Phileas Fogg Air Cargo Carrier

[highplainsflyer 20]

I will be doing this in conjunction with Air Hauler 2 in Nomad mode.  That is, my pilot will have to pay for things like fuel, repairs and landing fees.  However, he can make money by hauling cargo and passengers.  If he is lucky and handles things correctly, he might even turn a profit on a given flight.

 

My pilot is relatively poor and cannot afford a fancy plane.  Under Air Hauler's nomad scenario, he starts with a Cessna 172 and $1000.  I am starting him at Fairoaks, just outside of London, primarily because the landing fees ($248) are significantly lower than most of the other airports in the region.  It also helps that I have ORBX's Fairoaks scenery!

 

My pilot will be financing his trip by delivering cargo and passengers along the way.  In the spirit of Verne's story, instead of running a tramp steamer, he is running a tramp aircraft.

 

I still have not figured out how he will cross the Pacific, assuming I get that far without running out of money.  I guess worst case is flying north through Kamchatcka, then across to the Chain, along the Alaska coast and down the Inside Passage to Seattle, then San Francisco.  But I will worry about that when (and if) I get there.

[highplainsflyer 20]

For this adventure, I will be starting with the new Carenado 172 with a G1000 system.  It has been a long time since I actually did much with a 172, or a G1000 for that matter.  Truth be told, I actually prefer the GTN  750 -- fewer knobs to fiddle with!  So, I am very out of practice with a Cessna 172, any 172.

 

Since I am using the Air Hauler version 2 Early Access as a supplemental game, I started delivering cargo around the U.K.  As stated in my last post, I started at Fair Oakes.  The game makes pilots fly a type rating before one can start making money in the game.  Honestly, I flunked the first three test flights.  It's not that I crashed, or even damaged the plane.  It's just that my landings were a little bit too rough.  At $328 a pop for each of these check rides, not much as left of my original $1000!  Like I was literally down to $15.00.  I got to sleep in my plane that night because I did not have enough money for a hotel room!

 

Fortunately, the fourth time proved the charm -- perhaps as I started to figure out how to fly my trusty machine.  So I got a job delivering frozen prawns to Clacton in Essex.  Go figure!  Clacton is a seaside town, and I was delivering frozen prawns from the London area -- I mean, shouldn't it have been the other way around?

 

In any case, the Clacton airport is a grass airstrip, meaning it is difficult to see and locate.  This is where a GPS like the G1000 comes in handy.  Fortunately, I was able to find intersections on either side of the runway, which allowed me to line up almost perfectly.  Prawns delivered, and I received a nice $2976.  Fortunately the landing fee was a mere $3.40, so I actually had some cash.  I could now purchase an insurance policy for my plane.  Unfortunately, it was a hard landing, and my plane took some damage.

 

In Clacton, I was able to pick up another job:  delivering narcotics to Compton Abbas.  I did not ask whether they were legal drugs or not.  But it offered a  nice $5000 payday..  Compton Abbas is another grass field, with a very reasonable $2.70 landing fee.  So I netted a little under $5500 for a days work.  From Compton Abbas, I have line up another $5000 job delivering fish to Bourne.

 

However, I guess if I want the really big bucks, I need to be transporting cabinet secretaries.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

I started Sunday by delivering about 500 pounds of shrimp to Bourne.  Now my plane smells all fishy!

 

In Bourne, I picked up a job to deliver 950 pounds of frozen turkeys to Walney Island.  This is more than I can take in one trip.  I am hoping to find a southerly haul from Barrow/Walney Island to get me back to Bourne.

 

In England, I have been using scenery from two sources.  Fair Oakes and Compton Abbas are both Orbx sceneries.  Clacton and Bourne are part of UK2000's collection of VFR Sceneries.  Walney Island is also a UK2000 VFR scenery.

 

Below is a shot of the Bourne airport from the UK2000 website.  This was an RAF base during the second world war.  Now there are plans to turn it into a development with 3500 houses, which has caused quite a fuss.

Please login to display this image.

[johnny_7713 6]

Cool idea! I look forward to seeing how you will finance your trip.

[highplainsflyer 20]

For me, the advantage of these tours is the chance to go to places I otherwise would not to go to.  After all, an around the world trip in 2017 is entirely different than an around the world trip in Verne's time: the mid-nineteenth century.  Today, all you have to do is hop into a modern jet, say a Boeing 777, and you may not even have to land to refuel.  In Verne's time one would have to move from steamship to steamship, and in many cases, there were no scheduled routes.

