quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

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Does anyone out there fly a Boeing 737? Is the yaw damper a "no go" item?

It was in the type of airplane I flew in the Navy. You can get yourself in deep kimshee if you get into a situation where a lot of rudder is needed and you develop increasing yaw excursions that might exceed structural limits. yikes. jorge

The asymetric thrust of a sudden engine out might be dicy on a 737 then? This damper was definitely NOT working and I was just hoping they both engines kept pushing. Made me glad I'm a simple ASEL guy.
Gary

Here is the lengthy, scary Australian Travel Advice:

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Zimbabwe

And here is a U.S. State Dept Public Announcement issued today:

October 2, 2007



This Public Announcement is being issued to update travelers on security concerns in Zimbabwe and to advise Americans to consider the risks of travel to Zimbabwe at this time. This Public Announcement supersedes the Public Announcement issued on July 12, 2007, and expires on December 30, 2007.



The security situation in Zimbabwe is volatile and could deteriorate quickly without warning. Sharp price cuts on local goods have caused widespread shortages of bread, milk, meat, poultry and gasoline, and other basic goods, resulting in occasional outbreaks of violence as security agents seek to enforce the price cuts and citizens rush to buy available goods. Visitors should be prepared for food shortages and avoid large gatherings, particularly around shopping areas and in the high-density suburbs of Harare and Bulawayo.



In response to growing public protests against deteriorating conditions, the Zimbabwe Government continues to authorize its security forces to suppress all dissent by whatever means deemed necessary. In recent months, political leaders at the highest levels of the Zimbabwean government have condoned the security forces’ use of violence against opponents of the government. The government has defended its right to treat individuals roughly, including those in custody, and has warned of more such actions.


As campaigning and preparations for 2008 presidential elections take place, there is an increased potential for political violence, particularly at large rallies or demonstrations. American citizens in Zimbabwe should, therefore, exercise caution when traveling within the country and avoid demonstrations and large public gatherings.



The government frequently uses roadblocks to enforce order. Roadblocks can be particularly dangerous, and extreme caution should be used when approaching them. Travelers should comply with instructions from police or other security officials to stop at roadblocks. Travelers are advised to carry a mobile phone or other means of communication.



In light of the current circumstances, U.S. citizens are advised to consider the risks before traveling to Zimbabwe at this time. Americans who do travel to Zimbabwe should closely monitor the situation, keep travel documents up-to-date and make their own contingency plans. Americans overseas are advised to make or update complete inventories of their household effects and to maintain an adequate supply of food, water, and necessary medications in their home. See the State Department's information on emergency and crisis planning at http://travel.state.gov/travel/ tips/emergencies/emergencies_1212.html. American citizens already in Zimbabwe should monitor regularly the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Consular Information Sheet for Zimbabwe, the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, and other travel information can be found. Up to date information on security also can be obtained by emailing consularharare@state.gov or calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada. Callers outside the United States and Canada may call a toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are answered from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).



All Americans in Zimbabwe are urged to register either online at https://travelregistration.state.gov, by phone or in person at the U.S. Embassy in Harare. Registering gives U.S. citizens access to updated information on travel and security within Zimbabwe and makes it easier for the Embassy to contact citizens in case of emergency. Security updates are e-mailed to all registered Americans with an e-mail address.

Typical government - Hell there were great shortages when I was there in 05 and again this spring. Stay away from the cities and stay in the bush. I left Bulawayo less than an hour after my flight landed and spent a short time there prior to my departure.

quote:

Posts: 84 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 March 2002 Reply With Quote

Does anyone out there fly a Boeing 737? Is the yaw damper a "no go" item?

Limited to flight level 250 & .72 mach

The shortages, as mentioned, are nothing real new. The logistics are getting more complicated but that is why you go with a company that is established and knows what they are doing.

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
All of these reports and the only complaint is running out of tomato juice.

When the problems are not greater than we North Europeans experiences when we goes to the USA
- you can't get a decent cup of coffee anywhere

For perspective, compare current Zimbabwe with New Orleans during hurricane Katrina. Which society lost the most control?

I was in Zimbabwe last year and the people could not have been nicer. Given what they deal with every single day my hat's off to them. I hope Zimbabwe gets back as soon as possible to its place as one of southern Africa's best countries.

That yaw damper question should generate more questions. For example, if they can't fix that critical part of the airplane, then what else have they overlooked or ignored that could kill you? Flying on African carriers, with the possible exceptions of Ethiopian and SAA, is problematic at best, damned hazardous at worst. The statistics bear me out.

And Fifan, you've obviously never visited Miami. Those Cubans know how to brew coffee that would likley appeal to you.

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Those Cubans know how to brew coffee that would likley appeal to you.

Absolutely. Learned to drink that stuff before I was weaned. Soon after I started on Padron #2s jorge

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

Those Cubans know how to brew coffee that would likley appeal to you.

