The 2024 Australian Air Rally - The FBO

[ViperPilot2]

3 hours ago, leuen said:

The JKellet shown above did flights between the Phialadelphia Post Offce and Camden Aieport in 1939.  This here does the flight as AI. A good reason to stay wirh FS9. BTW.

 

 

Bernard

 

I own a set of the old Time Life book series The Age of Flight. In the volume entitled The Helicopters it shows a photo of the above autogiro during its flight. Other photos show similar autogiros operating in New York City.

[jgf]

10 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

Other photos show similar autogiros operating in New York City.

 

Many were owned by large radio stations or newspapers to quickly get reporters to the scenes of news stories.

[Melo965]

Dean Forest Regional (EGDF) to Tain Airfield (EGQA) in Scotland

 

Pre-flight done, ready to start the Merlin Mk 70 up front.  Wind direction dictates a takeoff from Runway 24.

 

Taxi past the VOR and the Terminal.  No other aircraft parked here now.

 

Holding short at 24 for takeoff clearance.  Note that if you just go straight across the runway here the taxiway goes right down to the water.  Perfect for Kit and the Short Sealand or whichever other amphibian he feels like flying today.

 

Ready for Takeoff on Runway 24.

 

Tain is to the North but taking my usual detour South after takeoff to check out those bridges.

 

300 Knots at 30 feet - Bridge #1. 

 

Approaching bridge number 2.

 

300 Knots at 25 feet - Bridge #2. 

 

Circling back around for a farewell pass over Dean Forest.  Only added 6 minutes to my flight time.

 

Second picture of the pass.  Now headed North to Tain.

 

My office for this journey.

 

The view ahead.

 

About 15 minutes elapsed time.  At 14,500 ft.  Deciding to drop down under 12,000 ft so I can stop using the oxygen mask.

 

34 minutes so far.  Over the Lake District now.  (Where I landed G-KITS on the last leg).

 

Spotted a Cessna 172 below at 7000 ft.

 

48 minutes of flight.  Entering Scottish airspace now.  Although there is nothing to see below with the solid overcast.

 

Another Cessna 172 below at 7,500 feet this time.

 

Here is a good view of the main camera port (by the roundel) on this Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire.

 

Flying over Pentland Hills Regional Park.

 

Flying over Edinburgh (EGPH).

 

Almost 1 hour and 10 minutes of flight time.

 

Flying over Cairngorms National Park.

 

At Top of Descent.

 

Just under 4,500 ft altitude.

 

Spotted Kinloss Air Base (EGQK) on the right.

 

Lossiemouth AB (EGQS) is even further on the right.  Kit's daughter Anita worked there.

 

Spotted Tain Airfield ahead and on the left in front of my nose.

 

Gear and Flaps (87 degrees) down.  Aiming for the Tarbat Ness Lighthouse on the point ahead to make the turn to get lined up for Runway 26.

 

Lined up for Runway 26.

 

Cockpit view of the same.

 

Over the numbers.

 

Parked at the Special Operations Area.  THey were glad to see me again and invited me for a delicious dinner and a comfortable billet overnight.  Before they fed me though, they insisted that I show them this beautiful Spitfire!

 

It was 1 hour and 31 minutes of flight time to come North to Tain from Dean Forest in the Spitfire.  In the CMC Leopard Jet on the way South it took 1 hour and 58 minutes of flight time, although there were two landings during the process.  If the Leopard had more fuel capacity, it could have made the flight South in a similar amount of time.

 

My Davron flight time timer works well in the Spitfire, but the stand alone autopilot gauge does not work.  I don't mind at all because this Mark XI flies really well and is very easy to keep trimmed out.  I will be hand flying all the way back to Washington state.
 

[MAD1]

Bosss, think you've struck gold at Kadena. Milk it for all it's worth, stay until the Base Commander invites you over for drinks at sunset and he says something like "So, I suppose you're keen to move on and finally get home, when did you think you might depart, perhaps tomorrow"? You should then take that hint!

[MAD1]

Melo. Re your trip into Tain Airfield, you say "They were glad to see me again and invited me for a delicious dinner and a comfortable billet overnight." You didn't say anything about phone calls that I presume went around the area, including to the airports, from the authorities re "... an unknown aircraft was observed to make unauthorised passes under bridges, we have some of it on the radar history (before it dropped below radar) but locals observed it, some were enjoying the spectacle, others were aghast, and one RAF commander was livid. Does anyone at your airport know anything about this, who it was, we'd be very interested to speak to the pilot"!

[Bossspecops]

5 hours ago, MAD1 said:

Melo. Re your trip into Tain Airfield, you say "They were glad to see me again and invited me for a delicious dinner and a comfortable billet overnight." You didn't say anything about phone calls that I presume went around the area, including to the airports, from the authorities re "... an unknown aircraft was observed to make unauthorised passes under bridges, we have some of it on the radar history (before it dropped below radar) but locals observed it, some were enjoying the spectacle, others were aghast, and one RAF commander was livid. Does anyone at your airport know anything about this, who it was, we'd be very interested to speak to the pilot"!

