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#4100914 - 04/02/15 08:27 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 ***** [Re: corsaire31]  
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31st March 10:45 - Junin - Villa Reynolds

We continue crossing Argentina from east to west. The program for today is a one and a half hour flight from Junin to Villa Reynolds (SAOR), the airport near the town of Villa Mercedes in the San Luis province. Part of it is here also a military base. In the middle I set a waypoint in Laboulaye (SAOL) I can use as a safety airfield if anything happens during the flight.



Weather is beautiful, a clear sky, a nice temperature and a small 10 knots wind from 350° on the ground increasing to 22 knots at my cruise altitude of 4500 ft. By the time I get everything ready and the big radial engine is warmed up, it is almost 11:00 when I take off.



Soon I fly close to the lakes which helped me yesterday locating Junin.



Then it's another flight above the plain without any special landmark, following the compass.



As I come to my middle waypoint in Laboulaye after 50 minutes, I realize I have drifted to the North. The tower confirms me I am 10 nms off track. I change my heading some 10 degrees to catch up, until I find my two old faithful friends : the road and the railroad track.



Then as we close on our destinataion, visibility gets worse and I need to loose some altitude to keep following the national road.



Later the agricultural landscape is replaced by something more rocky and desert. The ground comes up as well slowly, as my destination airport lies over 1500 ft.



The end of the flight goes easy with a clearance for a direct landing on runway 24 with a small crosswind. Once I leave the runway, the ground control sends me to the small general aviation parking.



So here we are in Villa Reynolds. If everything keeps on going by the book, I will be tomorrow in Mendoza, right at the feet of the Andes mountains.


Last edited by corsaire31; 04/02/15 08:29 PM.

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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
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#4101872 - 04/05/15 01:21 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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01st April - A day for repairs

I have a nasty surprise when I start the engine this morning : a problem with oil pressure... I have to wait until the assistance DC3 arrives in Villa Reynolds. It will take a few hours for the repair, flight is postponed.


Last edited by corsaire31; 04/05/15 01:48 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4101877 - 04/05/15 01:41 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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02nd April 10:45 - Villa Reynolds - Mendoza

My little engine trouble has been solved and the weather forecast is good, so it's time to head on towards the Andes and the El Plumerillo airport in Mendoza. A planned one hour fifteen minutes flight with a waypoint over San Luis, where the airport can be used as safety.



It is almost eleven when I take off from Villa Reynolds with a beautiful weather, no clouds, nice temperature and almost no wind. I even have a very good visibility.



I climb to 4500 ft and I fly over the same landscape as Tuesday, somewhet wild and without any special landmark.



Unfortunately, after some fifteen minutes in the flight, visibility goes down because of the heat haze forming.



After twenty minutes, I get close to San Luis and discover some hills, a nice change from the endlessly flat countryside of the previous days.



On the other side of the hills is my waypoint, the San Luis province capital and its airport. Heading 283° to Mendoza !



And here we go for fifty minutes of flight following the compass, over a mainly desert landscape.



Getting close from destination, a radio call to the Mendoza tower to have a confirmation of the airport's direction and landing instructions, and I get in the traffic on a right hand backwind leg for a touchdown on runway 36.



And here we are at the feet of the Andes, which we guess more than we clearly see through the haze.



The crossing to Santiago is scheduled for beginning of the week, weather permitting. In the meantime if it is possible, I would like to fly over the lake "Laguna del Diamante", close to the Maipo volcano. This is where Henri Guillaumet had to make a crash landing with his Potez 25 on June 13th, 1930 and walked five days alone through the mountains before finding men, and later Saint Exupéry who was looking for him.


Last edited by corsaire31; 04/05/15 01:47 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4102677 - 04/07/15 03:03 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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06 April 10:15 - Laguna del Diamante

The weather is again very kind with me. The plan for today is to leave Mendoza SAME, heading south along the Andes mountains for a half hour, until I find the valley and the road leading to the lake. I will then follow it flying west and the return will be the same way around.



I take off around 10:30 local with a good visibility, not much wind, but a few broken clouds around 4000 ft.



Finally I climb to 12.500 ft to get above all the clouds.



I'm lucky again, as I fly south the clouds slowly disappear and leave me with a clear view on the mountains.



