ParkesFlyer Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Do you have a dream flight, one that you’ve been wanting to make for years? Ever since I started my flight training I’ve dreamt of making the 311 nautical mile trip to my home-town near Mildura. I imagined flying over the desolate Hay plain, how would I go? How would I fair navigating all that way with barely any landmarks on which to make a fix? It takes us about eight and a half hours to drive it, yet it might only take three and a half or so in the aircraft. How would I go landing on that big runway with the chance of sharing the airspace with RPT heavy metal? Exciting stuff indeed! My flight training started with a TIF in February 2009 and by the end of July I had eight hours in my log-book and my first solo under my belt, - I was hooked! The dream was well and truly alive and by January 2010 I had my Pilot Certificate. This meant I could drive home and hire an aircraft while I was there, but that idea fell way short of flying all the way, what a homecoming that would be! The 3rd of November 2010 was a red letter day, I’d completed my navs, I WAS FREE! I planned the trip for April 2011 and excitedly prepared my ASIC and carnet cards (BP and Mobil), found a workmate who was keen to get to “Mildew” (to see his girlfriend), I even got onto this forum and got some advice about everything from where to park my ship once I got there to what kind of knot to use to tie it down with (well, you can’t knock a bloke for being keen can you?)! Sadly it was all to come to nought as just days before I was due to leave I got a call from the aero club, - the Foxy was out of service while they awaited parts for a sprag clutch replacement, Nooooooooo! I was crushed, the dream would have to wait. Early in May this year I got another chance. I pawed over my maps and planned the trip again, solo this time, I planned to overfly Griffith, land at Hay for fuel, then off again to turn over Balranald and then track straight for Mildura. With seemingly little sleep the night before I was up early to check the weather on the big day, - not ideal, but it looked doable, - we were “go for launch”. With my Bride fully briefed to hold my SARWATCH, I ventured forth into the burning blue. The cloud was at ~4500’ which I found most inconvenient as it only left me with a choice between 2500’ or 6500’ for a cruise altitude. I chose the latter and enjoyed a smooth flight to Griffith where the clouds quickly started to bunch up and I decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and dipped down to take the “low road”. The leg to Hay was a little bumpy near the river, but the town soon came into view and the landing was uneventful. I was crestfallen at the bowser (my first away from home re-fuelling) when I discovered that my carnet cards were not compatible with the set-up there, but thankfully some friendly locals came to my rescue and allowed me to pay cash (and gave me a receipt). Once again on my way I found that the Hay Plain was nothing like I expected. It’s been two years since the hard times of the big drought and recent floods have transformed the plain into a lush green marshland (being very flat, it takes the water a very long time to get away), and with plenty of landmarks, the Murray to my left and the Darling in front of me (as a “cross this and you’ve gone too far” line) the feared navigation challenge turned out to be a snack. I arrived at Mildura with no sign of any heavy metal on the airwaves and an empty circuit. I concluded the flight with a smooth landing and a HUGE GRIN, - I’D DONE IT, A DREAM FULFILLED! My sister was there to greet me with a similar sized smile and the exclamation “it’s so tiny, how did you fly all this way in THAT?” It was a magnificent adventure, perhaps for me it was a rite of passage, the local boy finally does good! Great as it was though, it was topped off with a priceless few hours of taking my family for joy flights around the district, - it couldn’t have been better! My Maps: Lake Cowell copper mine near West Wyalong Nice and smooth up here, but the clouds are closing up! (near Griffith) Pulled up for a spell at Hay The marshland of the Hay plain Balranald with flood waters still receding Man and Machine at Mildura! 5
Guest Maj Millard Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Well done Parkes Flyer !...........................................................................................Maj...
Gnarly Gnu Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Great PF! I like Mildura, a good sized terminal & two sealed strips but generally not that busy.
Akromaster Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Great write up! That's one on my list if only because it's too far to drive :). Ak
pudestcon Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 You beauty Parks Flyer, and what a story! Great photos too. It's great getting a long held dream done I reckon, and I especially like yours:clap: Pud
Louis Moore Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Great article, awesome to get that dream flight done, Well done
Ballpoint 246niner Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 That's what we're talkin about PF- great read thx
sfGnome Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Great story, PF. Thanks for putting it out there. Every time I see something about places in Oz, I think about flying there (watching a show on Cairns tonight sure had me thinking), but the one that I keep going back to is the visit-the-family trip too. In my case, that's a wing waggle over the two 'local' siblings (Newcastle & Berowra) and thence Moruya, Bairnsdale and (gulp) Devonport. One day... One day...
Louis Moore Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Great story, PF. Thanks for putting it out there.Every time I see something about places in Oz, I think about flying there (watching a show on Cairns tonight sure had me thinking), but the one that I keep going back to is the visit-the-family trip too. In my case, that's a wing waggle over the two 'local' siblings (Newcastle & Berowra) and thence Moruya, Bairnsdale and (gulp) Devonport. One day... One day... You're only going to fly over to your family so you can promptly fly away again!
Neil_S Posted June 17, 2012 Posted June 17, 2012 .....and THAT is what rec flying is all about .......
ParkesFlyer Posted June 17, 2012 Author Posted June 17, 2012 Great story, PF. Thanks for putting it out there.Every time I see something about places in Oz, I think about flying there (watching a show on Cairns tonight sure had me thinking), but the one that I keep going back to is the visit-the-family trip too. In my case, that's a wing waggle over the two 'local' siblings (Newcastle & Berowra) and thence Moruya, Bairnsdale and (gulp) Devonport. One day... One day... Ah yes, the wing waggle! Who'd have thought something so simple could be so satisfying!
sfGnome Posted June 17, 2012 Posted June 17, 2012 You're only going to fly over to your family so you can promptly fly away again! One of the joys of a large family - we all get on really well when we're separated by a few thousand k's... 1
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