Quickmarch 488 Posted October 28, 2012 Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 I realise that the ATWC IV is on, but for those of you who didn't get a successful bid, I offer an alternative: My wife and I are about to (Wednesday in Australia) take off from the Gulf Coast Airport - Coolangata and fly up to Singapore to start a bit of a tour through Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia. We're abandoning "Passages", our floating home in favour of the Great Silver Bird for three months while the winter cyclone season has its way with Australia. I'm hoping that Internet access is going to be good enough that; I'll be able to supply RW photos of these destinations to augment anything MH pilots can come up with by way of simulated photos covering the same route. Unfortunately, I won't be able to fly the simulation - I'll have to make do with the real thing (as a passenger). The first leg is YBCG to WSSS, 3380NM, estimated time enroute for a 737-600 - 7:05. This leg is going to take some big iron with fairly long legs. I believe we'll be doing it in a 777. Here's the routing produced by FSX for a High Alt Airways, IFR flight from Coolangata to Singapore https://www.dropbox.com/s/euwskveluxhm14q/IFR%20Gold%20Coast%20to%20Changi.PLN If I can spare the time, I'll do the full FMC load to iFly's 737NG - 737-600, before I leave, and post it to the same Dropbox location. If you're interested, keep an eye on this thread - I'll update it if and when able. (Fingers crossed that I'll actually be able to keep this promise using my, new to me, iPad.) Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
Clem Wu 1 Posted October 28, 2012 Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 Sounds like great fun and I wish you and your all the best as well as happiness for your trip! I believe it is the Gold Coast you are departing from? Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted October 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 That's right Clem, YBCG, sorry, a bit of a slip. I've obviously spent a lot of time in the southern USA, that's where the GULF coast is. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted October 28, 2012 Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 Hi March, Thanks for the flight plan. It sounds like exciting times ahead, I look forward to your updates. Happy flying! Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted October 28, 2012 Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 If anyone is planning to fly these, the airport diagrams for the first leg (YBCG - WSSS) are already available in the MH File Library. I'll try to keep ahead of the itinerary and be sure airport diagrams are available as March's adventure proceeds. John Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted October 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 Here's experiment #1 - posting links from the iPad I've posted the iFly 737 Flight Plan here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j66fa876as5cay7/YBCGWSSS.FLTPLAN And The SID for YBCG here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ppe1yw0funoy8ic/SID%20RWY14_32_South_YBCG.pdf I'm working on a method of posting the whole Dropbox sub-directory. YMMV - let me know, in the next 12 hours, or so, if there are any problems finding these files. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted October 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 Many thanks John (Allard), I cannot bring the Airport Diagram files with me for posting, so your contributions are hugely appreciated. I'm looking forward to this experiment and the flight as well. It will all be a huge learning experience for me, anyway. The results of my study into how to post the link to the whole sub - directory are: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/japr7d1sga8vrog/MiUK-Ajbi3 That link should show three files, which are all that are in there for now. My master plan is to post photos taken on site to the same place. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted October 28, 2012 Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 All three files accessible. John EDIT To make it easier... YBCG Airport Diagram - http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/files/file/1144-ybcg/ WSSS Airport Diagram - http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/files/file/979-wsss/ JDA Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,284 Posted October 29, 2012 Report Share Posted October 29, 2012 Sounds like good times ahead. Enjoy your trip. Looking forward to pic's of your trip. Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted October 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks Brett, and all others, Sitting in the boarding lounge right now waiting on our Great Silver Bird (ref Jonathan Winters, American comedian, when asked to describe an Indian and an airplane in the same sentence). Gate 9, YBCG, Gold Coast Airport, Coolangatta, Australia. Let's hope I'll be able to access sim cards easily when I get to Singapore and other countries. The card in this iPad is due to expire at midnight so Cinderella will have to find another. I have found that sim card access goes from dead simple and very inexpensive - places like Ecuador, Panama, Fiji, and Tonga, to very expensive, Canada, Australia, to impossibly expensive and unobtanium - New Caledonia. We'll see how it goes in SE Asia. