simi_av8r 0 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Hi all, Capt. Simi stepping up to the rostrum for Leg 44, hopefully you've all got your boarding cards, as this is the first call to go to your gates, we'll be boarding within the next 24hrs! So get yourselves over there and into the Duty Free before boarding, i hear that Rum of all sorts is going for a pittance! .. EDIT:Here's a few teasers for you... can you guess the aircraft? Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Could it be this one Simi?? http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1050080/L/ http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1240334/L/ Am I right? Do I get to come along?! Looking forward to the flight Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
simi_av8r 0 Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Indeed it is Joe! Its the Socata TB-21GT 'Trinidad', a very aptly named aircraft i think for this, the Carribean Calypso! Heres the AVSim Review and the developers, Lionheart Creations, website. just sorting out the scenery and landclass, and we'll be airborne this evening... expect final call at around 9pm! Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Go Me!, Looks like a great aircraft, thanks for the link.. I'll be ready Simi, Chuck bag and all! Link to post Share on other sites
simi_av8r 0 Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 hi all, jsut reporting from the apron at Norman Manley Intl. First the good news!.........Both myself and the baton have arrived safe and well!!.... pictures will be up tomorrow evening after i get i from work.... so see you then... ooh, and the bad news..... all my booze got confiscated on parking up. It appears that a feindish member of the ground crew at Own Roberts (MWCR) in Grand Cayman had seen an excessive amount of his favourite produce (Rum, boys and girls, rum!) being loaded into the rear of the aircraft (as ballast you understand!!) and had tipped off the authorities in Jamaica! 3 of the local law enforcers greeted me at my parking stand, all ready with dogs and all sorts... but luckily, they agreed to let me and the baton go free after realising the flight was all part of the ATWC, however on the one condition that they shared the stash of bottles between them! oh well, you cant win them all! Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Phew, glad to hear you arrived safely, I often pull the ATWC trump card too Link to post Share on other sites
simi_av8r 0 Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 all parked up and cold. here the hood's off and we're just tuning up for our quick hop, skip and jump over to Jamaica for a bit of Reggae Relaxation! The TB-21GT has a really light and airy feel to its cockpit thanks to the massive amount of glass surrounding it. Add to this, the very open and spacious looking cokcipit (unlike its Cessna and Piper conterparts), and you have a very nice aircraft to sit in, let alone fly! Just to show you what i mean, here we have the obligatory cockpit shots... The rum's all been loaded up, the baton's safe on board, but where's the pilot!?! Ah, here he is, just it time! Clearance and IFR requests filed and being granted by ATC. We're ready to roll.... ...taxi clearance was given, we'll be leaving from Rwy 08 today. Here you can see one of the local GA carriers office behind us... Control tower and fire trucks hidden in that hangar back there... Raymond, one of the very nice airport staff, told me that expansion is getting more of a problem every year, you can just see some construction and high rise cranes in the backgrond here, apparantly a large multi-billion pound company is moving in, that doesn't bother us and Mutleys ATWC however, as we're not stopping too long, and running with the tanks just 50% filled, we're up and away in almost no time... despite the huge quantities of Bacardi and a the odd local variety of rum on board..... well, what can i say, the duty free was having a sale!! We're going to start leg 44 with a quick scoot around the Owen Roberts Intl' and then begin our 320Nm hop to Norman Manley Intl' in the sunny calypso capital that is Jamaica.. hopefully there'll be a few spots along the way where the autopilot will let us do some sightseeing! Weather is expected to be laid back and troublefree with a few light clouds around the coast, just like these, courtesy of Active Sky and Flight Environment. Completing our 360degree circuit around the airport, you can see a better viwew of the construction area Raymond told us about.. looks like a big build! our last view of Owen Roberts and Grand Cayman for today, next stop Jamaica! The TB-21GT also differs from other GA in that its elevators are set further back than its huge rudder. The advantage of this means far less movement on the yoke is required to change pitch, also resulting in a much smoother ride. another cose up of the front end... just look at the executive interior, its all real Nappa Leather you know, smells lovely too! and just look at the curvaceous