TRIP TO COOKTOWN !

[Jaba-who]

After Mareeba heading north the options are also mixed:

 

Most direct is:

 

Mareeba - Port Douglas - Cape Tribulation - Cooktown

 

But same applies about weather.

 

The coast there can have south easterly stream rain at that time of year but often with low cloud. Between mouth of the Daintree and Archers Point you have longer sections with mountains dropping straight into the sea - absolutely no where to land ( no beach in a lot of the distance) and you can not cross landward in much of it. So have a low threshold for taking a western route.

 

When weather is good probably some of the most beautiful coastal flying scenery in Oz. But no good when cloud and rain close it off.

 

Bad weather alternate is to track -

 

Mareeba - Lake Mitchell - Mt. Carbine - follow highway west to Maitland Downs - Lakeland - Cooktown

 

 

[boleropilot]

thanks again jaba-who, hope you are going to be available for advice at the time we will be doing that section of the trip...

 

cheers,

 

Dave

 

 

[SAJ]

G'day BP

 

How long do you reckon you would be gone for on your trip to Cooktown

 

 

[boleropilot]

g'day SAJ - because of weather and possible mechanical 'glitches', I'm trying to leave the end time a little 'open'

 

the plan is to leave Boonah on the 24th May and fly to Monto via Kingaroy, one night at Monto and a quick hop to Thangool for the Fly-In on Saturday morning, Friday/Saturday at fly-in, flying out Sunday 27th. I have booked a bed at Monto and Biloela, and I would suggest anyone not camping under wing should get in now because accommodation is running low in both places for that time - if you book with Booking.com you can cancel without payment (check each place in case it's different) right up to a couple of days before the booking date.

 

my attitude is to fly 3 or 4 hours from early morning start, maybe max 200nm or so, half way stopover for a break somewhere, spend the night BUT if the place is spectacular (or the weather is crap) then stay another night...or more....my attitude is that if anyone doesn't want to stay any longer they should head off and hopefully the gaggle will catch up sometime soon. when that happens we'll get in contact and try to arrange an agreed catch-up place

 

my suggestion to anyone thinking of tagging along is to join the mob for as much as you like wherever you like, and just bale when you need to. I'll repeat now that all navigation and accom bookings must be done by the aircraft crew - if you would like advice in relation to my personal bookings I am happy to give that but can take no responsibility for outcomes - I have heard horror stories about guys booking for a group and then having to pay big bucks when someone "changed their mind" - ain't gonna happen to me...my nav planning will be IFR (I follow roads, railways and rivers) but will vary if there's a safe shortcut

 

I'm a bit out of the planning stage at the moment due to a nasty eye injury, even typing this post is not fun - hope to get back into it in a few days

 

cheers for now

 

BP

 

 

[Yenn]

Hopefully I will see you at Thangool. I am a member of CDFG so will probably be busy. Look for the RV4 VH-FOU, or the little old bloke with the grey beard.

 

 

[boleropilot]

looking forward to it m8 - I'll be the little old bloke with the grey beard, big fat gut and red helmet !!!!

 

BP

 

jayzus, just saw your numbers - running around 50% for likes per messages - you should be callin' yaself Yoda, not Yenn....ah - actually, so am I...who wooda thunk - both of us are old and wise, we are.....

 

 

[SAJ]

G'day BP

 

I will be at the Thangool flyin, I've been to last 2 Thangool flyins and had a good time.

 

I am hoping to come on your trip

 

 

[boleropilot]

g'day SAJ, you're welcome to come along for any sections you like - would you be joining us at Thangool? we'll probably be coming South via Longreach / Augathella / Roma, so you could head back towards Thangool from anywhere along that route, perhaps even going across to Chinchilla ?

 

btw, what sort of aircraft do you fly?

 

cheers

 

BP

 

 

[SAJ]

If your going in your Drifter I was looking at going in my Thruster T500. Iam the 60 knots voter on your serve.

 

 

[boleropilot]

sounds good to me SAJ - IF we can get 60 knots ground speed it will be SO helpful for my navigation......

 

I will definitely be in my Drifter btw

 

 

[boleropilot]

g'day All - BP is back on deck after a little trip to Tassie for Christmas / New Year

 

work on the Drifter and planning for the trip recommence on Monday 15th

 

cheers

 

BP

 

 

[Blueadventures]

g'day All - BP is back on deck after a little trip to Tassie for Christmas / New Yearwork on the Drifter and planning for the trip recommence on Monday 15th

 

cheers

 

BP

Happy new year. I'm right to do either all or a fair bit of the trip as have leave approved for that time. Cheers Mike

 

 

[Guy s]

thanks guys, planning is going ahead slowly and in some chaos - I've taken a deep breath and have made some decisions:that just about covers where I am at the moment - I will add that the first waypoints are now: Watts Bridge - Kingaroy - Mundubbera - Monto - Thangool - Emu Park

 

keep the advice coming guys, it's all gold to me

 

cheers

 

BP

I'm also watching watching this thread with a keen interest as we're hoping to do a trip from Lismore up to Karumba cooktown etc in mid winter (when we can all get time off work) otherwise I might see if BP will let me tag along too.

 

 

[boleropilot]

tiny little fly in the ointment - I had my computer repaired and they dumped all my flightplans for the trip - thought I had backed up everything but would you believe I forgot that

 

luckily I had paper copies to study with my paper maps (all tracks marked) so I'm now in the process of putting them all back on the pooter

 

I've invested in an Apple iPad and loaded OzRunways on it and added a sim card, so that's going well (Wow what a program)

 

the Drifter work is proceeding at a reasonable pace so I am hopeful I will get quite a few hours with the new motor before the trip

 

Keep in touch, don't forget all pilots are responsible for their own navigation - the plan is start together, finish together, and (if possible) fly together...