 

I spent most of Sunday going to and from Walney Island -- taking frozen turkeys to the island and taking shrimp from Walney to other communities.  From Wikipedia:

"Barrow/Walney Island Airport (IATA: BWF, ICAO: EGNL) (formerly RAF Walney Island) is located on Walney Island, 1.5 NM (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) northwest of the centre of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. The airport is owned by BAE Systems, who operate private communication flights to locations across the United Kingdom. The Lakes Gliding Club also operates out of the airport....

 

"Barrow/Walney Island Airport was opened during World War II, though the site had been used as an airship station since World War I. Three runways were constructed, laid out in a triangular arrangement, for use by the based Royal Air Forceflying units. The airfield was disused after World War II, and was sold on in 1959 to Vickers, the company that owned Barrow shipyard. Commercial flights operated from the airport in the late 20th century but ceased in 1992....

 

"During the early 20th century a site 1 mile south west of Barrow/Walney Island Airport was used for one of the UK's most important airship production facilities. For a brief period, the industry was equally as vital for the local economy as Barrow's booming ship building industry. Between 1910 and 1920, such airships as No. 9r, R80, and the SS class blimp were constructed by Vickers, Sons and Maxim for the British Royal Navy at Walney - having relocated from alongside Cavendish Dock in Barrow.

 

"Commercial flights used the airport during the 1980s and 1990s. Air Ecosse flew to Edinburgh, Carlisle and Liverpool from 1982 until 1983 using Twin Otter aircraft. Air Furness commenced scheduled passenger flights from the airport in 1984, flying predominantly to Manchester. The flights were designed to connect with international services from Manchester and were operated up to four times daily using Islander aircraft. Air Furness ceased operations in 1988. Despite a final attempt to run scheduled services from the airport in 1991-1992 by Telair, the airport is currently used only for private flights."

 

From Air Hauler, it also appears that the inhabitants eat a lot of frozen turkey and ware willing to pay a small fortune to get it.

 

The turkeys themselves were not happy about being frozen, either.  There is nothing like flying cold turkeys around the U.K.!

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 1

 

Most of the day was spent getting cold turkeys to Walney Island.  The turkeys had to be sent in two loads.

 

The first trip was from Bourn to Walney Island.  The flight plan was EGSN SAPCO UTUXA IVLOD WAL EGNL.  The last leg was over water.  Overall, the trip was very routine.

 

The return trip transported shrimp to Andrewsfield Aerodrome (EGSL)  The flight plan was EGNL POL PIPIN DIGSU EGSR EGSL.  Andrewsfield Aerodrome (ICAO: EGSL) is located 4 NM (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) west northwest of Braintree, Essex, England, formerly RAF Andrews Field. This was a rather interesting flight because it went over the hill country of northwest England.

 

The third flight was a deadhead flight from Andrews Aerodrome to Bourn, where the remaining turkeys were loaded and flown to Walney Island.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 2

 

This was the first official day of the round the world tour.  I started the day at Walney Island, and made an early morning flight to the Cotswold Airport hauling fresh shrimp.  From Wikipedia:

 

"Cotswold Airport (IATA: GBA, ICAO: EGBP) (formerly Kemble Airfield) is a private general aviation airport, near the village of Kemble in Gloucestershire, England. Located 4.5 NM (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) southwest of Cirencester, it was built as a Royal Air Force (RAF) station and was known as RAF Kemble. The Red Arrows aerobatics team was based there until 1983, and it is used for the storage and recycling of retired airliners, as well as flying schools, clubs and industry....

 

"Cotswold Airport has been used as a film location for a number of television programmes and series, including: Top Gear, Casualty, Ultimate Force, Car of the Year Show, Wheeler Dealers, Classic Car Club, Drop the Celebrity and Fifth Gear."

 

The flight plan was EGNL WAL IVLOD MONTY UMOLO BCN BADIM WOTAN EGBP.  The flight was due south from Walney Island.  Most of the flight was over eastern Wales.  This is hill country and made for an interesting flight.

 

Since the adventure officially begins in London, I made the flight to London City airport (using the UK 2000 scenery).  This is a grass airstrip, and was really quite charming.  The flight plan was EGBP GAVGO CPT BLC OCK BIG RCH EKNIV BAKER EGLC.  Unfortunately,  there were no cargo jobs out of England from London City Airport.  Instead, I spent the rest of the day transporting more cold turkeys to Oaksey Park Airport – Oaksey, England.  Again, this took two trips for a nice payday.  The route was EGLC CPT6T  EGTW.  The return trip to London City Airport was a deadhead flight.

 

After the turkeys were delivered, I made a short hop to Cotswold Airport to pick up a load to go to Paris France.  Unfortunately, this is a large load which will require two trips.

