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#4006991 - 09/09/14 12:50 AM Aeropostale 2014 *****  
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corsaire31 Offline
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Toulouse, France
I am almost ready to go, found most of the sceneries I needed, made my 35 flight plans respecting the historical routes through Spain, Africa and South America. I have also collected enough historical data and references to illustrate my flight reports.

The real 10.000 km air rally from Toulouse (France) to Saint Louis (Senegal) will be leaving on Sept 28th, I might wait to start my virtual flying at the same time.

In the meantime I am making training flights with the three planes (1930s designs) I will be using :


Ant's Tiger Moth (freeware)


Golden Age Simulations Stinson Reliant S8E


Alabeo Waco YMF5


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.
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4007340 - 09/09/14 05:08 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Introduction :

" I have done all the calculations once again, everything confirms our idea is impossible to realize. Now we only need to do it ! "

It is with these words that Pierre Georges Latécoère started right after WW1 a great adventure of airplanes and special pilots and men ( Daurat, Mermoz, Guillaumet, Saint Exupéry...): the Aéropostale.

With some Breguet XIVs sold by the Aéronautique Militaire after 1918, he started from my good old town of Toulouse to transport letters by air mail. Until 1931 l'Aéropostale would open new routes through Spain and Morocco to Dakar in Senegal, then jump over the Atlantic ocean to South America. The mail will then take 5 days to be delivered where it took 5 weeks before.

I plan to refly these routes making 150 to 200 nm flights in FSX. I have made the plans for approx. 35 flights. I want to do it real time, real weather, in the conditions of 1930 (VFR, no GPS, no Navaids) I also wanted to do it with planes of the 30s. After reviewing many freeware planes and reading previous reports of virtual pilots who did it in FS9 and XPlane (someone recreated the 1920 sceneries), I finally settled on three planes.

The European part from Toulouse to Tanger will be flown with a Tiger Moth, (freeware) a plane from the 1930s close in performance to the early biplanes who opened these routes in the 1920s.

The African part from Tanger to Dakar and Cabo Verde will be flown with a Waco YMF5 ( Alabeo ) for the longer range needed for a couple of desert flights

The plane will be disassembled and loaded on a french Air Force CASA C295M cargo plane which will fly it across the south Atlantic to Fernando de Noronha, a little island offshore from Brasil where the Aeropostale had a base. It will be then reassembled and flown down the coast of Brasil to Buenos Aires.

From there, the Waco will continue the southern branch to Punta Arenas, while I will borrow a Stinson Reliant SR8e (Golden Age Simulations) - replaces the historical Potez 25 - for the crossing from Buenos Aires to Santiago and La Paz over the Andes, the other ends of the line.

If in the conditions of 1930 for the type of flying, it will nevertheless be flown in today's environment. I will use FSX enhanced by :

- Ultimate Terrain X Europe
- Ground Environment X Europe, Africa and Middle East, South America and Asia
- Flight Environment X
- Freeware sceneries for almost all the airports/airfields where I plan to stop, even if only for a refuel. ( I think there are only two or three I didn't find )

Navigation will be done with Plan G v 3.1 ( obviously not connected to FSX as it would show the plane position and track. )

I fly from a rather basic install. My PC was built last November with a i5 4670 Haswell CPU, Windows 7, ATI HD 7850 2Go OC, 8 Go Ram, a 120 Go SSD for system and two Western Digital Caviar Black 1 To HDs.

The main scenery is on a 27" Iiyama monitor, with my old Acer 24 displaying the flight plan.

Controls are those of a military sims pilot :

- Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick (will be fine for the Moth and the Waco)
- Saitek rudder pedals
- Saitek quadrant (mounted on the left for my World War 1 aircrafts - will be fine also for the Moth and the Waco)
- Saitek Cessna trim wheel
- Track IR 5



I have started collecting historical data which will illustrate these reports, and I am reading again the books of Joseph Kessel and Saint Exupéry to be "in the mood", while training around Toulouse with my three planes.

Last edited by corsaire31; 04/25/15 01:37 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.
#4007365 - 09/09/14 05:59 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Nice set-up! yep

#4007375 - 09/09/14 06:10 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Sept 09 : VFR training flight















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.
#4007730 - 09/10/14 12:59 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
AEROPOSTALE, a short history - (Part 1) Spain and Morocco

September 1917 : Pierre Georges Latecoere creates the airfield in Montaudran (South East suburb of Toulouse) and a factory to build the 1000 Salmson airplanes ordered by the french ministry of Armament. The first buildings are along the railway from Toulouse to Sète.
The first airplane comes out early May 1918 and 800 are built before the end of World War 1.

Although the production of airplanes stops, Pierre Georges Latecoere thinks there is a future for commercial aviation.



May 1918 : With his friend Beppo de Massimi, a former italian pilot, Pierre Georges Latecoere imagines a draft of commercial lines which is presented on Sept 7, 1918 to Jacques Dumesnil, minister of Aéronautique.

December 25, 1918 : Pierre Georges Latecoere flies for the first time to Barcelona in a Salmson flown by René Cornemont. He then creates the " Lignes Aériennes Latécoère " (Latecoere Air Lines)

July 1919 : The pilot Didier Daurat is hired and a contract is signed for the line Toulouse-Rabat (Morocco)

September 1919 : The France-Morocco airmail connection becomes a regular airline.

October 1920 : Latecoere makes Daurat chief of operations. The line is opened to passengers, Montaudran becomes the first air terminal in France.

Mai 1922 : Pierre Georges Latecoere creates the " Société Industrielle des Avions Latécoère " which will build the aircrafts for the line.

May 3 - May 22 1923 : Captain Joseph Roig leads a flight of three Breguet XIV to extend the line to Dakar (Senegal)


Last edited by corsaire31; 09/11/14 09:25 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.
#4008047 - 09/10/14 09:52 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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3instein Offline
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Nice! Good luck.

Mick. smile


"An appeaser is someone who feeds the crocodile hoping he will be eaten last"

Winston Churchill

#4008158 - 09/11/14 04:44 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Sluggish Controls Offline
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Bon vent, tailwind hopefully !
Will keep an eye on this one.

Cheers,
Slug


"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
#4008197 - 09/11/14 09:57 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
The airplanes : Salmson 2A.2

The " Société des Moteurs Salmson" was building engines, and specially a liquid-cooled 9 cylinders which was installed in many airplanes during World War 1. The type 2 airplane succeeded to the Salmson D biplane which was equipped with a rotating 130HP Clerget engine.

The Salmson 2 was a two seater biplane, with a round fuselage built around the huge radial Salmson Z9 260 HP engine. This engine was liquid cooled and showed typical cooling vents. It was built with metal, wood and canvas, with wings of same size and double ailerons.



Production started in 1917, the plane was operating early 1918. A total of 3200 airplanes were built and used by the french, italian and american air forces. Main mission was observation and the rear cockpit had a hatch for photo cameras. It was also used for daylight bombing and for these was equipped with a front Vickers machine gun on the engine hood, and sometimes another machine gun for the observer.

Without outstanding performance, the plane was nevertheless rugged, reliable, maintenance was easy and it could take some beating. A known problem was the difficulty to communicate between both crew members because of the distance between the two cockpits.

After World War 1, the Salmson 2A.2 was used a lot on the Aeropostale lines. The first trial flight between Toulouse and Barcelona was done on a Salmson 2A.2 on Dec 25, 1918. They were used for the line between France and Morocco and withdrawn in 1923.

There is an ongoing project among several high schools in my region to rebuild a 1:1 Salmson 2A.2. Engine and propeller have been given by the " Ailes Anciennes de Toulouse" (Toulouse Old Wings) association.



Wingspan : 11.75 m Length : 8.50 m Height : 2.50m Empty weight : 906 kg Max weight : 1290 kg
Cruising speed : 135 km/h (73 knots) Range : 500 km (270 nm)
Engine : 1 Salmson 9Zg, 9 Cylinders radial engine Power : 260 HP

Photos : Mémoire d'Aéropostale

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/11/14 10:14 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.
#4008749 - 09/12/14 01:36 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
The men : Pierre Georges Latécoère



Pierre Georges Latécoère was born in Bagnères de Bigorre on August 25th, 1883. He makes brilliant studies first in his town then in Paris ( Saint Louis High School , School of Arts and Manufactures, Ecole Centrale ). His father dies in 1906 and his mother manages the mechanical carpentry factory her husband had created in 1872. Pierre Georges Latécoère develops the original business, and besides the carpentry starts building wagons for the tramways and colonial railways. He later gets a huge contract with the southern France railways (Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi ) for 10.000 freight wagons. He then builds a first factory in Toulouse.

In the meantime World War 1 starts in 1914. Although he has no military obligations because of his bad sight, he volunteers for the artillery. Four months later, his general thinks he will be more useful for his country managing industry rather than using a gun. In Toulouse he manufactures gun shells and in Bagnères de Bigorre field kitchens. With a new passion for aviation he starts buiding planes (800 Salmson 2A.2 from a 1000 planes order) For this he builds in only 7 months his factory and airfield in Montaudran, near Toulouse, which will build 6 planes a day.

After the war he started his project of airlines from France to african colonies and Brasil. He didn't hesitate to participate himself in the beginning, flying from Toulouse to Barcelona on Dec. 25 1918 with his pilot Cornemont, then from Toulouse to Rabat in Morocco on March 9, 1919 with his pilot Lemaitre, bringing the daily newspaper bought in Toulouse to Maréchal Lyautey. The airmail started flying from France in Sept 1919. They had heroic men working as pilots, mechanics, navigators, among which many lost their life. They had to cross the 1500 nm through the desert from Casablanca to Dakar, over the Rio de Oro, with rebellious tribes who would seize the crews and the freight if the plane broke down. In 1925 his planes were flying above the Mediterranean Sea when he created the lines Alicante-Oran, Marseille-Barcelona and Marseille-Algiers.

Although he had to sell later his original companies (as we will see in the Aeropostale story), Pierre Georges Latécoère kept on building in Montaudran airplanes which would establish world records. On May 9th 1930 Mermoz flying the Latécoère 28 "Comte de la Vaux" flying boat made the first airmail transport Saint Louis - Natal across the southern Atlantic Ocean. After this he tackled with some huge size flying boats, the first one being the 42 tons "Lieutenant de Vaisseau Paris". In 1931 he gets married and will have a son called Pierre Jean. In 1937 he builds in 3 months in Anglet a large factory to make flying boats. In 1939 he sells to Breguet his factories in Montaudran and Anglet, and also his hydroplane base in Biscarosse. The company "Société Industrielle d'Aviation Latécoère" created in 1922 will open in 1940 a new factory in Toulouse where it will build the world's largest flying boat, the 75 tons Late 631.



Today the Latécoère Group is still in Toulouse, employs more than 4000 people in France and abroad, working on fuselage and doors for Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, Dassault, while being with its subsidiary company Latelec world n° 2 for onboard wiring.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/12/14 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.
#4009260 - 09/13/14 02:10 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
What they wrote : Antoine de Saint Exupéry



" It was in 1926. I had just been hired as a young line pilot by the Société Latécoère, which operated the Toulouse - Dakar line, before the Aéropostale and later Air France. There I was learning the trade. In my turn, like my comrades, I was enduring the novitiate that young pilots had to endure before flying for the mail. Plane trials, trips between Toulouse and Perpignan, sad weather forecast lessons in the back of a freezing cold hangar. We lived with the fear of the spanish mountains, which we didn't know yet, and with the respect for our elders.
These elders, we found them in the restaurant, gruff, somewhat distant, giving us their lordly advices. And when one of them, flying back from Alicante or Casablanca would join us late, his leather jacket soaked from the rain, and one of us would timidly ask him about his trip, his short answers, on stormy days, were building for us a fabulous world, full of traps, of cliffs suddenly appearing, and of turbulences which could have unrooted cedar trees. Black dragons were defending the valleys entrances, sheaves of lightnings crowned the crests. These elders maintained our respect with science. But from time to time, respectable for eternity, one of them did not come back "

( St Exupéry - Terre des Hommes )

That's exactly what I will be doing until Sept. 28th : young pilot training, getting familiar with the planes and working on my VFR navigation.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/13/14 02:37 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.
#4009831 - 09/14/14 10:30 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Toulouse Lasbordes on Sunday

Weather was a bit covered this Sunday, but I still went for a couple of hours to the Toulouse Lasbordes airfield, to find the best spots for taking pictures on the 28th when the Toulouse Saint Louis air rally will take off.
Took a few plane pictures, among which this superb Piper Super Cub which made a short stop for refueling.


Last edited by corsaire31; 09/15/14 01:39 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.
#4010018 - 09/15/14 02:29 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Monday Sept 15th : VFR training flight Toulouse - Rodez with the Waco (No VOR - No NDB)












Last edited by corsaire31; 09/15/14 02:39 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.
#4010237 - 09/15/14 08:32 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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NV
This is awesome! Your research and style are great. I won't miss any updates.
Oh, et merci beaucoup!

Last edited by harryw; 09/15/14 08:34 PM.
#4010297 - 09/15/14 10:46 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: harryw]  
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Originally Posted By: harryw
This is awesome! Your research and style are great. I won't miss any updates.
Oh, et merci beaucoup!


Thanks for your visit and interest ! This is a project I had prepared for some time now, only waited to have the necessary free time (getting old must have some good sides !).
It is to explain that if Toulouse is today the french center for aviation and "Airbus city", the roots come from far back. It is also my way to pay a tribute to these great men. I enjoy every minute reading again all the books that I had read a long time ago when I was young. It was these books, these men and their great deeds that have started the fire and mostly explain my passion for aviation and why I have spent 30 years in flight sims. It is for me something like closing the loop. smile2


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.
#4010431 - 09/16/14 12:53 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
The men : Beppo di Massimi



Beppo di Massimi was an italian aristocrat, born in Bari (Italy) on August 3rd, 1875.

He volunteers in the french Aéronautique Militaire on August 17th, 1914 during World War 1 as an observer with the rank of Lieutenant and is given the french nationality in August 1914.

He becomes later one of the very first working for Pierre Georges Latécoère whom he got to know during the war. He is a gifted negociator, and knowing in advance where the difficulties will be, he moves to Madrid as an administrator and general manager of the Société des Lignes Aériennes Latécoère. Against the opposition of a large part of the spanish opinion, which is more favourable to german endeavours, Beppo de Massimi gets the essential authorizations for flying above Spain and the establishment of the necessary maintenance bases in Barcelona, Alicante and Malaga.

As soon as the Toulouse - Casablanca line is operational, he negociates the authorizations to fly over the Rio de Oro and the use of bases in Cap Juby and Villa Cisneros.

During his whole career, he actively participates in the creation and reputation of the Line. In 1923 he enters the administration council of CGEA.

In 1933, when the national company Air France is created, he decides to retire from public life at the french abbey in Saint Ay, where he dies in 1961.

He was also the one who brought to P.G. Latécoère many of his pilot friends, among which Didier Daurat who will be the operations manager of the Line from 1920 onwards.

He left a book called : "Headwind. A history of the first french airline" (1949)


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.
#4010869 - 09/17/14 11:12 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Sept 17th, First training flight on the path of the Line : Toulouse-Carcassonne.

Today a first training flight on the path of the Line : Toulouse - Carcassonne - Perpignan



As the pilots of the time did, I follow the Canal du Midi, a canal linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.



Another good landmark is the medieval city of Carcassonne.



After landing at Carcassonne airport.



I prepare the Tiger Moth for the night while I will have a good dinner and sleep in my hotel room.


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.
#4011329 - 09/18/14 12:00 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
The men : Didier Daurat



Didier Daurat was born on January 2, 1891 in Montreuil sous Bois near Paris.

After studying at the Superior School of Public Engineering, he enters the first World War in the 163rd Infantry Regiment where he is involved in the terrible battle of Verdun. Wounded there, he becomes Sergent and later Sous Lieutenant. Then in June 1916 he joins the Aéronautique Militaire. He flies as observation pilot of Caudrons G3 and G4 in squadron C227 where he will meet Beppo di Massimi. Together they fly many observation missions. In June 1917 he manages to localize the "Big Bertha" or "Pariserkanon". He is promoted to Lieutenant, then Capitaine, receives the "Croix de Guerre" and ends the war as fighter pilot in the Spad 87 squadron.

In July 1919 he rejoins his friend Beppo di Massimi by the Lignes Aériennes Latécoère in Toulouse. The line is opened on Sept 1st, 1919. Didier Daurat and Jean Dombray flying two Breguet XIVs first fly to Alicante. On early Sept 2, Daurat is the first to take off and lands at 17:00 in Rabat, bringing to the local authorities the first official mail of the France-Morocco postal service.

He then becomes manager of the Malaga airfield operations. In October 1920 following the advice of Beppo di Massimi, Pierre Georges Latécoère makes Didier Daurat his operations manager.

It is where the legend begins, which will make Didier Daurat admired by many, feared by all, hated by some. He fires without any hesitation all the ones who show one small weakness, don't agree with his methods or don't go along with the "spirit of the mail".

Many pilots start their career by the "royal sludge" which is working on the ground for airplanes maintenance. For him this shapes the personality and will later force the pilots to respect the machines. In fact, this capability of the pilots to take apart and repair engines will be later vital in the flights across the Sahara desert or the Andes mountains.

When Jean Mermoz makes a fantastic demonstration of his flying skills in Toulouse to be a pilot by Latécoère, Daurat tells him : " I don't need artists, I need bus drivers. We will tame you !" and hires him... to clean engines !

When the Aeropostale, (as we will see ) is integrated into Air France in 1933, Daurat who doesn't have only friends, is fired. In 1935 he starts the company Air Bleu which carries mail everywhere in France, day and night. He obtains there again outstanding results, but the company is militarized in 1939.

After the war he starts over again the Postal night flights, then becomes operations manager of the Air France center in Orly until he retires in 1953. They are using DC3s then Fokkers 27. The pilots are so reliable that out of 7200 night flights only one will be diverted for weather reasons.

He dies in Toulouse in 1960 and following his own will is buried on the Toulouse Montaudran airfield, the first base of the Aeropostale. Unfortunately, because the airfield is closed in 2003 to build a commercial zone, his grave is destroyed in 2007 and his body is now in a family vault in Marseille.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/18/14 12:39 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.
#4011711 - 09/19/14 05:54 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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What game is this ?

#4011746 - 09/19/14 09:46 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Harry-the-Ruskie]  
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Originally Posted By: Harry-the-Ruskie
What game is this ?


Plse read post n° 2... wink


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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4011774 - 09/19/14 01:02 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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We left the Tiger in Carcassonne and will now fly the second part on the first leg of the Line.



Rather than landing at the Perpignan-Rivesaltes airport, I choose to stop for the night at the small airfield of La Salanque near Port Barcarès, which is more in the spirit of the Line.



I take off from Carcassonne early afternoon.



We also can use today as a landmark the highway which I follow to the crossing. Left it goes to Montpellier, right to Perpignan and Barcelona.



From there we turn South East to cross the large salty ponds leading to the Mediterranean coast.



After following the coast down south and landing at La Salanque, the plane is tied down for the night.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/19/14 01:04 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.
#4012248 - 09/20/14 05:26 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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The airplanes : Breguet XIV



End of 1916, the "Service Technique Aéronautique" launched a program for a powerful, fast and well armed plane, with a forward engine.

Louis Breguet has been sent back to his factory in Villacoublay and asks engineer Vuilleme to figure out the structure for his new prototype, named Breguet AV, for "moteur avant" (forward engine). The engine is the Renault 12 Fe, made to deliver 300 hp, but which in November 1916 only delivers 260. The plane is a two seater biplane with the pilot in front. The structure is made of aluminium, which is new for the time. The trailing edge of the wings is articulated on the whole length, maintained downwards by sandows at low speed and going up to the normal profile in flight. It is the invention of flaps !

On November 30, 1916 the AV1 reaches the speed of 179 kmh at ground level. After tests, the minister of war orders in March 1917 300 Breguet type XIV A2 with a Renault Fcx 280hp engine. Made for observation and artillery spotting, it is equipped with photo cameras and radio to stay in touch with ground troops. This version will be followed in May 1917 by the Breguet XIV B2, a two seater bomber carrying 260 kg of bombs. It is built by Michelin under licence for 1600 airplanes. Problems arise as Renault has difficulties in the beginning to follow the pace with its engines. A Fiat A12 280hp is mounted on some planes but the result is disappointing. End of 1917, the Renault 12 Fe reaches the 300hp. From January 1917 to the end of the war, 5600 Breguet XIV are built, including 600 planes for the US Air Service, equipped with american 400hp Liberty 12 engines.

