GA flying in PNG

[Rossinoz]

I am looking at doing a private (fixed wing, single engine) tour around New Guinea. Does anyone have any advice, experience, do's and don'ts regarding flying in PNG

[Metro man]

Check your insurance very carefully, not a good idea for inexperienced pilots.

[ARPs]

Better be a turbine single engine aircraft or else you won't get very far.
Avgas is hard to find throughout PNG these days unfortunately

[Eddie Dean]

Go armed.
Stay out of the Highlands.
Turbine power, unless you have a mogas STC,
Did I mentioned go armed.

Cheers

[Pinky the pilot]

a private (fixed wing, single engine) tour around New Guinea.

Don't!

The three previous Posters also gave good advice. And IMHO, in rising order of importance.

Going armed does however have its downpoints! If you go armed, you must be prepared to use those arms if necessary. Because if you are not prepared to do so and hesitate, those arms will be very likely taken off you, with extreme violence at that, and used against you!

Well, that is how it was about 25 years ago anyway...

[Rossinoz]

Thanks for advice. Think I'll throw another dart at the map

[Flying Ted]

I asked the same question a couple of years ago. I got similar replies and crossed PNG off the list.

But what is on the list is Horn and Thursday Islands. All my home work suggests these are good places to visit.

[chimbu warrior]

Avgas is hard to find throughout PNG these days unfortunately


Not quite correct...........Avgas is impossible to find in PNG these days. NCA recently had their piston fleet grounded for about 3 weeks due no Avgas, and MAF reportedly import their own Avgas from Singapore.

[Torres]

But what is on the list is Horn and Thursday Islands. All my home work suggests these are good places to visit.

Heavens forbid, I don't know what travel guides you read! :hmm:

[Sir HC]

My advice would be not to take everything you read on PPrune as gospel. PNG, Cape York and the Torres Straits are beautiful parts of the world in their own right, living and working in these places may cause people to become jaded and biased against them.

I would have thought that with a good amount of planning, anything would be possible. PNG obviously has its difficulties with Avgas but that's not to say it can't be done. Some research into options, potentially having 3 or 4 205L drums forwarded for you by one of the aviation companies and stored by one of the local shipping companies (or a local company run by someone you can trust). Everything is for sale at a price. Of course, there will be hiccups so you better be prepared to wait a while or pay a lot, but I would just about guess that it would be the most memorable flying trip of your life should you go. You'll just need to do a LOT of research, both cultural and logistical.

FWIW, I'm talking about the coastal regions, Milne Bay and New Britain, not the highlands BTW.

If you were determined to do it and stated as much. I'm sure you'd get a lot of help from those on PPrune with contacts in PNG.

[Torres]

"....living and working in these places may cause people to become jaded and biased against them."

Well, no Sir. I lived in PNG for 23 years and loved the place. Also lived and worked for some time on Cape York and Horn Island and that too was a beautiful part of Australia.

Apart from drinking at the Wongai and visiting the museum at the Gateway Torres Strait Resort, there really isn't anything else to do on Horn Island. A few sights to see on Thursday Island, less than one day. Visiting the outer islands requires Island Council approval and there are a few islands in the Straits one should avoid for a variety of reasons. Accommodation on the outer islands ranges from "problematic" and "difficult" to "impossible".

I'm talking about the coastal regions, Milne Bay and New Britain, not the highlands BTW.

Indeed, very beautiful parts of PNG. But without knowing the original poster's aviation experience, fraught with danger for the inexperienced or unwary.

Before venturing beyond Port Moresby any pilot with no PNG experience must obtain a very full and detailed briefing from an experienced PNG pilot or preferably take a current experienced PNG pilot with him. A lot of experienced PNG pilots have ended their careers in Milne Bay and New Britain, often due to sudden tropical weather patterns, resulting in rapidly diminishing options.

[Rossinoz]

If this makes any difference- 1500 hr PIC (all single engine) 400 hr IFR and 50 hrs night ��

[Torres]

Night and IFR won't help much. How are you with lowest safe up to FL155 and weather that changes in a heart beat? :}

Good luck with your travels. :ok:

[Bravohotel]

Some years ago we had tour groups of GA single & twin engine aircraft (at least 6 or more) arriving into PNG from Australia (at least once a year) I remember them arriving in Goroka and Madang and I can't remember any of them having any problems so I guess travelling as group was the way to go back then avgas availability was not a problem I remember one year a German rego Turbine Beech A36 with winglets joining the tour.

