Troll Air Round The World: 1+2+3+4+1000+ZOOOOM

[plettpc]

Thanks for the update Calle, I will be following you, best of luck.
Does your intended route take you past FAPG?
wayne

[Calle_Hedberg]

Hi,

The planned route for day 1 is approximately 2,500nm over 16 hours, routing clock-wise around the country and returning to Cape Town. Depending on fuel consumption, weather and how bored we are, we might modify the last legs a bit. See attached flight log and map from Easyplan. We might do either VFR or IFR departure, but for most of the flight we will prefer VFR since it provides more flexibility - total flown distance is accurately calculated by indigosat, so if we deviate left or right or climb/descend here and there to break the monotony it's easier VFR.

Regards
Calle

[Horace Blok]

Hi Calle - my complements. Only read this now.

As you may or may not know, I was behind all the Shackleton preparation in 1994 which ended with us having the dual engine failure in the Sahara.

I can only complement you on your work so far. Question - have I missed your RTW route??

I know you're a Viking and you're probably a Norwegian citizen too - get their diplomatic missions locations & contact data along your intended route.
Your A/C is SA registered - get names and phone numbers of the SA Missions in Africa.


You seem to be a well organised person - but I inform everyone reading this interesting thread - remember the 4 principles of Survival:

1. Protection
2, Location
3. Water
4. Food
and if you must and least desirable?
5. Travel

As an aside - for some fun, learn to tell the time (and direction) by means of the Southern Cross - yeah I know its only useful when & where the bodies are visible - its pretty accurate after some practice.

Has your programming of the ELT/PLB been ratified? The registration of your ELT/PLB done? Ask me - I too thought we were done and dusted - it wasn't useful when the RCC in Bodo didn't take our 406 transmission seriously because the registration was not done by the supplier. He was (unbeknown to me) in jail!

Wish I could do this trip with you!! Take care and good luck Calle.

[Calle_Hedberg]

As you may or may not know, I was behind all the Shackleton preparation in 1994 which ended with us having the dual engine failure in the Sahara.

I didn't know, wasn't even aware of the accident (I started flying in 2006). Must have been a rough time...

I can only complement you on your work so far. Question - have I missed your RTW route??

I cannot off hand remember if I've posted it before, but it's been changing back and forth (Eastwards or Westwards etc) as departure has been delayed. I applied for a ferry tank approval in Jul-12 and had then intended to leave Oct/Nov, but some of the paper work with the CAA (e.g. overweight exemption, GNSS aircraft approval) is still not finalised. But if I'm able to get the last few pieces sorted out now, then my tentative route will be
SA -> Africa west coast -> Brazil -> US (Sun & Fun, Florida) -> US/Canada/Alaska -> Norway (via Iceland & Faero Islands or the North Pole) -> Around Europe -> Azores -> Oshkosh -> Around US/Canada -> Central America -> South America -> Valparaiso -> Easter Islands -> South Pacific island hopping -> New Zealand -> Australia -> Around Asia -> Middle East -> Africa East -> SA. I reckon around 280-300 hours of flying in total (i.e. 45-50,000nm).

I know you're a Viking and you're probably a Norwegian citizen too - get their diplomatic missions locations & contact data along your intended route.
Your A/C is SA registered - get names and phone numbers of the SA Missions in Africa.

Yeah, I'm Norwegian - and I've got the contact details for both Norwegian and SA missions world-wide.

You seem to be a well organised person - but I inform everyone reading this interesting thread - remember the 4 principles of Survival:
1. Protection
2, Location
3. Water
4. Food
and if you must and least desirable?
5. Travel

As an aside - for some fun, learn to tell the time (and direction) by means of the Southern Cross - yeah I know its only useful when & where the bodies are visible - its pretty accurate after some practice.

Where do I find guidance on HOW to do that (and I don't mean using the stellar map app on my Android phone or on my iPAD)?

Has your programming of the ELT/PLB been ratified? The registration of your ELT/PLB done? Ask me - I too thought we were done and dusted - it wasn't useful when the RCC in Bodo didn't take our 406 transmission seriously because the registration was not done by the supplier. He was (unbeknown to me) in jail!

I personally did the registration of my PLB, but I also discovered that my ELT had NOT been registered when I got the aircraft 3 years ago! Not sure if AME Aviation made a mistake or if it was the CAA, but it's been sorted out now. In any case I was going to verify with both the Emergency Centre in Cape Town AND with Heksie before leaving that ALL my emergency & communication systems are properly registered:
- PLB
- ELT
- IndigoSat One Tracker
- Iridium Satphone.
- Cellphone
- iPAD (it does have a GPS and a simcard)
- HF radio with SELCAL
But maybe I should actually check the same with the RCC in Bodoe...

