Welcoming Wilcannia

[ev17ifly2]

A word of warning for pilots heading Outback and planning on a stop at Wilcannia for fuel.

 

As part of our plan we landed at Wilcannia last week to fuel up before heading for White Cliffs.

 

The Evector Harmony landed first and The pilot phoned the local BP to enquire about fuel. He was advised that Avgas is only sold by the drum and anyway they don't have any, so the availability of Mogas was the fall back and would it be possible to arrange to have some brought out to the strip or could we get a lift into town.

 

It was made very clear that we were prepared to pay for any service provided. "Mate, we are not a bloody taxi service" was the reply. I was the pilot of the second aircraft and managed to get a lift into town thanks to a friendly council worker who was mowing the strip, because without fuel I was going no where.

 

Arriving at the BP with a jerry I attempted to fill from the bowser only to have the nozzle snatched from me by the owners son and told to "f.ck off, you're the bastards from out at the strip"

 

Fortunately there is one other servo in Wilcannia all be it with only 91, so that is what I filled with.

 

So be warned that if you are unfortunate enough to land here country hospitality is sadly lacking

 

PS. If you think it may just be us, the towns of Ivanhoe and Hillston went out of their way to help us fuel up. One nice bloke even loaned us his ute.

 

 

[Happyflyer]

I have also landed at Wilcannia, albeit a couple of years ago. I rang up a couple of weeks beforehand to make sure they would have the fuel. I rang again the day before and then when I was half and hour out. The drum of avgas was waiting for me and father and son pumped it into my aircraft. Cash was the preferred method of payment and it definitely was not cheap, but they were friendly enough on that occasion.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I drive through Wilcannia at speed with the windows wound up.

 

 

[kaz3g]

BP Customer Complaints 1300 130 027

 

Kaz

 

 

[kaz3g]

I have also landed at Wilcannia, albeit a couple of years ago. I rang up a couple of weeks beforehand to make sure they would have the fuel. I rang again the day before and then when I was half and hour out. The drum of avgas was waiting for me and father and son pumped it into my aircraft. Cash was the preferred method of payment and it definitely was not cheap, but they were friendly enough on that occasion.

It's not so bad if you can take a whole 200 litres, but if I land with mandatory reserves I can't take quite half a drum. I got caught like that at Maree years ago and it put a very large wet blanket on that leg of the trip.

 

Not sure what it's like now, but Cobar charges a pretty hefty call out fee. I see Aerorefuellers now have carnet and CC acceptance but as far as I know, still no bowser.

 

Bourke is really good and the Shell bowser takes CCs. Security is excellent there and there is a great motel on the banks of the Darling beside the old bridge where refreshments and good company abound.

 

Kaz

 

 

[dazza 38]

It's not so bad if you can take a whole 200 litres, but if I land with mandatory reserves I can't take quite half a drum. I got caught like that at Maree years ago and it put a very large wet blanket on that leg of the trip.Not sure what it's like now, but Cobar charges a pretty hefty call out fee. I see Aerorefuellers now have carnet and CC acceptance but as far as I know, still no bowser.

 

Bourke is really good and the Shell bowser takes CCs. Security is excellent there and there is a great motel on the banks of the Darling beside the old bridge where refreshments and good company abound.

 

Kaz

It would be very profitable for them when the take the drum back half full, then fill it full and charge the next person for a full drum.

 

 

[facthunter]

There's a seal on avgas drums, for a good reason. Once it's broken you don't know what's in there. Nev

 

 

[SDQDI]

It's not so bad if you can take a whole 200 litres, but if I land with mandatory reserves I can't take quite half a drum. I got caught like that at Maree years ago and it put a very large wet blanket on that leg of the trip.Not sure what it's like now, but Cobar charges a pretty hefty call out fee. I see Aerorefuellers now have carnet and CC acceptance but as far as I know, still no bowser.

 

Bourke is really good and the Shell bowser takes CCs. Security is excellent there and there is a great motel on the banks of the Darling beside the old bridge where refreshments and good company abound.

