Khabarovsk 14 June and flight Khabarovsk-Petropavlovsk 15 June

June 16, 2013

Captain Yunus in Istanbul was quite right about the charms of Khabarovsk.

Arrival Khabarovsk airport, taking fuel as usual.

We visited the city by making a long walk.

It all was pleasant and friendly and we just took a dinner in a kind of coffee café.

Then we visited in honour of Michiel Irish’ Stephenson the HARLEY-DAVIDSON SALOON, probably one he never has visited isn’t it Michiel?

The next day we took off in time. Since the flight was over Sakhalin Island (Korean Airlines!) and the Sea of Okhotsk, we put our survival material close to the cockpit and I did my yearly training i.e. putting it on and taking it off. An exhausting job (30% putting it on, 10% moving to the cockpit and 60% taking it off again) in a cabin pressure of 8.500′ but it went quicker than any of the previous times. At the same time I also put on the new Spinnlock lifevest and adjusted it to my body.

We had no real alternate airport in case of an emergency, so we had an early Point of Decision. There was no need since the a/c was flying like she could continue at 260 KTAS [knots true air speed] for ever. What a super aircraft/engine. Until our arrival in Petropavlovsk we did not add any oil, but we may have to consider that when we depart for Anadyr (do not pronouce the y).

The harbour of Petropavlovsk was right on our approach track.

Some probably overaged military aircrafts.

Landing was smooth, no other a/c in the air. Fuel came quick. A copy of Margherita, the Handling Agent, awaited us for the formalities and paperwork.

Olga Bubenets of Kamchatka Shipping Company awaited us at the airport, brought us the hotel and informed that we would make the organized boat trip for us in the Kamchatka Bay right away instead of next day since bad weather and high waves were expected in the next 24 hours. Big boys do not cry, so we put ourselves together, took a shower and forgot about the 15 minutes opa-nap. However I believe we took that in the car on the way to the boat. Olga may know it.

More about that boat trip tomorrow, since we need to sleep now. It is here 2235 LT versus 1235 in Amsterdam and in Locarno (and in some other cities in Europe).