercial flights from Adelaide and Melbourne cross the Great Australian Bight, but a few decades ago, without comms and nav, they stayed over land, with Forrest being one of the few waypoints.

 

It's also on the Trans-Australian Railway, which once ran the Indian-Pacific cross-country train (which runs now only as an exclusive tourist train). (Reference: song, Slim Dusty 'Indian-Pacific'). Interesting helicopter story. The longest straight length of railway line in the world is east of Forrest, 477 km (296 miles).

 

Your 'Aussie Correspondent' for the Chacapoya Chronicle, signing off for now.

[taoftedal]

4 hours ago, MAD1 said:

As a rolling series of articles, here is a start ...

 

This is just wonderful MAD … Thank you!  I was starting to think of trying to do something similar but far better for a local to bring us these highlights and insights than a silly North American (good grief … what was I thinking?) … no worries … keep up the good work!  Looking forward to the next installment!

[defaid]

 

The 15th is not a fixed start date. It's just the earliest one. As I understand it, the end date is the critical one.

 

If we're not in Jandakot on Monday, some may already have left but as long as we're all in Bankstown by the closing date, there's no hurry. Or is there?

 

D

[TomPenDragon]

11 minutes ago, defaid said:

The 15th is not a fixed start date. It's just the earliest one. As I understand it, the end date is the critical one.

 

If we're not in Jandakot on Monday, some may already have left but as long as we're all in Bankstown by the closing date, there's no hurry. Or is there?

 

Well now, there's the rub (and rubbin's racin').  A 1-minute penalty will be assessed for each day after 29 February that a competitor finishes.  Should there be a tie in V-score at the end of the race, the earliest finisher wins. 

[jgf]

To save time I'll take my one hour penalty now.

[JSMR]

15 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

My comment was intended as a joke following JMSR's self proclaimed win.

Wohooo!! I've already won!!!

 

I'd like to thank my sponsors, Bundaberg Rum. Which evidently won worlds best Rum at some stage. Obviously the taste testers were all loaded...

 

Send me the money!! $25,000 USD. I'm rich!!!
 

[ViperPilot2]

In the spirit of honoring the 1976 B & H Australia Rally and to maximize the Time Period for everyone to have sufficient Time to complete the Event, I hereby Propose changing the Timed portion of the Event BACK to just the 1976 B & H Route, leaving the Eastern Route open and available as a Free Flight. Free Flights along the B & H Route are still allowed and encouraged should a Competitor choose to do so.

[ViperPilot2]

6 hours ago, MAD1 said:

Well, I signed off 'over and out' as MAD1, no intention to communicate until 15 Jan (US date, 16 Jan WA date). So here is my alter ego, the 'Aussie Correspondent'. I should have applied to the Editor of Radio Chachapoya, Elias Pacheco, for a job, probably voluntary (no pay) as a Chachapoya 'Aussie Correspondent' (if there's a newspaper accompaniment to the Radio, perhaps the 'Chachapoya Chronicle', then I'm filing my first copy here. (Did intend to pm Elias to apply and seek permission to publish, but as he's asleep at this time, am applying the old adage 'Take action and seek forgiveness later'!).

 

As a rolling series of articles, here is a start (places are numbered in the B&H race order). They'll hopefully be of interest to the 'armchair travellers' in the Gaggle. (References will be to Wikipedia, Google Maps [G] which has good photos, and others including Geoff Goodall history). There are many stories to tell, but limited space in the Chronicle, and your correspondent has a life to live and can't waste all his life compiling stories.)

2 YKNG Katanning [G]. Deep in the wheat belt (and sheep belt) of the Western Australian dry farming lands. From the coast, e.g. Perth/Jandakot, there is the coastal strip, with good rain, and good farming. Further east, you pass into dry country. Flat as a tack. For some, quite boring. But rich farming, large hectares (acerages) out here.

 

3 YNSM Norseman [G]. Minerals country, gold.

 

4 YCAG Caiguna [G]. We're far into the Nullabor Plain now, desert country. For us east coast folk, nothing worthwhile out here. However, the desert country, like all deserts, to those who grow to appreciate them, is very beautiful in it's starkness. (I just wouldn't want to live here). Between Balladonia to the west and Caiguna is Australia's longest straight stretch of road, 146 km (90 miles).

5 YFRT Forrest [G]. In the 'middle of nowhere'. Now we're on the main east-west route for both flying and trains. In the old days, West Australian Airways was a major player pioneering the air route from the east side to the west side of Australia. So why is there a fully paved airstrip here? Well, it's an emergency diversion airfield for flights across Australia, a Jumbo can land here. Nowadays, commercial flights from Adelaide and Melbourne cross the Great Australian Bight, but a few decades ago, without comms and nav, they stayed over land, with Forrest being one of the few waypoints.

