needles 1,013 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 When I arrived in Orocue I knew that I didn't want to hang around too long. The place was a depressing site. Abject poverty does not begin to describe what my keen senses were being bombarded with. The smells in the air wreaked of motorbike fuel and exhaust fumes, animal butchery etc etc, you get the idea. But when I arrived at the erm hotel, that Mutley's had afforded me for the night well, take a look. I was not alone though. Joe had booked himself in also. Did you care to even check what Trip Advisor said? I didn't think so.......cheapskate. The Mutley's credit card had been taking a battering of late so it was my misfortune to bear the brunt of a belt tightening excercise. So we headed for the bar ha ha ha ha! Two bottles of Tequilla later and we were both fast asleep. That is, we were both in our repective rooms, lying on stained mattresses with our money belts and valuables secured under our pillows. VERY early the next morning I checked that all my belongings were intact and called for Joe. I had filed my flight plan with the authorities, the previous evening before hitting the Tequilla, but when we got to the airport I for one was not expecting what greeted us. A state of the art airport lounge and waiting room. I felt it was time we got outta here. I didn't feel safe for one minute. As I am not fully type rated for the Pilatus PC12, I had arranged with Joe to take the right hand seat and keep a beady eye on me. I showed him the flight plan which had us taking a circuitous route using VORs en-route. Our aircraft had by some miracle been prepped for us, by some very handy, knowledgable locals, but we both double and triple checked everything just for our own peace of mind. It was sitting on the active, runway 04, so we only had a short walk from the ahem, waiting room. I double checked we had the Baton on board and secured everything for takeoff. It was still early and the sun was pretty low in the sky. Joe was keeping a keen eye on my procedures and gave me the nod to start rolling. Once we were up in the air I set the heading for 254 degrees and climed to 9500'. We had two legs to complete before we had to land to pick up a local dignitary who wanted a cheap free ride to Obando, where he was going to open some new building or summat. I wasn't that much bothered. We were to pick him up at SKSJ - San Jose Del Guaviare, so we had a few miles to go before then. Joe was a happy bunny in the right seat and I was glad he could come along to help me get my hours in, in the PC12. But we were both beginning to feel the after shock of last nights Tequilla. It was nice being back in the air with Joe. Approaching my first VOR - VVC Villavicencio (116.7Mhz), so I adjust my course to heading 158degrees and turn for SKSJ. Everything was going well. After a comfortable first few miles, the clouds started to bubble up and started giving us a touch of turbulence. This is all we needed after the Tequilla and I'm sure I got another brief taste of it. Yuk! And thicker they got. I just hope they clear enough for the landing, which was swift approaching. As soon as we dropped a couple of thousand feet the clouds dispersed enough for us to check out the upcoming airfield. So it was gear down in preparation. I just hope that our guest is there and waiting. At least Joe and I will get a chance to use the loos. Sure enough, our guest was waiting but we had to use the facilities before he could board. When we came back out, the rain had started but we were assured it was just a passing shower. Once we were back in the air I set the autopilot and headed for our next VOR MTU -MITU (112.2Mhz). I look to my right for a reassuring nod from Joe and find he's sneaked out for a coffee. The sneeky git. He didn't even bring me one. After the second longest leg of our flight plan, I turned onto a heading of 050degrees and head for the final VOR - PDA (114.9Mhz) which would set me on course for Obando. We cross one of the myriad of rivers which snake their way through Colombia and the other countries of South America. I start decending in preparation for my run in to Obando. I know from past experience that slowing down in plenty of time is a fault in my flying capabilities at the moment, so I try to get it just right as I have Joe keeping a watchful eye over the instruments for me. I spot the runway and decend further. Still a tad high so I point the prop to the ground. Joe asks if I was intending to do a tactical landing. Sarcasm and all on a gut full of Tequilla, how does he do it? Full flaps and a feathered prop, should see us stop in plenty of time.........fingers crossed. And I nail it. It must have been the fact that the Boss was with me hey!! Although we were both using full force of the brakes. After backtracking to the parking spotand clear the runway, we get rid of our passenger, who had a car waiting for him. Making sure everything is switched off and I leave the aircraft in a cold and dark state. Our passenger even left the Baton on the steps for us. A good job he didn't bugger off with it. That would have been typical after experiencing the delights of Orocue. All that's left now is to thank Joe for coming along and keeping an ever watchful eye on me, allowing me to add a few more hours flying towards me becoming type rated on the PC12. A fairly uneventful flight but one that has gained me quite a bit more experience. Now where do we find Mickael? Well I'm a day early I suppose, because I didn't want to hang around in Orocue longer than was necessary, even if I did have the Boss with me. At least he paid for the Tequilla and the barbecued Guineapigs we had with salsa. Thanks Boss. The Baton is yours Micke, when you get here that is. Flight was undertaken in FSX Carenado Pilatus PC12 FTX Global + HD Trees REX Texture Direct + Soft Clouds Plan-G Active Sky Next Fraps Thanks to Google for the real world pictures. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Awesome PIREP, and great images...especially that last shot! Surprised that whoever took it didn't nick off with the camera, at that range. I still don't have the PC-12 in my fleet. The b1900 covers the class so well I am just...tempted, not needing it enough to pick it up without a good sale...hint hint Santa... Brilliant read. Thanks. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
