Hi guys,
Bushy, hope I can answer some of your questions...
for my 2 bobs worth , I have 3000+ hours in the Westwind, both 1 & 2 ), and have done LOTS of overwater flights....longest single sector being 1272nm....doing this 3 or 4 days per week.
The WW could happily depart BNE with 2 crew, 8 pax, bags a little freight, and go BNE-Kieta and carry either Port Moresby/Rabaul/Kavieng as the alternate...and for the disbelievers who are type rated, and think Im not, in certain temps, we did 0 flap due second segment.....that should answer yr question....but to be fair, we had a low basic weight, and I dont know what NGA's was.
We carried freight or 8-10 pax....and also the odd medivac which were normally premmie babies or nasty mine accidents, and carried life jackets PLUS a couple of rafts INSIDE the cabin...tight fit ...no..but space was used very efficiently...F/o used to do a FULL safety demo before each departure showing how to use jacket, and where rafts were kept etc..
We had an AOC plus an Ops manual. So the line guys had a good idea on how to do things....and this was the 1980's.....
So what has changed re oceanic flights..?
As far as Pelair is concerned, the C&t guys are good, CP used to be good, but manuals and ops procedures let down by CASA.....I am sure there are a few ex AN F-28 and B-200 Norfolk Is guys reading this and thinking of their days going into Norfolk Is with its rapidly changing Wx conditions...and " what on earth was he thinking"...sure he didnt have enough fuel, but was it his first time ?... what exactly does the Ops manual say ?...and Im NOT taking ANY info 60 idiots has to say..... was there a problem getting fuel into the tip tanks????..remember those "pull sticks".....maybe JMac and a few others at CASA will have to make sure that Island holding is considered for all ops.......as for Ops into Islands...how about a few opinions from guys who used to fly the Chieftans from Pt Macq to Lord Howe....I would think they would have had fuel consumption plus numerous options planned every 30 mins......but at the end of the day, they did ALL get out..which is good..