After the war new versions come out : BR16 BN2 night bomber with a 450hp Renault 12k and BR17 C2 with same engine and 5 machine guns. 100 BR-14 A2 with a 320hp Renault 12 FeR and a turbo compressor. With one of them, Adjudant Leboucher breaks on July 6 1921 the altitude record with 6782m. Back in 1919 on May 24, Lt Roget and Capt Coli had made a flight from Villacoublay to Kenitra in Marocco for 1900km.

In March 1919, Louis Breguet creates the "Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes" which will become later Air Union, then Air France. He starts building a civilian version, the BR-14T, where the pilot is in the back seat while a closed cabin for two passengers is built between the wings and the profiled fuel tanks are fitted under the wings.



Pierre Georges Latécoère will use many Breguet XIV. The first 30 are former military airplanes. Some Breguet XIV are shipped to Rio de Janeiro in early 1925 to make reconnaissance flights for the future south american network. The Aéropostale will use a total of 150 Breguet XIV.



A replica with number F-POST has been built with a Lycoming 350hp engine and is still flying in my region - I will probably see it tomorrow at the Toulouse-Francazal airshow. In 2010 this plane accompanied the Toulouse-Saint Louis rally and flew from Toulouse to Cap Juby and back.


Last edited by corsaire31; 09/20/14 08:29 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.
#4012387 - 09/21/14 12:14 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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a shack in da woods
thumbsup

#4012657 - 09/21/14 06:34 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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very cool, I am also guilty of beeing a breguet fanboi a bit ;=)

here is nice litte vid of the replica flying... really worth the watch!

http://vimeo.com/17633908

(sorry, embedding disabled for this vid..)


off course it is also awesome to fly as a warplane in RoF etc... and for silly shenanigans






it was even used in by the fins:
http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/WW2History-Bregue14.html


Last edited by DrZebra; 09/21/14 06:38 PM.
#4012695 - 09/21/14 08:39 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Today was the annual airshow at the former Air Force base of Toulouse-Francazal. As expected the Breguet XIV Aéropostale replica was there and made a little flight for us :













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.
#4013090 - 09/22/14 07:17 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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nice pics, I really like that bird and fully admit to beeing gullible in this area of early aeronautical romantism ;=)

#4013619 - 09/23/14 10:52 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Sept 23 : VFR Practice with the Stinson Reliant SR 8e

Today first VFR practice with the Stinson which will be used across South America. A lozenge flight from Toulouse Lasbordes LFCL and back flying over Moissac LFCX, Cahors-Lalbenque LFCC and L'Isle sur Tarn LFDG.



First leg is easy (follow the highway), second leg is 10 mns cross country, third leg a little more difficult with 15 mns cross empty country, last leg is "follow the road" again.



The taxiing at Lasbordes. The Stinson cockpit is wide which means there is no visibility on the right. It was a time when they were not much concerned with traffic, and the visibility upwards is also limited. ( the trim lever is overhead. ) You have to use the toe brakes a lot for turns. I lock the tail wheel for take off.



The office looks good with all that wood and there is a lot of room inside. The compass is not in a very practical place in the middle, and I will soon take visual marks in the landscape to fly straight.



After following the highway going from Toulouse to Bordeaux I soon find the Moissac airfield.



Navigating with the compass/landmarks I easily find Cahors-Lalbenque airport.



It is a little more difficult to find l'Isle sur Tarn as it is smaller and we cross large forest patches with not many villages or roads. At the end of the leg I'm a little offset to the left but making a 360 turn I visually find it.



Getting back to Lasbordes is easy and the plane is soon back on its parking place.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/25/14 10:30 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.
#4014048 - 09/24/14 09:55 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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The men : Henri Guillaumet



Henri Guillaumet was born on May 29, 1902 in Bouy (Marne) east of Paris. His mother died when he was 4. After school he often went with his friends to the Chalons Camp nearby to watch the beginning of aviation (Voisin, Farman, Blériot,...)

In 1914 it is the war, the Camp becomes a military place, he cannot get in anymore and lives the war from near (the front is 10 kms away). Two years later he cheats to get his first flight on a military aircraft. His father dies in 1918.

He gets his civilian pilot licence on Dec 31 1921 by the Charles Nungesser school in Orly. During the next year he volunteers for the Military Instruction Center in Istres, and is sent to the 8th scouts squadron in Thionville, where he meets Jean Mermoz. Outstanding combat pilot, he wins in 1923 the national shooting contest in Cazaux. On June 15th 1925 he wins the famous speed contest "Military Zenith".

He leaves the army in 1926 and Mermoz asks him to join with Latécoère in Toulouse. As many others, he starts with the "royal sludge", working on the maintenance, then flies between Toulouse, Barcelona and Alicante, and later between Casablanca and Dakar. On October 14th he meets for the first time Antoine de Saint Exupéry who will become his best friend.

In 1928 he receives the Honour Legion for helping in the rescue of uruguyan pilots who had been taken prisoners by rebel Moors in the Rio de Oro. In May he flies for a study trip from Saint Louis to Douala. In July he flies from Saint Louis to Brazzaville, 6000 kms over the equatorial forest.

In 1929 he joins with Mermoz in Rio de Janeiro where he starts the regular line between Argentina and Chile. On June 30, 1930 he makes a forced landing right in the middle of the Andes and walks 5 days in the snow before being saved by a local shepherd.

In August Mermoz asks him back in France for trials on hydroplanes. He gets his hydroplane pilot licence. After the Aéropostale goes bust, he goes back with his wife to South America where he will make 393 crossings of the Andes mountains and be nicknamed the "Andes Angel".

Being called back in France in 1934, he crosses on Sept 15th the southern Atlantic on the "Arc en Ciel". On December 7th 1936, while he makes his 45th crossing of the southern Atlantic, he learns about Mermoz disappearing and will look for him for two days. From there he becomes the leading pilot of the Line.

In 1938 he tackles with the northern Atlantic and flies to Port Washington from Biscarosse (Latécoère hydrobase in the south of France) on the Latécoère flying boat "Lieutenant de Vaisseau Paris". On July 15th 1939, for his 13th crossing, he flies non stop from New York to Biscarosse for a 28 hours flight.

November 27, 1940 : Henri Guillaumet is flying the Farman 220 "Le Verrier", taking off from Marignane near Marseille to transport the new High Commissioner for Syria and Lebanon. The last message from his radio says " We are under attack, the plane is burning, SOS"

His destiny makes him disappear at sea, like Mermoz four years before and Saint Exupéry four years later.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/25/14 05:09 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.
#4014292 - 09/25/14 02:52 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thursday 25th Sept : VFR training on a full length leg

We had left the Tiger Moth in La Salanque near Perpignan, it is now time to fly it back to Toulouse for a last check before the start on Sunday




Getting ready at La Salanque


After hitting the coast I fly north


Over Port La Nouvelle we turn left for a NNW heading


Over Lézignan-Corbières


We fly over Carcassonne again, the other way around


http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2014/09/25/wSsOo.jpg

Under the plane is the Port Lauragais highway resting area while in the back we see the Ganguise lake where I do some Laser sailing.


http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2014/09/25/ocZYB.jpg

Downwind leg at LFCL to land on runway 16


http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2014/09/25/0rWMu.jpg

Aligning on runway 16


http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2014/09/25/HZsz7.jpg

One hour and forty minutes after take off the Tiger is at the parking in Lasbordes, time to go for a beer at the bar in the background.

* TEST : for the last four screenshots I put a direct link to the original size

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/25/14 07:51 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.
#4014323 - 09/25/14 03:38 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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This thread is amazing . thank you. you could consider making this an ebook
I I can suggest you link the add on airport scenarios.
and one question: ar eyou using GEX and UTX correct?

#4014359 - 09/25/14 04:51 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Canadair]  
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Originally Posted By: Canadair
This thread is amazing . thank you. you could consider making this an ebook
I I can suggest you link the add on airport scenarios.
and one question: ar eyou using GEX and UTX correct?


Thanks, good idea but my main source for freeware airfields is :

http://www.freewarescenery.com/fsx.html

All the airports and airfields we've seen so far are part of the "Occitania" freeware which is a compilation of airports/airfields and some special sites and landmarks for the whole South West of France.

http://occitania.gratisim.fr/fs/fsx.htm

And yes to UTX/GEX, the detail of what I use is in the second post of this thread.


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.
#4015147 - 09/27/14 05:06 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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27 Sept : J - 1 14:00

The first competitors in the Toulouse - Saint Louis air rally 2014 have arrived at LFCL and are getting ready :











The Breguet XIV F-POST has also landed in the early afternoon :



So far the departure is scheduled for tomorrow 08:30, but everybody is sweating because of the weather forecast for the next days :

- On the french part, we have a forecast for Autan wind, a wind blowing from the SE, which usually lasts several days and can often gust to 50 knots. For the Tiger, I have fixed my upper limit at 15 knots...

- In Spain the weather is not looking good with rain and low clouds.

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/27/14 07:05 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.
#4015261 - 09/27/14 10:00 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Sept 27 : J -1 22:00



For the last night in Toulouse before departure, where else could you spend it but in the Hotel "Le Grand Balcon" ?

As soon as you enter, you are in for meeting history and the first pilots of the Aéropostale, back in the 1920s ... with right in the lounge the pictures of Jean Mermoz, Henri Guillaumet and Antoine de Saint Exupéry.



At the time, it is a pension for single office clerks, owned by three sisters, Risette, Henriette and Lucie Marquès. According to the legend of the Line, the wife of Didier Daurat, the operations manager of Latécoère Airlines fainted on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. The sisters came out to help her. To thank them, Didier Daurat decided to make it the place to stay in Toulouse for his pilots. It is in the very center of the city, a minute from the Capitole square (the heart of Toulouse) where at the time was a tramway taking the men to Montaudran airfield.

Between two flights to Spain or Morocco, the pilots were staying at the first and second floor, while the mechanics used the third. It is there that Jean Mermoz brings his one night girlfriends, taking them on his shoulders, while Saint Exupéry dances sexy tangos when the dining room is used as a dancing floor. The three sisters let them live as they know this hides their fear of death and that many will never come back.

After being restored for three years, the hotel opened again in 2008. The style of the times has been kept for the stairs, the lift, the mosaic on the floor. Room n° 32 which was the room of Saint Exupéry has been redone exactly as it was, following the pictures taken then. All the other rooms, although done in a modern style have something remembering aviation and airplanes.

A 1949 movie by Henri Decoin, starring Pierre Fresnay and Georges Marchal, called "Au Grand Balcon" tells the story of the first pilots of the Line.


Last edited by corsaire31; 09/29/14 12:19 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.
#4015652 - 09/28/14 09:52 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Sunday Sept 28th 09:00 : Start of the 2014 Toulouse - Saint Louis Air Rally



This morning at 09:00 the planes took off from Toulouse Lasbordes LFCL towards Alicante in Spain, a bit worried by the weather conditions over the Pyrénées and over Spain.



The news came in the afternoon that they had to give up on the way and all landed in Reus.

Full photo album at :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/corsaire31/sets/72157647689206488/


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.
#4015688 - 09/28/14 11:58 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Sunday Sept 28 14:30 My own departure !

I was also worried because of the weather forecast, specially with the Autan wind. The forecasts for the next two - three days don't look good on the path of the Line. I could decide to postpone the departure by a few days and wait for things to clear up. But for one I'm "hot" as I have been eagerly waiting for this day, and for two the guys of the real rally took off this morning.

At 14:00 the Toulouse METAR says :
Wind 15 kts SE - 25 °C - Humidity 75% - Visibility +10 nm - Broken clouds at 3000 and 4600 ft - 1022 Hpa
Evolution until 18:00 Wind 12 knts SE - Visibility +10nm

At the same time in Perpignan it says :
Wind 11 knts ESE - 22°C - Humidity 78% - Visiblity +10 nm - Some clouds at 1300 ft and broken clouds at 3000 ft - 1023 Hpa
Evolution until 18:00 Wind 15 kts ESE - Visibility + 10nm - Scattered clouds 4000 ft and broken clouds 13000 ft.

This looks flyable if I leave right now, just taking time to make a flight plan, fill the tank and load 200 lbs of "mail" in the front cockpit.



The Tiger is warmed up and we start the taxi, waving a last good bye at the tower as we pass by...



After waiting 5 minutes at the hold short spot to let a Piper land, we are on for the great departure at 14:40 !



After overflying at 3500 ft Carcassonne (15:20) then Lézignan, we fly over the Corbières high ground following the compass, as the weather is clear. We are a little shaken at times because of the wind, but it's OK.



After hitting the coast at 15:45, I fly south and land at Perpignan-Rivesaltes at 16:15. During the taxi to parking, I come across some Air France heavy metal landing, they are not all on strike !:)



Once at the parking, the Tiger is covered as the weather might get wet and it is possible I will have to wait one or two days here, waiting for things to clear up above Spain.



Don't miss the next episodes !

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/29/14 09:12 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.
#4015694 - 09/29/14 12:15 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Sunday Sept 28 16:30 Assistance follows !

I asked to Thomas Brittain, the chief pilot of my company Brittany Air Freight to come down from his base in LFRN to fly assistance all the way down to Dakar. He flew down with his BN2 Islander from Finist'Air to carry my mechanic, François Alibert, the tools and spare parts. He has tanked in Toulouse at 50% because of the 1000 lbs of stuff he is carrying.
I like this plane for being a rugged truck able to land on a dime and with 30 knots crosswind. If needed they can also fly ahead in case of doubts on the weather conditions.



They received my phone call that I was safe in Perpignan and they take off from Toulouse right away. Of course they have a GPS, VOR and NDB navaids, autopilot, everything comfortable... so they can fly a direct route at 5500 ft. Another good thing is that they move at 135 kts instead of my 70...



At 17:30 they have landed in Perpignan under a heavy sky, as we can see the "sheaves of lightnings" described by Saint Exupéry under the clouds topping the mountains in the South.



The Islander is quickly taken to the GA parking, and we all leave for the hotel where we could well spend a couple of days !



To be continued...

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/29/14 02:43 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.
#4015807 - 09/29/14 10:43 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Monday Sept 29 : We stay in the hotel and play cards !

After looking at the weather forecast for Perpignan and Barcelona, things don't look good.
The region in France is under orange warning for storms, rain and floods. Same things in Spain with low clouds and rain. We wisely decide to stay here until things clear up.



We will see tomorrow morning ...

Last edited by corsaire31; 09/29/14 02:42 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.
#4016196 - 09/30/14 09:56 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
Tuesday Sept 30 : Another day in Perpignan !



Perpignan :
METAR: LFMP 300930Z 01008KT 350V060 9999 -SHRA BKN020 19/18 Q1025 NOSIG
TAF: LFMP 300500Z 3006/0106 35005KT 9999 BKN010 OVC015 TEMPO 3006/3015 2000 RA BR BKN005 SCT020TCU PROB40 TEMPO 3010/3015 0400 TSRA FG BKN003 BKN010CB BECMG 3015/3017 VRB03KT BKN020 TEMPO 3015/3021 SHRA BECMG 3021/3023 NSW NSC

Barcelona :
METAR: LEBL 300930Z 33004KT 260V360 8000 -RA FEW014 FEW030TCU SCT035 20/19 Q1024 NOSIG
TAF: LEBL 300500Z 3006/0106 05005KT 9999 SCT020 TX24/3012Z TN19/0106Z TEMPO 3006/3019 4000 SHRA BKN013 SCT025TCU PROB30 TEMPO 3006/3019 2000 TSRA SCT023CB TEMPO 3006/3015 05015KT

The Tiger Moth has an open cockpit, we'll wait until tomorrow...


Last edited by corsaire31; 09/30/14 10:15 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.
#4016516 - 09/30/14 09:43 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Tuesday Sept 30 23:00 : Lights in the dark



The lighthouses of the Line, witnesses of the first hours of business aviation are a forgotten legacy of the years 1920-1930. They helped improve the night flying. Bazièges and Montferrand saw regularly Mermoz, Saint Exupéry and the other pilots fly over them, who had to fly the Line at all times.

Right after World War 1, the aerial navigation service (SNAE) took the responsibility for aeronautical infrastructure. They soon realized that the development of business aviation would imply flying day and night. It was not yet IFR flight, but more like night VFR. The SNAE started in 1923 to build a network of aerial lighthouses for night flying on the most important routes. In 1932 there were 140 lighthouses, some white, and some orange-red (the red is easier to see through the fog).

For the route Paris - Bordeaux - Toulouse - Perpignan, each lighthouse sent a combination of long and short signals corresponding to Morse letters identifying each of them. For instance, Baziège sent a G ( _ _ .) and Montferrand the letter R (._. ). Out of order in 1940 because of the radio navigation, some like Bazièges and Montferrand have been spared and are still up today.



The town or village were in charge of the lights. These were lit when requested and the man in charge of the starting airfield would send a telegram through the Post Office asking for the light and stating times of overfly. In Bazièges it was the miller who did the job, his windmill was next to the lighthouse on the hill. In Castelnaudary it was the gardener of the castle, in Barbaira the teacher. This chain of village people has helped developping business aviation. They were in a way the ancestors of today's air controllers, insuring regularity and security. They deserve not to be forgotten.



Source : "Couleurs Lauragais"


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.
#4016913 - 10/01/14 08:49 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Wednesday October 01 14:00 : Que viva Espana !

The weather forecast looks better today, and we decide to leave Perpignan and fly to Barcelona. The plan is to do it like they did at the time, following the coast through Port Vendres, Roses and Lloret del Mar. For us the Costa Brava beaches !



I take off from Perpignan at 14:35 local under the sun.



After hitting the coastline over Canet en Roussillon and stabilizing at 3500 feet, I fly over Port Vendres at 14:45. I can see far away some of the "black dragons" described by Saint Exupéry, but they don't look very mean.



After Roses, welcome in Spain ! The fog kicks in over the Costa Brava and I have to go down to 1500 ft in order to see something.



I come across some container carriers coming from the Barcelona harbour.



Thirty miles from destination, the weather clears up. Great ! I start relaxing...



Well I relax for a short time... As I close on Barcelona, I find a superb thunderstorm cell right over the city. Too late to divert, I have to push on. It is Christmas in the sky and totally grey under. ATIS tells me runway 07 is used, so by taking a 250 heading from a landmark on the coast I find El Prat in the soup. Nice from them guys to turn the lights on !



Beware of aquaplaning during the taxi.



16:30 local : here we are, the Tiger is covered, I now have to get to my hotel, take a good shower (a warm one, this time...)and call the assistance boys to tell them to rejoin tomorrow morning. No point in taking more unnecessary risks. I guess I will remember this spanish welcome !



As a comparison, here is what the Barcelona stop for the Line pilots looked like in 1929 :



Last edited by corsaire31; 10/01/14 11:41 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.
#4017251 - 10/02/14 05:45 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thursday October 02 : Barcelona for ever !

While reading the weather forecast this morning, I understand right away I will have a free day to visit Barcelona. The risks of wind, rain and thunderstorms over Alicante are too high to fly there with the Tiger. So I call my guys in Perpignan to tell them. François tells me it's OK as he has a couple of things to do on the Islander, and that they will rejoin in the afternoon.

They take off from LFMP at 15:30 intending to make a VOR to VOR flight along the coast at 3500 ft.



As they close on the spanish border, they encounter some "black dragons" and decide to go over them as they start to be a bit shaken.



In fact they have to climb at 80 knots over 8000 ft to find the blue.



But at some point you have to go down again and this is done as a slalom between the thunderstorm cells, which carries them over the sea outside of Barcelona.



Just like me yesterday they get a wet welcome from the rain over El Prat where they land on runway 07R.



And they taxi to the general aviation parking where it looks like the end of the world.



If the weather stays like this, it's going to take a long time to get to Santiago and Punta Arenas! mad

May be this will make us feel better :


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/02/14 07:40 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.
#4017498 - 10/03/14 08:46 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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03 Oct 10:00 : Same as yesterday!



