This is the first long range trip to be made in G-TRJB. After purchase in 2011, long range tanks were fitted giving a still air range of 1350 nm and a comprehensive avionics refit undertaken giving twin Garmin VHF COM/NAV and GPSS sets, a Sandel 3500 EHSI and Avidyne EX600 MFD with satellite weather download, retaining the Garmin 330 transponder, King KN64 DME and KR87 ADF.
The trip comes about as a result of a wish to visit the Oman and will be made in tandem with Phil Caiger in his Piper Malibu. This has a shorter range than Juliet Bravo so legs have to be planned accordingly but Phil can go faster and higher. This will be useful as Phil will arrive first and can arrange for fuel to be all ready and waiting when we arrive.
We have decided to meet up in Corfu and then travel on together to Rhodes, Aqaba in Jordan, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and finally Muscat. There Phil will meet up with his family for a half term holiday while Miranda and I go on a week’s travel round Oman. We will then foregather a week later for the return trip by essentially the same route.
Apart from a thorough check of all aircraft systems, other equipment we are getting include a hose and fuel pump in case refuelling from barrels is necessary (in the event, this was not used) and a satellite phone which can be wired through the aircraft intercom system. This proved most useful in advising handlers of revised ETAs. My Jepp subscription has been extended to include the Middle East so that all required landing charts will be available on the Avidyne MFD.