With this great visibility, it's not difficult to find the entry to the valley going west towards the Maipo volcano I can see in the distance.



I keep on climbing to 14.500 ft above the first autumn snow, until I can see far in front of me the Laguna del Diamante.



After a last mountain pass, I fly over the lake in front of the Maipo. One thing is sure, I wouldn't like to make a crash landing in this place in the conditions of the 30s ( no road and no tourists...)



After a large circle around the lake, I fly back the same way I came in, with a thought for Henri Guillaumet who had to walk it alone over several mountain passes, even going back to look for a glove he had lost. When he finally met Saint Exupéry who was looking for him, he told him " What I have done, no beast would have done it."



The return is uneventful and I land back in Mendoza.



Next destination is Santiago, hoping the weather will stay the same !



Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes.

Ruta Nacional 7, the major road running between Buenos Aires and Santiago, runs through Mendoza. The city is a frequent stopover for climbers on their way to Aconcagua (the highest mountain in the western and southern hemispheres) and for adventure travelers interested in mountaineering, hiking, horseback riding, rafting, and other sports. In the winter, skiers come to the city for its easy access to the Andes.

Two of the main industries of Mendoza area are olive oil production and wine making. The region around Greater Mendoza is the largest wine producing area in Latin America.

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/07/15 11:16 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4102847 - 04/07/15 08:07 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Close to your destination mate.


-Sir in case of retreat, were we have to retreat??
-To the Graveyard!!

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4103138 - 04/08/15 01:28 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Weather forecast for Mendoza ( source BBC Weather )

Tuesday and Wednesday broken clouds with possible light rain.

Thursday large sunny intervals with still some clouds - light wind - Friday sunny and clear.

I will try to cross the Andes on Thursday, if still too many clouds it will be for Friday.


Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4104781 - 04/11/15 03:52 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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9th April 12:30 - Crossing the Andes

The weather is not perfect, but it looks like we can do it from this side of the mountains. On the other side, it's bright weather in Santiago, so I decide to have a go.
The plan is to follow the Ruta Nacional 7 coming from Buenos Aires and crossing the Andes in the northwest of Mendoza. It goes down on the other side with the name of Ruta N. 60.



We still have some clouds hanging on the slopes around 5000 ft, and high above some cumulus clouds above 16.500 ft. Wind is calm at 4 knots, temperature on the ground is 23° C, although I know it will severely go down when I will climb up...



I keep on climbing at 600 ft/mn, I am now above 10.000ft. We can see in the distance the snow on the mountain tops.



I am above 12.000 ft when I find the entrance to the valley where the RN7 starts climbing the Andes. I turn left heading southwest.



As I keep on climbing following the valley, carburator heating is now on. I see on my right, under a crown of clouds, the highest summit of the Andes. At an altitude above 6900m, the Aconcagua dominates South America.





I reach 16.000 ft when I get to the mountain pass marking the border between Argentina and Chile. (*)



The hardest part is now behind me, I only need to let it go down on the other side towards the flat land around Santiago that I can see far ahead, leaving the mountains behind me.





After finding the two lakes north of Santiago which I use as waypoint, I turn south. The Arturo Merino Benitez SCEL airport tower has given me a direct clearance for landing on runway 17L (**).



Here we are, on the parking of the wide airport in the capital of Chile. Another big part of the adventure is over !



To finish it for good, I now will fly up the Pacific coast via Antofagasta and Iquique, to finish in the high capital of Bolivia, La Paz.


(*) In reality, the road goes through a 3.8 km tunnel: the Tunel de Cristo Redentor.



(**) If the original FSX airport has only one 17-35 runway, the freeware I use installs the newer second runway 17R - 35L. The airport buidings are in the middle in between both runways.

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/11/15 05:42 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4107474 - 04/16/15 09:45 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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13th April - Flight cancelled

After a few days off visiting Santiago, it's time to start heading to La Paz.
Unfortunately, at the time of the flight visibility at the airport is 3000m with very low clouds. We'll try again tomorrow...

14th April 11:05 - Heading North ! (Santiago - La Serena)

Today beautiful weather over Santiago, we can get moving a bit.

