Del Caribe International General Santiago Marino-

Leg:67

Routing: Del Caribe International General Santiago Marino (PMV-SVMG)-La Blanquilla (SVLB)

Aircraft: Cessna 172SP Skyhawk N269RK

Altitude: 2000 feet

Speed: 110 KIAS

Route: Depart Runway 9 to heading 335 direct to SVLB)

Time (D/N/I/T): 0.9/0.0/0.0/0.9

Comments: Go around on final

[NOTE: I apologize for the lack of posts as of late. Other commitments have occupied much of my time and I have been unable to spend as much time flying as I would like. I will do my best to post as often and as much as possible.]

SVMG-SVLB

Piarco International-Del Caribe International

Leg:66

Route: Piarco International Airport (POS/TTPP)-Del Caribe International (PMV/SVMG)

Aicraft: Cessna 172SP Skyhawk N269RK

Cruise Altitude: 3800 feet

Cruise Speed: 110 KIAS

Route: Rwy 10 Dep, hdg 288 direct to SVMG, Downwind, base, final runway 9R.

Distance: 156 NM

TTPP-SVMG

Crown Point-Piarco International

Leg: 65

Route: Crown Point Airport (TAB/TTCP)-Piarco International Aiport (POS/TTPP

Aircraft: Cessna 172SP Skyhawk N269RK

Cruise Alt: 1020 feet

Cruise Speed 92 KIAS

Routing: Rwy 29 departure to heading 237 direct to TTPP.

Comments: Great traffic pattern/slow flight, bounced landing.

TTCP-TTPP

Point Salines International-Crown Point

Route: Point Salines International (GND/TGPY), St. Georges, Grenada-Crown Point (TAB/TTCP, Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago.

Aircraft: Cessna 172SP Skyhawk N269RK

Cruise Altitude: 1400 feet

Cruise Speed: 110 KIAS

Routing: Departure rwy 28, crosswind, heading 148 direct to TTCP.

Time (D/N/I/T): 0.2/0.7/0.0/0.9

Comments: Decent approach.

TGPY-TTCP

E.T. Joshua-Point Salines International

TVSV-TGPY

Grantley Adams International-ET Joshua

TBPB-TVSV

Changes to the Blog

Starting soon, the blog will no longer feature narratives as they have in the past. I have found them time-consuming to write, and I don't feel they add much aside from the rare occurences. I will continue to report on routing, altitude, sights, technical problems, go arounds, traffic, etc. The screenshots will continue to be featured as normal. I apologize for this, however this is the best way to assure that the blog will continue to run and be updated. Note that a couple of legs will be posted without any text as I decided this after they were flown and don't have all of the essential details.

Thanks for your continued support.

George F.L. Charles-Grantley Adam International

After spending the night on St. Lucia, I decided to head east to Barbados, the easternmost island in the Caribbean. I took off from runway 9 at George F.L. Charles airport (SLU/TLPC) in St. Lucia, and climbed to 2800 feet I turned to heading 137, where I remained for the balance of the flight. I entered a long left base leg for runway 9 at Grantley Adams International (BGI/TBPB) on Barbados. The approach went great. I taxied at a fairly high speed off the runway as a Piper 180 was follwing me in on final. A perfect parking job capped off another great leg.

TLPC-TBPB

Le Lamentin-George F.L. Charles

After a short layover in Martinique, it was time for one more leg for the day. I taxied back out to runway 9 at Le Lamentin Airport (FDF/TFFF) on Martinique and took off. I climbed to 1000 feet and leveled off. I then turned to heading 210. This would keep me over some lowlands and give me the perfect way to enter the pattern at George F.L. Charles airport on St. Lucia. After some pretty bad turbulence near the coast, it was smooth flying all the way to St. Lucia. I flew 210 until it was time to turn final. The approach went smoothly aside from a bit of turbulence, and I landed without further incident, regardless of the fact that there are 5 trees right in front of the runway.

TDPD-TFFF

Melville Hall-Le Lamentin

After spedning the night on Dominica, I taxied back out to runway 9 at Melville Hall (DOM/TDPD) and took off. After climbing to 1000 feet, I leveled off and turned to heading 185. This would set me up perfectly to enter left base for runway 9 at Le Lamentin (FDF/TFFF) in Fort de France, Martinique. After reaching Martinique I climbed to 3200 feet to avoid terrain. Less than 5 minutes later, however, I descended back to 1000 feet as I prepared to turn final for runway 9. The approach went well, albeit with a bit of turbulence, and I was soon on the ground in Martinique. It was however, one of the longest legs since reaching the Caribbean.

TDPD-TFFF

Marie Galante-Melville Hall

After a few hours on Marie Galante, I headed south to the island nation of Dominica. I took off and climbed to 1000 feet. I turned initially to heading 200 before settling on 215. The cruise took about 20 minutes. I entered left downwind for runway 9 (noticing a theme?) at Melville Hall airport (DOM/TDPD). The pattern went decently, aside from nearing high terrain, until final, the turn to witch I overshot and then landed pretty far, but well, down the runway. At least the sunset was pretty.

TFFM-TDPD

Les Saintes-Marie Galante

...and climbed to 1000 feet for the short hop. I realligned myself for runway 9 and flew a beautiful approach into Marie-Galante (GBJ/TFFM). I taxied into park, and shut down. Best of all, the FSX logbook recorded the whole thing correctly, a miraculous feat on a multi-landing flight.

