That strange moment when you cross the equator…

With tropical storms a daily occurrence across this part of the world, an early departure offered the best chance of staying ahead of the powerful afternoon build-ups that regularly sweep across Indonesia and Borneo.

So we were up well before dawn and worked through departure procedures while the airport was still half asleep. Soon enough the silence of the ramp gave way to the unmistakable rumble of Spirit’s Pratt & Whitney radials.

The departure from Kuala Lumpur meant threading our way through busy airspace and low cloud over the Straits of Malacca. Fortunately Spirit carries one small advantage over its earliest pilots: a Garmin weather radar. With endless heat and moisture feeding the atmosphere, storms here can climb to 45,000 feet and beyond. Spectacular to look at from a distance, but ‘must-avoids’ for any aircraft.

Fortunately, today the conditions were very smooth and the Java Sea crossing proved particularly calm. Borneo soon appeared beneath the wings. Deep green hills rolling away into the distance, cut through by winding muddy-yellow rivers. Small villages clung to the riverbanks, isolated pockets of life in a landscape that still feels vast and largely untouched.

 Part way through the flight, another milestone approached: the equator. For both Nick and Tyler this would be their first crossing into the Southern Hemisphere. As the moment drew closer the rest of the crew began enthusiastically discussing what an appropriate airborne Neptune ceremony (a traditional maritime initiation for those crossing the equator for the first time) might involve. The ideas became imaginative enough that Nick jokingly mentioned turning the aircraft around. Bravely, he pressed on.

Somewhere above the jungles of Indonesia the invisible line slipped beneath Spirit’s wings. Eventually the coastline of Balikpapan appeared ahead. A mix of modern buildings and rustic houses raised on poles along the water’s edge. And right on cue, the weather arrived.

 Spirit touched down with only minutes to spare before the afternoon thunderstorm rolled overhead, delivering a thorough tropical drenching just as the parking brake was set. Next stop: the exotic shores of Timor-Leste.

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