Shepparton - Narromine Return

[Guest pelorus32]

Well first things first - sorry Ben forgot to get you a present:)

 

Celia and I set out from Shepparton about 8:30am on Friday and tracked direct to Narrandera - smooth trip all the way at 3500'. Comfort stop but no fuel as the refueller had reputedly gone camping!!

 

Then, after a quick break, direct Narrandera - Narromine. Got to Narromine in time for lunch with the thermals just starting to bubble in the last 30 miles - just a strip of unstable air. Joined crosswind as the second aircraft in a 3 aircraft sequence - very quiet.

 

Had a great afternoon and a very good day on Saturday and caught up with Ian and Paul N among others.

 

Left Narromine this morning direct for West Wyalong after a very good aero club breakfast. Someone had described WW as "a hole" and I can see why he thought that. Quick comfort stop and then direct Shepparton. Just the odd bump and the whole return trip at 4.500' to 5,000.

 

The two downsides: listening to everyone using 126.7 like the local party line - if you are an offender then maybe you should consider 123.45 for interplane communication. 126.7 is cluttered enough in that area without "how far are you from Yarrawonga mate, what height and what tailwind have you got?" and then the inevitable answer only to have it all repeated ten minutes later. And the other downside? All the guys who didn't read their NOTAMS and tried to land at Narrandera today - it was open on Friday but closed today due motorsport.

 

Total logbook time 7.2 hours and the boss said she enjoyed the trip.

 

Overachievers prize for the weekend goes to the older gentleman who spent the whole weekend clearing the tables at the aero club in Narromine. And it was his birthday today!!

 

Great to see you all.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest Emma Masters]

I enjoyed reading your report...Hopefully next year i can experience it all in an a/c with my husband :)

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

 

[Matt]

Canberra to Narromine

 

Same day (Friday), different departure point. We headed out of Canberra at about 8.30, departed between MSU (Beech 200) and RRJ (Warrior) all headed for Narromine. There was a bit of broken cumulus cloud around Canberra at about 4500' but we got above it easily and tracked direct Narromine at 6500'. Quiet on the radio except for RRJ (IFR at 6000') getting regular traffic updates on us as he was very slowly overtaking us...having departed Canberra just after us, we joined crosswind at Narromine just behind him - not much speed difference between the old Warrior and our Sportstar...about 20L/hour difference in fuel burn though :). Arrived Narromine just before 10.30.

 

As mentioned in another post, spent the few hours we were there catching up with friends and making some new ones.

 

We left Narromine at about 3.30, stopped off at Dubbo to fill up the tank and then direct home to Canberra. Headed home at 7500', dropped down to 5500' just after Cowra due to a bit of cloud - bit of a bummer as we had a 10 knot tailwind at 7500 and ran into a 10 knot headwind at 5500. Touched down at Canberra just before 6...our unofficial travelling companions from Canberra RRJ and MSU arrived just before and after us respectively.

 

Seemed to be a few others from Canberra up there on Friday...funny how we all fly to the middle of NSW to meet up :)

 

Here's a pic of the GPS track from the day...sorry about the size and quality of the pic - limitations of the forum.

 

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Great report Mike.Love the print-out Matt! :)

 

 

[leestanley]

Thanks Mike and Matt for your trip reports...

 

Mike, I hope to be heading up the Shep soon... I have a very good mate who lives at Kialla Lakes with his family so can't wait to test out my soon to be achieved xc endorsement with a quick trip up for morning tea! I might even try and get a famil in your Tecnams...

 

Lee.