Flinders Ranges Flying

[Guest pelorus32]

The breakfast conversation this morning - hot on the heels of our trip to Narromine - went like this:

 

Celia: How far is South Australia and could we fly to the Flinders Ranges?

 

Me: Which bit of SA and yes!

 

It appears that I continued to be seen as "vaguely competent" on the trip to Narromine and am now to be trusted with a trip to the Flinders in late September.

 

I'd really appreciate some help from forum members about appropriate airfields and places to stay, flying conditions etc. As I will be hiring an aircraft challenging bush strips will probably be out of bounds.

 

BTW I reckon that if others were interested then we could make it a party. The rough starting date would be 15 September.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Mike

 

Rawnsley Park is supposed to be good and has an Airfield attached to the complex. I've not been there myself but am told its good. try http://www.rawnsleypark.com.au/

 

Andy

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

Mike, Only 4 weeks ago we (3 couples) spent the SA long weekend at Rawnsley Park. As we would otherwise have taken 2 cars, I flew the BushCaddy in. Tony Smith is the owner- give him a call and he's fine with the idea. No charges if you are staying at Rawnsley. Centralair operate tourist flights around Wilpena Pound out of Rawnsley's strip, and their guys are more than happy to share their route and reporting points. The early morning flights over/around the Pound are spectacular. Go for it! (Of course I'm somewhat biased- I live in the Southern Flinders and fly out of Pt. Pirie.) Drop me a line if you need more info.

 

PS If you want a bit more adventure, Doug Sprigg, the proprietor at Arkaroola (further up in the Flinders), is also flying friendly and welcomes flyin visitors.

 

Regards, John Birrell

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Hi John,

 

thanks for that info. I would be interested in going to Arkaroola, but I'd like to know why it's a bit more adventure!! Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

 

Also do you have a bit of basic info on the two strips - length, width, surface and any infringements/obstacles in the circuit or glidepath?

 

Many thanks

 

Mike

 

Mike, Only 4 weeks ago we (3 couples) spent the SA long weekend at Rawnsley Park. As we would otherwise have taken 2 cars, I flew the BushCaddy in. Tony Smith is the owner- give him a call and he's fine with the idea. No charges if you are staying at Rawnsley. Centralair operate tourist flights around Wilpena Pound out of Rawnsley's strip, and their guys are more than happy to share their route and reporting points. The early morning flights over/around the Pound are spectacular. Go for it! (Of course I'm somewhat biased- I live in the Southern Flinders and fly out of Pt. Pirie.) Drop me a line if you need more info. PS If you want a bit more adventure, Doug Sprigg, the proprietor at Arkaroola (further up in the Flinders), is also flying friendly and welcomes flyin visitors.

 

Regards, John Birrell

[Guest Tristo]

hey mike

 

easter last year the club had a fly away that stoped at Arkaroola. we landed at Balcanoona and got a bus ride in to the accomodation.

 

the ridge top tours that they do are magnificient. im pretty shocking with heights but i survived and loved it.

 

on the club fly away we had 4 aircaft. 2 of them containing pilots learning to navigate

 

Tristo

 

 

[PaulN]

G'day Mike,

 

Great idea and wonderful area to flight-see. Gwen and I spent a few days at Wilpena Pound Resort on our trip to the Centre in the CT back in Aug 05. At that time it was just after unusually good rains leaving everything green and with the contrasting reds of the surrounding ranges was just magnificent. We did a 4WD tour out of the Resort which took us around some of the ridges up behind Rawnsley Park Stn leaving us with many great memories and photos.

 

One of my most memorable moments was our arrival there. As arranged, while in flight we made a mobile call to the chief pilot to advise our arrival time only to find that the co-ordinates and strip details we gleaned from the AOPA National Airfield Directory were all wrong ... wrong location, wrong runway profiles, wrong strip length, wrong elevation and wrong comms frequency ... at least the name was right. To add to the confusion an airstrip as described in the directory but not as described by the Wilpena pilot appeared right in front of us, Rawnsley Park. To add even more to the confusion we had three other aircraft in the same airspace calling to each other and (thankfully) looking out for us. To aid our search and to keep well clear of the other traffic we climbed to 6500. What a magnificent view of the Pound we had from there but a wee bit busy to get any pics. Now we could see what might be the strip ... what, that tiny strip of gravel? Confirmed by sighting one of the Wilpena planes approaching to land we made our call and dropped in to join circuit. Down we went from 6500 to 2700 ... what, you've got to be kidding? The active runway is 09 which made the downwind leg uphill, that's right, uphill. Running right under the downwind led was a ridge line of very rugged hills increasing in height as we flew straight toward the base of St Mary's Peak so that at the point where we turned base we had about only about 300' between us and the hill tops. That's not all, now we had to lose height in preparation for the approach which meant dropping down toward another ridge line over which we had to turn to final. The final leg follows the ridge line so that all the way down we held a steady 100' or so above ground calling for plenty of concentration, on the edge all the time for wind shear. Now, add to this a 15-20 knot cross wind surging over the hills you might just begin to picture our "theme park" ride in, pitching and tossing every which way. But as you can see we made it down OK, on the second attempt. What a strange place to locate a runway, the road would have been easier to land on. I'm so proud of Gwen. Knowing how anxious she gets in bumpy air she handled this very well indeed, even thanked me for a good landing. Makes it worthwhile.

 

Early morning departure from Wilpena also was interesting. We had to wait out a passing early morning thunder storm and then chase off the roos and emus as we taxied. They advise all departures from 09 to be r/hand to avoid taking chunks out of the surrounding hills and spoiling the landscape, something I wasn't aware of when doing our go around a few days before. Just as well the CT has no problem climbing out of tight spots.

 

Great memories, great trip ... go for it.

 

Paul

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for that - it sounds "exciting" and not in a good way.

 

Can you clarify which strip it is? I can't find any strip with an 09 orientation in that area.

 

Many thanks

 

Mike

 

 

[PaulN]

Wilpena Pound Resort strip. Cords S31:31 E 138:37

 

Paul

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

Gooday again, Mike

 

Rawnsley Park (YRYK)

 

31 39' S 138 36' E

 

03/21 gravel 1100 metres ( always a crosswind, according to the locals, and I agree from experience) Note:- All circuits to the East, away from the resort

 

Stands out from the air like the proverbial dog's dangles

 

Phone (08) 8648 0030 for permission

 

Regards, John B