Day 17: 1997-06-05
ATW Retro-blog: 1997-06-05 (Day#17)
Krasnoyarsk (RU) – Achinsk (UNKS – RU)
65nm; 0h45; Hughes (833) / Purchase (962)
Achinsk (RU) - Bratsk (UIBB - RU)
383nm; 3h40; Hughes (833) / Purchase (962)
Back-track to Achinsk for fuel, which was efficiently provided, but then the inevitable admin bottle-neck was encountered. Ced and Bill decided to just get on with things, leaving Tony Cowan and Yuri to deal with the bill-paying. Yuri observed that the team were learning ‘Russian ways’ at a good pace.
Climbing and descending to avoid cloud along the route the pair made good progress, periodically reporting “Level at 3,300m”. Efficient refueling gave the team time to chat to a Mig pilot who, in excellent English, disclosed that he got about an hour a month flight time, such was the state of the Air Force budget.
Despite it being early June the temperature was around 8 Celsius.
An overcast Bratsk dispersal.
Day 17: UNEE-UNKM-UNKS-UIBB 448 nm, 4.42 hrs, GS 101 kts. Cumulative 4176 nm, 43.77 hrs, Average GS 95 kts.
Last edited by India Four Two; 20th Jun 2017 at 06:57.