Dave Sykes Has Landed in Oz

[FlyingVizsla]

He's slowly updating his blog... He landed at Dawin getting tossed around, taxied in and was met by a TV reporter who asked if he could go back and land again as they had missed it ... He said NO. He has done some radio interviews by phone. I guess he is still having computer problems and enjoying our beer so he hasn't been on his usual forums and blogs updating his progress. So at this stage I am not sure what day, or if he will be landing at Barcaldine.

 

Wishing him tail winds and gentle breezes straight down the runway.

 

Sue

 

 

[Ronin]

I think he is having enough problems with a faulty computer, have heard nothing from him since landing here, hope to as he get closer down our Newcastle way....Eric

 

 

[Ronin]

Dave up and at em just landed Blackall just North of Charleville and Cunnamulla, hop step and jump to Bourke in NSW, so could be in NSW later today depending on the weather up that way, but that doesn't seem to be stopping him

 

 

[damoski]

I've just tried to predict Dave's arrival date; I've been trying to keep next week free so I can head over and see him come in, but have a 2-day meeting in NZ, so am trying to arrange it so that I can be in Sydney :-)

 

[update: I completely misread the map earlier] It looks like it could be:

 

So far: Darwin to Tindal, Renner springs, Barkly Hornest, Cloncurry, Barcaldine,

 

Fri pm Charleville, Nyngen,

 

Sat Dubbo, Somersby, Sydney Bankstown

 

Sun? Newcastle

 

There's a low over the eastern coast for most of the week, although I doubt that'll pose much trouble for him!

 

Any thoughts? Anyone else going to Bankstown? :-)

 

Actually... anyone know how well-wishers could get airside to see him come in, at Bankstown?

 

D

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Dave landed in Barcaldine, met by the Mayor & other aviators, yesterday.

 

Landed at Blackall (I suspect to shake the hand of the Mayor of Blackall/Tambo)

 

Is about to land at Charleville (ETA 11am today Friday) - he might push on over the NSW border today (maybe?) or at least Cunnamulla

 

So I am guessing Saturday Nygan / Dubbo (its only 600km from Charleville)

 

Possibly Sunday for Bankstown?

 

Track his flight through http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=06mEvoaRQpSkLGcIAKnq9WsAs8oR5030m

 

Sue

 

 

[damoski]

Fantastic - thanks Sue!

 

 

[Ronin]

Hey Don, from what i am lead to believe he will coming into Wallsend private strip and that should be his final, I am at Rutherford and there is no talk at present he will come in so we're all thinking Wallsend as I think that is where the boys from Airborne may be crating the trike to send back home for him, we're waiting to get a confirmation on that one though as some of us want if weather ok to be around the skies for him, to welcome him to that last leg..... Eric

 

 

[Ronin]

Cheers mate, say hi if you get in, look forward....

 

 

[coljones]

Hey Don, from what i am lead to believe he will coming into Wallsend private strip and that should be his final, I am at Rutherford and there is no talk at present he will come in so we're all thinking Wallsend as I think that is where the boys from Airborne may be crating the trike to send back home for him, we're waiting to get a confirmation on that one though as some of us want if weather ok to be around the skies for him, to welcome him to that last leg..... Eric

Hi, Does anyone know his arrangements in Sydney (bankstown) as I would like to head out but will need a bit of warning even though it is only 30 mins away.

 

Col

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

 

 

Col

Best to follow him in real time. Go to his site www.soloflightglobal.com and "Track my Journey" which gives you 10 minute updates, from which you can deduce where he is headed and roughly his speed and ETA.

 

 

 

I was half expecting him to continue on from Charleville today, but he got there about 11am and stayed put. I guess he will do Nyngan or Dubbo tomorrow. I don't know what he has arranged for his arrival.

 

 

 

Sue

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

David is heading to Nyngan - ETA 1:30pm EST Sat. Hope there's someone to greet him.

 

Sue

 

 

[winsor68]

He is showing as landed in Nyngan at 1441...

 

This is not a live photo... njust one I found of the airport with lots of Ra-Aus type activity at the time it seems...

