Cessna 208B : Chitré to Albrook, Panama

I wanted another IFR flight relying with little or no GPS so I loaded my FSX with the default Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (ICAO: C208). The conditions were set for real time weather and departure time 16:15 local time so it is getting dark. We will do an internal flight in the Republic of Panama.

Departure
Our departure airport is Augusto Valderrama in the town of Chitré, Herrera (ICAO: MPCE, FSX: PX06, IATA: CTD). The stock airport is rather boring so I made an FSX add-on that recreates to some extent the real airport using standard scenery objects based on several visits I have made there. In real life (and my add-on) the airport has runway lights but in the stock airport it has neither lights nor the CHE NDB. Loaded 100 gals. of fuel although the flight should use around 20 gals. Better safe than sorry. Obviously at some point the Low Fuel warning lights will light up but we have more than sufficient.

We filed an IFR flight plan (it is going to be dark soon) for a northeast departure from runway 01. Tuned the ADF on the CHE (Chitre) NDB at 440.00 KHz, and NAV1 on the Taboga (TBG) VOR at 110.00 MHz. Also set the OBS to track the 048 radial to Taboga as we would be flying over Victor airway V15 straight to the VOR.

Cruise
Soon after we reached our cruise altitude of 5000 ft. with our Fed Ex aircraft ready to deliver post to Panama. On the photo Chitré on the right wing and Boca de Parita and Sarigua under the left wing (pilot’s perspective).

At this stage I set the autopilot to maintain 5000 ft and the heading (048) now that I was on track. This would let me go “outside” and enjoy some of the scenery. At some point almost midway we passed Rio Hato on our left, distriguished by the large boulder on the small island off the coast (again, add-on scenery made by me to reflect the real airport).

Later on we passed Punta Chame on our left which is easily distinguished because it was not totally dark yet. At some point you might as well tune the ADF to TBG NDB (311.00 KHz).

Approach
We were a few nautical miles inbound Taboga VOR tracked on both NAV1 and ADF radios and on this screenshot we see Howard AFB on our left (ICAO: MPHO). I was having a lot of text messages with the MPTO_TWR controller and that required constant context switches (IvAp-FSX-Win7 compatibility issues) and that caused my FSX to crash to desktop :’( I had to reload everything and set myself on the same point (120 knots, heading 005, radios, etc.) to do my approach again.

Just prior to reaching Taboga we initiate a turn to the left heading 005. This would take us towards the Pacific entrance of the Panama canal (horribly depicted in FS) and the Bridge of the Americas (not present in FS) with Calzada Amador a.k.a. “The Causeway” on our right. By now we would be around 2500 ft. and should have the Marcos A. Gelabert (ICAO: MPMG, IATA: PAC).  approach lights in sight. The ATIS indicated winds 120º at 06 knots, yet we were going for runway 36. Unfortunately the MPTO_TWR ATC kept on texting me over and over, which given my system limitations caused me to “declare” a missed approach. Now I think in real life the charts say you go to MADEN intersection and wait for instructions. There was no ATC at MPMG and no traffic so I applied full throttle, retracted flaps accordingly and then made a left circuit to finally land on runway 36. Due to the FSX system crash I was not able to see how much fuel was actually consumed. It is sad that Microsoft never stabilized FSX and we must live with these annoying “crash to desktop” problems.

Wannukandi – La Palma – Punta Cocos

Today I wanted to do some more VFR “flying” in Panama with real time weather but making use of the instruments. Prior to going out to see fireworks of July 4th with friends, I decided to do this 2-leg trip. There are very few navigation charts published for Panama and for what I hear from real pilots in the area, it is more like bush piloting. So, that is more or less what I am recreating and in the process plotting and charting my navigation stuff.

Today, we will be flying our virtual Cessna Grand Caravan C208B (ICAO: C208) from Wannukandi (territory of San Blas) over the jungle and continental divide to La Palma, Darien in our 1st leg.

Wannukandi departure, San Blas
In FSX it goes by ICAO code MPWN yet I doubt it actually exists (or not anymore) as it is not visible in satellite imagery. There is however the TUPILE NDB (TPL 356.00 khz). With the FSX South America Mesh this airfield is slightly sunk into the ground but usable with some dexterity. We took off towards the sea (as in most runways in this region) rather than risking our aircraft with the hills right south of the runway. Upon takeoff over the beautiful Caribbean Sea we make a 360 degree turn due South South East (heading 159) inland towards FIX 0978N (N 09.000 W 078.000) some 17nm. We ran into some ominous clouds, it is the rainy season. I hope you load sufficient fuel because if you go down in this leg it is very unlikely you will be found alive. We climbed to 6500’ with TPL tuned into the ADF.

La Palma, Darien
Upon reaching our fix we changed heading to 196 for the next 37nm. By now you should have tuned the La Palma VOR (PML 113.10) and set the OBS on NAV1 accordingly. Lots of jungle and perilous animals down there, some settlements and aboriginals as well. Keep sufficient altitude as there are several mountain ranges in the area. On the photo above we are on initial approach to La Palma (9nm north of it) with a clear view of the great Tuira river.

