Light Aircraft tours around Australia

[captwawa]

Hi all,

I recall there were tours of C172's that would go around this great country of ours usually in a huge group and usually hogging all the frequencies with poor radio work. However I go on a tangent.

Could anyone let me know if they are still running and any websites available.

Google comes up with a few but none that I can see that cover say ones that go - Uluru, Bungles, etc all the touristy places in this fair brown land.

Thanks for any help

[sms777]

Yeah...I hear you dude!
I still remember of the mid 80's to 90's when flying schools like Schoefields use to run get aways pretty much all around oz to frustrate everyone in the air and on the ground. It was all fun though. Then there was this guy called Bernie Saroff from Maitland NSW who would just about take you around the world if you were prepard to pay for it. I was a charter pilot back then and i hated those guys. Do you know what? I miss it all!
So.... if you get stuck and want some company to fly around this great country of ours PM me and if time suits me i come along to guide you.
Cheers.

[PyroTek]

Goana Tours ring any bells? Don't think it exists anymore, but I've flown a C175 with the Goana Tours decals all over it! (still owned by the guy (great guy also, keeps his aircraft in great shape) who owns/owned Goana)

Pyro

[eocvictim]

The social schools/aero clubs with members who still hold medicals still do these. Some quarterly but most anually. Just need to ring around but all the usual names I'd imagine.

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

ASIC requirements which make it very difficult to do the ID checks from overseas and the delays in getting Certificates of Validation (months rather than hours) since this function moved to Canberra have made these sorts of tours difficult to organise.

[daviojk]

have you found this website?

Stawell Aviation - Outback Tours Australia

No personal experience of them tho

[kimwestt]

Round Oz

Most of those groups were from aero clubs etc, but it shoudn't be too hard to organise one yourself, I don't understand where the Canberra bit comes into it - (CFI)??.
I have done plenty of those tours, if you need a hand or help, pm me.

[Gordstar]

Stawell aviation

hey everyone,
Javiojk, this will sound like I am "stawell avaiation", but I am not.
I do know the guy who owns and runs this operation, and I can absolutely assure you that he is one of the best operators in Australia, bar none.
Cheers.

[UnderneathTheRadar]

Variety FunFlight Airbash

Chaps,

The Variety Club, working with FunFlight are running an 'air-bash' in May 2010. As well as being an outback tour, it's all for a good cause!

If it's successful then it should become an annual event in different parts of Oz.

See Variety, The Childrens Charity Vic | AirBash 2010 for info.

UTR

[j3pipercub]

AIRBASH!!! That's cool! But in keeping in the Spirit of the Variety Bash, do the aircraft have to be modded and otrageous as well?

I was thinking an Islander with PT6's on it!! It'd still only do 120 kts. But it could do 120 kts at FL240.

j3

[D-J]

Chaps,

The Variety Club, working with FunFlight are running an 'air-bash' in May 2010. As well as being an outback tour, it's all for a good cause!

If it's successful then it should become an annual event in different parts of Oz.

See Variety, The Childrens Charity Vic | AirBash 2010 for info.

UTR

Sounded like a good idea untill I saw the $10,000 entry fee

They've obvioulsy got the idea that if you own an aircraft your loaded

[Howard Hughes]

If anyone need a pilot for the airbash, I'd be available, can't help with the ten big ones though!

But it could do 120 kts at FL240.

FL240? Where's the fun in that...

[captwawa]

Thank you very much for all the replies thus far.

I am primarily helping out an American friend who has asked me to sort something out so what CFI has said about ASIC's is certainly relevant.

I really appreciate all info and advice. By the planning done so far it looks as though there may be the possibility of people that are willing to come along.

Will keep you posted

[YPJT]

Captwawa,
Your American friend unfortunately is facing two hurdles to overcome. Firstly the ASIC problem and then as CFI mentioned, the certificate of validation for the foreign pilot licence.
If your friend has and Oz drivers licence then the ID requirements for the ASIC are easy. If not, it gets difficult. Best thing to do is contact Aviaiton ID Australia direct and get advice from them. They deal with a lot of these. DO NOT repeat DO NOT get the ASIC off CASA. I could go on for hours about their incompetence in that arena.

Unfortunately, for the C of V you are screwed and have no option.

[captwawa]

Thank you YPJT

Sounds like fun and yes anything to stay away from CASA is always helpful.

I know to convert an AU CPL to US PPL takes 10 minutes, if only it worked in the reverse huh.

The variety bash sounds like great fun.

Thank you for the advice YPJT - will pass it along.

[FunFlight]

Variety FunFlight Airbash

Hi all,

Just thought I'd add some extra information on the Airbash in response to previous posts.

The purpose of the bash (in fact all bashes - the car, the 4WD, the 'splash') is to raise money for children's charities (apart from having a great time). To do that, entries are charged and we make no bones about that being a considerable sum of money. However there are some points to make regarding the raising of that money.

• The bulk of the $10k is actually a donation to charity and so fully tax deductible. For those on the top tax bracket, this equates to getting $3600 back from the ATO, for those earning more than $80k but less than $180k, the tax back from the ATO is $3040.
• The idea of the bash is to raise money from your friends, community, work etc in the name of a good cause - the Variety Club have many years experience in fundraising and Cam Smith, the Variety organiser will be able to make suggestions and provide assistance in your fund raising for the event. Granted, wholesale modifications and big logos and small aircraft don't mix quite in the way that the cars do but the Splash participants usually don't have the big logos either and they manage to raise money quite successfully - it just needs some imagination! By way of example, last years car bash saw one entrant raise over $80,000 in sponsorship and donations, this year he almost achieved the same thing.
• The legs are deliberately short and refuelling arrangements will be provided to allow you to go minimum fuel and maximum pax. Bring along 2-3-4 mates and split the cost. Before you know it you'll have brought the price down from "oh my God $10k" to a "managable $2k or less"
• Finally, think of the money going to charity and, not disparaging those who run commercial trips but, not to a commercial operator. Enroute we hope to use our charity status to secure reasonable fuel discounts and accomodation and there should be good media coverage as well - a lot of the money raised is distributed along the way.

FunFlight is pleased to be supporting Variety in the Airbash 2010 and money raised will come to us as well as to communities along the way. Again, I don't deny that it sounds like a lot but we all know how to make a small fortune in aviation......!

Hope to see you there,

Richard Ogilvie
FunFlight
FunFlight Australia

[captwawa]

Thanks FunFlight et al

I wish you the best for what seems a terrific tour.

Thanks for all info provided - it has all been passed on.