TFFS-TFFM

Baillif-Les Saintes

Today's flying was VFR as well, a result of my destinations being non-IFR, as well as getting used to the rudder pedals I just purchased. Likewise, I was focusing more on the pedals and less on the screenshots. Nevertheless, there are still some good ones. Anyway, after taking off from runway 30 at Baillif (BBR/TFFB), I followed the pattern to the downwind leg, and continued on that heading as it would set me up nicely for the approach into Les Saintes (LSS/TFFS). The rest of the approach went smoothly, and before long I was on final into Les Saintes. After coming to a stop, I turned back around and back taxied to the beginning of runway 9. Once I got to the end, I turned aroung and took off for Marie-Galante Airport...

TFFB-TFFS

VC Bird International-Baillif

While flying IFR was fun, my next destination was sans navaids, so today's leg is VFR. After taking off from VC Bird International (ANU/TAPA), I climbed to 1100 feet for the over water portion of the flight. Once I reached Guadeloupe, I climbed to 3000 feet to clear terrain. I remained there until I reached Baillif (BBR/TFFB). I didn't descend soon enough, and when it became clear that my 100-knot nosedive descent wasn't going to end well on the 200 foot strip, I decided to go around. I flew the pattern at 800 feet, and made a much better landing. It was a tad off-center, but it was straight at least.

TAPA-TBBR

Codrington-VC Bird International

Now that I've gotten comfortable with VFR flight in the Cessna, I thought it was a good time to start to doing simulated IFR flights. I used the FSX flight planner to plan an IFR flight from Codrington (BBQ/TAPH) on Barbuda to VC Bird International (ANU/TAPA) on Antigua, the other Island in the federation. I would take off from Codrington and climb to 2500 feet. I would intercept the 189 course to the VC Bird VOR (ANU). From there I would fly the VOR approach to rwy 7. This had me fly outbound on the 262 radial , to a procedure turn to the right (still at 2500 feet), then track back in on the 082 course. The initial line-up with the VOR didn't go so great, but eventually I got it. ATC then asked me to climb to 4000 feet. I continued along until I was about 10 nm out, when ATC asked me to do an expedited descent to 2500 feet. I continued at 2500 feet and before long I was over ANU. I turned to the 262 radial (again with some difficulty) and tracked outbound for aboug 7 nm. I turned right to heading 307, flew that course for a minute, turned back to heading 127 to interecept the 082 course. The final line-up went great. The approach went great as well, and I made a beautiful landing on runway 7. Not bad for the first time.

Vance Armory International-Codrington

My next leg took me east for one of the longest flights since Puerto Rico. After taking off from runway 10 at Vance Armorty International (NEV/TKPN) on Nevis, I turned to heading 070. This would put me just south of Codrington Airport (BBQ/TAPH) on Barbuda. After about 25 minutes I was closing in on the island, and entered right base for runway 10. The approach went ok considering the airport was unlit. Which means it was an all out nose dive to get down. At least my flare was good.

TKPN-TAPH

Robert Bradshaw International-Vance W. Armory International

My next leg took me straight from one traffic pattern to another. After taking off from runway 7 at Bradshaw International (SKB/TKPK) on St. Kitts, I climbed to 750 feet and tuned the tower at Armory International (NEV/TKPN) on Nevis, the other Island of the island Federation. I immediately asked for landing clearance, and was told to enter left base for runway 10. I did so, and continued on that heading (190) for about 10 minutes, by which point it was time to turn onto final approach. The approach went beautifully, and I landed right in between the 1 and the 0 on the threshold. And with a full moon out as well.

TKPK-TKPN

F.D. Roosevelt-Robert Bradshaw International

My next leg took me east to the Island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. After taking off from runway 6 at F.D. Roosevelt airport (EUX/TNCE) on St. Eusatius, AKA Statia, I turned right to heading 175. This led me along the south side of St. Kitts and would set me up for the base leg for runway 7 at Robert Bradshaw International Airport (SKB/TKPK). Before long I was on final for runway 7. I made a decent approach, landed, and parked my aircraft at GA parking, glad to be at an airport that had it.

TNCE-TKPK

Juancho E. Yrausquin-F.D. Roosevelt

This leg started with a bit of a hiccup. After selecting to start on the active runway a Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport (SAB/TNCS) on Saba, the game loaded, only for me to find myself parked on the terrain next to the runway. I wasn't surprised after encountering problems with ATC at the airport on the way in. I taxied back onto runway 30 (which proved to be an interesting trek) and took off. I climbed to around 900 feet and turned to heading 150, which would lead to the base leg for runway 6 at F.D. Roosevelt Airport (EUX/TNCE) on St. Eustatius, better known as Statia. I flew at about 90 knots since it was a short leg. The line up was iffy, but the glide went great and made a smooth landing at TNCE. There were no parking spaces there, but perhaps after TNCS maybe its not such a bad thing.

TNCS-TNCE

St. Barthelemy Island-Juancho E. Yrausquin

Next I headed east to Saba, home of Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport (SAB/TNCS/SABA), which in turn is home to the world's shortest commercial runway at 1300 feet. Fortunately I was in my C172, so I shouldn't have had any problems. Or so I thought. I took off from runway 10 at St. Barth's (SBH/TFFJ) flying a full departure leg, than an extended right crosswind leg, than turning due west for Saba. After about 20 minutes in the air, it was time to start the pattern. I flew the pattern way too high and way too short. I put myself in a nosedive to land, but realizing (at about 50 feet AGL) that I'd never stop on the runway, I decided to make a go around. I actually made a proper go around, climbing to 800 feet and flying the pattern, as opposed to my usual loop around at 300 feet. I flew a wide pattern, but do to terrain on the approach path for runway 12, my next approach needed to be vacated as well. Realizing that the approach to runway 12 (which in real life would be against the winds-hence I decided to use it her) wasn't going to work out, I climbed and looped around to make and approach to runway 30. This one was pretty low, and at the last minute I had to swerve around a tree that was right in front of the threshold. I managed to stop with a little bit of runway left. At least it isn't Balcony Downs.

TFFJ-TNCS