Random Tracking over Sydney Middle of Night

[HotPete]

I woke up 3:45am this morning hearing what sounded like a piston twin flying backwards and forwards for at least half an hour. I thought maybe it was conducting multiple go-arounds due weather (fog? downwind?).
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When I got up I signed on to WebTrack Sydney to see what had happened. It was a C310 supposedly Canberra > Coffs. Tracking all over the place above Sydney metropolitan area.
In some sort of trouble?
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Have a look at WebTrack from 3:15am till 4:30am. Best speed up the display, it's very slow.
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See what you think.
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HP

[garyscott]

Certainly a bit all over the place . . . . Do you know if there is any filming being done in Sydney at the moment? Sometimes directors like cityscape shots at night with minimal traffic, i doubt it in this case, but maybe?
Could also be something to do with the Vivid Festival?

[Jabawocky]

Survey by laser? During a not so busy period around Sydney.

[Nibbles2310]

Looks like the aircraft in question is VH-JTV, as to what it was doing at that time of the morning I have no idea, could try the liveatc archives.

VH-JTV ? 01-Jun-2015 ? YSCB / CBR - YCFS ? FlightAware

[hobo335]

Was it a clear night? maybe just taking advantage of being in the area and doing some night photography. The city looks pretty amazing lit up from the air.

[speedtaper]

A couple of Redcliffe Aero Club boys on a large survey contract.

[Ultralights]

photographing the Vivid festival currently lighting up the city perhaps?

[Squawk7700]

[Neville Nobody]

And what type of survey would that be? Streetlight availability? Insomniac walkers? What equipment was used? Infra red? High definition digital? Eyeball?

[Aye Ess]

Occasionally, I hear a piston twin (I'd estimate C404 or suchlike) creeping back and forth in the early hours between the Gold Coast and southern suburbs of Brisbane. A survey aircraft that can take advantage of the quieter times from air traffic restrictions. Have heard from people that they survey for 5 hours at a time. Now, how BORING would that be. Very little to look at, back and forth, going nowhere in particular for FIVE hours !!!

[Squawk7700]

Great way to get up night hours. Survey can be tricky during the day let alone those hours.

[megan]

Now, how BORING would that be. Very little to look at, back and forth, going nowhere in particular for FIVE hours

You sure you're not referring to a night Melbourne - Darwin flight? Just short of five hours though.

[ACMS]

Don't stop there, MEL HKG 9 hours via Darwin

[Aye Ess]

Yes, I too have done long boring flights,BUT, at least I was going somewhere, a place, a destination..... not just going nowhere

[fujii]

It would seem that contrary to the OP, the flights aren't random. Surveys require very accurate flying.

[HotPete]

An air traffic controller could tell us what it was doing