Around the World in an A340 - FS2000

I'm pulling out some old archives here:

Crazy, Nuts or just Dedicated?

I have really enjoyed doing Around-the-World flights but I usually

mix-and-match my planes. I have yet to complete a tour in one single plane. I

have set out (9 months ago) in an EMB-170 and am still underway – haven’t

given up on that one yet. But I watch as guys attempt these tours in the likes

of Twin Cessnas, Caravans, KingAirs, even a Pilatus Porter being taken on

these trips. Man! Are they Nuts or do I just lack that kind of dedication and

concentration? Crazy!!

But anyway…I got the itch to do (and complete) another circumnavigation. So I

made a plan: Each morning I’d set off on a flight in an A340. I’d fly one

flight per day taking the rest of my virtual time at each destination for R&R.

At this rate, I should have a VERY NICE two week vacation!

Day 1 – 05:50 AM: I pushed back from the gate at Los Angeles and taxied out to

the runway for an eastbound departure in a Lan Chile A340. (pict1) Once

established on my FMC/GPS route at an initial 29,000 feet I set autopilot and

went about my daily activities. Hours later I was ready to descend and began

setting up for landing. I came around to the west and set-up over the NDB to

land on SLSP runway 32. Total distance was 3637 miles and I shut down at

16:17. (pict2)

Day 2 – 08:20 AM: Since its winter here I’m leaving later in the morning.

There is no wind but a light rain as I take off in the Air Tahiti Nui. (pict3)

We climb out to the southwest, then I again set in my GPS routing to Sydney,

Australia and make a VERY LONG Pacific Ocean crossing. Finally I can set up to

approach, northbound into YSSY. (pict4) Today I shut-down at 15:20.

Day 3 – 07:00 AM: I depart northbound again, this time in a China Southern

A340, heading into Kao s’hiun Taiwan. (pict5)Weather at the destination is

overcast to 1,500 feet and 5 miles visibility with rain. Sounds great! This is

actually quite the nice scenic flight up but for some reason I cannot connect

with the ILS. I came in high, had to go missed and try a second time. I shut

down at 12:06 PM, ready for some food and relaxation by the sea. (pict6)

Day 4 – 05:07 AM: (pict7) The wind and rain again dictate that I leave

eastbound but climbing out before reaching the mountains is no problem for my

Eastern Airlines plane. (pict8)I fly the FCA route into Mumbai India landing

runway 27 at 07:10 AM. This leaves me almost the full day to enjoy ancient

Bombay. (pict9)

Day 5 – 05:30 AM: After 22 hours on the ground I download another batch of

real weather and pushback in the South African A340. I’ve made this flight

before too for FCA and the long Indian Ocean crossing is rewarded by the

flight over Madagascar. (pict10)I arrive to Cape Town’s runway 1 at 12:21 –

just in time for lunch!

Day 6 – 07:00 AM: A Gulf Air A340 awaits me in the pre-dawn drizzle. Winds are

calm and I depart from runway 1 again, heading north, across Lake Kivu

(pict11)and Goma into Dubai, UAE. There are clear skies but stiff westerly

winds. I also note from ATIS that on the ground the blowing dust has

visibility to only 3 miles. I hand-fly the last several miles to the ILS for

runway 30L shutting down well after dark at 20:19.

Day 7 – 04:30 AM: (pict12) The forecast is for temps to reach 120*F so I

depart early in a TAPortugal A340. Today’s flight goes up the Persian Gulf,

across southern Iraq, over Cyprus, (pict13)Greece, Italy’s boot, Corsica, the

whole of Spain and into a southbound approach to Lisbon. WHAT A GREAT

FLIGHT!!!!! (pict14)I cruise at only FL250 so I can see some of the sights

below. Arrival is at 07:17. (pict15)

Day 8 – Lisbon to Buenos Aires, it is a calm, warm morning in Portugal and I

make a graceful northbound departure in the House Colours A340-600. (pict16)

Half of the long flight is across the Atlantic Ocean – half over Brazil!

(pict17)As I had done years ago on my first solo RTW, I came in from the

northwest, over Rosario and into this beautiful city-by-the-sea. I arrived at

the with just enough time to enjoy some life in the city!

Day 9 – Buenos Aires to Vancouver BC (pict18)
(pict19)

Day 10 – Vancouver BC back to LAX (pict20)

Well, I made it, Around the Globe in 10 days – and in one type of plane. I did

it but as you can tell, after about half-way I was getting pretty bored.

pretendpilot@yahoo.com