Jumla and Lukla

I’ve been flying around the world in my T-7 and it’s been fun so far. I’ve covered the coasts of Europe, Africa and the southern Arabian peninsula. Once I got to Pakistan I decided to follow the mountains across Asia. I’m not sure what I’ll do once I get to the Pacific coast. Now that I’m deeply in the Himalayas the airports become a little more challenging. I’ve crashed at a couple – Jumla and Lukla. I’ve crashed mostly because of high descent rates but also because of running out of runway. The little T7 doesn’t have reverse thrust and I’m gradually learning the limit of the braking.

Crashed At Jumla
Crashed At Jumla

This map shows the route I flew to get from Simikot to Jumla and the fact that my aircraft is pointing the wrong way is not because I’ve started to taxi but more due to the fact that the plane was tumbling along the runway after an “aggressive” approach.

Jumla Approach
Jumla Approach

If you expand the image you can see where the runway is and I know it looks fine but I didn’t manage it the first time. I did ok on the second attempt which is not really what you want a pilot to be especially good at!

This is comms#1978 and so here are some things that happened in that year of our lord [what a load of crap].

  • The first GPS Satellite is launched.
  • Jimmy Carter proposes cancelling neutron bomb development.
  • Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is first broadcast.
  • Mormons allow black men to become priests.
  • 918 people die in a murder-suicide in Jonestown.
  • Artificial insulin is invented.