Best Airstrips
Best Airstrips
Where are some of the best airstrips/bush strips in Oz? By best, i mean short, sloped, rough, in valleys, on mountains etc. None of this 1500 metre sealed crap!
I know of a private strip perched up on a mountain in SE QLD, known as Mount Brisbane. Looks about 300metres, 10% slope up. C185 Territory!
I know of a private strip perched up on a mountain in SE QLD, known as Mount Brisbane. Looks about 300metres, 10% slope up. C185 Territory!
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Most of the really interesting strips are used for spreading super and located in the Great Divide anywhere from Apollo Bay to FNQ , Im a bit of a flat lander but experienced super pilots will tell you 10% would be a gentle slope for most.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Australia
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gabbo Island is pretty cool. Just off the coast of SE NSW. Short grass strip the width of the island, with a wicked hump so on approach you can only see half length. Takes a bit of faith to give it full noise fully loaded when half the strip is not visiable. If the margin of error is small you can always use the cliff to gain airspeed!!!
One of my personal favorites is Porpunkah, near Bright. Shortish, has a road which crosses over the lower third and nestled in a tight valley at the base of Mount Buffalo.
Scared the crap out of some grey trailers there one day in a bonanza. They stopped at the sign that says 'look for aircraft', looked (at ground level) and then sloooowly crossed the road. They had just past the edge of the strip when I touched down behind them.
Another good one in Victoria is Tuki (on a hill - great trout) and I've had a look at Snowy and thought that would be a nice place to stop in one day.
Bevan..
Scared the crap out of some grey trailers there one day in a bonanza. They stopped at the sign that says 'look for aircraft', looked (at ground level) and then sloooowly crossed the road. They had just past the edge of the strip when I touched down behind them.
Another good one in Victoria is Tuki (on a hill - great trout) and I've had a look at Snowy and thought that would be a nice place to stop in one day.
Bevan..
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Australia
Age: 36
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Use to fly into an airstrip about 18 months ago in the North Kimberley near Jatz homestead. The runway is half dirt and half water so only amphibians can operate there. The trick is to start on the land and just before you hit the water retract the gear and continue the takeoff roll in the water.
It took quite a few Icus runs to get the hang of it but eventually it became great fun. Unfortunetely our company sold the Ampibious Buffalo so we can no longer operate there. I believe a local operator still takes their 206 there occasionally.
Tiger.
It took quite a few Icus runs to get the hang of it but eventually it became great fun. Unfortunetely our company sold the Ampibious Buffalo so we can no longer operate there. I believe a local operator still takes their 206 there occasionally.
Tiger.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere around 27degrees
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cradle Valley, TAS & Snowy Range, VIC
While Cradle isn't spectacularly short at around 900m, it does have some very speccie scenery and an elevation of about 3000'. The hills (Cradle at 5000') make for an interesting time on poor weather days.
Snowy Range (roughly midway between EN & HOT) sits at an elevation of 5400'. I can't remember the length, but I do remember how bloody rough it was with it's great tussocks of alpine grass! I also remember getting out of the ole Nevergo and looking down the neighbouring valleys and the morning fogs just beginning to burn off! Doh, no camera again! I can also remember the numerous warnings given to me about the windshear and mountain waves it gets on blustery summer days. Getting out needs a good HF set too if a clearance is needed into the East Sale airspace which starts at 600' AGL.
There's another nice strip in the shadow of the Mt. Buffalo resort, it might be Porepunkah as previously mentioned, or Mitta Mitta I think. Again, fantastic scenery!
None of these would make our good Ag driving friends think twice, but ensuring a safe MEIFR egress from these beautiful ports does require just a small amount of thought.
Snowy Range (roughly midway between EN & HOT) sits at an elevation of 5400'. I can't remember the length, but I do remember how bloody rough it was with it's great tussocks of alpine grass! I also remember getting out of the ole Nevergo and looking down the neighbouring valleys and the morning fogs just beginning to burn off! Doh, no camera again! I can also remember the numerous warnings given to me about the windshear and mountain waves it gets on blustery summer days. Getting out needs a good HF set too if a clearance is needed into the East Sale airspace which starts at 600' AGL.
