Crossing the Bass Strait

[girl with a stick]

Well, it looks like the weather gods may have granted me a passage to Flinder's Island....

Anybody have any tips/info/suggestions for Tassie, and crossing the Bass Strait...

Cheers,

GWaS

[Jabawocky]

Gooday Girly,

Have you got a date with Tonym3 down there? Does hubby know about this

Seriously though pack ya woolies, yesterdays Retard Vehicle OAT report was -12 degrees C at 10,000' and the wind blown ocean swells looked arctic even from the comfort of a warm cabin.

Have fun and post plenty of pics

Fly as high as you can, WEAR your life jacket, if VFR do a sched with ATC (refer ERSA) and launch off the coast at Wilsons prom, and there are a few islands along the way. Quite pretty really.

Did I mention its cold down there, kind of like your homeland.

Flying up the Tamar River into Launie would be nice, I never had the chance to do it, but the bit I saw makes me think it would be nice at 1000AGL. If you get to Strahan that is a beautiful spot but watch weather as over on the west coast its a bit more remote than it looks on a map .

Depends on the time and budget you have available, I know we will be back again.

You could blow your entire budget in one night here Saffire | Home

Report from Capt Chris was this is 7 star,

[Wally Mk2]

........................yeah I have a tip Girlie ....DON'T DO IT IN A S.E.

Although & you didn't hear this from me I have crossed the straight a few times in a SE but lets hope 'jaba' doesn't read this. That was back in the days when I was fearless, now there's just war stories to tell from the comfort of my old rocking chair

That aside as 'jaba-dabba-do' says take lots of wollies & PLAN with lots of escapes routes along the way. Tassie is a beautiful place, about 3 times a year!

You may or may-not be able to get access to a life raft but water down there even this time of year is bloody cold & you won't last long in it bobbing around like a cork in an ocean wearing only a life jacket.
I've mentioned this before but with private flying you don't 'have' to go if it looks sus weather wise, wise words ATC are a friendly bunch down at the apple Is so no probs there:-)

YFLI is a must stopover if going via the eastern route as 'jaba' mentioned off at Wilsons Prom or thereabouts & follow the furneaux group of Islands to YFLI then over to the N.E corner of the 2 headed land. Avoid the western route via YKII there's nothing to miss there:-)
Just be very careful the weather at YFLI can change very quickly.
If yr in to bush walking/mountain climbing yr heading in the right direction for that at YFLI.
Go to www.tasmaniatopten.com.au (or something like that) good info there about the Islands off Tassie.

Okay good luck enjoy the experience as yes lots of piccies please as we want proof you did it & survived

Wmk2

[startingout]

Remember at it's the center point your 24.5nm from land, you cant glide the distance required to find a flat surface from 10,000ft....

[PA39]

Go for it mate........we used to do YPMQ -YLHI in a clapped out 172...sometimes at night.

[Keg]

If you're battling strong abeam winds (more than 20-30 knots) in cruise, don't forget to factor into your thinking a significant drop in G/S if the direction is out by 10-20 degrees from what is forecast. A number of years ago I got very nervous when a planned G/S of 75 knots turned into 60 for the flight home. I had to lob into Tyabb due to losing so much time.

Enjoy it. Take lots of piccies.

[ozaggie]

Done it in a Pawnee about 4 times in the early nineties. Deal Island airstrip always looked good. Short but . Best bit was gettin there on the way down, and dropping into bazza's at YLEG for a beer on the way back. Did I mention it snowed in Hobart yesterday?

[Jabawocky]

Where is that strip on Deal Island?

[Captain Sand Dune]

Look out for UFOs!

[Widewoodenwingswork]

Make sure you report in by HF radio at Green Cape...

[ozaggie]

Deal Island strip.

Almost sure there was a strip running up the hill to the east. Would have been grass, but probably ovegrown and full of muttonbird holes now.
Back from Google earth land, N/E of house is a bit of ground about 550 mts long that would do. Maybe I was just sussing out potential strips. Lot of Pale Ale under the bridge since 1989
OA

[GreenerGrass]

Don't forget to take your passport

[flywatcher]

Wilosons Promontory to Devonport is 125 nautical miles with one island, Curtis within gliding distance and another closer to Wilsons Prom. One hour in most SE lighties less about 12 nm glide distance at either end brings it back to 45 minutes out of gliding distance. Average SE engine goes 1500, 1700 or 2000 hrs between overhauls, most have been overhauled twice or three times, never failed or stopped. The odds against the engine failing catastrophically in the occasional 45 minutes out of gliding istance are extremely remote. I have done it hundreds of times over the past 40 years and many people have done it lot more often than me, including the guy who used to fly Bankstown, Mallacoota, Flinders Island carrying crayfish, day or night, any weather. If it was that dangerous CASA would not permit SE flights between Moorabin- Devonport direct, 169 nm over water. Done that often enough too. What is the fuss about. Just do it.

[compressor stall]

Remember the aeroplane does not know it's over water. Take sensible precautions though - wrt weather etc. Do it on a good day.

Kiliekrankie at the northern end of Flinders Island is a beautiful place. Well worth the visit but arrange accommodation in advance.

Tassie itself is stunning, and well worth the visit to just about anywhere on the island. Make sure you allow the time for good weather to do a scenic flight over the west coast. Take care though out west, and maybe ask a local pilot for advice.

[Capt Fathom]

You've probably looked at this already...

Some limited info in the ERSA GEN section: Special Procedures for Bass Strait Crossings and also the Tasmanian World Heritage area.

[Tinstaafl]

If you need to borrow someone's bike while you're there, the padlock combo is 2-10-11. Has to be easy to remember so eyes-fingers-toes.

[Jack Ranga]

You can also do it Cape Otway, King Island Wynyard.

[gassed budgie]

Remember the aeroplane does not know it's over water

Correct CS. But it never ceases to amaze me how the engine always, without fail, goes to auto rough as Cape Otway fades into the distance behind the tailplane.

[compressor stall]

Yep, and it starts running all smooth again when you get to the other side.

[anothertwit]

ozaggie, have landed on deal island a few times, from memory the strip ran along the saddle of the hills that led up to the house. was 3 years ago tho and the christmas spirit may have fogged the memory!