 

It's also on the Trans-Australian Railway, which once ran the Indian-Pacific cross-country train (which runs now only as an exclusive tourist train). (Reference: song, Slim Dusty 'Indian-Pacific'). Interesting helicopter story. The longest straight length of railway line in the world is east of Forrest, 477 km (296 miles).

 

Your 'Aussie Correspondent' for the Chacapoya Chronicle, signing off for now.

 

Excellent gouge (low down, 411, Info) on the Area we're going to be traversing! Wonder what kind of Helicopter they were flying? The Aussie Slang Glossary is a godsend... please give us more aphorisms from Down Under! That, and the Victuals! What do you normally eat for Brekkie? Supper? Dinner? 

 

More, please!  

[TomPenDragon]

18 minutes ago, JSMR said:

Send me the money!! $25,000 USD. I'm rich!!!

 

(from page 127 of the Rules, heading, "Prizes," section, "Monetary Awards," paragraph 3, "First Place: $25,000.00*")

 

* - All prize monies shall be donated to the Aerial Rally Correspondents' Retirement Fund, in the name of the winner.  Please note that this is not a tax-deductible donation and the winner will be liable for any and all taxes that incur as a result of winning said prize.

 

Thanks, mate!

[ViperPilot2]

As others have said, perhaps it'd be a good idea to start a separate Thread for the Rally itself with just the Daily Leaderboard and leave this Thread for the Screenies and Stories. Also in the interests of making the Thread easier to read, it might be a good idea to limit the Size of the Screenies? Just a thought...

[Bossspecops]

After a horrendous time getting from one end of Indonesia to the other, it was good having a relaxing day off yesterday in Bali, of all places. 

 

Having left Sultan Iskndarmuda (WITT) at an ungodly hour, I was faced with a 1500 nm flight to Bali, and no way would the Sealand do that even with the big tank in the cabin, so I planned to stop and refuel at Depati Amir (WIPK) which is a small island about half way, and in the middle of the Malacca Straights.

 

There was some really high ground in North Indonesia, somewhat higher than my standard 5000 ft cruise altitude.

 

 

Luckily my SID from WITT took me to one side of that one! All went to plan until my route took me to the Malyasian side of the Straights where I ran into the Mother of All thunderstorms! 

 

The winds were running at around 60-70 kts, it was raining like Noah's Flood and I kept on flying into MASSIVE thermals which had the poor Sealand up around 12-14000 ft in no time! Cutting the auto-pilot and getting the nose down was vital for survival and I dived to around 2000 ft to get below the worst of it.

 

 

Refuelling at WIPK went without a hitch, but it was a 'minimal airfield, me being the sole aircraft in sight, and the only buildings there were the pumps themselves!

 

 

I was soon on my way, back to a comfortable 5000 ft now I was clear of the bad weather, and made into Bali Int (WADD) at dusk with much relief.

 

 

Being parked next to a 777 was a bit of a surprise and the Garuda crew must have wondered what the devil was going on with a 1950s vintage Brit amphibian parked right there alongside them too. 

 

 

While you're reading this  I'll be en route to AUSTRALIA!  The flight is 850 nms to Derby (WDBY) in Western Australia, leaving me one more leg to get down to Perth. Deep joy. 

[Airbasil_1]

Today we finally got from Augusta Airfield (YAUG) to Port Augusta (YPAG). 
There we met one of my Friends (Mr. Loney Thompson) who takes me up on a Joyride on his own Cirrus SR22 G-3x Turbo. 
Before we had to head back to Caiguna. - What a fun day... (I maybe should buy one of these Gems myself). 

[TomPenDragon]

14 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

In the spirit of honoring the 1976 B & H Australia Rally and to maximize the Time Period for everyone to have sufficient Time to complete the Event, I hereby Propose changing the Timed portion of the Event BACK to just the 1976 B & H Route, leaving the Eastern Route open and available as a Free Flight. Free Flights along the B & H Route are still allowed and encouraged should a Competitor choose to do so.

 

Timing&Scoring is already set up to handle this.  I'm scouting out the route and only made it as far as YPAG yesterday, at 3,500' and 160 TAS, not timing it or stopping, with the aux. tanks enabled.  The Australians and anyone else who's spent sone time there knows this already; I only fly there once a year for the Bathurst 12H, usually in something supersonic, so I did not: Australia is BIG!  The 1976 alone is 2,400 miles and has 1 1/2 times the number of stops as Route 66 had.  While I will chase all of you all around Australia trying to get interviews and will report T&S for everyone who wants to run the Combined, closing out the race portion of the event in Sydney is fine with me.

[ScottishMike]

I agree with only having the southern B&H route timed.

Was anybody intending to time the eastern (Basil) route?

TomPD, I will be changing aircraft for the untimed eastern route; using the Aerostar 700 PA60:

 

It would also be good to have a quick reminder/format of the information you need after each leg is completed. This I believe is to be sent to you (TomPenDargon) as a private message?