Arnhem Land

[JG3]

Does anyone know of an airfield along the north coast of Arnhem Land where I could likely get permission to camp overnight????

 

JG

 

 

[kaz3g]

I think you can only try one of the communities like Maningrida or Milingimbi. No grog of course.

 

Maningrida sells aviation fuels so they might be a good chance.

 

Details in ERSA.

 

Kaz

 

 

[Xavier]

Can you be a bit more precise where on the North coast of Arnhem Land ? It's a big area.

 

Flying from Darwin ?

 

You can stay at Cooinda which is in Kakadu, very close to Arnhem Land, Camping ground, Food and fuel.

 

Any permission for Aboriginal Land in the NT you need to talk to the Northern Land Council --> Permits | Northern Land Council, Australia

 

Xavier

 

 

[JG3]

Does anyone know of an airfield along the north coast of Arnhem Land where I could likely get permission to camp overnight????JG

I've since just finished flying the Arnhem Land coast, so can answer my own question...

 

I knew that a permit is required to land at any of those small airstrips. There are dozens of ideal strips, some with only a couple of houses at them. They are considered to be private property, and a permit is required to land at any of them. The process is to apply to the Land Council and then they must contact elders at each site for permission. I applied to two strips to be able to camp overnight without intruding on the residents. Did not receive any reply at all.... Later, I talked to a mission pilot up there and he reckoned no way to get a permit unless knowing someone there and being invited. So I had to fly right through without stopping over....

 

You don't need a permit to land at any of the Security Controlled airfields, such as Gove, Elcho Island, or Maningrida, so long as you don't leave the airfield. But of course, not allowed to camp on such a airfield....

 

 

[CLAYT]

Looking forward to read (and photos) about your last adventure on your site JG.

 

 

[JG3]

Looking forward to read (and photos) about your last adventure on your site JG.

A blog with the story and photos is at 2017 Flight to Arhem Land and Centre

 

 

[Guy s]

Enjoyed reading about your trip John and going north is on our to do list so you've given us some good insight.

 

Cheers Guy.

 

 

[onetrack]

All Aboriginal Lands are legally regarded as private freehold title, so you need the permission of the landowners to enter those lands.

 

The biggest problem is the "permission" process - it's run by bureaucrats in the Land Councils, and they need to contact the elders in the area to obtain the required permission.

 

Of course, a lot of those elders are often uncontactable, due to the remoteness of the areas.

 

In W.A., entry permits to Aboriginal Lands are obtained from the West Australian Dept of Aboriginal Affairs.

 

With the recent massive changes to the W.A. Public Service (huge Departmental amalgamations, and a large reduction in the size of the Public Service), the DAA has been absorbed into the Dept of Planning, Lands & Heritage.

 

Home

 

 

[JG3]

Enjoyed reading about your trip John and going north is on our to do list so you've given us some good insight.Cheers Guy.

I've just added a lot more detail about stopover sites and fuel stops, and an interactive map to zoom in on details.

 

JG

 

 

[Kununurra]

Great trip thanks for sharing

 

 

[Downunder]

Do you have a pic of your fuel cart JG?

 

 

[JG3]

Do you have a pic of your fuel cart JG?

Good idea. I'll get some photos next time I'm at the airfield.

 

 

[Ozfergie]

Good idea. I'll get some photos next time I'm at the airfield.

Great photos - I would love to make that trip one day.

I would be fantastic if you could share any tips etc for mitigating the lack of forced landing areas on your particular route.

 

 

[Downunder]

And another question, if you don't mind.

 

Total fuel usage for the trip? 80 kts would be an economy cruise?

 

I keep going back to the blog and finding more questions......lol.

 

Your tyres look a bit like carlisle turfglides? How did they go?

 

Trips like this are what true recreational aviation is about in my opinion.

 

Am I the only one who keeps procrastinating about doing something like this?

 

I really need to get off my a$$ and make it happen......

 

 

[JG3]

Great photos - I would love to make that trip one day.I would be fantastic if you could share any tips etc for mitigating the lack of forced landing areas on your particular route.

I always follow roads if they aren't too much out of the way. Even if the road loops out from the straight line track, the extra distance isn't very much at all, well worth following it. Some say, "If you're following the road might as well be driving it." But not true at all. Driving the road you only see the white lines, the oncoming trucks and the doddering caravan in front, barely time to glance at the continuous bush along the way. From 2000ft the whole perspective is just as good along the road as it is along the direct Xcountry, but it sure is comforting to know that continuous runway is down there.... Some places like Arnhem Land there's no road to follow, and real dense tiger country, so just have to carry on if you want to go there. More altitude gives more options, but over that gulf savannah country it still doesn't give any better options, and the scenery becomes really blah at high altitude.... Of course I'm constantly scanning to watch for opportunities for landing sites and assessing how I would approach them to get it right....

 

 

[ericg]

Thanks for the blog John, cheers Eric.

 

 

[JG3]

And another question, if you don't mind.Total fuel usage for the trip? 80 kts would be an economy cruise?

I didn't keep track of total fuel usage, but at 17-18 litres/hr at 80 kts for 56 hrs that would be about 1000 litres. I started with about 170 litres of 95 mogas, then carted 20 jerry cans (20x22=440), so about 610 would have been mogas and the rest avgas. A lot of work to cart all that mogas....

 

I still don't know important it is to avoid avgas, but on a long trip to the Pilbara when I had used a lot of avgas, I did once get a bad mag check and found the first plug that I removed completely covered in lead deposit, couldn't even see the points. All the rest of the plugs had the cavity between the insulator and the shell completely full of lead..... So since then I've made more effort to avoid 100LL (the LL doesn't really stand for low lead, but actually Lotta Lead), and always carry spare new plugs if I'm going to have to run on avgas.....

 

80 kts is my preferred cruise for speed/economy compromise. Best economy cruise is of course nearer to the best glide speed, which is more like 60kts, so a bit tedious.....

 

This is the fuel cart that I made up from an old golf clubs cart.

 

 

Weighs 2.5kg.

 

When towing the weight centers right over the wheels and is really easy to tow.

 

 

Breaks down for easy stowage in the aircraft. These wheels are 200mm diameter and roll really well even over rough dirt. 100mm would be the absolute minimum.

 

 

[matt walsh]

Hi John, thanks for your write of latest trip. I really enjoyed reading the adventure and photos. I really respect your adventurous spirit and you are an inspiration to many of us. You personify what cross country flying is all about. We thank you for all your trip reports, maps photos and helpful accurate information. Cheers Matt