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 Good luck March for your adventure and search for a sim card Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted November 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Right, sorry for the delay - sounds a bit like an airline,doesn't that. Here's the results of finally shifting everything off the iPad and onto a WINXP Netbook. Edited and updated today from my hotel room in Siem Reat, Cambodia. Departure from Coolangata was pretty much by the book. Parked up in gate 14A, equipment was a Boeing Triple 7 called Big Yella Fella. Check out the paint job and the name is appropriate. Pushback, then taxiway Golf past the GA hangars to a brief hold and cleared for takeoff on RWY 14. Wheels in the wells around 2345Z, climb out on the runway heading for a few minutes, then throttle back and left turn to (roughly) east, climb a bit more then another left to a northerly heading, leaving Brisbane to port until gradually cranking it around to a Northwesterly heading presumably towards TAM, OMUBI, ONELU, etc. The VOR mounted in the back of seat 24H was U/S so I'm doing some serious guessing here. Not a bad bet as if you want to get to Singapore from the east coast of Australia, you've got to head pretty much that way. It was an uneventful flight, the kind you like to have whether you're doing the flying or the passengering. It was Halloween, so the cabin crew (that's Sharon with the camera) were into the spirit (if not the spirits), dressed in funny costumes handing out goodies for answers to questions and the like. SWMBO picked up a $100 gift certificate for coming up with "Jack 'o Lantern", the name for the carved pumpkin that is common at Halloween. Weather at destination was broken, rain clouds, and a bit obscured in rain at times, but the gear came down at 0710Z with touchdown following five minutes later. Can you believe 'WOXOF"? We landed on RWY 20R, the exit was not a hard left, so I'd guess we ran down to W6 or W7 then made a hard left onto WP. We taxied down WP to a right turn onto NC1 then across the end of Terminal 1 and another right onto A7. Finally, a right onto A4, left to A5, then left to A6 to Gate E22. See John Allards' airport diagram for WSSS (downloadable at your nearest, friendly MH) to follow this route. Here's a shot of Singapore's CBD, taken from the rooftop bar of the biggest hotel I've ever seen. Also the biggest price - $20 for a beer. Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 WSSS to VDSR - Departure Sun Nov 4 Equipment for this leg of the flight is an A320. A venerable aircraft and a fine example of fly-by-wire and glass. This one is likely to be the "NEO" version, based on the wingtip "sharklets". Pushback from Gate C11 at 0545Z, nosewheel left. Engine start and a short taxi out on N2, N3, NC3 to a right turn onto A7, then left/right jog on A4 to EP. It's a long taxi down EP to a left turn onto E11, then left onto RWY 02C. Cleared for takeoff and Wheels in the wells at 0615. We're still in the clag at 27, then breakout into the clear at 36. The rest of this flight was routine, arriving SW of VDSR and starting our descent at 0839Z. Touchdown at 0912, runout to a right turn onto TWY Bravo and approaching the gate at 0915. That's it - sorry about the lack of photos, not much to see from above an almost 10/10 cloud deck. Also we were warned, by Sharon, not to take any photos on the apron or outside the terminal on our walk in from Gate 5. Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 For anyone who's following along or wants to fly these, there's a zip file of all the airport diagarms on Quickmarch's trip in the new Special Events section of the File Library. One download gets 'em all. http://forum.mutleys...w-tour-of-asia/ YBCG Gold Coast - Gold Coast, Queensland - Australia WSSS Changi - Singapore, Singapore (5 plates) VDSR Siem Reap - Siem Reap, Cambodia VVTS Tansonnhat - Hochiminh, Vietnam (2 plates) VVNB Noibai Intl - Hanoi, Vietnam (2 plates) VLLB Luang Phabang - Luang Phabang, Laos VTCC Chiang Mai Intl - Chiang Mai, Thailand (2 plates) VTBD Bangkok Intl - Bangkok, Thailand (3 plates) VTSP Phuket Intl - Phuket, Thailand (2 plates) WMKP Penang Intl - Penang I, Malaysia (2 plates) WMKL Langkawi Intl - Langkawi I, Malaysia John Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 I don't think any 'Sharklets! have been delivered, and the NEO hasn't even been flown yet. So sorry, bog standard A320 I think! Nice shots! Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted November 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Thanks for the correction. Shows you how much I know about Airbus. I did try to do a bit of research on the aircraft but came up short using the internet connection at the hotel in Siem Reap. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 We're on the move. Departure from Siem Reap, VDSR to Ho Chi Minh, VVTS is scheduled for 0640Z tomorrow. Equipment has not been determined at this time, however, flight number will be (Vietnam Airlines) VN810 and arrival is estimated to be 0740Z. A/P Plates available at: Thanks to John Allard. R/W approach plates available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/japr7d1sga8vrog/MiUK-Ajbi3 - go to the VDSR-VVTS sub-directory. Watch this space for the update once things actually happen. BTW - It looks as though I'll be meeting Rosario on the inbound or Richard on the outbound legs of the ATWC IV at VVTS. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