 

Kaz

We had some people fly through Cobar I think from memory it was six aircraft flying together, they ALL got charged the hundred dollar callout fee even though they were all there together. They were a bit taken aback by that and weren't overly fussed on going there again.

 

 

[facthunter]

I don't think that is on. Certainly not the spirit of it (No pun intended). Nev

 

 

[Steve L]

I'm with you PMc. Have been driving through Wilcannia since the 70s, nice feeling to be driving a shiny new Mack

 

throught the town at night and have bottles pelted at me by the local Australians, on two occasions taking out front and side windows. Can't remember having friendly service at the last remaining servo either. So now I won't patronise the town, NEVER land my plane there. Back to the drum situation, its clearly marked on Oz Runways under Wilcannia info. not many aircraft would take a full drum or even hold that much, I know mine won't. and I'm sure the refueler knows that, handy if he owns his own plane.

 

Yes Kaz I think BP should be notified.

 

 

[Ultralights]

Emmdale roadhouse, airstrip right across the road from the service station... and about 100 km out of Wilcannia. (willcantia)

 

 

[red750]

Emmdale roadhouse, airstrip right across the road from the service station... and about 100 km out of Wilcannia. (willcantia)

Almost due east on the Barrier Highway.

 

 

 

[Jaba-who]

I do a long trip somewhere round oz every year with anywhere between 3 and 15 aircraft.

 

Have seen a few very unpleasant tactics by airport owners. Charging every aircraft the callout fee is not uncommon. The most bizarre was at Olympic dam. I phone weeks before and they said we had to all have 3rd party insurance to some amount ( the actual I forget) and have airport owners made formal beneficiaries on the policy. Copies sent to them. $100 landing fees for each aircraft and $100 callout fee ( but they would do us a deal and only charge 2 callout fees for our group of 10 planes. ) very kind of them, Not. We decided to go elsewhere.

 

It always pays to organize this stuff weeks or months ahead and follow up calls prior to going.

 

And it's always best to be sure about whether it's drum stock or pump or tanker and whether you have to buy the whole drum or if they'll sell it by the litre etc. all very hard to change when you need the fuel and they know it.

 

Also well worth discussing timings with them. We have had guys not turn up for hours despite being advised only a few hours before of definite ETAs. That's very frustrating.

 

We had a guy not turn up in Quilpie despite prior planning and several phone calls on our arrival and then he turned up as it started raining. And when we told him we couldn't fill in the rain he got Shi.ty. We pointed out we had been waiting for over an hour for him and he was pretty rude and threatened to leave and not sell us the fuel. We eventually sorted it out but haven't been back to Quilpie since.

 

Also always ask if the person you are speaking to is a pilot because we have been told all sorts falsehoods - like the airstrip is usable. We had several places where the local fuel person was just the local servo station operator and had no idea. Was told there was a strip at Cameron's corner right up to the pub, shop and corner. I later rang again to confirm something and spoke to a pilot who said the airstrip was not maintained and had not been maintained for more than a year and was unusable.

 

 

[dazza 38]

I do a long trip somewhere round oz every year with anywhere between 3 and 15 aircraft.Have seen a few very unpleasant tactics by airport owners. Charging every aircraft the callout fee is not uncommon. The most bizarre was at Olympic dam. I phone weeks before and they said we had to all have 3rd party insurance to some amount ( the actual I forget) and have airport owners made formal beneficiaries on the policy. Copies sent to them. $100 landing fees for each aircraft and $100 callout fee ( but they would do us a deal and only charge 2 callout fees for our group of 10 planes. ) very kind of them, Not. We decided to go elsewhere.

It always pays to organize this stuff weeks or months ahead and follow up calls prior to going.

 

And it's always best to be sure about whether it's drum stock or pump or tanker and whether you have to buy the whole drum or if they'll sell it by the litre etc. all very hard to change when you need the fuel and they know it.