The plan for today is a one and a half hour flight. Start from Santiago, mandatory flight over Valparaiso as a tribute to my grandfather (see report on Cape Horn) then up north with waypoints over two airfields I could use as safety at Quintero SCER and Santa Rosa de Tabali SCOT.



Despite the two runways, there is alot of traffic in Santiago and I have to wait for two heavies to take off. It is almost 11:30 when I start climbing west under a bright blue sky.



There are some mountains close to the airport and I need to climb to 8500 ft before heading towards the coast.



I leave behind me for now the snowy summits of the Andes.



After some twenty minutes I am flying above the harbour in Valparaiso, having gone down to 5500 ft in the meantime.



From there I head north following the coast for a while, before going inland again. Slowly some clouds start to settle in under me at 4000 ft.



Soon I have for only landmarks some mountain tops looking like islands in a sea of clouds, and some holes here and there through which I can see the desert sierra under the plane. I start worrying a bit for the arrival in La Serena...



As I am closing from my destination which lies somewhere underneath the clouds, I get in touch with the tower as soon as possible for a guiding. I'm glad to see it confirms that I am where I thought I was !



With a little luck, on top of the tower guidance I find a hole allowing me to go safely through the layer, and I soon have in sight the runway 29.



I feel suddenly better, only thing left is to land the plane against a gentle breeze almost aligned with the runway. Gear down, two flap stages from 110 mph, lights on, prop pitch and mixture to the max, business as usual...



A short taxi and we are at the parking... Some adventure feeling on this flight as I was starting to prepare a half turn to fly back to cleaner skies !







La Serena is a city and commune in northern Chile, capital of the Coquimbo region. Founded in 1544, it is the country's second oldest city after the national capital, Santiago, located 471 km (293 miles) to the south. It is one of the fastest-growing areas of Chile, witnessing a population increase of 32.6% between 1992 and 2002.

The city is an important tourist destination, especially during the summer, where people go to visit the beaches.

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/16/15 09:49 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4108323 - 04/18/15 05:23 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Hello all you happy readers !

This week has been busy IRL. The flights have been flown but I didn't yet find the time to write the reports...
Hang on, it's coming !


Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4109262 - 04/20/15 08:37 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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15th April 11:30 - La Serena - Atacama

The task of the day is to fly over the Atacama desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Start from La Serena, waypoint over the airport in Vallenar SCLL, and arrival in Desierto de Atacama SCAT, a short one hour flight. Some sierra mountains on the way, some sand and a landing close to the coast.



By the time I start and warm up the plane, ask for take off clearance to the tower, it is around 11:45 when I leave La Serena under an almost clear sky and with a very good visibility.



I need to climb right away to clear the sierra just north of La Serena, with the Pacific Ocean in the background.



After a half hour flying with the compass, it's not difficult to find my waypoint at Vallenar. I had to go down a bit to fly under some clouds, but the visibility is good and I decide to continue to Atacama.



As I start overflying the desert, the plan is simple : I only need to leave the sierra on my left while flying along to get to my destination. I am happy in advance, I kind of like the desert since I flew over the Sahara... except for the fog coming from the sea !



Unfortunately it is the same story again... This time no fog from the sea, but a cloud layer settling in at 2500 ft. This cloud layer is solid ( no holes ) but rather thin as I can somewhat guess the ground underneath.



As I get close from my destination, the situation hasn't changed... I know from the map that there is some high ground close to the airport, and I don't feel like risking to fly into the sierra... I fly west to go down through the cloud layer over the ocean and come back to land afterwards.



Once that is done, I have no difficulty finding the airport sticking out of the empty landscape.



Only thing left to do is to align with the runway and make a soft landing ( this is now a well known task !)



I have barely arrived on the parking that the next plane comes in for a landing. There must be some tourists around here !



Anyway I haven't seen much of this part of the Atacama desert. I hope it will be better in the north for the end of the desert and for my next "tourist" destination : the great Uyuni Salar.



Learn more at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/20/15 08:40 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4110328 - 04/22/15 08:00 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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16th April 10:30 - Atacama - Antofagasta


Second part of the Atacama desert, today's flight will be close from the coast and will take us from Desierto de Atacama SCAT to Cerro Moreno International SCFA in Antofagasta, with waypoints at Chanaral SCRA and Las Breas SCTT near the coastal town of Taltal. One and a half hour of flying above a mostly sierra and desert landscape.



