DECEMBER SCREENSHOTS

[paulvdberg]

For GAAR 2009, the British Columbia Aviation Museum has loaned me their A-26 Firebomber 'Tanker 22' and the last couple of months we worked overtime to make her airworthy again. And with success!
Today, in preparation for the journey to Darwin, she is flown from homebase Victoria Airport, Vancouver Island to Seattle Intl (SeaTac), where she will be partly dismantled and flown to Darwin aboard a 747 Freighter.
Unfortunately, today the weather is poor and showery, making it an exiting first trip.

Starting-up at the BC Air Museum. When GAAR 2009 is finished, she will be part of the static collection again.


In the 'soup' near Friday Harbour en-route to Seattle.


Landing at 16L SeaTac.


Taxi-in and shutting down at the Cargo area, awaiting the arrival of the 747-400F which will bring us to Australia.




And there's our ride!!




The last meters... Tomorrow our A-26 will be loaded and we will fly to San Francisco. From there on to Honolulu. ........ To be continued!!

[Bill Von Sennet]

[paulvdberg]

As planned, our A-26 is being loaded into the belly of the 747, but somebody underestimated the ceiling height!! . The tail has to come off too... Well, back to the toolbox!


After one hour it's fixed and loading can proceed...


Half an hour later we're lining up for SFO.


The adventure has begon!!



Mount Reinier in the distance.


...and Mt. Shasta.


Approaching SFO over the Bay.


Refuelling at the cargo ramp. Next is the loooong flight to Honolulu.

[Bill Von Sennet]

[Allen Peterson]

Merry Christmas to you and yours from KCOE.

[paulvdberg]

We are continuing the delivery of our A-26 to Darwin for GAAR 2009.

Today, it's San Fransisco to Honolulu (PHNL) Hawaii, a long overwater leg.

Taxi-out in the rain with full tanks.



At altitude heading west over the Pacific.


Finally, we spot the island O'ahu !


..descending...


Trying to find a parking spot after landing... It's rather crowdy here; it must be a popular place!


........ To be continued!!

[flaminghotsauce]

Paul your photos are OUTSTANDING!

How do you get the airplane loaded onto the platform? and remove the tail?!? Wow

I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy....

[paulvdberg]

Thanks a lot. glad you enjoy.
Use 'paintshop' for making screenies. Cut and "insert as new layer" and scaling down a bit and erasing what applicable.
That's all to it !
(okay, sounds quicker as in real...)

cheers.
Paul

[paulvdberg]

..and so we are continueing our delivery flight...

Next morning, it's south again over the Pacific. Today's leg: Honolulu - Fiji (Nadi, NFFN).

Leaving Honolulu in a sharp right "noise abatement" -turn after take-off.




Landing at Nadi in the afternoon.


Taxi-in on the narrow ramp to the even smaller cargo ramp...


Found a nice corner for unloading and loading some freight. Our Invader is still safely strapped in in the front.


View of our Freighter as seen from the access road to the airport. Tropical flowers everywhere!!

[pterodactyl (George)]

Had to celebrate Christmas a bit late but the folks at Darwin Int'l let me bunk out next to the old girl 'til the rally.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all

[paulvdberg]

Thx for nice wishes, Pterodactyl. Same from me ofcourse ;D

Meanwhile, we have made progress in our GAAR delivery flight.
Currently at Cairns, but here're some shots from the leg Fiji - Christchurch, New Zealand.

Preparing for the flight to New Zealand. Weather along the route is excellent today, although it's raining again now...


Climbing out of Fiji Island. Again, we face a long overwater stretch...


Nightfall already, and still two hours to go. Today, we won't see much of New Zealand, I'm afraid...


We have been following this Air New Zealand 737 for some time now. It will probably decend soon into Auckland.


Overhead Auckland VOR and -city. Soon it's time to go through the approach procedures for Christchurch!


Manual night landing Christchurch and a bit high on the ILS. :-/Tommorow it will be a daylight trip

[paulvdberg]

Today we will reach the continent of destination: Australia!! (only right-hand screenies… sorrry )

Early morning departure at Christchurch. Weather is excellent for some sightseeing too! New Zealand is supposed to be beautifull.


Leaving the runway in a left climb out to settle on a north-westerly heading for Brisbane.




Overhead the Southern Alps of South Island, still in the climb.


Leaving New Zealand and yet another long over-water leg ahead.


Land!!! Crossing Australian soil finally.


Gear down, flaps 30 and let down on the ILS of rwy 19 Brisbane.


Flaring over the numbers, just seconds to go before we touch down at OZ again. Good to be back!

[paulvdberg]

Brisbane to Cairns:

Pushback at the Cargo ramp




Taxi-out... Flaps 10 set. bit hazy today! Full overcast too. (Isn't it summer here now?)


Approaching the runway. This Virgin 737 is number
one.


And now it's starts to rain too!


Emerging from the 8/8 cloud layer somewhere over Queensland.


One of the few patches of green we are able to see during this flight...


After a while dusk settles in. The famous RED dusk of Australia!


Descending into Cairns near Innisfail and following the ATC heading instructions (away from the coast?!?! must be traffic-related or something...)


Established on the ILS and runway in sight. Again this rain !!


Easy does it ! Always impressive seeing a landing Jumbo.

[Bill Hendrix (bgas046)]

Enroute to Columbus AFB, Ms with a couple of VIP's.

Arrived and parked

[paulvdberg]

Last leg: Cairns- Darwin

Next morning: rain cleared, sun shines... Australia like we want it to be!


(Un)patiently waiting at the intersection for this domestic A320 to line up and take-off.


Darwin, here we come!


Immediate left turn... trying to follow the flight director.


... and almost overhead the field again. On the other side of the airport, the town of Cairns and it's yacht harbour.


Still climbing on a westerly heading.


Crossing the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria overhead the Flinders- and Norman Rivers. I remember crossing these rivers at a much lower level during an earlier GAAR


Rapid descend with speedbrakes deployed, due to a last minute runway change. We are told to land at the 'straight-in' ILS of rwy 29. No worries mate!


8 miles out... reducing speed and soon the gear will pop out.


Touch down!


We are told to taxi and park at the military side of the airfield for unloading the A-26.




Time to say goodbye to this familiar "office", and exchange it for the narrow, old fashioned cockpit of our GAAR Invader. Note the raised front nose cargo door. Below they have already started to unstrap the old fire bomber.


Unloading the precious cargo. At Darwin the A-26 will be assembled, test flown and prepared for GAAR 2009.