Day 19: 1997-06-07
ATW Retro-blog: 1997-06-07 (Day#19)
Lensk (RU) – Yakutsk (UEEE – RU)
452nm*; 4h35; Hughes (833) / Purchase (962)
* This leg set the unofficial DHC-1 point-point distance world record.
An early and efficient departure (for once) was hindered when Bill purchase suffered very rough running at about 200ft on the climb-out from Lensk - but he made it back to the field. Dave Gill performed a full change of plugs (they were all covered in black deposits), which fixed that problem. (By the time the expedition cleared Russia, 56 plugs had been replaced.)
The plan had been to follow the river to Yakutsk, but in the end, seeing that the ‘wall-to-wall’ trees had thinned into fairway-like stretches of green between them, the direct route was taken, and about 30 nm saved. More reporters and TV crews at Yakutsk, but no fuel for the Chipmunks, necessitating a local ‘hop’ on departure.
Transport arrived after a four hour wait. Refused admission to the first hotel (‘union and party members only’) so lodged at the Hotel Lena.
The hotel in Lensk - beds that sagged like hammocks; no showers or hot water.
Lensk dispersal, ready to go
Waiting for transport into the town of Yakutsk… Dave Gill completed the 50hr inspections on both Chippies while they waited!
The apron at Yakutsk, with a Tu-154 and a flock of An-24s
and on the apron at KLAX right now – not many Anto-yushi-pevs in sight these days. But I don’t think there’s a fuel problem either !
(Charlie, the 777 is named “Mikhail Bulgakov”, who was a famous writer, best known for a novel “The Master and the Margarita”. I42)
Day 19: UERL-UEEE 452 nm, 4.58 hrs, GS 61 kts. Cumulative 5134 nm, 53.68 hrs, Average GS 96 kts.
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Last edited by India Four Two; 20th Jun 2017 at 06:59.