Expedition Day 31 Skirting the Isreal/Jordan border before heading 900nm over the Saudi desert. Arabian Nights, Across the Empty Quarter, Seven Pillars of Wisdom: Literature that inspired me to travel over the Arabian desert. The empty wastes of the Saudi Arabian desert. "Far below me, a yellow haze hid the desert to the east. Yet it was there that my fancies ranged, planning new journeys, while I wondered at this strange compulsion which drove me back to a life that was barely possible....I knew instinctively that it was the very hardness of life in the desert which drew me back there - it was the same pull which takes men back to the polar ice, to high mountains, and to the sea. To return to the Empty Quarter would be to answer a challenge, and to remain there for long would be to test myself to the limit....It was one of the very few places where I could satisfy an urge to go where others had not been....in those empty wastes I could find the peace that comes with solitude, and, among the Bedu, comradeship in a hostile world." - Across the Empty Quarter, Wilfred Thesiger A haboob (sand storm) was still raging over the central and eastern Saudi Arabian desert 24 hours prior to my departure from Jordan. I arrived early at the empty King Hussein International airport to prepare for my flight to Bahrain. N944JK, with it's crew of one, appeared to be the only departure this morning. After clearing customs and paying airport fees, I was given a brief tour of the local GA flying club, which offers balloon and glider rides to tourists above Wadi Rum and Petra. I then blew away sand from the fuel caps before fueling the plane. During pre-flight inspection, I discovered my canopy cover had scoured a small patch of the windscreen from the abrasive, blowing sand. Aqaba control permitted me to climb to 9500 ft within 1 mile of the Israel border. I flew past the Valley of the Moon before turning east over the tangerine colored dunes and weather-beaten dark mountains of the western desert. For the last three hours of flight, conditions worsened to 1 mile visibility. I felt suspended in a copper colored haze, never seeing the ground or sky above. Only my GPS indicated forward movement. I worried about the amount of dust (and sand) being ingested in to the engine and micro-scouring of the windscreen. After many hours flying in IFR conditions, I landed at Bahrain Intl, on an small island in the Persian gulf. Manama, Bahrain. The outside air temperature was 118F, or 48C and rising. Waiting for my departure clearance. How much longer ops? The engine is overheating and so am I. Either we stand down or blow up. Which do you want? Dialog from the movie "The Battle of Britain" and very appropriate here. The Bahrain tower granted me permission to depart. Finally! I was soaked in perspiration and ready to fly. The engine oil temperature was uncomfortably high. Departure control directed me to climb and fly over the Persian Gulf in the direction of Iran, before turning N944JK south-east toward the United Arab Emirates. The immediate concern was to stay on course and not encroach on the heavily defended Iranian airspace. The flying conditions were atrocious; smog and poor visibility from the previous sand storms were lingering over the Gulf. At least it was slightly cooler at cruise altitude. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Photo Credit: Sam Chui Eddie from G.A.S.E., recommended that I land at AL Bateen Airport Abu Dhabi regional executive instead of Dubai International. The executive airport is located centrally, and has much less air traffic than the main international airport. On final approach to the main runway, you fly past the blindingly white, marble Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is visually stunning to the point of distraction. Ground control directed me to a parking space, between late model, top of the line jet aircraft. I felt out of place with my tiny, scrappy kit plane. I was told to remain with the aircraft. I kept sipping water and huddled in my plane's shadow as temperatures approached 122 F. My handler eventually showed up after 20 minutes and we relocated the plane in to an air conditioned hanger owned by a local sheikh. I was really worried that the canopy would melt if the plane was left outside. Only two weeks prior, I was nearly frozen while flying over the Greenland ice cap in -15C temperatures. Now, I worried that my plane's plexiglass canopy would melt and I would get heat stroke. Before the trip, Eddie (G.A.S.E) warned me about one of his client's RTW failing in the middle east due to crashing avionics and a melted canopy. Flying through the middle east in peak summer temperatures can be risky to both pilot and aircraft. My iPad, running flight planning and navigation application, Foreflight, crashed several times in middle east due to the unbearable heat. My iPhone, a backup to the iPad, kept displaying IFR charts without any issues. The panel avionics with cooling fans worked flawlessly, as expected, throughout the entire trip with the OAT -15c to +49c. The customs waiting room at the Al Bateen executive airport in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The magnificent Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE. I flew past this architectural marvel on approach to the airport. I was loaned a Kandura, a traditional Emirati ankle-length, loose-fitting white robe, before allowed entry into the Mosque. The columns are covered with gold leaf and inlaid with semi-precious stones and mother of pearl. Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE is the world's tallest building (828m or 2717 ft). Sail shaped Burj Al Arab Jumeirah - The world's most opulent hotel with a helipad on top.
Brian Eisner
7/20/2018 06:26:40 am
Those temperatures are just to darn hot. Must have been interesting flying up there with sand aloft worrying if it would affect the engine.
Ed Neffinger
7/21/2018 07:13:37 pm
Great photos and travelog of an amazing and inspiring journey. Many of my friends and acquaintances are tracking your progress and marveling at the adventure you are experiencing. Keep it up, fly safe, don't forget to write to us on your blog!
bourdon
8/2/2018 12:07:02 am
good luck for the big jump, Comments are closed.
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