Stavanger to Ho Chi Minh City
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Day 7
Riyadh - Muscat
Not a very happy start to the day! Part of the pre-flight planning was to be leaving Riyadh on a Thursday or Friday so that the military ranges to the east are closed and airway A415 to Doha open during the day. We checked this out with ATC before filing the flight plan and all was agreed. However, when we requested start-up we were told to return to flight planning and re-route as A415 is only available to traffic inbound to Doha and they had refused to accept us. You would have thought they could have made an exception..... anyway 45 minutes later we started-up and staggered NORTH East in to a horrible headwind. Just under an hour was added to our planned flight time..anyone know why? For the first couple of hours things looked rather sad, but once we turned the corner around the north of Bahrain the speed picked up and the likelihood of having to divert for fuel became a bad dream.
We flew down the Gulf at 7500, talking to Bahrain, Doha, and UAE, coasted-in at Abu Dhabi and after the Oman FIR routed direct to Muscat, where they really seem to know what VFR means!
Airborne time was 5hrs 35mins, fuel remaining on landing 1hr 10mins. As I have said previously; we are rather well endowed in that department!
Muscat is a planned day off, but it's going to be at least two days as the Pakistan and India clearances have not come through yet, despite being applied for a month ago. We can't really complain since the Muscat Grand Hyatt is certainly comfortable. The wallet is going to take a bit of a bashing though!
I'll post some photos over the next couple of days.
Riyadh - Muscat
Not a very happy start to the day! Part of the pre-flight planning was to be leaving Riyadh on a Thursday or Friday so that the military ranges to the east are closed and airway A415 to Doha open during the day. We checked this out with ATC before filing the flight plan and all was agreed. However, when we requested start-up we were told to return to flight planning and re-route as A415 is only available to traffic inbound to Doha and they had refused to accept us. You would have thought they could have made an exception..... anyway 45 minutes later we started-up and staggered NORTH East in to a horrible headwind. Just under an hour was added to our planned flight time..anyone know why? For the first couple of hours things looked rather sad, but once we turned the corner around the north of Bahrain the speed picked up and the likelihood of having to divert for fuel became a bad dream.
We flew down the Gulf at 7500, talking to Bahrain, Doha, and UAE, coasted-in at Abu Dhabi and after the Oman FIR routed direct to Muscat, where they really seem to know what VFR means!
Airborne time was 5hrs 35mins, fuel remaining on landing 1hr 10mins. As I have said previously; we are rather well endowed in that department!
Muscat is a planned day off, but it's going to be at least two days as the Pakistan and India clearances have not come through yet, despite being applied for a month ago. We can't really complain since the Muscat Grand Hyatt is certainly comfortable. The wallet is going to take a bit of a bashing though!
I'll post some photos over the next couple of days.
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Hi, im dropping by the log every day now. Interesting to watch your progress. I have worked for Heli-One at Stavanger for about 5 years, and changed my this summer for CHC HS, so it is nice to follow your trip.
Keep posting pictures.....
PA-18
Keep posting pictures.....
PA-18
he1iaviator, great log. In Muscat try the 'Omar Khyam' Returant in Ruwi. They used to do a mean 'sizzling' steak and the lime juice 'lumi' is hard to beat. Good luck for the next leg 
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Looks like you are making good progress. I am in Yangon at the moment. Will you be routing this way? Otherwise we'll have dinner when you get back to KL. Can't remember whose turn it is to buy!
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Mr Gabra, we should be through Yangon on 14th, but just for a quick refuel. However, no firm plans until some clearances come through!
My turn to buy, but it will probably be in KL.
My turn to buy, but it will probably be in KL.
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Not Rosh standard, but a selection of en-route shots:
Approaching Corfu
Greek Mountains
Iraklion Tech Stop
Alexandria Parking
Pyramids in Cairo
Small Fry In Jeddah
Moutains of Oman
We have the rest of our clearances now, so should be on our way to Karachi and Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Approaching Corfu
Greek Mountains
Iraklion Tech Stop
Alexandria Parking
Pyramids in Cairo
Small Fry In Jeddah
Moutains of Oman
We have the rest of our clearances now, so should be on our way to Karachi and Ahmedabad on Sunday.
