Over Bass straight

[Aussie]

Gday,
ANyone completed the flight over to Tassie from the Melbourne region, in a single engine aircraft?

I want to do it in a warrior, anyone got hints and tips?

Cheers

[tinpis]

Watch out theres spaceships.

http://www.smilies.our-local.co.uk/index_files/yikes.gif

[Lasiorhinus]

Do it in the middle of a warm summers day with nice weather,
Fly high and via Flinders or King Island,
Do it IFR if you can, at the very least get ATC help,
Carry full fuel, an ELT and lifejackets and look at the GPS

Enjoy the view!

[Wanikiba_pilot]

Go via Wilson Prom, Deal Island and Flinders Island, there are airstrips on Flinders and Deal (but need permission to use Deal). Relatively short distances between islands. Gives you something to look at while over the deep blue, and is very scenic. Go high.

[Roger Standby]

Check out Ersa regarding Bass Straight crossings and certainly contact ATC to arrange over water skeds. If we're busy, you might get put on hold momentarily, but we'll get to you. I don't think Bass Straight would be a pleasant place to ditch, but at least the ball is rolling for recovery within 15 minutes of a failed report rather than hours later when someone might be wondering where you are.

Cheers,

R-S.

[takeonme]

Check your pm's mate

[Bevan666]

A few years back, between Chrissy and New Year, I flew into King Island in a big single. Just shot an NDB approach to get in.

Ran into a fellow and his wife from Ballarat. They were preparing to depart for home in a warrior, back to the mainland. Had a word to the driver about the weather (broken/ovc 1000). He said 'no worries mate it was worse on the way down here'.

Apparently he had flown from torquay direct to King Island (not via cape otway) the previous day, at 500ft over the sea (due weather). It was his first trip away after gaining his PPL.

:confused:

I mentioned (out of earshot of his very trusting wife) that he was a much braver man than I.

Some peoples stupidity amazes me. Yes, common sense is not.

Bevan..

[Ang737]

I know a lot of people who have done the Cape Otway - King trip at 500'. Yes they are out of VHF range below 3000' out there. I guess the aircraft doesnt know its over but the pilot certainly does... Every creek and cough and heart rate rises...

Ang

[chief wiggum]

And whatever you do, do NOT watch the video 'Search without rescue"

[turbantime]

Take note of ships that you pass on the way so that can you can relay their position to ATC if your engine quits. They can then go about contacting them so as to reduce response time.

[Buckshot]

Certainly not a strip of water to be taken lightly. Earlier this week one of the big ferries was forced to turn back after encountering 20 metre waves which smashed windows on the upper decks.

[PLovett]

Have done it several times in single-engined aircraft, mostly via Flinders Island (the distances between bits of terra firma are less) but also twice via King Island and Cape Otway (once at about 1000 to 1500').

Check the weather carefully. It does tend to be worse over the islands than through the middle. In fact the eastern end of Bass Straight is probably one of the most notorious weather factorys in Australia. Think of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race.

If your aircraft is fitted with HF learn how to use it. Very useful if you have to go low. Set up the overwater schedules. ATC are very good. I was a couple of minutes late on one and they were calling me.

Be very careful if there is a NE to SE wind blowing around Flinders Island. It will bring in sea fog. If you have the fuel go up as it will not penetrate far inland. SW around King Island are a no-go. Very strong winds, low cloud, rain and other assorted nastiness.

With all that in mind. Enjoy the trip. Both King and Flinders Islands are incredibly beautiful and if you care to stay over, both can offer magnificent fresh food, especially seafood. Enjoy.

[morning mungrel]

Stop it guys, you're scaring me.

[Arm out the window]

A liferaft and a bit of a brush up about what to do for sea survival in cold water (hypothermia) probably wouldn't go astray!
A dry suit might be a bit of an overkill, but would certainly be a nice thing to have on when bobbing around in the water.
Life expectancy unprotected in the cold water isn't real flash.
Still, flying over forested country in singles is probably just as bad for our health, so I guess it's what risks we accept.

[Kickatinalong]

Over water scheds are a must and cost nothing, at 3000' you are never out of sight of land via Cliffy, Hogan, Deal, Flinders. Life jackets must be worn in a single and carried in a twin, life raft not req'd. I have done it in both and in a single 10 times remember the 5 "P"
Prior Planning Prevents P=sspoor Performance.
Do your home work and enjoy.

[Bevan666]

Over water scheds are a must and cost nothing, at 3000' you are never out of sight of land via Cliffy, Hogan, Deal, Flinders. Life jackets must be worn in a single and carried in a twin, life raft not req'd

Now I think I better brush up on the CAR's and O's, but my memory is they need to be worn when operating below 2000ft when over water, and not approaching or departing an aerodrome.

Bevan..

[turbantime]

If you're required to carry life jackets in single engine a/c then you must wear them if operating under 2000ft. Not required to wear them in multi-engine a/c or when approaching or departing an aerodrome as Bevan said.

Life rafts required if operating away from land at a distance of 30 minutes normal cruising speed or 100nm whichever is less.

So pull out the charts and do the math yourself. :ok:

[scrambler]

Yes Wear the Life Jackets below 2000'. Interresting that if you take the hired ones out of the sealed pouch you will normally be charged to re test them!

Best life jackets are known as heli or pouch type jackets. These are fitted to your waist prior to the flight and a tab pulled over your head if the jacket is required. This covers the requirement to wear the jacket and the jacket is with you at all times. There have been occasions where passengers have exited a ditched aircraft (first survival instinct) only to find once outside that there life jackets are sinking with the aircraft.

Enjoy the trip, its alot of fun (the first 100 or so times anyway). Plan to land at the main airports, alot of the Islands have strips but they are normally rough and short.