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[unofficial] New Zealand Air Rally 2016


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I thought I would hit the org forums and see if there was a "fix" for the Beaver and the ground handling issues with XP11. Unfortunately there was no fix available but she will be fully updated later in the year (hopefully) to a full XP11 spec so that's promising.

 

It's at this point that despair actually settled in. I did not want to use any other bird in the hanger for this trip as I really LOVE my little beaver and our trip around NZ. I had a cruise through the forums and stores looking at other potential craft and was not enthused by anything apart from some more liveries which made me even more depressed.

 

In a fit of desperation I thought I would just take the Amphibian out for a spin and see if it had the same issues. Sure enough, during takeoff things got weird and I crashed several times so I loaded up one of the default planes.... and had the same issue. Well not the same issue I had with the wheeled version, but the same issue with the Floats. I smell something fishy and it wasn't the dogs burp!

 

Load up the joystick config and re-calibrate my pedals, load up the Amphibian Beaver, boom! Perfect take-off! YAY, I was up and running again and since my test flight was from my start point for the next leg, I ended up flying the leg (well most of it, got about 30mins left to fly tonight or tomorrow night) and having fun again.

 

So I'm a happy and grateful Wookiee with a great looking Beaver and you're dead right @brett, the floats look GREAT :)

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Glad you got things squared away.:) 

 

It's been my experience that if something goes wrong with an aircraft or scenery and you can't find a fix or any useful info on the web it's best to look within your own system to find the culprit. Well done.:thum:

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Well my preamble for this flight is in the post above so lets get right into it. 6 down 4 to go!

 

NZAR 2016
Leg Six

 

Invercargil NZNV to Wanaka NZWF

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An late afternoon departure sees us heading back up South Island direct to Alexandra 008 for 89Nm and then tracking 315 for 28Nm to Wanaka, just up the road from Queenstown.

 

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I gotta say that I LOVE my new livery. Looks fantastic!

 

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Nice and easy away from Invercargil and heading to Piano Flat and then over Old Man Range down to Alexandra.

 

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Pretty amazing scenery that never lets up.

 

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Piano Flat behind me and I've had to climb from my lazy 2000' up to 7500' to get over Old Man Range.

 

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Hmm bit of a canyon off to the right there, wonder if it's river carved and were it leads...

 

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..straight passed Alexandra (below), and then into another canyon...

 

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WooHoo!! Time for some fun! I pulled the throttle and props right back and dove down from 7500 back to 2000' and ran the water.

 

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When my wife and I returned from our (real life) South Island tour, the first thing we said was.. "Wow, Melbourne is so FLAT". No wonder when we were constantly surrounded by the gorgeous hills.

 

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I jest kept following that river around.

 

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Not quite as low as before but still a LOT more fun than the first 45 mins of the flight.

 

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And this amazing valley is what awaited me at the end of my flight.

 

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Well, I think you all should be proud, I did my first "Go Around" today (not sure I fly it quite right but hey it's a start) rather than force a tough landing. My second attempt was only mildly embarrassing and so no landing shots. But here we are, parked and dark, ready to explore Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea.

 

Lunch time departure in a couple of days has us heading up to Lake Pukaki and Tekapo with the stunning Mount Cook looming large over them before treaking east towards Ashburton. This is a really great area though and I might hire a Whirly Bird whilst I'm here. See how we go.

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Great shots and cool livery,:thum: nothing like flying low and fast through a river valley, exhilarating. Best time in a sim is when you find those awesome views that blow you away and make you forget for a moment that you are in front of the computer. Thanks for the tour and that really nice vista.:)

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nice one Beejay, great shots , paintjob looks good...weel done for the go-around, I usually end up getting them slightly wrong so you won't be alone there, better to try a 2nd time than make a dogs dinner of it.....

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That is a Sweet Livery. Very Adventure Transport look to it. The trip is progressing nicely and the terrain is a treat the whole way so far. Looking forward to more.

 

6 hours ago, OzWookiee said:

Well, I think you all should be proud, I did my first "Go Around" today

 

Proud isn't exactly the term i'm trying to think of...can't quite put my finger on a correct one as I'm not sure it exists, but it is some blend of: Shocked, Amused, Horrified, Relieved, and Sympathetic.