[tail wheel]

They were led by Bob Bates of Trans Niugini Tours who owns a Beech Baron P2-BOB. Bob made sure they were adequately briefed and the tour was very well organised.

I recall the turbine Bonanzas, they had Allison 250 turbines and an extended nose leg to accommodate the big prop! :ok:

[AQIS Boigu]

If you stay out of the Highlands you could do a solo mission. Horn Island to POM via Daru or non-stop and then coastal to Alotau, China Strait and Losuia for the famous crabs.

Then head to Tufi for some diving and continue to Lae/Nadzab. Refuel there and go via the Markham Valley (very wide) to Madang and continue coastal to Wewak and Vanimo.

If the weather is good then head over the hills back to Kiunga and then to Horn Island.

From Lae/Nadzab you can also reach the New Guinea Islands which are also very picturesque - the hills aren't that high either over there.
Nice places for diving and fishing are Kimbe (Hoskins), Rabaul and Kavieng. There is also a fishing resort down in Gasmata but I am not sure if that is still going.

If you wanna head up the Highlands I would ask someone at the MAF to tag along for a donation. Goroka, Mt Hagen and Tari are some good places to visit; especially during their annual shows.

As it has been pointed out before - AVGAS is the biggest problem, NVFR is not permitted in PNG and STAY OUT OF CLOUD at all times!!!

Enjoy and lukaut long antap (be careful in the Highlands)
AB

P.s.: If I had the time I'd come with you - maybe when I am retired ;)
P.p.s.: I get a bit emotional typing this post - I had the time of my (GA) life in PNG.

[Rossinoz]

Thanks AQIS Boigu for "insider" knowledge.
Still feeling hot and cold on flight to PNG. Great suggestion to grab one of the MAF pilots.

[AQIS Boigu]

You are welcome - one more thing...make sure you have a functioning HF with the correct frequencies in your plane since VHF coverage is very poor up there.

[compressor stall]

I would recommend a visit to Horn Island and Thursday Island. You probably don't want to spend more than a couple of days there but the WW2 history of there is interesting and not that widely known. And the flight up and back is great,the east and west sides of the cape are very different.

[0ttoL]

I recently read an article (can't remember where and Google can't find it online) about Paul Bennett Airshows being invited to give a display in PNG.
The article covered the logistics of flying a small fleet of airshow planes to/from PNG including having the TBM Avenger carry fuel drums in its bomb bay!

[chimbu warrior]

That was probably here PBA New Guinea 2015 ? Aviation Spotters Online (http://aviationspottersonline.com/pba-new-guinea-2015/)

[Frontal Lobotomy]

Another vote to have a look around Horn and TI. I also found the WW2 history interesting. There was a tour running on Horn from the resort/museum when we were there a couple of years ago.

[Duck Pilot]

This may be of interest for anyone attempting a jolly up there without any in country training http://www.aic.gov.pg/pdf/FinRpts/2016/AIC%2016-1003%20N8841X.pdf

[Captain Nomad]

Interesting report... They have the runway thresholds identified back to front in the pic of the airstrip though. The approach end is 14 to land up the slope.

[AQIS Boigu]

That's why my suggested itinerary to Rossinoz is only via long bitumen/concrete airstrips.

To fly in the jungle without any training is just stupid.

[troppo]

Despite the scaremongers if you maintain vfr to your Australian standards and experience its not that hard. Stooging around in poor weather, bush vfr and commercial pressures can be avoided. Fly early in the day and call it quits at midday if you have to.
Always have an 'out' and know how to do a 180 on instruments as a worst case. Situational awareness and stay away from bush strips no matter how benign they appear from the air.

[tail wheel]

Like this MAF bush strip Trooppo? :}

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/Woomera/PPRuNe/NiceRunway.jpg

[Pinky the pilot]

Taily; Has anyone ever been able to put a name and location to that particular 'goat track?'

I seem to remember someone saying it was in Irian Jaya and solely used by the MAF.:confused:

[troppo]

Yeah...maybe 10 years ago I found it in a godbotherer newsletter and posted the link. Not MAF but some other outfit and further up SEA towards Malaysia from memory.

[IFEZ]

The MAF boys would have been doing some serious praying operating in & out of that strip..! What a doozy..!

[Bedder believeit]

Does OMKALI near KUNDIAWA still exist? I flew in there in a C206 in 1967? If so, a pic will set your pulse racing. Pindiu and Mindik in the Morobe district were fun too

[RadioSaigon]

Like this MAF bush strip Trooppo?