It starts looking like a week end in Barcelona ! We'll give it anothere try in the afternoon, but the forecast for Valencia shows possible thunderstorms. I was hoping to get there before frown


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/03/14 08:49 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.
#4017652 - 10/03/14 05:02 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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03 Oct 14:30 : Things get better !



As we were having lunch on the Ramblas, the weather starts clearing up. A phone call to Valencia confirms it's also getting better there. We rush down to the airport. By the time the plane is ready and the flight plan filed, it is already past 15:00 when I start taxiing towards runway 25R, where I will have to hold short for some time. Lots of traffic at El Prat !

Eh, don't push, behind ! At Air France it looks like they are in a hurry after the strike !



Finally, the beaches under the sun ! This is Spain !



I leave the coast to cross the bay of Tarragona.



I catch it back later at Sant Carles de la Rapita.





Then I fly along the natural park of Sierra de Irta





After a two and a half hours flight, we approach Valencia with lights on. It was time to get there !



Only left to do is taxi to the parking...



And then tonight guess what ? I will deserve a nice paella valenciana in the restaurant "Raco del Turia". A long time since I've been there...


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/03/14 05:17 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.
#4018199 - 10/04/14 11:44 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
October 4 10:00 : Alicante, here we come !

The plane has been filled with avgas and the pilot had been filled with paella ! Weather forecast is OK, even if some storm cells are still hanging on the crests around Valencia. Scattered clouds lie here and there at 2000 ft and a nice 10 knots breeze blows from the sea. Time to rejoin the next stop of the Aeropostale : Alicante.
We could take the shortcut and go straight down, but I'm not crazy with this weather about crossing the Sierra de Mariola which climbs to 4600 ft. I will play it safe and go around the coast, which is almost natural for a sailor ! smile



I wave at the tower as we take off from runway 12.



South of Valencia, I fly over the beautiful natural park of La Albufera.



After some forty minutes flight, we close on El Montgo, the 2500 ft summit overseeing the Cape Nau.





After passing Cape Nau and heading South West, the threatening clouds on the Sierra de Mariola confirm I have taken the wise decision.



Soon we see the lonely rock at Penyal d'Ifac.





Then a bad surprise, as the mist shows up and we barely see the famous (and for me ugly) coastal town of Benidorm, symbol of mass tourism on the Costa Blanca.





The closer we get from Alicante, the lower the cloud ceiling and I need to go down as well.



Finally, after finding the airport in the soup, having been authorized to land on runway 10, requested by the ATC to make a go around, I land at the second approach.



In the end, I didn't do too bad, compared to some pilots at the time of the Line !



But until now, I will not keep very good memories from Spain. I can imagine in the heart of winter !

Tomorrow is a day off for the pilot and the plane. The assistance will come down from Barcelona and François will do some maintenance on the Tiger.

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/04/14 11:48 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.
#4018511 - 10/05/14 11:03 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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05 Oct 08:00 : So much water !

The assistance plane comes down from Barcelona to join me in ALicante as planned, for a small maintenance on the Tiger. No reason why it would only be for me, they also leave under the rain !



They are not affraid of water and it makes a free cleaning of the airplane.



Barcelona soon vanishes in the grey.



Fresh water above, sea water underneath, water everywhere !



The guys have to climb above 8000 feet to find some blue.



Luckily they don't have only their eyes like me, and thanks to the GPS, the VOR and ILS/DME at Alicante, they are on the parking after a one hour and forty minutes flight. Weather is also grey but it's not raining so the maintenance can be done.



Weather forecast for tomorrow is some clouds with sunny intervals, temperature 26°C , humidity down to 63% and a 5 to 10 knots SW wind. We should be able to continue our flight going south.


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.
#4018912 - 10/06/14 09:25 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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06 Oct 14:30 For a few dollars more !



The goal today, as the title above suggests, is to rejoin "spaghetti western country". The famous Dollars trilogy by Sergio Leone has been shot near Tabernas, some twenty miles north of Almeria, jut across the Sierra Alhamilla. The weather in Alicante is still foggy, wind is calm, but it doesn't rain. Clouds ceiling is low with scattered clouds around 1400 feet. After my siesta (after all we are in Spain and it is a tradition I have made mine for a long time) I ask myself "Should I go or wait ?"

I decide to trust the facts that Almeria is the sunniest town in Europe with an average of 3250 hours per year, and that its region is the only one in Europe with a syrian type sub-tropical climate. It would be really bad luck to find rain, even if October is the "wet month" with 28mm.

By the time we are through with paperwork and warming up the Tiger, it is 14:50 when I taxi to the runway 07 entry, which is miles away at the other end of the airport.



Although no animal has been sacrified, the gods are with me as I receive a direct clearance for take off, without having to wait before entering the runway ! smile



I turn around and head at sea, only to discover the soup is still there... frown



But I was right to have faith, and the weather clears up as I fly by Torrevieja a few nautical miles south of Alicante. Only problem left is the clouds ceiling which forces me to fly around 1000 feet high.



I had planned to make a shortcut direct through the Cabo de los Palos near Cartagena, but the low ceiling give me some doubts. I decide to go around, following the barrier beach of La Manga del Mar Menor along a dozen nautical miles.



Soon I fly along the dry cliffs of the Cabo de Agua, before seeing in the far Cartagena, well sheltered by its natural protections.





My thoughts were right ( a little self-satisfaction from time to time can't hurt...) and as I get closer from Almeria, the number of clouds goes down and the ceiling goes up to above 3000 feet. I decide to avoid going around the Cabo de Gata and its natural park, to go straight into the Nijar plain, between the Sierra del Cabo de Gata and the Sierra Alhamilla. I will follow the A7 highway ! A last jump over a crest and in front of me lies the plain of Almeria.



The airport is along the sea and I have to do a downwind to go land on runway 08 at 16:50.( With the detours, it lasted a little over two hours.)



A snapshot of the Tiger on the parking and I take a taxi to the hotel where I fill up the logbook while listening to the Anthologia of Paco de Lucia, and specially this title I like "Entre dos aguas". ( S... I should stop talking about water ! )




Last edited by corsaire31; 10/07/14 09:48 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.
#4019435 - 10/07/14 09:57 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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07 Oct 15:00 Costa del Sol

From Almeria to Malaga, it's a straight line West !



The Tiger is in good shape and roaring, and I asked the assistance plane to fly directly to Malaga and wait for me there. They arrived in the morning with a calm weather, but with a low visibility due to the morning mist. But with their electronics, they don't care much.



The wind doesn't come in to help me, but beginning of the afternoon the visibility slowly rises to 20 miles, which is good enough for me. There are some light clouds at 4700 feet, which is fine as well ! At 15:00 I start warming up the Tiger.



Fifteen minutes later we leave Almeria opposite from our heading on runway 08.



After turning around, I begin by flying along the barren mountains of the Sierra de Gador, leaving on my left the salinas of San Augustin.



Then for miles I follow a steep desert coast.



From time to time the mountain is cut by a valley, like here in Motril, and I can see in the back the Sierra Nevada summits, climbing to over 11.000 feet.



Thirty miles from Malaga, I fly over the Punta de la Mona, a good landmark on this rather straight coast.



After taking the ATIS information and calling the tower, I approach the airport, which is situated between Malaga and the sea resort of Torremolinos. This airport is now very typical with its buildings lying in the middle, between the two runways 12/30 and 13/31, opened in May 2012.



For the time being the 12 is in service and I need to fly a downwind (without wind ... :))to land.



Ground control sends me to the far end of the airport, but nicely close to a fuel pump.



I now only need to pick up my guys at the hotel, for a little fiesta evening in Malaga. It will be our last one in the old Europe, next step is Africa !

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/07/14 10:06 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.
#4019758 - 10/08/14 03:07 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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08 Oct 10:45 Africa !



I take off from Malaga (LEMG) shortly after 11:00 with a nice weather : a few clouds, a suitable visibility and a light western breeze coming from the atlantic ocean.



I can't jump over the Sierra de Mijas which is too close from the airport, so I have to go around the coast.



After flying a half hour over the sea, I can spot Gibraltar in the distance.





Despite its slow flying at 70 knots, the Tiger manages to overtake something !



And after flying over a floating building of MSC Cruises I pass by the "Rock".



Endly, on the other side, Africa !



After flying over Tanger harbour, I am allowed to land directly on runway 28 at Ibn Batouta airport (GMTT). Parked near the tower, it's time for the paperwork to enter Morocco.



Upcoming program is as follows :
The assistance plane will arrive in the afternoon and after their paperwork, tonight a little evening in the old Medina.



Then for the coming days, we need to bring up from the harbour to the airport technical zone the 40' container with the Waco inside, prepare it and do some trial flights.
After this we will take down the wings of the Tiger to load it inside the container that brought the Waco and take this container down to the harbour to be shipped on the ferry to Sète in France.

If all goes as planned, we could start our flights again on Monday towards Rabat and Casablanca.


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/09/14 11:49 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.
#4020419 - 10/09/14 08:29 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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The airplanes : Late 26



A row of Late 26 parked in front of the factory in Toulouse-Montaudran

The Late 26 was created to replace the Breguet XIV, and was a modification from the Late 25, with a wider landing gear. It had a parasol wing, the pilot was seating in front. Behind was the radio/navigator with all his equipment, and there was room for a passenger. In the fuselage was a trap giving access to a large hold to store the mail.

It was a rugged plane, kind of a "truck with wings", sitting high on its landing gear with effective damping.



Construction began in 1926. To prove the plane quality, two pilots, Mermoz and Negrin, made on Oct 10 1927 a direct non stop flight ( 23 hours and 20 mns ) from Toulouse to Saint Louis du Sénégal, on the first serial airplane n° 651, equipped with extra tanks.

90 planes were built with different engine powers (Renault 450 hp and 500 hp)and used mainly for the african part of the Line. Two were bought by Argentina.



Specifications :

Wing span : 17,40 m
Length : 12,20 m
Height : 3,90 m
Empty weight : 1884 kg
MTOW : 3365 kg
Payload : 930 kg
Cruise speed : 175 kmh / 95 knots
Range : 1700 km / 918 nm
Ceiling : 4750 m / 15600 ft
Engine : 1 Renault 12J V12
Power : 450 to 500 hp
Construction Wood, canvas and steel




Last edited by corsaire31; 10/09/14 11:48 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.
#4020456 - 10/09/14 09:55 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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steppe
really neat series, thanks corsaire!

#4020507 - 10/09/14 11:43 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: DrZebra]  
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Originally Posted By: DrZebra
really neat series, thanks corsaire!


Thanks to you for reading ! I'm also a fan of your ROF experiments ! smile2


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.
#4020942 - 10/10/14 09:37 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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10 Oct 16:00 : Trial flight


The assistance plane arrived at Tanger as planned on Wednesday afternoon.





After our little night trip to the medina, we got to work early on Thursday morning to assemble the Waco, after receiving the container. This afternoon it's all ready and time for a small trial flight...
To stay in the "Air mail" mood, it has been repainted in the colors of a historical US Mail airplane before leaving France.
Besides being more comfortable, we also gain some range as well as 30 knots in speed. Not talking about the fabulous sound of the 300 hp 7 cylinders radial engine !

Take off from Ibn Batouta and climb to 5500 feet because of some low clouds. The goal is to fly a triangle Tanger - Ceuta - Tetouan using navaids if necessary.



Although it has been designed in the 1930s, the desk of the modern version has all comfort aboard... Note that the tail wheel is very sensitive, so easy on the rudder pedals during taxi, and don't forget to lock it before take off. The lever is left low under the trim (and difficult to have in sight with a Track IR)



After flying along the coast, I pass over the spanish enclave of Ceuta.





As I start heading south towards Tetouan, the fog coming from the sea settles down on the coast. No waiting, I pick up the VOR signal of Tanger and head back home.



After overflying the Rift, I go slowly down towards the Tanger lowlands, and the fog disappears.



I land at GMTT with the sun already low.



The airfield lights are turned on while I am taxiing to the parking.



We only have some tuning left to do on the Waco, take the Tiger apart and stuff it into the container which we will take down to the ferry leaving for Sète.
If everything goes as planned, we should be able to head for the South on Monday. Fingers crossed !


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.
#4021879 - 10/13/14 07:34 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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13 Oct 15:00 To the White House !

The weather is OK, although we have low clouds hanging at 1600 ft. A light breeze blows from the ocean, and the goal today is to fly to the next stop of the Line, Casablanca (the white house in spanish...). Only writing the name brings up emotions and I can see Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman !

I have planned to land at Tit Mellil, a small dirt track airfield, well in the spirit of the Line.



It is around 15:15 when I get the Waco off the runway at Tangier, heading to 204°.



I stabilize at 1500ft, just under the clouds and I follow the coast, which is the best landmark around.



The landscape looks rather empty, here and there we fly over a village... After Larache, the ceiling goes up and so do I at 2500 ft.



Soon we fly over the natural reserve and wetland of Merja Zerga.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merja_Zerga

And that's when things get worse : the old enemy of the Line pilots, the sea fog, comes to me for a welcome. Visibility instantly goes down and so do I, having to fly at 1000 ft to find my way. What was until now a quiet little flight suddenly becomes more complicated...



First of all knowing where I am... Following the coastline, I find Kasbat El Mehdia, with its restored palace, west of Kenitra.





Flying from there with heading and watch, I find the airport of Rabat Salé.



Things don't get better, and so I drop out the plan of landing at Tit Mellil and decide to rejoin Benslimane airport which is the closest from where I am. It is situated north of Casablanca, near Mohammedia. The fog gets slowly thinner as we are on our way.



It finally clears up as I am on approach to Benslimane. It is 17:00 and it's a little late to make new plans.



Once at the general aviation parking, I call the assistance boys who are still in Tangier (looking after the shipment of the Tiger to Sète on the ferry) to explain them the situation. We decide they will wait and we will decide tomorrow morning according to the weather.

In the meantime, I know what direction I am going to take tonight !



And I already know what the dinner will look like !


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/13/14 08:17 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.
#4021953 - 10/13/14 11:15 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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13 Oct 21:30 A couscous story ...

I made a big mistake ! When François called me around 20:30 to confirm the container with the Tiger had been shipped on the ferry to Sète, I talked to him about the famous couscous. The reply came right back "Keep some warm for us, we're coming !" By the time everything was ready, it was 21:30 when they started taxiing at Ibn Batouta...





What is better than a nice little flight under the moon with a cuppa while the autopilot is doing the job !



They also found some fog on the way.



But it was all clear when they were on finals at Benslimane.



I had sent a taxi to pick them up and as soon as the plane was parked, I saw my two hungry guys join in at 23:30.



The night could well be a short one, like it was in Casablanca for the Line pilots, until Didier Daurat himself had to fly down there and stop the parties...

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/14/14 11:40 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.
#4022128 - 10/14/14 01:31 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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14 Oct 10:00 We make a stop ...

We woke up late and with some difficulties... thanks to the couscous last night, and may be also to the "grey wine" of Boulaouane which tastes so good with it and goes down so easily !

As we get to the airport, even if the weather still looks good, the forecast is not so exciting !

From 14 12:00 UTC to 15 18:00 UTC : Wind 14 kn SW with 24 kn gusts - Visibility 6000 m - Scattered clouds 1300 ft + broken clouds 1500 ft - Light rain
Becoming from 14 15:00 UTC to 14 18:00 UTC : Wind 10 kn WNW - Visibility 8000 m - Scattered clouds 2000 ft

In short a s**t weather, and the coming stage (Casablanca - Essaouira) is a long one. Moreover, it would be a shame of not spending a day in Casablanca in the footprints of the past pilots.

So we decide to make a short hop from Benslimane to Tit Mellil in the eastern suburbs of Casablanca, which was normally the end place from yesterday.

I park near the tower and the Islander soon follows me.





After making everything tidy, we head to Casablanca, with "Vent de sable" (Sand wind) by Joseph Kessel in the pocket, to feel the local ambience, between modernity ( Mosquée Hassan II )



and tradition ( Koubba of the Sidi Abderrahmane Marabout )



It could well be that we come back again late ! smile2


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.
#4022954 - 10/15/14 09:27 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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15 Oct 14:00 You can't always do what you want...

It should have been a great day... The goal was to fly to Essaouira, which is in the top ranking of my preferred places ! Is it because its walls make me think it is like my birth town of Saint Malo, but with sun all year round ? Or the fabulous work of its marquetry craftsmen, or the taste of the grilled fish from the morning catch that you can eat at the harbour on wooden tables and benches, or the blue color of the boats ? Probably all of it... I could well see myself spend part of my retirement there.







It all started well ! I took off from Tit Mellil in Casablanca around 14:20 ( yes, we came back again late last night !) Only some clouds at 1600 ft, no wind.



The sea fog comes in quickly after 20 mns flight south. The radio is tuned on Casablanca ATC (125.10). The radio traffic is not the same as in Europe !



I have to go down to 1500 ft, head at the door, looking for the coastline.



For miles I fly over a sandy coast, with sometimes the scar of an oued cutting through the landscape.



Then the fog lifts off as we approach El Jadida and its small airfield, which is my first waypoint. I climb back to 2500 ft.



Unfortunately, the fog comes back as I fly over Safi (second waypoint) and its airfield in town.



As we are only 15 nm from Essaouira, the ceiling suddenly goes down and forces me to follow until 1000 ft, right in the fog. Until now I had managed to stay in the 200 ft "no man's land" between over the fog and under the clouds base.



I decide to call the tower at Essaouira-Mogador, which could give me some guidance to the airport. Bad choice ! I get a polite but steady reply that the airport is temporarely only opened for IFR traffic. ( which means I can go land in the desert...)
Only one solution is left : turn around and fly back to Safi, hoping the fog and clouds didn't close behind me in the meantime!
Suddenly come back to my mind all the stories I read from Kessel or Saint Exupéry about the night flights between Casablanca and Dakar. How many pilots did get lost in this fog and had to land in the country or even worse never came back to talk about it ?
Since the start of this adventure I didn't get a lot of help from the weather ! A quick look at the chrono tells me I will need some additional 35 minutes.



I have some luck in this mess, and the fog clears up just enough on the way back for me to find the runway in Safi.





It is 16:40 when I stop on the parking, very happy to be there ! I only need now to call the team and explain the situation. Sadly I will have to forget my stop in Essaouira. The next flight will take us directly to the next historical spot of the Line, Agadir. If weather allows, we might even make a short hop to Taroudant.



Ar least, going in town tonight I will be able to see some old walls by the sea !


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/15/14 10:41 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.
#4023380 - 10/16/14 07:58 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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16 Oct 14:00 The mail must get through !

The plan for the day is to fly to Taroudant via Agadir, weather permitting.



I take off from Safi shortly after 14:00, with an average visibility due to the mist, same as yesterday.
I must try to get through, otherwise I will come back to Safi.



As for yesterday, things get quickly worse and I need to fly very low to follow the coastline.



One hand on the stick, the other on the trim wheel, one eye on the compass and the other on the vario (plus another one needed to look outside ... gets complicated !) I have on top of this to make slaloms between some low clouds.



South of Essaouira that I will only guess in the soup, I make a straight cut across Cape Sim above the houses, making an awful lot of noise right at siesta time !



I have been driving on the roads north of Agadir, so I know the ground is high and I carefully fly over the sea. Right as we approach Cape Ghir, the sun shines through and the fog vanishes.



By the way, this is a little souvenir picture of my last trip in this corner of the woods ( at the same time you will know what I look like... wink )



Soon we fly over Agadir and its famous 15 km beach. The view is quite different from the one the pilots had at the time of the Line, as Agadir was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake in 1960 and rebuilt. You can sea first the new yacht harbour totally opened around 2008.



I fly over the Inezgane airfield, then I need to ask clearance for flying into the class D airspace around the main Al Massira airport.





Under the sun now shining, I fly up the Souss valley with on the left the first mountains of the Atlas.



And today's flight ends at Taroudant airfield. Old walls again ...





Tomorrow I will get back to Agadir where the assistance plane will rejoin. This week end we will stay there and make a serious inspection of the planes, before heading on Monday towards the deep South and Tan Tan, Tarfaya (Cape Juby) El Aayun and Dakhla (Villa Cisneros).

As a bonus, here is a picture taken at the time in Agadir :


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/16/14 08:05 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.
#4023757 - 10/17/14 05:37 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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17 Oct 15:00 Cavalry is coming !

