Remote area flying
Yes, but you can only submit 24hr in advance. I print out all my flight plans (using nil wind), so I have all the paperwork I need. Submit what I can before I leave, but I still typically need a landline and phone away card to get weather and read out the pre-prepared plan for the flight home.
The question I ask you folk; why is getting a plan in so important?
You have a well serviced aircraft, some water, some food, a functional epirb, perhaps a handheld, your in cavok in the desert and you want to fly!
Just get in, start up and take off. Worked for me for over 20 years and I can't see why it won't work for me for the next 20 years.
Sort out some WX airborne, call the tower at a VFR reporting point or whatever, just start and go.
Are your aircraft unreliable? Are you paranoid? Do you really think SAR is so important that you will never fly without it? Is this 2011 or the 1930's?
You have a well serviced aircraft, some water, some food, a functional epirb, perhaps a handheld, your in cavok in the desert and you want to fly!
Just get in, start up and take off. Worked for me for over 20 years and I can't see why it won't work for me for the next 20 years.
Sort out some WX airborne, call the tower at a VFR reporting point or whatever, just start and go.
Are your aircraft unreliable? Are you paranoid? Do you really think SAR is so important that you will never fly without it? Is this 2011 or the 1930's?
why is getting a plan in so important?
So the SAR people know where to come and look
Also makes it much easier when you want to enter CTA
Join Date: May 2011
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We did a few very long routes through NT and WA including the tanami route from Tennant Creek to Hall creek - this was our style.We used a lovely old Piper Saratoga TAS 154 knots which was respectable.
Every flight had a flight plan submitted by internet via command software.
Every route adhered to scrupulously, with a sartime cleared by phone call on the ground upon arrival. Navigation by NDBs mandatory, and check your GPS reception at destoinations prior to take - off .
We had HF radio and new how to use it.
dios, Two VHS, one ndb, one VOR, two gps units with back up batteries for both, and TWO 406 gps emer4gency beacons.
One hired sat phone. Lots of food and 25 litres of water.
We actually carried a mini printer and printed the weather off the net, but you can get it via Naips with a 3G phone and note the main details by hand.
So thats how the paranoid do it........theres surprisingly little vhf cover out there.
We had a ball - the only class C was Katherine and they were no problem - they actually held up a flight of F 18's to let us land which was nice
Every flight had a flight plan submitted by internet via command software.
Every route adhered to scrupulously, with a sartime cleared by phone call on the ground upon arrival. Navigation by NDBs mandatory, and check your GPS reception at destoinations prior to take - off .
We had HF radio and new how to use it.
dios, Two VHS, one ndb, one VOR, two gps units with back up batteries for both, and TWO 406 gps emer4gency beacons.
One hired sat phone. Lots of food and 25 litres of water.
We actually carried a mini printer and printed the weather off the net, but you can get it via Naips with a 3G phone and note the main details by hand.
So thats how the paranoid do it........theres surprisingly little vhf cover out there.
We had a ball - the only class C was Katherine and they were no problem - they actually held up a flight of F 18's to let us land which was nice
Whenever I've tried to submit more than 24hr in advance its been rejected and I thought there was an explanation in the NAIPS instructions about that. But maybe I'm getting the date formatting wrong. I'll try again.
I basically only file IFR so that's partly why I file plans, but I think Aussie Bob's question is answered by Desert Flower's post of today. There are places I fly where it would take 2 or more days for someone to come and get you. I think you need everything you can get on your side. Plus the failures are never what you expect. Over the years (primarily to & from Woomera) and over a range of aircraft I've had an alternator failure at night in cloud North of Port Augusta, Vacuum pump failure on descent through a layer into Mildura plus 2 or 3 radio related failures. I've also had unforecast 60 kt headwinds that has caused a fuel diversion. The emergency to plan for is not a single event nor clear cut. It is overwhelmingly unlikely to be an engine failure in cruise followed by a descent with plenty of time for mayday calls. Also (as I'm appears to be the case with the Wilcannia incident) you're likely to need to be talking with both overflying traffic (probably on 121.5) and Centre on the area frequency.