 

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 3

 

Today was a very very bad day!  I started the day in Kembel (The Cotswold Airport) where I had foolishly agreed to fly over 900 pounds of cold turkeys to Paris.  I flew a couple hours without problems landing at Toussus-le-Noble Airport in Paris (LFPN)  The scenery was by France VFR.

 

Not wanting to dead head it all the way back to the Cotswold airport, I picked u  a load of frozen turkeys from Paris to the Granville Mont Saint Michel Airport in Normandy.  This got me half way home.  I also guess the English frozen turkeys are different from the French frozen turkeys!

 

Anyway, there was no northbound cargo from Granville, so I was just going to deadhead it to Southhampton.  The flight went well, except that the flight monitor from Air Hauler went bad and did not record the flight.  So I redid it.  Again the flight monitor malfunctioned.  That was several hour of my life I would like to have back.  Unfortunately, I cracked up my plane on the third attempt.  Fortunately, it was insured, and the insurer picked up the cost of repairs.

 

It was not a total loss of a day, however, I did a nice flyby of Mont Saint Michel and a flyover of Jersey Island.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 4

 

Well, I spent about a half day sulking about the botched flight recordings, but finally decided to get back to work.  I was back in England, getting jobs on the way to delivering cold turkeys to France.

 

I flew a load from Southhampton to Exeter, since Exeter was kinda sorta on the way to the Cotswold Airport.  Then another load from Exeter to Bristol Filton Airport.  This put me a short hop from the Cotswold Airport.  But the deadline for delivery of the turkeys had passed, meaning the past two days had been a terrible waste of time and a diversion from my trip.

 

Time to get moving.  I hauled another load of turkeys to Le Touquet - Côte d'Opale Airport.  This was a night haul, but at least I was out of England.

[PeSt 28]

How many turkeys you will have hauled at the end of the world tour?

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 5

 

After wasting two days flying turkeys to Paris, or at least trying to do so, I have had to impose a couple rules on myself if I am ever going to complete this trip in a timely manner:

 

First, if a load cannot be handled in one trip, I won't do it unless it is a short distance between airports.  No more of this Bristol to Paris type of trip.  Even though these jobs appear to pay more, that is offset by having to make 1 1/2 round trips.

 

Second, all of my trips have to be in the general destination of my next goal.  This means for Suez, the job has to be going east or south.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 5

 

After laying out those rules, I did have the opportunity for an two trip load from Le Touquet - Côte d'Opale Airport to Cambrai-Niergnies Airport (ICAO: LFYG).  This was a relatively short hop -- approximately 60 miles.   It was a $9,396 fee for a half day of flying.  This was much better than the $10.000 fe from Briston to Paris.

 

Cambrai has a lot of historical interest.  It was a major battle in WWI, the first battle where there was a widespread use of tanks.  The airport itself was used by the NAZIS, until it was captured by American forces and was an American airbase pretty much until the end of the Cold War.  Now the military part of the airport has been abandoned.

 

Unfortunately, in FSX, this is one of the naked airports.  That is it has a couple of runways, and nothing else.  Maybe, that will be fixed if we ever get an ORBX France region?

 

In any case, at Cambrai, I got a job hauling narcotics to Bern Switzerland.  Aside from questionable legality of hauling narcotics across international borders -- or hauling them at all for that matter, it was going in both the right way, did not weigh much (100 pounds) and paid well ($5,000).  So I spent most of the afternoon flying from northern France to Switzerland -- arriving at night.  Approaching Bern at night was an impressive sight.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 6

 

In Bern, I found a job transporting building materials to a small airport outside of Verona.  This meant a flight over the Alps.  There was another job to Grenoble, France, but that was sort of the wrong way.  The the Alps it was!

 

After arriving at LIPN (Verona-Boscomantico Airport) I discovered there were no jobs headed in the right direction.  So I made a dead head flight to Rome Ciampino-Giovan Battista Pastine International Airport (LIRA), hoping to find some work there.  The choice of this airport was because Aerosoft has nice scenery to this airport.

 

It was also at this point I started to figure out how to handle Air Hauler when FSX misbehaves, which it does about half the time!

 

Unfortunately, there were no jobs in Rome, heading in the right direction, so it was south to Naples.  Again this choice was dictated because Aerosoft has nice scenery for this airport.  I arrived in Naples at night, and spent the night there.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 7

 

In Naples, I found a job delivering frozen food to Lecce, Italy, located in Italy's heel.  This was an uneventful flight.  In Lecce, I got a job delivering   to Skopje, Macedonia (LWSK).  It was kind of along the way -- to the east, but a little to the north.