The assistance comes down from Casablanca to join me in Agadir/Inezgane as planned

They leave Tit Mellil shortly after 15:00.



Some fog again above Casablanca, but they fly high enough thanks to the navaids (several VORs on the way)



And anyway it clears up rather quickly...



Around 16:30 they land on Inezgane runway with a beautiful weather.



And park near the tower.



That's it ! Now we have the whole weekend to prepare the planes for the descent into the desert. See you on Monday !

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/17/14 05:38 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.
#4023982 - 10/18/14 03:16 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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a shack in da woods
Now I know what ya look like!
Cool Trike and local kids pic!

Looks like agreat virtual adventure...
ENJOY...!!!

#4024035 - 10/18/14 08:05 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thks Mudwasp! It's a nice memory from a few years ago. I was involved at the time in the trike business and with a friend in Agadir we were making a recon trip on two trikes with VW Cox flat four engine . His business was renting quads on the beach and he wanted to propose one-day "Trike Tours" of the region for tourists (this is why it is a trike with two back seats). This is how I know many small roads and places there as we drove around for a couple of weeks. Of course in every village all the kids were around us as soon as we drove in. You could hear us coming...
They were very friendly people. We had our tents with us and we didn't use them once. Every time we asked where we could put them up for the night we were invited for dinner and sleeping by someone. Of course to thank them we would take the kids on a small ride... A great trip !

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/18/14 08:12 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.
#4024104 - 10/18/14 02:11 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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a shack in da woods
When I was a boy my head was always turned when the sound of a VW engine was heard. My Grandfather always drove a "BUG" and i was always hoping it was his VW that I heard and he was coming to visit.

#4024597 - 10/19/14 09:34 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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19 Oct 22:00 Last evening in Agadir



Before flying to the deep South, we need to immerse ourselves in the ambience of the time. The Rio de Oro ( today Spanish Sahara ) was home for rebel tribes. In case of a breakdown, the planes which had to land were likely to be attacked, and it most of the time ended with a looting and a ransom request, sometimes a lot worse. The planes later were flying in pairs, so that if one had to land, the other one would land nearby and pick up the mail and the crew.

Let's listen to Joseph Kessel ( famous french journalist and writer ) who wrote in his book "Vent de sable" (Sand wind ) the story of the flight to Senegal he made as a journalist in the Aeropostale planes.

" On March 2, 1927, the uruguyan hydroplane of Commander Larre-Borges, who was attempting a transatlantic raid with three men on board, fell in the sea a hundred kilometers away from Cape Juby. This accident created in the whole world a deep anguish. At first the crew's fate remained totally unknown. Then it came out that they were able to rejoin the coast and had been taken as prisoners by the Moors.
On March 5, Mermoz discovers what is left of the hydroplane and signals its position. Pilots Riguelle and Guillaumet land by the wreck and find out by the Moors what happened. On the 8th, pilots Reine and Antoine land to drop the spanish government emissaries by the kidnappers of the Uruguyans, and take off under a hail of bullets. On the 10th, the same pilots come back to pick up the bought back uruguyan crew and fly them to Cape Juby. This happened three months after the murder of Gourp, Erable and Pintado, in the same region, with the same fanatics.

There have been more breakdowns, more captivities. They were all relatively benign. Until this dawn of June 1928 when the plane carrying pilot Marcel Reine, engineer Edouard Serre and the moroccan translator Abdallah hit in the fog a high sand dune of the Rio de Oro, the spanish Sahara.
Coming out unscathed from the unusable plane, the three men were almost immediately captured by some R'Guibat. These moorish nomads and warriors belonged to a specially wild and greedy tribe. The messengers who came on their behalf to the nearest fort asked for an unbelievably high ransom. Negociations lasted for four months.
During this time, Reine and Serre lived as slaves of the blue skin camel riders. Hunger, thirst, extreme heat,vermin, blows, exhausting walking, hands and legs full of wounds, they got to know all the torments that could inflict a land, a climate, and masters all equally merciless.
In France their names had become famous. People were following their adventure day by day with anguish and passion. When they were endly set free, they were welcome, they were celebrated as victors.
Then everyone started thinking about something else."

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/20/14 08:31 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.
#4025029 - 10/20/14 10:47 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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20 Oct 14:00 To the desert !

The planes and the men are ready... Time to fly towards the heat !
Today's flight will take us from Agadir-Inezgane where we spent the weekend to Plage Blanche Airport in Tan-Tan. The flight plan will take us over Sid Ifni which will be our safety airfield in case of a problem on the way.



It is almost 14:30 when I leave the runway towards the coast.



A few low clouds hanging around make me stay at 2500 ft while I follow the rather flat beaches of the Souss-Massa National Park.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souss-Massa_National_Park )



Then as I fly further south, the dunes get higher, the coast is mostly a desert, and the only landmarks are the marks of wadis going to the sea.



Around 15:15, on time with the flight plan, I fly over Sidi Ifni airfield. As the clouds are gone, I climbed to 4500 ft to have a better view on the landscape.



I fly straight on heading 232° towards Tan-Tan, and while I start to descend back to 2500 ft, a few low clouds force me to fly around them.



While approaching Plage Blanche airport ( White Beach, although it is well inland ) I fly over the National Road n°1 going south.



Coming to my parking spot, I can see a Beechcraft taking off to Tenerife in the Canary Islands.



And here we are, parked at 16:10. A short flight without problem, only the monotony of the landscape has sometimes made the pilot close his eyes for a few seconds !



I'll just have now to go by the road to Tan-Tan town, which entrance is guarded by a couple of stone dromedaries.



Tan-Tan is a city in Tan-Tan Province in the region of Guelmim-Es Semara in south-western Morocco. It is a desert town with a population (2004 census) of 60,560. It is the largest city in the province and second largest city in the region after the capital Guelmim. It is located on the banks of the wadi Oued Ben Jelil, which flows into the Draa River 15 km north of the town. The Draa River, at 1,100 km is the longest in Morocco and flows into the Atlantic Ocean soon after the confluence with the wadi.

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/20/14 10:48 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.
#4025790 - 10/22/14 08:33 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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21 Oct 15:00 Fog over the sand

Today we enter the contested western Sahara. The flight should take us from Tan-Tan to El Aayun, with a hook over Tarfaya, where is the famous Cape Juby of the Aeropostale time.



I take off from Tan-Tan around 15:00 under some low clouds.



Then comes the sand as far as you can see, along a lonely coast. I fly at 4500 ft in a clear sky.



Just when I closing on Tarfaya, after an hour of flight, the fog comes in from the sea and I need to quickly go down to 1500 ft to keep the coast in sight.



I am very disappointed that I will overfly Tarfaya with a bad visibility, but I am surprised to see that Tarfaya has totally disappeared from FSX. Nothing, nichts, nada ... In reality it looks like this :



To fly to El Aayun I need to leave the coast, and in the meantime the fog is getting thicker. I decide to go on IFR flight ( I Follow the Road )!
And here I am 1000 ft above the ground, head outside keeping my eyes on National Road N° 1. I feel lucky to have it, and I can imagine how it was in the time of the Line when there was no landmark.





Calling El Aayun tower from 20 nm away, I have the bad surprise to find out the runway in use is 02. As I come from the north, I will have to fly around.
Thanks to some guiding information from the tower, I finally find the runways (there are two runways at the Hassan I airport in El Aayun ) and land on runway 02.



I am also surprised to have to give way during my taxi to a Cessna going to take off with that weather !



All is fine in the end, I take the plane to the parking. What a relief ! The last part of the flight from Tarfaya was hard on the nerves. I suddenly understand more sharply the stories often told by the Line pilots about the fog.



* El Aayun is the most important town in the western Sahara.

More info : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Aaiun




Last edited by corsaire31; 10/22/14 08:36 PM.

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#4026349 - 10/24/14 12:11 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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I am away from the cockpit for a few days, flights will resume on Monday 27 Oct.

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/24/14 12:12 AM.

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#4028054 - 10/28/14 12:37 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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27 Oct - Flashback on last events

Friday it was planned that the assistance plane would join me coming down from Agadir. A simple flight with a waypoint over Tan-Tan VOR.



They took off from Agadir Inezgane around 14:30 with a beautiful hot weather (95° F), no wind and a good visibility.





Like me they flew quite some time along the desert coast.



Then after Tan-Tan it was straight over the sand dunes following the El Aaiun VOR.



And in the end they parked in El Aaiun after landing with ILS guiding on runway 02.



This is when we discovered that the damper of the nose landing gear was leaking, and that the assistance needed to be assisted...

No way I would go alone for a long flight (around 2 hours 45 mns from El Aaiun to Dakhla) if the assistance plane is not able to fly. As it was Friday, we had to wait until next day to go in town find a garage where we could weld the damper. It took some time to put it back on and at the same time make a complete check on both aircrafts, which explains why we are still here on Monday...

Tomorrow we fly to Villa Cisneros !

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/28/14 10:42 AM.

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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4028472 - 10/28/14 08:18 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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I really enjoy reading these, the background pics of the places are a cool touch..

#4028491 - 10/28/14 08:57 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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28 Oct - No desert today!

Next leg is one of the longest... Two hours forty minimum from El Aayun to Dakhla (Villa Cisneros) and nothing but sand in between !



Although visibility is slightly reduced (around 3 nautical miles), I decide at 14:00 to give it a try. My goal is to fly to the coast and see if it is better there. If not I will fly back to El Aayun.



Once in the cockpit, I start warming up the engine and get everything ready.



A call to the tower to get take off clearance and the reply comes straight away : "Due to weather conditions, the airport is only opened to IFR traffic. Clearance denied."

Well, that's it for today, may be it is safer so...

I will try again tomorrow, with an earlier take off if possible to see if conditions are better !

Last edited by corsaire31; 10/28/14 11:24 PM.

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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4029080 - 10/29/14 11:44 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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29 Oct - Stranded in El Aayun !

This time it is real life circumstances that didn't leave me today the necessary free time for this long flight !

In the meantime, for those interested in history of aviation, I found during my research this great document about the Aeropostale. Once you enter any of the three chapters, there is an english version inside.

http://www.airfrance-80ansaeropostale.com/


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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4029619 - 10/30/14 11:10 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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30 Oct - Dakhla, here we come !

The right conditions of time and weather finally come together ! At 14:45 we leave (endly !) El Aayun airport...
With almost full tanks and 200 pounds of mail on board, we are close to the MTOW.



I decide, even if it's a little longer, to follow the coast. I have bad memories of sea fog and I feel better to keep in sight both the coast and the National Road n° 1. In case of a big problem, I can always choose to land on a beach or even on the road, looking at the density of traffic in this corner of the planet ! The clouds ceiling allows me to fly at 2500 ft.



Sand, sand and more sand... My plane is so small and the desert is so wide !



After one hour, with some turbulences from time to time to keep me awake, I fly over the only oasis that I will see today.



Then the clouds disappear and I continue flying under the hot sun.



Around fifty nautical miles from destination, some low clouds force me to go down to 1500 ft to fly under. Then thirty nautical miles away, I can catch the Dakhla airport tower on the radio. They give me an approach on runway 03, which means I will arrive on a backwind leg.



Dakhla and its airport are situated at the end of a peninsula with some high dunes. The airport itself is on a flat surface some 400 ft high.



At 17:40 my plane is stopped on the Dakhla parking. Really happy that this long desert flight is finally behind me ...



The assitance will rejoin tomorrow and we will stay here for the week end. We will take the opportunity to come back on the history of these spanish forts ( Cap Juby in Tarfaya and Villa Cisneros in Dakhla ) which were used as stops for the Latécoère airlines.

Real picture of Dakhla ( the town, like others, has disappeared from FSX ...)


Last edited by corsaire31; 10/30/14 11:23 PM.

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#4029755 - 10/31/14 06:49 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Nice AAR, I'm enjoying it! In the past I have considered doing the same as you and planning a number of Aeropostale flights. I lived in Toulouse for about 5 years back in the days when Toulouse Montaudran was still active and used by Air France maintenance. It was a really unique airfield with a road crossing the runway and gates stopping the road traffic much in the same way as at a railway crossing! It was sad to see this piece of aviation history go away and I wish the site could have been used as an aviation museum honoring Latecoere and the Aeropostale. From what I can see it now looks like the location will be used to build an new aeronautical engineering campus, so maybe the memory and the spirit of this place will be preserved after all.

Anyway, I've recently discovered how amazing it is to play Prepar3d v2 using an Oculus Rift DK2 and thought it would be perfect to fly vintage aircrafts. Perhaps I will follow your idea and recreate some of the Aeropostale flights this way!

#4031492 - 11/04/14 11:27 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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While we spend the weekend in Dakhla, let's have a look back at Tarfaya and some history about Cape Juby.

The place was first occupied by the British who built until 1882 a trading post for the Northwest African Imperial Company, la Casa del Mar. On this picture we see what is left today :



Sultan Hassan 1 negociated their departure in 1885 by buying back the outpost and giving it to the local people.

In July 1916, after an agreement between Spain and France, the Cape Juby territory was attached to the Spanish Sahara. A fort was built which would become a military penitenciary. This fort lost in the desert later becomes one of the most famous stops for the Aeropostale. Antoine de Saint Exupéry will be appointed as manager there in 1927. He stays there 18 months, negociating with the moorish tribes and rescuing some of his pilots. It is where he will write his first book, "Courrier Sud".

Picture of the time : :



To have an idea, here is what Joseph Kessel wrote when he got there on board of an Aeropostale plane flown by "Mimile" Lécrivain :

"When Mimile gently banked the plane to show it to me from as far as he could, I shivered : Was it possible ?
Built on the shore, surrounded from all sides by the enemies I wanted to avoid, the dunes and the water, was only a tiny white rectangle.

I had heard about the desolation of this outpost, but I had imagined that around the fort were at least a few shacks, some shops, some kind of miserable traffic. But I could see nothing, and as we came closer, as we came lower, this tragic solitude became more precise, except that opposite from the fort, built on a reef surrounded and beaten by the waves stood, like a grim replica, a crude and dark tower.

Right at the feet of the forts' walls began the desert, the Rio de Oro.
Like a stage manager looking after his show, and knowing that once on the ground the impression would be less striking, Mimile flew a couple of circles around Fort Juby. He only landed when he was sure this vision would be printed forever in my mind."

Tarfaya and the Cape Juby zone became part of Morocco in 1958 after the Ifni war.

What is left today, besides the Casa del Mar in a very bad state, are the fort ruins :



and a small monument in memory of Saint Exupéry and the Aeropostale :




Last edited by corsaire31; 11/05/14 11:11 AM.

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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4031912 - 11/05/14 05:36 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Fantastic RAR. A very entertaining lesson in aviation history !
Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Slug


"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
#4031983 - 11/05/14 11:35 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thanks for reading, I also enjoy a lot telling this story which started in my home town. I also refresh my knowledge about this part of aviation history, often learn new things, and read again the books with a much better understanding, having "virtually" flown myself in real time and in the same conditions. For instance, I understand much better what they say about flying over the desert in the fog ! ( And until now I have only flown by day, these guys were also doing it at night... )


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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4032315 - 11/05/14 10:51 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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04 Nov - Down to Port Etienne !

As planned, the assistance plane arrived in Dakhla on Friday for the week end. I am glad the guys are here, because a week end alone in Dakhla, nothing much outside windsurf and kitesurf on the lagoon.



Today we leave Marocco for Mauritania, flying down the 178 nm straight from Dakhla to Nouadhibou (which was known as Port Etienne at the time of the Line )



Visibility is average on take off ( around 5 miles ) with very few clouds. I climb over the lagoon before taking a 208° heading, following the coastline.





Around half way, since visibility remains average, I decide to cut straight over the dunes to spare some flying time.



Bad choice ! After twenty minutes I am surrounded by fog getting thicker, low clouds and a very rough idea of how high the dunes can be around there. The story of Marcel Reine and Edouard Serres comes back to my mind ! Without waiting one more minute, I turn west to catch the coastline again.





Then I manage to contact the Nouadhibou airport tower. What a relief to hear a voice on the radio and to know someone can guide you if needed ! I understand better some wrtings of Saint Exupéry, when they are flying in the fog at night and that suddenly a radio station gives them a bearing...

Like Dakhla, Nouadhibou is situated at the end of a long peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the inside lagoon. The tower leads me into the pattern for a landing on runway 02. Not many planes in the air, so there is no waiting and I land with some ten knots crosswind.



After two hours and ten minutes, I stop at the Nouadhibou parking. One more desert stage to Nouakchott and we will finally arrive in Senegal.


Last edited by corsaire31; 11/05/14 10:55 PM.

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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4032861 - 11/07/14 12:33 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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05 Nov 13:20 Z - Water and sand.

Our flight today follows the coastline of Mauritania, after crossing the national reserve of Banc d'Arguin, and will take us to the country capital, Nouakchott.



Weather conditions at start are not ideal. There is a north wind at 18 knots which is going to push me, but the visibility is average, the usual fog is over Nouadhibou.





I need to fly over water for a good hour before rejoining the coast. In these conditions, no visual landmark, so I need to fly with the eyes on the artificial horizon, the compass and the variometer. Not easy to fly a straight line !



I'm glad that after forty minutes of this kind of flying, I come out of the fog right on track, with the Cape Timirist in sight, at the end of the Banc d'Arguin shallow waters.





Bad luck, some 50 nm before Nouakchott, I plunge again into the fog and I end as usual flying 1000 feet over the coastline...



Finally I am guided for the last miles over the desert by the tower and find the runway 23. During the flight the wind has calmed down to 7 knots and turned to the South West. The landing is therefore not difficult.



And the plane is stopped on the parking at 15h30 Z.



The desert is now almost crossed, the next flight will take us to Saint Louis du Sénégal, once the assistance plane which is still in Dakhla has rejoined me.

Last edited by corsaire31; 11/07/14 12:35 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.
#4032873 - 11/07/14 01:08 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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This is so cool!
I am really impressed and enjoying your journey.


beercheers

#4034530 - 11/11/14 11:05 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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10 Nov - The assistance rejoins me in Nouakchott

Around 13:15 Z, the Islander takes off from Dakhla with a fairly good weather, although the visibility is average. They turn to a 206° heading above the lagoon and fly along the coastline.







At 6500 ft you can't see the ground anymore, but they fly directly to the Nouadhibou VOR, before turning to a 168° heading using the Nouakchott VOR/DME.



The fog lifts up halfway between the two main towns of Mauritania.



But they find it again during the descent towards Nouakchott above the sea, for an ILS approach on runway 05.



They land easily and taxi to the general aviation parking.



We can now have a little exploration in town tonight... May be a local dinner with fish and rice ?


Last edited by corsaire31; 11/11/14 11:10 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.
#4035637 - 11/14/14 12:28 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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After being away from the cockpit for a few days, because of this long Nov 11th weekend, I'm back to business !

12 Nov 12:15 Z - I've eaten all my desert!

I finally leave Nouakchott with no regrets ...



The flight to Saint Louis du Sénégal starts with the usual weather conditions : 88° F and fog from the sea, giving me a 5 miles visibility. To keep old habits, I am once again flying low along the coast, the only available landmark. Well nothing to complain about, because anyway there is only infinite sand to see.





One should never stop having hopes, as someone said "You are never sheltered from some good news !" As the fog lifts off after one hour flying just above the waves, I can't believe my eyes : water and trees, finally !



For the next miles, I still will get some extra desert.



But there is more and more water to see as we close on Saint Louis. I catch the tower on the radio and they give me a direct approach on runway 18. This is fine as I can land straight away, but I won't fly over the place. We'll do that when leaving.





After a nice landing "by the book", we head to the parking near the tower, and I stop the plane after a one hour and 45 minutes flight.





So, we are now getting close to the end of the african part of the Line. I'm really happy that the desert is finally behind us !
There will be approximately an hour of flight left to take the Waco to Dakar, where the assistance will rejoin me to take it apart and prepare it for the transport across the southern Atlantic Ocean...


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.
#4036662 - 11/16/14 04:07 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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14 Nov 14:30 Z - Out of Africa !

