Return to Tioman

Flew to Tioman with Jean Helly and Jason Ang this weekend.

Wonderful experience back in Senai and seeing all the GA aircraft around. This is what flying should be about. We were to take an ex-SYFC Piper Warrior II 9M-ANA to Tioman with Captain Faizal as instructor. Very nice sort. We all liked him almost immediately I think.

Airport security at Senai has tightened. We now have to pass through a checkpoint before heading out to the tarmac. Sut decides to do a couple of circuits to familiarise himself with the PA-28 as its his first time flying it. He handles it fine and both touchdowns were smooth. Jean gives the thumbs up of approval from the right hand side of the back seat!

We topped up fuel and off again we went with Jean flying PIC. Route is WMKJ-->Kota Tinggi -->Sedili Besar --> VMR --> WMBT
Very smooth flight, so smooth that I fell asleep at the back seat. It was only until we passed Sedili Besar before I woke up to catch a view of the sea route. We lost contact with Johor Tower passing VMR and continued until the very large and welcome sight of Tioman came into sight. Now the hairy part comes with the landing.

The last time Sut and I were here, I nearly stalled in on short final due to a strong tailwind. I was pretty nervous as Jean made the turn onto Base leg. But Capt Faizal was also on the controls and then we noticed that the telephone poles were gone but the trees have gotten taller. You come in 400ft and make a dive at 80 kts at the runway threshold then pull up and hold until you touch down. Its a pretty good technique and much safer than the Cessna Approach when u maintain 60 knots from 400 ft. Higher potential for stalls.

Sut and I then made 2 circuits each. Sut clearly had fun on the circuits. As for me, a lot less scary it was than that day 5 years back in 2007. We just came in low and dove for the deck after clearing those tall trees. Me, I enjoyed getting to fly the Piper Warrior again after such a long time. Piece of cake. Cheated death again.

We did get reamed good for not being in contact with Tioman Tower after VMR. We contacted them too late at 5Nm south of Tioman. Tower must've wondered if we went down at sea. Capt Faizal engaged in damage control and apologised before our circuits.

After that, a nice leisurely day spent in Tioman. Capt Faizal relaxed at the beach while Jean, Jason and I went snorkling in Salang Bay. I then went off for a night dive since A.J was still working here and he knew I was an advanced Diver without me having to produce a license. Wonderful! Saw Barracudas, stingray, a few lobsters and crabs,Moray Eels, a big-ass pufferfish (1m long) And I spotted a perfectly camouflaged sole. (Flat fish).

Rejoined the aviators for a nice BBQ seafood dinner and a nice Bolivar accompanied by wine. Wonderful. Until I zonked out from the mix of pressurised oxygen/nitrogen accompanied by alcohol and the bolivar. Slept pretty damn well that night.

Fast forward to the morning, we headed off and took off for the flight back to Senai with Jason 'Maveric' Ang as pilot. Everything went well until we got into a cloud somewhere between Sedili Besar and Kota Tinggi. Which would not be a problem normally but 9M-ANA's A/H was completely INOPERATIONAL! It swung every which way and was pretty damn unnerving when u've got into the cloud soup with no clear view of the ground. Jason says that he was using the bank coordinator and could see the ground slightly from the left.

Textbook landing at Senai and there ended our fabulous weekend to Tioman island. More adventures to come since I've decided to get a conversion to a DCA License with Jason.

Finally gotten access

Its been a while since I've wrote. Finally re-gotten my access to this Blog.
I'll continue writing about flying experiences as and when I have the time.

I've got quite a few entries to catch up

1)Flight in the Victa Airtourer
2) Flights as Co-pilot with JR Helly
3) Flights as PIC with Dan Burgess.

I post them as and when I have the time.