KPH-MMPR Leg in the books…It was a very tame flight, weather was perfect.
Climbing out of Phoenix:
Downing some coffee while we cruise over Mexico:
Descending into Puerto Vallarta Airport:
Aircraft shutdown, time to sample the local establishments!
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FSX.exe has stop…
FSXhastoppedworking.exe has stopp…
FSXhasstoppedworkinghastoppedworking.exe has stop…
FSXhasstoppedworkinghasstoppedworkinghasstoppedworking.exe has stopp…
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sip
Yep, that’s coffee alright.
A clunky noise is heard as I put my mug down on the center pedestal(That’s what MX things radiostacks are for Deal With It). It’s a slightly damp and foggy day in Cali, which combined with the lack of motion in the outside air makes for a very uncomfortable experience in the party-jet.
Not being a inhumane form of non-legitimized offspring I opt for kicking in the ground power and airco. Soon enough I’ve got the INS zipping to life as it desperate yearns for a location fix. Wich, in my grace and fortune decide to allow. I really am a man of the people.
Another switch here and there and air starts blowing through the starter valve’s. Add in a little fuel and ignition and you’ve got yourself a functioning gasturbine!
“It’s not bloody rocketscience”, I grumble to myself as I think back to that weird F-14 driver.
Plug in the numbers and the results will be good!
After coercing the local controller to let me take-off with all my extra goodies(customs made a fuss… bugger me with a fishfork…) and we are climbing away, that means PARTY TIMEEEE!
As my trusty crew of scientists settle in into the optimum vodka consumption position I settle myself in the comfy chair and enjoy mount whatever on the left.
The charts tell me it’s called Nevado Del Huila. I like my name better and briefly consider starting a petition for change. Surely my grace and goodness has made word reach far beyond the horizon?
Hmm, Altitude alerter set, INS set, once I hear the chime all I need to do is move throttle levers back with my foot a little. Not a bad way to sleep I’d say! Onwards trusty Metallic Steed of Enjoyment and Inebriation!
EDIT: Vanity shot
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Antarctic Stop 3: AT10 Fossil Bluff Skyway
Departing EGAR Rothera Research Station for the next stop on our tour, Alexander Island and the British Antarctic Survey station called Fossil Bluff…
A moment of panic seized the crew when we encountered the sudden end to the channel!? Google Maps did not represent the channel’s change of state. However, X-Plane (and OpenStreetMap) did. Not a problem since we were up here and it was down there, so we carry on…
A while later, we spy and overly our next goal, AT10…
The lack of ground references creates an abundance of puckerage for all who witness these “skyway” landings. But we get the 'tross stopped soon enough.
Besides the runway, this is all the visual reward that you get with this default X-Plane airport. Nevertheless, we leave an ammo can full of sweets for the blokes nearby to pickup at their leisure.
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Antarctic Stop 4: AT24 Sky Blu
Just as we left AT10, our first snowfall occurred so the de-icing systems got put to work…
Near an hour into the flight, X-Plane ran out of scenery (or more accurately, out of the scenery added by maps2xplane’s Antarctica Part 1 package)…
To which we all responded in unison: “We don’t need no stinkin’ scenery!”
Dropping down to sea level, we approach AT24 Sky Blu and its supposedly sturdy “blue ice” runway…
Touched down at the desired spot and all was going swell until yours truly pulled the throttles back for reverse-pitch …and nothing happened. The brakes and the twenty toes pressed upon their actuators did their best, but the ol’ Albatross wanted to get her feet wet…
A bit of WD-40 got the reverse-pitch issue resolved in no time. Another ammo can was deposited for the locals, and we were off again.
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I dont know which flight no. this is already, but I am going to explore the wast plains of desert now (like if every part of the FSX globe doesnt looks like desert) 
Leaving Port Said. Speeding up! (hint: it is obvious from the shape of the window 
)
SHIPS! Watching the traffic on the Sues Canal
Finally over desert. To be really honest this desert looks little bit different compared to the desert in Canada (not much 
)
This was long flight. But not long enough to fit into the plan again. This time I counted that the winds from N will help me. They did but anyway I had to change the final destination. But to be honest I really have no clue how to operate turbo prop engines, so I probably waste too much fuel running on wrong settings.
Sunset was nice.
Searching for some nice approach charts I came across nice site, IVAO - Sudan Division, with plenty of nice charts and quickviews.
Destination Sudan, after ILS approach to Khartoum HSSS. Nice live airport
“Its a long way to … Antarctica, its a long way to go…”
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- it’s never fun when the map doesn’t match what you see out the window…! (I’ve had that feeling in real life a time or two…LOL…)
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We might need a KC-135 full of vodka to top you off prior to reaching Antarctica…!
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I know one just became available.
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I’m like a pirate, plundering the airfields I land at!
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Reminds me of when I was a cargo pilot. No bowl of complimentary candy was safe.
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If I didn’t know better I would say you are in maintenance but alas! The spirit of the wrench is strong in you!
Like a wall from the mist the mountain ranges come into view again. impressive vistas to be fair.
EDIT: I am at FL330… What a view!
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That’s beautiful mesh there. I do plan on crossing them…I have a little side project brewing…
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BEEP BEEP BEEP WHOOP WHOOP TERRAIN TERRAIN
The sudden onset of GPWS(hah, no E, what do you think this is, a modern compliant aircraft?! Pffffft) sounds and rattles have me lurch forward, knock my head against the overhead, and come to the sudden realisation that my alarm clock really should not be used during the flight.
Oh well, as knock on the head and a knock in the head. There’s a nice symmetry of karma or some other mumbo jumbo in there.
Fortunately the CIVA INS has done a splendid job of navigating us through the Andes, bringing us out on the Pacific side of things. As it turns out, muting all the radio frequencies did me no harm today. Perhaps, one day I will find a vigilante controller that has no patient for my shenanigans, but not today comrades!
I wake up to the beautiful sight of fluffy clouds dotting the high moutains. The aircraft has burned through such an amount of fuel that it feels much lighter and has consequently sped up nicely during the flight. This makes me happy till no end for reasons that can only be explained by a kerosine-fumed up cockpit.
Slightly high on fumes and Vodka I set in the decent along the coast. Overflying the next destination and making a arc over the ocean, shaking up any party-goer in the back that has not opted to strap itself in for Snark’s Wild Adventure Ride™, as ratches and bolts sear through the back(okay I might have left my toolbox unlocked… what gives? STOP JUDGING ME).
A swift deployment of flaps and landing gear with a smashing left hand turn brings me in line with the runway.
knock… thud… OUCH
A few muffled screams later, confirming my suspicion that my breaker bar has indeed left it’s comfy foam covered cradle and has taken up it’s life long dream of flight, and we are heading towards a wonderful landing.
For a wild few moments I balance the whole aluminium contraption on the backwheels before slowly lowering the nose and coercing the ol’ engines into showing some thrust on reverse action and we make the next taxi-way. What is left of my sanity(all those worries about my expensive toolbox…) and my aircraft are taxing to the gate…
Well, just a parking with a view. But what a view?!
The Party Jet is in Peru! The scientist have quickly sough refuge in the nearest triage station. Not to fix up their comrades but to booze up and find a place to sleep for the night, as I’ll be cleaning up this tool-laden aircraft. Because, tool checks are important in keeping your work environment safe, and efficient!
Also, someone with a broken engine might come in and I may not feel obliged to go with a cheap rate for my services!
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