I'll do VFR flights between stations or short flights like Woomera - Port Augusta, especially when someone on the ground knows about it. But for something like Adelaide to Innaminka (which is where the thread started) its prudent to put in a plan.
Having a plan in the system is also a bit of a guard against things like the recent RFDS / Commander Darter incident at Mt Gambier recently. Whether in CTA or not an Adelaide - Innaminka leg cuts obliquely across the control steps, so there will be cross track traffic.
I basically only file IFR so that's partly why I file plans, but I think Aussie Bob's question is answered by Desert Flower's post of today. There are places I fly where it would take 2 or more days for someone to come and get you. I think you need everything you can get on your side. Plus the failures are never what you expect. Over the years (primarily to & from Woomera) and over a range of aircraft I've had an alternator failure at night in cloud North of Port Augusta, Vacuum pump failure on descent through a layer into Mildura plus 2 or 3 radio related failures. I've also had unforecast 60 kt headwinds that has caused a fuel diversion. The emergency to plan for is not a single event nor clear cut. It is overwhelmingly unlikely to be an engine failure in cruise followed by a descent with plenty of time for mayday calls. Also (as I'm appears to be the case with the Wilcannia incident) you're likely to need to be talking with both overflying traffic (probably on 121.5) and Centre on the area frequency.
I'll do VFR flights between stations or short flights like Woomera - Port Augusta, especially when someone on the ground knows about it. But for something like Adelaide to Innaminka (which is where the thread started) its prudent to put in a plan.
Having a plan in the system is also a bit of a guard against things like the recent RFDS / Commander Darter incident at Mt Gambier recently. Whether in CTA or not an Adelaide - Innaminka leg cuts obliquely across the control steps, so there will be cross track traffic.
Whenever I've tried to submit more than 24hr in advance its been rejected and I thought there was an explanation in the NAIPS instructions about that. But maybe I'm getting the date formatting wrong. I'll try again.
Look for what? Are you planning on crashing? If misfortune strikes, besides being the unluckiest guy on the planet you have two beacons right? One fixed and one portable. Plus you have tucker and water right? Hopefully a book as well. If you are so worried about the worst how do you get to the airport?
This is total BS for VFR. If I turn up unannounced at a VFR reporting point with no plan just one minute ahead of you with your plan in the system I will get the clearance first. I never file VFR plans, I always get quick VFR clearances and I fly VFR in and out of CTA often.
Like OldAkro I also file plans because I fly IFR even when conditions are VFR, the only exception being short hops that people know about. IFR has heaps of benefits, including advice of other traffic.
Ask an ATCer whether they like plans pre-filed........they are busy enough now without adding to their workload
Emphatically the answer was; "makes no difference to me whatsoever".
Now this is just one controller, I would be interested to hear from others but you can't tell me a plan makes a hapeth of difference at a GAAP! sorry, these guys are too busy to read what is expected in VFR traffic.
On departure I always just start up in CTA and start the prcess by stating "XXX with flight details". I do the same at VFR reporting points when inbound. works for me just fine and seems to work for ATC as well.
BTW I wear a seatbelt in both a car and a plane
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Remote area flying
May I say a big thanks to those who gave me valid advice. I have never been tested and put through some extreme flying. I ended up with a 30 min flight turned into a 7 hour delay and 3 hour flight time. Lucky I had water and food as tips given. Also I had the ability o stay overnight if required. I had never flown in such extreme wind in the far north of south Australia last week. Thank you
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hi dickair
we had weather through the NT and had a magic unexpected 2 night layover in magical Tennant Creek......we certainly had fun finding some good food and a decent place to stay.
we had weather through the NT and had a magic unexpected 2 night layover in magical Tennant Creek......we certainly had fun finding some good food and a decent place to stay.
