Polo Ponies from England to Argentina on a Aer Turas DC-8

[joscyriacv2]

Hello everyone. After a short break from flightsimming, I'm back again. Due to family and work commitments, I couldn't fly. Now I've joined my work onboard a bulk carrier ship. We're currently on our way from Vietnam to USA. Long sailing gives time to fly and I decided to fly a flight which had roused some interest. I had read an incident report about a Kam Air DC-8-63 which on its first earning flight for the carrier was involved in a tailstrike incident at Manston Airport in the UK. This flight was carrying 36 polo ponies, their handlers from UK to Buenos Aires. At 6000nm, this flight is beyond the aircraft's range and required a refuelling stop at Cape Verde. I attempted this flight without any untoward incident and was awed by the DC-8-63's capabilities.

First Leg of this flight is from East Midlands Airport UK (EGNX/EMA) to Sal Amilcar Cabral, Cape Verde (GVAC/SID). Flight planning was done via simbrief. Fuel calculated was 104,000lbs. The Kam Air crew had took off with a full fuel load which caused them to exceed the runway limited weight and caused a longer takeoff roll for which there was no runway. I decided on EMA instead of Manston as Manston is inoperational now and thus there's no option to select it in simbrief.

Loaded at EMA. Departure at about 8am local.

Taxiing the Stretch DC-8 requires attention

Liftoff. Takeoff was planned using AJPC and required almost the entire runway

Initial climbout.

Initial cruise over the Bay of Biscay

Over Portugal

Approach to Sal

Taxi to the runway. Burned about 5000lbs more than planned.

At Sal, we kept the no.3 engine running to provide air conditioning to the ponies. Simbrief generated briefing called for 160,000lbs fuel to which i added another 2000lbs filling the tanks to brim. It's a long flight over the water which require ETOPS procedures. Takeoff was planned using AJPC which estimated we require about 9000ft of runway. Sal's runway 01 is about 11,200ft which makes it an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle missions.

The next leg is to Ezeiza Airport, Buenos Aires, Argentina (SAEZ/EZE)

Taxiing for departure

Takeoff. Witnesses would say the aircraft was slow to accelerate

Liftoff

Smoky climbout

Initial cruise at FL280/M0.78. We would later step climb to FL360/M0.79. As Sal is close to the equator, there were hardly any enroute winds.

Night has fallen over the south Atlantic. The head wind is at about 98kts now and we're doing only about 386kts GS.

Approach to runway 28. Opted a visual approach as I didn't have time to go south for an approach to rw35 which had an ILS. It's a long day and we all want to sleep. Plus conditions were CAVOK and winds favourable.

About to land. Although I aimed for a Vref of 144kts, the aircraft didnt slow down on approach. But this helped in a butter touchdown which I think was better for the ponies.

Parked at the cargo ramp. No.3 running to generate air conditioning.

This was a satisfying flight, both for the planning as well as the flying part. Always a joy to explore the many liveries at HJG. At a point I thought I had lost it when FS crashed on descent into BA. But I wouldn't take NO for an answer. Loaded up with the same payload and approximately the same fuel i had at the time of the CTD, used the Map option to place the aircraft at the same location and altitude and continued. And I'm glad I did that. Hope y'all enjoyed the trip report and the screenies.

Cyriac

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

a Kam Air DC-8-63 which on its first earning flight for the carrier was involved in a tailstrike incident

That wasn't difficult to achieve .... especially by crews new to either the DC-8 SUPER 61 or SUPER 63 with their massively stretched fuselages.

I attempted this flight without any untoward incident and was awed by the DC-8-63's capabilities.

DC-8's, in all versions, but particularly in both SUPER 62 and SUPER 63 form, were/"are" (because a handful still remain operational today .... mostly re-enginned now as SUPER 70's) are "very logistically capable" aircraft. It's "partly" why the service of DC-8 aircraft (as freighters) has long superseded that of B707's. The B707 was "good" too, but, it couldn't really do what the DC-8 .... especially in SUPER 62 and SUPER 63 form .... could achieve .... and particularly in its later years.

ANYWAY.

I enjoy reviewing your trip reports "CYRIAC". They're always well thought out/planned in advance (obviously) .... nicely undertaken (with a sense of purpose) .... and are equally well presented too. It's "encouraging" to see our simulations being used in this manner. This's "precisely the type of FS flying" HJG simulations have been compiled for. Seeing them used like this "kind of vindicates" (in a way) the effort/s applied, by those whom compile these simulations as they actually are, "so those whom wish to can then undertake the like of virtual flying such as this.

Look forward to more such trip reports from you in the future

Pity we couldn't negotiate with, and convince, an FS supplier to donate a prize each month (or quarterly .... even bi-annually) for the best trip report (by our own assessment) presented on this forum .... "if such presentations could be successfully encouraged and in sufficient quantity to justify such a proposal".

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[joscyriacv2]

Hello Mark. Thanks for your comments. They're encouraging as usual. As much interesting as a prize competition is, I think all of us lack the time and some may not be interested in taking screenshots. Personally for me, taking the time to plan and do a proper flight, flying the aircraft the way it was intended to, and exploring the wide variety of liveries available, and making a trip report is my way of expressing my gratitude and appreciation to the developers who are the often forgotten - taken for granted unsung heroes at HJG.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

I think all of us lack the time

Same applies to me too

Even though I "appear to" spend a lot of time doing what I do here .... I do sometimes struggle to be able to justify it given it's always a "no remuneration" effort. My wife often sais .... "ESTAS COSAS NO GANAN DINERO/THIS THINGS NO MAKE THE MONEY" (a literal translation) .... and I have to admit she's "ABSOLUTELY RIGHT" (as most wives do tend to be )

BUT .... the business oriented part of my brain's always at work in respect of "PROSPECTIVE IDEAS" (such as I postured above) whether or not they actually come to fruition. What I mean (in regard to this particular case/idea) is the implementation, if not success, of such is totally dependent upon time actually being available to .... (1) sit down and negotiate with a willing and prospective donor .... and (2) the time it also takes to then formulate "a workable plan" (since not all become practical for various reasons of imposition) in order to promote such ideas here and in a manner that also "encourages people to want to participate". Still .... no road should ever be regarded a Dead-End/No Exit street .... where I'm concerned at least.

my way of expressing my gratitude and appreciation to the developers who are the often forgotten - taken for granted unsung heroes at HJG.

That's appreciated "CYRIAC"

I'm no hero though .... nor glory seeker either.

If anyone seeks glory/attention (or even just a simple thanks sometimes), then, my best advice is .... "don't become an FS freeware developer/marketer/promoter"

Bit by bit I just do, what I do here, to try'n ensure everything's well/properly represented (within the limitations of FS itself of course) .... and which nearly always means "done differently" (since there's absolutely no point in doing what most have previously done) .... in order to be able to give people something "relatively accurate" (a bit more accurate and certainly better performing at the very least) to hopefully freely enjoy. And then I just "get on with the next thing" .... so on .... and so forth .... and in ongoing repetition.

It can't, and won't, all last forever though (and that's just an IT and technological reality), however, we'll certainly try'n squeeze every drop of milk we can out of "the HJG cow" (in respect of the FS platforms we currently represent at least) .... "for the foreseeable future and in so far as such remains possible and ".

Mark C
AKL/NZ