PIREP Leg 15 Mariscal Sucre (SEQU) to Jorge Chavez International (SPIM)

[J G 927]

I was taking some well earned time off in Nantes while the Tiger moth was being flown back to the UK by the wife when I got a call from Mikael to give me the heads up on the next section. 

 

‘You are on for leg 15’ says he.

 

‘Where the flip is that?’ says I. Actually I didn’t say flip, but this is a family orientated forum, you get my point.

 

‘SEQU is Mariscal Sucre International in Quito, Ecuador and then its off to SPIM, Jorge Chavez International, Lima, Peru.’ He enlightened me, but not a lot.

 

‘Jorge Chavez’ says I, ‘didn’t he play for Chelsea?’ I ask.

 

‘No you dumhet’ he says, ‘he was a Peruvian aviator who was famous back before World War One for high altitude flying, he once reached 2,700 meters. He was killed trying to make the first crossing of the Alps in an aircraft in 1910.

 

‘Oh that’s great’ I said, ‘I mean about the leg, not the crash’  I had the last word though, Mickael didn't know that Mariscal Sucre was an old Peruvian football team, although why an Ecuadorian airport was named after it I didn't know, perhaps they were both named after some bloke in South American history. We ended the call, and I got Google maps up on my phone to see where I would be flying. Interesting, in the Andes!  Well I was going to have to fly higher than Mr Chavez and I wouldn't be doing in the Tiger Moth I used in leg 2.

 

This might be an issue I thought, what with the budget being blown in section one on the Quest Kodiak by no lesser person than Mikael himself. I had enough cash for the flight out to Ecuador, but that would just about clean me out.  What was I to do? I thought of Mikael’s extravagance again. ‘Dumhet’ I muttered as I answered my ringing phone.

 

‘No not you Bill’ I said to the shocked caller apologetically. ‘How are you mate? I hear you have left the RAF.’

 

‘Never mind about that’ he says, ‘more importantly I hear you are on the Mutley’s Hanger Around The World Challenge, you lucky bar steward’

 

‘Yes that right, but…’ I said and proceeded to tell my friend about the financial predicament I was in.

 

‘Well it’s your lucky day!’ He exclaims, ‘You scratch my back and I will scratch yours ten fold!’

 

To cut a long story short, Bill explained that he knew of a bloke who had bought a flying historic aircraft in the USA and needed getting back to the UK. When I asked how this was of possible interest to me, he said that he had already arranged for the US Air Force to dismantle it and have it flown down to Quito in a half dozen C5 Galaxys, where they would re-assemble it, test it and have it waiting for us. The yanks would pick up the aircraft from Peru and take from there to the Falklands, and the Navy would ship it home from there. However there was a catch. He would only give the nod to get this ball rolling if he could fly as navigator for the trip.

 

Now you may think this might be a little far fetched, perhaps crazy, and a long way out of the way for the way for the aircraft, and a vast expense, but you don’t know Bill as I do.  He has friends in very high places; the US Forces would be acting on orders from the White House and the British Forces from an equally high placed source, his dad is very high up in the RAF, and the Royal Navy, and the Army come to think of it. I should also explain that although Bill appears in many of the photos of this leg I have had to black out his eyes so you won’t recognize him. I am afraid that he himself is a man of some note and must remain anonymous. However unbelievable, I knew that Bill could actually swing this and it could be the answer to my prayers so I said ‘yes’.

 

Bill explained that he was desperate to take part in the Around The World Challenge, being a huge fan of Mutley’s but he couldn't get security clearance in time. 

 

‘Yeah right’ I thought, ‘so it has nothing to do with the fact that you and your new missus are up to your elbows in soiled nappies, and the new little‘un is keeping you awake at night, and nookie has probably not come back on the agenda yet, and the honeymoon feeling has worn off now, and leaving the RAF, and wanting to get into the air again, to mention just a few thing going on right now. 

 

‘I will be on the first plane out to Nantes, and then we’ll see about getting down to South America’ he says and rings off.  ‘Hmm’ I think, ‘I had better start packing and going out to the airport soon then, the “first plane” will be leaving right now if I know Bill, no one can pull strings like him, either that or he has borrowed his grandma’s plane, again.

 

We met at Nantes Atlantique Airport, ‘Oi Bill, over here mate, are you blind?’

 

 

We had a night layover in Madrid on our way. We were going to hit the town but ended up hiding in the hotel as some local paparazzi had got wind of him being there.

 

From Madrid we caught a direct flight to Quito the next day, first class naturally, he was paying.

 

Having arrived in Quito, we stayed in a very private boutique hotel that Bill had arranged.  Have a look at it here if you want:

 

http://portaldecantunaquito.com/gallery/

 

Nice, ain't it? Bill likes a nice comfy gaff, he can be such a princess at times!

 

Having picked up the baton at the hotel, and at Marcellus’ insistence downed a few espressos, we had the photo below taken by Marcellus back at the airport. Marcellus who didn't show any signs of recognizing my mate, probably because he was a bit down in the mouth, having been given a bit of a dressing down by the local airport authorities on account of his making a bit of a dog’s breakfast of his landing.

 

 

I suppose the fact that Marcellus is South African and not a native of Blighty could have been the reason he blanked Bill, although my mate’s grandma was well known in Africa. She even had her honeymoon in Kenya, with that Greek bloke she married. That’s not so far away, well same continent anyway. Mind you that was ruined as her dad died when she was out there and she had to rush back to do his job. Anyway, I digress, after this photo session we headed out to a backroom in the airport to do the serious business of planning. 

 

 

Here is what we eventually settled on, although looking at it again now, this was a draft in which the airspeed was wrong, but it shows you what you need to know.

