By Bek Joo Sheng, WOA Contributing Writer

When I first got to know about the Flyaway Redang event, I was both excited and apprehensive at the same time. Afterall, my PPL was almost brand new and the furthest I had flown till then was only to Malacca. Many questions popped up in my mind, chief of which was whether I could endure such a long flight without a toilet break … Since I had just finished my examinations and needed a break to de-stress, I didn’t hesitate too long before signing up. I figured it would be a wonderful opportunity to fly with some experienced GA pilots and learn a thing or two from them along the way.

On a perfect Labour Day morning, I met my Pilot-In-Command (PIC) for the flight up from Seletar to Redang. We flew in a Piper 28 fitted with a modified exhaust which helped “liberate” twenty extra ponies, bringing the total power output to 160 horsepower. Despite the earliness of the hour, a Maule had already departed ahead of us. Soon after, our Piper 28, a Socata TB-9 and a PA-32 took off one after another on Runway 21. At the time of our take-off, there was only one other aircraft going along for the trip, a Cessna 182, still nicely wrapped in her cover. Her pilot was obviously catching some exttra sleep. 

En-Route at 6000 feet
My PIC is a very competent pilot and my role on board was pretty much limited to being a “Self Loading Freight.” I was left with nothing much to do but admire the landscape below although I did take note of the landmarks as I would be flying on the return leg.

Once we crossed into Johor airspace, we were cleared to climb to 6000 feet. This was a new record for me (in a light aircraft) as I had never flown so high before during my PPL training. The higher altitude not only gave us a better view, but also provided cooler air which was a welcome respite from the tropical heat. It was also another first for me to be flying in a low wing aircraft as I had trained exclusively in Cessnas!  This Piper only had cooling vents on the floor so my legs were left freezing while my head was steadily being baked by the scorching sun.

Our route took us through Kota Tinggi, Mersing , Rompin, Pekan, Kuantan, Kerteh, Marang and on to Redang through Kuala Terengganu. The landscape we flew over was typical of that seen in most of Malaysia – palm plantations and forests interspersed with townships. Off to our left, the mountain ranges loomed large with some peaks in excess of 4000 feet. On our right, the vast blue waters of the South China Sea stretched as far as the eye could see. With beautiful weather, a light tailwind at 6000 feet and almost unlimited visibility, what more could a pilot have asked for?
Approach to Redang
By the time we reached Kuantan, the other aircrafts from Seletar with their bigger and more powerful engines had caught up with us. The PA-32 which had taken off after us was closing in from 1000 feet below us. The Cessna 182 which we had left sleeping at Seletar was closing in above us at 8000 feet, the pilot having filed an IFR flight plan direct to Redang.

Pulau Bidong

Shortly after we reached Kuala Terengganu (WMKN), we were advised by Terengganu Tower to report coasting out for Redang. At this point, the Maule was hot on the heels of the PA32 on final approach in to Redang airfield. Since both crews had not been to Redang before, the PIC of the Maule jokingly told the crew of the PA-32 “I hope you know where you’re going cos’ I’m following you in!”. This cracked us up quite a bit since it was being broadcast on the common frequency. As we flew abeam Pulau Bidong, the Cessna 182 streaked past us we were left re-cleared to follow behind as number two.   Pulau Bidong Redang is a very beautiful island and as we were approaching to land, I could see chalets, corals, canoes and people in orange life vests bobbing up and down in the crystal clear water. The runway is located north of a small outcrop called Pulau Pinang and is grooved by the side of a hill. We located the runway easily and my PIC proceeded to setup the approach. He made a textbook perfect landing and by the time we taxiied to the apron, it was starting to look crowded.

