Flying trip - where to go?

[franksnbeans]

Hi all.
I'm planning about a two week trip in late Jan next year, and I was after some ideas about where to go. I will have two pax who will put in about $1K each. I'm planning on taking a travelair. All suggestions are welcome.

thanks fnb

[sky below]

Where are you starting form?
How quick?
How many hours flying time?
:)

[franksnbeans]

Yeah, I suppose that's a good point.

Start from MB, about 20 - 25 hrs, TAS 145.

rgds
fnb

[Cap'n Bunghole]

After flying over a good proportion of this country over the last decade, I can wholeheartedly recommend that Central Aus is the place to go.

There are the extra challenges of flying over remote areas and into some "less than perfect" airstrips that add to the whole experience.

If you can fly into an outback fly-in, that would be ideal and it will guarantee you a few stories to tell your mates when you get home.

The extra preperation and safety precautions needed when flying in these areas are easily outweighed by the sense of achievement fely when you successfully fly into areas that most people only see on TV.

If you get to William Creek, the airstrip has the pub at the end of it and you can taxi your jet right up to the front!

Hope that has been of some help.:)

[eggs]

Cap't

One has to thnk of the weather in Jan, If you head to the centre you can expect 40 deg temps,can the pas handle that?

For my money do the trip in the winter months or if the time of the year is set try the east coast and fly in the mornings!!

And above all have fun!

eggs

[compressor stall]

Central Australia is a very ggod bet, but as said, the temps will be very very high.

Is the purpose for hour building, or just a holiday?

Tassie is a wonderful place to fly around....King Island, then loop through the southwest, and on the way out check out Killiecrankie on Flinders Island...a beautiful little hamlet.
Think about heading up the east coast, then head across to Lake Mungo area, maybe the Flinders Ranges and back to Melb...

Good Luck.

[franksnbeans]

Hey thanks!
Central sounds very challenging - and a lot of fun too. Temps in the 40's doesn't sound the best though.

I have an aunt in Noosa, and family in NSW. Maybe I could free load off them on the way?

compressor stall, the trip primarily is for hour building, but I want to have fun at the same time, as will my pax.

Thanks for the suggestions, now I should probably have a good look at a few maps!

rgds
fnb:D

[Bevan666]

Central Aus is too hot in January. How about flying to Lord Howe and Norfolk Island. The travelair should have heaps of range if it has aux tanks, and an island is just the place for a nice warm summer holiday!

Bevan..

[Stunty]

Along the same lines....

I want to do a two night trip out of Darwin. Max 10 hours flying but 5-7 would be better in a warrior. Fill the back with food, grog, tent and fishing rods

So far I have thought depart early in the morning to crab claw, fish, then after lunch before the storms get to bad go to Dundee beach, fish the arvo and camp overnight. Next morning early to either coburg way (but heard it can be expensive + you need a boat) or Garden point for fishing and overnight - then back to Darwin next day.

Thoughts....suggestions?

Stunty.

[High Altitude]

Stunty...

10 hours in a warrior = around 1000nm?

Go Darwin - Gove via the escarpement (Jab - Oen),
not sure on fishing trips ex Gove but ring the Walkabout Hotel for general info. The NAC boys can run you into town to save a taxi if they are around.

Next day if you really wanna have fun go to Courg Beach Huts at Smith Point 89790030 around $165 for the night. A boat is good but not needed as you can fish of the rocks or just explore the beaches which is equally rewarding.

Then depart back to Darwin.

And there my friend is your 10 hours, lots of fun some beautiful scenery and a wow of a time, also you are not ******ing around on 20nm sectors!

[Stunty]

Thanks HA...

Ive been to oen/jab a couple of times - is the extra distance out to Gove worth it?

How far is Broome....reachable in the warrior? I have also heard of a place called Vansatart Bay (spelling?) which I think is on the way to broome - the beaver used to do charters down that way every now and again...anyone had any experience with that?

This whole idea started because I wanted a weekend away in Broome until I found out that Scare North wanted to slug me almost $500 for the privelage. ****** that...two people with 500 clams each equalls 7 and a bit hours in the warrior.

Pakis off to a great start in the cricket....2 for 7 after being 2 for 2!!!

[High Altitude]

Destinations to the West are a bit more expensive I think...

Elquestro bungalos are very good value for money but get local info on strip first.

Theres Mount Hart and a few other places that way.

Broome probably out of your budget.

DN-KU = 239
KU-BRM = 389ish

= 5.9 each way, not too bad... do your Broome and stop at Elq for a night on the way home.


AS for Gove Definatley a beautiful flight.

[Stunty]

Guess its to the east we go!!!

Out of interest.

Does anyone in Darwin hire out a C210 or a light single of similar capability....if so what is the rate?

Also how many people could you shove in a 210 or equivalent if you also wanted to take tents, food, grog...etc?

Thanks....cheerio.

[Mainframe]

Stunty, try Mick at SAE ( Hardy's maintenance hangar, next to Hardy's). He's got a strutted model 210 ( J or K ?), 4+2 seating that he used to private hire.

franksnbeans, January is a bit of a problem heading north out of Vic, inland (Alice, Birdsville, Longreach etc ) are all stinking hot places to be at that time of the year, and the coastal areas of Oz north of 20 Sth Latitude are subject to "The Wet". Provided you have time to spare, no "pressonitis", you can get around with care, depending on your interests, the Gulf country, esp Burketown, is spectacular at that time of the year, BUT you will need, as already advised, to do your flying between 9:00am and 2:00pm, before the storms develop. Expect daily disruptions to flying, do not attempt IFR in the remote areas except as a last resort, because the ceiling will be around 500' and the MDA's around 650'. There will be radio towers around 300' near most outback towns, and around every 50kms, esp near roads between towns. Be careful, don't scudrun in unfamiliar territory, keep a back door plan open, accept that you can expect to be weathered in, and you will see spectacular scenery. Better still, avoid the risk and go to Lord Howe, but practice xwind techniques 1st, and get fit, coz there's lots of great walking and climbing to experience. Or go to Tassie via the islands.

[franksnbeans]

Thankyou all for your thoughts.

I would like to fly to Noosa. Spoken also to my aunt and a pilot friend of hers who says that it gets a bit stormy in the late afternoons. I am in no rush, so a few hours flying in the morning, followed by a swim in the afternoon should go down nicely. And I won't be taking any risks at all - I'm not that stupid!

I would love to go the the centre, but maybe best left to the winter months as you all say.

Are the controllers of sydney airspace anal retentive on harbour orbits, or is it relatively easy to get clearance, it would be quite a nice view on the way up/back!

anyway thanks again, and I will be carefull of the afternoons.

rgds
fnb:)