Other Links...

One of the pilots I flew with, Tomoharu has some great pictures and facts about Haiti and our trip on his web-site.

http://www.nishino.us/Nishino.US/Mission_to_Haiti.html


On vacuum failure in instrument conditions... Note that I had a backup vacuum system, which taps into the intake manifold on GKNT (I refused to fly on instruments without a backup and had it installed right after I got my instrument rating)...  It did NOT work when I tried it after my vacuum pump failure.

The FAA did a study, they put instrument rated pilots in simulators and failed the vacuum pump.  Between 25-32% of the pilots did not "survive".  That is 1-in-3 to 1-in-4 that did not "make it".  It is a short report.  If you fly on instruments, I HIGHLY recommend that you read it.

http://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_guidance_library%5Crgsaib.nsf/%28LookupSAIBs%29/CE-05-41

Epilogue

Here a map view of our trips (click for a larger image).

Before I sign off, here is a summary of the trip (All currencies are in $U.S.).

Total distance flown : 8,354 Nautical Miles /9,614 Statute Miles/15,472 KM
Total airtime : 57 hours
Total logged time (includes taxi time on ground) : 62.8 hours
Total Fuel burned : 583 US Gallons/2,206 liters
Total Cost of Fuel : $3,100
Total Customs/Landing/Parking Fees/Life raft rental (so far...I'm still expecting some bills in the mail) : $675*
Required maintenance on trip (Oil Change/Loose ground wire fix/replace vacuum pump) : Approx. $1,000

Average ground speed : 147 Knots /169 Miles per hour / 271 KM per hour
(I would say that we were fortunate and had more tail-winds than head-winds)
Highest Fuel Price : $6.55/Gal (New Orleans, LA)
Lowest Fuel Price : $4.00/Gal (Georgetown, TX)

If you enjoyed the blog, please make a contribution to the Haitian Timoun Foundation (HTF) who supported "Team Ange" the main group in Haiti that I flew with.

to donate, goto...
www.hopeinhaiti.org
1. click on "Haiti Earthquake" on the top
2. click on "Emergency Relief Donation"
3. enter donation amount (minimum I think is $20)
4. then fill out the form and in "Designate Funds" put "Team Ange - Glenn Chong"

Thanks for reading.

Glenn
If you want to contact me directly, I can be reached by e-mail at...
glenn(at)chongfamily(dot)ca


*$171 of this was for ONE single stop in Montego Bay...don't stop there unless you really have to.

Samantha earns her Mardi Gras beads

Samantha earns her Mardi Gras beads


And then gets crabs (that I caught at one of the Mardi Gras parades) ...

Day 23 Back Home

We considered going all the way back home yesterday but instead decided to spend the night in Billings Montana a short 3 hours from Innisfail. When we got to the airport a 9:00AM, we were back into winter flying conditions with a pretty thick layer frost covering GKNT.

Crossing the border into Canada.

A nice shot of Calgary.

Final 16 into Innisfail.

Home at last.

Brian, Don and Jim "Earning" their Mardi Gras Beads.

GKNT all tucked away at home.

It was a great trip... 60+ hours of flying over 22 days. I'll post a summary once I have had a chance get some sleep and have had a chance to compile the data.

Day 22 Austin-Goodland-Billings

We are on the home stretch. We left Georgetown Texas (just north of Austin) this morning. Today was our longest day in the airplane, most of it into head winds.

Tyler and myself just before leaving Georgetown...


This is one of the neatest things I have ever seen while flying (click on the image for a larger version). This is a picture of a rainbow (probably a 4 or higher order rainbow) where you can see the full circle. In addition to the rainbow, you can see the shadow of GKNT right in the middle.
Wind farms in Kansas
Back to the snow.
A well named navigational aid.
8 hours of flying later, we landed in Billings Montana just before sunset... We should be home tomorrow afternoon.

Day 21 Austin

It was an easy day today. We slept in and then went to our favorite electronics store Fry's.

And went to a Texas Stars (farm team for the Dallas Stars) hockey game.

It was a good game with the Stars winning 4-3 in overtime.

Day 20 Mobile - Georgetown

We left Orlando today and made it into Georgetown (just north of Austin Texas).

We made a fuel stop in Mobile Alabama because Tyler wanted to see where Forest Gump was from.



Once we reached Austin, the first stop was of course...

Day 19 Orlando - Kennedy Space Center

GKNT got a new vacuum pump today. We did not lose anytime as we had planned to stop in Orlando for 2 days and we should be good to go tomorrow. I have a few thoughts about vacuum pumps and instrument flying as the standby vacuum system (which is connected to the intake manifold) that I had installed right after I got my instrument rating was also disabled when the engine driven vacuum pump failed. I'll comment more on this later.

Today Tyler and I went to the Kennedy Space Center. I was really happy to go again as the last time I went, I was with Samantha (23 months at the time) and all I really got to see was the bathrooms...all of them...several times each.


Here is the shuttle Discovery that was moved out today in preparation for an April 5th launch.

Me standing beside a Saturn V rocket.
Standing beside my favorite exhibit... a "space" bathroom from the International Space Station.

The weather for tomorrow is looking good. With luck we'll make it to Austin TX where we will be until Saturday.

Day 18 Orlando Univeral Studios

Today we got up and when to IHOP in our rented white mini-van. Tyler kept commenting on how nice the mini-van was to drive and that his buddy Clint has been looking for one for a while. Tyler is going to recommend a Dodge Caravan to Clint when he gets back to Alberta.



Then we went to Univeral Studios...
Glenn, Tyler and the Simpsons...


The Blues' Brothers drove by.

Day 17 Montego Bay-Kingston-Key West-Orlando *Vacuum Pump Failure*

Today (Monday March 1st) I flew Anne and the kids to Montego Bay, dropped them off and picked up Tyler. While waiting another 10-15 minutes several times (for a total 1.5 hours) for somebody to escort us back to where GKNT was parked, I noticed this sign...
Just another example of why Jamaica is the way it is. Any other government (or company) would probably have a 99% satisfaction objective. They may not reach their target but the "goal" would be high. Note the 75% objective for a clean bathroom... I wonder what the 1 of 4 people trying to use the bathroom end up with.


The Chong family taxiing out to Runway 30 at Norman Manley (Kingston) international airport.

Norman Manley International tower.

Neet terrain in Jamaica.

Base for runway 07 at Sangster (Montego Bay) international

Final 07


I dropped off Anne and the kids, got Tyler and waited the appropriate hour+ for the fuel truck to arrive. It only cost me $171 US for the stop (and no, that does NOT include the price of fuel)...Montego Bay has the well earned reputation for being the most expensive airport in the caribbean.

South coast of Cuba...


Just as we approached Cuba, GKNT's vacuum pump failed.... this is straight and level flight. Note the artifical horizon is anything but straight and level. Considering that I was in the clear when it happened and the amount of IMC (clouds) that I flew in the previous week, it happened at a really good time.

Fortunately, Tyler had some "Post-It"s in his bag, the dying artificial horizon was getting very distracting.

Tyler and I over Cuba.

Right downwind 09 Key West...

Taxiing in in Key West...

The sun going down over the South Western edge of Florida after leaving Key West.

Disney World from the air...

Final for 07 Orlando Executive...

Day 16 Kingston again

As were only in Kingston for a short time, my cousin Sharon kindly had Sunday dinner at her place so that we could see everybody at once.

Here we are with Aunt Elaine.

My cousin Audrey, her daughter Jessica and husband Howard.

Cousin Paul, Sharon, Patrick and my uncle Richard and Aunt Icy.

Thanks again Sharon!!!!