Catalina: the transpacific flight

[rosariomanzo 545]

Back on track.

We spent 7 months here... WOW, seven months! Seems yesterday we put the wheels on the ground.

Life has been nice, really: nice place, nice food, nice wine, nice beaches and nice girls!

We also found an italian restaurant, Gino's (I guess most of italian restaurants around the world have this name). Gino took care of us with pounds of spaghetti and other typical italian food. Aah, the babà cake!

Well, it's time to leave. At the airport, a crowd of friends is looking at us behind the windows.

According to P G Taylor's flight log, we should now head to the Island of Mangareva. The nearest airport, a bunch of miles North, is Totegegie, NTGJ.

It's something like 850 NM over the Pacific Ocean, so we decided to split this big flight in four legs of about 200 NM each.

So the flight plan to Mangareva will be: Faaa, NTAA - Anaa, NTGA - Hao, NTTO - Tureia, NTGY - Totegegie, NTGJ

Everything is ready. It's been a bit hard to spool these engines after such a long stop.

Running her up:

And up we go, ciao ciao Tahiti! Sigh...

The last sight to this wonderful Island:

On track, 5.000':

A view on the placid Pacific Ocean:

We are about to reach Anaa:

Looks nice:

We'll join the left traffic pattern to land on runway 14:

On final, where will that long bridge lead?

A nasty crosswind and seven months away from the cockpit are the right ingredients for a far-from-perfect Landing

Anyway, we are safe on ground. We will leave soon to the next Island.

See you there, thanks for watching!

[mutley 4,487]

Bravo Ros, it's great to see you on your way again, I was unsure you would be able to take off after all that babà cake!

 

Super shots and commentary, looking forward to more..

 

Caio!

 

Joe

[rosariomanzo 545]

And here we go again for another short hop.
Next stop: Hao, French Polynesia (NTTO).

A view of our office, don't you love this view?



After departure, we perform a right traffic pattern and head east:



All the Needles, the bells and the whistles look ok:



Reitoru Island and...



... Marokau Island:



Field in sight, we descend 1.000' and take a look at the windsock:



Downwind leg:



This time we are going to gently touch the runway, even if a 10 kts crosswind is strong enough for this bird:



Time to close the office!



Our trip as of today, 4.187 nm:



YSSY (33°56'46"S 151°10'38"E) NWWW (22°00'59"S 166°12'58"E) 52.0°  (NE) 1069 nm
NWWW (22°00'59"S 166°12'58"E) NFFN (17°45'19"S 177°26'36"E) 70.1°  (E)   684 nm
NFFN (17°45'19"S 177°26'36"E) NFTF (21°14'17"S 175°08'14"W) 117.5° (SE)  469 nm
NFTF (21°14'17"S 175°08'14"W) NCAI (18°49'51"S 159°45'51"W) 83.3°  (E)   880 nm
NCAI (18°49'51"S 159°45'51"W) NTAA (17°33'24"S 149°36'41"W) 84.1°  (E)   585 nm
NTAA (17°33'24"S 149°36'41"W) NTGA (17°21'18"S 145°30'30"W) 87.7°  (E)   236 nm
NTGA (17°21'18"S 145°30'30"W) NTTO (18°04'29"S 140°56'45"W) 100.0° (E)   265 nm

Total: 4187 nm
 

[brett 2,283]

That's a healthy trip so far. Been enjoying the ride along.

[Quickmarch 488]

Go for it Ros! I'm enjoying every minute. Hats off to you for all the time and energy required to fly something that slow, that far.

[rosariomanzo 545]

Thank you for encouragement guys! I have some holydays, hope to reach Easter island soon!

[rosariomanzo 545]

Here we are for another shot hop. Next stop will be at Tureia, French Polynesia (NTGY).

 

Taking off early in the morning:

 

 

A shot taken by Gennaro, the copilot:

 

 

I love this shape:

 

 

The little airport of Tureia is in sight. Looks like we are going to park on grass.

 

 

Performing the traffic pattern, i feel the engine is not behaving as usual. Land was a bit on the 'too fast' side: the brakes of this Aircraft are not so powerful and we had to run the Whole runway to stop.

- "Hey Gennaro, looks like someone is cooking some fish nearby, huh?"

Then Gennaro suddenly jumped out of the Aircraft, I've never seen him running so fast.

That's why:   

 

 

Fire has been rapidly extinguished, but we have to investigate for any engine damage may have occurred. It won't take too long, Gennaro is a great mechanic.

 

I'll spend some hours fishing...

 

Our trip, so far:

 

[mutley 4,487]

Looks like a good opportunity to take a short brake Ros, those radial engines sure do get temperamental when hot!

[brett 2,283]

Only thing to put the fire out around there is coconut juice.   Hope there are no big problems to deal with and you can get on your way. I'm sure Gennaro will expect a fish fry for dinner so good luck on your fishing trip.   

[rosariomanzo 545]

Gennaro did a perfect job after the engine fire occurred at the end of our last flight.

After some days spent in this little paradise, I thought it would be nice to make some Halloween party in Mangareva.

And our Black Cat seems appropriate indeed.

So, it's time to leave again!

Roaring away

Heading east to our next destination

Cruising over the Pacific Ocean

Trying to experiment some new fast cruise settings, hoping not to burn engines again. The Cylinder Head Temp is quite high, but acceptable. We are cruising at about 130 kts.

