Ham Radio Aviator Attempts New York To Paris Speed Record

According to the FB page, unfortunately, Brian says during the leg to NY yesterday the aircraft was found to have some technical difficulties. An unstable autopilot and an HF radio with no xmit audio.

Also a bad WX forecast for the desired route and a reconsideration of actual average aircraft speed attained during this prelim flight and how to pep that up a bit, possibly with a new fuel management plan / weight distribution. After all, a main objective is breaking a class record.

So the trans-Atlantic run may be delayed for awhile (?)

 

I will be listening for your signal. God Bless you on your flight.

 

At this time 1600utc no info about his departure yet....

 

I appreciate his personal goal but I don't see any other point to this flight. The trip is fraught with perils, especially from mid-Atlantic turbulence. His speed record hopes assume unrealistic tail winds, IMO.

Stamina with any 62 year old is questionable. Sitting for that long is an invitation to DVT, phlebitus, and urinary problems.Yes, I am 62. I know all the issues. Word to the wise: do what high altitude climbers do--cleanse with Fleet.

Mountaineer joke: "Fleet? That Depends..."

Keeping him awake and alert via 20M phone is nonetheless a great idea and I wish him safe travels. I will listen for him.

73
Chip W1YW

 

At first I was ambivalent, but now lean toward support for Brian WB6RQN on this adventure.

He has clear objectives, the speed record primarily, and seems to be taking the risks seriously with methodical and cautious planning and preparation. He's thinking it out deeply and geared up accordingly. Ham radio is just along for the ride, not a solitary means of e-comms.


This starkly contrasts with the Old Man And The Sea "Cruiser" bozos that for no good reason other then grandstanding set off for blue water alone in their little boats many apparently secure with a HF ham radio on board, often unlicensed, for their salvation.

Under equipped for safety and survival, or HF marine / sat comm, navigation, breakdowns, or other avoidable emergencies, disregardful of WX perils, just expecting the ever vigilant dudes on watch at the 20 meter Maritime Mobile Service Net to provide sometimes inappropriately encouraging and enabling companionship.

Which too often then generates a need for a bailout relay to the USCG or similar gov't agency putting those fine fellows at risk to provide their costly services.


“Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.” - EH

"He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it and he knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride." - EH

73 de John WØPV

 

Weather sucks right now...

 

Waiting for this amazing trip...God bless..

 

Looks like a first class installation. Probably around $30k worth of avionics and installation.

With only one HF radio I'm puzzled how he is going to maintain legal communications with ATC and ham it up. Perhaps he has a satellite data link (I haven't dug into the details).

Reminds me a of a sad SAR case for a Mooney that ditched off the Azores when I was on the fleet operations staff around 1990. This fellow is much better prepared and has vastly improved technology.

Best wishes for his adventure.

 

I wish you a very good flight. I hope we can make a short QSO.
73's Joseph HB9VAA

 

I believe the countdown to launch is in an indefinite hold. Here are Brian's latest words (7 hours ago) off the FaceBook page; very rational and sobering; no death wish; IMO he is setting a good example for conducting such risky activity (so far).

"Do you ever get that feeling that you are taking two steps back for every three you take forward?

Four things are hampering my departure this morning. First, I discovered that the HF radio is not transmitting voice. It transmits and properly tunes the antenna indicating that everything is working but somehow my voice is not getting from the microphone to the radio. Until I get that working I cannot go out over the ocean. A working HF transceiver is a requirement. That is the first order of business for today, figure out what is wrong with the HF.

The second problem is the altitude-hold feature of the autopilot is not working correctly. It holds the assigned altitude but only by constantly climbing and descending 30m (100+ feet) above and below the assigned altitude. Gee, it worked fine before we made all the changes to the airplane.

The third problem is weather. There is a deep depression just E of the coast of Newfoundland that will force me too far south from my path. The winds are very strong, 50 kts or better, and they boost my speed amazingly, but the extra distance negates the speed advantage.

The fourth problem is that Spirit is just a little slower than expected. I expected some reduction in speed due to the extra weight but it was more than I planned upon. It could be that I burned all the fuel from the ferry tank first, shifting the center-of-gravity forward but I can't be sure. I really needed to do more flight testing to see just how CG, loading, and power settings effect speed and endurance. Right now I am guessing.

So that brings me to the key point: not only am I not sure I can break the speed record, I am not sure I have as much fuel reserve as I feel I need to be comfortable. As a result of yesterday's flight my confidence in my safety margin is not as high as I need it to be, at least not right now.

So, today I will fix the HF and try to find out of there is an adjustment that can be made to the AP to damp out the pitch oscillation in altitude-hold mode. I am going to work with the flight-planning tools to see when there is a window that will give me the margins I need for a safe and successful flight. Unfortunately it is not looking good that it will be today.

And then there is the fact that, if I delay for better weather over the Atlantic, will I have enough time to return and start Amelia Earhart's flight on June 1? The strong winds that make it possible to set the record going TO Paris have the opposite effect on getting back FROM Paris. I really need for that depression off on Newfoundland to move north and make the direct (and shortest) path, the best path.

Three steps forward, two steps back.

This recalls that saying, "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." Boy, am I feeling very experienced this morning!"

https://www.facebook.com/AmeliaEarhart80/

 

Too many unknowns. Glad he's stepping back and reassessing.

 

He is a very wise person and very great pilot..

 

Update: I just spoke with Brian Lloyd WB6RQN.
Severe weather on mid-Atlantic route combined with airplane equipment problems indicates the New York to Paris speed flight will be canceled.
There was only a short window of time that the flight could have happened, and the window has closed.

It looks like Brian will fly back to Texas for repairs as soon as the storm clears in Long Island.

He is scheduled to take off from Miami on the Amelia Earhart 80th Anniversary round-the-world flight on June 1st.

 

Better safe than wet I always say.

Well, almost always.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo