Piper Cub - Around The World Adventure

[FAC257]

Another epic FSX adventure in progress!!!

Currently:
Flight Miles - 2010
Flight Hours - 48:23
Location - Approx. 120 miles north of Schefferville (CYKL), Quebec
Engine Overhauls - 1
Engine Failures - 1


I didn't want to start a thread on this experiment any earlier in the flying as I wasn't quite sure it would actually work. So far though it's looking to be fairly plausible that my little J3 will actually be able to pull this off. Now that A2A has been nice enough to add a working paddle, I may have to row several thousand miles to complete the Pacific leg, but we'll figure that part out when it's time.

This around the world adventure started out as a casual flight out of New Smyrna Beach (KEVB), down here in Florida to show off the new Cub to this cute pole dancer I just met named "Hiedi". Yeah right, sounds like a stage name to me too.

As we were flying up the coast along the beaches of NE Fla, she starting talking about wanting to travel and see the world some day. So I stuck my foot in my mouth and said I could show her the world as long as she didn't mind, no in-flight meals, no in-flight movies, and she has to put up with my Min-Pin in the back luggage rack.

So off we go to see the world up close and very slowly. Me, my dog and a hot pole dancer named Hiedi. Wooo Hooo !!!!!!!

Here's the flight plans and routes so far:
Part 1
KEVB, Fla to 7W6, North Carolina



Part 2
7W6 to KAUG, Maine



Part 3
KAUG to CYGP,Quebec



Part 4
CYPG to BGSS, Greenland



We're flying in the stock A2A Blue J3 with a few minor customized graphics goodies. This little J3 has the stock Piper Cub emblem added onto the tail and the A2A pin-up girl sitting on top of the Piper emblem on the cowl. Under the left side window frame will be the spot where the flags of each country will get added as we pass through.






And just to be right up front, we aren't following much of anything in the way of practicle, legal or safe Cub flying. So far we've flown in the dark, in the rain, and in the snow. The most ridiculous legs so far was the journey over Quebec between Gaspe (CYPG) to Poste Montagnais (CSF3). It was only a two hop flight of 205 miles, but because of a 41kt quartering headwind it took 5.5 hours to complete.


Here's a couple taken near CYKL yesterday afternoon.






In another thread I was about half serious when I mentioned a Cub adventure and getting another Flight Achievment Merit Badge. Well it actually happened sooner than I thought. While still in North Carloina, we picked up the "500 Hour IFR" rating. I don't recall telling Hiedi she could bring along any instruments, so I don't know how we managed that one.




Well, with any luck we should be landing in Greenland sometime this evening. I may have to do another minor engine overhaul before making the oceanic journey over. The engine has been showing a downgrade to "Good" condition. Not quite sure why, unless it's due to extended cold weather ops. In fact the pitot tube has been frozen almost all day, with the airspeed indicator showing 0 mph. Good thing it's a Cub!

Still not 101% convinced this is going to work but we're giving it a shot!

FAC

[Zorg12]

That's some journey buddy.

Keep us updated!

[Bruce Hamilton]

I'm guessing you didn't tell pole girl where you were taking her, she looks cold. Brrrrrr!

[lawdawg]

That looks like an epic adventure. I like the flag for each country idea.
I hope the heater does not give out on you two.

[skunker]

What's your average ground speed?

[FAC257]

skunker

A quick calculation of the first three flight plans shows we made the 1495 miles in 37.51 hours. That works out to a blazing 39.86 MPH average GS.

I think the norm is actually a little bit higher, but yesterday afternoon and most of today over Quebec, had been bucking some pretty strong head winds and bad weather.

This evening I'm making much better time. I'm currently 20 miles NE of Kangirsuk (CYAS), Quebec in the pitch black and there's only a 1kt headwind. The average GS since the sun went down is calculating out to 61.23 MPH on the GS

FAC

[Seria17hri11er]

This is an awesome adventure! Keep up the posts and pics!
Cheers

[bullfox]

You are ahead of me. I have only made it from California to West Texas, but I am not exactly going in a stright line. Went through Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Telluride, and Roswell, New Mexico. Flying the basic yellow Cub. The plan is to get over to the Gulf Coast and follow it down to Key West.

