Melbourne City Orbits
 

Hey guys, I'm wondering if someone can assist me with the procedures of doing orbits. I'm planning to head to do a few orbits from out Lethbridge way. I've been advised to report to Essendon tower and squawk 0100 at Laverton BOM Tower. Is there anything else I should know? Do they give a heading or is there a set route? I'd really appreciate an account of someones experience who's successfully done them coming from the West (or knows how), as the youtube vids and info I've been able to source hasn't been very helpful

TIA

I usually just do a clockwise orbit and go a little outside the CBD, so over the old exhibition building and over the MCG for example. I did get a direction once with the clearance, to stay east of the Westgate bridge. Otherwise pretty informal, just tell them how many orbits you’d like and confirm clockwise.

Here's what I do..
Get the YMEN ATIS on 119.8 in plenty of time. Check it again and squawk 0100 just prior to contacting YMEN TWR on 125.1 (I do this about 1 mile SW of Albert Park, YMMV..) Contact YMEN TWR with position, altitude (1500') and request [preferred direction] Melbourne City orbit (usually RH, but again, YMMV..).
Don't be afraid to request 2000' if you're doing a LH orbit and someone else is doing a RH orbit (or vice versa)
Occasionally you might not get your preferred direction due traffic, or you may have to hold for a few minutes.
Get someone else to operate the camera!

I'd fly at 1500ft sqawk 0100 above Altona and get ATIS (119.8), then at Williamstown call YMEN TWR (125.1) request RH/LH orbit.
The key is not to enter Class C without clearance.
Cheers

was going to send you a video but..

The following errors occurred with your submission:
q400link has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space.

???????

How about left hand or right hand orbits.
Most up and coming pilots these days wouldn't know what clockwise is.

try now mate

try now actually, it wasn't cleared

code?
 

Why do you need to squawk 0100?

VFR code into YMEN.