Lower Tully QLD to GAwler SA

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Well, tomorrow morning I fly Virgin Blue from Adelaide to Cairns and then by greyhound to Tully where I pick up my new (2nd hand 85hrs) J230.

 

Sunday at some stage after loading and preflighting Im looking , weather permiting, to start the long flight back to Gawler in SA via Townsville and then pretty well direct(ish). I figure to go past the odd airfield or 100 so will provide photos of some of the outback Qld and NSW ones of note. Winds look reasonable at this stage more cross than on the nose and it would be too much to hope that it'd be a tail wind.

 

Will probably stop at Noccundra Hotel / Station first afternoon and then complete the flight next day.

 

Anyone got any last minute tips for flying over the outback that they want to share?

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

 

[Admin]

Have a great trip Mate! ;)

 

 

[slartibartfast]

What a great trip. Nearly 2000Nm?

 

Enjoy the newish Jab and the journey. Look forward to the photos.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Have a safe one and take heaps of pics! Enjoy! (I am sure you will) ;)

 

 

[eyecast]

What a great adventure. Also looking foward to the pictures and the story.

 

 

[hiperlight]

Don't forget to wear a nappy!

 

Bruce

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

I didn't know you were into that sort of stuff Bruce :ah_oh:

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

So now for the photos

 

Well that was relatively easy.

 

But what a set of contrasts, from this between Cairns and Tully out of the greyhound bus window

 

 

To this, a relatives property about 60nm NNW of Broken Hill

 

 

I set off from Tully last Sunday morning, going down the coast between Hichinbrook Island and the mainland towards Townsville. West of Townsville at 2000ft staying just outside controlled Airspace to my left, while also avoiding the active R740A to my right. Watching the hills both sides of me extend above me. I dont yet have an ASIC and as such the places I could land at where limited so I headed for Aramac in central Qld. It was hot and flat. The photo with the terminal is from the tarmac facing south, the other is facing NW. Its hard to show you hot , but flat is easy to see :big_grin:

 

 

From Aramac to a place called Noccundra Hotel down in the SW corner of QLD. No mains power, rather they run a diesel generator 24 x 7. The caretaker told me the fuel bill per 24hr period is approx $150 per day!!!.

 

I guess I consider myself a country boy at heart I quite liked the place, but another South Aussie from Adelaide who was staying with her husband was clearly unimpressed with having to stay at the hotel for 3 days. I didnt see her problem, the rooms were luxurious. 3 days in one might strech the friendship though. Anway the next set of photos, show it from the Air, the room and my new chariot parked out the front

 

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

 

BTW what you see in the room above constitutes the entire room there isnt anything to the side or behind that you cant see. in fact I was outside looking in through the door when I took it. Anyway it was fine for one night.

 

Just after I had taken the photo of the J230 out the front of the hotel on the Monday morning a tour bus came past and I was inundated with non aeronutically inclined people asking if I had dropped in for a drink, or had I landed on the road etc. Whne I was asked where I had come from and where I was going people assumed that I had flown from Tully to Noccundra that morning (it was 8:30am local) and would be in Adelaide by Lunch. Virgin and Qantas eat your heart out!!! Anyway a few Q's later and I lost interest in that side diversion, sadled up and headed off with a lowish and fast exit over the bus to the South to Broken Hill. AVGAS was just over $2 per litre, normally only available by the drum. (who in Ultralights could ever use a drum of AVgas in one bite ?????

 

Broken Hill was approx 2hrs over some countryside that had me thinking wonderful thoughts about GPS's. With out them I guess IFR (I follow Roads) would be the only way of navigating any real distance because there is virtually nothing to take an absolute fix on. I also was thinking wonderful thoughs about Telstra. I purchase a LG TU500 mobile on Telstras Next G network prior to leaving and can say that well over 90% of the country I travelled had good coverage at the 6500 and 8500 alt I was at. Given that the population density in that part of the worl can probably be counted on ones fingers per square 1000Kms I think its a pretty fantasic deal especially when I was using the internet connectivity to look at the latest BOM info.

 

Anyway about 9.5 hrs in total over 2 days was very comfortable and with he new Telex ANR headsets I arrived without hearing fatigue both days. Im a big believer in ANR and have been for a number of years with Triking as well.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

The next photo was taken between Aramac and Noccundra as I overflew a place called Isisford

 

 

The next is on descent into Gawler overflying a small town (large by comparison with the ones above) called Kapunda. Its claim to fame was copper mining in the early stages of SA settlement.

 

 

And lastly Im back in my hanger being mobbed by my kids (Im the one standing on the brick strategically behind the fuel can on the wing ;))

 

 

 

[Guest AusDarren]

Thanks Andy, Awesome trip..

 

I bet you can't get the grin off after bringing home your new bird!

 

are you going to slip across to Avalon?

 

Regards,

 

AusDarren

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Nope, not this year, I hope to go to Narromine but dont have an ASIC and probably wont in time for Narromine. If Narromine isnt a security controlled AD then I can make it in one single flight. I'll start to look at the planning shortly. I want one of those 406Mhz EPIRBS that GME are launching. In fact I wanted one last week for obvious reasons but couldnt get one so stuck witht the tried and occasionally ignored or failed ( for others not me) MT310

 

 

[Captain]

What were you cruising at, Andy, what was your approx average fuel burn and what did you think of the 230's handling & performance?

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I havent yet topped up the tanks (due to the fact that I now have to do the 100hrly) so cant say exactly what the burn was, however there is a fuel mizer fitted and it showed on average a burn of 18.5lts per hour during the cruise periods (between 105 and 115kts) , though I havent yet tested it to see if its calibrated accurately.

 

I think the total fuel used will be arround the 195 litres for the 9.5hrs equating to approx 20.5. I planned for 22/hr.

 

With regard to height most of the way was at 6500, for a couple of hours on day one towards the end of the day I went up to 8500 to try and reduce the impact of the thermals and the associated CB's.

 

Handling and performance. I have purchased a Trio Avionics autopilot and alt hold and would have loved to have them fitted for the trip the biggest issue was trying to operate the laptop/ ozziexplorer or radio or GPS and try and maintain a course at the same time. It doesnt hold the same course hands off and needs constant minor adjustments, but then neither does the 160 either so no real issue. Bottom line was that after the 9.5hrs I felt I could easily handle another 9.5

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Awesome trip report and pics Andy. Thanks for sharing them :)

 

 

[Bruce Robbins]

Hey Mister, you wanna buy some paint??

 

Andy,

 

Took a J230 for a quick trip YOAS - YNGN - YOAS via Katoomba Orange and Dubbo (The Oaks to Nyngan and return)today to pick up a friend. Averaged 19.6 litres per hour for a fast cruise at 2950 rpm. Ground speed around 110kts out and nearly 130 back. 5.9 hours total airtime.

 

 

Lumpy as all get out down low, but smooth as the proverbial at 8500 and 9500.

 

Looks as though Nyngan and Aramac hired the same architect and painter!

 

 

Bruce

 

 

 

[Alan]

Andy,

 

Great trip. I know your Jabiru 230 from its days up here. I feel sure it will rejoice at being out of the wet weather. Hope you enjoy it.

 

I use my 230 for some fairly long hauls and would be interested to know some details and experiences of your Trio Avionics autopilot. As you say the 230 is not hard to fly on along trip, but it would be good go hands off for more than a few seconds.

 

Alan