It is the first time I name a blog with a country name.

And I feel proud of it.

It is not just a title, it is a feeling. A feeling deep inside, made mainly by people.

People in the street, Air Force people, airfield people, new friends.

Kindness, helpfulness, support, spirit, joy.

Altogether.

Never to forget and a must to share, because they deserve it.

ARGENTINA :

All my respect and thanks !

And a special picture that I dreamt of the night before departing Argentina. That special picture is in honor of all of you. I flew the Iguazu Falls , that way, for you.

Flying Iguazu Falls Inverted

Starting at the South Pole, from where Argentina Air Force was ready to Search for me, would anything happens, to Iguazu Falls, Marambio Base Commander ViceComodoro Ricardo Rodriguez and his team, to Ushuaia, leadered by Carlos Lavado, to Comodoro Rivadavia, Tinti and Guillermo, and General Rodriguez, Hector and Mariano, to finish at Cataratas Airport, it was a pleasure to share everything.

Going through Cataratas airport Customs and exit procedures was straightforward. Fees were low. Everybody, helpful.

It was going to be a very short flight: just around five minutes. Just the time to climb to 4000 ft, and fly direct to the Falls, the ones I enjoyed visiting the day before.

Michel at Iguazu Falls

Massive Falls and Mist

Downstream from the Falls

Strange build ups upstream the Iguazu Falls

Nose Up, some 30 degrees, and a slow roll to the left. There were the Falls, up in my head.

Then, it was time to enter Brasil. Both sides Controllers were kind and helpful. Cataratas and Foz.

Once I was sitting on the ground, I was directed to position 5, where the Marshaller was waiting for me.

Everything was straightforward, and took a short time. I was a little bit late and I wanted to reach Amarais before dark, where Carlos Edo was waiting for me.

Only biiiig thing were the fees, some US $250 !

Flying in Brasil is very expensive, indeed.

My Garmin 430 radio kept failing. Having one radio available, could stop me anywhere.

Some anywhere places could mean a really complicated situation, because I would not be able to leave for a loooong time.

It is like a miracle my second radio failed just when I fixed the first one. It was not before, not even two days before. It was just, after fixing the first radio.

Weather, approaching the destination, was not becoming good. Huge thunderstorms cells were developing.

Thunder Storms ahead of me

I started at FL 075, but soon I was avoiding what we call Cumulus Congestus clouds. Their base were becoming lower, so finally I descended to FL 055. There, it was nice. I had most of the time an umbrella protecting from the Sun, and even, from times to times, some water.

I avoided the big showers, because they meant a risk of big downdrafts and turbulence inside or around.

Turbulent Clouds – note the huge rain shower lower left

Countryside was beautiful. A lot of green around, and a lot of farming. The area was rich, and that was possible to be checked from my balcony.

The flight was short, around 2,5 hours. Soon I was entering Sao Paulo control area, but I did it under it, so no need to communicate.

I had prepared the flight with the help of Telmo, who lives in Curitiba, and with Carlos Edo.

I knew what to do and how to do it. And I did.

The landing was a kiss landing one. Not as bouncy as other times. And that was good, because Carlos was looking at it 🙂 !

Carlos is a legend here.

He is 25 years old

Carlos Edo and EC-XLL

Of course, we are just talking about spirit, not the hardware.

And he is what we say, an aviator.

Pilot is a pilot and aviator is different: more a feeling.

For Aviators, the flight is part of the soul and always a dream.

He has logged incredible amount of Texan T6 hours, a true record. He also owns many aircraft.

And there he was, with his handheld, directing me to have my dear RV hangared, and then, to have my body, also hangared, at his home.

His wife, Monica, another Aviator: she is also flying her T6.

Yesterday, after a very good lunch at a very nice restaurant, Carlos and myself, went to the airfield to troubleshoot my Garmin 430 unit.

It was not just a troubleshooting, but an attempt to find an avionics shop around and even another 430.

Now, the Brasilean Civil Aviation requires that many airplanes have their 430 equipments upgraded into 430 W sets . W stands for WAAS, and that stand for much more precise GPS.

Carlos has 430W installed in all his airplanes, so first thing was to use one of his sets in my airplane and that way to know if it was a problem of the equipment or the installation.

Carlos was coming loud and clear with his 430w installed on the RV, so…it was my 430 that was failing.

Then, the installed my 430 in his airplane, and the failure was still present.

Failure was that the 430 was able to transmit but not to receive. However, it was communicating with the audio panel because the squelch test was received in my headsets.

Something was causing the receiver failure ….

Salt was inside the plane since attacked by Katabatic winds at Mario Zucchelli. May be some aluminum dirt from installing the Directional Gyro…?

Before sending the unit for repair, a last idea was tried: I opened the huge 430 set, and used electronic cleaning spray, all the areas I could reach inside.

Then I waited for the agent to dry.

We installed it in his airplane and when I saw the RX message on it when Carlos was transmitting with his handled, I felt quite better. Then, with the headsets on, the 430 was working 5 (when using aircraft communications, we say loud and clear, or 5-5, or shorter 5. If loud and distorted, it could be 5 and 1).

Then, next step was to test it in the RV.

It was all grin when it worked 5 !

So, we are very happy with our troubleshooting and repair !

Soon I will be departing. Rio, Brasilia, Natal and finally Fortaleza, before flying into Cabo Verde.

Still Cabo Verde permit is not ready, but still plenty of time ahead

RVs are waiting for me at Rio de Janeiro. My RV will be happy to meet them…

And me too !