Absolutely. Learned to drink that stuff before I was weaned. Soon after I started on Padron #2s jorge

Lived in Miami for over 30 years. I absolutely love that stuff! Good old Cafe' Bustelo!

Just got back from Zim yesterday. Customs was not as friendly as Joberg but still no problems. We stayed at Gecko Gardens and it was quite nice (and cheap too!). I must admit though that we didn't venture out into Harare because we were only in for 24 hours and everything we could need was provided in our lodgings.

got back on the 2nd and the hunting was great but the country is A.F.U. but I n ever felt it was unsafe

Gary,
The yaw damper is not a no go item on Boeing aircraft, I can't comment on Douglas or Airbus products. It's job is to basically keep the tail from wallowing around in the slop by rudder input. It's basically a drop of mercury inside a bubble level that opens and closes a solenoid. Your right, if your yaw damper is out it makes for a real crappy flight especially if your sitting in the tail. Boeing utilizes a "
Thrust Assymetry Computer" or TAC, as Boeing drivers call it to assist directional control in the event you lose an engine, it's job is to sense yaw and correct for it too, but uses the jet's trim tabs, not the rudder. If TAC is inop, you take a hit on take off weight.

The atmosphere in the upper flight levels is less dense and the rudder isn't as effective compared to lower altitudes, hence the FL 250 limit. The .72 mach limit is there to prevent the jet from getting into a "dutch roll" envelope, which occurs when yaw oscillations gradually increase to the point an aircraft is trying to swap ends.
I don't have any experience in fighter aircraft like Jorge, but I'd think dutch roll in the mach regime would be a serious problem. In the movie "The Right Stuff" General Yeager punched out of the X1 when Dutch Roll became uncontrollable.

Vemo, thank you for that very informative explanation. As a lowly 650 hour ASEL, Comm'l, Inst pilot I've never had to worry about such matters but riding in that Air Zim bucket was probably the most worried I've ever been in an aircraft. (Including some pretty interesting military flights as a passenger) The wallow was something to behold and swapping ends felt like a real possibility at times.

There is no end to the expertise that is available on this site. Amazing.
GaryL

Gary,
Thanks for the kind words. If you want to simulate dutch roll in your single, put a spot on your windscreen on an object on the horizon. Bank left, and then right several times and note the spot on the horizon will yaw opposite the aileron. Perfect aileron/rudder coordination will keep the spot on the object. Dutch roll is when the spot yaws off the spot.
I used to fly a Beech 99 for a commuter airline. We got pretty good at keeping the tail straight in turbulence.

quote:

I'd think dutch roll in the mach regime would be a serious problem

It'd be catastrophic. Although much of my operational flying career was in the S3B Viking (.79 max), I have some flight time in MACH plus aircraft and indeed Duth Roll would exceed structural limits. In the S3, the aircraft was very "closed coupled" and with that huge tail, the YD was an essential piece of avionics. You could fly without it, but much like Vemo describes, it would become increasingly uncomfortable as AS and Alt increased. jorge

Just returned Oct 2. Spent one night in Harare at Gecko Gardens. Never felt unsafe, but conditions in the city do not look good. Supplies in camp were fine. I did a 10 day buffalo plainsgame hunt with HHK and had a great time.

Now That I have my main rifle for African big game, a 450/400 3 1/4" double by C. Osborne

and my back up, a synthetic stocked .375 H&H bolt action Model 97 by Dakota Arms, I really

have GOT to get over there for my elephant hunt!

You've spent enough on those 2 guns to pay for a hunt. So what are you waiting for?

Those purchases were made at the same time as one of

my children is in college. [still ongoing at this time]

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

Those Cubans know how to brew coffee that would likley appeal to you.

Absolutely. Learned to drink that stuff before I was weaned. Soon after I started on Padron #2s jorge

It seems like that I have to go to Florida!

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

I'd think dutch roll in the mach regime would be a serious problem

It'd be catastrophic. Although much of my operational flying career was in the S3B Viking (.79 max), I have some flight time in MACH plus aircraft and indeed Duth Roll would exceed structural limits. In the S3, the aircraft was very "closed coupled" and with that huge tail, the YD was an essential piece of avionics. You could fly without it, but much like Vemo describes, it would become increasingly uncomfortable as AS and Alt increased. jorge

I flew the 74, so I guess I should have mentioned that Boeing "no go" thing.

I once boarded (against my strong objections) a TAG Angolan 1011 in Lisbon for Luanda. The yaw damper was out on that thing, and we wallowed through the sky for several hours with me sweating bullets. Another one of those African airline flights I'd like to forget.