 

Dave aka BP

 

 

[Jaba-who]

I mentioned your safari and that you all may be coming to Atherton at our Atherton aero club meeting today. Lots of interest and much willingness to put on a BBQ at the clubhouse at the airport etc. for you.

 

What we can do and how people can be there Will depend a lot on dates, day of week etc.

 

Let me know if Atherton is still on the list of possibles waypoints and dates you might be there.

 

 

[boleropilot]

Hi BP re stop over at Kingaroy. A chance of budget accomodation may be the bunk house of Kingaroy Soaring Club. Good beds and showers etc. Get meal in town. Not far from where you tie down aircraft. Last time I stayed there was $15 per night. Would need to contact the club to confirm if available. Cheers Mike

JUST GOING OVER THE POSTS - SORRY FOR MISSING OUT ON THANKS FOR YOUR POST BLUESY

BP

 

 

[boleropilot]

I mentioned your safari and that you all may be coming to Atherton at our Atherton aero club meeting today. Lots of interest and much willingness to put on a BBQ at the clubhouse at the airport etc. for you.What we can do and how people can be there Will depend a lot on dates, day of week etc.

 

Let me know if Atherton is still on the list of possible waypoints and dates you might be there.

g'day Jabba, yeah Atherton is well and truly on the list and please pass on my appreciation to the Club, looks like a place where we might spend a few days....

cheers

 

BP

 

 

[boleropilot]

the plan is to leave Boonah on the 24th May and fly to Monto via Kingaroy, one night at Monto and a quick hop to Thangool for the Fly-In on Saturday morning, Friday/Saturday at fly-in, flying out Sunday 27th.

 

 

Going over my flightplans in more detail and I see a problem with this (above) because it is wrong! it don't add up! anyway, it is 4 hours flying, adding a one hour break = 5 hours on Day One - a bit long I think

 

So - MY plan (yours may be different) is:

 

Depart Boonah early on Thursday 24th May - fly to Kingaroy - break at Watts Bridge - overnight at Kingaroy 24th = 118nm (tracking via Aratula/Thornton/Tent hill to avoid R625B midweek)

 

Depart Kingaroy on Friday 25th May - fly to Monto - break at Gayndah - overnight at Monto 25th = 128nm

 

Depart Monto on Saturday 26th May to Fly-in at Thangool - approx. 40nm - overnight at Thangool 26th

 

Depart Thangool on Sunday 27th - fly to = TBA

 

Please note that my distances shown are using IFR techniques (I follow roads, railways and rivers) and will be different to yours...

 

Depending on numbers confirmed mid May I will:

 

Talk to the Flying Tigers at Boonah about aircraft/pax arriving on either Tuesday or Wednesday for an extended stopover before departure on 24th

 

Talk to the Kingaroy Mob about aircraft/pax overnighting on 24th

 

Keep in touch and please don't hesitate to tell me if I've stuffed up again - it's called OMS - Old Man Syndrome

 

cheers

 

BP

 

 

[boleropilot]

ok folks, listen up - just heard from Mike (Bluesy) that the Thangool Fly-in is cancelled - as such we will not be bothering to spend the weekend there...

 

Mike says there is a Gliding Club about 40nm North of Thangool, so I'm currently looking at that as an overnighter - watch this space - we might go a bit further North?

 

BP

 

 

[boleropilot]

currently looking into the possibility of staying a few days at a little place called Ball Bay, just North of Mackay - even found a beach house for $120 a night, sleeps 8 in 4 double beds - noice !!!

 

if we can get into the airfield at Ball Bay without drama (Nimby Territory, apparently) I will book the house and take one of the rooms, anybody wanting any of the other rooms = $30/night + a bottle of red wine as a booking fee!

 

if I don't get any takers, no big deal, I'd pay more than that for a motel...per night...and I can get a full refund up to a week before the booking date, so all good if dates change for any reason

 

not sure if I made the comment before but I am not on any real kind of schedule for the trip so if I find a nice place I'll be tempted to hang around for a few days - Ball Bay looks like one of those places...

 

anybody wanting to hang around, all good, if ya wanna get on with it, hope we catch up along the way - works for me...

 

BP

 

 

[boleropilot]

well the news is not good but it's not all bad - due to a combination of factors it looks like I am not going to be able to make the planned departure date of 24th May 2018

 

it may only be a few weeks after that I can get away so maybe (with tailwinds) I can catch up somewhere along the way - depends how much time you spend at nice places I guess (or weather)

 

as I have always said, the navigation and accommodation planning has to be done by individual pilots/crew so one less Drifter driver should not throw much of a spanner in the works

 

as far as the original date at Boonah is concerned, I am only too happy to get involved in sorting out parking for aircraft and advice on places to stay in/around Boonah

 

if anyone wants to arrive in Boonah a little earlier just let me know and I will help where I can, including transport

 

once the trip starts please regard me as a contact with internet and therefore access to all the guys/gals who have given advice on where to go and how to get there

 

should be useful for someone to ring me for information about any problem that needs some sorting by a bloke with a computer...

 

so sorry about the hiccup but doesn't look like I can avoid it - I'll keep in touch, I sincerely hope you will too...

 

regards

 

Dave Tonks