View Full Version : Dash 8 - Inverloch/Phillip Island Area?
Pedota
8th Mar 2009, 22:34
Purely out of idle curiosity . . . a blue and white Dash 8 was stooging around between Inverloch and Phillip Island (Vic) at about 1500' for about two hours on Saturday afternoon. It went over my holiday place at Cape Paterson about a dozen times . . . does anyone know what they were doing?
Cheers
Pedota
RENURPP
8th Mar 2009, 22:43
Maybe the LADs. its surveys the ocean floor.
Di_Vosh
8th Mar 2009, 23:05
Maybe you've got a REALLY NICE holiday house?? :}
AussieNick
8th Mar 2009, 23:07
it vh-lcl doing survey work
Pedota
9th Mar 2009, 00:04
Many thanks. And no Di_Vosh, my place is not that spectacular!
Cheers
Di_Vosh
9th Mar 2009, 00:06
Oh. Sorry to hear that. :sad:
The other reason then.
VH-XXX
9th Mar 2009, 07:49
It's been flying for atleast 6 weeks. 'twas in the Point Cook area last weekend. Would be interesting to see what it's actually surveying as there seems to be no pattern to it as such.
Pedota
9th Mar 2009, 10:57
I could not work out any pattern on Saturday either . . . it seemed to be a constant east-west transect over Cape Paterson – in fact I was impressed by the accuracy of the tracking over the same spot.
I also checked out the LADs web site as suggested by RENURPP (Australian Hydrographic Service - LADS (http://www.hydro.gov.au/aboutus/lads/lads.htm)), but it appears they use an F27 (supported by the East-West Loco thread), but maybe their web site is not up to date?
But who am I to wonder why . . . maybe they were doing low-level instrument calibration for Phillip Island or Wonthaggi aids – or possibly checking seismic activity on the day after the mini earth quake at Korumburra? However, I did comment to my wife that what ever they are doing is getting to be quite expensive – two or so hours of low-level flight must get costly at some point.
But again . . . I am only motivated by idle curiosity.
Cheers
Pedota
Jabawocky
9th Mar 2009, 11:18
Pedota,
You need a good RV building project to take your mind off it! :ok:
You know you want one!:}
Jabaless :ok:
gav_20022002
9th Mar 2009, 11:40
From what i understand VH-LCL has a area on the bottom of the hull that has been replaced with optically perfect glass where a laser is fired down to map the seabed although i believe it can only penetrate to a depth of about 80m. The track spacing can range from approx 20m to about 200m depending on requirements, LCL is as far as i know run by Cobham and the F-27 is primaraly based out of Cairns and is possibly controlled by the navy in the back end of the aircraft.
hope this helps but is 2nd hand info, happy to be corrected....:ok:
Pedota
9th Mar 2009, 22:33
Nice one Jaba . . . I don't even trust myself to have a look!!
Cheers
Pedota
Pedota
11th Mar 2009, 04:21
Thanks again everyone . . . I saw the Dash 8 at Essendon today.
Cheers
Pedota
Hi Guys & Gals
I am flying out of YMEN at the moment. We often see LCL, they seem to fly most days, including weekends.
We sometimes get tasked down to 500 AGL, and see them fly above us at 800 to 1000 AGL or over the sea.
I agree with you an expensive gig, but wish I could get DASH 8 time flying up and down the coastline. Seems like a good way to build hours and turbine time.
Cheers
JERR