Lord Howe Trip?

[extralite]

Wondering if anyone has flown to Lord Howe and if so pass on any tips? HAvent found anyone who written about doing it in a light aircraft. Im aware of the need for suitable light wind conditions on arrival and pre-book accommodation/fuel, need for a life raft. Planning to do it in a Cirrus.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

That'll be a first! Don't think its ever been done in a single engine light aircraft before.

Oh...........hang on a minute - Francis Chichester did it in his Gypsy Moth in 1931!

[rioncentu]

Have heard of a couple of folks who have done it en-route to NZ.

Lord Howe - Norfolk - NZ

210 and 206 I have heard about. Seems doable from all accounts on standard tanks.

http://c200series.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/99370_Cessna-200-Newsletter-11_Autumn-2014.pdf

Page 8. I can probably get that guy's contacts for you.

[extralite]

Hi..thanks for that. He seem to think the Lord Howe part nothing special, maybe i am over thinking it after reading some advice to be extra cautious about it on another site. Il start planning it.

[Squawk7700]

That'll be a first! Don't think its ever been done in a single engine light aircraft before.

Oh...........hang on a minute - Francis Chichester did it in his Gypsy Moth in 1931!

A single to NZ via Lord Howe with a Rotax. A couple of Jabiru's have also done it too...

Pipistrel Sinus flies Aus to NZ via Lord Howe and Norfolk... (http://www.mcp.com.au/sinus/newsletters/newsletter-36/newsletter-36.html)

Of course Ben Buckley flew a 2-stroke Rotax 582 powered Lightwing direct to NZ non-stop!

[extralite]

Sort of thing i might have done before i had a young family :)

[sgenie]

Doable but make sure both Norfolk and Lord Howe have fuel for you.

[Tonym3]

I am on Lord Howe Island as I type to you, having just flown a sightsee around balls pyramid. Flew out here on the 4th and will be flying back to Sydney area tomorrow. Piper Saratoga IIHP.

This is the second time I have flown the Saratoga to Lord Howe. I bring my wife and six year old with me. I don't know if it is because I flew the aircraft back from Portugal over more water than I care to remember but the 2.5 hours YWVA direct doesn't fill me with dread. The approach and the island are more than enough to attract me and I figure that the engine don't know the difference and the six man life raft and two PLBs and life jackets are likely to be enough to wait for some kind of rescue and if they were not, well, I guess I wouldn't mind too much if that was the end plotted for me. Family thinks likewise.

The island is so magical that whether you fly yourself or on QLINK you just have to get here.

There have been several lightyish craft here over the last 10 days. Most of them twins but another PA32 was here as well. A partenavia is a regular freighter from PMQ.

As for tips, the only think I do is plan to fly outside the active times for R574. Weekends are usually ok but a really early start from Warnervale will get you out of the restricted area before it activates. If you are trying to get through it, it can be done but I think it is painful. I heard someone trying to get clearance and they were struggling. Had to fly to YPMQ I think. There is a form to fill in on the lhib website to register that you are coming and pay your bill.

I have on each occasion set a 30 min sked on Bris centre. They are great at checking where they have coverage and setting primary and secondary frequencies. Only ever needed primary.

Otherwise, usual rules apply. There hasn't been a day this past week that was unsuitable even though we had wind. There usually is wind here but I believe worse in the winter.

The position of the airport and the mountains brings turbulence that makes the approach interesting but for my money I suspect it is tougher for Qlink than it is for me. 880 metres is plenty for me to come in on a steeper than normal approach to allow for sink etc. Not sure how the Cirrus goes. Heard they use a bit more runway and a bit fast approach speed so YMMV. Runway 10 definitely the easier approach.

I love it here. You will too.:ok:

[Ixixly]

Have done plenty of long over water in singles myself and don't really see any particular issues with this one. Just like anything it's a matter of thinking about the possibilities for things to go wrong and being prepared which it seems like you've already done in regards to Accom, Fuel, Liferaft etc...

Be flexible with your departure dates, you'll want good weather no doubt so you can enjoy it without having to break a sweat, get some travel insurance if you can incase you need to change accommodation at either end, it might be covered with the right insurance which will put your mind at ease and take away the "Need" to get going.

Keep the life raft upfront with you of course, wouldn't be the first one to stick it up the back which could make it difficult to grab in an emergency, also have a good read through the instructions, what's inside the kit? Do you know how to use the pyrotechnics etc..? I'm lucky enough that my company has gotten us practice liferafts in the past to chuck in the pool with us and actually have a play with and it's not as straight forward as you might imagine when it comes to where the provisions are stored in it.

One thing I'd point out is making sure your HF is good quality, a lot of people have one they rarely ever use and when they finally do need to are shocked to find it's pretty useless!! Double check your frequencies you'll need along the way are available on your HF if it utilises crystals, if not these can take a few weeks to be made up. Think about hiring a satphone for the trip as well, always pays to be extra cautious incase something fails and they aren't overly expensive to hire for a little while.

Check your ELT as well, I've had plenty over the years that get everything except the damned switch inside the cockpit checked and that switch is often completely jammed and unusable! Check the instructions for manually testing it and do it at 0000 UTC if I remember correctly, this is the time advised for testing ELTs (Someone can probably correct me on that though?).

