Elcano Challenge: The fastest ride via Crystal Canyon

[gilflo]

Hello

I learnt from my last aborted mission that the big Catamaran I built was able to reach in one ride on the sea 2000kms within 4H with 10% fuel left.

So i decided to break my last record in 4days 42mns. The goal is to take less than half time.

PRESENTATION AND PREPARATION

The pilot and his machine: Kimsey Kerman and The "Gliding Cheetah"

159T Catamaran driven by 2 big KE-90 "Dudley" Jet engines that gives around 125000 DV and allow a speed over 100m/s in the sea. 

The assistance, with the Vulture Tanker and its 2 pilots, Nested and Lansy Kerman, and 2 engineers, Lula and Billy Kerman.

The tanker is driven by 2 Big J-61 "Starwaster" advanced Ramjet engines that allow very high altitude flights.  It holds 37903L of fuel. The catamaran needs 22000L.

The ride chart

To be able to break the record, we must cross the south land pass during day and the best way to do it is to reach the pass, which begins at waypoint W9 at day rise. I observed that the day rise here around 3:00 UTC

So we need to begin the ride from Kerbin, in the night around 0:30 and go east.  We will use Scansat Radar to navigate in the sea through our waypoints X2 and X1 then W9.

Somewhere between W8 and W4, we will stop and send the Vulture Tanker to Refuel the gliding Cheetah. If we can make W4, only 1 refuel will be needed as we reach this point in one go with 10% left during our aborted last try.

We send an automatic flight on Vulture Tanker to take films and photos from the pass to get the most accurate coordinates forW9 and W8 which are our out and in waypoint from sea, to be sure the slope is ok to get ashore.

The vulture Tanker will cruise at 24kms and 1300-1400m/s. Hand piloting at this altitude is very tricky, you are flying on a spin, so I use pilot assistant or Atmospheric Autopilot or both to help.

At W9 point we discovered an awesome canyon with crystal waters and we explored it to see if we can take advantage to ride the catamaran in the river before going ashore....

It looks like there some land passages in the canyon, but i am sure we can use it

and we could go ashore here, there's a small beach and I think the slope can be climb, the catamaran being very powerful on land.

Then we went to the other side towards W8 to find a passage not to steep to go to sea

We find it and set the coordinates to W8 waypoint

Return home, mission completed

 

Edited October 2, 2016 by gilflo

[HazelPine]

That's some nice preparation for the trip! Definitely seems like it'll be an interesting mission, so I'm gonna be watching this! Good luck!

[gilflo]

Thank you, I hope to have time to perform it this week

[gilflo]

 

CHALLENGE PART ONE: From Departure to Escape from Crystal Canyon

Departure from base, Tanker is waiting: time: Y12 D 255 0:43:26

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Leaving shoreline

206 kts abeam the island near the base, we are heading to our first waypoint: X2, south of the east peninsula

Sun is falling

Mun is rising, time to switch on ScanSat Radar

Approaching our first waypoint

Passing right abeam the waypoint near the coastline at 206 kts

Approaching waypoint X1, which is north of the next peninsula, between 2 small islands

Heading 075, waypoint just ahead. Time 0:2:30

Next waypoint is north of the next cape, we are heading 095

Sun is rising as we are approaching the waypoint, heading east night is shorter

Now we can proceed to the river mouth which is 966 kms from base in straight line as we can read on our waypoint manager board at departure

Approaching the mouth, waypoint is ahead, Kimsey switch on the cam to make a film.

In the mouth

Entering the river

Not yet in the canyon, but the water is so clear

We are in the canyon, Kimsey can see the bottom of the river through the crystal water and we are still throttle up. The film will give a better scenery than the photos....

Approaching the the land we are slowing down

Gear is set down, we are going ashore

First stop , Kinsey is going to plant a flag, you will see it on a film. Time 0:3:33 Elapsed time 2h50

Photo after the first save, you can only see elapsed time,  date, and waypoint board. We have passed W9 from 31 kms. I forgot to do it (F3) just after planting the flag to get the distance, I saved before that...

You can Kerbin base is at 987km in straight line

After the stop Kimsey does not want to waste time and pull throttle up. We have to go to water again and to cross 2 land passages before the real land crossing to south to join the sea

Very careful because the slope is steep and it could break the cockpit if we enter water to quickly...

