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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 12, 2020 22:01:48 GMT
Touchdown
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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 12, 2020 22:03:49 GMT
Parked at YBAS
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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 12, 2020 22:13:13 GMT
So I was parked by a hanger, wondering what to do next. Then I got a call from a long lost friend who had moved to OZ years ago. He told to meet him at the ramp off the departure end of 17. I taxied over there and met my friend. After an emotional meeting, he gestured over his shoulder and said "The wheels and wings are yours to use while you are here!". So I may tarry a while if Allan will be a little lax with a late PIREP. Allen
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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 12, 2020 22:43:11 GMT
Actually, in real life I did have a friend, Tom Craig, who later moved to OZ, NSW. In the early 1970s my wife and I were living in Torrance, CA. I had an eight inch in my back yard and in those days one could still see the Milky Way on a clear night. I was very interested in observing variable stars. I was a member of the LA Astronomical Society, where I met Tom. He worked at the Mount Wilson Observatory on the Solar Telescope. One weekend Gisela and I visited Tom and Mary on Mt. Wilson. Tom and I spent most of Saturday night poking around the really dark sky with his 6 inch telescope. We could see stars down to 14th magnitude. What a night! In the late 1970s we moved to Orange County in CA. There was a bright street light in front of our house, our boys were growing up, I lost interest in Astronomy and lost contact with Tom. At that time smog and light pollution were a big problem in LA. Tom hated Mercury Vapor street lights with a passion. Later, I found out, Tom and Mary moved to NSW. I think he went to work at an Observatory there. In my last contact with Mary a few years ago, she said that Tom had had a stroke. By now he has probably moved on to that Universal Observatory. Allen
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Post by roggeberg22 on Mar 13, 2020 19:37:40 GMT
Hi Allen, My guess is that your friend has rented the wheels and wings with a company called "Instant Scenery" , recommended by a famous Swiss GAAR pilot. Nice shot. Here is my story.
No tower, so you have to be sure yourself that you can safely taxi onto the runway. Departure from runway 12, so it was a long taxi. Straight out, leaving Yuendumu quickly behind. Straight out means no departure procedure and thus gaining about 3.5 minutes on the schedule. So I slowed down to around 110 knots ground speed, which is quite slow.
Lake Lewis. It is normally a salt lake, but during periods of heavy rain the lake can grow beyond its usual size and become a "real" lake. Seems to be the case in P3D. Slowly flying towards the mountainrange called the MacDonnell Ranges. And called Tjoritja by the indigenous people. The ranges go on to Alice Springs and we must cross them.
A few miles before Top of Descent. The darker patch on the left is already a part of Alice Springs. The airport YBAS of Alice Springs with runway 12 in sight, a part of Alice Springs and the Todd River. Well, normally Todd River is dry, but at times water may be flowing in the riverbed. In order to land as good as I possibly can on my target time I never fly a straight in, but always fly a procedure. Here I am on downwind with a view on YBAS. Turning to the runway. "Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream". For GAAR pilots this could change to "Float, float, float your plane gently down the runway". A long runway, like this one with a length of 2439 meters, gives some room to bring the actual time closer to the target time. If you are a little early, that is.
Taxiing to the GAAR_2020 parking.
Kind regards, Luuk
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Post by uhug on Mar 13, 2020 19:38:16 GMT
Sightseeing flight to the crater "Gosses Bluff" Day off in Alice! Why not a little sightseeing flight?! With coffee stop in Hermannsburg? The idea would be to visit the "Gosses Bluff"! About 180km west of Alice Springs. It is thought to be the eroded remnant of an impact crater. Known as Tnorala to the Western Arrente people of the surrounding region. A sacred place. Thom is pilot in command and I sit comfortably in the next seat! Armed with a camera! See you later! We fly west along the MacDonnell Ranges! At numerous points, the mountain ranges are cut through deeply incised and in some cases only a few meters wide incisions, the most famous of which include Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Serpentine Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge. Hermannsburg is an Aboriginal community about 120 kilometers west of Alice Springs in the MacDonnell Ranges on the Finke River in the Northern Territory in Australia with around 700 inhabitants. Aboriginal people call the place Ntaria. And then he shows up.. Scientists believe that around 142.5 million years ago an object from space, believed to be a comet about 600m wide, crashed to earth, blasting a crater roughly 20km across. Today’s land surface is about 2km lower than the original impact surface and the bluff is about 5km in diameter, reduced over time by erosion.