 

 

 

[Ronin]

Cool yep have been watching the track today thought he may go further but was unsure of weather in area, not that sort of stuff seem to worry him, 1/2 days he'll have finished his journey, not bad going.....Eric

 

 

[damoski]

So - unless he makes a blog post saying he'll hang around Nyngan or have a lie-in, he should arrive at Bankstown around 12-2pm tomorrow, perhaps.

 

I'll make sure I'm there. Not sure how or where to welcome him though - you could end up on the wrong side of the airport easily enough.

 

 

[Ronin]

Yep i'm thinking he will arrive Wallsend private strip probably Monday if does not do lay over in Sydney or get waylaid by all of those news crews clambering for his story, pretty disappointed with the coverage this trip hasn't got, it is such a shame...

 

 

[winsor68]

Everyone... E-mail your local TV station... the more the merrier...

 

Just google for the address and click on Contact us... they all have it... it will take a couple of minutes...after all they are the press... they want to hear what we want to hear.

 

 

[damoski]

Just checked: Nothing yet this morning; and no blog post;maybe he's planning to arrive later in the day.

 

 

[damoski]

Still nothing... Thought I might ping the BMAA forums where he's been posting, but they're down.

 

 

[Ronin]

Weather appears to be ok Dubbo way, maybe he's having a break, or his flight down has to co-ordinate in some way Bankstown way, haven't read anything elsewhere yet, done a bit of emailing this morning to some of local Newcastle papers that are arms of the bigger Sydney ones, not sure how much good it will do but at least they have some info and couple of pics, hope for the best.....Eric

 

 

[Ronin]

Just an update, please as Winsor mentioned above, jump on the email system, i have sent photos and emails this morning to NBNTV in Newcastle, 7 & 9 in Sydney so if we get a few people doing this maybe they just might get the message that it is news worthy, it will all be over in few days or so.....Eric:thank you:

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

A better flow of information would help the cause immensely. The PR side of things appears to be lacking which may be just the way Dave wants it. It's not flying weather through here (which I would presume is his route) today or over the Wollemi National Park to the south. Best wishes to him on this final leg.

I agree, more info would help the cause (the Air Ambulance & Dave's costs). Fortunately I had connections in Western Qld and got the local pilots, Mayor (who also donated accommodation) and Longreach Leader. Unfortunately for the Leader it will be old news when the next edition comes out Friday morning (being Thursday it missed the print deadline for last Friday). I left it to the locals to contact the ABC in Longreach (the manager there is a local pilot) but it might not have happened or was run as a local broadcast only - not uploaded to the ABC site.

There has been coverage by the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, but these won't follow up until he actually reaches his destination and it then becomes real News. The story will then be syndicated and reprinted in a plethora of on-line and hard copy media. It has been a bad news week for aviation (and a slow news week as well) so this Good News story may even things out. To make it more "newsworthy" you need a stunt - like 20 Trikes accompany brave pilot ... Special permission to enter Bankstown. Hero's welcome etc. Just wish I lived closer so I could be there to cheer him on. But I do understand he is doing everything himself (publicity, updating blogs & forum, flight plans, fuel, accommodation, as well as reporting to family) and very weather & stamina dependant on the fly or no fly decision each day. The Media would prefer something they can timetable in and capture the visual grab that sells the story better than words. Viz the ABC's NT reporter asking if Dave could take off and land again as they had missed it. At the end of the day - it's Dave's journey - and if he doesn't want the brass band then so be it. But it would be nice to promote the flying option for the common man. After all, he has proven that a Trike can reliably make it from England to Australia. So I dips me lid to him. Well Done!.

 

Sue

 

 

[damoski]

Well, it looks like he's definitely not taking off today - either that, or he left the GPS Transmitter at the airfield :-)

 

If anyone is 'on the scene' and hears/sees progress, please update us all here so that some of us can attend if possible. I was hoping to be at the airfield to see him land, which is a lot easier at the weekend, but might be able to drop by on Monday...

 

 

[Ronin]

Seems to have made a move this morning Monday, around 7am, see what the days brings....

 

 

[damoski]

Yep, track should be passing Dubbo in half an hour or so. UK BMAA forums are still down, so no idea if he's told anyone what the plan is when he lands.

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Looks like he's over Dubbo now. I wonder if he plans to land there to give the Quik one last drink before coming into Sydney.