VFR Flying in Australia - Help required!

[charliejulietthotel]

Hi, calling all Oz PPLer’s out there! I’m doing a trip in August from Darwin to Cairns, stopping off in various points in Queensland.
I’m just after a bit of help from you guys, I work in the UK with an airline, but I was an instructor before hand, and I’ve kept current, so I’m quite up to date on VFR side of flying especially in UK airspace, what I’m interested in knowing, are there many differences flying in Australian airspace, mainly RT procedures, do you guys have Flight information service’s and Radar information services? I’m really sorry if I sound arrogant, but I’ve never flown in Australia before! I completed my basic flying in Phoenix Arizona, but coming back to the UK, the RT procedures were completely different!
If anyone can guide me to the websites/phone numbers of organisations used for planning purposes e.g. weather and NOTAM’s, I would appreciate it a lot, thanks in advance!

CJH.

[Mark1234]

Although I'm a pom, I've done very little flying in UK airspace.. so not so big on the differences.

However:
Airspace is a lot simpler here (there's a lot less controlled).
Navigation is a lot more difficult (there's a lot of nothing out there - one pile of parched brown paddocks (fields) looks a lot like the next)
A RIS is technically available on the area fewquency depending on controller workload. Not ever seen it used much, and I know there's a lack of controllers.
Depending on where you fly there is a lot of the country where there's no VHF coverage - go HF..
Head over into the D&G forum and read the CTAF procedures thread.
In fact, possibly best to ask in D&G questions (not the reporting points - that's commercial aviation).

Some useful links:
Aeronautical Information Package (http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/publications/aip.asp) AIP, En route supplements etc.
Pilot Briefing Service (http://www.airservices.gov.au/brief/) Briefings - NOTAM etc. May need a password for that one.
Pilot guides & education (http://www.casa.gov.au/pilots/guides.htm) Visual flight guide and other such
Pilot information - Visual Pilot Guides for Melbourne, Sydney Basin, Archerfield and Jandakot (http://www.casa.gov.au/pilots/pilotgde.htm) Pilot guides for some of the major cities.
Flying Around (http://www.airservices.gov.au/pilotcentre/training/flyingaround/default.asp) Interactive airspace / charting for major cities

/Mark.

[charliejulietthotel]

Hi Mark, thank you very much for all the info, yeah i can imagine nav being difficult, looking forward to the challenge!

[b4igo]

Check your PMs
Regards