New story (back on the original thread) on an African news site I accidentally linked to earlier about all foreign companies very recently being required to give up 51% ownership to a Zim citizen, selected by the government. Barclay's and several other companies say they'll pull out completely if this happens. The disintegration continues...

quote:

Originally posted by BigFiveJack:
Now That I have my main rifle for African big game, a 450/400 3 1/4" double by C. Osborne

and my back up, a synthetic stocked .375 H&H bolt action Model 97 by Dakota Arms, I really

have GOT to get over there for my elephant hunt!

Lucky man!

I like the sound of your Charles Osborne double - good jumbo medicine! Probably some history in that rifle too?

It sounds like this will be a first elephant hunt for you - please put in as much practice as possible, shooting offhand and using shooting sticks, get the memory imprinted with safety catch on/off positions and reloading right and left chambers seperately, and both together. Last bit of advice - expect to walk a good mileage daily - use good footwear and be 'in shape'. (Love that Americanism!)

Good Hunting.

Richard Harland.
Author of: The Hunting Imperative; African Epic; Ndlovu-The Art of Hunting the African Elephant. (Rowland Ward Publications and Safari Press)

On the Yaw Damper thing; speaking only as a passenger, it is definitely a no go if you had fish tacos shortly before the flight. (wish we had a puking emoticon).

quote:

Originally posted by Vemo:
The yaw damper is not a no go item on Boeing aircraft, I can't comment on Douglas or Airbus products.

I fly the MD-11. For us if both yaw dampers are out it's a no go, we can lose one and still go.

About the yaw dampers on the 737. I never flew the 737 but on the 727, 757-767, the yaw damp system has two channels and one must be operative for dispatch. I believe this to be true of any swept wing turbine powered aircraft which are subject to a type of instability known as dutch roll.

Guys,

I don't know anything about YAW DAMPERS but Zim is a piece of cake. If nobody had mentioned it I would not have known there were any shortages or any other concerns. Mokore had "Made a plan". None of the problems in Zim had any significant impact on my safari. Yes I missed the Jack Daniels in camp, filling stations were conspicuously quite and things were run down but that had no effect on the safari. Security is not an issue and all the police and officials I met were very polite and friendly. We drove from Hwange to the Save, on to Mozambique, returned to the Save and finally onto Harare for departure with no hassles at all.

Mark

I just spent a month in Zimbabwe, including three overnights in Harare, a week in Dande N, a few days in Mukwichi near Doma, a week in the lowveld not too far from Beit Bridge, and a week in Vuti near Chirara.

Zimbabwe's economy is collapsing. There are shortages of many items including bottled water, beer, sodas, cooking oil, sugar, meat, bread, and fuel. You can't buy shoes, even those made in Zim. Electricity supply and city water are intermittent. Given that reality, it's surprising there aren't riots all over the place. In LA or any other major US city, the place would be burned to the ground under the same circumstances. The amazing thing is it's quite peaceful and friendly. And the hunting goes on as before, it's very very good in the right areas. Any good outfitter gets supplies from RSA so there should be no discomforts in camp.

We did have one incident. Five minutes after picking up a client at Harare airport on that 9 pm flight, en-route to the overnight hotel, a bag was snatched from the back seat of the quad cab while we were at a traffic light. LOCK YOUR DOORS. We did but for some reason that door didn't lock. Client lost his binos, cameras, meds etc. This was after 3 weeks with no problems and I must admit I was complacent. The mugger jumped a concrete wall. We pursued him into an unused quarry but lost him in the dark. We learned from the cops it's not the first time this has happened in this spot.

Some practical advice. Have exactly $30 in bills to buy your visa upon arrival. They won't make change. And they sometimes charge more than that if you look like a newbie. Keep small bills with you and don't ever use your credit card (except at hotels). Cash will exchange at 600,000 to one, and climbing. Just ask for the rate and pay in USD, exact change unless you want a bunch of worthless Zim change. Credit cards get a 30,000 to one rate. So you overpay by 20x if you use your card. Hotels have to bill you in USD at the 30,000 rate by law, so you don't lose anything if you use your card there. That's why hotels are so expensive in Zim. The govt is essentially skimming the difference in rates...the hotels aren't making out so don't be mad at them. The good news is you can enjoy a wonderful meal at a good restaurant and pay only $5 for the pleasure. If you pay with USD cash. One of the few countries where the USD still gets a lot of respect.

The only other place you should not use USD is at the airport. They don't give you the market rate. If you are going to buy stuff at the airport, get black market zim $ before leaving. Your PH will be happy to change money for you.

Fill your gun permits out in triplicate in advance. Make sure the dates as entered by the official are right...I have heard that they sometimes short date you and then you have to buy your way out of trouble when you are leaving again.

And final word: don't get injured in Zim. Medical services are poor to nonexistent. So buckle up, and be ultra-safe with firearms. Oh, and don't shoot the buff in the butt (like one of our clients did).