Search the Community

After making a succesful first (personal) tour through Argentina with the B60, I thought I was ready for something different. I wanted to fly with something a bit more challenging and in an area which I don't visit very often. I took a quick look at the map and immediately the idea came to my head, a coast to coast tour in the US with the P40. I knew that I couldn't take any major airport such as San Francisco as a starting point, so then I visualized Fairfield as my starting point. My first leg was a test leg, short flight, no more that 20 minutes so I can get used to the plane, its handling and over all the things its navigation (FSX default ground depiction, like routes and towns and such things). I know this plane hasn't any of those fancy radionav equipment (at least not in the main panel, there are some as pop-ups), so that's the way to go. Using a map, some charts and the compass I was ready to take on the adventure. Took off from Fairfield's travis AFB aeroclub with a 40° heading (approx) to intercept the route 80, once on it, all I had to do was make my way to Sacramento. Soon we were landing on this city. The check ride was successful! Now I was ready to go for the second leg: Sacramento-Reno. A leg that took us through valleys, as the ground got higher and higher on the way to our destination A 40 minutes flight awaited. I topped the fuel tanks, took a look at the manuals and got the engine running. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- As soon as the engine was on I had to take off as soon as possible to prevent overheating. These big V12 engines need a constant airflow to keep them cold, so they don't like run much while on the ground. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- With all the checks made, we were rolling (keeping an eye on those temps). To be airborne quick we took off from the middle point of the runway, which was still, a lot of runway for these machine. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- Take off thrust is set: max RPM and 41 "hg of manifold pressure were making rotate at a speed of 100/110 mph IAS. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- When our wheels leaves the ground, thrust is reduced to climb power, 35"hg of manifold pressure. Cowling flaps are left open to cool-down the engine a bit, brakes applied and the wheels go up making the plane as aerodynamic as possible. With the course of 40°, as mentioned before, the route 80 comes in sight so we get parallel to it and that's the way we go! -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- "Ladies and gentlemen to our right the Folsom Lake" wait... I'm and alone in this one-seater plane! The view was nice! -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- The ground started to get slightly closer to the plane, a signal that we had to ascend a little in order to not to crash with the ground and mountains a bit ahead. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- The values on the engine were nice, the economy cruise setting was selected. I didn't want to use too much fuel, but with full tanks I didn't have to worry about as I had plenty of fuel to go to Reno and then come back to Sacramento. The economy setting is: 2200RPM, Mixture setting "Auto Lean" (for any cruise setting, actually) and 25.2 "hg of manifold pressure. That was our half route landmark, the town of Truckee. Following the Truckee River will make our trip a bit shorter, as the route 80 went around the hills. A bit more further, the river met the route again. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- And there it is! Reno city on sight. Of course we won't use its airport as it's big for use. Instead we are going to make a few more miles to Carson city. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- Once we passed Reno, we made a left turn following the route 580 that took us over Washoe Lake, and then to Carson City Airport that fitted us much more better. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- Once I start the descend, any of the runways will be a cross wind runway, so the RWY27 is chosen because we were going high and fast. Once we leave the threshold behind we configure the plane for landing. Flaps, gear and a speed of 100mph for the approach and landing. The ground got closer suddenly... My prop stops and blades are blended... What happened? Well you guessed right, a belly landing. I don't know what happened, seems I distracted a little and the gear didn't drop. The plane slipped out of the runway and the emergencies services arrived. I was ok, but plane wasn't. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- Maintenance guys gave the plane a quick look, the diagnosis: wasted prop, flaps, landing gear and engine's main bearings. It could've been worse. -- OLD IMAGE REMOVED (imageshack) -- Well, that's how my first leg ends... I hope the next time my gear drops (or I check that). Stay tuned, more to come. Maybe not very often, I fly on free times and exams are coming, so you can get an idea... Hope you had fun reading it as well as I making it! Sorry if I have some grammatical/typing errors, English is not my first language but (I think) I'm not that bad at it jaja Regards! Mauricio