[Avio]

That's one great adventure!

Will a hot pole-dancer gal onboard, maybe you won't need that heater after all !

Avio

[skunker]

That's pretty cool, guys. The GS sucks in the Cub sometimes, but there are days when you get an incredible tailwind. In my limited experience, I once got 120knots in a real J3 Cub. Baby's got legs!

[swarovski]

Love reading about these RTW and long distance trips.
I'm considering a Cape to Cape trip once I get the Cub. North Cape up in the Arctic, down to the Cape in South Africa. Not too much water to cross, plus I haven't flown much in Africa. Looking forward to it.

I'm still on a RTW in my Razorback. She's parked up in Rasht, Iran near south east coast of the Caspian Sea.

Good luck with the trip FAC257. Looking forward to reading more.

[FAC257]

Cub World Tour Update: 09/25/09
Flight Miles - 2950
Flight Hours - 69:24
Average Ground Speed - 42.51
Current Location - Sisimiut (BGSS), Greenland
Engine Overhauls - 2
Engime Failures - 1

I was thinking that the actual crossing over to Greenland was going to be the toughest part of this section of the flight plan but that didn't turn out to be the case. A few of the final legs across Canada to get to the point of oceanic crossing were some rough ones.

On the very next flight leg after my initial report I had to rebuild the engine again. After the long haul from Shefferville (CYKL), into Kuujjuag (CYVP) worrying about the fuel the whole way, I made it with enough to spare. After sweating out the flight, I got careless once safely on the runway and let the stiff breeze get under my tail. So we ended up sitting there on the runway tail up in the air, broken prop and and engine that needed an overhaul.

The only good point to this accident was that during the flight I had noticed the engine, which had already downgraded to "Good" status, was making an unusual noise I hadn't heard before. I was expecting an engine failure at just about anytime during the leg. This only added to the stress of the no room for error fuel managment.

The closest call with the fuel so far was on one of the next long hauls from Iqaluit (CYFB), into Pangnirtung (CYXP). When we finally cut the engine off in the parking spot, there was, as close as I could tell, less than 1/2 gallon of fuel left onboard.


Climbing out of Qikiqtarjuag Airport (CYVM), staying out over the water until I can get the altitude to make the right turn over the island towards Greenland.


Just after making the turn and fine tuning the heading for the long haul across to Greenland. That should be the coast of Qikiqtarjuag Island off in the distance and the last we see of North America.



The actual flight over to Greenland wasn't all that big of a deal. While over Canada the winds were usually working against us, but on this crossing those same
winds became a very handy tail wind. Most of the way we had a little kick in the rear of about 15 - 18 kts.

On the other hand, actually finding Greenland and the airport once we got over there was another matter.

Here's a couple of pics on the approach into Sisimuit (BGSS), Greenland once we could actually see land and eventually the airport. Hiedi's got a death grip on the uprights and this was the "Calm" Hiedi.




Even as long as this runway is, I still ran off the far end and down over the hill. I had to do a little off-road manuvering to get the Cub back up over the hill and onto the runway. I blamed it on the windy conditions.


Okay so there's no turning back from this point. With the prevailing winds the way they've been the Cub couldn't make it back eastward. The next part of the flight plan takes us from here at BGSS, around Greenland, over to Iceland and ending at Unst Airport (EGPW), in the UK. A total of 1855 flight miles in this next segment. As spooky as it looks for a Cub, there are only two flight legs I'm a little worried about, but if the tail wind gods are even the tiniest bit looking out for us, it should work.



FAC

[maxter]

What an absolutely epic adventure, makes my little trip seem like a stroll to the corner store.
Looking forward to some more reports of this one.

Here is mine... http://cubaroundoz.webs.com/

Cheers,

[FAC257]

Maxter

Thanks for that link to your sight. Pretty cool!

Australian by itself, can turn out to be an epic journey quite easily.

A few years ago I did an all Australian trip. The plan was to land at or fly directly over every airport in Australia. It took 3 months to finish that one. That was the first time I got a grasp on how big Australia really is.

FAC

[Jigsaw]

Looking forward to more of your reports. Sounds like a nice trip!