EQDC3: Last Leg, part 1
Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:08 pmA few days later, I find myself about to take off for the last leg of the tour.In about 14 hours, I'll be back where I started, at Eloy Alfaro Int'l Airport in Marta, Ecuador...departure time is 0540 Macapa time, which means I will probably arrive at Marta after sunset. But I'm leery of making a long flight over the forests of Brazil at night...
It's not exactly daylight, but the twilight will provide sufficient light for an emergency landing here near the city.... I swing EQDC3 to the west.
The weather has not improved too much, but if I stay below 2000 for awhile, I can stay in the clear. Making a slow leisurely climb will save me some fuel, too- might need some extra when I reach the Andes.
Things are looking good as I cross the Amazon delta.
The dark clouds overhead are smothering the dawn a little, and now I've got a pretty thick haze below as well. Maybe I should have gone earlier in the night after all...
I get a call on the private frequency from the advance crew, who've flown ahead a few hours earlier, following the Amazon to Manaus.
"Looks pretty clear over here over the Jaru", I'm told," You should be able to climb a bit and stay VFR".
Sure enough, as the sky brightens, I see more and more gaps in the deck above.
And as I cross the Rio Jaru at about the one-hour mark, I see scattered puffers against a deep blue sky. the haze has cleared, revealing the beauty of Brazil.
I'm a little surprised to see rock outcroppings around here... thought it was mostly flat. I slowly ease the DC3 up to 9000, to improve my forced-landing options and my fuel burn.
About 20 minutes later, I cross the Rio Paru. If I'm on course, I'm making pretty good time...
A little turbulence as I press on, but not too bad. Climbing much higher won't really do me much good... so I ride it out, letting the AP sweat the bumps.
Next: Part 2!
It's not exactly daylight, but the twilight will provide sufficient light for an emergency landing here near the city.... I swing EQDC3 to the west.
The weather has not improved too much, but if I stay below 2000 for awhile, I can stay in the clear. Making a slow leisurely climb will save me some fuel, too- might need some extra when I reach the Andes.
Things are looking good as I cross the Amazon delta.
The dark clouds overhead are smothering the dawn a little, and now I've got a pretty thick haze below as well. Maybe I should have gone earlier in the night after all...
I get a call on the private frequency from the advance crew, who've flown ahead a few hours earlier, following the Amazon to Manaus.
"Looks pretty clear over here over the Jaru", I'm told," You should be able to climb a bit and stay VFR".
Sure enough, as the sky brightens, I see more and more gaps in the deck above.
And as I cross the Rio Jaru at about the one-hour mark, I see scattered puffers against a deep blue sky. the haze has cleared, revealing the beauty of Brazil.
I'm a little surprised to see rock outcroppings around here... thought it was mostly flat. I slowly ease the DC3 up to 9000, to improve my forced-landing options and my fuel burn.
About 20 minutes later, I cross the Rio Paru. If I'm on course, I'm making pretty good time...
A little turbulence as I press on, but not too bad. Climbing much higher won't really do me much good... so I ride it out, letting the AP sweat the bumps.
Next: Part 2!