AEROSTAR AROUND THE WORLD

Haven't we all, one day, wanted to face a great challenge ?
       For a mountaineer it would be a difficult climb and ultimately an attempt like Mount Everest and for a navigator it would be to go further and further until one would want to sail the ultimate course: around the World, whether it is in a sailing boat or an aeroplane.I had been dreaming of flying around the World for a long time and I had been flying further and further waiting for the right time. Based in Western Australia, I flew in those parts of the World from Singapore to Tahiti. In 1995, as a "dress rehearsal", I flew to Hong Kong. I did fit the Aerostar with 2 ferry tanks, getting an idea on how the aircraft would fly heavy on long legs.
Preparations took almost a full year: gathering information, maps, charts, clearances, survival gear, etc. I organised all my clearances for the crossing of the Pacific Ocean, knowing the area but I used the services of Overflight International from the UK, an expert on the Middle East. The big obstacle in such a flight is the crossing of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California, a leg of some 2100 nautical miles.
VH-XRD at NORTHAM

I had to build 4 ferry tanks bringing the total fuel on board to 420 USG. I had to have the tanks approved and also have an over weight dispensation. I also had to work out the best power settings for range with all that fuel on board. These settings would be different from beginning to end as the aircraft would get lighter as the fuel was burned. The results from those tests were:
30 inches, 2300 RPM, and 22 USG at the start with the aircraft heavy.
28 inches, 2200 RPM, and 20 USG at mid-course, therefore at mid-weight.
26 inches, 2100 RPM, and 18 USG at the end of the flight with a lighter aircraft.