Hi mixed,
I have been reading your discussions and am wondering if you have considered a TMG (Traveling Motor Glider). Firstly - they are not "gliders", but rather capable traveling machines based on modern gliding technology - typical traveling speed is 80-100kts using 18-20 liters per hour cruising anywhere between 500ft and FL200 (with breathing oxygen). They are very comfortable to fly and have a decent payload capability. Their gliding capability also makes them an extremely safe aeroplane, because if you for instance have an engine failure at, say, 5000ft, you can glide usually more than 35km before you have to land - a great safety factor !
I circumnavigated Australia in a TMG last year - not once, but twice - and my next longer trip is from Adelaide to Cape York and back. As long as you hold a CASA PPL, there are no restrictions to operate in any airspace (except Class A above FL250
). Most of them are powered by Rotax engines which means you can use Mogas. It is also possible to do quite a bit of maintenance yourself (under GFA control). The TMGs I am using are registered under CASA, but they could also be registered under the GFA, as long as you are a member of the Gliding Federation. Further, in these, you can turn the engine off, feather the prop and have a great day soaring the clouds and waves such as one of the most spectacular ones in the world, the Morning Glory Cloud at the Gulf of Carpentaria. If you are tempted to consider this, let me know and I can give you a lot more details off-line. If you would like to know more about what I am doing with these aeroplanes, have a look at
www.airborneresearch.org.au, or if this link gets deleted, search for "Airborne Research Australia" in Google. Cheers, Jorg