PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Flying in torrential downpours

13th Feb 2008, 00:02

#30 (permalink)

tinpis

Silly Old Git

Join Date: Aug 2005

Location: saiba spes

Posts: 3,726

Likes: 0

Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

The weather in fact got worse. The turbulence increased with noise of the continuous rain hammering on the airframe. The cockpit overhead emergency escape hatch leaked with cold water dribbling on both of us making life unpleasant. As the tempo increased, it became necessary to throttle back reducing the turbulence but by dong so, the engine cylinder-head temperature also decreased to near minimum. Fearing cracked cylinders if these conditions continued, it became necessary to lower the undercarriage and maintain a higher power setting, keeping the temps within the normal range. Phew! Gear down, power on, gear up power reduced. This went on for quite some time as it was too late to turn back to Madang and we continued on to Rabaul routing over Hoskins on the way.

The weather and turbulence lasted over two and one half hours only abating as we neared Rabaul with radio static prohibiting any HF communications.

and...

After our start-up for departure, we experienced massive rough running of both engines with high magneto drop. Both engine ignition harnesses were full of water.

Due to the weather deteriorating further, no aircraft could get into Hoskins for one and a half days and we were stuck there clad in damp clothes, with no way of drying them. With the hotel short of food, we lived on canned bully beef, kau kau and rice.

THATS rain

Reply