So I am home - yikes. I am so tired I can't function but I am in the office trying. (or trying to stay out of trouble) I wanted to put down some statistics for my flying buddies and for the people interested in geography.
On this trip I flew a total of 17,608 nautical miles. I heard the around the world trip is 24,000 so not really that much further. (yea easy to say sitting in my office) I flew the airplane a total of 80.2 hours which works out to an average speed of 220 knots per hour. I burned a total of 5,805 gallons of Jet A (38,896 pounds) which works out to an average of 72.4 gallons per hour. I flew IMC (in clouds) a total of 27.3 hours. I landed the plane 32 times in 14 different countries. I got to overfly Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (kind of - off shore) Uruguay, Paraguay and countless Island from South America to Palm Beach Florida. I also got to overfly the Panama Canal, Cape Horn and from Grenada to Nevis at very very low altitude. The countries visited:
Grand Cayman
Columbia
Panama
Ecuador
Peru
Chile
Argentina
Brazil
French Guiana
Grenada
Nevis
Dominican Republic
Turks and Cacaos
USA
I got to practice my Spanish in many of the countries and all of the Spanish speaking countries I liked very much. As opposed to the Portuguese speaking countries - not to mention them by name. The people I met were all welcoming and kind - inefficient by our standards but not by theirs. I want to go back to the Bahamas or more specifically the Caribbean as there are many places I now want to see. Having a plane in that part of the world makes it possible and even easy. (it is just the flight across the USA that is difficult) I would also like to spend more time in Columbia - they spoke the best Spanish and were really sweet people.
I appreciate all of the positive comments received on the blog and I am sad that it is over. What am I going to do with the two hours every night that it took to do the blog? Hmmmm? Sleep?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Day 41 New Orleans, LA to Home Sweet Home
We left New Orleans early as it was going to be a long day. There was a cold front moving through and the wind going to the East was really bad. It took us 4 1/2 hours to get to El Paso, TX. where we had lunch at a little Mexican restaurant. The second flight to Van Nuys was a little better and took only 3 hours.
I had so much stuff in the airplane that it took forever to get it unloaded.
When we were leaving New Orleans we saw this Osprey taking off. It was unbelievable to watch, ok maybe the pilot friends would appreciate it more. In level flight the blades go down 11 feet past the wheels. It flies at about 250 knots and burns 3,000 pounds per hour, wow.
Really cool to watch - I had never seen one before.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
El Paso, TX
At least it was a beautiful day - unseasonably cool.
On the ground in El Paso for fuel and Mexican food.
The Colorado River and returning to California - yea!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Day 40 Palm Beach Florida to New Orleans, LA.
I now feel that the trip is coming to an end. I have Chris and Greg and Diana in the plane with me so that I am no longer alone. I am also speaking to controllers that speak English, and I can understand them and they are efficient. I must be home.
The flight today was slow as the wind was blowing in the wrong direction at about 70 knots. It was also over the gulf which made sight seeing a little more difficult. I remember flying over the gulf on the way out and thinking how huge it was and how far from land/ I have flown over so much water that I didn't really think anything about it this time. Weird.
I got to take a break on this flight as there were 3 pilots on board - I even took a nap.
On the way East - it seems like it was years ago - I couldn't see the ground around the Mississippi Delta. It is huge and interesting. Lots of water.
The mighty Mississippi
Interesting how the water flows into the Gulf. Lots of silt accumulating down there.
The whole area of New Orleans looks like it is lower then the river and the only thing separating it is the Levy's.
The city and the lake in the distance.
They built the runway out into the lake. It was really windy and cold. Very unusual for New Orleans.
Short final.
We did all of the usual things a tourist does in New Orleans except drink. We did have a couple of great meals.
Watching musicians in the square.
Pretty in an old decaying sort of way.
I t feels as if you are walking around Disneyland in a strange way. 
Of course after a large and good lunch we had to also go to the Cafe Du Monde for a coffee and a beignets.
The river is actually huge - who knew?
Levy's hold all of the water.
Diana on a sugar rush.We went to Emeril's restaurant Nora tonight for dinner. It was not health food but yummy yummy.
Tomorrow will be a long day. We are stopping in Albuquerque for lunch and then on to LA. I guess that will be the official end of my trip - yikes.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Day 39 Punta Cana Dominican Republic to North Island - Caicos, Turks and Caicos to Palm Beach Florida
After we left Punta Cama we flew to Turks and Caicos for lunch. I didn't like the resort at Punta Cama. It was designed and built in the 80's and it still has that vibe. Sort of a Rosarito Beach Resort.
The sky and the water were so blue.
I forget the name of this place but they developed this as a resort and put a runway on it. That was before the financial crisis - must have been bad planning.
You can see the runway
The water is pretty shallow and clear clear clear.
This is Provo which is short for something like Provincal.
Caicos
On final
Short Final
Airport.
On the ground in Turks and Caicos
The beach where we went for lunch.
The gang
Fabulous water.
Swimming at lunch
Greg
Steve and Theirry
Taking off
It was beautiful out there.
I don't recall ever seeing the sky so clear
I could not count all of the islands we flew over today. I had no idea there were so many out here.
Starting to see Florida on the GPS- wow it has been a long time.
Land ho! Welcome back to the USA.
Palm Beach
I don't want to screw this up. Pay attention.
There is a little runway there to the right of the big runway. Careful not to land on the taxi way.
Short final - oh yea I see it now.
Yea, we did it.
Yea we did it.
Parked in front of customs.
Luggage X 4
Chris showed up to fly home with me.
There is so much stuff in this airplane.
Group hug.
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