 

 

It would have been easier to stay on the coastal side of Ecuador and Peru, but not so interesting. I pointed out that we wouldn't have the range to fly the whole distance in one hop with our aircraft, but Bill said I wasn't to worry as some on his old RAF mates from 216 Squadron would be on hand to help us out with that. Planning done and submitted, we went out on to the tarmac to inspect the plane:

 

 

Man she looked good! The yanks had done a first class job is getting her up and running, but we gave her a thorough inspection to be on the safe side. The above picture was how we found her, the only thing to do was to fit the drop tanks, fuel her up and we would be ready to go. Bill supervised the drop tank fitting while I sorted out the last bits of paperwork and soon we were powering up and unfolding the wings.

 

 

Here is us pushing back,

 

 

….and another of us waiting for our takeoff slot.

 

 

At last our time came and we opened the throttles wide, holding her on the breaks while the engines spooled up, let them go and lurched down the runway. All instruments were good, and with a light touch on the stick we were airborne.

 

 

Bill worked hard on our navigation and began reeling off instructions to me. The plan involved navigating a series of beacons in fairly rapid succession to get us up and over the Andes quickly after takeoff.  I am sorry I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the beautiful snow capped mountains as I was so busy.  However things soon settled down and when we were over the mighty Amazon I had more time.

 

I began to realize that it would, under the right conditions, be easy to become disorientated over the Amazon, wall to wall canopy with few distinguishing landmarks. Fortunately, in our planning we had used a number of beacons that were at or near airstrips. No good for landing this baby on, but a good visual confirmation of your navigation.

 

 

After a while of cruising over the jungle, we began to get a little low on fuel. I started to become uneasy I wouldn't fancy our chances of being found in this wilderness if the worst came to the worst. We were nearing the point where we would once again cross the Andes again and near our refueling point.  Suddenly the RAF were there, Bills mates had come through and we maneuvered for the refuel.

 

 

“Fill her up, seven hundred and fifty gallons please!, Do you take cards?”

 

 

Having filled up with fuel, we continued on our course. Soon we turned westward and passed back over the Andes. The jungle ends as the land rises, soon to show snowy tops, and the sea beyond.

 

 

We were just thinking that the leg was all but done when thick cloud rolled in. “Weird I said, this is supposed to be the rain shadow of the Andes”. Indeed the land below is was arid as expected, the clouds not what we thought we would see.

 

 

Just as we arrived overhead of our destination the clouds ended.

 

 

Turning sharply in we lined up for landing…..

 

 

And soon were safely down.  The old bird had done us proud!

 

 

Here we are parked up and shutting down. You can see me clearly in the cockpit. “JG in a Sea Vixen! “ says Bill  “Russ Meyer eat you heart out!” Cheeky git!

 

 

One final picture of the old bird, seconds before the USAF started to dismantle her.

 

 

The time was near for Bill and I to part. He had to get back to England to launch an art gallery or open a ship or some such thing and I was going to stay here and do a couple of days sight seeing while I figured how to get to wherever I was required next. Here we are in the terminal building at Jorge Chavez International.

 

 

Before we parted we went for a coffee in the airport terminal and Bill found a day old copy of the Times. Bill picked it up and read the front page. Just as i was about to tap him for some dosh to see me on to my next destination he went visibly pale.

 

‘Whats up?’ I said.

 

‘Bugger, I gotta go’ he said ‘read the headline!’ He thrust the paper at me and rushed off to buy a Jumbo to get him home faster. I read the headline. And there he was pictured on the front page under the headline “  missing for five days. Interpol on maximum alert”

 

He was so excited with the prospect of taking part in Mutley’s Around The World Challenge, the silly twit forgot to tell anyone where he was going!

 

Abandoned with the baton, I headed for the bar and waited for Brian to poke his nose around the door so that I could pass it on to him.  I hope he shows up soon, Bill has gone and taken his bottomless credit card with him and I have only enough cash left for a pint or two.  I wonder if Brian can lend me a few quid…… 

[hifly 925]

Nice one John. Expecting a Knighthood? Twist Bills arm and see if Mutleys can get a Royal Appointment.

[mutley 4,495]

He he! Friends in high places, we're not worthy 

 

Superb PIREP John and I love the choice aircraft HRH, cough "Bill" was obviously impressed!

 

Cheers,

Joe

[J G 927]

Nice one John. Expecting a Knighthood? Twist Bills arm and see if Mutleys can get a Royal Appointment.

 

No Knighthood for me I think....  Although there is a rumor of a new room being made ready in the Tower! 

[rosariomanzo 545]

Great story, made me smile

[ddavid 149]

Thanks for a great leg, John. Enjoyed the banter with What'sisname and the choice of aircraft matched your narrative style.

Cheers - Dai.

[DaveLeafNiles 0]

Well done, John. Well told! Great to see young Bill out and about, nice that you gave him an opportunity to escape nappy duties

[stu7708 244]

Wow John...

 

That was some PIREP..

 

 

And next time you meet up with Bill, try to skim his credit card.. we might need it to fund the rest of this adventure  

[brett 2,310]

What a great PIREP John, you upped the bar with that one.  Glad to see two close friends having a good time and wearing matching wristbands.

[Kasper 14]

Great PIREP John.

But why does the USAF need to transport the Sea Vixen?

I know Bill must be bummed that the RN does not have a decent carrier at the moment but still: the RAF has its own C-17's for that!

 

 

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Superb PIREP there John!

[J G 927]

Thanks for the kind words guys.  Two out of two Classic PIREPS means I am going to have to come up with something interesting for mt next leg.