First a word about Saint Louis du Sénégal:



Situated near the border with Mauritania, Saint Louis was officially created in 1659 by french sailors from Dieppe on an island in the mouth of the Senegal river.
Saint Louis was the first town built by europeans in Western Africa and has been a very important trade center for gold, arabic gum, ivory and slaves. Its people have been given french citizenship as early as the french Revolution, and specific rights in 1916. It became the political capital of the french colony and of the French Western Africa until 1902, then capital for Senegal and Mauritania. It remained a very important french trade center until 1957.

It is from Saint Louis that Mermoz took off with his hydroplane Late 28 "Comte de la Vaux" on March 12, 1930 to accomplish the first postal transatlantic flight to Natal in Brazil. The success of this first flight enabled the Aeropostale to establish a steady aerial link between Toulouse and Santiago in Chile.

Today my last african stage will be a hundred nautical miles straight flight along the coast.



After taking off against the northern wind, I turn around towards the coast, and fly over Saint Louis. We can clearly see the famous Faidherbe bridge, a metallic bridge between the historical quarters of Saint Louis island and the Sor island, then along the coast the "Langue de Barbarie". (*)





I then fly along a desert coast with some greener inhabited spots.



Dakar and its airport lie at the end of a peninsula and flying towards it we pass by some lakes, among which the famous Pink Lake (or Ratba Lake)





Approaching Dakar, where there is a lot more traffic, the tower gives me clearance for an entry into the runway 36 pattern, which will require a downwind leg.





Once landed at Leopold Sedar Senghor, taxi to the general aviation parking, and a strong feeling of coming back to modern civilization I had left since Agadir.





So here we are, for the Waco and myself it is the end of the african Aeropostale adventure... I only have now to wait for the assistance plane to rejoin tomorrow from Nouakchott.

Luckily, there is still the whole South American branch to explore !

(*) Scenery Saint Louis freeware thks to Benjamin Domergue

Last edited by corsaire31; 11/18/14 01:04 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.
#4037755 - 11/19/14 12:33 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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15 Nov 14:00 Z - Last one for the road ...

To come to an end with Africa, the assistance plane rejoined me as planned in Dakar. They left Nouakchott with the usual fog.



Then after flying along the Senegal river, they flew over Saint Louis, guided by the 355 khz NDB situated near GOSS.







Heading on 226°, tuned on the Dakar VOR (113.10) above the sea.





Like me they get a backwind leg until over Gorée island (of sad memory, this is where the slaves were emprisoned before being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean)



... to come around and land on runway 36, equipped with an ILS on 110.30.



So this time it is the end of the adventure for our brave Islander



Now Thomas is going to fly it back to its base in Rennes (LFRN), then he will rejoin us on a commercial flight in Natal, Brasil, to hold the yoke of our assistance plane for South America, a good old DC3 we rented from a columbian company.

During that time, Francois and myself are going to look after the transport of the Waco on a cargo plane (our sponsors are generous...smile2) to Natal, with a short touristic stop in Fernando de Noronha, where the Aeropostale had a hydroplane base.

This is all going to take some time, so we see you again next week in Brasil !


PS : I bought at Simmarket a soundset by Arezone for the Islander (and for a couple of other planes in my hangar) I can only recommend it, far better for me than the original delivered with the Flight 1 plane.

Last edited by corsaire31; 11/19/14 11:33 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.
#4041166 - 11/25/14 09:59 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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24 Nov - On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean

While the Islander was flying back to Brittany, we prepared and loaded the Waco in a cargo plane.
Friday 21st in the morning, we are passengers on board of the Casa 295 lining up on the runway in Dakar.



And here we go, goodbye Africa !



After a six hours flight over the ocean to cover the 1500 nautical miles, we land on the airport at Fernando de Noronha, where we will spend the week end.



On Saturday I could borrow an ultra-light at the local club for a short flight around the island, to see it from the air like the Aeropostale pilots arriving to the hydroplane base after the long crossing.





Then comes Monday morning and we must leave this small paradise...



And here we are at the Natal airport in Brasil, our first steps on the south american continent.



Tomorrow Tuesday 25th we will prepare the Waco and if possible make a short trial flight around Natal. Today, Thomas arrived from France on a commercial flight and is inspecting the columbian DC 3 we have rented to fly for assistance. He will look after loading all our stuff in the plane tomorrow as well.



South America, here we come !


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.
#4041861 - 11/26/14 10:31 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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26 Nov - Last trials (Part 1 )

Finally it took the whole Tuesday to finish preparing everything, and the trial flights are scheduled for this Wednesday.

But first a few words about Natal.

Natal is the capital of the Rio Grande do Norte state, built on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in the North East region of Brazil ( Nordeste ). After living from the salt industry along the XIXth century, Natal is today mostly living from tourism, thanks to its beaches and the famous Fort of the Holy Kings or of the Magi-Kings ("Forte dos Santos Reis" or "Forte dos Reis Magos"), built in the XIVth century by the Portuguese.



A new airport is being built, SÃO GONÇALO DO AMARANTE, which should be the largest of South America and is tailored to handle the Airbus A 380.



Natal still has some memories of what has been the Aeropostale. We can still find some buildings inside the town's Air Base. Besides the Rio Potengi, other sites have been kept in Natal, among which the Lagoa do Bonfim, where Jean Mermoz could finally take off on July 8, 1930 after some 54 unsuccessful trials.


Last edited by corsaire31; 11/26/14 10:34 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.
#4041865 - 11/26/14 10:43 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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26 Nov - Last trials (Part 2)

In the very beginning of the afternoon, I decide to go for a short trial flight with the Waco for a final check. The wind blows from the sea at 15 knots and quite a few dark clouds hang around at 2700 ft. I go for a triangle flight north of the airport.



As I head towards the coast, I fly over a part of Natal town.



Once across the Rio Potengi towards the north, there are less and less houses.



I can find some boat traffic heading for the Natal lagoon.



On the way back, I see far away south some lightnings, reminding me we are now in a tropical environment and are likely to get thunderstorms in the afternoons.



My two guys also take the opportunity to have a short flight with the DC3, now loaded with all our technical stuff.





Everything went fine, so we are no ready to fly further on the Aeropostale lines on this new continent.


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.
#4042389 - 11/27/14 10:34 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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27 Nov. - Some Aeropostale history - Part 2 - South America

Before we go on exploring South America, a quick historical reminder :

3 Décembre 1926 : Pierre Georges Latécoère, whose company CGEA is in financial trouble, travels to Rio de Janeiro to meet there Marcel Bouilloux-Laffont a french industry tycoon with a strong implantation in South America. In order to insure a development of the Line on the south american continent, Pierre Georges Latécoère sells the CGEA to Marcel Bouilloux-Laffont who in return pledges to buy all necessary airplanes from Latécoère. He then uses his local civil enginering company SUDAM to quickly build the necessary airfields.

11 April 1927 : C.G.E.A. becomes Compagnie Générale Aéropostale (L'Aéropostale), whose president is Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont.

5 September 1927 : Creation of "Aeroposta Argentina S.A", to extend the network towards the south and establish links with Paraguay and Chile.

31 October 1927 : Création of "Aeroposta Uruguay".

11 November 1927 : Creation of "Aeroposta Brasilera" (C.A.B).

All these new companies in Argentina, Uruguay, Brasil, are affiliated to the Compagnie Générale Aéropostale.

1st March 1928 : First postal service France - South America (the crossing from Dakar to Natal will be by boat until 1935).

14 July 1929 : Jean Mermoz and Henri Guillaumet make the first postal flight Santiago de Chile - Mendoza with a Potez 25.

29 October to 1st November 1929 : Antoine de Saint Exupéry flies alone the first postal link from Buenos Aires to Comodoro-Rivadavia with a Laté 25 of Aéroposta Argentina.

1930 : Opening of Aéropostale lines in Vénézuela by Paul Vachet.

The Compagnie Générale Aéropostale runs at this time a network of 17000 kilometers, using 80 pilots, 250 mechanics, 53 radios, 250 sailors, for a total of 1500 people. It owns 218 planes, 21 hydroplanes and 8 boats.

After the 1929 crisis, plagued with serious financial difficulties,Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont hopes for subsidies from the french government to save the Aéropostale. It will never come and the company goes down the drain in March 1931.

31 May 1933: The Société Centrale pour l'Exploitation des Lignes Aériennes (SCELA) regrouping Air Orient, the CIDNA, Farman and Air Union, buys the assets of the Aéropostale. Then in October 1933 the SCELA becomes Air France.

From 1933 to 1939 : The Aéropostale activity will be taken over by Air France which will run the south american network. From 1935 onwards, the link between Dakar and Natal will be regularly flown by hydroplanes replacing the boats. It will done afterwards by airplanes.

Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont, once president of many important companies in France, in Brasil, in Argentina, dies ruined in 1944, in a hotel room of Rio de Janeiro.

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/04/14 10:00 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.
#4043014 - 11/29/14 09:12 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Good to see you've made it to South America, I've really enjoyed reading your reports and history of the Aeropostale.

#4043176 - 11/29/14 04:49 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thks for reading and your msg, always feel good to have some positive returns ! smile2


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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4043182 - 11/29/14 05:14 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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28 Nov 14:45 Z - Heading South

Here we go ! Today the first stage of our south american adventure will take us from Natal to Recife, capital of the Pernambuco state. The flight plan is 137 nm and will follow the coast, with an overflight of Joao Pessoa about half way.



I take off from Natal at 12:45 local under a clear sky with a light 12 knots breeze from the ocean.



Quickly though, after 30 minutes in flight, I find myself making a slalom between thunderstorm cells at 2500 ft. It's not raining yet but I can see some lightnings under the darkest clouds.



This slalom leads me towards the coast. The landscape is flat, with agricultural zones and forests from indian reserves near Rio Tinto ( Terra Indigena Potiguara et Terra Indigena Jacaré de Sao Domingos ) I also fly over small coastal towns, like here Lucena north from Joao Pessoa.



After fifty minutes I fly over the Aeroclub airfield in Joao Pessoa near the coast, under a darkening sky.



João Pessoa is the capital of the Paraíba state, situated on the coast. Also known as the town where the sun rises first, as its Cape Seixas is the furthest eastern spot of the Americas. Founded in 1585 with the name Filipéia de Nossa Senhora das Neves, the country's third oldest town was also the last one created in the XVIth century.



Fifteen minutes later I can see in the far the huge lagoons network north of Recife, around Ilha de Itamaraca. In the middle of these islands is the Itapessoca airfield (SIPE) I chose as a diverting destination in case of problems on the way.



The airport Guararapes Internacional lies south of Recife. The tower gives me a clearance for runway 18, which is for me a straight approach above Recife. As I start flying over the town, I receive the first rain showers.



I land without problem among the traffic, after a one hour and forty minutes flight. Quick, let's go park the plane and find a shelter, these tropical showers make you really wet !



Further program is a weekend in Recife (could be worse...) hoping the sun comes back so I can appreciate the beaches !



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.
#4043255 - 11/29/14 07:39 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thanks for creating this, is cool to see you reflying this historical lines.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4044204 - 12/02/14 12:39 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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1st Dec - To the Maceio springs

Water was hot, so were the brasilian girls and the music was great. Everything to make a nice week end for pilots on tour on the other side of the pond...
But everything has an end, and it's Monday ! Time for the next Aéropostale stage. I'm lucky this one is short (97 nm) so I can take off a little late to wait for the caïpirinhas side effects to disappear !



It is around 12:45 local when I start taxiing across the Recife airport all the way to the holding stop of runway 18. We have a good visibility, quite a few clouds with a ceiling aroung 2300 ft. We have 82°F and the trade winds are quiet at 11 knots.





Same as yesterday, I soon meet thunderstorm cells, and as this is a short flight I decide to go follow the coast where it seems clearer.



Moreover I find very good landmarks, like this river mouth where the brown muddy waters rejoin the ocean's blue.



Or small coastal towns like here Porte de Pedras.



The closer I get to Maceio, the more visibility goes down.



26 nm away I contact the tower of the international airport Zumbi dos Palmares. They give me clearance to get in the left hand pattern to land on runway 12. With a short guidance message from the tower half way to confirm I am on the right heading, I arrive across the airport and turn right for the downwind leg.



An easy landing right into the wind and I am soon on the GA parking, this time without getting wet, despite many lightnings around us.


Last edited by corsaire31; 12/02/14 12:48 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.
#4044368 - 12/02/14 01:48 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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02 Dec - A few words about Maceio

Maceió is the capitale and largest city of the Alagoas state. The name "maceio" of indian origin, indicates the natural water springs coming out of the ground. Most flow to the sea, but some are stopped and form lakes ( "lagoas" in portuguese )



The city began in an old sugar mill and plantation complex around the 19th century. Its development started with the arrival of ships taking wood from Jaraguá bay.
With the installation of the sugar mills, Maceió started to export sugar, then tobacco, coconut, leather, and some spices. Prosperity made it possible for the settlement to become a village on December 5, 1815. Thanks to its continued growth, Maceió became the capital of the Alagoas state on December 9, 1839.
Maceió is also a port city and due to its port development about 200 years ago it changed from a village into a city.



The new international airport Zumbi dos Palmares links Maceio with many towns in Brasil and also offers a few international flights.



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.
#4045630 - 12/04/14 10:03 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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02 Dec - Day off

The day has been no-flying day, dedicated to swmbo's birthday !

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/04/14 10:03 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.
#4045661 - 12/04/14 10:47 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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03 Dec- 15:30 Z - Assistance is on the way

After staying 24 hours more in Natal because of a light oil leak on the DC-3's right engine (quickly repaired) Thomas and François fly down to Maceio to catch up with me.
Their flight plan will be the same, except they fly "modern style" with autopilot, GPS and VOR/NDB guidance, plus the fact they fly 170 knots instead of my 95...



It is 12:30 local when the DC-3's exhausts start spitting their smoke on the tarmac in Natal, and the engines let everyone hear their great musical sound.



The weather is almost similar to the one I had, with a grey clouds ceiling at 2300 ft, which will go down to 2000 ft over Recife, before lifting up again at 2500 ft when closing on Maceio.

The cowl flaps are still fully opened after take-off when the plane stabilizes at cruise altitude and speed.



A cockpit seat with a nice sea view !



Flying over the Aeroclub in Joao Pessoa



Flying above part of the town in Recife



Approach on Maceio under threatening clouds.



And in the end they land at Zumbi dos Palmares with help of the ILS on runway 12 with a little backwind leg, after a one and a half hour flight as planned.



The team is together again, I feel less alone and François can take a look at the Waco tomorrow morning before I take off for the next stage.

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/04/14 10:48 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.
#4046289 - 12/05/14 10:38 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Due to unexpected IRL events (but nice ones) I'm on the road again. Flights will resume on Monday. A nice weekend to all.


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.
#4048171 - 12/09/14 06:36 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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08 Dec 13:30 Z - Here we go again !

After this long stop in Maceio, I resume flying down the coast of Brasil. The next Aéropostale stop is Aracaju, capital of the Sergipe state (a planned flight of around 116 nm for one hour and fifteen minutes.)



At 11:45 local I take off from Maceio with broken clouds at 2000 ft, a soft 11 knots trade wind and an average visibility of 20 kms.



South fromMaceio, after crossing several lakes I decide to fly to the coast to have some landmarks, as the landscape inside the country looks somewhat uniform.



The mouth of the Rio Sao Francisco is a great landmark !



After almost one hour in flight, the visibility gets better and I can see far in front of me the Rio Sergipe, and on its banks the city of Aracaju. The Santa Maria airport is situated in the southern part of the city.





There is some traffic and the tower asks me to get into the left hand downwind leg to land into the wind on runway 11. End of base leg and aligning for finals.



It is shortly after 13:00 local when I land on the Aracaju airport, between a King Air waiting to take off and a landing Piper following me.



Aracaju is the capitale of the Sergipe state, some 350 km north of Salvador. It is a city with more than 600.000 inhabitants, which is one third of the state population. If we add the towns around forming the complete agglomeration, Nossa Senora de Secorro, Barra dos Coqueiros et Sao Cristovao we get a total of 900.000 habitants.



The coast at Aracaju offers many beaches like on San Luzia island, and even urban beaches like the most famous Atalaia.



Aracaju, one of the first planned cities in Brasil, was built in 1855 to become the state's capital. Although it is the least populated capital in the Nordeste, it remains an important economical, cultural and political center. Its climate is tropical, hot and wet with an average temperature of 79° F and yearly rainfalls averaging 1695 mm.


Last edited by corsaire31; 12/11/14 03:24 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.
#4048783 - 12/10/14 09:25 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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09 Dec - Grounded by weather

Spent the day in Aracaju under heavy tropical rainfall - no chance to fly.



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.
#4048977 - 12/11/14 04:37 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Every post you've made is a joy to read before a day's work. Thx again for sharing this adventure, although you've forgotten to post pics of the hot Brazilian girls.

Cheers,
Slug


"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
#4048978 - 12/11/14 04:38 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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#4049133 - 12/11/14 02:58 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Sluggish Controls]  
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Originally Posted By: Sluggish Controls
Every post you've made is a joy to read before a day's work. Thx again for sharing this adventure, although you've forgotten to post pics of the hot Brazilian girls.

Cheers,
Slug


Thanks. I think it is against this forum's rules to post hot pics, but it's easy to find some... smile


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.
#4049146 - 12/11/14 03:14 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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10 Dec - Weather gets better !

After a day of heavy rain, weather cleared up a bit, so I decide to fly the next Aéropostale stage to Salvador de Bahia. 136 nms and roughly one and a half hour flight to go.



It's under a much friendlier sky than yesterday that I take off from Santa Maria de Aracaju airport. Visibility is good (around 20 nm) and the trade winds remain moderate at 10 knots.



Bad surprise, as I fly south along the coast, the sky darkens, the clouds ceiling falls down to 1700 ft and the visibility cuts down to half of what it was. Considering what happened yesterday, I get a little worried...



The landscape is flat and rather uniform, with some agricultural zones in the middle of huge tropical forest patches, and there is a lot of water.



I am finally happy to see the visibility getting better again as I close on Salvador de Bahia.



I am only about 30 nms away, just about to call the tower, when I realize I'm a bit fed up with big international airports. I decide to cross the bay and make the stop at the Aeroclub de Bahia field, just on the other side from the town.



First I have to fly over part of Salvador city to cross over to the other side of the bay.



Then after flying around to come back into the wind, I land on the 1300m runway 08 and taxi to the Aeroclub buildings.





That's it for today... I think tomorrow , weather permitting, I will make a flight around the famous Salvador bay while waiting for the DC3 to catch up.

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/11/14 03:21 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.
#4049799 - 12/12/14 11:49 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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12 Dec - Still in Salvador de Bahia !

Yesterday Thursday 11th, the heavy tropical rains were back, I had to stay in the dry.

Today around 11:30 local, I took off to try and make a tour around the famous bay, but the low ceiling and bad visibility wouldn't allow it in good conditions, so I landed back at Bahia Aeroclube...





During that time, the DC3 flying in from Aracaju had to land at the international airport in Salvador using the VOR and the ILS. Later in the afternoon, weather gets better for a short time and they hop across the bay to rejoin me.



Looks like we'll stay here over the weekend doing some tinkering on the planes, hoping to have a better weather sometime to make this bloody tour of the bay !

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/12/14 11:52 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.
#4049830 - 12/13/14 01:30 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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a shack in da woods
Enjoyed reading about your adventures, Corsaire !

#4049977 - 12/13/14 02:44 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: MudWasp]  
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Originally Posted By: MudWasp
Enjoyed reading about your adventures, Corsaire !


Hi there ! Glad you like them smile2


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.
#4051497 - 12/16/14 02:30 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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15 Dec - A race towards the sun

A quick analyse of the weather conditions shows thunderstorms and rain for the whole week in the tropical zone where I am, when further south around Rio de Janeiro it is dry and sunny. The goal is now to find windows in the bad weather to go down the coast and not stay stuck here.

For today, the next stop is Ilhéus, only 116 nm away. I intend to overfly Valença airfield on the way, which I could use as a backup if weather doesn't let me go further.



I start the engine at 12:00 local. By the time I let it warm up, contact the tower and taxi to runway 08, it is 12:15 when I take off from Bahia Aeroclube. Weather is so-so, with a low 1700 ft ceiling of fragmented clouds, a fair visibility and a 13 knots ENE wind. I catch a last glimpse of the Salvador de Bahia bay, I will need to come back for the visit...