There's another nice strip in the shadow of the Mt. Buffalo resort, it might be Porepunkah as previously mentioned, or Mitta Mitta I think. Again, fantastic scenery!
None of these would make our good Ag driving friends think twice, but ensuring a safe MEIFR egress from these beautiful ports does require just a small amount of thought.
Yes Cradle Mountain is very scarey in margional weather. My all time fav is Trefoil Island located off the NW tip of Tassie. The cross strip is only about 250 Metres, however only to be used in extreme wind conditions. ie. 25+ knots.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: with the porangi,s in Pohara
Age: 66
Posts: 983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
try "sparevohn",.....270 nm west of Anchorage Alaska.....1200ft..military radar base(used to do a mail run tues/thur).......one way in ,one way out....6.0 degree runway slope....try not to rotate to quickly,unless you like tailstrikes!!!
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Think of a happy place. Think of a happy place. Think of a happy place
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
USS Ronald Reagan.
The runway is a bit short but lots of space in the over-run and undershoot if nessesary. They sometimes park the planes a bit close to the strip too so take care during the flare and hold-off not to drift. Otherwise you will be fine. They do put on a great fried hamburger lunch.
TBT
The runway is a bit short but lots of space in the over-run and undershoot if nessesary. They sometimes park the planes a bit close to the strip too so take care during the flare and hold-off not to drift. Otherwise you will be fine. They do put on a great fried hamburger lunch.
TBT
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: darwin
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
there is a home land strip about 30 nm se of ramingining nt, it's not really in the tricky strip catagory but taking off up hill in a heavy 210 due to 25kt gusty winds making a down hill take off un advisable is interesting. have been trying to remember its name, can anyone help? if you take off up hill you have to fly between two small hills and over a ridge line where the down draughts hang out. It services just one house and is pretty rough.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Fliegensville, Gold Coast Australia
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Albatross field at Coomera SE QLD. Surrounded by high trees a rough claypan field, dusty when dry muddy when wet. rotors in winter from the mountains to the west (part of the daily is to check the wheels for gum leaves) Pure stick and rudder adrenaline heaven!!
Also the old sand strip on the Northern end of South Stradbroke Island, had to look out for holes dug by kangaroos looking for water
Also the old sand strip on the Northern end of South Stradbroke Island, had to look out for holes dug by kangaroos looking for water
Originally Posted by Dry_Twotter
I know of a private strip perched up on a mountain in SE QLD, known as Mount Brisbane. Looks about 300metres, 10% slope up. C185 Territory!
I believe that only a Husky can get in and out of that strip. The owner also has a C180, but not sure if he can get it in up there.
185.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: FL250
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mabuiag and Darnley Islands in the Torres Straits were always fun and games!
Mabuiag was about 400 - 450m, grass (think it's sealed now) with the ocean at either ends.
Darnley, 450 -500m long and 400' drop offs to ocean below at either ends! Rough as guts when the wind was blowing.
Murray, Boigu and Saibai Islands used to be interesting after heavy rain too!
Mabuiag was about 400 - 450m, grass (think it's sealed now) with the ocean at either ends.
Darnley, 450 -500m long and 400' drop offs to ocean below at either ends! Rough as guts when the wind was blowing.
Murray, Boigu and Saibai Islands used to be interesting after heavy rain too!
Curtis use a private strip in the Blue Mountains for some training, looks like a bit of fun .
A couple of the Super strips in the Great Dividing Range look... interesting but I wouldn't even attempt them without the supervision of an Ag pilot (if your going to scare the Shivers out of yourself you may as well have company)
.
I found most of the NT strips that I went to (mostly mid region) were long and flat with only roos and ant hills to worry about (and the occasional Chopper).
.A couple of the Super strips in the Great Dividing Range look... interesting but I wouldn't even attempt them without the supervision of an Ag pilot (if your going to scare the Shivers out of yourself you may as well have company)
.I found most of the NT strips that I went to (mostly mid region) were long and flat with only roos and ant hills to worry about (and the occasional Chopper).