Little wind at take-off, a nice weather with only a few clouds at 2300ft and a good visibility, looks good !



The clouds quickly vanished, I climbed to 9500ft to be safe from the high ground underneath, and I check in time at my first waypoint, so far so good (as said the guy falling from the 25th floor every time he was passing by a window...)



Shortly after I see in front of me a clouds front which makes me go down to 7500ft to fly under it.



As I continue on the flight plan, things get worse and I should go further down... One more time I don't feel like ending in small pieces on a mountain side in the sierra and I decide for my usual old tactic to go to the coast and fly over the ocean.



And instead of flying over the desert, I am once again following a coast at low altitude, with a visibility which keeps on getting worse.



As I am closing on my destination, I ask for a guiding by the tower in Antofagasta and I spot the runway lights.



Now I only need to get in the traffic on a backwind leg to come around and land on runway 19, following the ATC instructions.





Another stage which didn't go as planned because of clouds and visibility ! I start thinking deserts don't like me... nope



Learn more at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antofagasta

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/24/15 01:28 AM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4110773 - 04/23/15 07:11 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Low visibility is always a PITA. Good flying as always.


-Sir in case of retreat, were we have to retreat??
-To the Graveyard!!

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4111601 - 04/25/15 12:50 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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As always, wonderful. Thank you
You even inspired me to re-read Saint Exupery's novels

I have a question. Are you using ORBX?
And are you on W7 or W8? do I see some "SweetFX" or Bloom effect on your pics?

#4111624 - 04/25/15 01:45 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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@ Canadair :

Thks for watching, I am also reading again Saint Exupéry and Joseph Kessel with a new eye...

Regarding what I'm using, it's all detailed in the second post of the first page. Since then I replaced the Logitech Xtreme 3D Pro joystick by a Thrustmaster T16000M and I added a Saitek Yoke since I'm flying the Stinson out of Buenos Aires. I keep my fingers out of Windows 8 !

Regarding your last question, my screenshots are edited before posting following my mood of the moment. In the last reports I played a bit with de-saturation of colors and adding a little bloom. I use Sweet FX but with very light effects and no bloom at all while flying.


Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4112248 - 04/27/15 09:57 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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17th April 11:30 - Antofagasta - Iquique

I continue flying north along the Chile Pacific coast. Program today is around one hour flight between Antofagasta SCFA and Diego Aracena International SCDA which serves Iquique, via the Barriles SCBE airport near Tocopillo.



As I taxi towards runway 19 in Antofagasta, I go past the military buildings at the other end of the airport. As often the runway is shared between civilian and military traffic.



As I climb after making a 170° turn towards the North, I can see that if the sky is almost clear of clouds, the visibility is once more average !



As I know there are high grounds on the way, I fly right away to the coastline as usual...



Visibility gets a bit better and I climb to 9500 ft before getting to these high grounds.



Once these high grounds are behind me, I still have 45 nm to go and I start to slowly go down along the coast.



A short radio call to the Iquique tower, and I receive instructions to merge in the pattern backwind right hand for a landing on runway 19 (same heading as on take off).



A last turn to align on the runway and a cool landing, there is plenty of room for the size of my airplane.



I get out of the runway on the right before switching to the ground control, as the general aviation parking is on the other side from the airport terminal we see in the back.



The following plan is to stay there for the weekend and take the opportunity to make a short flight over the Uyuni Salar, half an hour east.



Iquique is a port city and capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal which is part of Atacama Desert.]
It is also the main commune of the Greater Iquique. The city developed during the heyday of the saltpetre mining in Atacama Desert in the 19th century. Originally a Peruvian city with a large Chilean population it was ceded to Chile as result of War of the Pacific (1879–1883). Today it is one of only two free ports of Chile.

Learn more at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iquique

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/27/15 09:59 AM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4112793 - 04/28/15 01:09 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Due to unexpected real life events I had to leave the cockpit and I'm stuck in Iquique since a week... flight to be resumed tonight, only 3 stages left to conclude this 7 months adventure !