In water for a short time

2nd land passage

Kinsey is trying to keep speed to pass here without gears, but we will have to set gears down to avoid to be stuck

Now we can navigate towards our landing point were we will be able to climb for the land trip a few kms ahead. It will be on the right side.

This point is in front of us, on the right

Kinsey lands slowly and carefully, because it's steep and it could break the gears

Here we are

Time to throttle up to climb to the top

A few turns and we continue climbing

2nd stop to plant a flag and forgot to save

so Kimsey departed and stop a few kms ahead to take a picture were you can see the canyon in background, Date, elapsed time and Kerbin distance on the waypoint board.

 

 

 

END OF FIRST PART - WE CONTINUE NEXT WEEK - THANKS FOR VIEWING

SMALL FILM THROUGH THE CANYON TOMORROW

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by gilflo
Spoiler tagging.

[Vanamonde]

Please put very large sets of screenshots within spoiler tags for the sake of page loading times.

[gilflo]

On 6/10/2016 at 11:29 PM, Vanamonde said:

Please put very large sets of screenshots within spoiler tags for the sake of page loading times.

Understood, you're right!

[gilflo]

CHALLENGE PART 2: FILM inside CRYSTAL CANYON

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by gilflo

[gilflo]

CHALLENGE PART 3: SOUTH PASS LAND'S RIDE

Position à D255 3:56

Gliding Cheetah is out of Crystal Canyon, on top of the cliff ready for the ride across the south pass land

Spoiler

Kinsey made a mistake and select W7 in its Waypoint manager, instead of W8, so he must head southwest, but there's a lake on the track and he decides heading south to to leave the lake on his right side.

land is pretty flat and he doesn't need more than 1/3 of engine power and is throttle down many times, leaving gliding Cheetah "freewheel", taking care not take a speed greater than 90m/s

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Sometimes gliding Cheetah jumps on rough terrain and and control via elevon can be very unsure...

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After 25mns ride, Kimsey stops to plant a flag: It's 4:22

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A beautiful jump 4 mins later are he is approaching the coast

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Last climb before the shoreline, very near now

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Kimsey Stops at 4:30 after 35mns ride. He is west of W8, and by heading SW he runs a little bit longer ride to this point than to W8, but he is nearer from W7 and he found a good place to enter the sea

He plants one of its last flag before Kerbin. Fuel is still 35% and it's possible to make it to W6 or W5, but then it will be night and calling the Vulture tanker to land at night is to risky, so he decides to wait here for a refueling

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End of Part 3: Elapsed time since Kerbin departure 3:46

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Edited October 10, 2016 by gilflo

[gilflo]

 CHALLENGE PART 4: REFUELING MISSION

As soon as Gliding Cheetah call them, the team of Vulture Tanker, 2 pilots and 2 engineers, is ready for take off. They have inserted the coordinates in their Waypoint manager and the distance to cross is 932 kms on heading 107°. Time is 4:35

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Aircraft is airborne and will climb sound 24-25 kms for cruise

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Cruising at 24800m, Mach 4.79 around 1450m/s to avoid overheating, AOA is near 15°. Time is 4:42 and we are at 580kms

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Still 268 kms, they will begin descent at 100kms

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Descending through 12000m, Gliding Cheetah is just a little bit ahead of the right wing, but we can't see it

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Turning base for landing, they will land along the coastline

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Very short final, brakes and chutes selected and armed

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Touchdown and landing at 4:52, 17 mins after take off, very good timing!!!

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180° turn towards the Catamaran and stop just in front of Gliding Cheetah

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One engineer is going out to grab the fuel line connector and brings it to the Gliding Cheetah tank mouth.

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He plugs the fuel line in the Catamaran tank and begins refueling

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Then he comes back to Vulture tanker to repack the chutes. There's still 50% of fuel inside the tanker and Gliding Cheetah will surely need a small refueling during the final rush to Kerbin base.

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Fuel line is retracting and at 5:04, both machines are ready. Whole mission would have lasted 29mns. Not too bad!!!

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Edited October 10, 2016 by gilflo

[gilflo]

CHALLENGE PART 5: SOUTH SEA RIDE

Refueling is completed, here is our position at 5:05 Day 255

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Gliding Cheetah, full of Liquid fuel, leaves the Vulture tanker and enter the sea

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Quickly, the vulture tanker becomes a small dot.....on the beach

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View of the coast line in the Strait, heading to W7

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Along the East coast, heading to W6, the night is falling at 111km from W6

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Approaching W6, which is very narrow passage through the continent.

