For the record, G-KIRK (the other one) and I were waiting at Darwin airfield to watch M and G-KIRK (the original one) land on Australial soil at approx. 18.45hrs local time, just as darkness fell, with a spectacular tropical lightning show as a backdrop.
This followed a journey which began on 11/03/01 in a 90hp, single -engined 57yr old light aircraft by a solo pilot of similar vintage.
To backtrack, my last mention of M and G-KIRK was at Jakarta.
From there they flew across the mountains of Java where, in bad weather, M attempted to film volcanoes. Again, he ran out of daylight as he headed towards Bali. As he continued over jungle M saw a graveyard of WW II aircraft including a Mitchell DC3 and an Albatross. Thinking "Spares - I know who might appreciate those" he landed on what turned out to be a military airfield (again!). After a "standard grilling" /questioning? (he's now well practiced and somewhat blase) M was taken by staff car to a very good hotel and given a conducted tour of the town by military personnel. A car was sent for him at 04.30hrs the following morning and he flew out at the crack of dawn after a platoon of soldiers had helped to prepare G-KIRK. n.b. I hope that these experiences do not cause M to develop delusions of grandeur - on his return he will find that 3 springer spaniels, 2 cats and I remain the only ground crew available.
Owing to radar vectoring (?) he flew in the wrong direction for some short time before crossing East Java which he describes as the most spectacular jungle. He saw rhinoceri and many species of monkey. He landed on an exotic "coconut type of beach" (as in Bounty advert?) to dipstick his fuel tank (the sophisticated method of fuel calculation used by the Kirk household) and was able to continue for the last 50 miles across the water to Bali. Despite there being a rest day at Bali, M did not stop for any length of time but continued to eventually land in the dark (again!) on the island of Sumra. Here he found a little airstrip on which one airoplane a week lands. Lots of people turned out to see him (I do hope that he does not get delusions - 3 springer spaniels, 2 cats etc....). The airfield manager spoke English and took M home for the night as a guest.
In the morning he and his electrician friend helped M to strip out all instruments and equipment that M considered unnecessary and heavy. These were crated and are to be shipped. The resulting decrease in weight enabled G-KIRK to carry substantially more fuel. As anticipated a headwind meant that the 700 miles of Timor Sea to be crossed were flown at 20ft altitude. M had calculated that fuel, oil and daylight would run out at the same time and he landed at Darwin with none to spare. The decrease in G-KIRK's load has enabled her to average an additional 5 knots groundspeed - not to be sniffed at when topspeed is 70-75 knots.
In crossing the Timor Sea at 20ft M kept seeing pairs of whales. One pair rose out of the water in front of them necessitating avoidance action. Noone would ever believe that even M could break a prop. on a whale (despite having broken props. on many, various things in the past).
M was desperately tired when they got into Darwin. By the time that G-KIRK had been tied down and we had arrived at our hotel and had eaten it was approx. 23.00hrs. He set the alarm call for 05.00hrs to start all over again towards Alice Springs....