Several more aircraft landed after us, the last of which was a Cessna 152 which had gotten off to a late start from Senai. The PIC, like me, was also a newly minted PPL.  At the quaint little “airport”, we got our “LT. PULAU REDANG” immigration stamp from the officers who had been awaiting our arrival. This stamp would be a poignant symbol of our achievement in reaching the island. When the group had fully assembled, we proceeded to a nearby resort for a sumptuous buffet lunch. Famished after a relatively long flight (for 160HP and below category), the grouped tucked in heartily. Like birds of prey, we swooped down on the buffet spread and devoured copious amount of noodles, ice cream, char kway teow, and a variety of other delicious foods. As can be imagined, when a group of aviators gather, the only topic on the menu would be well –  Aviation. Over lunch, everyone was engrossed in discussing about a wide range of aviation topics, from the capacity of jerry cans carried in the TB-9 to the latest Garmin GPS. All the talk was Aviation, Aviation, Aviation. Not that I minded, of course.

Landing in Redang

With our hunger satisfied, the group ventured outside to admire the picture perfect “postcard” like scenery. Redang’s waters are crystal clear, in varying shades of turquoise to deep blues. The sands are baby-powder fine, making the sands at East Coast Park seem like shards of broken glass. One of the pilots had brought an antique camera with him that most probably predates me. I wonder if he took any photos and I would imagine that if he did, the prints would come out in black and white. Alas, the blazing hot sun deterred most of us from staying on the beach for any length of time. This was with the exception of our gungho Cessna 182 pilot who took the opportunity to enjoy a quick swim. The rest of us went out, took some pictures to prove that “I Was Here” and then scurried back to the relative cool and comfort of the coffeehouse.

 
Nightstop in Terengganu
Unfortunately, due to the holiday season, we were unable to book any hotel rooms on Redang itself. Thus, we had to fly back to Terengganu that same evening. At around 4.30pm, we bade farewell to the beautiful beach and took a buggy back to the airport. At the airport, all the necessary pre-flight checks were completed swiftly. Before departure, we snapped some group photos at the apron, our final momento of our short visit to Redang.

One by one, the seven aircraft took off for Terengganu. Some of the aircrafts over-flew the island, making orbits in a sort of goodbye gesture. Terengganu tower tried their best to clear all the aircrafts in smoothly but we still found ourselves caught in an “airborne traffic jam” almost immediately after take-off.  This was not a big deal since we were holding over some beautiful islands and I had the opportunity to snap away taking lovely photos. My PIC even helped manoeuvre the plane for me to get some shots from better angles!

After some time, traffic finally eased up and we were cleared for Right Base 22. The approach was over water and with the beautiful weather and excellent visibility, we were rewarded with a nice view of Terengganu town. Once again my PIC nailed the landing as we rolled down the runway before turning off to the main terminal. Terengganu airport is one of the nicer airports that I have seen. Unlike many airports that have a utilitarian boxy structure, Terengganu airport was designed in a distinctive Malay architecture style with a touch of modernity with bright orange colours and futuristic glass panels.

Terengganu Airport (WMKN)

There was a minor confusion about where to park but soon all our aircraft were lined up in a row on the apron.  We exited the apron and navigated our way to the control tower. After hearing many more seasoned aviators’ comments about elevators in control towers that rarely worked, I was glad that the one at Terengganu worked perfectly. We entered the Tower Cab only to receive news that the fuel wasn’t coming today after all. It was only expected to arrive the next day at 10 am. Credit must be due to the controller who had gone out of his way to arrange for our fuel. He had come down to the airport to tell us the news personally despite it being his off day. However I was mildly disappointed as I was going to fly the return leg the next day and had hoped for an early departure time to avoid potential weather and to take advantage of the cooler weather. In contrast, the other aviators were unfazed. Resigned, we submitted our flight plans to the controllers, took a few more photos, and made our way back down to pack up and head for the hotel.

We were staying at Felda Residence Hotel - a brand new high-rise hotel that stood out like a sore thumb amongst the old shophouses and low-rise blocks along the riverside. Despite our initial apprehension about staying at a hotel that did not show up on most of the internet searches, it turned out to be a gem. We checked in to our respective rooms to freshen up and arranged to meet for dinner later.   We adjourned to a restaurant next to our hotel for dinner. Being in Malaysia, we were of course expecting delicious local food and we sure weren’t disappointed. As we tucked in to the sumptuous spread of Chinese food, one could feel a sense of camaderie as once again, anecdotes, stories and experiences were shared at the dinner table. Right: Felda Residence Hotel

 After the very satisfying meal, we took a stroll to the nearby Chinatown for some drinks and desserts. Some of the group headed out to look for some cool beer while I joined the other group for some drinks and desert by a roadside stall. We decided to head back early as we were flying back the next day. After a good night’s sleep, we got up feeling refreshed and alert as we woke up to another bright sunny day and a complimentary buffet breakfast. 