Good thing we weren't here then. Imagine! Quite impressive! What a bang! Our goal is the small airfield Hermannsburg! Thom has it under control.. Wow.. A little break is good! Back to Alice Springs! Precise! This is the very old part of Alice Springs Airfield, around 1940! Thom's landing! Straight to the parking lot.. .. and park directly in front of the Aero Club building. With a pup!
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Post by jazzthom on Mar 13, 2020 19:44:08 GMT
this tour was so impressive,...I will fly this on my next leg once more.... !!!!!!
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Post by capflyer on Mar 13, 2020 23:05:36 GMT
Just landed in Alice Springs on Leg 5! What a beautiful morning hop it was too. Wanted to get started early because we are expecting it to be pretty warm and the terrain near the airport makes for some interesting turbulence during the day at times. As such, we got everything setup, started up, and headed out. As the sun rose ahead of us, the beautiful colors began to show. Soon, we began seeing some of the ridges that dominate the horizon around Alice Springs. And then the city itself. We turned a little south to join the left downwind for runway 30 so we could get a better angle crossing the ridges. A good look at the airport as we joined downwind. And a look back over my shoulder at the city and the break in the ridges that gives access to the airport. After an uneventful landing and taxi in, we parked on the GA ramp and put the plane away for the day. We are really getting into the "meat" of the rally now with us moving into the much more diverse terrain and flora of South Central Australia. Looking forward to the next leg!
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Post by uhug on Mar 13, 2020 23:42:18 GMT
Flight #6 Alice Springs to Connelan Airport (also Ayers Rock)Oha, the GAAR management has to do! Bad weather is announced. Thom is already on the way.. and if he has problems somewhere, he will come back! Has an ILS here! I try my luck ! With a friendly smile on my face, I say thank you and goodbye. Every time I was somewhere, I ask myself: "Will I come back here again?" Maybe.. Yes now, concentration! Checked! Here we fly away! Cheers Alice.. 7000 feet and you see nothing.. too bad! Radio contact with Connelan Airport.. expect Radar approach runway 31 descent 3000 feet.. report reaching..
.. now it goes straight down to the nitty-gritty! Miracles are happening from time to time! Not the most beautiful, not even the last one! The man in the tower says I should turn right.. and what kind of plaster I have on the engine ..? Probably the guy has binoculars. That doesn't concern them.. Cosmetics!
Thom is here.. well then I'm excited! He sure has something to tell!
Well, after all of this! It gives an interesting evening with all of today's stories. Eh, three days off ... who cares
Cheers
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Post by proptwister on Mar 13, 2020 23:57:05 GMT
Just a couple jpg's. Always look forward to flying the GAAR. Next year hope to be brushed up on real screen shots. Thanks Urs for the info. Dick Swann BGAK 004 DCA1875 Attachments:
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Post by uhug on Mar 14, 2020 0:33:50 GMT
I think we are all landed a Little Bit in in dreamland.. Thanks..
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Post by jazzthom on Mar 14, 2020 14:16:29 GMT
leg6
after the wonderful trip with Urs, what came surprisingly fast I decided to see these wonderfull places again within my leg 6, as the route is not far away from my track and time should be sufficient, if I fly a little faster then estimated... okay, so early morning wake up, briefing, refuelling and start up asap to have a little more visibility than precasted,...and as you can see, I got a chance that it was cloudy but not 8/8 but 7/8, what was very helpful to dance beneath the clouds and share some fantastic pics with you from Hermannsburg and Gosses Bluff.... and not to forget the legendary Ghan who just passed after take off.... We just arrived on time in Ayers Rock and had priority landing on RWY 13, although there was some traffic on 31,...that's the rallye and GAAR management helped to send the landing pattern traffic on hold, and I made a perfect time, just 0.02 seconds difference from target time, ...but it was a steep and slightly overspeed landing.... at the end everybody happy and not long till Urs and his mates came in and we had a wonderful BBQ and many many beers ( on my account... ) just enjoy my pics in downscrolling mode like a small videoclip
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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 14, 2020 19:43:33 GMT
Leg 5 X_Plane version
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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 14, 2020 19:53:05 GMT
It's hard to see but I think this shows the crater south of Tennant Creek (Kelly West?) Urs pictured. I could not see it in FSX
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Post by Idaho Flyer on Mar 14, 2020 19:57:43 GMT
A little sight seeing, YABU. I did not see Lake Lewis in X_Plane
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