After some twenty minutes, I fly past the Valença airfield when the first dark clouds appear.



South from Valença, lies for miles a large salted water lagoon zone where the sea penetrates inside land.



When I am not flying above water, it is above big patches of tropical forest with isolated houses or small groups of houses with a few fields around them. Villages are further west inland, on the other side of the lagoons.



As I come out of this labyrinth of water, overflying Marau (a past stop for the Aéropostale) the visibility gets suddenly worse and I feel the first raindrops.



After so many hours flying in the fog along the african desert coast, I now know what to do : I go down to around 1000 ft and head for the coast to follow it.



After contacting the Ilhéus tower, some twenty nms away, and keeping on following the coast, I soon find the town and harbour.



It is now easy to find the airfield a little further south, with a runway edge near the beach. In the meantime, the wind has turned to NNW and is down to 8 knots.



After landing on runway 29, I taxi past the airport to reach the general aviation parking on the other side.



Only thing left is to close everything and find a dry place, because it is now raining hard ! Luckily the temperature is around 80° F, which helps when being wet.

* Note : This Ilhéus scenery, including town and airport is probably the best looking freeware I found until now. I hope to see it with better weather.

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/17/14 02:24 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.
#4052022 - 12/17/14 02:19 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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16 Dec - Grounded !

At the time planned for the flight, the clouds ceiling is down to 1000 ft and we barely can see the runway end through heavy rainfalls. More a day for boating than for flying !

So let's have a look at the place where I am stuck :



Ilhéus is a rather big city (around 220.000 people live there), situated in the south of the Bahia region, which capital is Salvador where we come from.

The town was founded in 1534 under the name of Vila de Sao Jorge dos Ilhéus. It's one of the main touristic centers of the Nordeste. Tourism is the main economic ressource together with the harbour exporting a lot of cocoa beans.

Tourists come from Brasil and the rest of the world for the beaches and many historical portuguese buildings.



It is also there that was born the famous brasilian writer Jorge Amado who describes so well in his many books the life in the Nordeste. The airport was named after him and has a 110/290 oriented runway. It handled some 500.000 passengers last year.



As you can see, the airport is really close to the beaches !


Last edited by corsaire31; 12/17/14 02:22 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.
#4052912 - 12/18/14 09:38 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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17 Dec - Singing in the rain ....

It's still raining, but less... The ceiling is up to 3000 ft, and there is a light north breeze at 6 knots. I decide to give it a go, because anyway it's going to rain for the rest of the week, might as well try to get through in not too bad conditions ! At 12:00 local I start the engine.



The stage today takes us to Caravelas ( SBCV ) 173 nm further south. I make a flight plan flying by several airfields on the way I can use as safety if anything gets ugly.



There is quite some activity at the airport on this wet morning, and I finally take off at 12:23 with a last glimpse on Ilhéus.





Today I fly again along a coast with many lagoons, a lot of tropical forest and some settlements here and there.



The rain stops after 15 mns flying. Around 13:00 I fly by Belmonte, the first safety airfield on the way. As said the guy falling from the 20th stock as he passed by each window : "All is fine until now!"



The rain comes back when I fly by Porto Seguro, the second safety airfield. Visibility is worse, but still acceptable, clouds ceiling is at 1500 ft, so I decide to keep on flying.



The rain will stay with me until the landing on runway 06 at Caravelas airport, situated on the north shore of a large bay. Mission done, but I'm bloody wet again !



I'm now in a hurry to find some sunshine, I didn't come all the way to Brasil to have a shower in the cockpit every day... moreover, no girls on the beach !


* Note : Caravelas is one of the very few airfields for which I didn't find any freeware addon.


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.
#4053234 - 12/19/14 03:47 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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18 Dec - Raindrops keep falling on my head !

The rain doesn't stop... The Waco is stuck in Caravelas, luckily the DC3 can fly IFR and comes down to join me. There is a VOR in Caravelas and 3 NDBs on the way.



It's really not looking good when they align on the runway in Bahia Aeroclube. They won't see the bay either ...



They climb in the soup. One broken layer at 1500 ft, another at 3700 ft and the cover is at 7000 ft



They stabilize at 6000 ft between the two cloud layers.



They are happy that sometimes they can see some landscape through a hole in the under layer



And it's also under heavy rainfall that they land in Caravelas.



At least they have a closed cockpit ! We'll see tomorrow what the weather looks like, I start feeling like we'll spend the weekend here...


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.
#4053675 - 12/20/14 02:57 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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19 Dec - So much water !

My thoughts of yesterday were right, I am grounded in Caravelas for the week end. It's a chance that the DC3 could get here, at least we can work on the planes and have a little fiesta together.

See you on Monday, hoping things get better as I'm not far from the sunny weather.



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.
#4054452 - 12/22/14 12:13 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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22 Dec - Holidays

We are late on schedule due to several things, among which the weather which was not very cooperative since our start in September. The last plan was to try and get to Rio de Janeiro before Christmas to spend the holidays there.



Unfortunately our families we spoke to on the phone were not very much in favor of letting us having a good time alone in Brasil. We decided to leave the planes in a safe hangar at Caravelas airport and took a commercial flight back to France.

Flights will resume early January 2015. A Merry Xmas to all !

Last edited by corsaire31; 12/22/14 03:24 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.
#4054455 - 12/22/14 12:29 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Stratos Offline
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Amposta, Spain
Merry Christmas and thanks for the AAR!!


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4054749 - 12/23/14 01:22 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Sluggish Controls Offline
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Was about time, a Brazilian babe yep

Joyeux Noel !

Cheers,
Slug


"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
#4054843 - 12/23/14 09:10 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Have a good Christmas and thanks for the adventure.

#4060332 - 01/06/15 11:09 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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January 5 - 11:45 Here we go again !

Holidays have an end... During the week end we flew with TAP Portugal, TAM and Azul to get back to Caravelas via Lisboa and Rio de Janeiro. We found our planes in the guarded hangar where we had left them. After a quick control and weather being flyable, I get on going south. Coming from winter in Europe, it's nice to find again summer and 80°F, even if it is still wet in the tropical regions.

The plan for today is to try to make two Aéropostale stages, Linhares SNLN and Vitoria SBVT, for a total of 168 nms. My flight plan goes over Linhares in case of trouble on the way.



At 11:50 local I leave the airport in Caravelas with a broken clouds ceiling around 1900 ft, an average visibility of 20 kms and a light 10 knots tradewind.



I hold 1500 ft, and after flying over the Cassuruba Reserve south of Caravelas I get on the coast near Nova Viçosa.



From there I fly during the next hour along a rather wild coast covered for most part with tropical forest.



In the meantime the clouds ceiling has lifted up to 4000ft and I climbed to 2500ft when I reach my first landmark, the airport in Sao Mateus.



Unfortunately this will be short, as I get closer from Linhares the cloud ceiling gets lower, the clouds themselves become a lot darker and I start seeing the first lightnings.



I wisely decide to make a stop in Linhares for today, we will get to Vitoria tomorrow if the weather clears up.





Linhares is a town in the state of Espírito Santo, 135 km north of the state capital, Vitória. It is the largest municipality of the state with 9500 km2 and a population of 157.000 inhabitants.
Situated between the lake Juparana and the Rio Dolce, it has been named in honor of D. Rodrigo de Souza Coutinho, Count of Linhares, minister in the government of Brazil in the years 1810 - 1820.




Last edited by corsaire31; 01/08/15 11:08 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.
#4060369 - 01/06/15 01:42 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Good to see your back.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4060374 - 01/06/15 02:06 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Stratos]  
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Originally Posted By: Stratos
Good to see your back.


Thanks, and a happy new year 2015 to all ! I'm also glad to be back. smile2


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.
#4060755 - 01/07/15 03:38 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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January 6 12:50 - A short flight

Weather today will allow me to finish the stage to Vitoria, capital of the Espiritu Santo state. A short 56 nm flight, a little more than a half hour, with a waypoint over the small Primo Bitti airport (SIFV) to confirm track and have an alternate landing place if necessary.



I leave Linhares with a fairly good weather, broken clouds around 2000 ft, temperature 80° F and an ENE wind at 9 knots, as I cross the Rio Dolce.





Same as yesterday, the landscape is largely covered by tropical forest with numerous lakes and marshes.



After some twenty minutes I find the Primo Bitti airfield, just outside the indian territory of Tupiniquim.



Approaching Vitoria, I encounter the first hill of my south american adventure, just south of Serra.



After flying over a good part of the Vitoria city, I close on the airport for a left hand downwind to come back and land on runway 05, following instructions from the tower.



After an easy landing, I only need to taxi to the general aviation parking.



Only two stages left until Rio de Janeiro where we intend to spend our weekend !

Last edited by corsaire31; 01/13/15 03:50 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.
#4061042 - 01/08/15 11:06 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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January 7 - Mourning day

Further to the tragic events in Paris yesterday, I couldn't fly the next stage.
I've read Charlie Hebdo every week for years.


Drawing today in my local newspaper

EDIT : I will need a few days to get over it and participate in the local demonstrations, flights will resume on Monday January 12th.

Last edited by corsaire31; 01/13/15 03:08 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.
#4063413 - 01/13/15 03:24 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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12 Jan 10:30 - Sunny weather, finally !

I took the decision to cut in two parts the stage from Vitoria to Rio de Janeiro and to make a stop in Macaé (SBME), a 150 nm flight, for a little more than an hour and a half.
I will fly over two landmarks : the airfield in Guarapari (SNGA) and the one in Campos dos Goytacazes (SBCP)



As I leave Vitoria, there is some blue sky, a few clouds at 4000 ft, a good visibility and a 15 kts north wind.



After a quarter of an hour, I fly over the first airfield in Guarapari.



Shortly after, the visibility drops down, but it still flyable and anyway for the time being I follow the coast.



For the first time since I arrived in Natal, I fly close to some hills.



As I fly over Campos dos Goytacazes, after an hour, the weather has cleared up, visibility is back, clouds are gone and the temperature has risen to 91°F. I finally found summer !





Closing on Benedito Lacerda airport in Macaé, the tower asks me to make a backwind leg left hand to land on runway 06. The wind is down to 5 kts.



At 13:00 I am on the parking, happy to be dry and to forget the heavy rains of the last days.




Macaé is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, 180 km northeast of the state capital. Its population is over 200.000 people.

Macaé is generally considered to be the centre of the Brazilian offshore petroleum industry. As a consequence it is often referred to as "Cidade do Petróleo" ("City of Petroleum"). The Brazilian state-controlled oil company - Petrobras - has many facilities within the town. Macaé is one of the fastest-growing cities in Brazil, with a growth of 600% within the last 10 years.


Last edited by corsaire31; 01/13/15 03:42 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.
#4064449 - 01/15/15 11:59 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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13 Jan 11:30 - If you go to Rio... don't forget your umbrella !

Today's stage is a short one, an almost one hour flight. Start from Macaé (SBME) to Rio de Janeiro, with a waypoint over the airfield in Sao Pedro de Aldeia (SBES) near Cabo Frio. For the arrival in Rio, I chose the former international airport of Santos Dumont (SBRJ) at the entrance of the bay.



I take off from Macaé around 11:45 local under a big blue sky without clouds, and with a light 7 knots wind from 110°.



First time I don't have a cloud ceiling under 2000ft, so I climb a bit to look at Brazil from higher.



After twenty minutes in the air, I find my first landmark on the shore of the Cabo Frio lagoon and I take a 289° heading towards Rio.



Soon I can see a clouds front on my way, and as I close in I spot some lightnings. With my bad luck, I'm going to reach Rio with a thunderstorm !



As I reach the clouds front, the visibility gets worse. As I saw some hills on the way, I head to the coast to avoid bad surprises.



It's under a low stormy sky with lightnings around that I find the entrance to the Rio bay.



I am already in contact with the Santos Dumont tower and there is a lot of traffic. I fly over a Maersk Line container carrier when I spot the runway lights and the seashore buildings.



I only need now to fly a backwind leg towards the end of the bay, to turn around and land on runway 20L.



Once at the parking, I start thinking I really have a bad luck with this weather ! I'm going to stay here while waiting for the assistance DC3 to catch up and hope I can make a tour of the bay with some sun ! I already missed the Salvador de Bahia bay because of lousy weather.

Last edited by corsaire31; 01/16/15 12:09 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.
#4065116 - 01/17/15 03:07 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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15 Jan 12:00 - Assistance comes down to Rio for the weekend

Today the two assistance pals come down to rejoin me in Rio for a quick maintenance and a nice week end, hoping for some nice weather to make a little flight around !
They go for an IFR flight from Caravelas to Rio, via the VORs in Vitoria and Macaé.



Take off from Caravelas around 12:00 local, as usual under the rain !



The flight is uneventful at 6000 ft with an average visibility.



And they land at Santos Dumont after a little over two and a half hours.



Tomorrow Friday we'll do some maintenance on the planes and after that it's weekend ! Let's hope for some sun ...

Last edited by corsaire31; 01/17/15 03:18 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.
#4066526 - 01/20/15 12:59 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Toulouse, France
19 Jan 12:30 Exploring Rio de Janeiro !

Although there are still some thunderstorms on the hills around, the weather has cleared above Rio. To recover from the week end ( that's a long time we stopped counting the caïpirinhas...) I'm going to make a little tour around the bay.

After a quick lunch, I find myself at 12:40 behind a TAM airliner, waiting for my turn to take off from runway 02L while he will take off from the main one, 02R. On my right I can see the Sugar Loaf with the cable car terminal.



As I take off over runway's end, I can see quite a few ships in the bay and in the harbour, and also the huge road bridge crossing the bay from South to North.



On my left beyond the hills I can see the town spreading all the way to the sea.



We then fly some time along the new international airport Antonio-Carlos Jobim, on Governor's Island.



We are soon at the end of the bay for a nice look on the whole scenery.



Then I head to the sea following the northern shore of the bay.



Before finding again the entrance, still with some ship traffic (*)



And then the approach to runway 02R at Santos Dumont, with the Sugar Loaf in the path, preferably to be avoided !



That's it ! I return to the parking with nice memories and images in my head, ready to continue the adventure towards the South and Argentina.



Tonight we will climb up the Corcovado to make a picture of the bay by night.



(*) AI ships and Ship Traffic : http://simviation.com/1/browse-Scenery-63-1


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.
#4066956 - 01/21/15 08:26 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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The Andes part will be really interesting, long behind will remain this flat coastal parts full of cities and airfields.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4067299 - 01/21/15 09:25 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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20 Jan 12:45 - A shortened stage

We have to leave Rio de Janeiro with some sadness. The next Aeropostale stage will take us to the naval base of Santos (SBST) near Sao Paulo, for a 185 nm flight of around two hours. I make a plan over two secondary airfields at Parati (SDTK) and Ubatuba (STUB).



It is almost 13:00 local when I leave the 20R runway in Santos Dumont. The visibility is average with some mist and few clouds around 1500 to 2000 ft. Wind blows at 7 knots from 160°.



As I leave Rio, I pay a last visit to the Corcovado to say goodbye.



Quickly the mist disappears as I fly by the Jacarepagua airport, west of Rio.



We then follow the long sandy barrier which closes for a great part the huge lagoon outside of Itagua.



Unfortunately the ceiling doesnt lift up, and as I close from Parati after an hour, a cloud front is blocking my path over land.



I immediately turn left to fly around the peninsula south of Parati, hoping things will look better on the other side. But it is not the case, and I wisely decide to use my plan B at Ubatuba.





Once on the parking, I only need now to find the bar, an accomodation for the night and hope things will look better tomorrow to finish this stage.

Last edited by corsaire31; 01/29/15 02:39 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.
#4067869 - 01/22/15 09:07 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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21 Jan 10:45 - End of the stage

As I wake up this morning in Ubatuba, the visibility is fine but there are still many clouds hanging on the hills around. I decide to make a flight plan over the sea going around land through the strait of Sao Sebastiao.



It is almost 11:00 local when I leave the 09 runway in Ubatuba, heading to the sea. Broken clouds around 2000 ft, 88°F and a small 7 knots wind from 160°.



I go around the small peninsula and head at 275° towards the Sao Sebastiao straight we can see on the horizon.



Some twenty minutes later I am flying through the strait after passing some boats going the same way.



Twenty more minutes later, after flying following the compass over the sea, I find land again outside of Guaruja. In the meantime visibility has gone down and some low clouds hang around 1200 and 1500 ft.



I quickly find the Santos airfield, for a backwind leg heading 350° after receiving instructions from the tower.



As soon as I get the landing clearance, I turn around, turn on the landing lights and start aligning with runway 17.



Landing is nice and smooth and I taxi to the base parking. I needed two days for this one, but we made it!



Tomorrow a quiet day on the beach while waiting for the cavalry to catch up !


Last edited by corsaire31; 01/29/15 02:41 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.
#4070110 - 01/27/15 03:59 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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26 Jan 09:00 - A half stage: Santos to Paranagua

We didn't resist to the opportunity of spending a few days in Sao Paulo, as we were not far away, but today it's time to be back to flying further...
The next historical Aeropostale stop is Florianopolis. The whole stage is almost 300 nm, so I decide to cut it in two parts by making a stop in Paranagua(SSPG). The flight plan is straight down the coast, but there is no other field on the way. I choose to load double the necessary fuel.



The weather forecast calls for thunderstorms in the afternoon, so we will fly earlier and it's 9:15 local when I take off from Santos. The plane it not far from MTOW and climbs slowly to 2500 ft in a clear sky, pushed by a gentle 7 knots breeze from the north.



The next hour is spent flying along an almost empty coast.



The landscape changes completely as we close the state of Parana : tropical forest, streams and lagoons.





As we cross a huge lagoon, we can see in the distance the town of Paranagua.



After contacting the tower to get the landing instructions, we fly over the city and its harbour on the lagoon.



I have to fly a backwind leg to come back and land on runway 35.



I taxi to the parking after a cool flight, it's good to have some nice weather from time to time ! Specially today, as the landscape was beautiful to see on arrival.



Paranagua (the Great Round Sea in Tupi) is situated in the state of Parana. Built in 1648, it is the oldest town in the state. It is mostly known for its harbour, which is the sea link for Curitiba, capital of Parana, some 68 miles north. It is one of the largest harbours of Brazil, and a city of around 150.000 people.

The economy of the city is driven by the deepwater Port of Paranaguá, which dates to the 16th century. The port was a point of entry for the settlement of the south of Brazil beginning early in the colonial period. It exports the largest volume of agricultural products of any of the ports of Brazil, notably of grain grown in the southern regions of the country. The port is also a major trade center of automobiles, fertilizer, lumber, paper, petroleum products, salt, soy beans, and sugar.


Last edited by corsaire31; 01/28/15 09:02 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.
#4070138 - 01/27/15 05:02 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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again, great flight report

#4070847 - 01/28/15 09:23 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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27 Jan 9:30 - Second half : Paranagua - Florianopolis

This morning we fly the second half of the stage to Florianopolis, the next stop of the Aeropostale. We continue following the coast heading South towards Uruguay for some 130 nm, around one and a half hour. I will use as waypoint the airport in Itajai (SBNF).



Clouds are back in the morning sky, at around 2000 ft. The nice northern breeze is still there and it is still as warm. I leave the runway in Paranagua at 9:44 local, heading for the coast.



Quickly overflying the tropical forest, I have in sight the coastal town of Guaratuba.





Forty five minutes later, I fly over my waypoint, the airport in Itajai.



Clouds are still there as I fly along the coast south of Itajai.



After some fifteen minutes, as I am closing on Florianopolis, I am glad to see the sky clearing up and the clouds disappear.



The town is in two parts, on the mainland and on a large island, Santa Catarina, linked by a road bridge crossing the small strait between them.



The tower from Hercilio Luz Internacional airport instructed me to integrate on a left hand base to land on runway 14.



Switching to ground frequency and taxi to the parking.



Only two stops left (Porto Alegre and Pelotas) and we will leave Brazil !



Florianópolis is the capital of Santa Catarina state since 1823, situated on Santa Catarina island. Florianópolis is a famous tourist destination in the south of Brazil, specially for its many beaches. It is one of most known state capital in Brazil for its quality of life.

Florianópolis is one of the business centers of the southern region, together with Curitiba, Porto Alegre and Joinville. Although it is the capital of the Santa Catarina state, it is only the second in population, after Joinville.

