PIREP Leg 14: Simon Bolivar Intl (SVMI) to Mariscal Sucre Intl (SEQU)

[CSoul 182]

Unfortunately, I have to start this pirep with an apology. For some reason only a third of the screenshots I took of my leg turned out to be usable - the rest were garbled - and I only noticed the problem today. So my script has gone out of the window and I'm going to have to wing it. I do apologize for the truncated leg and the below-par story. I'll definitely try to make it up in the next one. 

 

So without any further ado, here we go...

 

After picking up the baton from Rob (and after recovering my hearing - that Vulcan is loud!) I made my way over to my aircraft for this leg, the beauty you can see below. The plan is a simple one: to fly a sedate first section to Bogota, Columbia and from there on to Quito. And if its relaxation you want, you can't do better than a PC-12.

 

 

Lining up to take off and I hear the dulcet tones of the gentleman in the tower giving a heavy permission to land - on the same runway I'm lining up on. Perhaps ATC objects to the PC-12's paint job? Either way, I'm not keen on ending up as a pancake. Time to be gone, then.

 

And there's the 747 now. 

 

The PC-12 climbs fast and within less time than expected I've reached an altitude where I can turn inland.

 

Skimming low over the mountains. These, incidentally, are the extreme northeasternmost extensions of the Andes mountains.  

 

Much of the flight is spent staring out at the scenery, the plains of the Los Llanos which are flat as a...pancake (why do I get a bad feeling about that word?).

 

Passing the Orinoco river.

 

Finally the plains give way to the Northern Andes. 

 

And I arrive over Eldorado Intl. It is at this point that a sympathetic stranger destroyed the rest of the camera footage.

 

That and you would not believe the...ahem, comments that I may or may not have given vent to. All that needs to be said is that the approach was a disaster, the landing an even greater one, I very nearly did end up as pancake, and every airport and safety official that got their hands on me gave me a massive talking-to; my ears are still ringing. But I did walk away from it with arms, legs and head still attached and hence it must go down as something approaching a good landing.

 

Delusions aside, with wounded pride and a sorely wounded bank balance, I boarded a bus and endured a long bus ride to Quito. There, I handed the Baton over to John and went to drown my sorrows in coffee. Very, very strong coffee. 

[J G 927]

I am glad you made it mate, shame about your footage loss! I will have to watch out for grumpy airport officials! Never mind, the coffee was good though!

[jaydor 345]

Even after a disaster you still managed a good story and shots to make up.

 

Even better with such a great aircraft to fly the leg and as you say at least you did not end up legless like some we know.. 

[brett 2,315]

A real sham on the loss of the rest of the pictures.   I was really getting into the story and getting that relaxed feeling thing about flying in that slick looking turboprop.  Well done.

 

That 747 pilot was just jealous of that sweet paint job.

 

 

[rosariomanzo 545]

Nevermind, it has been a great flight.

[rob16584 42]

Nvermind CSoul, at least you got us there. Take two cameras next time

[Andrew Godden 943]

Even after all your troubles, it was still a great pictorial, CSoul.  The PC-12 is also a fantastic aircraft to fly.

 

Cheers

Andrew

[stu7708 244]

Oh my Marcellus.. That was a first I think, delivering the Baton by Bus, what will Joe say about this    (he'll probably encourage more of us to do the same to reduce the stress on the credit card  )

 

Anyway, I'm glad it was only the camera, and not the airplane, you or the baton that got broken, and it was a tale well told despite the truncated ending  

 

I wonder how long I will be able to resist picking up that PC-12... i've been tempted by it since I first saw it on the forum....

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Great shots Marcellus, despite the loss of the shots - but still you did it!

[Kasper 14]

Great account of what happens when flying an event like this. Just what a PIREP is all about! Love your choice of aircraft, the PC-12 is one beautiful plane.

Glad you made it in one piece, even if it was by bus (and not an Airbus at that).