Bell 430 Around The World Flight Sunday - September 1st, 1996 - DAY 16 Flight Plan:
* Subject to change |
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 RUSSIA Mission Progress To Date: |
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| Messages From The Crew (updated 8-31-96): FROM THE BELL 430 N430Q GLAD TO HEAR OF THE HIGH LEVEL OF INTEREST IN THE BELL HELICOPTER WEB SITE. WE HAVE HIGH INTEREST TOO. WE HAVE BEEN DOGGED BY VERY BAD WEATHER. LOW CEILING, ROUGH TERRAIN, AND AN INCESSANT HEADWIND. WESTBOUND IS DEFINITELY MORE DIFFICULT. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE CLEAR OF THE ARCTIC, MOUNTAINS, OCEANS, AND SIBERIA. WE ARE NOW PROCEEDING ON A MORE POPULATED WESTBOUND ROUTE ALONG THE 55 NORTH LATITUDE. THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD CONNECTS A SERIES OF LARGE CITIES, ABOUT 350-400 NM APART. I DON'T KNOW WHICH CAME FIRST THE RAILROADS OR THE CITIES. WHILE WE IN AMERICA ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THESE PLACES, IF YOU GET A TRAVEL BOOK ABOUT RUSSIA, YOU WILL FIND THEY HAVE GREAT UNIVERSITIES, ARTS AND INDUSTRY. THEY ALSO HAVE LARGE AIRPORTS AND JET FUEL. PEOPLE EVERYWHERE HAVE THE SAME NEEDS. THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN VERY FRIENDLY AND KIND. WE HAVE DRAWN A CROWD AT EVERY LANDING. EVEN HAD LOCAL TV AT LENSK, A SMALL TOWN ON THE LENA RIVER. DUE TO WEATHER, WE HAD TO LAND LAST NIGHT AT THE TOWN OF KEMEROVO, ABOUT 120 NM EAST OF NOVOSIBIRSK. WE WERE GREETED BY VLADIMIR THE MANAGER OF THE AIRPORT WHO USED TO BE A PILOT. HE ORGANIZED EVERYTHING FOR US AND WAS A KIND MAN. HE WAS EXCITED ABOUT OUR RECORD ATTEMPT. MANY RUSSIANS ARE SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS. WE WENT T0 THE AIRPORT HOTEL WHICH WAS CLEAN AND WE HAD A GOOD NIGHTS REST. THEY DON'T TURN ON THE HOT WATER OR HEAT TILL WINTER, SO THE 43 DEGREES AND COLD WATER PRECLUDED SHOWERS FOR ME -- THE SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW. MY LONG JOHNS DON'T HAVE TO BE HUNG UP, THEY JUST STAND THERE. WE HAVE OUR OWN FOOD AND WATER FOR HEALTH REASONS. ALSO WE ARRIVE SO LATE AND LEAVE SO EARLY THAT EATING IS GENERALLY SNACKING. I HAVE LOST ABOUT 12-15 LBS WHICH IS PROBABLY GOOD FOR ME. OUR SPIRITS ARE GOOD, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THINGS AREN'T RIGHT OR WRONG, THEY ARE JUST DIFFERENT. BOY -- IS IT DIFFERENT! SINCE THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO GENERAL AVIATION IN RUSSIA, WE DON'T FIT INTO THEIR SYSTEM VERY WELL (UNDERSTATEMENT). WE ARE NOW ENROUTE TO NOVOSIBIRSK. THIS WAS THE EARLIEST START WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET SO FAR, BUT THE GROUND TIMES KILL US, AND THE HEAD WINDS HURT. I WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED. STAY LOOSE. ALL IS WELL. GLAD YOU ARE THERE. REGARDS, RON BOWER AND JOHN WILLIAMS, CREW OF THE N430Q FROM THE BELL 430 N430Q ENROUTE TO CHELYABINSK UNCC. THIS IS A VERY LONG LEG AND WE HAVE TO DIVERT NORTH A LITTLE TO MISS KHAZAKSTAN. WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE AN INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP AT KURGAN. AFTER UNCC WE HAVE 2 MORE 400 NM LEGS TO KAZAN AND THEN MOSCOW. WE SHOULD HAVE SOME GOOD WEATHER AND THE WIND SHOULD LET UP SOME AFTER UNCC. WITH THE FRONT COMING DOWN FROM THE BALTIC, IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE BACK IN BAD WEATHER AS DARKNESS APPROACHES. WE STILL HAVE A 24 KTS HEAD WIND AND HAVE TO PUSH THROUGH A FRONT ON THIS LEG. THEREFORE REALITY IS SETTING IN ON OUR FONDEST DESIRE TO EXIT RUSSIA TODAY. IT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. ADVISE THAT WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN AND THAT IS IT. SOMETIMES WE ARE MILES FROM NEAREST SIGN OF CIVILIZATION. WAY OUT THERE, BOYS. WITH THE MOSCOW R.O.N. TARGET, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TRY AND STRETCH ANYMORE. WE GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE. IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES, WE ARE STILL MOVING. NOT SURE WE CAN MAKE LONDON BY MONDAY NIGHT, BUT TUESDAY LOOKS GOOD. ADVISE ALL CONCERNED. THANKS GUYS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. ALL IS WELL. GLAD YOU ARE THERE. REGARDS, RON BOWER AND JOHN WILLIAMS, CREW OF THE N430Q FROM THE BELL 430 N430Q WIND IS LETTING UP A LITTLE. THERE IS A LOT OF RED TAPE TO CHANGE AIRPORTS HERE -- WE ARE HAPPY TO COMPLY. ALL IS WELL. GLAD YOU ARE THERE. REGARDS, RON BOWER AND JOHN WILLIAMS, CREW OF THE N430Q FROM THE BELL 430 N430Q WE ARE NEARLY AT KAZAN. THE LAST STOP BEFORE MOSCOW. THIS IS A 409 NM LEG AND THE MOSCOW LEG IS 407 NM. WEATHER IS GOOD EXCEPT FOR HEADWIND. JOHN HAS BEEN ASLEEP FOR 3 HOURS SOLID. HE IS BEAT SO THIS IS REALLY GOOD FOR HIM. I AM GOING TO REST ON THE NEXT LEG TO MOSCOW. WE ARE TRYING TO BE READY FOR THE LAST SPRINT TOMORROW. I WILL TRY AND CALL YOU FROM HOTEL IN MOSCOW. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I WAS DELIGHTED AT THE HIT COUNT ON THE BELL WEB SITE. ALL IS WELL. GLAD YOU ARE THERE. HIGH REGARDS. RON BOWER AND JOHN WILLIAMS, CREW OF THE N430Q FROM THE BELL 430 N430Q TOOK OFF FROM KAZAN AT 6:05 PM MOSCOW TIME. THE WEATHER IS GOOD. IT'S GETTING HOT! (24°C, 72°F) ALL IS WELL. GLAD YOU ARE THERE. HIGH REGARDS. RON BOWER AND JOHN WILLIAMS, CREW OF THE N430Q Shortcuts Daily Flight Plans and Progress (by date) |
