Back in the Strat – Trans Pacific Overnight RJTT-KSFO

[jtwillia]

After a long hiatus I have started flying the B-377 Stratocruiser again. I was able get a few good legs in during the month and was contemplating a long flight. I have never come close to duplicating my personal best flight several years back (in a different career) and looking at the winds over the North Pacific, I thought I might get pretty good time and distance going from Tokyo to San Francisco.

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wi ... 28.82,1185

It took me over 2 hours to climb to cruise altitude. I was able to get to FL280 but needed to get higher to get into the really fast (100knts +) jetstream winds at FL340. I was unable to climb that high and reached a FL290 before settling into long range cruise. I documented this flight using the FS Duenna program and it was logged here:

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight ... 9N0uCMAQzY

You can see the final step climb I did to FL300 near the end of the flight. The tables below the graphic show the altitude, ground speed, fuel flow, and winds over the duration of the flight.

I was a bit disappointed that I could not break my prior personal best, but it was a good flight. I would like to thank FoMoCo63 for providing the PanAm White Top N1037V which I used for this flight. Captains Log and some pictures of my arrival in San Francisco below.

[n421nj]

Wow. Great flight. I got 3 poor engines that suck oil like mad. No way I'd make a 12 hr flight.

[FoMoCo63]

Nice long flight and well done. I need to do some flights as well and get use to the aircraft before I purchase COTS update. Was good on take off, and cruise. It is the landings I need to read more about thanks for sharing the pic's enjoyed.

[Lewis - A2A]

Nice job, and lovely screen shots you can feel the sun and good weather

cheers,
Lewis

[FAC257]

jtwillia,

That's an excellent flight and Flight Log stats.

If you would like me to update your older log up in the COTS thread, just let me know.

[cflord]

The PAA is one of my favorite paint schemes as well. Have you guys every heard the baby cry? I needed to get down in altitude fast the other day, when evidently I exceeded the limits on a babies ears during the descent. I guess the baby just couldn't clear it's ears as fast as I was descending. Sorry little one for your discomfort!

Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down!

Ret SMSgt Cliff Lord - C-130 Flight Engineer & Mechanic

[n421nj]

Awesome. Good ole clipper