PNG Tour #3 – The Black Cat Track, Mountain Villages, and Port Moresby

[MM 424]

PNG Tour #3 – The Black Cat Track, Mountain Villages, and Port Moresby
 

Departing from Nadzab (AYNZ) [Orbx], we fly over Lae and Salamaua before turning inwards over the Black Cat Track to Bulolo (BUO) [PIS], a flight which recalls the original impetus for local aviation to serve the 1926-1942 gold rush near Bulolo and Wau. We climb and proceed to the valley grass strip at Garaina (GNA) [FSX]. Then up over the mountains to the wonderfully challenging mountain airfields Tapini (TAP) [PIS-only], Fane (FANE) [PIS-only], and Woitape (WTP) [PIS]. This dramatic sequence is followed by Ononge (ONG) [PIS-only] which might prove interesting. Finally, the route drops down to sea level to visit the national capital at Port Moresby and Jacksons Airport (AYPY) [Orbx detailed scenery].

 

Note: [FSX] are airfields modeled in FSX default. [Orbx] are enhanced airfields included in the Orbx Jacksons package for PNG. [PIS] are enhanced airfields included in the Pacific Islands Simulation Bush Flying package. And [Orbx-only] and [PIS-only] are those depicted by Orbx or PIS but not by FSX.
 

Recommended Scenery:
This post has a complete list of the scenery recommendations for the PNG tour.
 

 

Recommended Aircraft:
We shall transporting holiday cheer to the villagers in the area. I shall fly the Aerosoft Twin Otter Extended DHC-6-300. Other oft-used aircraft in the region include the Britten-Norman Islander BN-2A, Pilatus PC6 Porter, Cessna 206 Stationair, Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and the Quest Kodiak. Historically, the DC-3 was a mainstay here. (We should aim for something like 150ktas.) Any other similar aircraft will be just fine. This journey's airports have some airline service … but several may catch your attention on landing.
 

Film.

These great videos show multiple views of a number of the mountain airstrips in the region. Several sequences show the events from both the cockpit and from the ground.

 

Kokoda Trail 1 (14:46)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O4Ff867lhc

Great action on airstrips near the Kokoda Track. Again, some of our destinations.

Port Moresby (0:00-2:10)

Fane (2:06-6:58)

Tapini (11-14-14:46)

 

Kokoda Trail 2 (13;24)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTgK9kMe_tk

Oronge (4:18-9:49)

Kagi (9:50-13:24)

 

Participation.
 

Time: Saturday January 3, 2015. 19:00 UTC

Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel

Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com

Multiplayer FSX Multiplayer (IP will be provided on Teamspeak)

The digital flightplan (in FSX format) is available from the DropBox location here. A narrative will be posted in plenty of time. 

Please post your aircraft details in the MP spreadsheet so that we can see you in your true colors.

[MM 424]

A descriptive narrative for PNG 3 The Black Cat Track is available here.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

Nice one Mike. I'm thinking Aerosoft DHC Beaver. I do like a nice Beaver. :Whistle:

[Eamonn Watson 32]

 I do like a nice Beaver. :Whistle:

[spokes2112 179]

Here is a chart in case of a blinker fluid pump failure, a misalignment of the dual exhaust muffler bearing, or, just plain non-trust of the GPS. 

 

[spokes2112 179]

Nice one Mike. I'm thinking Aerosoft DHC Beaver. I do like a nice Beaver. :Whistle:

What about tail? I'm thinking good "ol" Badger tail -

[CavalierDuck 106]

For anyone who would like to join and does not have the Pacific Islands Simulation scenery package I have made simple versions of the PIS-only airstrips in the plan for this week.  They are available as a Dropbox download here.

 

Tapini appears to be represented in FSX, so I have just done Fane and Ononge.

 

Installation: copy the PNG Airstrips folder in the zip file into your Addon Scenery folder (or wherever you want to put it), and activate in the FSX scenery library.  If anyone needs further installation instructions just post here or send me a PM.

 

As before, please note that these are not intended to be accurate representations of the airstrips.  All I am trying to achieve is a place to land somewhere near everyone else for multiplayer purposes.  Runway lengths, headings and surfaces should be close to reality, but it is not possible to make sloped runways in ADE so I have set the field elevation midway between the altitudes of the runway thresholds.

 

Many thanks to Mike for providing the coordinates needed.

[MM 424]

You can get a slightly elaborated flightplan PNG_3_Lae to Port Moresby by simply downloading from here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22163895/PNG_3_Lae%20to%20Port%20Moresby.zip

 

This revision shows a pathway through the Owen Stanley Mountains from Garaina to Tapini. (If you downloaded prior to 1530UTC today, you might just get another copy.)

[DarkCharizma 10]

Hi guys, I hope to be able to join you tonight as well. Will be in the same Twotter as last time.

 

Here's Mike's plan in Skyvector. (I added an update to my old converter scripts, to create a skyvector URL as well. Skyvector has some hard to guess prefixes in their airport codes though, so it only uses GPS points... It's here if anyone is interested, simply upload the flightplan and click the link which is added.)

[1st fltsimguy 466]

OMG!  You fellows are too much....fun that is.

 

I have no idea how you find the time, or make the time for these flights.  My guess you don't have adult children and grand kids hovering around, visiting regularly.

 

Sorry I can't join in, I am expecting things to quiet down around here later this week.

 

cheers.

[spokes2112 179]

Thank You Mike for another spectacular flight! 

Whoah! The WX doesn't look too good for valley / mountain flying. We must get there though - it's imperative!


All lined up. Eamonn - really in an Islander, DC - The "enforcer", Mike, Bry - in the PC-6, and myself.


Pirep - Mountain obscuration in the valleys. Gorgeous area.


Once again, parking is at a premium.


Skidmarks! Some of these airports provide the same marks in the under-drawers!


Mountain obscuration is an UNDERSTATEMENT! 4 of my fellow pilots down there hovering over the tops. Underneath that stuff is an airport we have to land at.


Out of the clouds. PNG's version of Lukla, a one-way street. Tapini (TAP)


Ron touching down in the Beaver (@ TAP) while a burned out Islander reminds us of the perils flying in this area.


Nick "was" in the clouds until about this point when he called out - "I got it!" It took a couple of circles, the last one Jeff was on frequency guiding him using his TCAS radar.


The Owen Stanely Lodge at Woitape (WTP). Looks like a great place to stay!


Native artwork on some of the lodges.


It even has one of those "cement ponds"! Nice.. LOL


More of the local artwork.


Ron coming in at Ononge (ONG), and I believe it is Nick following. Porter wreckage in the background, once again, letting us know how dangerous this is.


Bry... This is what can happen if you keep pulling those stunts. Just kiddin bud, you had that thing nailed!


And of course, after every flight.... The meeting of the "minds".


4 ply, "soft clouds"... Made of FLUFF (Puff). LOL! Had to do it..