Highlands Highway
 

Drove from Lae to Goroka and back a week ago, probably heading back up as early as this week.

Merpati to POM?
 

Just got back from a weekend over the border in Jayapura.

Apparently there was an ad in the local newspaper there talking about a new service ex-Sentani to POM once a week (I didn't see it).

I heard this from a few different sources. Can anyone confirm?

Highlands Highway from Lae to Goroka
 

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...s/IMG_3672.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...s/IMG_3669.jpg

Fairly flat from Lae to the junction, couple of corners on the way up the hill. Climbs from 1500' to about 5000, a lot of work went into this part, they made a very good job of it. It has been correctly described as the lifeline of the PNG Highlands. Occasionally the slow progress up the hill has provided opportunities for "Highwaymen!"

Was thinking road trip but everyone keeps trying to talk me out of it! :hmm:
Also thought of doing Lae Madang :8

I think it would be OK Peter as long as you had sufficent security. I have wanted to do it for years but never had the chance. One trip that I would love to do is Namatami to Kavieng.

Highlands Highway
 

There's no real need to take security along the highway up to Goroka or even Hagen.

From Lae to Kasam is safe, just keep your wits about you from Yonki to Goroka.

Pixie Deliveries
 

P2-PXU Dash 8 and P2-PXU Boeing 767-3 due this month, PXU is enroute.

Assume you are talking about Q400s?

Wow, that's going to get pretty confusing if they are both inbound at the same time. Why don't they just register the whole fleet P2-PXU. It would save a lot on costs.....:hmm:

Sorry guys, make the 767 P2-PXV. Uniform is the first (of 2) new Q400.
New colors as well.

One thought the wicked Bena Bena were all busy stripping the power lines out of the Yonki?

Hevilift to get an ATR-42
 

Saw the ad in today's PC. Any idea on routes?

ATR 42
 

Then Hevilift will definately not have me as POB, if I ever get back down to PNG some day.
Flew from Vienna to Belgrad in a JAT ATR 42 a couple of years back, accompanied by a friend, who happens to be a certified aircraft mechanic. We were carted out to the most furthest parking by bus :uhoh: . The aircraft had highspeed tape plastered all over it :eek:, most of it not looking recent. On startup the old bucket of bolts started vibrating :ooh: and shaking like sh...:mad: , and continued doing this all the way to Belgrad, only quitting after shutdown. In addition to the spectacular food served on this flight :yuk::yuk::yuk:, it was an experience worth not having again in my short little life := . I think my friend the mechanic felt all the worse about it. My guess is, that for him, travelling Lae to Goroka by road and the Bena Bena´s would look like a walk in the park compared to another flight in that ATR. :E

So what happened to APNGs ATR?

Probably rattled and shook itself to pieces...:E

Wasn't there a problem with ATR's and the deicing systems a few years ago, after an aircraft crashed in the States? I presume that has been resolved.

I sure hope so because from my memory of flying turboprops in PNG (F27 and Dash 7), we spent most of our time cruising smack in the icing levels between 14000 - 18000 ft. :(

I just got back from Rabaul and have decided I want to retire in Kokopo.
:ok:

You shoulda seen the place before 1994 - I and a few others were going to join PX, have homes on the harbour in Rabaul and commute. Then we lost everything in the volcanic eruptions and that was that. We joined PX and took CNS basings instead.

Rabaul was paradise on earth - I loved living there so much - had my boat at the Yachty (21' half cabin with a 225hp Evinrude). I used it so many days a week I used to leave it tied to the yacht club jetty rather than on its trailer in the club. Pulled it out every few weeks for a good clean and flush through.

Diving the deep wrecks, trolling with a beer in one hand as the sun set...as I got airborne in our company 404 with Tuvurvur erupting a nm behind me I glanced over towards the yachty and saw my boat tied to the jetty on the most stunning Rabaul morning and just knew it was all over - never saw it again but a mate went looking for his 25' Bertram some months later and found mine upside down on the bottom, half buried in volcanic ash/mud, about 20m from the jetty.:(:{

Agreed!:ok: Only spent 4 days there as a guest of `Lik Lik *** Rik` (Sori tru Mate) but fell in love with the place. Found it hard to believe that it and Port Morbid were part of the same country.:(

This was Rabaul

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/v...ol/rabaul3.jpg