stu7708 244 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Man, that was a round-about way of getting to your destination mate Well flown, you can't have far to go for that type rating, you even managed to remember to raise the flaps I'm enroute back to Obando after scouting out the reported damage to the runway at my original destination, see you in a bit.. (And considering Joe picked up the bill in the bar for you I assume you will pick ours)..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,498 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 > As I am not fully type rated for the Pilatus PC12 What makes you think I am?! You did well buddy, I still think we should have left it another day but boy, I sure was glad to get out of that hell hole. Amazing how that Tequila makes you shrink! Matt must had ended up like a midget Great PIREP mate, see you Sunday for our next flight. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted December 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Joe, I was lead to believe you are type rated on virtually all aircraft. If not, I'm shocked. You know how highly I regard you.......don't ruin that illusion. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted December 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Hey Micke, I've seen how you can down alcohol. If you think I'm picking up the bar tab you are very much mistaken mate. Link to post Share on other sites
stu7708 244 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Hey Micke, I've seen how you can down alcohol. If you think I'm picking up the bar tab you are very much mistaken mate. What are you alluding too 1 Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,315 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Despite your high regard for Joe I can only gather you took the long way around to punish him, you know he can't hold his rot gut Tequila. And be nice to Stu, take out a loan and by him drinks. Loved the PIREP and all the pic's, always get a kick out of your adventures. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Great flight there Brian! Even if it wasn't fully legal.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted December 9, 2015 Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Nice PIREP Brian. Can you explain the meaning of the phrase "Bottle to throttle" time? - No? I thought not! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted December 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Nice PIREP Brian. Can you explain the meaning of the phrase "Bottle to throttle" time? - No? I thought not! Eh? Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted December 9, 2015 Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Ah Brian. I have to spell it out. There is a minimum time that a Pilot must endure from last alcohol intake to commencement of flight. A BA pilot and friend of mine refers to it as the bottle to throttle time. Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted December 9, 2015 Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Does the B2T time scale up with number of bottles before the last? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted December 9, 2015 Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Good question. It is a fairly long time, I guess it must take account of the worst possible case. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted December 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 JG and others, it's a story! Link to post Share on other sites
Auger 22 Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 And here I thought "bottle to throttle" meant you got to carry your last drink to the cockpit. Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 JG and others, it's a story! I know that mate. I am just taking the piss 1 Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,498 Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Don't worry JG you just caught Baldrick at a very difficult time Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142 Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 > "...it's a story..." Oh no! Another illusion shattered.... B. Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 > "...it's a story..." Oh no! Another illusion shattered.... B. Oh come on! I know there are doubts about Santa, But ATWC, oh no, you wont get me doubting that. Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142 Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Bah, humbug. Surely you remember the classic song — Grandma got run over by a reindeer, Walking home from our house Christmas Eve. You can say there's no such thing as Santa, But as for me and Grandpa — we believe! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzV9DIL_vrM (Actually, there's a more entertaining video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw — but it's preceded by a 30 second advert...). Cheers, B Link to post Share on other sites
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