AirVenture 2019 - Parkes

Those that are going, or maybe going to AirVenture 2019 at Parkes don't forget to mark that you are going in the event entry here at Recreational Flying:

This will enable members of the site to be able to perhaps organise a catch up with each other in person at the event

So far just me & Bubbleboy. Old K is going AFAIK. The weather for the flight down from South Grafton on Friday looks good. Tailwind all they way if it is right

Forecast wind on Saturday is making me undecided if I will fly the Thruster. Will most likely drive over, if anyone needs any kind of help call me oh four five nine 521 660 

Coming home (north) looks to be the worst weather: Windy has a front-type feature over the Dubbo area on Sunday morning.

I plan to leave after the airshow & it looks like there will be a 20 knot NW headwind all the way home if Windy is right. Oh well "Time to spare go by air"

I plan to leave after the airshow & it looks like there will be a 20 knot NW headwind all the way home if Windy is right. Oh well "Time to spare go by air"

 

So down to only 100kts GS, oh you poor thing?

So down to only 100kts GS, oh you poor thing?

 

I prefer to cruise at around 110kts & burn 17-18 lph. At 120kts I burn 24-25 lph & the bumps are harder.

Am looking at Sunday morning if weather is kind.

Forecast wind on Saturday is making me undecided if I will fly the Thruster. Will most likely drive over, if anyone needs any kind of help call me oh four five nine 521 660 

 

Very wise choice!

Saturday morning reports (METAR / SPECI) gusting up to 36kts from the north - all crosswind on available runways and 6000m vis in dust. 

As much as 6K vis? Very much less down the road at Narromine.

Parkes webcam...

Very windy and dusty at Parkes. A pretty good roll up of aircraft, good food, displays and seminars, but an hour ago all non-essential personnel were ordered off the airfield. Since the big tents are a hazard in high wind, I'm sitting in my plane. More comfortable and helping hold her down.

Very wise choice!

 

Saturday morning reports (METAR / SPECI) gusting up to 36kts from the north - all crosswind on available runways and 6000m vis in dust. 

 

It was an interesting day, vis would have been down to 500m. Talked to a guy while we sheltered in the aero club who turned out to be kevin from the forum. All the planes will need a good wash 

Despite the weather I would have driven from Melbourne but was having to work Saturday and couldn't change. A real pain.

Great day Saturday, in spite of a 4 hour layoff. Visited the museum while waiting, well worth it, my son went to the Matt Hall talk, loved it, got the signed hat as well. A couple of planes provided some entertainment landing in the midst of the high winds, apparently successfully although I didn't see them taxi in to the show area ...  Caught up with OK, yes I should have announced my intentions but a bit busy (read: disorganised). 

David

Photo's MORE photo's Please.

Pretty please/

I can't do any shows now, as too painful to stand or walk around.

SO Make me jealous. of what I'm missing !.  

spacesailor

Photo's MORE photo's Please.

 

Pretty please/

 

I can't do any shows now, as too painful to stand or walk around.

 

SO Make me jealous. of what I'm missing !.  

 

spacesailor

 

There was this polished musketeer ? not mine.

NICE

Almost as shiny as a Hummel.

spacesailor

There was this polished musketeer ? not mine.

 

[ATTACH]41349[/ATTACH]

 

That's Ron Watts' (former MAF, based at Wollongong, ..er .... whatever it's called now)

It's as gorgeous on the inside as out and lovely to fly.

I flew down on Friday morning & stopped in Quirindi where forumite Old K was waiting & we flew to Parkes. The air was pretty good at about 8500 but after beginning to descend after Wellington it got a bit choppy. I made my 10 mile inbound call & Unicom advised 04 was in use. Called downwind & base where I was getting tossed around like a rag doll & found the wind had become quite cross from 360 so was pushed out of line. No problem though as everyone was doing it. Putting the tent up was an exercise in almost futile persistence. There was no way I could do it on my own in the gusty conditions. Old K came to the rescue & it was up, sort of. There were dunnys everywhere but no-one could find the showers. They were eventually located about 500 metres away across the apron. The only problem was that the bloke who started the generators slept in on Saturday so I had a 6am cold wash instead. The wind howled and I reckon I got less that an hours sleep on Friday night with the tent threatening to lay down & it kept hitting my head & the noise from the flapping was deafening.