 

I arrived at Skopje's Alexander the Great's airport at night.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 8

 

At Skopje, I picked up a job delivering cabbages to Korce Northwest, Albania (LAKO).  According to some web sites this is a grass strip located in a 2000 foot deep hole.  Yes, it's and FSX artifact.  But at least I wanted to take a look.

 

But alas, it was not to be.  I spent a fair amount of time looking for this strip, but never found it.  It did not appear on the G1000 gps, and ATC seemed to be taking me in circles.  Since I was running out of fuel, I gave up the search for LAKO, and made an emergency stop at Aristotelis airport in Kastoria, Greece.

 

Just before landing, I encountered what I call the Greek Grand Canyon.  This apparently is the same FSX artifact which swallowed the LAKO airport.

 

Even though Aristotelis is a major regional airport in northern Greece, it is another naked airport in FSX.  What, with a great tourist attraction like the Greek Grand Canyon!  Fortunately, a freeware developer sort of made a scenery for this airport.  It was not great, but at least there were buildings there!

 

I loaded the cabbages on a truck to Albania, and actually got paid for the job -- eventually.  I did have to pay have the profits to the truck driver for a 27 km jaunt to their final destination.  But imagine having to drive his truck down a 2000 foot hole!

 

The good news is that I picked up a job delivering DVD's to Elefsis, Greece.  I guess they don't have any streaming services in Greece?

 

In any case, Elefis is located just a few miles outside of Athens, and I arrived there at night.  The fee for delivering the DVD's more than made up for the lost revenue for not being able to fly into, or find, LAKO.

 

Since I have heard bad stories about hotels in Athens, I remained that the airbase with my trusty sleeping bag.

Please login to display this image.

Please login to display this image.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 9

 

There is not a lot to write about for today's flying;  it was almost entirely over water.  At Elefis I got a job flying DVD's to Kasteli on the Island of Crete.  (LGTL)  This trip was almost entirely over water.  Unfortunately this was a hard landing which damaged my landing gear.

 

There were no southbound flight from Crete, so I filled my tanks and flew to Cairo, Egypt, with no cargo.  This was mostly over water.  I was surprised how lush the northern part of Egypt was.  Perhaps this is a land class error?  It looked a lot like Europe.  However, as I approached Cairo, it began to look more like what I would expect in this part of the world.  The setting sun shone through a haze of sand.

 

Cairo is actually the commercial airport nearest to Suez.  Suez does not have an airport, at least in FSX.  However, I think I saw on in Google maps.  But I wanted to get my landing gear fixed.  I think this is closer to the Suez target than other airports.  However, I did pick up another job in Cairo which will take me to a small strip nearer to the canal.  But first the plane needs to be fixed and I want to see the sights.

[highplainsflyer 20]

For the next leg of the trip, I am not expecting to find much cargo to haul.  I am not expecting too many frozen turkeys, cabbages, or DVDs.  Maybe some Beduin tents? Or a baby camel?  (rather awkward in a Cessna 172.)  Certainly there is oil in the Arabian Desert, but that is more for tankers than light GA aircraft!

 

Time will tell.

[highplainsflyer 20]

My net earning over the first section of this trip is a little over $85,000.  Not bad, but still quite a ways from what I will need to get a better aircraft.  I barely made it over the Alps in the Cessna.  Crossing the continental divide in the U.S., let alone the high hump from Calcutta to China will be well neigh impossible with this aircraft.  But I have about three weeks before I really have to cross that bridge -- or should I say mountain pass?

 

Ideally, I would like to fly a C46 or C47 over the high hump.  Just because.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 13

 

I took several days off to enjoy the sights of Cairo, including the pyramids and museums.  Also the landing gear on my plane needed to be fixed.

 

I finally got back to work on October 13, and attempted to deliver a load to Al Ismailiya Airbase (H000).  The owner of the shipment refused to pay me, claiming my delivery was too late.  Actually, I thought I was on time!

 

However, I did get a job delivering narcotics to Ramut David in Israel  (LLRD).  This flight took me out of my way, but the pay was worthwhile.

 

While at Ramut David, I picked up a job delivering  417 pounds of softdrinks to Taba International (HETB).  I arrived just after dark and decided to call it a day.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 14

 

Most of the day was spent looking for jobs.  Most of the available jobs took me in the wrong direction. 

 

I was located right at the head of the Gulf of Aquaba.  It was actually a fairly scenic area, with high hills on both sides of the gulf.  Three nations are in close proximity here:  Egypt, Israel and Jordan.

 

There were no jobs at Taba in Egypt going my way, so I flew to  Eliat, Israel (LLET) a short flight away.  No jobs there, either.  So I took another short hop to King Hussein International, Jordan (OJAQ).  No work there, either.