Regrouping the cities of Florianópolis, São José, Palhoça and Biguaçu the total town area regroup around 800 000 people.


Last edited by corsaire31; 01/28/15 09:28 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.
#4070887 - 01/28/15 10:29 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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What a fabulous travelogue.

I'm really enjoying the adventure, and the screen shots. I think the RL pictures
you're sprinkling in along with the local history and culture really enhance the
overall experience and is simply fantastic!

Thanks for taking us all along on your virtual journey by sharing these posts. Superb!


Regards,
4 salute

#4071343 - 01/29/15 06:39 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thks for dropping these nice and friendly comments, always glad to hear people like reading about my adventure. smile

Last edited by corsaire31; 01/29/15 06:43 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.
#4071429 - 01/29/15 08:47 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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28 Jan 10:00 - The assistance plane arrives in Florianopolis

My two guys join up with an IFR flight straight over the sea at 6000 ft, with guidance from the XRO VOR and the NDB in Florianopolis.



They leave Santos airbase aroound 10:15 local with a good weather, only few clouds hang around 3000 ft. The northerly breeze is still there, blowing today at 13 knots.



While climbing they fly over Guaruja, and then it's on for a one and a half hour flight over the sea. The radio is tuned on Curitiba center which is doing the control.





After going down to 5000 ft to fly under a cloud front they met on the way, a quick look on the dashboard : the VOR signal on 117.80 is received, as well as the NDB on 350 khz. All needles are in the green and the cruising speed is stabilized at 165 knots.



The guidance is transferred to Florianopolis approach. They guide the plane to 2300 ft aligned with the 32 runway before handing them over to the tower. After a good landing, only thing left is to contact the ground control to taxi to the parking in front of the cargo terminal.





We have the whole afternoon left for my mechanic to prepare the Waco for the last flights to Buenos Aires.


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.
#4072201 - 01/31/15 11:11 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Away from the cockpit for a few days due to RL commitments, will be back to flying on Monday.

EDIT : caught a nasty cold during the weekend, won't be able to fly for two or three days frown

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/03/15 11:11 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.
#4077075 - 02/11/15 03:04 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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NB : I am sorry for this long stop due to an inexpected sickness of the pilot last week. Moreover, it was bright and sunny on Monday, so I couldn't resist, after so many days at home, to taking my cameras to the local natural reserve. A day outside was great to feel even better !

10 Feb 10:00 - Florianopolis - Porto Alegre

I'm back to flying with a rather long 220 nm stage from Florianopolis SBFL to Porto Alegre SBPA. There are some clouds at 3000ft, Porto Alegre is well inland and there are many hills on the direct path. I decide to make a flight plan along the coast to go around high ground. I take two airfields as waypoints and security, a small one in Laguna SSLA and a bigger one at Torres SBTR. The small town of Tramandal on the coast will be the landmark to turn to 290° towards Porto Alegre.



It is a little after 10:00 local when I leave Florianopolis airport with an average visibility and an 11 knots wind blowing from NNW, for a large turn above the water and a heading to 210°.



Once more, the coast is flat with a lot of nature and many lagoons separated from the sea by narrow parts of land.



It's not difficult to find my first waypoint, the small airfield in Laguna.



Staying around 2500 ft, I keep on following the coast with the same landscape under my eyes.



Then on the planned time, I fly over my second diverting airfield, the airport in Torres. The weather is still the same with clouds staying around 3000 ft.



As I fly over Tramandal, I turn right above the land. After contacting the tower of Salgado Filho international airport, I start flying over some quarters of the town. Visibility is getting worse but I soon spot the runway lights in front of me.



The tower asked me to make a downwind left hand to land on runway 11. This is when I get a welcome from a heavy tropical shower !



After landing I have to make a long taxi under the pouring rain to rejoin the parking I have been assigned by ground control.



It is 12:30, I only need to find a shelter for lunch, a situation for which I now have a good training ! Everything looks normal, I have found the rain again !

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/11/15 03:13 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.
#4077102 - 02/11/15 03:30 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Porto Alegre is the capital of the Rio Grande do Sul state, between the rio Guaíba and its many islands, and several morros (hills) covered with vegetation, and is made of 84 quarters. The town has many parks (nine large city parks) specially in the old quarters of Cidade Baixa. Its name means "The Happy Harbour".

It is the tenth largest town in Brasil with 1.5 million people. Built along the Rio Guaíba, or rather on the Jacui delta spreading over 210 km2, where the waters from several rivers (rios) meet (Jacuí, Sinos, Caí and Gravataí) into the lake Guaiba. (This lake opening on the sea it is also named "rio"). Its 30 islands separated by small bays and canals form the Jacui archipelago. Its ecosystem plays an important part in the survival of many bird and water species. Near where the Guaiba opens on the sea, in the Lagoa dos Patos, lies another protected area.

The creation process of Porto Alegre was done through the successive intallation of cattle breeders in the XIIIth century, portuguese immigrants from the Azores, african slaves, german, italian and polish immigrants (between 1820 and 1890)who took the land from the original indian populations. It is their different beliefs, legends, traditions and technologies which make the cultural mosaic of Porto Alegre in the XXIst century.


Last edited by corsaire31; 02/13/15 07:08 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.
#4077764 - 02/12/15 10:53 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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11 and 12 Feb - Stuck by the weather

The next stage is the last one in Brasil, before going into Uruguay : Porto Alegre - Pelotas, a rather short one( 1h15 )



Unfortunately, the weather has stopped me for two days.
Wednesday 11, heavy rain showers and a cloud ceiling close to the floor...
Thursday 12, the rain has stopped but the clouds hang at 1200 ft and we have some hills on the way. I make a short flight to the Rio Guaiba to see if it clears up, but it doesn't and I have to fly back to the airport.





We'll see how it is tomorrow...

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/12/15 10:56 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.
#4078188 - 02/13/15 06:05 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Florianopolis and Porto Alegre are really nice cities..

#4080515 - 02/18/15 03:32 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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17 Feb 10:00 - Last stage inside Brazil

After being stopped for a few days by bad weather ( heavy rains, low clouds ) it gets a little better and I try to get down to Pelotas. The weather is still not clear and the visibility is average. The cloud ceiling is around 2500 ft, so I reasonably decide to follow the coast of the Rio Guaiba going southwest. I think I will avoid problems in case of low clouds over hills inland. It is a little over 10:00 local when I take off from runway 11 in Porto Alegre.



I fly over the town for a while before reaching the Rio Guaiba where I will follow the northern coast.



Now I only need to fly down southwest keeping the coast in sight.





Then, as the visibility gets somewhat better, I take shortcuts inland.



I soon find my landmark, the small town of Sao Lourenço do Sul.



From there I take a 240° heading straight to Pelotas which is only some 30 nm away, where I easily find the airport.



I taxi to the parking, happy that I finally managed to fly this stage !



Now the Waco only needs to fly two more stages to Montevideo and Buenos Aires where I will pick up a new plane.



See : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelotas

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/19/15 02:41 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.
#4081750 - 02/21/15 02:48 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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A few days of nice sunny weather have sent me on a nature photography safari, far away from the cockpit. I'm discovering that life in retirement is very active...
Forecast around here for next week is about wind and rain, so I should be able to fly a lot more ! smile2

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/21/15 02:49 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.
#4082089 - 02/22/15 10:28 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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What will you use for the Andes crossing?


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4082166 - 02/22/15 03:25 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Stratos]  
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Originally Posted By: Stratos
What will you use for the Andes crossing?


When I left in September the plan was to use a Stinson Reliant SR8e (Golden Age Sim) with which I trained at the time. Since then, considering the length of the flights and the necessary ceiling for crossing the Andes ( and flying from Santiago to La Paz for the northern branch ) I have decided to use a Beechcraft D17 Staggerwing (Alabeo) which also corresponds to my wishes ( design from the 1930s, no autopilot ). Cruise speed is 176 knts and service ceiling is 25000ft.


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.
#4082269 - 02/22/15 08:01 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Beautiful choice. Would have liked a Potez 25 crossing tough.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4082414 - 02/23/15 02:27 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Stratos]  
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Originally Posted By: Stratos
Beautiful choice. Would have liked a Potez 25 crossing tough.


Some people I know had made it in FS9 with the original planes. I didn't find FSX planes of the time that would satisfy me ( Breguet XIV, Late 28, Potez 25 ) although I found some as freeware.

So I decided to re-fly the same routes in real time and real weather, with planes designed in the 1930s, flying VFR with map, compass and watch only (no GPS or electronic Navaids) and no autopilot. This is how close I felt I could get to the original flights.

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/23/15 02:29 AM.

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Flying in FSX/Air Hauler, Wings over Flanders Fields, Rise of Flight, IL2 1946 Hsfx, Condor soaring.
#4083403 - 02/24/15 09:33 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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23 Feb 10:30 - Uruguay Part 1

The next Aéropostale stage goes from Pelotas in Brazil to Montevideo in Uruguay. A quick look at the map shows me this is a long one. It would be almost a 3 hours flight, and also the necessary fuel added to the 200 lbs of mail and the 50 lbs luggage would exceed the MTOW. The decision is taken to make a pit stop in the middle in the little uruguyan town of Treinta y Tres. I choose as safety airfield Rio Branco which lies right after the border.



Weather is OK in Pelotas : an average visibility, some broken clouds at 3500ft, 81° F and 4 kts of wind from the south east. I take off from the dirt runway 15.



I fly over Pelotas town while climbing to 2500ft.



Visibility gets a bit better over agricultural land without much landmarks besides a few lakes.



I check I'm on track near the first airfield on my way at Arroyo Grande (SSAE).



I then decide to switch to IFR navigation ( I Follow the Road) !



This road takes me directly to the last brasilian town, Jaguarao, near the Rio with the same name which makes the border.



Once on the other side, as the visibility gets a little worse, I decide to follow the road again, flying lower.



It's not difficult to find the Treinta y Tres airfield, which lies at 405ft on the top of a small hill.



The program for the day is to go through necessary paperwork, put some fuel in and prepare the second part of the stage for tomorrow.



Treinta y Tres, gets its name from the 19th century heroes, the "33 Orientales" who established the independance of Uruguay. It is a small town of 25.000 people in this low population region bearing the same name.

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/24/15 09:40 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.
#4083607 - 02/25/15 08:13 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Aproaching Argentina now, get ready for some nasry weather in the Andes!


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4083649 - 02/25/15 11:23 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Well, the southern historical branch to Rio Gallegos / Punta Arenas is mostly along the coast, I will use the Stinson SR8.

Besides the historical track, once I finish in Punta Arenas, I want to fly down to Ushuaia and overfly Cabo de Hornos (I spent a lot of my life on sailing boats and my grandfather has been a professional sailor on the large 3 masts sailing boats going to Chile (Valparaiso) around Cape Horn) So there I will find the Patagonia mountains, nasty winds and bad weather...

Then the western historical branch will take me with the Staggerwing from Buenos Aires to Santiago and I will have to cross the Andes, probably paying a visit to the Laguna del Diamante where Henri Guillaumet had his accident.
From Santiago I will fly the northern branch to La Paz, which will be also full of Andes flying.

I would like to have it all finished by the end of southern hemisphere summer.

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/25/15 11:26 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.
#4083969 - 02/25/15 09:55 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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24 Feb 11:00 - Uruguay Part 2

The second part of the stage, from Treinta y Tres to Montevideo (see the plan in previous post), is a straight 130 nm line without any safety airfield in between.

The weather is so-so, as mist hampers the visibility (7.5 km). However the clouds are high (3800 ft) and there almost no wind. Without direct sunshine, temperature in down to 70° F. The land is flat and the forecast for arrival is good, so I decide to go and I take off a little after 11:00 local from Trenta y Tres.



Visibility is really average, but enough to see the ground while flying at 2500ft. Without any landmark, I have to keep my concentration with the compass.



After some twenty minutes, the mist vanishes and the clouds slowly disappear to leave us with a bright blue sky.



As we get closer to destination, flying above agricultural flat land, I start to see in the far the coast of the Montevideo bay.





Navigation was good and I make a direct approach on Carrasco International, the airport of the uruguyan capital.



Once landed, the ground control sends me parking in a remote part of the airport.



Next step is to cross the bay to Argentina.


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.
#4084107 - 02/26/15 07:34 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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I want to say that I really enjoy this reports, wish I had the time, knowledge and will to do something similar. In fact I'm wondering If you can explain to us how you navigate trough the world. Are you using only visual recon and the compass? A real map or Google Earth?

Last edited by Stratos; 02/26/15 07:43 AM.

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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4084195 - 02/26/15 01:34 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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I do it with pure VFR navigation, compass and watch, landmarks, roads ( this is why I need to have good weather and some visibility ). No GPS or electronic Navaids (VORs and NDBs), no autopilot. The same conditions as they had in the 1930s.

As map I use Plan G 3.1 (donationware for VFR navigation) on a second monitor (screenshots in the reports) of course not linked to FSX so my position doesn't show, and not displaying NDBs or VORs. For real time dynamic weather (updates every 5 minutes) I use FS Global Real Weather.

This is also why I added in the story the "assistance plane" with my virtual mechanics and spare parts on board, it lets me do some "relax" IFR flying using autopilot and all the Navaids, as I find interesting to compare both.

This adventure (and more to come... ) are long postponed projects, I waited to be in retirement to have the necessary time. On a flight day it is roughly two hours to prepare and fly. Add another 2 hours for processing the screenshots, find the documentation and write the reports in three different places ( french and english websites Pilote Virtuel, Mutley's Hangar and SimHQ ).

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/26/15 01:56 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.
#4085107 - 02/27/15 09:46 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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26 Feb 11:30 - The last flight of the Waco

After a day in Montevideo, it is time to take the Waco to the end of its adventure: Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina.

The flight plan today goes along the northern shore of the Montevideo bay to the safety airport Laguna de los Patos (SUCA), before crossing the bay to land in the northen suburbs of Buenos Aires on the San Fernando airport (SADF), for a one and a half hour flight. The weather is fine, although some storm clouds will force me to do some slalom and fly low.



The sky is clear when I take off from Montevideo.



During the climb I fly over part of the capital of Uruguay.



As I fly by the second airport (SUAA) in the west of Montevideo, I begin to notice the first storm clouds in front of me.



I am forced to fly out of my path towards the sea to go around them.



After flying one hour playing with the clouds, I fly close to Laguna de los Patos where I turn west to cross the bay.





As I close on San Fernando, the tower asks me to go around to land on runway 5.



Then it's a taxi to the parking, and the end of this adventure for the Waco. I have been flying with this plane since Morocco and I really felt by now "at home" inside.



Now I only need to wait for the assistance which will arrive tomorrow. We will use the week end to prepare and test the Stinson before going south towards Patagonia.

Last edited by corsaire31; 02/28/15 12:05 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.
#4086211 - 03/02/15 11:23 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thanks for the info. And looking forward to see your new plane in action.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4087175 - 03/03/15 09:21 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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28 Feb and 01 March - Getting ready in Buenos Aires

The assistance DC3 with the spares, tools, and mechanic arrived from Brazil at San Fernando airport in Buenos Aires on Friday.



During the weekend we prepared the Waco to be loaded inside a 40 ft container and shipped by sea back to Europe. We then inspected and tried out the plane which will take me to the south of the continent, a Stinson Reliant SR8E. My new desk is very different from the previous one...



The Stinson Reliant was designed in 1931 as a successor to the older Stinson Junior. The first types until the SR7 keep the original straight wings, which will be replaced on later variants by a gullwing shaped wing. 1327 airplanes were built until 1941 with the last variant SR10. A military version was built in 1942 and 1943 for the american and british air forces. ( a liaison model UC 81 and a training variant AT-19)

The variant I'm going to use, the SR8e is a five seater ( the mail will be carried on the back seats ) powered by a 320 HP Wright R-760-E23 radial piston engine. The Reliant was built in a time when the word Airplane was written with a big "A". The owners were people who liked to travel first class with all the comfort and the airplane was designed like a "summer home with wings". In fact I feel like I'm on the deck of a luxury speedboat with the wheels and all this varnished wood.

The good points : more room, more comfort. With a closed cockpit I will not fear anymore the rain which gave me some cold showers since the beginning of this adventure. Besides this the noise level is greatly reduced.

The bad points : the wheels for driving ( as I have a past of 25 years in combat flight sims, I always feel better with a stick in my hands... anyway, I installed the Saitek yoke again. ) and the small compass in the middle of the cockpit which will certainly make it more difficult to hold a heading. Visibility during taxi is also reduced, specially on the right due to the cockpit width.

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/03/15 09:29 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.
#4087484 - 03/04/15 02:09 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Beautiful cockpit. Pure classic look of the 30's!


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4087778 - 03/04/15 11:45 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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02 March 11:30 - First flight with the Stinson

From Buenos Aires, the next historical stop of the Aéropostale is Bahia Blanca on the atlantic coast. This is a long stage, and the weather being average, specially the visibility, I decide to make a stop in the middle at Olavarria (SAZF). For safety I put a waypoint over Saladillo (SA36) and I will use the airfield if things don't get any better.



After take off from San Fernando, I fly over a part of Buenos Aires as I take a south west heading towards Saladillo.



The visibility around 5 nm doesn't help me. Moreover, the landscape is flat and agricultural without any outstanding landmark. When I first tried the Stinson around Toulouse back in September, I had found practical, once at the good heading to find a far away landmark to guide me. As said yesterday, the place and size of the compass don't make things easy to follow a heading. Bad luck today, nothing very useful in the landscape, and I have to fly low because of the clouds, which also limits my horizon.



I'm glad to find here and there a water pond to guide me, but they are very few.



After some 45 minutes I haven't found the Saladillo airfield. I fly a large circle but in this kind of landscape and with the bad visibility I don't find it. For a moment I am tempted to fly back to San Fernando. I finally decide to trust my compass and watch navigation and I take a 200° heading, thinking that I still have enough fuel to get back to Buenos Aires where I can find many airports.



After some twenty minutes, I think I am close to the city of Tapalque but I can't find it either. This is when I find a railroad track going my way. I think a railroad track surely goes to the next town and I decide to follow it.



Good choice ! The railroad track takes me straight to the suburbs of Olavarria.



From there, I know the airport is east from the town so it's not difficult to find it.



I feel happy when I reach the parking. This is the first time since the Sahara desert when I had doubts on my navigation !



Let's hope the weather will be better for the second part !

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/05/15 01:50 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.
#4088288 - 03/06/15 12:38 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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03 March 10:45 - Olavarria to Bahia Blanca

The second part of this stage is a straight 143 nm line to the sea, roughly an hour of flight, with no airfield on the way. I'm glad the weather has been clearing up since yesterday and I am in a calm state of mind when I take off from Olavarria in the middle morning.



I'm also glad I can fly a little higher !



A little after the middle of the flight, I find as expected the small town of Coronel Pringles, which confirms me I am on track.



Another new thing today, some hills on the horizon break the monotony of the flat landscape.



As I get closer to my destination, some bad looking clouds force me to get down to fly under them.



Soon I have the town and harbour of Bahia Blanca in sight.



After radio contact with the tower, they send me to land on the secondary runway 24 which is in the wind. A little more work than with the Waco, I now have to look after prop pitch and flaps.



Then the ground control leads me to the civilian parking ( part of the airport is also a militaty base )



Tomorrow is a day off, I will go see if the beach is really white...



Information at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%ADa_Blanca

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/06/15 10:36 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.
#4088664 - 03/06/15 06:05 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Cool report!


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4088772 - 03/06/15 10:37 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Thanks ! Just realized I had left a sentence in French... corrected !


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.
#4089822 - 03/09/15 08:37 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Everything's OK?


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4089865 - 03/09/15 10:07 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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05 March 16:30 - Patagonia

My destination today is the entrance in Patagonia at San Antonio Oeste. As a proof of the past with the Aéropostale, the local airoport is named "Antoine de Saint Exupéry", who was the first to open solo the line from Buenos Aires to Rio Gallegos. It is a straight flight for an hour and a half for 184 nm, without any safety airfield in the middle, except if going north to Rio Colorado or south and Viedma.



I take off around 16:30 local with a good visibility, and some clouds around 2000 ft.



I climb above the town and harbour of Bahia Blanca.



The beginning of the flight is as before above an agricultural flat landscape...