Last piece of advise is to take some Travel Johns, they aren't glamorous but if you're taking the wife and kid/s with you for a few hours with nothing to look at but water...well, you'll be glad you did! haha.

[27/09]

The most challenging part of flying to Lord Howe Island can be the last 5 or so minutes if you're landing on 28 with the winds form the N/W. The turbulence on finals can be interesting.

I believe in certain conditions some operators do or used to fly the base leg along or very close to the coast line turning finals low level over the beach to stay out of the turbulence in N/W conditions.

No doubt there are others on here with better info on this.

[josephfeatherweight]

Keep the life raft upfront with you of course, wouldn't be the first one to stick it up the back which could make it difficult to grab in an emergency, also have a good read through the instructions, what's inside the kit?

This is very, very, very good advice. You're only as good as the liferaft you can reach and KNOW how to deploy. I hope to do this trip one day!

[zac21]

And I hear old Ben is planning another venture to more distant lands away too ,,,,,

[Squawk7700]

And I hear old Ben is planning another venture to more distant lands away too ,,,,,


You mean Antarctica to the Faulklands right ?

(Or a combination of locations including the above)

[zac21]

You mean Antarctica to the Faulklands right ?

(Or a combination of locations including the above)
-----------------------------------------------------------

Mmm,, well,,, I guess you know more than I do.

[watching this space]

[extralite]

Reference HF for IXIXLY...is it needed? Speaking to another pilot who made the trip, he said he didnt take HF. I assume that means in VHF range the whole time if flying IFR?

[dhavillandpilot]

Re HF

Look at the coverage map and provided you stay above 5000 you are VHF covered.

Whilst I'm not a fan of single engine over water, I'd be planning Coffs direct to LHI shortest over water route. Also with a Saratoga it would allow you stufficient fuel for mainland reserves ( a requirement for charter multi engine)

When we go out there we have always found HF to be a pain but a Satphone makes all the difference. Just remember to pre programme in the numbers you need in an emergency.

With regard the life raft and life jackets, look up YouTube as to how the life raft operates. If possible see if one of the flying schools has an out of date life jacket. If you can get one go and try jumping in a pool and inflating it, you can then use it as a demo one for your passengers prior to departure.

Have a great time out there, I spent many time going out there with my dad who use to fly the Sandringhams in the early 70's

[Ixixly]

extralite, I wouldn't take that as meaning in VHF the whole time. Last time I flew out over that way at 10,000ft I lost VHF about 100nm out to the east of Gold Coast, according to the coverage shading on the PCA I should have had it to about 150-180nm, I'm sure I'm not the only one to find that the coverage maps are not 100%.

That does mean only 30-60mins of being out of contact for your trip depending on your speed but not something I'd recommend. As dhavillandpilot said, the HF can be a pain, Satphone is your best bet IMHO but HF at the very least if you can!

[extralite]

Thanks. In the cirrus can make it there and back nil wind with hour of reserves...not including an approach. But il go only in good weather. Single engine over water is not something i would have thought about befoee but with BRS and life raft and quite new aircraft, and the fact they are always ferried from USA I think 4 hrs over water acceptable. Also gold coast (base) to LHI only 9 mins extra compared to going via cfs today (avplan). Thanks for advice every one.

[Motorola]

If you need a relay or help, call on 121.5. There is plenty of jet traffic above from/to Pacific Islands/US/NZ.

LHI NDB 272. DME also. LHI VHF ATC outlet 124.95. QLink 131.65 if staff are at the airport.

Good walks/picnics are to Transit Hill, the NDB, DME and ADSB site, and also the Catalina crash site Near Old Settlement beach.

A more difficult walk is to Malabar Hill, used by Coast Watchers during the war.

Good luck.

[Squawk7700]

and the fact they are always ferried from USA

Not quite... they USED to be ferried from the US for a number of years ending I believe after the Gen-3 model which did not have detachable wings.

Unfortunately too, the age of the aircraft does not equate to enhanced engine reliability :-(

[Ixixly]

Still a few ferried in and out of Gold Coast Squawk7700, the Air Gold Coast crew are often installing or taking out ferry tanks from them when I pass by.

[extralite]

This is a gen 5 ferried recently and I believe most are.

[mikewil]

Unfortunately too, the age of the aircraft does not equate to enhanced engine reliability :-( Is the engine in the SR20/SR22 not considered to be particularly reliable compared to the average piston single?

[extralite]

This aopa report backs up the comment that aircraft age in general aviation doesn't equate to more accidents. Even so I think personally I'd rather be over water in a 2 year old 500 hour aircraft than a 30 year old 5000 hr one. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2000/july/pilot/when-is-an-aircraft-too-old but personal preference

[Lead Balloon]

The engine doesn't know whether it's fitted to a new or old airframe, so the point is the engines themselves should be equally reliable (depending on the knowledge and decisions of the 'nut behind the wheel'), not more reliable just because it's fitted to a new airframe.

I worry about the reliability of new engines. Infant mortality and all that...

[mcoates]

The scariest part of the whole trip is losing sight of land behind you and the radio getting quieter and quieter until in the end it is totally silent!

It is very much like the start of the Jodie Foster movie "contact" where you are travelling further out into space and all of the radio/TV chatter less and less and less, quite eerie really because you then know you are alone.