Hehehehe, everyone in the area knows all about the 'Bridge Passes' by aircraft flying from EGDF, it's almost part of the local folk lore in these parts by now. 

 

Some lovely pics of PL965 there Melo, brings back fond memories. 

[Bossspecops]

8 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

 

The Multiverses converge, exposing themselves to our realm as do we.

 

Also says something about having multiple Sim installs to frolic in another time, such as Golden Wings.

 

'Golden Wings', what a wonderful set of files that was! Of course FSX was 'updated' so that much of it didn't work, more's the pity.

[MAD1]

Starting my Concorde learning journey.

 

[Melo965]

13 hours ago, MAD1 said:

we have some of it on the radar history (before it dropped below radar) but locals observed it, some were enjoying the spectacle

 

As Kit mentioned, various aircraft have flown under those two bridges for years now.  The neighbors are used to it, and the local constable has given up trying to do anything official about it. 

 

I would never ever do this in the real world!

Martha Lunken did in Ohio.  She lost all of her many ratings after 14,000 hours of flying and was grounded.  It took her 9 months to get her Private Pilot license back.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/04/18/lunken-airport-faa-martha-jeremiah-morrow-bridge/7089271002/

 

[Melo965]

8 hours ago, Bossspecops said:

Some lovely pics of PL965 there Melo, brings back fond memories.

 

PL965 is my absolute favorite aircraft to fly, as you well know. 

 

[taoftedal]

9 hours ago, Bossspecops said:

Some lovely pics of PL965 there Melo, brings back fond memories. 

 

Indeed ...

 

[Bossspecops]

In 1969 an RAF pilot, Flt. Lt. Alan Pollock, flew his Hunter under Tower Bridge in the middle of London. He did it in protest against cuts in the Defence Budget. Sounds like a time for someone to do it again...............

 

This is a painting of him doing it, but a very good one! 

 

 

[Later] I got that wrong, he did it to protest against the Government cancelling the RAF's planned 50th Anniversary Flypast. 

[jgf]

Been known to duck under an occasional bridge myself

 

[Bossspecops]

I finally fought my way out of Kadena AFB's hospitality and headed for that strange island airport at Kansai Int, near Osaka in Japan.

 

Leaving the marina berth was about as easy as it could be, just cast off the mooring ropes, power up and taxi away. No need to get Tower permission, just do it. 

 

 

Taxi-ing clear of the island to head into wind for take-off I was a but worried by the MASSIVE cruise liner that was tracking up the west side of the island, but I managed to clear him before turning back.

 

 

I had to turn back as the Kadena Tower asked, nay DEMANDED, I give them a fly-by down the runway, so of course I did.  

 

 

Later on they sent me this pic of me passing by.  

 

 

And that was about that from the scenery point of view, the flight was 627 nms, and almost all of it was over water, so my 'scenery' looked like this.

 

 

Approaching Kansai did not go quite to plan as despite me filing  the plan with them, and making sure they knew my aircraft type, the Area Control there kept asking me to '.....adhere to published glide slope altitudes....' and I kept on repeating 'Unable to comply, climb performance inadequate', but they didn't take too much notice, and eventually passed me to Approach, and the conversation went like this...

 

ATC : Expedite your landing, fast traffic coming up astern of you.

Me : Cannot comply, aircraft is approaching Vne currently.

ATC : Turn left onto heading 270 and climb to 10000 ft to orbit before resuming approach.

Me : Cannot comply, aircraft incapable of climbing to that height, insufficient fuel.

ATC : Are you declaring an emergency?

Me : Negative, unless that fast mover hits me! Suggest I switch runways?

ATC : Negative, 06L is only for take-offs.

Me : Suggest I make a water landing between 06L and 06R.

 

Loooong pause.

 

ATC : That would constitute an emergency, do you want to declare one?

Me : This is an amphibian, I land on water quite normally!

ATC : Affirmative, water landing at your discretion.

 

 

It was a matter of moments to twitch to the west a little and let down in the little inlet that looked like it was designed for it. 

 

 

There was a small road bridge across the inlet, but my charts said there was adequate clearance and I could taxi into the calm inlet on the other side.

 

 

Conveniently there was a ramp at the far end and I could taxi 'Austral Rose' ashore with a burst of throttle, much to the amazement of the staff in the FedEx building close by!!

 

 

So here I am on an island in the middle of an inland sea and MILES to go before I can find somewhere to eat and sleep, This place is ENORMOUS!

[Melo965]

Tain Airfield (EGQA) in Scotland to Vagar Airport (EKVG) in Faroe Islands

 

Pre-flight done, ready to start the engine.

Enjoyed the hospitality here at Tain very much.  Wind direction dictates a takeoff from Runway 08.  That is far away on the other side of the airport.

 

Long taxi past the other side of the airport.  Parallel to Runway 08 now.

 

Adding throttle for takeoff on runway 08.

 

Climbing out from Tain.

 

Climbing through 6,600 ft and on course.  About to enter the clouds.

I realized at this point that my flight time gauge was not advancing properly, so shut it off.  Will have to do math to calculate flight times.