Plans afterwards are to rejoin Cuzco in Peru from La Paz over the Titicaca lake, then the sources of the Amazon river where I will get hold of an amphibian Cessna 185 Skywagon to fly down the river to the Ocean with short flights. I am not sure I will be able to make daily reports on this one, but more probably twice a week. It is spring here and I spend quite some time outside making nature photography and inside processing the pictures.


Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4112796 - 04/28/15 01:14 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 7,365
Stratos Offline
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Stratos  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 7,365
Amposta, Spain
Take your time, and enjoy the flights!


-Sir in case of retreat, were we have to retreat??
-To the Graveyard!!

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4114372 - 05/01/15 02:57 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
Joined: May 2011
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corsaire31 Offline
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corsaire31  Offline
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,428
Toulouse, France
27th April 14:00 - Déjà vu ... ( Iquique - Arica )

** NB Because of my difficulties in finding the time now that spring is here, I decided not to fly the touristic flight to the Uyuni Salar, and concentrate on the Aéropostale path to fly the two last stages.

Today we keep on flying north along the pacific coast of Chile. It will be the last stage of the Atacama desert, and the last 100% Chile stage. The next one will take us to the end of the adventure, La Paz in Bolivia.

A one hour flight planned along the coast, with nothing else around but sierras and desert...



The sky is clear, wind is 10 knots from 210°. Temperature is 73° F and we have a high pressure at 29.80 in. On the bad side, visibility is as often average because of the haze coming from the sea. There isn't much traffic in Iquique and I can take off from runway 19 without delay, after receiving clearance from the tower.



After turning around to take my heading to the north, I fly past the town of Iquique.



Then as usual it comes down to flying along the coast to have a visual landmark in this very average visibility.



As I close on Arica, visibility is king enough to get a little bit better...



Just before arrival in Arica, as I am fluing along high cliffs, the moon comes out to say hello.



I can soon spot the town and harbour of Arica. The airport is directly north.



Instructions from ATC are to merge in a backwind leg left hand to land on runway 20 and there in no other plane waiting. A liner landed a couple of minutes before me and has cleared the runway.



And after a short taxi I am at the parking near the fuel pump... a stage which will not, like some others, stay in my memory !



The program for the next one is to leave the coast and climb to La Paz where the airport lies at more than 13.000 ft high.



Arica is a commune and a port city with a population of around 200.000 in the Arica Province of northern Chile's Arica y Parinacota Region. It is Chile's northernmost city, being located only 18 km (11 mi) south of the border with Peru.

b]Arica[/b] is located at the bend of South America's western coast known as the Arica Bend or Arica Elbow. At the location of the city two lush valleys that dissect the Atacama Desert converge: Azapa and Lluta. These valleys provides fruit for export.

Arica is an important port for a large inland region of South America. The city serves a free port for Bolivia and manages substantial part of that country's trade. In addition it is the end station of the Bolivian oil pipeline beginning in Oruro.

Its mild weather has made Arica known as the "city of the eternal spring" in Chile while its beaches are frequented by Bolivians. The city was an important port already during Spanish colonial rule. Chile seized the city from Peru in 1883 following the War of the Pacific.

Last edited by corsaire31; 05/01/15 02:59 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4117132 - 05/06/15 09:03 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
Joined: May 2011
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corsaire31 Offline
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corsaire31  Offline
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Posts: 1,428
Toulouse, France
28th April 10:45 - The end... ( Arica - La Paz )

So here we are, the very last one... Arica - La Paz with a little hook to go see the Titicaca lake. Plan G says it's a 70 mn flight, but I know it's going to be more ! I start almost at sea level and will climb at 17500 ft to clear all the high ground on the way, and a landing at El Alto International where the runway lies at 13.300 ft, so I guess the engine will have a hard work.
We will go from Chile to Peru, then back to Chile before finishing in Bolivia. I have planned a waypoint over Charana SLCN as alternative landing in case of any problem on the way.



When I start from Arica there is a light cloud cover at 2500 ft, but as I will need to fly above anyway, I decide to go on with the flight... Little wind and a nice temperature, and the ATC is kind enough to give me clearance on runway 2. Good news as my first heading is northeast. I am quickly above the thin clouds layer, climb settled at 1000 ft/mn with the trim.