I can't be certain given the camera angle and the age of the photo... but it does look quite a lot like Doufu, here in Indonesian Papua. Was last on there a few months ago. There's others here that have flown the area there also that may be able to confirm/deny

Taily; Has anyone ever been able to put a name and location to that particular 'goat track?'

I seem to remember someone saying it was in Irian Jaya and solely used by the MAF.

If it is indeed Doufu Pinky, it may well have been MAF only when that image was taken, but is more widely flown by other operators now.

[tail wheel]

I've had that photo filed away for years. Think I copied it from an MAF brochure or book? Originally thought to be south of Kundiawa in PNG it is in fact, in West Irian.

Bedder believeit Omkalai was apparently closed some years ago. Interesting strip with a 14 degree slope.

[Duck Pilot]

Looks a bit like Ambua near the Tari Gap. Think Bob used to operate the Baron into Ambua until he got the PAC 750.

[Bedder believeit]

Yes Tailwheel, as soon as you touched down (at Omkalai) you needed full power to climb up the slope. If the engine had a hiccup - like dying at an inconvenient time, then they had to get the kiap's tractor out to tow you up to the parking "platform"

[Pinky the pilot]

as soon as you touched down (at Omkalai) you needed full power to climb up the slope

The same procedure was required at Sopu, Fane, Erume and a few others in the Goilala area.

[tail wheel]

And if you touched down a little late at Omkalai - as happed to a Baron in the early 1970 (which ended up in the parking area wall) - it was all over bar the Wake.

[blueys]

Taily your mention of wake reminds me of an interesting couple of trips into Omkalai I did in 1970. the head man & his wife had been killed in a motor accident east of Goroka on the highlands highway. I was with Macair based Goroka at the time,got the job of taking the coffins to Omkalai took the wife first (c206) huge crowd on arrival all in arse grass&feathers woman waling covered in white ash,back to Goroka for the head man arrive Omkalai the crowd bigger 2000+ emotion electric,an expertence I will never forget, ahhhh PNG
blueys

[tail wheel]

Back in another life we were flying tour groups into Omkalai in the Twin Otter. On one occasion flying in a German tour group (I think "Jungle Jim" (Keith Buxton) may have been the Group leader?), there was a full blown pitched battle going on part way up the strip - sticks, stones, bows and arrows, spears and a lot of yelling.

The fighting stopped long enough for the Otter to land and tour group to alight, then recommenced, observed by the tour group from the top of the strip. On departure, the fighting stopped long enough to leave and I presume commenced after departure.

In those peaceful days, if anyone was hurt in a fight, it was purely accidental.

Back at "The Bird" the Germans asked what it cost to stage a fight and I didn't believe us when we assured them it really was a full blown village fight! :} :}

[tail wheel]

Omkalia (courtesy of Tinpis):

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/tinpis/aviation/OmkalaiCirca1973.jpg

[Bedder believeit]

One reason I always remember Omkalai, Is that I flew there with a mate from TAL (Leigh T.... then he became a 747 driver) and we were going to having a piss up with the local Kiap, and I had just bought the LP "Sgt Peppers lonely heart's club band" from Burns Philp or New Guinea Company in Goroka. That very album is one foot away from me as I type this. My kids will probably toss it out when I kark it. Hahaha.

[tail wheel]

Posted by Ruddegar in another thread:

For those considering turning up on Horn Island - you will be wasting your money, operators hire from e-mails and phone calls.

[Pinky the pilot]

Thanks for posting the piccy of Omkalai Tailwheel.:ok:

However, I'm quite sure that the photo does not do the strip proper justice as it really looks rather benign.:hmm: And of course, even with my rather limited PNG time I know that the truth would be substantially different.:E

It is times like this when I wish I had taken a photo of Oram when I was flying into it on a fairly regular basis. That place looked no different from a lot of bush strips in the Koiari, Goilala or Gulf provinces but I can say that if you ever got it wrong by landing long at Oram, you were in deep trouble.:ooh:

IIRC, it ended in a 3 metre cliff face!:ugh:

[tail wheel]

IIRC, it ended in a 3 metre cliff face!

So does the parking bay at Omkalai!

[Pinky the pilot]

Just checked my remaining copy of the Douglas Airways 'Bible' (the one way strip book) and Omkalai is not listed.:(

Does anyone have such a diagram? I remember that the Club Dero had their own such booklet and there were a few strips in it that were not in the DZ book. I had a copy but it was lost in the aftermath of my prang and subsequent Medevac.:{

Wouldn't mind getting a copy of whatever is being used these days as well.