The food was good except for the Greek stuff that had Chinese people doing it. I went to a couple of seminars on Saturday but the wind got stronger & the dust came, then it got worse & they decided the site had to be evacuated. Some of us rode it out at the Aero Club & it was there I bumped in to T88. Spent some time at the HARS Museum which was good but it was raining mud. When we got back the plane was a real mess. It rained on and off all night but at least the wind was gone.

I spent about 2 hours on Sunday morning washing the plane. I pinched some empty water bottles from the yellow bins & filled them at the basins at the toilets. What a mission. That red dust gets in everywhere. After Id washed it and it dried it still looked terrible but CASA came to the rescue as they were giving away promotional chamois so I grabbed a couple & eventually it looked presentable again. The seminars were excellent and well attended and although Saturday afternoon was a dust out, the evening was good with a few beers & good food & the presentations were made. The show was pretty good. Matt Hall was sensational as always & the F18 deafening. Monday looked better for the trip home as the weather was forecast to be better. Sunday night was freezing. We woke up to ice on the wings. The site was virtually deserted apart for those who stayed another night. The trip home was a bit hairy but there was a good tailwind & lots of smoke the closer I got.

Was it worthwhile. Absolutely despite the weather bits. It was well organised, & the company great.

Photos

1 Bushcat under assembly

2 Dust storm just before evacuation, Seminar tents

3 Camping area

4 Food & drinks & socialising covered area 

5 Main exhibitor hall

6 Exhibits

7 Aircraft parking, camping behind & main site in the background

I flew down on Friday morning & stopped in Quirindi where forumite Old K was waiting & we flew to Parkes. The air was pretty good at about 8500 but after beginning to descend after Wellington it got a bit choppy. I made my 10 mile inbound call & Unicom advised 04 was in use. Called downwind & base where I was getting tossed around like a rag doll & found the wind had become quite cross from 360 so was pushed out of line. No problem though as everyone was doing it. Putting the tent up was an exercise in almost futile persistence. There was no way I could do it on my own in the gusty conditions. Old K came to the rescue & it was up, sort of. There were dunnys everywhere but no-one could find the showers. They were eventually located about 500 metres away across the apron. The only problem was that the bloke who started the generators slept in on Saturday so I had a 6am cold wash instead. The wind howled and I reckon I got less that an hours sleep on Friday night with the tent threatening to lay down & it kept hitting my head & the noise from the flapping was deafening.

 

The food was good except for the Greek stuff that had Chinese people doing it. I went to a couple of seminars on Saturday but the wind got stronger & the dust came, then it got worse & they decided the site had to be evacuated. Some of us rode it out at the Aero Club & it was there I bumped in to T88. Spent some time at the HARS Museum which was good but it was raining mud. When we got back the plane was a real mess. It rained on and off all night but at least the wind was gone.

 

I spent about 2 hours on Sunday morning washing the plane. I pinched some empty water bottles from the yellow bins & filled them at the basins at the toilets. What a mission. That red dust gets in everywhere. After Id washed it and it dried it still looked terrible but CASA came to the rescue as they were giving away promotional chamois so I grabbed a couple & eventually it looked presentable again. The seminars were excellent and well attended and although Saturday afternoon was a dust out, the evening was good with a few beers & good food & the presentations were made. The show was pretty good. Matt Hall was sensational as always & the F18 deafening. Monday looked better for the trip home as the weather was forecast to be better. Sunday night was freezing. We woke up to ice on the wings. The site was virtually deserted apart for those who stayed another night. The trip home was a bit hairy but there was a good tailwind & lots of smoke the closer I got.

 

Was it worthwhile. Absolutely despite the weather bits. It was well organised, & the company great.

 

Photos

 

1 Bushcat under assembly

 

2 Dust storm just before evacuation, Seminar tents

 

3 Camping area

 

4 Food & drinks & socialising covered area 

 

5 Main exhibitor hall

 

6 Exhibits

 

7 Aircraft parking, camping behind & main site in the background

 

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If you flew in dust for long it might be a good idea to check your motor for any signs of deterioration and do an early oil change.  Nev

This captures the extremes of Airventure Aus 2019.

sunday looked good, home base weather was terrible, so I chose not to go, wind, rain and bad vis out to the west.

maybe next year-here's to hoping.