Missing plane in Great Sandy Desert
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Missing plane in Great Sandy Desert
Just heard on 7 news in Brissy that a light plane with only the Pilot on board is missing in the Great Sandy Desert W.A.
Does any one have any info on this matter regarding the actual search area.
Keeping all hopes for those involved!
Does any one have any info on this matter regarding the actual search area.
Keeping all hopes for those involved!
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
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A MASSIVE search is under way for the inexperienced pilot of a light plane which disappeared over the Great Sandy Desert in far north Western Australia.
The single engine Cessna 210, with only the 27-year-old male pilot on board, left the Pilbara iron ore mining town of Newman at midday (WST) yesterday, bound for Halls Creek in the Kimberley.
The 1000km flight would have taken the aircraft over the heart of the Great Sandy Desert and some of Australia's most inaccessible and sparsely populated country.
Fourteen fixed wing aircraft resumed searching a 10,000 square nautical mile region between Newman and Halls Creek at first light, Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said.
Two aircraft followed the flight path last night, but found no trace of the aircraft.
The plane had been due to arrive in Halls Creek, a small pastoral town in the eastern Kimberley, at 6pm (WST), but there was no contact with the pilot after he left Newman.
Mr Mitchell said the pilot was unfamiliar with the region and had limited experience in the aircraft he was flying.
He was delivering the plane to its owner in Halls Creek.
"We do have serious concerns for his welfare, and there was also a late afternoon thunderstorm in the area," Mr Mitchell said.
The weather in the search area remained unsettled with isolated thunderstorms and showers, he said.
The area is too large and remote to launch a ground search.
Australian Search and Rescue staff have appealed to anyone in the region who may have seen the light aircraft yesterday afternoon to contact them on 1800 815 257.
AAP
The single engine Cessna 210, with only the 27-year-old male pilot on board, left the Pilbara iron ore mining town of Newman at midday (WST) yesterday, bound for Halls Creek in the Kimberley.
The 1000km flight would have taken the aircraft over the heart of the Great Sandy Desert and some of Australia's most inaccessible and sparsely populated country.
Fourteen fixed wing aircraft resumed searching a 10,000 square nautical mile region between Newman and Halls Creek at first light, Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said.
Two aircraft followed the flight path last night, but found no trace of the aircraft.
The plane had been due to arrive in Halls Creek, a small pastoral town in the eastern Kimberley, at 6pm (WST), but there was no contact with the pilot after he left Newman.
Mr Mitchell said the pilot was unfamiliar with the region and had limited experience in the aircraft he was flying.
He was delivering the plane to its owner in Halls Creek.
"We do have serious concerns for his welfare, and there was also a late afternoon thunderstorm in the area," Mr Mitchell said.
The weather in the search area remained unsettled with isolated thunderstorms and showers, he said.
The area is too large and remote to launch a ground search.
Australian Search and Rescue staff have appealed to anyone in the region who may have seen the light aircraft yesterday afternoon to contact them on 1800 815 257.
AAP
Aircraft on the ground at a station about 50nm SW of Halls Creek, pilot unhurt.
TL
TL
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Was it a FLWOP??... also Just curious as to who picks the bill up for the costs incurred in searching.. And if for example the pilot had failed to contact sarwatch or anyone else to say that he was safe provided he was able to .....could he be held liable???
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ABC news bulletin this morning said that the pilot had little time in the aircraft and did not know the area. Got disorientated and put down on a station. Contacted the owner this morning after hearing on the radio that a search was underway for him.
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Pilot made precautionary landing after diverting around thunderstorms en-route. No phone available at station, called on HF and VHF area frequencies all night to no avail. Note: Did NOT make calls on 121.5, which may have helped with overflying INTL Aircraft
Walked out to local community to phone company and relative in morning. Was not aware of search underway by AusSAR.
Costs will be borne by taxpayer.
How many of YOU realise what happens if you do not cancel your SARTIME?
Walked out to local community to phone company and relative in morning. Was not aware of search underway by AusSAR.
Costs will be borne by taxpayer.
How many of YOU realise what happens if you do not cancel your SARTIME?