 

14 minutes of flight.  Finally out of IMC briefly.

Trimmed out for flight between roughly 11,000 and 12,000 feet altitude.  Therefore no oxygen needed.

 

20 minutes elapsed.  Still solid overcast below and nothing to see.

 

Half way there.  Still nothing to see but clouds below.

 

Weather map shows more of the same ahead.

 

Reaching Top of Descent.  Throttle to idle and starting down.

 

Broke out of the clouds at 3,300 ft into a driving rain.

Purposely descended over water so there would be no surprises. 

 

Cockpit view ahead.

 

Turning left to get lined up for the runway at Vagar.  Town of Torshavn is ahead.

 

Another good view of Torshavn.

 

Passing by beautiful mountain landscapes.

 

Runway 31 in sight ahead.

 

Cockpit view of the runway.

 

Short final for runway 31.

The cliff dropoff below is a bit unnerving on approach.

 

Full stop.  Now to taxi over to the terminal.

 

Parked at Vagar.

 

There is one Cessna parked nearby.  And the Vagar Hotel is in the background behind the Cessna.

 

Other vehicles on the ramp.

 

And the control tower.

 

For this flight I flew at full throttle just to see how well the Spitfire could do.
This was a short enough flight so I had plenty of fuel.

Some of the other flights will be longer distances so I will adjust the throttle accordingly.

 

Flight plan distance was 278 miles.  I flew 327 miles in 1 hour and 3 minutes.

(Takeoff to Touchdown).  An average speed of 311 miles per hour.

 

Left my Spitfire buttoned up and walked over to the Vagar Hotel for the night.
Can still see the control tower from my room.  Cool! 

 

[Bossspecops]

Do they still talk about '.....that blue Spitfire that blazed down the runway at about 50 ft during the WWII....' there?  

[MAD1]

In my little Cessna, in the sim, have flown under Sydney Harbour Bridge a few times. Easy. Now, could I get under the Gateway Bridge, Brisbane (that's the bridge over the Brisbane River you see on approach from the south into runway 01. Could I do it in the Concorde? Probably not, but in sim-world, now that'd be a feat. It is a lovely pair of bridges. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges "the bridge owes its distinctive shape to air traffic requirements restricting its height to under 80 metres (260 ft) above sea level (all features of the bridge including light poles) coupled with shipping needs requiring a navigational clearance of 55 metres (180 ft).". I've stood a few times on the bridge, which provides a great view of the airport, river, CBD, and watched flights on descent into 01, one of the best places to be a plane spotter. (I lived in Brisbane for some years.)

[Bossspecops]

When I had my day at Brooklands on the Concorde flight simulator, one of the other four in my group, who was an Aussie himself, chose to fly from Kingsford Smith of course. AND he flew under the Bridge. 

 

Captain Mike said 'Australians ALWAYS want to do that!' 

[MAD1]

Bosss, might have to commission you as a consultant on my Concorde journey. (I pay in Chachapoya dollars!)

[MAD1]

https://simviation.com//lair/Concorde Flying Notes.htm "FS2000 Concorde copied from FS2000 Help"

"Takeoff: 9,000 ft (2,743 m) Landing: 9,000 ft (2,743 m)". That's the nominal default stats, perhaps for a fully fueled and full passenger load. Now, Brisbane International is 9,000 ft. So probably that will be the home base. It also has all the facilities needed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Airport https://skyvector.com/airport/YBBN/Brisbane-Airport
rwy 01/19 11,680 ft so all good.

[Melo965]

6 hours ago, Bossspecops said:

Do they still talk about '.....that blue Spitfire that blazed down the runway at about 50 ft during the WWII....' there? 

 

Yes they do!  It caused quite a stir at the time! 

 

They later heard that the pilot was from 541 squadron.  They asked me if I was also in the same squadron.  They were also surprised that I only did a normal approach and landing, expecting every blue Spitfire that arrives to do something unusual after all! 

 

[Bossspecops]

And for the record, here's the REAL PL965, a Spitfire PRXI, taken at Duxford earlier this year. Mine and Melo's favourite Spotfire. 

 

[Sirrus]

1 hour ago, Bossspecops said:

 

Purists will tell you that PRXIs were produces with a unarmoured "wrap around" windshield as fitted to PL983 and MB950. But this is one of only two flyable PRXIs in the world, the other being PL983.

 

MB950 is in the USAF Museum at Wright-Paterson AF base in Dayton, Ohio.

 

However, a nice looking aeroplane, but I still think that the larger oil tank under the nose spoils the classic profile of the Spitfire.

 

And, under development, for FSX/FS2004 is:-

...slated for release later in the year.

 

[Melo965]

33 minutes ago, Sirrus said:

And, under development, for FSX/FS2004 is:-

...slated for release later in the year.

 

WOW, that is cool!

Any more info on who is working on it?

[Melo965]

1 hour ago, Bossspecops said:

And for the record, here's the REAL PL965, a Spitfire PRXI, taken at Duxford earlier this year.

 

Really wish I could have been there with you!