Gold Coast area GA

[dantanna]

Hi,

am hoping to duck away from the theme parks and pools for an hour or two when i'm next in southern qld.

not knowing the area well can anyone comment on:
- is coolangatta the only airport within striking distance from broadbeach
- nice scenic routes in the area
- preference for air gold coast or australian wings academy (only two i could find)
- a grass/dirt airstrip 20-30mins away to 'de-rust'

thanks in advance

[spinex]

Jacobs Well/Heck Field is a bit north of Broadbeach, mix of RA and GA activity, earlyish Saturday am the best time to see some action. Just roll in and scrawl your autograph in the visitors book - don't mind all the signage at the entrance. Southport is tucked into the scrub at Coombabah - private club and I'm not sure what the policy is on land based visitors, nothing stopping you from observing goings on from the end of the runway though. (Raintree Glen, off Pine Ridge Rd.) A bit further afield there is Murwillumbah in N NSW, about an hour from B'Beach and Tyagarah a similar distance away, just north of Byron Bay. At Cooly follow the signs toward the hospital, past the northern end - good viewing and parking at the skatepark and you can get right up to the boundary fence.

[spinex]

Just re-read your post, are you planning to rent from Cooly and do a jolly? The VFR route along past Surfers and along the islands is pretty spectacular, otherwise Mt Warning and the Numinbah Valley etc can make a nice loop.

[dantanna]

thanks for the response and info - yes planning on renting / dual depending on various factors

need a bfr so was toying with the idea of doing up there

any thoughts on the schools?

[Lancair70]

I think Air Gold Coast is the only school able to do BFR on GC. Dont quote me on that, but they were all I could find able to do it, another international student training school never rang me back re the BFR.

I ended up doing it in Lismore with Bill Kiernan at Northern Rivers Aero Club. Nicest guy Ive ever done a BFR with and the most thorough too. It was what I think all BFR should be, was just about the complete PPL test without the actual nav but I had to plan one.

Agree re the scenic route choices, do both.

Andrew

[Ejector]

Jacobs Well is closer to half way between Gold Coast and Brisbane, actually, not that bad, but out of the way. I suggest you contact the club there, and hitch a ride with a member. Some very friendly people there. (North of Coomera if looking on Google).

The Broad-beach airport is long closed down, at least 10 years ago. :ok:

[spinex]

In an aviation context I suppose you could call it "maintaining trim", ie a chip on either shoulder.:}

Back to the original topic, don't know the Cooly schools, had heard they were aimed only at the fast track CPL crowd - but can't speak from personal experience.