Recreational Flying Member Fly-In?

[Guest Fred Bear]

So - no where near the Kimberley then?

We are trying to make flying affordable Don ;)

 

Maybe a vote with all these locations when it comes to organising time and see which one gets the highest vote.

 

 

[bushpilot]

Sam - I think it's a great idea! And I know it has been suggested already - but there are a lot of really good gliding strips around the country that dont require ASIC; and often have good facilities and are close to cities/towns. eg. Bathurst Soaring Club http://www.bathurstsoaring.org.au/

 

But, of course, they would have to be willing - and the best way to support any approaches would be to ensure that their club makes some good bucks out of hosting. Then it's a win-win.

 

As for actual locations - seems to me Southern NSW / Northern Victoria makes sense.. (unless you are in WA or NT :confused: )

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

That's a good idea. Bathurst Soaring Club.Nice people there.Good airfield.

 

 

[Guest AusDarren]

Mildura would be an excellent choice... Geoff do you reckon the local aero club would be happy to host a Sat night bash?

 

:-) (my wife Lynne grew up in Dareton So, Its a pushover to talk her into a Mildura weekend...)

 

Regards,

 

AusDarren

 

 

[Guest Roger]

Would Griffith be worth a look? Good wines, Excellent food! Plenty of accomodation and a nice club/good people.

 

Once again You would need an ASIC.

 

Could possibly make the whole thing a three day adventure - Fly Griffith - Mildura - Home.

 

 

[Wilfred]

just a thought but it may be worth considereing combining with one of the existing upcoming flyins and make it big

 

I am sure the organizers of some of these other eventswould welcome the additional exposure

 

It probably does not matter if the event is GA oriented as we may pick up some new converts.

 

 

[Yenn]

How about coming to Raglan for the Queens Birthday weekend. It caters for all types from Warbirds to Gyros. Good food plenty of aircraft to see, a good airshow on Sunday, camping on site.

 

 

[Guest Rocko]

Hi Folks

 

I'd love to go to such an event, but if it's not remotely central for everyone who's interested, I think the turnout will be biased. (ie. Northerners or Southerners).

 

Unless you want to put on 2 events? One in Nth NSW/SE Qld, and One in Sth NSW, Vic?

 

Or keep it in the middle of NSW somewhere, at least remotely central.

 

Cheers,

 

Scotty - Brisvegas

 

 

[Ross]

Hi Darren

 

I think the idea of flying to various sites for food & wine or whatever is great. As you point out it would have more interest for the other half as well.

 

I do not see that it would be limited to once a year. As you are intimating, we should be visiting these sites regularly and they will eventually provide the services we want if we support them. I am only sorry that I cannot participate much until I get my J160 airborne if ever.

 

A friend of mine from Davis in California whom I visited a few years ago regularly flies to other sites to have as he calls it a "$100 hamburger and a cup of coffee for breakfast". He is also involved in the Davis (near Sacramento) push bike club and flies his plane around their course when they are racing (100 miles +) to relay their GPS positions back to the organisers in Davis.

 

He has the Nappa valley, literally full of wineries, on his door step which I was conducted around by his better half in their Volvo. It is a narrow valley with 10,000 ft + hills bordering it with some spectacular sites.

 

You have mentioned the towns along the Great Dividing Range which would be great with some spectacular scenery but there are also a number of towns along the NSW Victorian border with lots of wineries plus the attraction of a number of golf courses and River Murray cruises in houseboats.

 

A couple of years ago, we did one of these cruises in a houseboat from Echuca downstream for about 70 river miles or kilometres I think. It was to the next weir on the Murray. I set up my GPS on 12 volt from the boat power but it ran out of memory with about 5 miles to go plotting the track before we got back to Echuca (too many bends).

 

The round trip took us (with three couples) about a week with a break in the middle with an evening out at a Golf Club for a meal plus entertainment. We tied the boat up to the shore and the club bus came down and picked up up and took us the three or four kilometres to the club and returned us later in the evening.

 

We were able to be in constant radio contact with the riverboat owners with whom we checked in with each day. They had about twenty or thirty boats on the river. Another boat who lost their propeller on a snag called up the owners who came down in a boat and replaced the prop. Those boats have 240 & 12 volt lighting system so they can operate stoves and hot water systems etc with the 240 volt system and go to the 12 volt system after cooking etc is finished when you want some quiet. A very relaxing week. They give you about a fifteen minute lesson in boat handling before you leave their pier at Echuca which turned out to be enough even for us land lubbers after a bit of practice.

 

We stocked up with groceries and essentials like whiskey and chocolate in Echuca before leaving but were able to buy additional fresh bread and other items about half way through the trip. We could have got the boat owners to bring additional supplies or help if required.

 

I think the offers of drop in aerodromes like Ballarrat, Yarrawonga, Sheparton and Temora are a great idea. So Aerodromes and clubs that encourage visitors should be a bit more up front with their information.

 

For example Narrandera and Leeton have barbecues with all welcome on one Sunday per month (the trouble is I don't know what days they are). I know I have to be out at Brobenah aerodrome for a barbecue tomorrow at lunch time and at St Vincents Hospital in Sydney at 10 am Tuesday morning.