 

I could recommend the approach to either of the last two airports,  LLET and OJAQ for their scenic value.

 

Failing to find work, I deadheaded a flight to King Faisal AB, Saudi Arabia (OETB)  Most of this flight was in pea soup.  Fortunately, the G1000 makes it easy to navigate in bad conditions.  Fortunately the clouds broke just before I landed, so I could actually see the runway!

 

It was getting dark and I did not want to fly in cloudy weather at night, so I called it a day.

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 15

 

I started the day delivering 376 pounds of tea to Qalibah Highway Strip, an isolated and not well developed airstrip in the middle of nowhere.  There were no jobs heading my way here.

 

There were also no jobs heading southeast at Hail, Saudi Arabia.  Only northwest!

 

I arrived at Gassim, Saudi Arabia and picked up a job delivering  290 pounds for fruit to IPSA, Saudi Arabia.  (OEPK)

 

One of the problems with the G1000 in the new Carenado C172 G000 model is that you simply cannot load certain waypoints or airports into it.  I don't know why that is;  these airports and navaids are recognized, but the G1000 simply does not allow them to be  loaded.  Now, in most cases, few flightsimmers will ever travel to IPSA Saudi Arabia.  There is nothing to see there, but semi arid to arid terrain.  It is a default naked airstrip.  But as part of the Air Hauler game, I wanted to make a delivery there.

 

It was night, and I was relying on ATC to get me there.  However, I could not find the airport.  Plus, the G1000 was stuck on the weather page, so it was of no use whatsoever.  FSX crashed on me before I actually gave up.

 

Time to call it a night!

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 16

 

Another busy day.   I finally got the fruit delivered to IPSA.  This time I waited for daylight.  I found the airport simply by getting a bearing and distance from a VOR which was located about 63 nm away.  Since it was daylight, the airstrip was much easier to see.  Plus the G1000 was working again.  (While I could not load the strip into the flight plan, I was visible on the GPS)

 

There was not outgoing work heading the right way from IPSA, so I made a deadhead flight to Kuwait International Airport  (OKBK).  I had not been there for a long time.  Could not see much because of cloud cover.

 

In Kuwait, picked up a job delivering 341 pounds of fertilizer to Bushehr, Iran (OIBB)  My plan at this point was to follow the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean to Mumbai.  There was no cargo heading this direction from Bushehr, so I took a chance and flew south to Lamerd, Iran.  (OISR)

 

Most people may not be aware that Iran is actually fairly mountainous and the terrain can be quite forbidding.  Lamberd was located in a valley,and presented a scenic approach.

 

In Lamberd, I did get a job delivering narcotics to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in the United Arab Emerites.  This was a night flight, and was mostly over the Persian Gulf, although I did cross a few mountain ridges to get there.  The airport had an ILS signal and was well lighted, making it a breeze to land there.

[SeanG 76]

40 minutes ago, highplainsflyer said:

In Lamberd, I did get a job delivering narcotics to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in the United Arab Emerites.  This was a night flight, and was mostly over the Persian Gulf, although I did cross a few mountain ridges to get there.  The airport had an ILS signal and was well lighted, making it a breeze to land there.

 

Been there in real life.... it's hot, and the taxi's won't take you to the other side of the field....  Also, don't have the burger at the Cafe.. they claim it's chicken, but I'm still not so sure!

 

 

Please login to display this image.

That's the "other" side of the field

 

Enjoy your stay!

 

SeanG

 

[highplainsflyer 20]

October 17

 

Today was a money making day.  Many airports can be found in the United Arab Emirates, and most of them are in close proximity to each other.

 

 

Todays trips were  351 pounds of furniture from OMRK to Abumusa Island (OIBA), 394 pounds of auto parts from OMRK to Gheshm Island (OIKQ), 100 pounds of narcotics from OIKQ to OIBA.  Receipts totaled over $14,000.  I have $118,000 in the bank which can be used to purchase a new aircraft.

 

Near the end of the day, I landed at Sharjah International (OMSJ), but did not find any loads going the right way.  I then decided to spend the night at Dubai (OMDB) where I found 379 pounds of fruit to be transported to Oman.

[highplainsflyer 20]

I have not posted any pictures of the past several days flights.  Most of the airports I  travelled to were naked airports in FSX with no buildings.  In many cases they were just landing strips, with no taxi ways or anything.

 

Some of the scenery, especially in Iran might be of some interest.  But I suspect most simmers would find it more interesting flying in Iran themselves.

 

The advantage of flight simming is one does not have to worry about visas, Revolutionary Guards, jihadists, Islamic fanatics and a lack of Western plumbing.