EQDC3: Leg 10, part 2
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:22 pmBetter weather as the day progresses.... but man, am I getting bored. It's been over 12 hours... not very tired, just bored. Water, water, everywhere...
Feeling lonesome again. Can't raise ATC, and the team Catalina is way ahead of me, having left a day prior to my departure. If I know Briggs and the gang, the whole advance crew is probably sitting in a bar in Natal, trying to hide their worry.
A break in the monotony: at the 15-hr. mark, I pick up the VOR at Noronha, a tiny island a few hundred miles east of the Brazilian coast. Once I'm abeam the archipelago, I'll have 1200 miles to go; about 9 1/2 hours without wind. If I have less than 940 gallons at that point, I'll have to plan for a stop somewhere short of Macapa- probably Fortaleza.
Almost 2 hrs later, the needle swings to 90 degrees left of my course. no DME, but at least now I know my longitude. I've got just over 970 gallons left, enough for over 11 hours at this indicated airspeed.I'm slightly ahead of schedule- might have a tailwind!
At around 1800 by the clock, the sun is getting ready to set. What is the deal with this, I wonder... local time should be almost 2 hrs earlier... sunset at 4 or 5 o'clock, on the equator?
Still haven't figured out what the deal is with this... sometimes I created a new flight for each leg; sometimes I saved after landing and continued... but the time seems off in the sim, no matter which method I use. Shouldn't the clock reset for local time if one creates a new flight, and remain set for the departure time zone if one saves and takes off again?
With more clouds ahead and darkness approaching, I file IFR again, this time with Recife.
Sunrise, sunset, as they say... another long night awaits, with another night approach... great.
Next: Part 3!
Feeling lonesome again. Can't raise ATC, and the team Catalina is way ahead of me, having left a day prior to my departure. If I know Briggs and the gang, the whole advance crew is probably sitting in a bar in Natal, trying to hide their worry.
A break in the monotony: at the 15-hr. mark, I pick up the VOR at Noronha, a tiny island a few hundred miles east of the Brazilian coast. Once I'm abeam the archipelago, I'll have 1200 miles to go; about 9 1/2 hours without wind. If I have less than 940 gallons at that point, I'll have to plan for a stop somewhere short of Macapa- probably Fortaleza.
Almost 2 hrs later, the needle swings to 90 degrees left of my course. no DME, but at least now I know my longitude. I've got just over 970 gallons left, enough for over 11 hours at this indicated airspeed.I'm slightly ahead of schedule- might have a tailwind!
At around 1800 by the clock, the sun is getting ready to set. What is the deal with this, I wonder... local time should be almost 2 hrs earlier... sunset at 4 or 5 o'clock, on the equator?
Still haven't figured out what the deal is with this... sometimes I created a new flight for each leg; sometimes I saved after landing and continued... but the time seems off in the sim, no matter which method I use. Shouldn't the clock reset for local time if one creates a new flight, and remain set for the departure time zone if one saves and takes off again?
With more clouds ahead and darkness approaching, I file IFR again, this time with Recife.
Sunrise, sunset, as they say... another long night awaits, with another night approach... great.
Next: Part 3!