Our main visual reference, a series of little atolls and islands. We will fly over Tenararo and Vahaga Atolls, then Minto Island.

Last piece of this little Group, Mature-Vavao Atoll:

Only a NDB to reach Totegegje airport:

Here we are, Mangareva Islands and Totegegje airport on the left:

A few feet before touchdown. Nice attitude!

At destination, we now have to look for some halloween costumes.

Our route, so far:

Thanks for watching!

[Ruzzo 59]

Superb screenshots, Rosario.

 

Love the water in that fourth one.

[rosariomanzo 545]

Thank you Paul!

[hifly 925]

You sure get around Rosario.

[rosariomanzo 545]

Me and Gennaro have spent all day planning and preparing the Aircraft for the next long leg to Easter Island.

There are almost no visual references and a single VOR at Easter Island, way too far for a 10 hours flight!

So we will have to fly east, hoping the winds will be helpful, and fly 10 hoursjust to reach the VOR signal. A single error and the situation won't be nice.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Anyway, we decided to wake up early, to be at SCIP at about 18:00. Fuel is enough to reach Easter Island.

While I setup the Aircraft for startup, Gennaro keeps asking me if we really need the sextant I have put in my bag.

Taking off at 06:18 AM:

This is quite a nice view:

That should be easy enough, follow the sun!

Keeping the same track over the calm ocean:

Time is running:

We are lucky enough with the weather:

Autopilot is on, Gennaro takes this shot of our office while I'm busy in the toilet :

The bad feeling becomes frustrations as I look at the fuel gauge. At this point, we should have the VOR alive, but the needle is not giving us any sign:

Something has gone wrong, fuel is low and it's becoming dark outside. Better get her down.

We have some reserve fuel tanks aboard, and I guess now Gennaro has understood how useful will be my sextant:

Floating in the middle of the ocean with some sharks fins around! We will wait for the stars to understand our position, eat something, refuel the Aircraft and sleep a little.

We will leave Tomorrow again. Thanks for watching!

[rosariomanzo 545]

*YAWN* 'morning Gennaro, ready to go?

According to our calculations, we are here, about 250NM South of Easter Island (that little dot in the blue blue sea):

So we are not so far. Let's get her started after a night spent floating in the Pacific Ocean:

And up we go, heading North:

The low rising sun:

And it's a pleasure to have the VOR needle alive now!

And, after a while... Rapa Nui!

I've Always been fascinated by the story of this Island and its civilization. It's the story of the limits that nature gives us. You cut the last tree, a whole people disappears. Take care of the world you live in guys.

Down with a strong headwind which shakes our big wings:

Time to take my camera and walk around the Island to grab some nice shots.

Our route as of today:

We are now one pace away from destination, Valparaíso. See you soon!

[Ruzzo 59]

Good job that you don't get sea sick whilst on the water.

 

Superb screens and two great legs.

 

Making me more and more want the Cat, is she a sweet bird to fly?

[rosariomanzo 545]

One of the finest and most realistic aircraft i've ever flown, and one of those which don't get much dust in my (wide) hangar

[mutley 4,487]

I agree Ros, she is a beauty as we can see from your adventure, I am really enjoying this thread. 

[rosariomanzo 545]

We won't be able to reach Chile today. Even if the Cat has a respectable range, we should fly more than 15 hours to see the South american coasts.

So we will head to Crusoe Island, which is only 12 hours away

It will be dark when we will arrive, and I guess we won't be able to recognize the airport. No problems, plenty of water to give some rest to the Cat!

 

Full fuel tanks, and we are ready to go:

 

 

A challenging crosswind takeoff:

 

 

Leaving Easter Island, we've spent some nice days here:

 

 

Dark shape and White clouds:

 

 

Our faithful right engine, you'll have to spin a lot today!

 

 

The blue blue sea:

 

 

Watching the moon rising, Gennaro says something about a November screenshot theme, which I don't quite understand    :

 

 

Oceanic sunset;

 

 

Night view of our office:

 

 

We have the NDB alive, but visibility is prohibitive:

 

 

Really can't see the airport, better turn left to the moonlit wide ocean:

 

 

Ready to spend another night floating  :

 

 

We'll stay here tonight, near terrafirma:

 

 

Valparaíso is waiting for us, see you soon (and good night)!

 

[Ruzzo 59]

Another great leg. I think you've convinced me to get the Cat now, Rosario.

 

That cockpit.. 

 

[rosariomanzo 545]

I'm sure you won't regret. Treat her with gloves, she doesn't forgive bad engine management!

The only issue I have is with the DME which doesn't turn on, but it doesn't spoil the experience.

[brett 2,283]

Great pic's in this leg Rosario. Nothing like sleeping on a water bed.

[hifly 925]

 Nothing like sleeping on a water bed.

Wrong verb Brett.

 

Great adventure Ros. You're a good salesman for the Cat, I'm tempted to get one too.

[diverone 1]

thanks for the trip  pictures look great and the story too......   

[Quickmarch 488]

Thanks Rosario,

 

This is a truly great trip. Carry on.

 

Watch out for those Chileans. They speak like they have rocks in their mouths - very hard dialect to decipher.