body.... to die for! Land ho!.. and looks as if the weather report was wrong. FL042 and it appears that the clouds are drawing in with a vengance! SatNav says thats Montego Bay down there or 'MoBay' as my guide book calls it. MoBay is Jamaicas second larget city, and its tourism capital. Away from the hustle and bustle of the "big city life", Motengonians pride themselves on being the friendliest and most welcoming in all of the Caribbean. the clouds are really drawing in now...:neutral: No time to climb now though, we're bieng vectored in for approach. We're to expect a visual appraoch into rwy12, let's hope this cloud lifts in time! Doesn't look good though, and there seems to be a haze about, what with a 15knot tailwind, i dont think we're going to clear it either! Laidback and troublefree they said, lovely weather for a flight they said... and look at this haze and you cant see 10 yards in front of your nose! Just passing to the east of Kingston Harbour with three greens & the gears locked, minutes to go before we land, and we're still asked to do a visual approach?! Two greens, barely visible on the VASI guide us in. a tad high on the approach here, but there's plenty of asphalt to run us out. touchdown! Leg 44 hits a home run as Norman Manley greets us with open arms! ... taxiing from the active to our parking. Apparently we've been allocated a special spot right over by the fuel station, the controller got wind of this special ATWC flight from Owen Roberts, and made special arrangements.. a few of the bigger carriers to Kingston include American Airlines and Calypso Air, as seen here. moments after shutting down, our pilot friend was apprehended by 3 of the local constabulary and the entire stash of rum loaded onboard in Grand Cayman was unloaded... they didnt even leave time to shut down the electrics properly! luckily our pilot was released, and the rum was confiscated. As soon as they learnt the flight was part of AWTC a special 'agreement' was immediately reached, and the three officers sent the pilot, and the baton, on their way to book into the airport and await dgor's arrival for Leg 45. it just so happend that our pilot kept a few spare coins in case of emergency.... now where was the bar?! anybody got change for some gas....??? so there we have it, Leg 44 in the bag. I hop eyou enjoyed the flight, and will join us again for Leg 45, and onwards to San Juan. dgor, its over to you! Link to post Share on other sites
B77W 0 Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Stunning Shots!! Shame Leg.43 was missed though... Link to post Share on other sites
simi_av8r 0 Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Stunning Shots!!Shame Leg.43 was missed though... um, are you sure about that Sam.... i think if you look here you'll see Reef's thread from Cancun to Grand Cayman in his excellent 737 that graced us with some awesome edits! ... go on, take a peek Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Nice one, Simi - glad to see a bit of storyline creeping in there! And, of course, the flight was meticulously executed, as usual. Cheers - David/Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
B77W 0 Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Yep Sorry...Half a sleep here..Totally forgot about Steve's post... :oops: Link to post Share on other sites
reef 3 Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 A great post with a very entertaining script. You certainly like that aircraft. Great stuff!! steve Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Hi Simi, A very enjoyable post, thanks for all the time and effort. The combination of your shots and commentary are always the best in the challenge I love the look of the Trinidad GT and it could well be joining the fleet. I've had a quick word on the blower with my mate Lucius the Commissioner of Police for the JCF and he's going to put in a word to have your 'cargo' returned Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
simi_av8r 0 Posted July 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Thanks guys, much appreciated! t'was a lovely flight and very enjoyable... i definitely recommend the Trinidad TB-21GT Hi Simi, A very enjoyable post, thanks for all the time and effort. The combination of your shots and commentary are always the best in the challenge I love the look of the Trinidad GT and it could well be joining the fleet. I've had a quick word on the blower with my mate Lucius the Commissioner of Police for the JCF and he's going to put in a word to have your 'cargo' returned Cheers thanks Mutley! Thats great news, i can now look forward again to a few Bacardi's on the beach!! :yes::dance::yes: Link to post Share on other sites
dgor 0 Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Beautiful post Simi, and a great commentary. Well done! Dave Link to post Share on other sites
A320cap 0 Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Very very nice! Link to post Share on other sites
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