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Not Rosh standard, but a selection of en-route shots
Great pics, especially the one of the pyramids.
Since my name has been mentioned, I'll hijack the thread for a second!
Just ferried an S76 from Norwich to Ghana. It took 7 days.
Uk - France - Spain - Morocco - Western Sahara - Mauritania - Mali - Burkina Faso - Ghana.
Photo taken in Kiffa, Mauritania at an unconventional fuel stop. Unfortunately we were not well as endowed as the AS332L2 in the endurance department!
I'll post more on the Bristow Photo thread when I get a spare minute.
Good luck with the rest of the trip he1iaviator. Keep the pics coming.
Catch up with you over a beer next time I'm in KL.
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from WMSA...
hel1aviator, great pictures, nice trip....it's good to see the desert from KL......here we still get our daily afternoon thunderstorm...
see you soon aroud there....in the SUN cafe, langkawi, for exemple...
enjoy your trip and continue please your reports....
see you soon aroud there....in the SUN cafe, langkawi, for exemple...
enjoy your trip and continue please your reports....
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Planning for Sunday
Here are the planned flights for tomorrow. The first and last stops in India need to be night stops if at all possible due to the unbelievable amount of paperwork which can take hours. It is very difficult not to be Captain Grumpy after an hour and a half at the airport at the end of a long day flying..and that is with the agent working flat out as well!
Sunday Overview
Muscat to Karachi
Karachi to Ahmedabad
The Sun Cafe in Langkawi could be just a few days away!
Here are the planned flights for tomorrow. The first and last stops in India need to be night stops if at all possible due to the unbelievable amount of paperwork which can take hours. It is very difficult not to be Captain Grumpy after an hour and a half at the airport at the end of a long day flying..and that is with the agent working flat out as well!
Sunday Overview
Muscat to Karachi
Karachi to Ahmedabad
The Sun Cafe in Langkawi could be just a few days away!
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he1iaviator,
Most excellent thread. I'll be in SEAsia next year (mostly Laos), but will visit VN, Kmer, Siam, Phama, and Chene also. I'm not sure if you are just ferrying the ship there or will you be driving her while she's there also?
Anyways, if we can meet up, Pho and LaoLao is on me.
Monk
Most excellent thread. I'll be in SEAsia next year (mostly Laos), but will visit VN, Kmer, Siam, Phama, and Chene also. I'm not sure if you are just ferrying the ship there or will you be driving her while she's there also?
Anyways, if we can meet up, Pho and LaoLao is on me.
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Excellent update on your flight...its just over a week since we spoke on Anglia Radar as you broke south of 55N enroute for Le Touquet.....
Love the pics....and then the BHL S76 turns up on here too...another aircraft we guys on Anglia work daily...and spoke to leaving EGSH!!!!
Love the pics....and then the BHL S76 turns up on here too...another aircraft we guys on Anglia work daily...and spoke to leaving EGSH!!!!
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Day 10
Muscat - Karachi - Ahmedabad
A good start to the day in Muscat saw an on time departure from Muscat with a climb to 7500 and VFR routing towards Pakistan, keeping well clear of Iranian airspace.
On arrival in Pakistan airspace the first 'glitch'; "How can you be VFR over the sea?" I took that to be a retorical question. We were told to change to an IFR level so descended to FL70. I do not know what sort of IFR service Pakistan provides flying at FL70 under an airway for which the minimum useable level is FL240, but I think it is safe to assume that we were IFR but responsible for our own separation from other flying objects! We did not mention that we are a helicopter as that would probably have resulted in an order to head for the nearest land. One wonders why one has to file a flight plan and spend a month waiting for clearance when the declared flight plan is changed on entering the airspace.
We had a good turn around in Karachi with the fuel truck turning up soon after our arrival and the (sent by email in advance) flight plan in the system. When we called for start there was a delay while the General Declaration (also sent by email in advance but obviously not filed) was cleared. We were soon on our way after a very commendable 55 minutes on the ground.