Regards
Calle

[mikev]

Horace Blok wrote:You seem to be a well organised person - but I inform everyone reading this interesting thread - remember the 4 principles of Survival:
1. Protection
2, Location
3. Water
4. Food
and if you must and least desirable?
5. Travel

As an aside - for some fun, learn to tell the time (and direction) by means of the Southern Cross - yeah I know its only useful when & where the bodies are visible - its pretty accurate after some practice.

Then Calle replied:

Where do I find guidance on HOW to do that (and I don't mean using the stellar map app on my Android phone or on my iPAD)?

Now you know why your trusty PTAR navigator keeps a beady eye on you and your travelling plans.

Come on over, Makwassie nights are clear and the sky view breathtaking!!

Not difficult at all!!

[mikev]

Southern Cross time:

As it turns out, on or about March 29, the Southern Cross stands upright in the southern sky at midnight local time, approximately. Doesn’t matter where you live… Pretoria, Perth, or Palmerston North… at midnight, roughly, as long as you can see it, the Cross will point upright, as in the following image:



The Southern Cross points directly to “12 o’clock” at midnight local time on or about March 29, and rotates around the south celestial pole (SCP) like a giant celestial clock (click to enlarge).

Now the stars of Crux, like all stars, will appear to rotate around the south celestial pole during the night (and day). If you face south, Crux will rotate clockwise at half the rate of the hour-hand in a clock. In 24 hours, Crux comes all the way around to its original position. In 6 hours, Crux makes a quarter revolution, and in 3 hours, it makes ⅛ of a revolution, and so on. So, as an example, on March 29 you look up at see Crux pointing to 1:30 on its celestial clock, you know it’s 3 a.m. (Here’s what it looks like). If it’s pointing to 3:00 on March 29, then it must be 6 a.m. And if it’s pointing to 11:00, then it must be 10 p.m.

Not too hard, right?

You can use the same trick at other times of year, assuming you can see Crux from your location. But it’s a little more complicated because Crux will point to midnight at a time other than true midnight. That’s because the stars shift a little in position each night because of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun. In a month, the stars rise earlier by 2 hours. So Crux points directly upward to 12:00 at 10 p.m. on April 29, and 8 p.m. on May 29, and 2 a.m. on February 28 (or March 1), and so on.

Just remember, add 2 hours for each month after March 29, or subtract 2 hours for every month before March 29. That works out to one hour every two weeks.

[Horace Blok]

Mr Google is clever hey Mike? At Nav school, we taught that to the Nav students and was used especially during the survival phase. It was really accurate and well . . . . . . . kinda useful. However - to determine time on a date other than 29 March, take that date - add 2 hrs per month (as stated) and 4 mins per day - otherwise I kinda agree with that described in your link.

[mikev]

Mr Google is clever hey Mike?

So are you, mr Blok!!

You caught me way too soon!!






Although I did know before I googled, and actually used it a few times many many moons ago. That was before I grew wisdom teeth and learned to fly, rather than bloody walk!

[Horace Blok]

Mike - its fascinating stuff (or rubbish) like this thats regrettably being "lost". The fact you knew about it and used it impresses me. The night sky and what it can do for you ought to be encouraged - Know how many stars are used for celestial Navigation? Of course questions like these are easily answered by Mr Google. I'll save you guys the trawl - its 57 as contained in the Air Almanac.

[Christopher]

Of no use to you (sorry) but a question, Calle: shouldn't this undertaking be called TRTW or RTWT? Aren't you, in effect, going <twice> around the globe?

[mikev]

I present a junior hunters course every year mid winter holidays for children.

We have been doing it for three years now and the SAHGCA (big mouthful, but the hunter's assoc for short) visited our camp last year.This year children from all over the NW province are sent here for the camp.

This is where we keep these gems of knowledge alive.

Rubbish it may seem to be at first glance, but survival is all about attitude. Taking care about little issues (ie capable of making yourself comfortable in the bush, able to recognize plant species, animal behaviour, water sources, finding direction etc) reduces the feeling of everything being useless and hopeless dramatically.

Sorry Calle, lecture and hijack over!!

I shall be tracking you, and awaiting your flypast!

[Calle_Hedberg]

Of no use to you (sorry) but a question, Calle: shouldn't this undertaking be called TRTW or RTWT? Aren't you, in effect, going <twice> around the globe?

Mmm - rather RTWZ for Round The World Zigzag style.

Regards
calle

[Calle_Hedberg]

I shall be tracking you, and awaiting your flypast!

OK, we're on for Sunday and I hope there won't be any further weather hassles now! Estimated overhead Makwassie-Visagie International Grassport around 1000Z....

Regards
calle

[Rob K]

Hi Calle,

Great to see you have a departure date and are ready to go.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable adventure and will be following your travels with much interest.

How can we follow you?

All the best,

Rob

[Calle_Hedberg]

Rob,

Haven't really READ this thread, have you?

Do so, and thy questions will be answered.....

Regards
calle