westerly around the world attempt

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-53919NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-146
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-525.22 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-24765 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 3
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 146 MMAA /MMPR about 409NM direct , complete , actual 450NM done.
Weather was mixed , thunderstorms , windshears , stronge winds to calm at destination it was calm , with few clouds at 2500 , vis should have been 10 but was more like 6 to 8nm , soft touchdown on rwy 04, afterflight checks showed some oil pipe leaks , now fixed ,oil/fuel replenished for next flight.
This flight had to follow the coastline , as direct route was impossible to do , due to hight required to clear the mountains , was over 16000ft , which was to much for the little cessna , also no oxygen for pilot .
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/79575412

Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-54089NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-147
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-527.05 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-24846 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 3
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 147 MMPR / MMMZ about 159NM direct , complete , actual 170NM done.
This flight was just a short hop , ready for next leg , the flight was uneventful , weather fine , used the 26 ils at MMMZ ,soft landing , afterflight checks showed no faults , oil/fuel replenished for next flight.
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/79617026

Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-54542NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-148
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-531.17 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-25059 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 3
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 148 MMMZ / MMHO about 439NM direct , complete , actual 453NM done.
Well apart from the few thunderstorms , the flight was uneventful , slight turbulance now and again , nice clr weather at MMHO , just as well , as its a visual rwy , with no landing aides , made a smoothe touchdown of -39 on rwy 05 , afterflight checks showed no faults , oil/fuel replenished for next flight.
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/79893325

Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-54945NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-149
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-534.52 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-25239 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 3
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 149 MMHO / KSAN about 383NM direct , complete , actual 403NM done.
Well the FSX flt planner gave an alt of 10000ft for this direct route , at one point , it looked as if i was going to hit the mountains , trying to keep a steady nerve , and hope it was correct , proved to be ok in the end , i was heading for controlled airspace , but they went of line as i got near , also the twr/atis at ksan , also went off line , thinking i was going to be on unicom , i got a surprise as sct_s_app , contacted me , so i tuned in and he gave me a squawk code , and gave instructions for the ksan 27 approach , once i saw the airport , he gave permission to land , thats when asn did its worst , at a critical point of decent , it put an instant cloud around the aircraft , and it put the aircraft into a climb , which i then had to give more down control , asn , almost caused total control loss, but i managed to get the aircraft back under control , i also need to tweak the scenery , since putting orbx base/vector in , as the frame rate went a lot slower , than normal, still managed a -100 td , afterflight checks , showed no faults , oil/fuel replenished for next flight.
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/79927641
Aircraft now in the state of california.

Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-55292NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-150
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-538.04 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-25408 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 3
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 150 KSAN / KMRY about 327NM direct , complete , actual 347NM done.
Well this flight had to be done twice , first attempt , i had 1hr 5 min left of a 3hr plus flight, when FSX had a fatal crash , on investigation it was Microsoft taking up bandwith , as it downloaded a couple of updates , this caused a corruption , within one of my apps ,vpilot/fsacars/asn , which inturn corrupted FSX , weather forcast at destination at that time was good.
By the time i got everything reset for another attempt , the weather was ok at departure and enroute , but at destination it was , 067/04 one quarter mile vis , overcast at 200ft alt was 2993 mb , lucky for me , rwy 10R has an ils approach , but due to bad cloud cover had to start decent from 10000 to 6000 just as the gps showed lower grd terrain below me, once over airport at 6000ft, i turned to 30 deg right and decended to msa of 2600ft for the ils , in thick clouds i kept spd down and lowered flaps to pos 1, this always results in aircraft pitching up , and slowing down even more, but was ready for this , once aircraft stabalised at 2600ft i lowered the flaps to pos 2 then 3 , and engauged app on a/p , one eye looking at the alt one on the a/p disc button , fingers where crossed , as she started the ils approach , at the last min when rwy came into view, i hit disc button , but this made me move the stick slightly , so had to do an hasty correction and bring her down , for a very smoothe touchdown , of - 64 , taxiied of rwy , and gave a sigh of relief, on shutdown , i did a walkaround , and hangar check , no faults , oil/fuel replenished for next flight.
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/80072461
Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-55603NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-151
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-541.03 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-25553 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 4
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 151 KMRY / KACV about 292NM direct , complete , actual 311NM done.
Well ASN gave bad vis for both dep/arr airports , but weather enroute could not be much better , on arrival at KACV rwy 32 ils was the best choice , not just for wind direction , but due to bad vis , weather at KACV was 286/6 vis 1.75 and 200 overcast 3000mb , this approach was awkward , as you follow a mountain peak as you decend , and with no vis once in cloud , you just hope they got the g/s set up correct , as the airport rwy came into view , i disconnected the a/p , and finished the g/s to the rwy , landing not as smoothe as last time , but safe at -116 td , on afterflight checks , the L flap was worn , so it was repaired , oil/fuel replenished for next flight.
I NOW HAVE TWO FLIGHTS LEFT to end of world tour ,the last flight is only about 78nm direct into KSEA.
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/80105315

Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
I am now getting the final two flight plans done tonight , so i can hopfully finish both flights tomorrow.
Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-55999NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-152
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-545.02 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-25749 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 4
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 152 KACV / KHQM about 367NM direct , complete , actual 396NM done.
Well this flight was mixed emotions , it took 4 attempts , before i succeeded , first attempt i was in cruise 29nm out when fsx had fatal crash , this i found , was caused by Microsoft forcing an optional update into pc , which in turn corrupted one of the following asn/vpilot/fsacars , which then caused fsx to fail, second attempt failed as i was about to taxi , cause unknown , 3rd attempt failed at 30nm from departure, so shut pc down , had lunch , then fired pc up , this time all was ok , apart from poor low cloud vis , at both departure and arrival , as i got near to KHQM , i got a surprise , CXA616 David Ayoub , was there to greet me,thanks for the welcome david , the weather check at KHQM was calm vis 5 400 overcast 3015mb , thankfully this airport has an ils on rwy 24 , which is what david and me chose, david landed ahead of me , as the little c172 is a bit slow , or as been pointed out to me before its sedate ,my touchdown felt very smoothe , turned out to be -59 , so very pleased with that,having a short break for some tea , and plan final flight into KSEA.
The afterflight checks showed no faults , oil/fuel replenished for next and final flight of this tour .
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/80257776
Regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
TOTAL NM FLOWN TODATE:-56105NM
TOTAL LEGS FLOWN TODATE:-153
TOTAL FLT TIME TAKEN:-546.13 HR
TOTAL FUEL USED TODATE:-25806 LBS
TOTAL AIRCRAFT FAULTS TODATE
plugs changed x 10
oil change x 10
oil pipe leak x 9
oil filter replaced x 8
oil pump x2
air filter x 4
fuel filter x 3
fuel injection x 1
fuel pump x 2
fuel leak x 2
magneto R x 2
magneto L X 2
alternator x 1
worn L/flap parts x 4
worn R/flap parts x 5
L brake worn x 3
R brake worn x 3
R tyre worn x 1
L tyre worn X 1
C tyre worn x 1

LEG 153 KHQM / KSEA about 79NM direct , complete , actual 106NM done.
Well the flight was ok , till time to put flaps to pos 1 , i decided due to the c172 reaction when they deploy , to lower flaps prior to decent , well it reacted a lot differently this time , speed was correct for deployment to pos 1, and nose pitched up a bit more then it normally does , then it went in a steep dive , which ment i had to disconnect the a/p , retrim , and do a manual ils landing , also due to fsx needing some tweaking , since orbx base/vector was installed, the frame rate dropped , so landing rate was a bit heavy for me , at -123 , i was also trying to get down and clr of 34c rwy , due a b737 , not far of finals,and had no wish to get in his way,taxiied to stand , and shut down , afterflight checks showed no faults , oil/fuel replenished , while parked , i noticed a plane taxiing out, about 20 ft in the air , also since orbx base/vector installed , the base fsx ksea airport seems totally different , need to look into this.
Other than that the world tour in a c172 , is now finished , 2 days ahead of my estimated 3months , i thought it would take.
https://secure.twitch.tv/cxa651/v/80318898

Regards alan.

[Piper_EEWL]

Congratulations on finishing the world tour! Great accomplishment. And thank you for sharing your progress in such detail here!

On to new adventures now I guess. Any idea what it'll be?

Happy flying

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
First thing is to fix the probs i came accross , while doing this tour , since installing orbx global base/vector , some serious tweaking is needed , to fix my frame rates and some scenery issues , like KSEA i had an aircraft taxi out while i had parked and shut the engine down,it was about 20ft in the air , as if orbx had sunk my KSEA base airport, also it had got rid of some hangars and the fuel stowage tanks from the original airport.
Regards alan.