by Bell206freak » Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:13 am
I currently have done a few long hauls, but these two both are challenging in their own rights.
One of my flight plans included a flight from KSHN Sanderson Field (Shelton, Washington) to S07 Bend Municipal, Bend Oregon using a waypoint touch-and-go at Cedars North (W58 ) in Battle Ground, WA. Before arriving in Bend, I deviated from the flight plan slightly to take in some Mt. St. Helens' steam blasts and then proceeded to W58 - and then just prior to arrival in Bend, I took in the sights of the Three Sisters volcanic chain and Mt. Bachelor. My flight plan also included a return flight to Shelton Sanderson Field.
After arriving in Bend, I refueled and then proceeded on the one-and-a-half hour flight back. Total time aloft was just short of four hours - all in gusty conditions and in inclement weather (all updated).
The challenging part is that I was flying the Bell JetRanger, which I wasn't use to flying in high winds, low visibility and driving rain, lol.
Another longhaul was a departure from Zwainz Farms (WA08) in Reardan, WA (a small strip in Eastern Washington), and a scheuled arrival in Shelton Sanderson in 1 hour and 58 minutes. There was no direct flight plan, and I decided to do some extended hover practice over the Grand Coulee Dam and over Mt. Rainier's Willis Wall on the north side. That ate some fuel (and extended my stay in the air) and by the time I crossed the Mason County line nearly 24 miles from Shelton, I was literally on a hope and a prayer that I'd make it to Sanderson in time. I think I had five seconds of flight left by the time I landed and shut down the helicopter. LOL.
Those are my two most challenging flights I've ever done.
Last edited by
Bell206freak on Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.