PIREP Flight 48 SKBQ Baranquilla Airport – SKOE Orocue

[mutley 4,498]

Welcome to my flight in section 5 of the ATWC SiX!
 
So Matt had flown a pretty impressive leg, I watched him land, it was one of those moments you wish you had a movie camera so you could post it on YouTube. I put that down to certain medication issues   
 
We swapped a few stories along with the baton in the bar. Matt was downing those beers and tequilas faster than I could pay for them!  I had planned an early start in the morning so filed my plans with the tower before retiring:
 

 
Phew it was muggy, temperature 26C, dew point 26, and talking of mugg-ing, being Colombia everyone looked shifty so we didn’t lose any time securing the doors and starting the engines with the help of Pedro, our trusty ground crew.
ll four twin-row, supercharged 2,200hp radials were making a serious growling noise!
 

 
We left Pedro to clear his lungs and regain his hearing, now we’re waiting for the Bonanza to take off, destination unknown, and no one dared asking. Checks completed and clearance received:
 

 
We leave the sprawling metropolis for some remote desolate landscape:
 

 
Even as we were tidying up the thick moist air readily turned to cloud:
 

 
The longest sector of our flight took will take us to the ELB NDB, ETE should be around 36 minutes but the weather is against us:
 

 
Usually, it takes 4, today, it is just me at the helm and Sharon at the flight engineers station:
 

 
Wing view, we were in and out of cloud all the way:
 

 
The baton is travelling in style, <gulp> it’s Sharon’s mum:
 

 
I’m not looking forward to this, rough weather goes on for ever and I can’t go around:
 

 
We were making slow headway and in this turbulent air the aircraft was jumping up and down like a crazed gorilla. (thanks Active Sky):
 

 
<enter prayer to your favourite deity here> Luckily I had packed a spare pair of pants!
 

 
We made it through!
 

 
Turning at El Banco and setting course for Cucuta another 100nm + leg:
 

 
Heading for the highest ground of this journey:
 

 
The weather had calmed down, we made Cucuta bang on time, this was just a VRP and no course change required:
 

 
We had crossed the border into Venezuela, we start to descend over the rain forest:
 

 
Over Santo Domingo (SVSO):
 

 
Our next turning point at El Pinal:
 

 

 
Crossing the border from Venezuela back into Colombia:
 

 
One of many rivers, the Rio Casanare pours out from the mountains:
 

 
Our final turn over Trinidad Airport (SKTD):
 

 
Taking vectors for runway 04:
 

 
Gear down:
 

 
Tight turn onto final:
 

 
On target!
 

 
I messed up the landing, not flying big metal very often I forgot that being so high up you hit the ground much sooner!
 

 
Still, we made it safely:
 

 
Sharon is at the door looking out for Brian:
 

 
Welcome to Orocue! Over to you Needles...
 
Flown in Prepar3D v3.
 
Addons used:

• Just Flight Connie (Default aircraft in P3D)
• FTX Global + HD Trees
• REX Texture Direct inc Soft Clouds
• Plan-G
• Active Sky Next
• Earl Grey tea

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

Earl Grey Tea...hahahaha.

^Good call.

 

Made quite a trip of it Joe. Gorgeous bird for the job...If some of those were still in service...I might be tempted to book another flight down there from Jamaica just for the ride on a Connie.

 

Weather, not fun to fly through, but makes for great screen shots.

 

Cheers.

 

(I noted no mention of reimbursement for the ticket ...but thanks for the drinks )

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Excellent leg Boss!

[Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142]

Great pics, Joe -- and congratulations on making it through the murk in your, er, quaint choice of aircraft!

Cheers,

bruce

a.k.a. brian747

[brett 2,315]

Loved looking at that Connie in every shot, thanks for the ride along.

[stu7708 244]

Ah, the Connie.. It's been way to long since I took her out for a spin.

 

Great shots as well, but bringing Sharons mum along, that was gutsy