Oh well; it's good practice anyway. After overflying Bosnia; I continued down the Agean coast. By this time; I was really getting concerned about fuel - without the benefit of winds; a target outside operating range anyway; and a failed attempt at maximum speed flight; I'd wound up burning too much fuel during the trip - I'd have to land and refuel. The problem is where? There's plenty of airfields; the trouble is looking for one that I wouldn't have to divert to get to. The best option was Crete; which I'd be overflying.
Unlike Nav; I'd isolated the reserve tank and run strictly from the main tanks; it seemed to give the aircraft somewhat better control - at least it controlled the porpising somewhat. By the time I landed at Crete (at the international airport with the world's longest name!!!! - sheesh I thought airfields in South America were hard to pronounce!
) I was down to fumes in the mains.Taxiing the Comet when full of fuel is tricky - taxiing an empty Comet with gusty winds is a nightmare. No matter; I filled up; taxiied out and headed out over the Med.
Over the Med.By this time; I was certain my one-stop strategy had turned out to be the wrong one, I wouldn't make 9 hours. A rough guess on the scratch pad told me I'd arrive - assuming a direct flight - at around 9 hours 35 min.
The sky remained clear until I hit the coast of Africa. Unfortunately; that didn't last.
Ummm - what ground?I continued on course; hoping to see the Nile and use it as a reference. Fortunately the visibility lifted enough I was able to get a good reference on the river; along with the particular bend to the West I was looking for.
Finally - the Nile! With the as-yet-unseen Cairo Intl. dead off the nose.I passed the Nile and put the nose over - finally with a tailwind for the first time - burning altitude for speed. I crossed the tower at 17:39:58; making a total flight time of 9 hours; 40 minutes.
Crossing the tower.
Final time - 9hrs, 40 min.
On approach into Cairo.
Touchdown in the deepening night.Overall; though I came in second it was a great race; fun to fly and challenging navigation. If it wasn't for burning too much fuel and having to land early; I think Nav and I would have been almost neck-and-neck; his better strategy won the day this time.
Congrats, Nav!!
