Around the world in an old Tupolev

[HaraldG 559]

Thanks Morten, and the same to you! 

 

It is a pleasure for me to share my impressions with you. I used to do a round-the-world journey every winter for some years now (many times with a DC-6, two times with a B727, one time even with a P-38), but it's the first time I make a kind of blog about it. In fact it is a double pleasure this time: First to fly, then to look at the shots again and to sort them for this thread.

 

Regards,

Harald

[edetroit 933]

More FS9.x goodness! :Applause:

 

 I have a great app for my IPad called World Radar which lets me know at a glance the weather at my favourite FS destinations.

Khabarovsk has constistently been the coldest port over the Christmas period. 

[HaraldG 559]

 

 

Khabarovsk has constistently been the coldest port over the Christmas period.

 

And how cold it was! That's why I decided to leave earlier and to make another stop at Vladivostok UHWW, originally not planned.

 

 

Meanwhile, at Vladivostok there was the land only partially covered by snow. Had a nice crosswind landing there.

 

Impressions after landing

 

What an impressive line-up!

 

 

Air Koryo Tu-204 ready for pushback. While beeing a very rare bird elsewhere, I hope to see more of them in the very next time at Pyongyang.

[PittsS2B 33]

An epic journey, Harald, and well chronicled.  Keep 'em coming!

 

:Applause:

[HaraldG 559]

Thanks John for your kind words and your interest.

 

Today I had one of the most interesting flights: Vladivostok UHWW to Pyongyang ZKPY. At least I was surprised by the absence of snow. Climate change? Or just an landclass problem?

 

My last departure in Russia:

 

 

Do svidaniya!

 

Soon the Tumen river, the border between Russia and North Korea, is reached.

 

Above North Korea. I visit this country just out of an aviators interest. I have in no way any sentiment for it's government and it's leaders. I'm well beware that down there between these mountains people starve and suffer in KZs.

 

Beginning the approach to Pyongyang. Didn't see any of the MiG fighters of the NKAF that I once added to my AI traffic. Unfortunately. Or luckily?

 

Final approach to ZKPY Rwy 01. I doubt that Rwy 01 is used for landing very often as it crosses the western parts of Pyongyang city.

 

The approach to Rwy 01 leads over the old Rwy 17/35 and the apron.

 

Parking at ZKPY. My first thought: Shouldn't there be two of these guys' pictures?

 

And then some spotting. These are dedicated to Ed and his Il-76.

All planes belong to one airline...

 

 

 

 

 

... excepting one that is - of all places - from Georgia. (It is said that this kind of freighter planes smuggle weapons out of North Korea...)

 

 

And the Great Leader watches all.

 

This flight made me think a lot about this country. And somehow... I want to fly away really soon again.

 

A word about this scenery: It's in the library (zkpy_276824.zip). It's quite outdated as they have built a new terminal and demolished the old one at least partially. Rwy 17/35 should also be demolished meanwhile. But as you can see, it's nevertheless realistic. You would always recognize Pyongyang, wouldn't you?

 

Regards,

Harald

[edetroit 933]

 

 

These are dedicated to Ed and his Il-76

 

Awwwwww thankyou Harald! It took me a long time to GET the IL-76….the fact that she is still flying today is testament to what a superb aircraft she is.  :wub:

 

I have not painted a Air Koryo IL-76 yet. I'll paint the Chinese IL-76 livery first….it's really cool. B)

 

Keep 'em comin' Harald. :Applause:

[edetroit 933]

I hope you don't mind me posting a preview Harald. ^_^

 

[HaraldG 559]

How fast does it go?!!!!!!

 

Be careful with such questions, else the thread is moved to the FS9 forum!

I regularly fly 500 km/h IAS, that is 431 kts TAS without any wind. At the same time 500 km/h are the maximal speed with tip tanks fueled.

 

 

 

I hope you don't mind me posting a preview Harald. ^_^

 

Ed, that one is awesome!

 

Shots from my departure from Pyongyang to Hefei Luogang ZSOF:

 

 

 

Of course they also were on duty

 

 

 

 

May the sun rise really soon above this country.

 

To be continued...

[HaraldG 559]

^_^

 

Regarding navigation:

I use VOR/NDB in combination with a simple GPS. There must be a Russian equivalent to an INS, but I still wait for Tushka's (or somebody other's) tutorial to be able to use it.

[HaraldG 559]

Part II of my ZKPY - ZSOF flight - only some impressions. I read meanwhile that ZSOF was closed; however, the Skysoft freeware is still fine to fly to.

 

Above eastern China between Nanjing and Hefei. I especially like the ponds (FS9Evo)

 

ZSOF airport

 

[HaraldG 559]

Decided to make a trip to another airport which is to be closed soon: Luzhou Lantian ZULZ. Again a fine piece of freeware from Skysoft.

 

The Yangtze valley - Luzhou in sight

 

 

 

And there they are again - the Blue Roofs

 

[edetroit 933]

 

 

How do you navigate? GPS or does have a INS?

 

I'm a big fan of the KLN-90B. B)

 

Super extended set Harald! :Applause:  …the China Eastern Maddog reminds me of one of my favourite Maddog liveries... China Northern. :wub:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm9D6JfLfj0&t=3m41s

[edetroit 933]

 

 

That's a payware one right?

 

No. I use the freeware one from Project Tupolev.

[edetroit 933]

 

 

Same as the one in the Aeroworx KA I believe

 

Negative. The PT KLN-90B is far superior and has it's own database.

 

The Aeroworx KLN-90B is a repackaged FS9 GPS and not very sophisticated.

[HaraldG 559]

KLN-90B

 

Hi Ed, I wished I could use the KLN-90B as I should. It still has some challenge for me.

 

However, today I flew from Luzhou ZULZ to Hanoi VVNB.

 

Taxiing out of ZULZ

 

Flying like in heaven (or what was the difference between sky and heaven in English language? ^_^ )

 

After landing in Hanoi, I remembered what fun AES is and how big other planes can be.

 

Until here the Tu-134 flew in skies known to her - Vietnam Airlines bought a batch of Interflug's Tu-134 in 1990 indeed. She may even have made the next hop to Bangkok or Manila with this airline. But I doubt that a Tu-134 has ever made it over the Pacific via a southern route as I plan to fly now. I still have to settle the next flights in detail...