... Until I cross the Rio Negro which gives its name to the province.



From there onwards, the landscape of the entrance into Patagonia looks more and more desert



In the meantime, the sun is quickly going down and I haven't found yet my destination.



I catch a glimpse of the sea on my left and I realize I have drifted a little north of my way, which is confirmed on the radio by the San Antonio tower. I turn south and soon find the airport.



And it's finally almost at sunset that the Stinson stops on the parking under the Argentina flag.



It was time to get there !



San Antonio Oeste is a port city in the province of Río Negro, and head of the department of San Antonio.

The town is bordered by its sister communities of San Antonio Este, to the east, and Las Grutas, to the southwest. Discovered by an expedition of the Spanish Empire in 1779, San Matías Gulf became the site of an outpost, San Antonio (so named in honor of St. Anthony of Padua). Water scarcity led the original settlement to fail in 1905, leading the community to settle west of the gulf, in what today is San Antonio Oeste.

The arrival of the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway in its expansion towards Bariloche in 1910 led to the hamlet's growth. It later became the site of Punta Verde, the leading port for the large wool export industry of Patagonia, though the collapse in the wool market during the 1930s and '40s led to the port's closure in 1944.

San Antonio Oeste benefited afterwards from a growth in tourism in nearby Las Grutas, a scenic cove known for its grottoes. Since 2000, it has also been home to a growing fishing industry, resulting from the opening of a deep-water port in San Antonio Este.

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/09/15 10:18 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.
#4089868 - 03/09/15 10:11 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Stratos]  
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Originally Posted By: Stratos
Everything's OK?


Everything is fine, I never fly on week ends and Friday was so beautiful that I spent the day on another of my hobbies, nature photography (and the evening working in "the lab" on my pictures.) smile

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/09/15 10:12 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.
#4090449 - 03/11/15 12:44 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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09 March 10:30 - Towards the Deep South

Today we start going down towards the deep south of Patagonia. This stage takes us from San Antonio Oeste SAVN to Trelew SAVT. My flight plan goes through Puerto Madryn and the El Tehuelche SAVY airport. The total distance is 146 nm so it's a flight a little over an hour.



I take off around 10:40 local with a nice weather, a good visibility and some clouds at 4000ft.



And here we go for a good half hour flying along the desert coast.



I try to watch on the way if I can spot some whales, but I won't see any...



The only village I will see on the coast, not far from Sierra Grande.



Finally after nearly an hour, I fly between the El Tehuelche airport...



... and the town of Puerto Madryn.



Fifteen minutes more and I am on approach towards the runway of Almirante Zar airport in Trelew. We can see on the left the civilian part of the airport and on the right the military base sharing the same runway.



A short stage without any problem, taking us closer to our final destination.


Last edited by corsaire31; 03/11/15 12:48 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.
#4090589 - 03/11/15 12:50 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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You use addon scenery for all those airifields and cities?


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4090943 - 03/12/15 01:04 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: Stratos]  
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Originally Posted By: Stratos
You use addon scenery for all those airifields and cities?


I'm flying with Scenery Tech landclass for South America, Ground Environment X South America/Asia (Flight 1)
All airfields and sceneries are freeware add-ons. Some are really good quality.

For Argentina I use this great freeware website : http://www.flightsimulatorarg.com.ar/index1.htm
These guys did a fantastic work !

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/12/15 01:07 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.
#4090946 - 03/12/15 01:22 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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10 March 10:45 - Trelew - Comodoro Rivadavia

Today's stage takes us in the Chubut province, the entry to South Patagonia, in Comodoro Rivadavia.
It's a straight 180nm flight with no safety airfield on the way.



I leaveTrelew (without any regrets...) with a nice weather, good visibility , high clouds (11.000ft) and a 12 knots breeze from the southwest.



I fly again over this dry and desert part of the country.



I find more and more clouds on the way, forcing me to fly lower. The wind blows more up to 25 knots from the west at my 2500ft altitude. It makes me drift a lot and I need to change my heading accordingly.



As I get around 50nm from arrival, I decide to make my life easier and to rejoin the coast for the end of the flight.



Soon I can spot in the distance the hills around Comodoro Rivadavia and I start seeing some human life on the coast.



As I get in touch with the tower on the radio, I learn I'm going to have to land with 27 to 35 knots of westerly wind ! Luckily it is almost facing the runway which lies at 250°.
I still get shaken around during the descent, and I have to apply some power to keep my approach speed.



Finally after landing without too much difficulty ( I imagine with some fear if the wind had been more across the runway ) I have problems with the taxi... With 30 knots of wind coming my way, the rear of the plane lifts up as soon as I accelerate and I loose my steering tail wheel ! I must taxi very slow to the parking using the separate wheel brakes on my Saitek rudder pedals.



No need to say it will be a good idea to tie down the plane for the night !

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/12/15 06:35 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.
#4091854 - 03/13/15 08:11 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Away from home for a few days ( nature photography as the first migrating birds have arrived from Africa ) Next flight on Monday 16 ... All readers have a good weekend ! smile2


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.
#4092632 - 03/16/15 09:14 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Will be here waiting for new reports.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4092949 - 03/16/15 10:43 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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16 March - Stopped by the weather

Friday afternoon, the DC3 arrived from Buenos Aires, and we did some maintenance on the Stinson during the week end.



Today Monday March 16th, the forecast is for a westerly wind 25 to 30 knots, with gusts up to 40 knots.
I wisely decide to wait until it calms down a bit.

In the meantime we'll go around town and the harbour...







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.
#4093311 - 03/17/15 09:23 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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17 March - Still blowing !

Observation in Comodoro Rivadavia : wind West - Northwest 21 knots with gusts at 33 knots... in Rio Gallegos : wind West 34 knots with gusts at 46 knots !

Another day in the bar at the local aeroclub ! We will wait until tomorrow with this thought :
" When the wind blows hard, some people build walls, others build windmills... "

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/17/15 09:27 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.
#4093488 - 03/18/15 10:11 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Waiting here too lol


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4094468 - 03/20/15 04:15 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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18 March 10:30 - Comodoro Rivadavia - Rio Gallegos (Part 1)

This is a long stage, so I decided to make a stop halfway in Puerto San Julian on Cap José D. Vasquez ( SAWJ ) airfield. A one hour and forty minutes flight above land to end again on the coast.



The wind is down to 7 knots from the northwest an the ground, 17 knots at my flight altitude of 2500 ft. The wind of the past two days has blown the clouds away and I take off from Comodoro Rivadavia under a bright blue sky. Visibility is good and temperature is 61° F.



After flying over the harbour during my climb, I follow the coast for a few miles.



Then I take my south heading over the pampa, before checking my course over the airfield near Caleta Olivia ( SA25 )



The Patagonia landscape is still desert, with a green spot of trees here and there.



As visibility gets worse, I follow for some time the national road nr 3.



Then, as we get closer to our destination, good visibility is back and we start to see some civilization.



I turn left to southeast and hit the coast to help for the arrival on Puerto San Julian, as we soon see the entrance to the bay.



The landing is a bit tricky, because of a 15 knots wind at 45° from the runway, but it all ends well...



Let's hope the weather will stay the same tomorrow for the second part of the stage. We are now close to the end of the Aeropostale line in Punta Arenas.



It was given its name by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan who arrived there on 31 March 1520 and overwintered in the harbour.

Fifty-eight years later Francis Drake reached the harbour, arriving on 15 June 1578 and also choosing to overwinter.

The settlement of Floridablanca, a short lived Spanish colony of approximately 150 people, was founded not far from San Julián in 1780 by King Charles III. It was abandoned by 1784, and its ruins were rediscovered during the 1980s.

The port continued in use, and the young naturalist Charles Darwin arrived with the Beagle survey expedition under captain Robert FitzRoy in January 1834.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, San Julián and the surrounding countryside (or "camp" as it was known in the argot of the day) was an important sheep-raising region, and the "Swift" company installed a frigorifico, or freezer plant complex, along the coast to the north of the city itself.

During the 1982 Falklands War, as San Julian is one of the nearest point to the islands, the city airfield was used by the Argentine Air Force. Two fighter squadrons, flying Daggers and A-4 Skyhawks, made 149 sorties against the British in the 45 days of operations.

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/20/15 04:18 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.
#4094653 - 03/20/15 09:45 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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The westerly wind is back between 30 and 45 knots across my path... Next try will be on Monday 23, fall will be there in the southern hemisphere, which is not really good news in southern Patagonia ! smile2

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/20/15 09:45 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.
#4096477 - 03/25/15 12:10 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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23 March 10:30 - Comodoro Rivadavia - Rio Gallegos (Part 2)

The wind has calmed down and I can fly to Rio Gallegos from Puerto San Julian. It's around 150 nm with a waypoint over the airfield in Puerto Santa Cruz (SAWU), which is roughly one hour and fifteen minutes.



I take off with an average visibility, broken clouds at 2500 ft and a southerly wind which is down to 6 knots on the ground, and around 15 knots at my flight altitude.



The beginning is simple, following the coast.



I easily find as planned the airfield in Puerto Santa Cruz, on the other side of a large bay.



Afterwards I fly over the pampa keeping an eye on the compass, with not many landmarks, until I hit the coast for the last part of the flight.



Following the coast, it's easy to find the mouth of the Rio Gallegos river. The low clouds are gone and the wind is down to 2 knots on the ground.



After radio contact with the tower, the control ask me to go for a backwind leg left hand to land on runway 7.
We can see while we fly by that there is here also a military base sharing the runway.



Landing is easy and I taxi to the parking at the other end of the airport.



Once stopped at the parking, I decide to take advantage of the very good weather. I'll be going for a quick lunch at the airport bar, buy some fuel and in the afternoon fly to the last stop of the Aéropostale southern branch, Punta Arenas in Chile. It's only one hour away.



The day is not finished...



Río Gallegos is the capital and largest settlement of the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz in Argentina. Located in the department of Guer Aike, it has a population of about 98,000. The city bears the name of the Gallegos River, and sits on its estuary 2,636 km (1,638 mi) south from the Argentinian federal capital Buenos Aires.

Established on 19 December 1885 to increase Argentine power over southern Patagonia, Río Gallegos became the capital of the then Territory of Santa Cruz in 1888, retaining its status when the territory became a province in 1957.

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/25/15 10:05 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.
#4096781 - 03/25/15 02:14 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Last stage and end of the AAR?


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4096824 - 03/25/15 03:32 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Last stage of the southern branch ... We will then fly back to Buenos Aires with the DC3 and take hold of a Beechcraft D17 Staggerwing for the last branch Buenos Aires - Santiago - La Paz which will be the end of the Aeropostale AAR.

Next adventure will use an amphibian plane from Cuzco in Peru ( probably a Cessna C185 Skywagon ) and go down the Amazon river to the Atlantic ocean, which will be a new AAR...

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/25/15 03:32 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.
#4096968 - 03/25/15 08:39 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Originally Posted By: corsaire31
Next adventure will use an amphibian plane from Cuzco in Peru ( probably a Cessna C185 Skywagon ) and go down the Amazon river to the Atlantic ocean, which will be a new AAR...


Now that will be something really interesting! Specially If you keep your style adding a bit of city history and pics.


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4096994 - 03/25/15 10:04 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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23 March 14:30 - Rio Gallegos - Punta Arenas

So after a refill for the plane and the pilot (and a short siesta...) the plan is to finish the job and fly to Punta Arenas in Chile, on the northern coast of the Strait of Magellan which links the Atlantic and the Pacific across the Tierra del Fuego. A short one hour flight for a hundred nautical miles.



As I take off, the wind is gone and calm, the visibility is good, the clouds are at 11.000 ft and temperature is 63° F. I have in the end the best weather in the region I was fearing the most !



In the few places where some trees can be seen, we can notice the first fall colors. Since clouds are high, I climb to 4500ft so I can see somewhat further.



I fly for a while the desert landscape of the Patagonia pampa, watching the compass.



Then I can spot in the far the waters of the Strait of Magellan.



After forty minutes I come over the Strait.



Then I fly over the water, and spot two ships going in opposed directions from one ocean to the other.



Since the wind on the ground is only 2 knots, I am allowed a straight approach on runway 25.



And here we are, at the end of the Aéropostale southern leg, on the Punta Arenas airport parking. Toulouse Lasbordes is far behind !



Now I have to wait for the DC3 with which we will fly back to Buenos Aires, for the last legs across the Andes mountains, Buenos Aires - Santiago - La Paz.

But before that, I still have one last thing to do for the adventure to be completed...





Punta Arenas (English: ~ "Sandy Point") is a commune and the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antartica Chilena. The city was officially renamed Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to Punta Arenas. It is the largest city south of the 46th parallel south. As of 1977 Punta Arenas has been one of only two free ports in Chile.

Located on the Brunswick Peninsula north of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas was originally established by the Chilean government in 1848 as a tiny penal colony to assert sovereignty over the Strait. During the remainder of the 1800s, Punta Arenas grew in size and importance due to the increasing maritime traffic and trade traveling to the west coasts of South and North America. This period of growth also resulted from the waves of immigrants attracted to the gold rush and sheep farming boom in the 1880s and early 1900s. The largest sheep company, controlling 10,000 square kilometres in Chile and Argentina, was based in Punta Arenas, and its owners lived there.

Since its founding Chile has used Punta Arenas as a base to defend its sovereignty claims in the southernmost part of South America.

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/29/15 12:00 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.
#4097004 - 03/25/15 10:29 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Congratulations man!!


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#4097623 - 03/26/15 11:21 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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24th March 10:00 - A little extra trip ... Part 1



As I finished yesterday the Aéropostale southern branch in Punta Arenas and the weather forecast is good, I think that having spent a lot of time on sailing boats and being grandson of a long distance professional sailor, it would be a shame not to take a day to go fly over Cape Horn.
The first part today is to fly down from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia, a 145 nm stage.



After taking off under a bright blue sky and climbing to the advised altitude (9500 ft), I go down the Magellan strait to the chilean airfield of Almirante Schroeders (SCDW). I leave the strait on my right and fly down the channel in front of me, leading to the Admiralty Sound.



Once over the Sound where there is some light mist on the water, I need to hop over the snowy summits on the right to the Beagle Channel and Ushuaia.





As I start descending towards the Beagle Channel, the town of Ushuaia and the international airport appear on my left.



I use the length of the Beagle Channel to finish my descent. I decided to avoid the international airport and land on the Aeroclub airfield, closer from the harbour and the town.



Once at the right altitude, I come back to approach the Aeroclub runway, perpendicular to the international airport.



And here we are on the parking near the Ushuaia harbour. Time to put some fuel in the plane and catch a quick lunch and a coffee, and I'll be on my way to Cape Horn !









Ushuaia is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. Ushuaia is located in a wide bay on the southern coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, bounded on the north by the Martial mountain range and on the south by the Beagle Channel. It is the only municipality in the Department of Ushuaia, which has an area of 9,390 km2 (3,625 sq mi).
Ushuaia has long been described as the southernmost city in the world. While there are settlements farther south, the only one of any notable size is Puerto Williams, a Chilean settlement of some 2,000 residents. As a center of population, commerce, and culture, and as a town of significant size and importance, Ushuaia however clearly qualifies as a city. A 1998 article in the newspaper Clarín reported that the designation "Southernmost city in the world" had been transferred to Puerto Williams by a joint committee from Argentina and Chile, but this was denied by Argentine authorities.


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.
#4098216 - 03/28/15 12:37 AM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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24th March 14:00 - A little extra trip ... Part 2

The lunch is quickly swallowed and I get some fuel in the plane. I'm still so surprised of my luck with the weather these two days in a place where there is so much rain and wind ! Like if I had to endure so much bad weather and fog on the way to "buy" me these days.

As I take off from the Ushuaia Aeroclub, the wind is calm, the few broken clouds are at 8000 ft, we have 61° F and a nice high pressure of 30.24 in.



I fly into the Murray Narrows, a strait which takes me to the Ponsonby Sound.



From there I enter the Nassau Bay and after flying along the Hardy Peninsula on my right, I can see the first islands of the Cabo de Hornos Natural Park : Grevy Island, then Baily Island and the Wollaston islands.



Then I leave on my right the Maxwell Point on Hermite Island.



And I finally discover the Horn Island, topped with clouds which make me go down to 1500 ft to fly underneath.



And here I am, flying in front of the legendary cliffs with such a calm and beautiful weather.



It's time to fly back to Ushuaia before I get in trouble with the clouds, as we can see them here as we fly around Deceit Island.



But in the end they are only topping the islands and with the good visibility on the way back I can have a look on a nice glacier inside Ponsonby Sound.



And here I am, flying back to the airfield with a thought for my grandfather who sailed there in real on large boats going to the bay of Valparaiso ( which I will surely overfly later ) and told me his stories when I was a young boy. Although I was lucky to travel a lot for my job, this is a part of the world where I've never been, but this virtual trip makes me want even more to go there in real as it is one of my old dreams...

Well, anyway, the DC3 should be here tomorrow to take me back to Buenos Aires !

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/28/15 12:39 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.
#4098551 - 03/28/15 11:53 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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25th March 12:30 - Cavalry has arrived !

After a quiet IFR flight at 9000ft with more good weather despite a few clouds, the assistance DC3 has arrived at the Ushuaia international airport (SAWH).











We can now fly back to Buenos Aires to take hold of and prepare the last plane of the Aéropostale adventure. Weather permitting, the start is scheduled for Monday 31st.


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.
#4098841 - 03/29/15 07:43 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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lovely scenery around Ponsonby Sound, great reports and flying!

#4099941 - 03/31/15 11:36 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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30th March 10:30 - Buenos Aires - Junin

We are back at theSan Fernando airport in Buenos Aires, where I get hold of my new ride, a Beechcraft D17 "Staggerwing".



The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative wing stagger (the lower wing is farther forward than the upper wing), that first flew in 1932.

At the height of the Great Depression, aircraft executive Walter H. Beech and airplane designer T. A. "Ted" Wells joined forces to collaborate on a project to produce a large, powerful, and fast cabin biplane built specifically for the business executive. The Beechcraft Model 17, popularly known as the "Staggerwing" was first flown on November 4, 1932. During its heyday it was used as an executive aircraft, much as the private jet is now.

The Model 17's unusual negative stagger wing configuration (the upper wing staggered behind the lower) and unique shape maximized pilot visibility while negligibly reducing interference between the wings. The fabric-covered fuselage was faired with wood formers and stringers over a welded, steel tube frame. Construction was complex and took many man-hours to complete. The Staggerwing's retractable conventional landing gear, uncommon at that time, combined with careful streamlining, light weight, and a powerful radial engine helped it perform well.

In the mid-1930s, Beech undertook a major redesign of the aircraft, to create the Model D17 Staggerwing. The D17 featured a lengthened fuselage that improved the aircraft's handling characteristics by increasing control leverage and the ailerons were relocated to the upper wings, eliminating interference with the flaps. Braking was improved with a foot-operated brake linked to the rudder pedals.

Here is my new office :



On the ground the visibility for taxiing is not a positive point with the backwards leaning and the big engine in front. Once in the air, it is a lot better.

The first flight today will be a short 50 minutes one to Junin, to test the aircraft.



I fly over the suburbs of Buenos Aires with a nice weather, the clouds are at 10.000 ft except for a few small ones hanging low, a light southwest wind and 64°F. What else could we ask for ?



The flight is over agricultural landscape in a huge plain. Compared to the Stinson and the Waco, the plane feels heavy but stable and easy to stabilize with the trim.



Although I drifted a bit north on the way, I spot Junin thanks to the lakes south of the town.



Once I am approaching on runway 18, I find again a retractable landing gear I have to lower and a 3 steps flaps command.



And here we are at the parking in Junin, after a nice training flight.



Tomorrow I'm heading to Villa Reynolds, then it will be Mendoza and the Andes !

Last edited by corsaire31; 03/31/15 11:42 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.
#4100676 - 04/02/15 01:21 PM Re: Aeropostale 2014 [Re: corsaire31]  
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Some fun ahead, isn't it?


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

sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
#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.

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.
#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]  
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,428
corsaire31 Offline
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corsaire31  Offline
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Toulouse, France
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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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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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]  
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corsaire31 Offline
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corsaire31  Offline
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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
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corsaire31 Offline
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corsaire31  Offline
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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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