As the saying goes: after rain, sun follows! So here! Everything is ready for
GAAR 2018 leg three, further north to Mudgee. A short hop and it is a region which I know personally! 1998 from Alice Springs to Sydney via the Blue Mountains by a motorhome!
Fire up the engines!
Well, all is tidy, and I’am..
.. on my way for runway 23 grass! During right turn, I noticed that the right wheel brake is not responding! The same on the left wheel brake. I’ll checked the Hydraulic-table and found that the Hydraulic pressure shows ZERO and the Hydraulic valve CLOSED! Even the Hydraulic pump was OFF!
I switched the pump to MAIN, then AUX and back to MAIN, still no result. Go? or no go? That is the question!
I go!! During take-off-run the aircraft veered to the left, so I reduced power on the right engine and pushing the elevator rudder a bit to lift the tail to control the axis by right rudder.. eh, you should have seen my departure…
Once safely airborn I tried to retract the gear – again, no response ! Back to the Hydraulic-table, switched the valve to OPEN… a rumble from below.. gear is travelling in and the lights goes off!!
Hooray!
In spite of it all – I go on and climbing up to 4500ft on course.
Looks all good to me – even the landing gear and system hydraulic pressure are showing normal figures.. Well, I think Bob can tell me what went wrong!!
On my way inbound to Cootamundra NDB. The area here is a quiet prosperous agricultural region.
The Ulandra Nature Reserve to my right, is a protected nature reserve and contains different types of trees and birds.
Appoaching my first turning point Cootamundra NDB with the city in the back.
Near Young NDB
The city of Cowra
The area of Panuara - active gold mines around here!
And the city of Orange!
The superb valley of the Maquarie River. One of the main inland rivers in NSW.
Near Hill End!
Hill End owes its existence to the New South Wales gold rush of the 1850s, and at its peak in the early 1870s it had a population estimated at 8,000 served by two newspapers, five banks, eight churches and twenty-eight pubs. In those days, a lucky guy found the largest gold specimen ever! 1.5m long, weighing 290kg with an estimated gold content of 93kg
.
It’s time to think about my Hydraulic-System and landing.. Right downwind for runway 22 Grass.
Turning into a longer final then usual to lower the gear for flap-speed. Guess what ! Gear is not lowering…! Pulling the aircraft up to reduce for flap-speed.. Guess what! Flaps are not travelling..!
Back to the Hydraulic-table, switched the valve to CLOSE and OPEN… a rumble from below.. gear is travelling but no flaps!!
Something is fishy and my good target-time so far - in the basement.
At least I have something to land on..
.. but my approach-speed is simply wide of the mark!
The gear remain stable.. but no brakes!!
I have arrived.. Slow taxi and steering with different power- and rudder-settings..
.. I reached my goal and JazzThom, I’m sure, is crackin’ up!
I think a technical aircraft screening is essential!
Ahh!! What do I see? Fresh Lobster from the Grill? I think I will order two!!
First and foremost we need a nice and cold survival drink after the worries today!! Thom looks like to be thirsty too!! Le't go!!
Happy BBQ to all!!
Cheers