Pole to pole!

[Staiduk]

'Allo all!

A few weeks ago I put up a post announcing my intentions to fly a DC-3 from pole to pole - or rather; from Alert Station on Baffin Island to McMurdo Station; Antarctica - the two airfields closest to the poles.

Uning modern technology; (i.e. the GPS and other electronic aids) it'd be simple; just time-consuming. So; I set my rules thus:

1) No GPS - I went into the 'Panel' file and disabled it. Navigation would be strictly by the ground.

2) I can only use resources available within the sim. I.e. no in-flight refuelling. Also; everything I need will be carried with me; IOW spare parts (to effect virtual repairs if virtually needed); survival gear (esp. for the polar regions); supplies will be estimated by weight and added to the payload.

3)Since the range of the DC-3 is not sufficient to make it from Cape Horn to the South Pole and back; I also carry 2000lb. of fuel in 45gal. drums. If I need to use it; I have to land and manually pump it in - IOW; take it from the payload and add it to the fuel tanks at a rate of 500lb./hr.

4) If the aircraft becomes stranded (i.e. engine failure); I can fly a rescue mission from the nearest airbase or major airport with a C-130. If for whatever reason the rescue craft can't reach the DC-3; it'll land in the nearest available spot; let the pilot (me) hike out and abandon the flight.

For realism I've got the following settings:
Full realism; full autogen enabled.
Failures set to random; 1-600min. for all headings. Which means I'd better not fly for more than 10 hrs. or I'm in big poo-poo.

Anyhoo; I think you get the idea - on to the pics.

Day 1: Alert Station (CYLT), Baffin Island, Nunavut. The highest military post on Earth. Canadian military personnel spending six-month postings there spend almost the entire time underground; it's one of the lonliest spots on Earth.
We brought Douglas DC-3 C-GAQV to Alert a couple of weeks earlier; and spent the time fitting her for the cold and loading the crucial gear and reserve fuel. While there; I also went on a flight via C-130 to the geographic North Pole to collect a small jar of water (snow) to pour out at the South pole if I ever get there.
Since we're in the morning of the 6 month day; I don't have night to worry about so I can choose to take off at any time. I decide to takeoff at 6:00; taking advantage of a last dinner at Alert's excellent kitchen.
At 5:40; the DC-3 is prepped, loaded and ready to go. I took this pic during a last walk-around before startup:

[Staiduk]

Takeoff went easy; I steered 060 for the North Sea; my first destination was a short hop (400 mi.) to Thule AFB, Greenland.
While in the air; I took a few shots of the incredible majesty and desolation of the Canadian North.




Following the west coast of Greenland; I found Thule easily despite the unreliability of the compass.
A quick refuel; then planning for the next leg - perhaps the riskiest part - getting to Puvirnituq, Nunavut (cypx). It's the longest flight I'll face before reaching Cape Horn and with visual navigation only; the results are far from certain.

[Staiduk]

Puvirnituq, Nunavut was a nailbiter - I almost got lost following the wrong island - the map at these latitudes is horribly distorted. I landed at Pond Inlet (CYIO) to refuel using the onboard reserves; then after a quick meal of canned stew took off again for Puvirnituq.
Even with the extra gas; it was close - I landed with 14 gallons of fuel in the tanks! On the way; we travelled from permanent ice pack into Arctic tundra. I took a quick shot - couldn't risk more; the air was quite rocky and required a firm hand on the controls.


I've been here in real-life once a few years ago. This is really what it looks like - the feeling of hugeness is overwhelming. Only the big sky of Alberta gives a greater impression of space; but out here; you're really alone; no-one else around for hundreds of miles. It's lovely and breathtaking - beautiful and deadly.

[Airborn511]

This is just too good,when can we expect more......
Air

[atotti2000]

Air is right. Im loving this, cant wait until the next part  ;D

[propnut]

Fantastic Staiduk, keep it coming. Great shots and great adventure.

Clear skies,
Paul

[ozzy72]

I'll be following this adventure with interest

[tsunami_KNUW]

Great shots and story! This trip is awesome! Be careful now ya hear  ;D

[SideWinder9]

cool. I shall follow this story!

[lemoncat]

exellent stuff.....next please

[Staiduk]

Thanks!

Anyhoo; on with it:

Day 3:
After refuelling the plane and refilling the drums; we took off and headed down the eastern shore of Hudson's Bay.
Navigation is pretty simple here; it's almost impossible to get lost. All you have to do is keep all the water on the right hand side of the plane and you're heading in the right direction. Follow it until the shoreline turns north; then look down - you've just found my next stop; Moosonee.
Still; Hudson's Bay is one bloody huge body of water; it takes a long time to reach the southern tip.
Turbulence remained heavy so there wasn't much time for taking happy-snaps; but I managed to grab a quick shot as we approached the southern reaches of the tundra and the start of the taiga; or sub-arctic coniferous forest.


By now; we've come far enough south that nighttime begins to reassert itself; albeit briefly. After putting down for a short spell in Umiujaq (CYMU); I continued on to Moosonee; refuelled and shut down for the night; enjoying a well-earned sleep.

Day 4:
Took off while it was still dark into heavy groundfog. Now; without major landmarks to go by I switch to dead-reckoning navigation; complicated somewhat by an 18kt. crosswind. No matter; it's still pretty hard to get lost; keep heading about 190 and you'll eventually hit either Georgian Bay or Lake Ontario a few hours later. I was aiming for North Bay, Ontario as a waypoint. Either I'm a better navigator than I thought (and I'm pretty good in real life) or I got real lucky; 'cause the North Bay airfield drifted nicely under my right wing; 5 miles westward.
Now we're in an area I have real-life charts for; so I can relax navigation-wise.
During the flight; I was intercepted by a CF-18 out of Bagotville, Quebec; a routine flyby. The pilot had a digital camera with him and was quite happy to take a shot of my aircraft; he sent a copy to my FBO at Kitchener via E-mail; it was waiting for me when I got there. Here it is:



LOL - great shot, innit?  ;D

[Staiduk]

During this leg; I hit one of the oddities in FS9; changing scenery regions.

By the time I reached North Bay; it was getting pretty light. I continued on south towards Lake Ontario and the city of Toronto. Didn't really need to fly over Toronto since it's out of the way of my destination; Kitchener (CYKF) - my home airport - but I wanted to get a shot of it. Just as Totonto came into view however; I changed scenery regions and was plunged back into early dawn again.
Fine by me - made for an excellent shot; this one taken from the CFRB Radio's traffic aircraft (a Piper Seminole)who flew with me over the Gardiner Expressway. He sent me the shot as well - here it is:



Now; just a short hop to Kitchener; 20 minutes out.

AND, of course, disaster struck.

Thanks to the vagaries of the real weather updating itself every 15 minutes; just as I was passing over Mississagua; the ground went away and I got plunged into whiteout conditions. Complete IFR over the entire southern Ontario region.

Ohhhhh; great.

[tsunami_KNUW]

That shot of the Toronto fly-by is awesome! This is definatley the best part of the trip that I have seen so far. You seem to be going down pretty fast, how long have you flown?  ;D

[jrpilot]

Those are some great shoots

[atotti2000]

very very nice.
keep us updated.