En route to Ahmadebad comms were not too good on leaving the Karachi FIR. We relayed a message through a passing Emirates flight and continued on our weary way. Landing 45 minutes before sunset.
The fuel bowser was waiting for us on arrival; "wonderful" we thought! No so fast; this is India. First we had to wait for the customs officers to come and inspect our arrival fuel contents, which took 15 minutes. (We have to pay tax on this imported fuel!!). "OK let's refuel"..not so fast, the fuel nozzle on this bowser does not fit in a standard helicopter gravity refuelling hole. The other bowser is busy....
All in all it was not too slow, and we were out of the airport an hour and a half after landing having declared our watches and cameras on the customs form.
Next across India to Kolkata (Calcutta in old money).
Muscat - Karachi - Ahmedabad
A good start to the day in Muscat saw an on time departure from Muscat with a climb to 7500 and VFR routing towards Pakistan, keeping well clear of Iranian airspace.
On arrival in Pakistan airspace the first 'glitch'; "How can you be VFR over the sea?" I took that to be a retorical question. We were told to change to an IFR level so descended to FL70. I do not know what sort of IFR service Pakistan provides flying at FL70 under an airway for which the minimum useable level is FL240, but I think it is safe to assume that we were IFR but responsible for our own separation from other flying objects! We did not mention that we are a helicopter as that would probably have resulted in an order to head for the nearest land. One wonders why one has to file a flight plan and spend a month waiting for clearance when the declared flight plan is changed on entering the airspace.
We had a good turn around in Karachi with the fuel truck turning up soon after our arrival and the (sent by email in advance) flight plan in the system. When we called for start there was a delay while the General Declaration (also sent by email in advance but obviously not filed) was cleared. We were soon on our way after a very commendable 55 minutes on the ground.
En route to Ahmadebad comms were not too good on leaving the Karachi FIR. We relayed a message through a passing Emirates flight and continued on our weary way. Landing 45 minutes before sunset.
The fuel bowser was waiting for us on arrival; "wonderful" we thought! No so fast; this is India. First we had to wait for the customs officers to come and inspect our arrival fuel contents, which took 15 minutes. (We have to pay tax on this imported fuel!!). "OK let's refuel"..not so fast, the fuel nozzle on this bowser does not fit in a standard helicopter gravity refuelling hole. The other bowser is busy....
All in all it was not too slow, and we were out of the airport an hour and a half after landing having declared our watches and cameras on the customs form.
Next across India to Kolkata (Calcutta in old money).
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Day 11
Ahmedabad - Nagpur - Kolkata
Not a complicated day's flying. There was hardly a cloud in the sky, a slight headwind, minimum turbulence and reasonable ATC. However we clocked up close to eight hours flying in a noisy machine and all feel tired and ready for a rest.
We departed Ahmedabad on time having gone through the security and flight planning hoops. Quadrantal cruising levels in India, so FL 75 was our cruising level. On arrival in Nagpur we were parked on a disused apron in the middle of the airport next to a dilapidated Boeing 720 (707?). Who knows why since the spanking new main apron was empty except for a couple of movements while we were there.
Ancient and Modern
Slightly Less Ancient
Beauracracy at Work
Carbon Paper - India Lives on It!
To be fair everything was well organised by the handlers and our time on the ground was only about an hour. A long and tedious drone on to Calcutta was completed without incident, and we refuelled on arrival and headed for the hotel.
The Hyatt in Calcutta is one of the nicest on our route, which is fair after the longest day! We must be getting close to home now as discussion over a few beers was back to issues at home.
Tomorrow Yangon and Bangkok we hope.
Ahmedabad - Nagpur - Kolkata
Not a complicated day's flying. There was hardly a cloud in the sky, a slight headwind, minimum turbulence and reasonable ATC. However we clocked up close to eight hours flying in a noisy machine and all feel tired and ready for a rest.
We departed Ahmedabad on time having gone through the security and flight planning hoops. Quadrantal cruising levels in India, so FL 75 was our cruising level. On arrival in Nagpur we were parked on a disused apron in the middle of the airport next to a dilapidated Boeing 720 (707?). Who knows why since the spanking new main apron was empty except for a couple of movements while we were there.
