Day 18: 1997-06-06
ATW Retro-blog: 1997-06-06 (Day#18)
Bratsk (RU) – Kirensk (UIKK - RU):
229nm; 2h30; Purchase (833) / Cowan (962)
Kirensk (RU) – Lensk (UERL - RU):
277nm; 2h50; Cowan (962) / Hughes (833)
Taken on a sightseeing trip to the Bratsk Dam, the second largest in the world, by the airport manager, and then interviewed by Bratsk TV back at the airport.
On the leg to Kirensk there were ‘wall-to-wall trees’ (the Siberian ‘taiga’, massive fires in which in 1996, had put an end to the first attempt). A ‘mere’ 5.5 million roubles for Islander fuel, plus ‘security’, parking, meteorology, air navigation and sundry other items (the Chipmunks were again filled with fuel carried on the Islander).
On arrival at Lensk Dave Gill topped-up all eight Chipmunk rocker-boxes. Oil consumption is comparatively high, given that the flying is all S&L (the RAF had opted not to have VinTech perform the ring-mod prior to departure).
Kirensk - in the background are some ten AN-2s and a Mil-8(?).
Kirensk - these Antonovs were grounded because of a lack of fuel. Is that beginning to sound familiar?
The Chipmunks enjoyed a good tailwind inbound to Lensk which, though designated grass, was just a dirt and gravel strip cut out of the virgin forest.
Day 18: UIBB-UIKK-UERL 506 nm, 5.33 hrs, GS 95 kts. Cumulative 4682 nm, 49.1 hrs, Average GS 95 kts..
Last edited by India Four Two; 20th Jun 2017 at 06:59.