rosariomanzo 545 Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 BTW - It looks as though I'll be meeting Rosario on the inbound or Richard on the outbound legs of the ATWC IV at VVTS. See ya there! Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Siem Reap VDSR to Ho Chi Minh City VVTS (formerly Saigon) Airport diagram thanks to J Allard. See: http://forum.mutleys...w-tour-of-asia/ Equipment is an A321 - VN-A325, although the emergency procedures card in the seat pocket in front of me claims the aircraft is a B777, I'm not fooled. Pushback at 0625Z, nosewheel right and engine start. Taxi out to the northeast, on the main apron and a left turn onto Alpha to hold short for landing traffic. There's the traffic, looks like an ATR 42 pulled off onto taxiway Bravo. Probably spoiled his day as he could likely have made Alpha. We pull out onto RWY 05/23 and begin the long taxi to the end, past a mothballed 737 and a covered helicopter (helicopter experts, please ID) with a tourist helo in the background. Turn right onto the turning apron, then a big left to line up on RWY23. We're rolling on schedule at 0638Z then climbout to the southwest. Wheels up, left climbing turn to the southeast and we're on our way to VVTS. Here's two pictures of the Cambodian countryside. There's some interesting stats on this big lake, Tonle Sap, near Siem Reap. Evidently the river flows backwards to the lake due to the immense amount of rain during the rainy season. This backflow floods the lake and increases its area from 2.800 sq.km. and 1M depth to 15,000 sq.km. and 8M depth. See: http://wikitravel.or.../Tonle_Sap_Lake Starting to cloud over as we begin our descent at 0703Z. Left turn as we level out near Ho Chi Minh City, then start to fly the downwind. It was a bit hazy, but you can just make out VVTS abeam the starboard side. Right turn onto base. Right again onto final. Bit of flap and slats, established on final. Lots of flap and slat. Short final. Three greens. Over the fence. Landing on 25R, 0738Z - exactly on schedule. Lots of braking going on. Then a left onto W4. Crossing 07R/25L. W7A to W7B, then taxi back to the eastern end of the complex. I'm not a helicopter expert. Do those helos on the right look like Cobra Gunships? Right next to them looks like a line-up of Hueys. To end the flight, we make a right hand turn off W7B into gate 15 and shut down for the day. Airport diagram thanks to J Allard. See: http://forum.mutleys...w-tour-of-asia/ Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,284 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Great flight narrative and pics. That is some flood plain at Tonle Sap lake. Enjoyed the flight. Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Great shots, March. Keep them coming. John Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Great shots! The first helicopter looks like a Mil (Russian built) one of some description - no idea what the others are Link to post Share on other sites
stu7708 244 Posted November 18, 2012 Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 Well now, that's a new approach posting your real flights on the forum Great photos and fun to see My best bet on the first helo would be something of soviet origin. Possibly a Mi-8. But it's more or less a stab in the dark Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted November 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 We are in Hanoi at this point. Landed VVNB, Noi Bai, yesterday afternoon. This flight will not be too terribly interesting as my normal choice of seat (over the wing) backfired this time as we flew on a 777-200 and I got what I asked for - dead centre. All the pictures show is an acre of Boeing engineering. I.e. the wing. Comfortable spot to sit but bad for photos. I checked and the 777-200 specs show 428 sq.m as the wing area. So a bit short of my exaggeration, above, calling it an acre. One of the wings is, in fact, (428/4047)/2 just a bit over 5% of an acre. According to Wikipedia an acre is the area that can be plowed by a yoke of oxen in one day. Terribly important information. One advantage on this flight is that this aircraft had the seatback entertainment system which always includes a barely readable flight following map. It does include the flight details - altitude, GS, and distance from departure. The cruise portion of our flight was done at FL390 at 470kt (GS) I did see another aircraft, on the reciprocal course. This is a rare occurrence. It looked to be 1000 feet below us and about five miles away. I'm not up on separation minima in SE Asia, but it looked adequate to me. I'll post the flight plan and other details in a day or so. Cheers, March Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hi March, Interesting facts about the area of a 772 wing compared to an old acre. You must excuse me, I have to go, the Oxen are getting restless and those fields don't plow themselves! Joe Link to post Share on other sites
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