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Using the ScanSat image, Kimsey make a right turn around the island to enter the passage. We are now Day 256

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In the passage

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The passage is so narrow that Gliding Cheetah is thrown on the shoreline, but happily, Kimsey had get the gear down hopping it could be helpful...

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After the passage, Kimsey is heading to W5, 252 kms ahead

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Moon is rising 

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Approaching a south peninsula, Kimsey turns a little bit left to avoid the coast, looking the shoreline through the right cockpit window

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Just past W5 and heading to W4. Heading is 131 and as we are following an orthodromy road, heading is changing continuously

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69 kms from W4 heading is now 101 and sun is rising. Still 48% on fuel.

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Indicated heading is 068 but seaside with many islands is ahead, Kimsey has to find the passage towards east. To avoid the coast he turns right

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Heading 135° and looking for the passage between island that should give a 90° heading. It's somewhere on our left. Just look at the Scansat screen!

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Kinsey make a left 180° turn at full speed, avoiding the shoreline and makes his way through the passage towards east.

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Now Gliding Cheetah is running low on fuel and Kimsey take a heading 045, to join the island he can see northeast on his Scansat screen

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Landed, time is 3:08 Day 256. Refueling is needed

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Edited October 10, 2016 by gilflo

[gilflo]

 

 

CHALLENGE PART 6: 2nd REFUELING MISSION

The Vulture tanker that runs the first mission is 1285 kms from Gliding Cheetah position and Kerbin base is 935 kms. So a 2nd Vulture tanker with only 1 pilot and 1 engineer scrambles from base at time 3:12

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It turns quickly after take to a heading of 222, climbing to 24kms

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It's a night mission and it will be the first time they land during night on an unknown shoreline land. But the aircraft is strongly built.

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During descent they passed over the catamaran in the night and make a 180° turn to proceed to the flag on the Scansat screen

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The shoreline appears in the black night. They descent quickly near the ground to be ready to land as soon as they see a good place....in the landing lights. The look carefully at the radio altimeters and the speed to stay alive....

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Landed !!! Gliding Cheetah is ahead......

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The vulture tanker parks near the Catamaran. time is 3:39. It tooks 27 mins to be here.

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Fuel line is deployed and linked by Kimsey. Gliding Cheetah begins to fill

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As the Catamaran is full, Kimsey leaves the fuel line and climbs in its cockpit, ready to go for the last run. Time is 3:45

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WILL HE MAKE IT WITHIN 2 DAYS. FINAL RUSH IS COMING!!!

Edited October 10, 2016 by gilflo

[gilflo]

CHALLENGE PART 7: FINAL RUSH

At 3:45, Kimsey leaves the beach and the tanker becomes a small light on the beach

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Heading is st to W1, which is the point at the end of the peninsula south of base.

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The day arises at 5:00, 360 kms from base

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Kimsey is abeam W1 at 0:00, Day 257, less than 150 kms from base

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At 0:13, in the background on his right side, he can see the mountains behind Kerbin Airport, less than 75 kms to run. Now he is sure to make it in less than 2 days.....!!

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Day 257 0:24, in sight of the airport buildings!!!

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Gear is set down to land

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3/4 throttle on the beach to rush towards the buildings

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End of the Kerbin Elcano grand tour: D257 0:27

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Kinsey is so happy that he plants a flag

 

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TOTAL ELASED TIME SINCE DEPARTURE: 1DAY 5H 44MN

I think Kimsey broke the record for the Kerbin grand tour time and this time could be improved by sending the 2 Vulture tankers in refueling place before departure.

The total flight time for 2 tankers being 40 mns, here is the improvement. The tour can be done in 1Day 5H.

 

 

Edited October 11, 2016 by gilflo

[gilflo]

RETURN OF THE TANKERS

First one: Repacking chutes and retracting fuel lines

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Take off

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Climb is to fast and the aircraft overcomes the engine limit altitude: Engines shut down while crew struggle to descent to 24kms, avoid overheating and trying not to stall

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They eventually relight engines and stabilize cruise

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Approach to runway

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Landing

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Return of 2nd Tanker

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Turning final for night landing

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Everybody on the deck with Pilots and Engineers. The second crew damaged their left wing on landing but it will be fixed

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END

Edited October 11, 2016 by gilflo