Now that we are on finals you should have a clear view of the runway, too short and you land on a deep river, too low and you will hit the trees at the head of the 2322’ long runway (trees only in FS9/FSX). If you overrun rwy 20 you will barrel the hill at the end of the runway with the nose of your aircraft. Yes, this is a tricky landing most pilots will encounter in the IVAO VFR World Tour 2010 :-) In real life this is deep jungle, not like these sparsely forested area in FS9/FSX. By the way, this airport is poorly depicted in FSX.

We landed safely with enough fuel for our next leg, there are no fuel facilities here (or in our next destination.

To Punta Cocos, Panama
Now with PML VOR (sorry no DME) still tuned on NAV1 we set the Omnibearing Selector (OBS) to radial 260. We will be riding victor airway V24 over the Gulf of Panama.

Before departure also tune to Taboga VOR DME (TBG 110.00) on NAV2, set the OBS of NAV2 to radial 127. It won’t hurt to also tuned to Taboga NDB (TBG 311.00) on the ADF.

This leg (La Palma, Punta Cocos) is about 48nm over water, you won’t want to end up lost at sea either! We will be heading to Punta Cocos in Isla del Rey (King’s Island) in Balboa, Panama. This airfield exists in real life right where it is, at the southernmost narrow tip of this great island. This is a private airfield.

Since PML is not a DME (Panama has a few DMEs) we won’t be able to directly notice arrival to 38nm outbound PML. That point is some 9nm north east of rwy. 26 of Punta Cocos (FSX: MP26, FS9: MP0H). Instead we will refer to TBG on NAV2 together with R-127 to mark 57nm DME TBG. We will start descending there, the runway is barely visible on the photo, it is that tip of the island. If you descend to much you will land on water and if you overrun the runway you will also end on the water so get your act together! This runway is 4000’ long. After landing you can greet the BOMAK intersection.

No fuel facilities here either :-) so I hope you loaded enough fuel for the home leg of 50 nm over victor airway V20 inbound TBG plus the 8nm extra towards your choice of former Howard AFB (ICAO: MPHO) or Marcos A. Gelabert in Albrook (ICAO: MPMG).

PTY: VFR C208B Coiba Island to David

I have been working on some scenery for the neglected Republic of Panama. I am not done yet but it has taken quite a lot of my time to the point where performing a full flight was not possible :( Only approaches and fly-bys.

Well, today I took the time to do a VFR flight for some ideas I have. I hope you enjoy this trip. I used Cloud 9’s South America Landclass (still doing evaluation), the freeware FSX Mesh South America and Virtual Aviation’s Coiba Island add-on.

Preparations
We were to depart dawn (around 6:30) from our parking spot at the end of runway 17. I aligned my Cessna 208B Grand Caravan to runway 17. There are no refueling capabilities here so it was assumed I had flown here, there were 30 gallons on board. Filed a VFR flight plan to Enrique Malek Intl., David, Chiriqui, Panama and according to the FS plan it would consume 16 gallons. Real weather was used and it turned out to be clear (I was hoping for bad weather).

Departure
I set throttle to full, not enough with full setting on the Saitek (for some reason that never is 100%). Afterwards I used the VC throttle lever to set it to (really) full because I needed all the power. Flaps were set and off we went, The runway is not too long and there is a tragic drop at the head of runway 35.

Upon takeoff after climb was stabilized I turned left towards OSABA intersection (right on Coiba Island) to catch Victor Airway V19 to David heading 319. For this I had also set the DAV NDB on the ADF, the DAV VOR-DME on NAV1 (114.30), OBS1 to 321 and NAV2 to the STG (Santiago) VOR at 114.50. Cruise altitude was set to 6500 feet.

This 2nd photo shows our Grand Caravan above the natural park of Coiba with Coibita (Rancherita Island) and its bush landing strip.

Cruise
We reached cruise altitude and set the autopilot to hold altitude. I was then able to enjoy some views outside like Islas Secas where in real life there is a small and extremely exclusive (outrageously expensive) cabin resort with a bush landing strip. Our trip was around 73 nautical miles and would take approximately 30 minutes (I seldom believe FS estimates).

Crusing was fine, just minor turbulence and some low hanging grey clouds found along the way. We had the coast of Chiriqui on our right and the beautiful Pacific Ocean on the left.

Approach
Some 20 nm inbound DAV we turned left heading 270-280 for our initial approach to MPDA runway 04. For this the VORDME 04 approach was used (charts available here).

Good visual clues are the Gulf of Chiriqui on the right. To initiate alignment of the initial approach use the visual queue of the Pedregal river, also the VOR1 would give you and indication of when you have to start turning right. We were some 14nm South of MPDA at that point. We had already started our descent to 3000 feet some time before the initial approach. I also loaded approach vectors to the GPS while in flight but did not use it.

In this picture we were some 218 feet AGL with runway in sight and already beautifully aligned. Our descent was stabilized.

Arrival
We landed safely and right on the spot of runway 04 of Enrique Malek International (MPDA) with beautiful weather. After brakes and feathering we turned left to the taxiway to then turn back via the taxiway and turn left again, cross the runway and head for the apron.

Parked the FedEx bird near the tower with view of a hangar. I was using Rhett Browning’s MPDA scenery for FSX. In this virtual flight we consumed a total of 21 gallons of fuel (FS estimated 16) and took 40 minutes of flight (estimated was 30 min.)

The virtual pilot had to leave this FedEx bird here and hired a car at the airport to drive up to the beautiful and peaceful town of Volcan on the highlands of Panama.