Flexwing flight UK to Australia

[Flexwing7]

I'm setting off from Uk in January en-route to Australia in my flexwing.

Routing UK-France-Italy-Greece-Egypt-Saudi Arabia-Qatar-Dubai-Oman-Pakistan-India-Bangladesh-Myanmar-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore-Indonesia-Australia

If anyone has any contacts or advice for these areas I would be grateful to hear from them.

[Flyingmac]

Sorry, no advice but I wish you the best of luck.

[Katamarino]

PM me :ok:

[JamesTigris]

Sounds absoluly amazing. Put a web site together detailing your trip (when you get back I imagine!).

I'd love to hear some more details, how long are you planning on taking? How have you gone about preparing? What have been your experiences with the international authorities (there are some pretty interesting countries mentioned!)....?

[poss]

Yes most definitely sounds like an awesome trip to be taking, I'm very jealous!
I agree with James, do a website and keep a diary/record of your major legs, what you have done, problems, things seen... include photos if you can :)
Good luck :ok:

[tdbristol]

Planning a similar trip myself, but probably in 2010.
Some suggestions on whom you might ask:
- Thai Flying Club, who seem to have a good deal of info on SE Asia
THAI FLYING CLUB - General Aviation and Sport Flying in Thailand - AOPA THAILAND (http://www.thaiflyingclub.com/)
- AOPA Greece has good info on their website
AOPA Hellas | Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association of Hellas (http://www.aopa.gr/en/default.asp)
see bottom of the page "Flying in Greece - Useful information"

[jammydonut]

Be very careful to get authorised official clearances for Saudi Arabia-Qatar-Dubai-Oman-India well in advance of your trip - I would start now with the embassies
Don't just turn up and hope to overfly or land.
How do you expect to get past Iran & Afghanistan ?

[Flexwing7]

Routing from Rhodes top Alexandria then across Saudi to Pakistan to avoid those countries!:)

[Tim Dawson]

There was a guy who did that a year or two ago, in a microlight, I remember reading his account of it and it was fascinating.

[Sam Rutherford]

Hi, I tried to do this in 1998 with a Pegasus Quantum! We had to abandon in Karachi for various reasons, but mostly because our preparation and planning was completely inadequate! :ugh:

It's easier, though, than you you think. Have a great trip, and Mike and White Rose Aviation is your man for your clearances.

Safe flights!

[Flexwing7]

Thanks Sam, got Mike on the case with clearances!

Hope to have some form of real-time tracking on the website.

Would like to know more of your experiences in Karachi.

[Sam Rutherford]

Hi Martin,

We were there almost 12 years ago - so not sure I have anything useful. Just to plan properly (we didn't have Mike back then!).

We use Rimtrax for our inflight tracking. It's Iridium based (not Thuraya - Spot), so is truly global. Send me an email if you'd like more info on the system.

[TRUTHSEEKER1]

Hi Sam,
We are making a documentary about Microlights flying from the UK to Australia. We have read your many inclusions about you doing a flexwing flight from the UK to Pakistan with the intention to carry on to Australia. We accept that you failed in Karachi, we would be very interested in hearing more about the trials & tribulations you had enroute to Karachi.
We are aware that quite a few others have also done this trip by flexwing & achieved reaching Australia, it would be good to have a story of woe to spice up the documentary a bit.
Could you please furnish us with details of which flexwing microlight you used? if you can recall the registration of the flexwing that would be useful for our research to commence with.
We look forward to your response as you could be the part of the documentary that we have missing. So far we only have success stories & your attempt would be ideal to show it isn't as straightforward as it would seem.

[Sam Rutherford]

Hi Sean,

Very happy to help (and have lots of footage from our attempt in 1998) - I have already replied to your email!