Summer Outback Flying

[kiwiaviator]

I'm close to getting my Jab 230 up to Newman in the Pilbara. As it is starting to heat up here, I'd be interested in what others have to say about summer flying. Obviously I will ensure most operations are early morning (especially takeoffs) and will be monitoring EGT and CHTs on all cylinders. I am also noticing an increase in willy-willy's here. These have the capability to cause mayhem for light aircraft. This ATSB report has some good info.  https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/25102/AO2007060_Final.pdf. Look forward to your real world experiences and tips.

[Jaba-who]

The other problem is smoke. The entire north gets blanketed in hazy smoke. 
Flying in the north of Oz is almost IFR to ground level after about October.

 

 

 

[Downunder]

I'm fairly experienced in WA outback flying in a light aircraft.

I was in Newman in beginning of July which was pleasant flying.

For me, the turbulence is the biggest problem to summer flying.

Flying high gets you into cooler air but at some point during late morning the thermals eventually get you.

As the morning starts to heat up, the thermals reach higher and higher. So try and stay above them.

 

The biggest tip is to be prepared and ready to go at the VERY crack of dawn.

As soon as it's light enough, start that take off roll and go, even warm up in the dark.

Waste a half or full hour of light, then get punished later in the heat and turbulence. 

You may get 5, even 6 hours of relatively ok flying.... in the morning.

 

[NT5224]

 As a Top End aviator I must correct Jaba Who. Either he is wrong or I have been conducting my fuel reduction burns at the wrong time for many years..

 

Fire smoke is a problem  for aviators in the north  from May until October, our 'Dry season'. You dont hear Northerners talking about 'summer' or 'winter'. 

 

Downunder is on the mark. Turbulence is a huge issue and of course wet season thunderstorms. Early morning flight is most advisable. Fly high enough and those extra couple of degrees make no difference to your engine.  But as he says the thermals will ultimately get you and make  descent and landing  miserable. Temperature in the far north doesnt change much year round, but humidity does so carby icing can also be an issue on descent.

 

Alan  

Edited October 22, 2020 by NT5224

[Jaba-who]

2 hours ago, NT5224 said:

 As a Top End aviator I must correct Jaba Who. Either he is wrong or I have been conducting my fuel reduction burns at the wrong time for many years..

 

Fire smoke is a problem  for aviators in the north  from May until October, our 'Dry season'. You dont hear Northerners talking about 'summer' or 'winter'. 

 

Downunder is on the mark. Turbulence is a huge issue and of course wet season thunderstorms. Early morning flight is most advisable. Fly high enough and those extra couple of degrees make no difference to your engine.  But as he says the thermals will ultimately get you and make  descent and landing  miserable. Temperature in the far north doesnt change much year round, but humidity does so carby icing can also be an issue on descent.

 

Alan  

Obviously I have been completely mistaken the  multiple  times I have flown into Darwin  later in the year. Equally wrong the multiple trips around other parts of the top end I’ve done including three within the the last couple of months ago. (though have to admit I was a bit east in the gulf this time). Must have been my eyesight. 
 

the smoke wasn’t too bad this time though there were fires  along the gulf closer to borooloola and was a good one where  I was flying over Mornington island.  Also must have been wrong the times I had to fly the helicopter at tree top height in September so I could see which way was up. Funny thing was when we flew in May -July my eyes  worked really well. No haze at all then. Seasonal cataracts I guess. 
 

in my mistaken observation I’ve been wrong about the smoke haze that builds up every year I’ve flown there since about 2000 in About September - October. 
sometimes starting about July  if the  wet had finished early.  
 

oh well clearly my eyesight is getting too bad to fly any more. 

[Flying Binghi]

13 hours ago, Jaba-who said:

Obviously I have been completely mistaken the  multiple  times I have flown into Darwin  later in the year. Equally wrong the multiple trips around other parts of the top end I’ve done including three within the the last couple of months ago. (though have to admit I was a bit east in the gulf this time). Must have been my eyesight. 
 

the smoke wasn’t too bad this time though there were fires  along the gulf closer to borooloola and was a good one where  I was flying over Mornington island.  Also must have been wrong the times I had to fly the helicopter at tree top height in September so I could see which way was up. Funny thing was when we flew in May -July my eyes  worked really well. No haze at all then. Seasonal cataracts I guess. 
 

in my mistaken observation I’ve been wrong about the smoke haze that builds up every year I’ve flown there since about 2000 in About September - October. 
sometimes starting about July  if the  wet had finished early.  
 

oh well clearly my eyesight is getting too bad to fly any more. 

 

Heh..🙂

 

Well... I used to fly south of Darwin 30 odd years ago and it were completely different then... It must be all that global warming making the smoke all different and causing the beer to go flat in the can........

 

 

😉

 

 

 

 

.

[Ryanm]

Northern Australia... it’s it’s either marginal VMC in smoke, or covered with “Isolated” Thunderstorms.

 

The advice already given is what I would suggest too. Fly as early as you can and park up not long after lunch. The thermals can get very bad. We quite often start getting smacked by the thermals passing FL150 on descent into the Pilbara, very unpleasant.

 

Another piece of advice is to not just rely on TAFs. You shouldn’t be anyway, but it’s not uncommon for Darwin (for example) to be forecast CAVOK. But then you find the METAR or ATIS is below IFR minimums! Look at the bigger picture, in the way of GAFs, winds, even the local forecast on the BOM site can be extremely useful. My rule of thumb up that way was to carry the next level on contingency fuel (INTER/TEMPO/ALT). Not always available, but something to consider.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Ryanm
Spelling