Tropical Cyclone Larry

[nomorecatering]

Just been reading the details of Tropical Cyclone Larry which about to make landfall between Cairns and Townsville. The BOM website says that core wind speeds are approaching 290 km/h.

Hope every flyable GA aircraft has been evacuated from the danger areas.

Best of luck to our northen cousins.

[tinpis]

Wont the "medja" have a field day.:hmm:

[Time Bomb Ted]

My sister in law lost her house at 7:00am this morning. Fled in terror with her 2 kids after the roof and 3 of the 4 walls went sightseeing.

Bugger...:(

[boeingwest]

Hope every flyable GA aircraft has been evacuated from the danger areas.


NOMORECATERING

Funny you should say that, I have experienced TC's in YPDN and YBCS, and in Darwin last time, the only plane on the GA apron was MMA (hardy's DC3), that cyclone was a fizzer about this time last year. I took a drive at 2300 last night here in Cairns, and counted close to 20-30 planes on the tarmac, including shiny new caravans and a number of twins, not just the 'derelects'. I know sunstate and ****** ferried planes outta here to Mt Isa I believe, only 2 heavies on the tarmac (2 x B727), anyway it's a different attitude over here in Cairns I believe. No hysteria like Darwin "lets pack the kids and head to Katherine". Raw memories perhaps of 30 years back... Anyway it wasn't too bad here in Cairns where I live, few roofs flying around the place, I just hope everyone is ok in YIFL. Take it easy guys! :ok:

[onya]

As we speak Innisfail is coping a hiding. Fears now for the folks on the Atherton Tablelands. Mates Grandma just called and is very scared. Big winds, bucketing rains......she can't see the front gate. Poor old sole. Prayers are with all.

[wishtobflying]

Cairns weather radar here ... http://mirror.bom.gov.au/products/IDR193.loop.shtml

Looks like Cairns is getting some serious rainfall. :sad:

[1DC]

Just watching the coverage on channel 7 and the resilience of you Aussies is something to be admired, Good Luck to all affected.
Another thing, the tv coverage is very clear and to the point, no hysteria or scaremongering, the only repeats have been the statements by the pollies. Eat your heart out CNN!!

[RENURPP]

boeingwest
Funny you think that.
I departed Cairns around 1830 last night and commented to F/O that they really panic in Cairns.
Cyclone was expected to cross coast well south of Cairns around 10 the next day.
Airport closed at 1900 QF staff go home and secure houses etc. All QF flights cancelled until next afternoon.
There was a mass exodus from the GA side around 1800 with only a few GA aircraft left and on closer inspection the majority of these were not airworthy i.e. missing parts required to get airborne, the rest were probably over insured.

As for the caravan etc they probably do as they do here in Darwin which is get the VFR out and wait until problems are imminent before evacuating the IFR.

I have lived in the tropics for around 20yrs and recall no panic in Darwin, in fact it has surprised me that people are so relaxed after the experience of Tracy.

It appears from the TV that FNQ pretty much escaped devastation. A few houses damaged and the odd one destroyed but all in all not as bad as it could have been.
The FNQ economy probably will take the biggest hit. A fair amount of crop damage will affect people’s lively hood for the foreseeable future. Would have been a pretty worrying few hours, especially for the elderly!

I had a look at some photo’s of Tracy whilst watching the news and the most apparent difference was the lack of trees standing and the fact that there were no leaves left on the trees in Darwin. That is apart from the obvious, hardly a house left standing. (different building codes these days makes a huge difference)

I hope the governments, take appropriate measures to assist the needy, unlike the after math in New Orleans.

[vee1-rotate]

TC Wati is forming approx 2000km east of TSV at moment....looks much larger then Larry...check the radar here

http://www.goes.noaa.gov/sohemi/sohemiloops/shirgmscol.html

[Pass-A-Frozo]

Nasty piece of work that Larry.

Seems the local mayor has the right idea, he highlighted that the first thing they are going to do when they can get outdoors is clear the runway at YIFL, and the roads to / from the airport so support can get in and out.
Hopefully not too much debris on the runway. From memory it's mainly crops around the airfield so it should not be too hard to move. I wonder if the little Ag aircraft out at YIFL are ok???

[Elroy Jettson]

We were pretty lucky in CNS (This time). Have been clearing debris from my yard and the neighbours. You know what really got up my nose? Those w@ankers who as soon as the wind stopped, grabbed their video cameras and digital cameras and roamed the streets hoping to catch footage of some poor unfortunate family who had lost everything so they could maybe sell it to some scum bag journalist. My advice to those ferals, stay at home and take footage of your feral kids falling of a swing and send it to funniest home videos. The prizes are much better, or pick up a f:mad: g rake or broom and help. :mad: But of course tomorrow I will be reading about the Aussie Digger spirit, and everyone pitching in to do their bit! :yuk: :yuk: Not anymore, too busy trying to get that one in a million photo.

Time Bomb Ted, my sympathy to your family.

There, I feel much better. Rant over.

[YYWG]

Speaking of w@nkers, try the Ch 10 journos joking about Larry on the C-games coverage this morning.

Oh well, put the pr!cks in the middle of a Cat-4 or Cat-5 and laugh while the p!ss themselves.

From down hear in 'southerner-land' I could only feel for the people of Innisfail today. Having been there a couple of times in the past, I know what you went through. Hope all is well.

PM

[turbantime]

Here's a hapless looking cessna. Yeah, I saw those w@nkers joking about it too.....get the "Air Force" Blackhawks to throw them in there.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=92072

[Capt Claret]

Elroy, did those "w@nkers" (sic) have signs up announcing that they were fortune seeking film journalists? Or could they perhaps have been taking pictures/video for future remeniscence?

[Elroy Jettson]

Dont know if they had signs or not CC, not even sure that signs would be appropriate, signs are only useful if you can read. I did notice they didnt have any interest in helping out. They can take their happy family snaps of other peoples misery when the work is done. If they have to have the "on the spot action shot", yes, oppurtunistic parasites.

[tinpis]

One is monitoring the price of bananas in Woolies and Coles.
Never mind that they are Darwhine 'nanas probably picked trucked south to market and brung back.

[topdrop]

Cairns airport did not close until 10:20pm Sun. It was supposed to be 10pm but ATC waited around until Virgin did a quick turn around of their last flight. Reopened at midday Mon - 3 hours after cyclone crossed the coast.
The original closure time was going to be 7pm, but after ATC queried the accuracy of Met's forecast time for the commencment of the 50+knots of wind it was put back a few hours.
ATC close up shop approx 3 hours before the 50 knot wind is forecast - allows staff time to go home and prepare before the big blow arrives. Reopening depends on staffing and what equipment is working.

[romeocharlie]

Was in Cairns for the cyclone, but was training in Innisfail up until day before. One only needs to drive through the area to be physically sickened by the devestation that has occurred. Photo's do not do it justice and my heart goes out to those who have lost everything. Very happy to see the PM and Premier experiencing how bad it really is, and obtaining an appreciation of how much it will cost to start again. The armed forces have a few bases - one at airport and doing much needed work to help clean up the place. On a side note the flying school managed to miraculously come out close to unscathed and training continues as of monday.

RC

[404 Titan]

romeocharlie

I’ve been trying to find out how Bob and Carol came out through cyclone Larry. Glad to hear they are OK and that they will be back in business on Monday. Did they keep the aircraft there in the hangers or did they fly them out? What about their house which is at the airport? I hope they still have a roof? I’ve been through many cyclones up north and a few Typhoons here in Asia but never a category 5 cyclone. Must have been terrifying.