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The Meat Haulers of La Paz This is one of those great flights that makes you feel a very real connection to your plane and to the past, those great days of aviation history. Actually, maybe not too far in the past. First, you’ll need to go read this article: http://www.airliners.net/articles/read.main?id=9 Having done your homework you’ll next load up one of your favorite old time FS planes (I chose a Convair 580) and go to La Paz, or Santa Cruz (I went here), or Sucre, or Cochabamba or maybe even Trinidad. Feel free to use Real World Weather if you’d like but to make it fun, pick something that isn’t totally clear. (Something a bit stormy is exciting but so is something really hot!) I used Real Weather from February 2003. Files included in this package. I have laid in a plan from Santa Cruz, El Trompillo, to La Paz via CBA, CAL and then the LPZ NDB. Remember, La Paz sits at something higher than 13,000 feet ASL! Then we’ll continue the run into Trinidad and finish up returning to Santa Cruz. Departure time was 9 AM figuring I’d have time to get there and get back in one day. Light winds had my departure to the west so I immediately climbed up to intercept my route. -Picture One- Pick up the 280* radial outbound from the VIR VOR 113.80. Track 280* for just over 170 miles into the CBA VOR (112.10). Now, you don’t want to just rocket up to 28,000 ft because that does away with some of the fun. I initially cruised at 14,000 ft. As I traveled along the clouds thickened until I was under a solid layer of overcast. At CBA climb to 16,000-plus and turn to intercept 290* -Picture Two- It is just under 115 miles in to CAL and I was parked at 16,200 ft, but about 2/3 of the way there you’ll run into higher terrain. This means that you’ll need to find a valley to get through. I had to turn to about 265* to squeak over the ridges. Then, as I approached CAL I noticed lightning ahead! There were scattered T-Storms in the area (so disappointing that I didn’t get that screenshot!!) From CAL you’ll turn right to 349* and look for the NDB which is on a frequency of 350. I dropped to 14,600 ft after CAL and flew over the NDB, 1 minute out before a Right turn for downwind. I didn’t notice the DME from 115.70 (should have) but I flew east to the hills before turning Right again to a perfect line-up for runway 26. As I dropped in I got some light rain and a couple little gusts but landing -Picture Three- was smooth at 100 knots. I taxied to the terminal and was shut down before 10:20 AM. At noon, local time, I taxied back out to runway 26 for a west departure. Once you are able to climb to an acceptable altitude you’ll need to turn back and intercept the 045* radial outbound from PAZ VOR 115.70. (I turned left to overfly the VOR on my way out of town) -Picture Four- Our next waypoint is the BOR VOR at 117.70. This is just under 130 miles from La Paz. At BOR, turn to 090* for the last 100 miles into Trinidad. From there, it is a dusk, no-brainer back to El Trompillo. Now THAT was a fun day! |
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