Edited by Captain Coffee
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NZAR 2016

Leg 07

 

Wanaka NFWF to Ashburton NZAS

 

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A nice sleep in and a walk near the lake before our 1230 departure on Rwy 29 for the Mount Mary VOR (RY) tracking 028 for 56Nm and then turning for Ashburton NDB at 056 for 67Nm. The second half will be a bit of a snooze fest but the first part will take us up to Lake Pukaki and Tekapo with Mount Cook in the background and then across the flats to Ashburton.

 

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Well the oils warm and the engine is running, time for taxi and take off. I'm actually going to wander on my way up to Tekapo and go through some of the valleys.

 

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Hmm I think I might have damaged on of my flaps on take-off but we'll see what happens. The gorgeous lakes here are incredible.

 

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It's like someone through a calico carpet over a bunch of Lego.

 

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It really is going to be hard to top New Zealand....

 

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I mean, just look at it! O.o

 

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Lake Tekapo

 

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And Pukaki (IIRC). I took the same photo about 8 years ago but it was winter at the time and the mountains were covered in snow.

 

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Here's the original. Got this printed and it hangs in our living room above our Lord of the Rings display.

 

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Last of the hills now.

 

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The rivers here are incredible with their colours.

 

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Even with one flap inoperable I made a great (if very floaty) touch down in Ashburton. So I only have to pay the mechanic for my stuff up on the takeoff not the landing this time!

 

 

 

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Parked and dark and ready for some afternoon tea. Pretty sure they had a decent bakery last time we passed through.

 

Early to bed since we have a 0515 departure up to past Christchurch to Omaka tomorrow morning for a whopping 185Nm to the top of South Island! 7 down 3 to go for the New Zealand Air Rally 2016.

 

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8 hours ago, wain said:

wel done Beejay, some really good pics there, I really like that plane it is such a good crsft for sightseeing...

Certainly is, especially now I have my head tracking working after moving my room around to allow for better illumination (using FreeTrackNoIR with a ps3 camera and correct 5.1 sound =) 

 

Very cool to look around the cockpit and have the sound scape move appropriately too. 

 

I also really enjoy sitting in the rear passenger seats as they have awesome windows too. 

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NZAR 2016

Leg 08

 

Ashburton NZAS to Omana NZOM

 

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A sprightly departure at 0515 from Ashburton has us warming the oil in the dark and then heading out to the Burnham NDB on 033 for 31Nm to Woodend, flying directly over Christchurch, on 017 for 21Nm. A long push up to Kaikoura on 016 for 70Nm then has us crossing the mountains on a 354 for 57Nm to the Blenheim NDB and finally swinging over 225 for 5Nm to Omaka Airport.

 

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After a LOT of fumbling around in the dark as I forgot my flashlight (I actually had to change the time to 0700 to turn on the battery and interior lights as I couldn't see a thing! Of course I rewound the clock again) I finally got her started up, all lights on and engine purring.

 

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For some reason, I couldn't get the Burnham NDB dialled in so I used the Christchurch VOR instead. Love the way the instrument lighting works.

 

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Beautiful pink sunrise over the water.

 

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NZCH below as we head on north to Woodend. Yes I know I probably would have been vectored around but this is my world dammit and it was too pretty not to fly over :D

 

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Beautiful colours changing the sky and clouds throughout the flight.

 

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Kaikoura up ahead and the mountain range that we'll have to cross. I targeted the dip on the left there as my target so I wouldn't have to climb too high. Currently at 2000'.

 

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Looks like a great coast road there. Will have to visit IRL sometime and take a drive.

 

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Looking up the valley @ Kaikoura.

 

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It's just so majestic with these mountains everywhere.

 

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Fire in the sky.

 

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Cresting that peak we found another valley.

 

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Goes back a ways.

 

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Bit of morning fog as we start to descend down from 6500'.

 

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Just over that ridge now and we'll be at Omaka.

 

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Fly around the airport and came in on Rwy 01 with the mountains behind me and a little hill in front that I'll crest in my descent. Throttle at 1/4 and prop right back, just gliding in.

 

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Whilst I did float a little it was my best landing yet!

 

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All tied up beside the locals and ready to kick around Omaka Station for a couple of days and maybe check out some of the warbirds that are still hanging around after the Classic Fighters Omaka weekend.

 

Our next, being the penultimate, flight has us crossing the straight and into North Island, Taupo via Titahi Bay and Palmerston North for a total of 205Nm. Tempted to see if I can convince one of the local warbirds to trade for a week or two...

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