EQDC3: Last Leg, part 2
Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:14 pmAt the 3-hour mark, I've got Manaus ATC for flight Following. There's no traffic out here, though...
Soon things are getting ugly again, but it looks like I can stay between layers.
Let's see... would that be the Rio Trombetas? Not sure...
At around 1130, the Sao Gabriel VOR starts singing its song. I should be headed straight for it, but it's bearing nearly 30 degrees left at this distance. Must be well north of course... I dial in a course correction to follow the needle.
Hmmm... shouldn't be flying north of any mountains yet... that must be the Sierra Corupira range. Definitely a ways north of course, but I'm still making good time.
Soon the haze thickens below, and a low layer of cumulous builds. Doubt I'll spot the airport at Sao Gabriel when I fly over it...
The mountains soon fall behind; soon I will probably spy the Uapes River... it joins the Rio Negro right near Sao Gabriel.
Yep, there it is...no, I'm still east of Sao Gabriel according to the VHF receiver, so that must be the Negro. Seems I've just crossed the Equator...
Past Sao Gabriel, I find myself soaring through a narrow gap between layers. It's fairly smooth here...
Can't believe my luck in having a gap right at my cruise altitude- EQDC3 and I both hum merrily as the 8-hour mark passes, somewhere near the Colombian border.
Next: Approaching the mighty Andes!
Soon things are getting ugly again, but it looks like I can stay between layers.
Let's see... would that be the Rio Trombetas? Not sure...
At around 1130, the Sao Gabriel VOR starts singing its song. I should be headed straight for it, but it's bearing nearly 30 degrees left at this distance. Must be well north of course... I dial in a course correction to follow the needle.
Hmmm... shouldn't be flying north of any mountains yet... that must be the Sierra Corupira range. Definitely a ways north of course, but I'm still making good time.
Soon the haze thickens below, and a low layer of cumulous builds. Doubt I'll spot the airport at Sao Gabriel when I fly over it...
The mountains soon fall behind; soon I will probably spy the Uapes River... it joins the Rio Negro right near Sao Gabriel.
Yep, there it is...no, I'm still east of Sao Gabriel according to the VHF receiver, so that must be the Negro. Seems I've just crossed the Equator...
Past Sao Gabriel, I find myself soaring through a narrow gap between layers. It's fairly smooth here...
Can't believe my luck in having a gap right at my cruise altitude- EQDC3 and I both hum merrily as the 8-hour mark passes, somewhere near the Colombian border.
Next: Approaching the mighty Andes!