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
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Great news that the pilot is OK.
Zarg,
Usually we get a phone call from Censar at 0:00:30 past the sartime. The one I hate the most is when it's been a night flight and the instr / student have ******ed off home. Have imposed a carton of Crownies fee for late night callouts for me to drive to YPJT to confirm to AUSSAR that the aircraft is safe on the ground. Subsequently, incidents have dropped off. 
Zarg,
How many of YOU realise what happens if you do not cancel your SARTIME?
The hoary old chestnut of "cost"
AZTRUCKER
Your comment.
"also Just curious as to who picks the bill up for the costs incurred in searching"
Government resources = Taxpayers.
Consider your tax contribution as an insurance payment, should it ever happen to you.
Your comment.
"also Just curious as to who picks the bill up for the costs incurred in searching"
Government resources = Taxpayers.
Consider your tax contribution as an insurance payment, should it ever happen to you.
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Funny how it ends though!
All the payment for Search N Rescue put aside, is it not funny how in Brissie the news telecast lasted until the Pilot was found alive and well. I wonder how it would of played if the Pilot did not use his/her good judgement, knowing his/her experience, and not put the aircraft on the ground manually.
Well done to the pilot involved you have survived and are all the more wiser. Bet you forgot the carton of coldies though.
Well done to the pilot involved you have survived and are all the more wiser. Bet you forgot the carton of coldies though.
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Granted he did the right thing in landing before getting into too much trouble.
BUT!
Maybe if he'd caught a lift into the community with the black fella who came out to meet the plane, or even just walked the 5 kms (which he did in the morning) to use the phone, it may have diverted a reasonably large search, which wasn't far away from getting twice as big!
Some pilots need to learn what actually occurs when a SARTIME expires, and that it is not taken lightly for a good reason.
cheers
giddy
BUT!
Maybe if he'd caught a lift into the community with the black fella who came out to meet the plane, or even just walked the 5 kms (which he did in the morning) to use the phone, it may have diverted a reasonably large search, which wasn't far away from getting twice as big!
Some pilots need to learn what actually occurs when a SARTIME expires, and that it is not taken lightly for a good reason.
cheers
giddy
Bottums Up
Well if the pilot is inexperienced as mentioned in an earlier post, the after this he'll be more experienced than he was.
Assuming this is his first experience of this type, perhaps it can also be assumed that he'll know what to do next time.
I don't ever recall being taught how to manage SAR phases, just picked it up through 'experience' .
Assuming this is his first experience of this type, perhaps it can also be assumed that he'll know what to do next time.
I don't ever recall being taught how to manage SAR phases, just picked it up through 'experience' .
Skyway...
The pilot was only in town for about 6hrs, but we made the most of it. The free beer at the pub tasted bloody good that night!
TL
The pilot was only in town for about 6hrs, but we made the most of it. The free beer at the pub tasted bloody good that night!
TL
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
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At least the pilot is alive, has hopefully learned fron the experience and the aircraft is undamaged.
Consider the alternative.
And there fellow aviators, but for the grace of God possibly go you or I.
Consider the alternative.
And there fellow aviators, but for the grace of God possibly go you or I.
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heck, I think I've learnt a thing or two just reading about it..
1. Cancel your SARTIME at all costs if your in one piece no matter what!
2. Yeah.. give 121.5 mHz a shot if your stuck in the middle of the stixs after doing a precautionary.. to pass the message on to cancel your SARTIME...
1. Cancel your SARTIME at all costs if your in one piece no matter what!
2. Yeah.. give 121.5 mHz a shot if your stuck in the middle of the stixs after doing a precautionary.. to pass the message on to cancel your SARTIME...
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
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T_L, You're developing a pattern here. I remember my short visit to the 'Crack' last October. Spent more on stubbies that night than I did for the whole trip.
Cheers,
IJ
Cheers,
IJ
I deny everything...
Anyway OpsNormal - from what i've heard you're no longer a "GA single driver"! Must be your shout again!
TL
Anyway OpsNormal - from what i've heard you're no longer a "GA single driver"! Must be your shout again!
TL