Ancient and Modern
Slightly Less Ancient
Beauracracy at Work
Carbon Paper - India Lives on It!
To be fair everything was well organised by the handlers and our time on the ground was only about an hour. A long and tedious drone on to Calcutta was completed without incident, and we refuelled on arrival and headed for the hotel.
The Hyatt in Calcutta is one of the nicest on our route, which is fair after the longest day! We must be getting close to home now as discussion over a few beers was back to issues at home.
Tomorrow Yangon and Bangkok we hope.
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Excellent posts re journey of a lifetime.....yep thats a 1961 Boeing 720-025 parked up there. Started its career with Eastern and spent some time in Europe with Conair. Abandoned by its Indian operator about 18 years ago
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Forgive me, dear reader, for not reporting on progress yesterday. A late arrival followed by a couple of beers and dinner resulted in your reporter falling straight in to bed and sleeping soundly until the alarm rang this morning.
Day 12
Kolkata - Yangon - Bangkok
A rather difficult departure from Kolkata is perhaps a diplomatic way to put it. Our flight planned route had been carefully thought about. The onshore weather was likely to include large build-ups and heavy rain and these would be full of mountains, so we planned to remain offshore as much as possible. Our flight plan was accepted, and when we called for start we were given immediate clearance, unheard of on that continent! It was once we were already taxiing that things went awry. Our clearance bore no relationship to our planned route. We entered in to discussion on this. They were not swayed by our argument that we did not have enough fuel for this route, and said that VFR is not permitted more than 100nm offshore in India. The argument that once we were 100 miles offshore India we would only be 50 miles from the Bangladesh or Myanmar coast was also dismissed. Not wanting to be called back to the office we accepted our take-off clearance and set off in the wrong direction. Once airborne we declared that we were unable to comply with our clearance as the MSA was 12,400ft for part of the route. With that we were directed back on to our originally planned track and a small cheer went up in the cockpit as we entered the Yangon FIR some time later.
As hoped the offshore weather was fine and we had an easy flight. Once we crossed the Myanmar coastline there were some build-ups but we easily avoided these. Yangon's clearance was "direct to Yangon VFR" and they were very helpful throughout. We landed at Yangon in light rain, which stopped soon after we landed and the fuelling and formalities were fast, efficient and friendly.
We had an easy flight to Bangkok, sliding down the ILS at Don Muang shortly after sunset. The handlers and fuel were waiting and we were on our way to the hotel in no time.
A couple of photos follow when I can get them uploaded.
Day 12
Kolkata - Yangon - Bangkok
A rather difficult departure from Kolkata is perhaps a diplomatic way to put it. Our flight planned route had been carefully thought about. The onshore weather was likely to include large build-ups and heavy rain and these would be full of mountains, so we planned to remain offshore as much as possible. Our flight plan was accepted, and when we called for start we were given immediate clearance, unheard of on that continent! It was once we were already taxiing that things went awry. Our clearance bore no relationship to our planned route. We entered in to discussion on this. They were not swayed by our argument that we did not have enough fuel for this route, and said that VFR is not permitted more than 100nm offshore in India. The argument that once we were 100 miles offshore India we would only be 50 miles from the Bangladesh or Myanmar coast was also dismissed. Not wanting to be called back to the office we accepted our take-off clearance and set off in the wrong direction. Once airborne we declared that we were unable to comply with our clearance as the MSA was 12,400ft for part of the route. With that we were directed back on to our originally planned track and a small cheer went up in the cockpit as we entered the Yangon FIR some time later.
As hoped the offshore weather was fine and we had an easy flight. Once we crossed the Myanmar coastline there were some build-ups but we easily avoided these. Yangon's clearance was "direct to Yangon VFR" and they were very helpful throughout. We landed at Yangon in light rain, which stopped soon after we landed and the fuelling and formalities were fast, efficient and friendly.
We had an easy flight to Bangkok, sliding down the ILS at Don Muang shortly after sunset. The handlers and fuel were waiting and we were on our way to the hotel in no time.
A couple of photos follow when I can get them uploaded.
Last edited by he1iaviator; 15th Oct 2008 at 10:41.