 

Also well worth discussing timings with them. We have had guys not turn up for hours despite being advised only a few hours before of definite ETAs. That's very frustrating.

 

We had a guy not turn up in Quilpie despite prior planning and several phone calls on our arrival and then he turned up as it started raining. And when we told him we couldn't fill in the rain he got Shi.ty. We pointed out we had been waiting for over an hour for him and he was pretty rude and threatened to leave and not sell us the fuel. We eventually sorted it out but haven't been back to Quilpie since.

 

Also always ask if the person you are speaking to is a pilot because we have been told all sorts falsehoods - like the airstrip is usable. We had several places where the local fuel person was just the local servo station operator and had no idea. Was told there was a strip at Cameron's corner right up to the pub, shop and corner. I later rang again to confirm something and spoke to a pilot who said the airstrip was not maintained and had not been maintained for more than a year and was unusable.

Jesus, it sounds like some of these guys should be taken on a one way trip out to the desert.

 

 

[DrZoos]

We had some people fly through Cobar I think from memory it was six aircraft flying together, they ALL got charged the hundred dollar callout fee even though they were all there together. They were a bit taken aback by that and weren't overly fussed on going there again.

Thats a disgrace, id be reporting that for sure...these guys have jobs becuase they represnt companies that want a certain levle of service... This is not on...

 

 

[red750]

No, I don't have any relationship with Emmdale Roadhouse, never heard of it till today, but looks a good choice from Google Streetview. A popular truckies stop.

 

 

 

 

 

[kaz3g]

But do they do avgas?

 

Kaz

 

 

[jetjr]

Used to stop at Emmdale for diesel, not much there.

 

Might have improved but i wouldnt bet on it, didnt always have ULP

 

Basically its a servo and a bar. Some must have flown in for a beer......

 

These operators simply dont want the pain of servicing aircraft, no point complaining, they arent employees of BP, simply distributors. Avgas is sold through different channels anyway. Often youll find the price jacked up before they even get it. Few are setup to handle drums anymore.

 

Lots dont understand tax setup and charge this too.

 

Consider many are sole operators and maybe have other jobs.....like running a servo. They can probably recount times when they ordered in fuel or stayed home to meet a plane and it never showed up

 

Attracting tourists isnt an interest.

 

No excuse for double call out fees though.

 

 

[Steve L]

Was at Emmdale two weeks ago and yes it still is a popular truckies stop. I used to fuel my truck there when I was working between adelaide and townsville / cairns the last two decades. Seen many manager / staff changes and it still kept that good reputation. There is ULP available but I'm sure no avgas.

 

Fortunately I haven't come across any of these rip off fuelers yet but I know they're about. A database should be set up reflecting experiences at some of these refuelers, open to everyone then maybe some will pull their heads in.

 

 

[Teckair]

I saw a goat standing on the roof someones late model car at the Emmdale road house one time, I always used to stop there but never at Wilcannia.

 

 

[Geoff13]

The simple thing is that the flyin traffic in these areas would be a very small percentage of the total business and unlike the truckies and the communication network we as flyers are not likely to return to many of these places on a regular (read weekly) basis. That means we are a heavy labour drain for a small non renewable return. Most of them would probably be happy if we never stopped there. And as has been said who wants to sit around all day for a plane that may never turn up.

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Always fill up with diesel at inflated prices in Wilcannia when passing through.

 

I figure that they deserve the sale just because they live there.

 

Phil.

 

 

[dazza 38]

This thread is a classic reason why we need an increase weight limit so aircraft can be designed with bigger fuel tanks in mind so pilots can fly by these sorts of places at low level and give the royal salute .

 

 

[facthunter]

Wilcannia is a bit of a disaster You shouldn't want to judge all places by it. It's seen better days

 

Word of mouth will make people aware of what is available and we should reward service and hopefully effort will be made to please the customer(s).Nev

 

 

[spacesailor]

There's a seal on avgas drums,

 

Just a minute!, Those seals are hand crimped on, AND the equipment readily available to industry,

 

spacesailor