We keep climbing until we clear the first mountains lying at 16.000 ft across our path before we can fly over the flat highlands beyond. We make it with not too much altitude...



On the right of the airplane, we find the snow again. Carburator and pitot heatings are on, and the cabin heating as well, the temperature outside is down to 41° F !



Despite the average visibility, I find rather easily my waypoint over Charana airfield. The landscape looks also very dry around here !



From there I turn to a 30° heading, no more high ground to fear, I fly at 17.500 ft... I also find the small town of Santiago de Machaca, halfway to the Titicaca lake that I will soon spot far ahead.



Some 15 mn later I am flying the eastern part of the lake with a much better visibility now, before turning right towards La Paz.



As it seems to be my lucky day, the ATC in La Paz gives me a clearance for a straight approach on runway 10, which is almost aligned with my flying path.



As I come close to the runway, the only bad habit would be to set the mixture full rich as usual. At this altitude I don't think the engine would like it... On this plane the mixture lever is drawn 75% above 15.000 ft ! Everything goes fine for the last landing of the Staggerwing...



And here we are at the end of this Aeropostale adventure, engine off for the last time on the general aviation parking in La Paz...



Now I only need to wait for the arrival of the assistance DC3 with my two mates on board so we can make a global report of these numerous flying hours since last September !



Learn more about the highest capital of the world at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Paz

Last edited by corsaire31; 05/06/15 09:05 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4117141 - 05/06/15 09:29 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,428
corsaire31 Offline
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corsaire31  Offline
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,428
Toulouse, France
29th April - Everything has an end...

The flying garage has arrived in La Paz, this time it's really the end...



I am a little sad that it's over, but also glad to see the end. As I lost some time on the way due to real life events ( and also sometimes bad weather conditions ) it was difficult these last weeks to keep on the rythm. Finally this adventure will have lasted 7 months, which is 2 more than what I expected when I started.

It's a total of 8230 nautical miles flown in nearly 76 hours of "old school" VFR flight (map, compass, clock) on airplanes designed in the 1930s without autopilot.

* 11 hours on the Tiger Moth from Toulouse to Tangiers
* 41 hours on the Waco from Tangiers to Dakar then from Natal to Buenos Aires
* 11 hours on the Stinson Reliant from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia (and Cape Horn)
* 13 hours on the Staggerwing from Buenos Aires to La Paz

On top of this come the training hours before the start, the research hours, the hours writing down everything both in French and English on 3 different websites.

I have discovered many unknown towns and landscapes, with weather and visibility conditions more complicated than what I expected, for instance in the deserts... I have discovered that Brasil and the whole South America are really big... I come out of this with a much better knowledge of this great adventure which originated in my town of Toulouse, and with a huge respect for the men who did it "full real", by day and by night, with all kinds of weather because the mail had to get through. I am reading again the books of Saint Exupéry or Joseph Kessel with a very different eye.

Thanks to the readers who followed this story to its end, thanks also go to my cat Gribouille who was often on the desk with me and was also often patient enough to wait that the plane was on the ground to get his meal ! smile2

Now my two mates will take the DC3 back to Columbia and fly back to France. As for me, after some tourism around Bolivia and Peru I will be heading to San Francisco Teresita near the sources of the Amazon river where a yellow and green amphibian Cessna 185 Skywagon is waiting for me. With this plane I will fly the Amazon down to the Atlantic Ocean and finish in Cayenne, french Guyana.

So if you liked this one, stay tuned on the same place for future new adventures...

PS : I also want to specially thank all the authors of freeware scenery (some of very high quality) which made the landscapes and airports look much better...

Last edited by corsaire31; 05/06/15 09:50 PM.

Gigabyte Z87P-D3 - CPU I5 4670 Haswell @ 3.6Ghz - 8 Go Ram - GPU HD 7850 2Go OC - SSD Samsung 128Go - HD 2 x WD Black 1 To - 27" Iiyama Pro Lite - Logitech Extreme 3D Pro - Saitek Pro Flight Yoke - Rudder Pedals - Quadrant - Cessna Trim Wheel - Track IR 5 - Logitech G35 headset ... and a big coffee maker !
Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
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