Light aircraft private touring holiday suggestions 2013
I own and operate a Thai registered Piper Malibu PA-350P with the Jetprop conversion.
I need to get the prop overhauled next year and so have decided to fly the aircraft from Chaing Mai, Thailand to the overhauler in Bankstown and make a holiday of it before and after the overhaul.
Firstly, I know very little about Australia other than a few short business trips to Sydney and Melbourne in the late 90’s, so forgive my ignorance. Hopefully that will be addressed by the end of the trip!
I would appreciate some suggestions of a good route through Australia inward and outward.
The zero wind range of the aircraft at FL270 is an honest 1,000Nm.
The port of entry will be Broome. From there I was thinking of going straight to Ayres Rock, and spending a day or two there before making my way down to Bankstown. I was considering Adelaide as an off stop on the way to Bankstown, to break that leg up a little.
For the return, I would like to do some form of air tour and spend a couple of weeks slowly returning to Broome for the home stretch exploring and diving along the way. Average stop would be 2-3 days each, or longer if there was something of interest like a great diving site.
Some specific questions:-
1. Do I need an ASIC? I got one back in 2007 since I was planning to do my PPL in Australia back then, but changed my plans and so let it lapse.
2. How difficult is it to arrange local VFR flights, such as flying around Ayres Rock?
3. My PT6 burns JetA1. How available is JetA at the smaller airports?
4. Where can I obtain the insecticide you have to pre-spray the cabin with prior to arrival?
5. Weather. I was planning to leave Thailand late April, to avoid the beginning of the monsoon there, so would be arriving to Australia in early May, and returning in mid June. What is the weather generally like for flying in Australia during that period?
Any suggestions and answers gratefully received.
Cheers - Eduardo