Post by bhk on Feb 7, 2009 16:17:19 GMT -5
Just as an exercise, I have created a Flight that is based on the premise of "What if Francis Chichester undertook this adventure in the 21st. century...what would he choose to fly and what route?"
Chichester would definitely be a user of current navigation technology; he did so in his solo circumnavigation, using what was then the most modern of navigation and communications gear.
So there is no doubt that whatever the aircraft, it would take advantage of all the navigational equipment available to us in Flight Simulator.
Having therefore done away with the necessity of following coastlines, railway tracks and roads, what route would he fly?
The most direct?
The range of the aircraft between refuelling would have something to do with it, so which aircraft to choose?
When he went to England in 1929 he could not even fly.
He had to learn first so as to take his Gypsy Moth back home.
So projecting that situation forward almost eighty years, Chichester goes to England to revisit after ten year's absence and, at the same time, wishes to learn to fly and see what GA aircraft would be suitable for importing and selling in New Zealand, buy one and fly it back to save shipping costs.
(That is essentially the reasons for what he did in 1929).
So....what aircraft would he buy?
Well, there is a very narrow range of single-engined British-built aircraft available today, so the choice is limited.
He contacted Air Touring, at Biggin Hill, and did a deal on a very nice pre-owned 2003 Socata TB20GT for 159,000 Pounds, which included flying lessons to the point of being licensed as a private pilot.
( www.airtouring.com/ForSale/ForSale.htm#Piston - it's the first Socata in the list).
Although the aircraft is equipped with high-spec nav-aids, the route was plotted from airport to airport and intermediate NDB/VOR beacons, just in case the GPS went belly-up.
So Mr. Chichester, now a qualified pilot and equipped with a very nice aircraft that has a prospective customer awaiting back in NZ, departs Biggin Hill at dawn on the 20th. December 2008 and heads for Lyon, in France.........
And the rest will be history
(Socata model by Bill Ortis, of Lionheart fame)
Bruce
Chichester would definitely be a user of current navigation technology; he did so in his solo circumnavigation, using what was then the most modern of navigation and communications gear.
So there is no doubt that whatever the aircraft, it would take advantage of all the navigational equipment available to us in Flight Simulator.
Having therefore done away with the necessity of following coastlines, railway tracks and roads, what route would he fly?
The most direct?
The range of the aircraft between refuelling would have something to do with it, so which aircraft to choose?
When he went to England in 1929 he could not even fly.
He had to learn first so as to take his Gypsy Moth back home.
So projecting that situation forward almost eighty years, Chichester goes to England to revisit after ten year's absence and, at the same time, wishes to learn to fly and see what GA aircraft would be suitable for importing and selling in New Zealand, buy one and fly it back to save shipping costs.
(That is essentially the reasons for what he did in 1929).
So....what aircraft would he buy?
Well, there is a very narrow range of single-engined British-built aircraft available today, so the choice is limited.
He contacted Air Touring, at Biggin Hill, and did a deal on a very nice pre-owned 2003 Socata TB20GT for 159,000 Pounds, which included flying lessons to the point of being licensed as a private pilot.
( www.airtouring.com/ForSale/ForSale.htm#Piston - it's the first Socata in the list).
Although the aircraft is equipped with high-spec nav-aids, the route was plotted from airport to airport and intermediate NDB/VOR beacons, just in case the GPS went belly-up.
So Mr. Chichester, now a qualified pilot and equipped with a very nice aircraft that has a prospective customer awaiting back in NZ, departs Biggin Hill at dawn on the 20th. December 2008 and heads for Lyon, in France.........
And the rest will be history
(Socata model by Bill Ortis, of Lionheart fame)
Bruce