Interesting airstrips
 

After seeing a pic of the strip below in another forum (Katchana, WA) I was wondering what other interesting locations pilots are asked to fly to for work. I know the PNG guys will beat us hands down for locations, but this is not a mines shorter then yours or harder, more interested in none standard strips, ie; might have a hill at one end (milford sound), cliffs, big bump in the middle, on a small island, bend in the middle, etc. Details of location, length, pics would be great.

http://file021.bebo.com/13/large/200...796222922l.jpg

So where is that?
 

OK wish I had the pics to contrinute, but I would like to know where your example was, love the bend and the ruts at one end!:eek:

J:ok:

That pic was contributed by low orbit in the "Aircraft bent at El Questro" thread. Apparently its at Katchana in the Kimberly, WA. Will have to check the country airstrip guide at work tomorrow to see if it rates a mention.

Here is another one I saw a few years ago, about 500m, dip in middle, dune at one end, the drink at the other and a few good coral buondies to test the undercarriage. Again in WA at the Abrolhos islands, there were two other strips that where shorter and rougher, but don't have any pics.

That didn't seem to work, might be size of image file. Will try again later.

Some Ive been too ;
Cockatoo Island - Northwest WA about 900m from memory left to right see the first big dip , then into another smaller one. Mainly land left to right unless wind is too strong to accept tailwind. 206 is good 210 is alright .....
http://photoproxy.tickle.com/image/1...M103840118.jpg
Kooland Island - 600m (useable) they've done a bit of work now so its a little longer than what you see here. Again a one-way strip unless its blowing a gale! Land towards the camera and takeoff the cliff. Large dip in the middle.
206 great C208 even better 210 ... thanking your lucky stars!
http://photoproxy.tickle.com/image/1...M814555002.jpg

A few from my travels around the globe.
http://www.billzilla.org/guasopa.jpg
Guasopa in PNG, in the Citation. An old WW2 strip.
http://www.billzilla.org/ononge.jpg
Ononge in PNG, a Twotter strip.
http://www.billzilla.org/tapini.jpg
Tapini also in PNG, also a Twotter strip. (Don't turn left off there!)
http://www.billzilla.org/fane.jpg
Fane in PNG. 14deg slope of nastiness!
http://www.billzilla.org/rabaulvolcano.jpg
The view out the windscreen on downwind into Tokua, PNG, near Rabaul. Couldn't go too much further, the rocks were too big!
:)

And for no particular reason, here's a video of me taking the 747 into Dubai.
http://www.billzilla.org/747.wmv
28.4 megs.

Link to Russell Lee's strip at Ceres, Australia

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1010581/M/




Russell was tragically killed in a crash on approach to Mt. Hotham on 8th July 2005. RIP Russell.

Di

Umm.. did you really need to point out where the gear handle was to the FO. :eek:

Bevan..

Yeh I noticed that too :eek:

I think it was more that the FO couldn't understand when Bill asked for 'gear down'.

Stranger things have happened though.. Bill any comment?

For interesting strips, aside from PNG, the Torres Straits had some special places 5-6 years ago prior to being sealed Boigu in the wet reduced to 450-500m, Maubiag 400m grass water at both ends rising terrain either side & Murray Island 500m grass, drop off at either end. Many challenging strips but a great place to learn skills & provide interesting stories.

In our mob, we have over twenty different nationalities.
I've flown with guys that hardly speak or understand English at all. Now that makes for a fun flight ...
I think the guy might've been a bit asleep of something, as that's when we normally put the gear down. NFI what else he was going to do at that point.

Kachana
 

After seeing a pic of the strip below in another forum (Katchana, WA) I was wondering what other interesting locations pilots are asked to fly to for work.



hehehehe you boys crack me up.....thats not the worst the kimberley has to offer...one suggestion: spell it corectly Kachana....:cool:

I recall reading an article a while back about some of the strips in Bass Strait presenting some exciting flying, particularly one called Swan Island (?). Can anyone share some stories from those parts?

Charlie:O

How's this for butt pucker factor!!! :E

Mission strip, Eastern Highlands, PNG:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...NiceRunway.jpg

:} :} :}

18 Wheeler. Fane is 14 degrees but Omkalai was a 16 degree slope!

Sunny Woomera

and while on the topic of pointless aviation vids,
Me taking a friend on a quick trip down the V1 from Hoxton Pk.
http://video.google.com.au/videoplay...06300732543678

This is officially the best non NAS related post I have seen on pprune ever with 18wheeler's in a close second.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k4...ladyelliot.jpg
Lady Elliot Island

Hydraulic cushions at both ends? :}

C206 job or what......:}