 

Regards Ross Arnold

 

 

[Guest StingGuy]

One of the considerations might be... how well organised is the local organisation? Hosting an event like this takes a lot of planning preparation and work... so a club that has handled this type of event could be trusted to make it good.

 

Shepparton has the right set up. Some of the most consistent weather conditions, well located, outstanding club facilities, a membership willing to work to make it a success... and the town has a number of venues that would support a large group. Hotels, restaurants, reception venues etc.

 

... good shopping, lots of tours and interesting things to do...

 

Shepparton has shown its ability to host a major event and it may well stack up as a good choice for a fly in of this type.

 

Why not come and have a look at shep...

 

 

[bushpilot]

My view on the various format options, suggested below, is:

 

The 'drop into to several locations' approach would be good as an event spread over several days - that people can treat as a holiday tour.. It will not appeal to all, but it has a place in the calendar.

 

The 'one location' approach is better suited to getting as many Forum members as possible together, over say 2 days, to meet, socialise and exchange views. This also means it can happen on an ordinary weekend, avoiding conflicts with other events and family commitments that often apply on long weekends, Easter, etc.

 

Then the location could be moved each year - giving access to most members in most regions.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Admin]

Ok, this is going to happen. So far we have the suggestions of:

 

Cessnock

 

Mildura (to far for the Brissies)

 

Temora (to far for the Adelaiders)

 

Barossa (to far for the Brissies and Sydneyites)

 

Bathurst (to far for the Adelaiders)

 

Griffith (to far for the Brissies)

 

Raglan (a bit far for the southerners)

 

Central to Bris, Syd, Melb and Adel would be Cobar or Nyngan but I doubt there would be much around there and it would be about 500miles from Adel or Bris.

 

I like Port Macquarie as it is great scenery, lots to do and a very friendly place but it is to far for the Adelaiders and Melburnians.

 

Perhaps we have two, one in say Port Macquarie on the Queens Birthday Long Weekend and one at say Shepparton on the Melbourne Cup Day Weekend. Each year these two change places like next year the Queens Birthday one is at Nambour and the Cup day one is at Mildura - and on it goes.

 

What are your thoughts???

 

 

[Guest bateo]

I love the idea!! We just have to focus on getting the numbers to the event.. I love the thought of Port.. plenty to do there and a very nice fly!!

 

 

[slartibartfast]

I'm up for Port on the QB weekend. I rearranged an implementation at work today which would have required my attendance on that weekend, but I knew some good flying would be on. Let's make the first fly-in there and then.

 

We're never going to find a place to please everybody in a country this size, just pick a spot and do it (the Nike spot).

 

 

[Guest Emma Masters]

Sounds Good for me my Folks live in Port;) so i wouldn't be stuck at the Airfield all day and night! Im usually done after a few hours at a Fly-In...

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

Ok, this is going to happen. So far we have the suggestions of:Cessnock

Mildura (to far for the Brissies)

 

Temora (to far for the Adelaiders)

 

Barossa (to far for the Brissies and Sydneyites)

 

Bathurst (to far for the Adelaiders)

 

Griffith (to far for the Brissies)

 

Raglan (a bit far for the southerners)

Did my Barwon Heads suggestion not make the list? Close to the 12 Apostles, and the Great Ocean Road.

 

 

[Admin]

Barwon Heads is really only good for the southerners - a small fly for the Melburnians and reasonable fly for the Adelaiders but we can always consider it by vote each year which is what I will do next once we have ascertained comment and the dates.

 

 

[Matt]

I like the idea of a Port Mac fly in on the QB long weekend...maybe get up to see how my...I mean Gregg's Sportstar is going :)

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

So in my earlier post I put some limitations in that were reasonable for a normal 2 day weekend from Adelaide. If we were to hold it on a long weekend then the limit for me of 500-600nM from Adelaide could be lifted a bit.

 

For Narromine this year, I flew in on Fri, out to Maitland on Sat and back to Adelaide via Narromine on Sunday. Port Maquarie, at 120Kts is only another 30 or so minutes.

 

The only potential problem that I could see which could be a show stopper is weather. With some luck this year Queens Birthday will conincide with significant precipitation meaning that us South Aussies can continue to look to the Murray to provide us with water for drinking for next year. If it isnt raining then the trip to Port could be justified by looking for some place to live as SA without water is somewhat uninviting and it does appear to be getting to the serious stages.

 

 

[Guest David C]

Yes ... Port seems like the ideal destination ;)... Navigation is no problem either , especially for us Sydneysiders .. Just keep the green stuff on the left and the blue stuff on the right . No worries !!..

 

 

[Admin]

Yes ... Port seems like the ideal destination ;)... Navigation is no problem either , especially for us Sydneysiders .. Just keep the green stuff on the left and the blue stuff on the right . No worries !!..

Wouldn't that make it a long trip home ;)

 

 

[Guest danda]

There appears to be so many different ideas here and I would really like to kick this thing off so how about we just pick a central location and get it off the ground. To good to miss.

 

Don

 

 

[Guest David C]

Wouldn't that make it a long trip home ;)

ha ha .... Yes it would Ian , about 23000km at a guess , and a few refuelling stops . And toilet stops hey Ross ;) ...

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Don't mention the war ...

 

 

[Ultralights]

if i remember correctly, someone here has a 700 mtr long farm strip near Bathurst!!! ;)