Homeward bound
With Redang and Terengganu recorded in the logbooks, we were all ready to head home. Upon reaching the airport, we were relieved and pleasantly surprised that the fuel had already arrived. Fuelling from drums required careful positioning of the truck as close to the aircraft wings as possible especially since the fuel hose was not very long. We were thankful for the two fuel handlers who helped us operate the manual fuel pump. Without them, I think would have had to fly back with trembling hands!

With the aircrafts filled up to the brim, it was time to say goodbye to Terengganu and make our way home. This would be the only leg I would be flying in this trip. Being a greenhorn, I was naturally excited. After completing the necessary checks, I was raring to go and almost forgot to get clearance to start-up. Thankfully, my-co pilot (a seasoned GA pilot) reminded me to obtain clearance otherwise I would have had to return my license before the ink on it even had time to dry.

Cruising at 5000feet

We flew back pretty much the same route that we came by. The weather was initially good and the air was smooth, making for a comfortable flight.  However, as we progressed southwards, clouds started to form. It became apparent that if we had set off any later, the weather might not have held. Suddenly, overhead Mersing, I noticed that the Low Voltage light had lit up. At first, I thought it was just a random light bulb problem. However, upon cross checking with the ammeter, which was showing a discharge, I realised that there was probably an electrical fault. None of the circuit breakers had popped, and we could only deduce that it was probably an alternator problem.  (True enough, we found out the next day that the alternator belt had snapped)

The only thing we could do was reduce the electrical load by turning off the onboard GPS and the transponder. By now we were nearer to Senai than to Kuantan. Turning back was not an option so we pressed on and prayed that our electrical systems would hang on. As we were flying VFR and already very near to Senai, we were confident that reaching Senai would not be a problem. Thankfully, I had in my flight bag a portable transceiver which I had fully charged before this trip and a handheld non-aviation GPS with fresh batteries.

Clouds Building up on the way home

Our cruising altitude of 5000 feet gave us a clearance of almost 3000 feet above any obstacles. In light of our electrical issues, we decided to request a route from Mersing (along the coast) direct to Kota Tinggi. Once we started flying inland, the weather started to move in rapidly. To remain visual, we gradually descended to 2000 feet over the next few minutes. As we approached east of airfield, I reported my position to Johor Tower one last time. My voice seemed garbled during the transmission. Even as I turned to my co-pilot to ask if my voiced seemed distorted and as she nodded, the radio display flashed twice and then the inevitable happened - we had lost electrical power. Of course we were all ready for that. As the airfield came into sight, my co-pilot got clearance to join downfield, finals and then to land on the portable radio while I concentrated o bringing the plane home for landing on Runway 16.

Pre-landing checks completed, I made a mental note that this was going to be a flapless landing since we had no electrical power and had to remind myself to approach at the correct speed … The preceding aircraft had reported earlier that there were strong winds on final, and it was indeed bumpy as we turned to base leg. Fortunately, the winds were not as strong as I had expected and I managed to make a satisfactory landing and finally taxied the plane back to the cargo apron. After filling out the technical logs, we hitched a ride on the PA-28 back to Seletar, capping off an adventurous journey covering over 500 nm.

Lessons Learnt
So have I learnt a thing or two? Most certainly! Flying long distances requires much preparation. I have also come to appreciate the importance of having back up equipment like a portable transceiver or a handheld GPS. This trip has reinforced for me the importance of being prepared for all eventualities. Of course in difficult situations, having a competent co-pilot certainly goes a long way towards alleviatig the work load and reducing uncertainty, contributing to overall safety.

As the cliché goes, your PPL is a license to learn, and I wholeheartedly agree on that. I’m glad to have flown with and met some very experienced aviators, and had the opportunity to learn from them. I look forward, with a tinge of apprehension, to the next cross country trip - funds permitting!!!