Flying north in Spring months

[matt walsh]

Hi all,

 

I am contemplating flying from Sunbury in Victoria to Alice Springs via Birdsville and inquire if making this journey in late October is practical from a weather aspect. Any knowledge thoughts suggestions gratefully received. Thanks Matt Walsh, Penfield Victoria.

 

 

[cscotthendry]

This is not specific knowledge, just thoughts. We flew out to Ayers Rock via Birdsville in early May. The weather was a little changeable but the temps were good. My feeling is that late October would be starting to get warm out there, especially this year as it has already started to get unseasonably warm here in Qld.

 

Happy flying.

 

 

[kaz3g]

Fly early morning and you should be ok.

 

It will be hot and there will be strong thermal activity later in the day. The forecast is for heat in the Centre affecting most of the eastern seaboard.

 

I'm just back from a trip as far north as SW Qld and it was actually quite cold, but windy.

 

Generally best May to August.

 

Kaz

 

 

[SSCBD]

Matt - The question is, what will be your average daily flight time you are planning for, and over how many days.

 

Are you planning first light departures. I assume you are not flying more than 4 .to 5 hours per day? Please give outline on you plan.

 

 

[alf jessup]

Matt

 

I worked in the desert in and around innamincka for 4 years (120 miles SE from Birdsville) and it can get quite warm and hot late October

 

Early morning up to 10- 11am is usually calm from memory

 

Make sure you take good tie downs with you as the willy willys can get quite large up that way and lots of them at times

 

You don't want to be fighting the thermals when it's hot as you will need to be up near 10,000 ft to avoid them and maybe even higher

 

 

[kaz3g]

MattI worked in the desert in and around innamincka for 4 years (120 miles SE from Birdsville) and it can get quite warm and hot late October

Early morning up to 10- 11am is usually calm from memory

 

Make sure you take good tie downs with you as the willy willys can get quite large up that way and lots of them at times

 

You don't want to be fighting the thermals when it's hot as you will need to be up near 10,000 ft to avoid them and maybe even higher

I worked in the Upper Gascoyne where it stays hot most of the year. Our thermals twisted windmills of their foundations and carted them away never to be seen again. We used to go to Marble Bar for our summer holidays!

 

Kaz

 

 

[alf jessup]

I worked in the Upper Gascoyne where it stays hot most of the year. Our thermals twisted windmills of their foundations and carted them away never to be seen again. We used to go to Marble Bar for our summer holidays! Kaz

The windmills were few and far between on my travels in the oil game but most were busted up so your on to something there Kaz

Always wondered why most of the blades were twisted up on them

 

Remember one day a J230 flew in to Innamincka from Birdsville on a hot stinking day with the thermals popping, the boys said they got to 7500ft and were still in them so just gave up and hung on

 

On the ground they were ready to head to the pub and I asked them if they were going to tie it down, they asked what for, I then pointed out to them the 15 or so dust devils popping at that time within 5nm from the strip and some of them were quite huge

 

Tie downs came out with a few extras quite promptly amongst the sweat, flys and grumbles from the lads trying to screw them into the baked earth of Innamincka

 

 

[kaz3g]

We called the big ones " Cockeyed Bobs"... And they really were big!

 

I pulled an RFDS plane up as it was starting it's take off roll because a huge one was approaching from the side. My neighbour had been shot in the head (another story).

 

And a neighbour had his C150 destroyed in its hangar when one went through and the aircraft wasn't tied down. The Cessna bounced up and down between the ground and the roof trusses and bashed itself to death.

 

Kaz