Taking the long way home: Katamarino's Round the World flight

Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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Re: Katamarino's Round the World flight

By Charles Hunt
 Fri May 10, 2019 5:46 am #1692606
On a short visit we stayed at the Iceland Air Reykjavik Marina hotel which was convenient for downtown and unsurprisingly the marina area. Nearby cafe Vagninn overlooks the marina and is well used by the locals and highly recommended.
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Re: Katamarino's Round the World flight

By Katamarino
 Fri May 10, 2019 1:03 pm #1692690
When we set out on our third day of flying, after a day in Goose Bay, I wasn't 100% sure we'd be able to get through. My main concern was whether we'd be able to get on top of the overcast layer out of Goose Bay without icing. If not, then at least the choice was easy; just land again. We'd taken some fuel in the ferry tank, and with 12 hours endurance could actually have flown all the way to Narsarsuaq and back to Goose Bay. With conditions at Goose Bay and Kulusuk forecast to be excellent later in the day, we had two solid options for diversion, so off we went.

The day's flight. Ignore the distance and avg speed numbers, they glitched again.
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Ready to depart from Goose Bay
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We lumbered down runway 26 fairly slowly, and climbed out at a steady 500 feet per minute, eventually reaching 9,000ft for the cruise. Every now and then we caught a glimpse of the ground; snow covered mountains, giving way to fractured sea ice. A couple of hours in to the flight we were well out into the Labrador channel, and had descended to 5,000ft to pick up another 20 kts ground speed. Winds up high were not helpful.

Over a thin overcast, heading for the coast
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The only real break in the undercast on the entire crossing!
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Narsarsuaq here we come.
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The ETA settled at around 4:15pm, comfortably before closing time, and we received regular updates on METAR and TAF at Narsarsuaq via the Garmin InReach. Things were only looking better. We climbed to 10,000ft for the final section, approaching the coast, before dropping down through multiple layers on possibly the most impressive GPS approach I've even had the pleasure of flying!

Just past the IAF on the RNAV GPS Y approach to Narsarsuaq
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View north from the GPS approach
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Even on the GPS approach, the ground comes uncomfortably near!
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First glimpse of Narsarsuaq in the distance
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Looking south at the FAF
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Looking north from the FAF
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Right downwind for 24
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Turning on to final for 24. The glacier has apparently receded a lot in recent years.
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Refueling at Narsarsuaq
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Ensconced in the Narsarsuaq hotel.
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Safely on the ground, fuel was immediately provided, and we walked the few minutes to the strangely enormous Narsarsuaq hotel. That evening we had dinner with 2 Brits and a Luxemburger who were about to set out to kite-ski 2,400km north across Greenland! It made our adventure seem tame by comparison.
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Re: Katamarino's Round the World flight

By Lefty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
 Fri May 10, 2019 5:48 pm #1692763
I told you that the ground would look very close and have you double and triple checking your altimeters on the final part of that approach.

When I last did that approach in 2015, they didn't have the GNSS approach - it was just an NDB / DME, with the added complication that the NDB and DME are not co-located.

I decide that was very complicated and difficult to interpret / fly - so I built a GPS overlay for the NDB / DME and used that as a backup. It is also 100 times easier to visualise where you are in relation to the runway - and more importantly, the cumulo granite.

What do you think of the Narsarsuaq Hilton and its food offerings ?? :roll:

Did you get the special Narsarsuaq stamp i your passport? Don't forget before you leave.

Talk to you again on the next leg.

Good luck
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Re: Katamarino's Round the World flight

By Katamarino
 Fri May 10, 2019 8:48 pm #1692786
JAFO wrote:Still full of awe and admiration for what you're doing. Loving watching the tracker and imagining your view then matching it up (or otherwise) with your photos. When do you expect to be in Aberdeen?


Thank you!

Monday through Wednesday if plans hold. Are you located there?
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