Around Australia planning

[macedonranges]

I would appreciate everyone's help in suggestions for an around Australia trip plan. Tips and lessons learned from pilots who have circumnavigated australia would be appreciated.

 

I am thinking best time of the year is August / September ???any thoughts.

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

I have done most of OZ, maily as a tag-along pilot.

 

They organised the various legs, accomodation,fuel,airport pick ups and tours etc.

 

A lot of phone calls re the above will be required.

 

I guess that your endurance will dictate your route.

 

I can give you details of waypoints i used for the Cape York trip and another from Burketown to Broome if you want to pm me.

 

I would reccomend doing a tagalong first if you are a low time pilot. I learnt heaps and have confidently flown long Xcountry since.

 

You will need an ASIC and a fuel bladder if your capacity is limited. a good flight planner like OZ runways or similar will make it easier, as would auto pilot.

 

There was a guy that did this trip last year in a Jab, maybe worth chasing up his itineray, he may have written a report on this site.

 

Phil.

 

 

[kaz3g]

I would appreciate everyone's help in suggestions for an around Australia trip plan. Tips and lessons learned from pilots who have circumnavigated australia would be appreciated.I am thinking best time of the year is August / September ???any thoughts.

Hi MR

 

I did a trip in August 2009 and that seemed a good compromise for weather in the south v the north. May is also a pretty good choice.

 

I didn't get around Australia, just an Outback tour departing Central Victoria and taking a few days in Longreach, Alice and Lake Eyre on the way. Other overnight stops included Cobar (a lot of rain slowed me down), Barkley Roadhouse and Broken Hill.

 

WA holds particularly fond memories for me and I very much want to do a trip there before I fold my wings for the last time, but it's getting harder and harder as Avgas availability diminishes and the cost goes up and up.

 

There is so much to see in this incredible country of ours and the distances between population centres so great, it

 

seems unfathomable to me that our Governments do not all bend over backwards to foster general aviation by supporting airfields and keeping the price of fuel at reasonable levels.

 

Anyway, enjoy your adventure, stay safe and follow the rules for survival.

 

Kaz

 

 

[rgmwa]

Check John Gilpin's website for some good trip writeups that may help.

 

http://www.stolspeed.com/id/12

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Keenaviator]

I did it in May 2006. It was done clockwise and had a great run of weather. Laurie

 

 

[macedonranges]

Thanks guys for all the replies. and the links to the STOL site for some good photos and trip info.

 

I know I have a lot of planning and research to do but that is the fun of cross country flying.

 

I've done a couple of longer flights - Broken Hill, Wilpena pound, white cliffs and Kangaroo Island - all different country side. If you ever get to White Cliffs it is an amazing place and the people are so friendly.

 

Once I can lock in some time off from work I might put out a thread to see if anyone interested in joining up in a tour.

 

Phil - we have autopilot in our Texan Sport 550 and boy does that make it so much less tiring to fly long cross country legs. We have done 3.5-4 hour legs easily. In fact our last trip to Kanagaroo island - we flew Penfield, Sunbury -non stop to Aldinga SA in 3.5 hrs GS 110 knts - nice tail wind of 15 knts and only used 49 liters of fuel . Couldn't even drive the car for that economy! And we have been using Oz Runways - love the program for planning and guidance.