Taking the full advantage of the weekend, I am doing my second flight for today. My stay in Arequipa was very short, less than 30 minutes. I just created new flight plan, refueled, checked the aircraft, and took off. As I thought, the takeoff from Arequipa was challenging. The city is located in the bowl right next to the very high mountains. The bowl opens up on the northwest side (from where I just came) towards the low lands, and the Pacific. Southwest side is bordered by a mountain ridge (over which I had to go) and the East side is surrounded by snowy peaks, a volcano (Misti) and very high ridges. Upon takeoff, I had to fly couple of circles around the bowl, to get up to 12,000 ft. and then I followed the road going Southwest towards the ocean. Once over the mountains, I kept the heading of 171, a direct route to Antofagasta, Chile. Most of the flight was over the southern Pacific, so nothing much to see this time (other than the very cool scenery of Arequipa bowl). Antofagasta is located next to the Pacific in the Atacama Desert. The airport itself (Cerro Moreno International) is at 455 ft. which is a nice change after some of the stratospheric ones I was at during the past few weeks. The landing was OK, only two bounces (OK, I am getting better).

Before takeoff in Arequipa Arequipa, Peru Flying circles and climbing Road over the ridge West coast of Peru Clouds over the south Pacific Atacama desert, the west coast of Chile Final approach to Antofagasta airport

List of countries: Peru Chile

Flight log: