Moorabbin to Tasmania - When / Best Route?

[alex79]

Hi

For those who already did the trip over the bass strait from Melbourne to Tasmania - When is the best time to do it? Seems that weather is problem number 1.

Also in regards to the route, it seems that the Moorabbin, Wilsons Prom, Flinders Island is probably the safest. I was considering flying into Launceston and then Hobart.

I would like to avoid flying the same route back, and do Hobart, King Island, Apollo Bay and back home. A stop in Queenstown would be nice, but with all that terrain and (as far as I know) difficult weather, it might be better to stay east of the terrain?

All in a SE Cessna.

Comments? Suggestions? Concerns?

Thanks!

[DWB50]

It's a great trip to do Alex. I did it last year in my (fast) 2 seat ultralight. I planned the trip (from the Hunter Valley) for June & monitored the wx for weeks to get a feel for what was happening. When a window appeared I went for it. Home to YCEM 1st day, then YCEM to a private strip across Ralphs Bay from Hobart, stopping at Flinders Island for a not really required top up of fuel, then down the east coast of Tassie. Returned 2 days later doing the inland route up towards Launceston skirting to the west of the CTA on to Devonport, then tracked to Wynyard to refuel. From there tracked along the north coast to Smithton then tracked to King Island, but didn't land there. Continued direct to Apollo Bay then did the Twelve Apostles fly by then to Ballarat for fuel.
Used the maximum altitude possible (8,500'/9500') across the straight, wore the mandatory life jackets & did 10 minute reporting to Melbourne Centre across the water.
I'm sure others that do/have done it more regularly can give you a lot more good advice.
Enjoy!

[Ultralights]

nice trip i completed last october with a CPL class, in a 206, and 182, landing at every stop...

Mt Hotham ,Latrobe Valley, Flinders Island, St helens, Launceston, Hobart, Winyard via Cradle Mountain,
King Island, Ceres/geelong, Swan Hill, Hay.

overnight at Flinders, Hobart, Geelong.

very scenic place to fly, and very aviation friendly, just dont forget your Hi-Vis when in Tassie, they go nuts if you dont have it.(well, the guy at Winyard did anyway).. no idea why.

[Flying Ted]

I have done the trip several times and using both routes. You are right the weather is the issue. You can probably do it any time of year as long as the forecast is OK.

I once had an extend stay on Flinders Island waiting for the weather to improve. So when you go make sure you plenty of flexibility as to when you might and come back.

[Mach E Avelli]

November to April would be the best time, as obviously the weather 'windows' last longer than in winter, as well as no icing and usually less wind.
I am a coward when it comes to swimming with Great Whites, so have always gone via the Wilson's Prom - Hogan - Deal - Flinders route. A forced landing on Hogan would probably be survivable, though you wouldn't get to use the aeroplane again. There is a decommissioned strip on Deal Island which may be OK for emergency use. Also the general route is popular in summer for cruising yachts, so a hand held marine band transceiver would be something to consider.
Because even at 9500 feet, there is a small 'wet footprint' on this route - unless you are flying a motor glider. The smaller you can keep it the less stressful you will find flying what is a most spectacular trip.

[Aussie Bob]

Just start and go ... When you have done a few trips at 500' everything else looks good.

[swab]

It's a great experience to do the 'circuit' up and back. Late January to March is the most stable time of year weather wise. Westerly and southwesterly weather/winds generally means that the eastern half of the state is reasonably clear.
It's a great trip. Enjoy!

[Jex]

I ferried a C152 from NSW down to Hobart a few years ago via the Wilsons Prom - Hogan Is - Deal Is - Flinders Is route. I waited for a big high pressure system to park itself over Bass Straight so it was CAVOK the whole way and I could cruise at 9500'.

One bit of advice a yachtie gave me was that if I survived a ditching I would die from hypothermia in the icy waters of Bass Straight by the time someone came and fished me out, so I ended up wearing my 4mm steamer wetsuit under my clothes for the overwater flight. This had the added benefit of keeping me comfortable at 9500' as the 152 was a little draughty and the heater didn't work!

It was a great flight, magnificent scenery and the refueller at Flinders Island was friendly and helpful.

cheers

Jex

[Howard Hughes]

April and November would be my suggestions for timing! :ok:

[Toruk Macto]

March -April best months . Good day you can see all the islands down to Flinders before leaving the prom .

[BlatantLiar]

Some of you guys are a bit precious when it comes to flying over water.

[hillbillybob]

as a former resident of the apple Isle I will agree with the posts talking the best (most settled, not warmest) weather for doing anything in Tassie being from mid-ish Feb to end of march/early april.

good point to remember is that the west coast gets around 300 days a year of rain so if you see a chance to head that way then take it because there will be no guarantees that the next day will be fine as well

[growahead]

My two bob's worth. Anytime there is a big stable high should be fine, I've crossed in winter in perfect conditions. Can be very windy in Spring. Generally speaking, Jan through to April should be more stable. One consideration I think that is worth making, is the length of daylight. Closer to summer, you will have long hours of daylight. It would be better to commence the flight earlier in the day than later. If, in the extremely unlikely event of a swim, your chances of rescue/survival are a lot better with the luxury of daylight. The guys in Aerocommander that ditched many years ago may have survived if they had more time for help to arrive. Lastly, in a easterly weather pattern, the north east corner can be an isolated area of non or marginal vmc, and there can be weather against the mountains north east of Launceston, so be prepared to go coastal to the Tamar River, pretty much foolproof. You will have a great flight, make the effort to head down the south west as well, the Arthur Ranges, and coastal round the Tasman Peninsula, it's world class, leaves the Cliffs of Mohir for dead.

[Ultralights]

i was thinking the same things...

i would rather this...
http://pamuva1.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Tasmania-trip/i-RQsPHMq/0/M/IMG_2780-M.jpg

than this..

http://pamuva1.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Tasmania-trip/i-X4dtXqH/0/M/IMG_2449-M.jpg

if your plan is to sight see, head a little south east of Hobart, you wont be disappointed,

http://pamuva1.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Tasmania-trip/i-nVhGTHv/0/M/IMG_2620-M.jpg

even the tower guys at Launceston, and Hobart international are very accommodating, even to a bunch of sydneysiders in cessnas..

http://pamuva1.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Tasmania-trip/i-k8NH7Sf/0/M/IMG_2641-M.jpg

[Squawk7700]

Plenty of Victorians fly over every day VFR, it's not that bad, it just depends on what your personal minimums are.

I'm in Hobart right now, absolutely perfect weather, shorts and t-shirt weather.

[Rotor Work]

I have never had a clear sky flight across the Strait,
Back in the 80's when I did my Un Restricted License, I had to do a Mainland Nav, Wynyard to Essendon via King Island, onto Moorabin then back to Wynyard via Flinders. It made for a long day.

+1 for Aussie Bobs post, anything higher than 500 feet is a bonus.

Enjoy your trip

Regards R W

[flywatcher]

Get a forecast.
Draw a line on the map from where you are to where you want to go.
Start the engine.
Go.

[megan]

If you're not afraid of remote areas I always enjoyed the flight from Hobart down the east coast, around the south coast, up past Port Davey to Strahan. Denny King is long gone, but he was a most hospitable host at his tin mine at Melaleuca (dirt strip in the south west - Bathurst Harbour). Kept a most interesting visitors book. Would hope his home is being kept in some sort of presentable state.

With 15,000 hours flying Bass Strait the advice is, don't push the weather. Area forecasts are most unreliable and are to be taken with a very large pinch of salt. The micro meteorology of the area is unbelievable, mini frontal systems for example that don't appear on any forecast.

Edited to add: If the wind is blowing in Tas don't even think about it. Turbulence on the east side will have you wishing to be elsewhere. One Cessna driver had items in the baggage comp of his 172 disappear out through the upper rear windows. I had the experience of seeing an angle of bank past the vertical in a helo due turbulence.

[Aussie Bob]

One Cessna driver had items in the baggage comp of his 172 disappear out through the upper rear windows

I bet he uses a cargo net these days. An expensive lesson I've done myself :ooh:

[beached az]

Just looking at the YFLI-YGTH TRK.
Wondering if refueling stop at East Sale is a viable option.
Certainly more DCT route. ERSA only says PPR.
Keen to hear from anyone who has done it that way.

Cheers BAz :ok:

[Hempy]

Better off at WSL I reckon.

[Lead Balloon]

Yep. If you're GA and want to buy fuel, WSL is probably the better option. Both kinds of fuel available with swipe card bowsers these days.

[megan]

WSL has avgas fuel these days? No facility when I left a few years ago, had to fill up at Latrobe Valley. You won't be welcome at ESL either, military only, unless that has changed as well.

[Lead Balloon]

Current ERSA entry for YWSL: Aerorefuellers 24HR AVGAS & JET A1 self service bowsers...That's accurate. Installed a couple of years ago.