Hak's TWC PIREP
N° 4


Banff, Monday 21th January 2002

Just as a side note... this is how the Waterpipe looked during the first stage of overhauling
by the AeroPedro tech staff:

Back at Banff, after the cargo overload incidence at Calagary, I prepared to fly the
Waterpipe to Castlegar. The first solo flight in the renewed Waterpipe. Sir Brick and I
were doing some networked instructor flights (not very successfully due to network
quirks), and now it was time for me to get hje into the air alone.
I filed a VFR flight plan along the route suggested by Cpt. Sir DW in the TWC mission
briefing N° 4. Victoria is already waiting in Castlegar, as she took a commercial flight
to arrive there a bit earlier, so she can organize the further works I am planning to
do on our new online company management system.



This is a picture of a previous test flight, because I had no time taking pictures
during take off. I am still very tense when I have to fly the new Waterpipe. Many
things have changed, as you can see from the cockpit. From the rather high
tech version I flew earlier, the Waterpipe is now restored to the look she had
when I brought her from Irkutsk... except a few IFR instruments...


Despite having serious problems with XP crashing several times in a row with an
OpenGL out of memory error... I finally managed to take off and fly along the beautiful
scenery. What a sight! All these woods, all that space! This is a land where a nomad
feels at home from the very first contact.
During the rather uneventful first hour of flight, I performed a vast amount of tests,
from stall tests to engine performance tests. But I wasn't perfectly concentrated
due to the beauty all round me and my Waterpipe.


When the sun settled, and the sky got darker, I suddenly felt a rising urge to
get some sleep. The Calgary cargo incidence didn't leave me with much opportunity
to get some really relaxing sleep.


Since our credo is "nothing is impossible, even giving up a plan", I decided to
pick the next available airport and have a nap there. Looking at my charts, I saw
Invermere is the choice.


So, I prepared for the final approach. Slats, flaps, speed down to 70kts and steadily
descending towards the airport. The Waterpipe is a beauty when it comes to slow
flying. 6 to 9 kts of side wind didn't made my approach easier, but with lots of rudders
I managed to put her down safely and smoothly.


I found a neat B&B and managed to get a bed, a bath and a maple syrup
waffle dinner. Tomorrow morning, I will check the weather, double check
the Waterpipe and try to fly all the way to Castlegar. Remember that the
Waterpipe is doing 120kts at its best, so it takes time for me to arrive there.

I hope you all enjoyed your trip as much as I did. I must say, I am amazed by the
Canadian landscape. What a joy to fly in these open skies!

See you all in Castlegar.
Clear sky!

Hak