Flight around Australia in an Aerochute

[Guest kevin]

Tooradin Airport , Melbourne; Sunday the 4th May.

 

About 30 people braved the cold and frosty morning to farewell Jerry Farsoun on the first leg of his trip around Australia in his Aerochute. Among the supporters were his mum, CFI Eugene Reid and 3AW's Derryn Hinch.

 

Jerry is attempting to fly around Australia to raise awareness of Depression and is doing this unassisted and with limited sponsorship.

 

I urge all flyers to support his progress via his website and if he lands near you lend him a hand. http://www.overdownunder.com.au.

 

Kevin Paice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest David C]

Best of luck Jerry .... I'll keep my eyes peeled for you on the 9th May ..

 

Dave C

 

 

[Guest aircraft1]

WOW > > > thats a long way in a PPC. GOOD LUCK, Blue Skyes and most importantly i wish you TAILWINDS.

 

 

[Guest J430]

I am bound to get shouted down here,:wasnt me:so why not use a Kestrel or something very "ULTRA" light.....an aerochute is just a little too adventurous for me!

 

Some wise crack journo will have a field day when it turns pear shaped, and the chances of that happening is quite high.

 

If the performance of this chute is anything like the units up here......its gonna be a long trip!

 

I hope it works out better than the guy with the balloons!

 

J:wave:

 

 

[Captain]

I am bound to get shouted down here,:wasnt me:so why not use a Kestrel or something very "ULTRA" light.....an aerochute is just a little too adventurous for me!Some wise crack journo will have a field day when it turns pear shaped, and the chances of that happening is quite high.

 

If the performance of this chute is anything like the units up here......its gonna be a long trip!

 

I hope it works out better than the guy with the balloons!

 

J:wave:

 

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeez. What a knocker you are, J.

 

 

 

Consider yourself shouted down.

 

 

 

There is a vast difference between a bloke hanging from a few balloons in Brazil, and an Aerochute in OZ. Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

 

 

 

Go for it Jerry, have a great adventure, and savour every minute of it. I wish it was me.

 

 

[Guest J430]

Geeeeez Captain

 

Is that the best you could muster, could barely hear that shout from here!

 

On a scaled spectrum from Ballons to say a drifter.......the chute is much closer to the ballons!

 

A Drifter can at least be navigated accurately in a breeze of more than 10 knots with some degree of certainty!

 

J:thumb_up:

 

 

[Captain]

Geeeeez CaptainIs that the best you could muster, could barely hear that shout from here!

 

On a scaled spectrum from Ballons to say a drifter.......the chute is much closer to the ballons!

 

A Drifter can at least be navigated accurately in a breeze of more than 10 knots with some degree of certainty!

 

J:thumb_up:

 

 

That's not the point J. The issue is that you felt you had the need to compose 4 paras to criticise Jerry for trying this, along with his choice of aircraft, yet on the other hand you felt the need to defend that pompous knob that got banned last week. There must be something in the water up your way. Why didn't you suggest that Jerry took an A320 instead?

 

 

 

Even if Jerry doesn't make it all the way, at least he has had a "go" in a good cause.

 

 

 

In this world where all the wimps want cotton wool wrapping on everything, anyone who "has a red-hot go" deserves some level of support.

 

 

 

Like I said ..... Geeeeeeeeeeeeez to you and gooooooooooood on him.

 

 

 

I'm gunna send Jerry a donation just to counter your negativity, and have already emailed him offering free accommodation if he calls in here (or the wind blows him this way).

 

 

 

Kind regards Geoff

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Whilst I know Jerry and I wish him well, I have to admit that there are some logistics that I had considered in my head that I can't think of a solution for. These relate to the range of the aircraft. He has an auxillary fuel tank plus the standard 33 litres, however with a speed of barely 30 knots on most days the aircraft simply won't have the range to get over some of the large distances that it needs to.

 

I'm not sure how he's going to get across the top end of Australia, but I would be happy enough in terms of his adventure if he could catch a ride on the back of Australia to get across the top end and or Nullabor.

 

Engine TBO is another issue. By the time he gets around the country he will have had to have 3 engine rebuilds!

 

Hopefully he is supported well by the towns that he visits, because much of the plan relies on the kindness of the people in the towns that he visits in terms of transportation, accommodation, fuel and other bits and pieces.

 

Good luck Jerry.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Geez guys come on! Give the guy a break! I must have just missed this on Sunday Brent as I was at that field from around 12 noon. He would not have been going anywhere when we landed though That was the blowiest Northerly crosswind I have experienced in a while! Cold it was. I wish him the best of luck. A slow machine the aerochute is but the views and his cause are amazing. You go for it mate. Safe chuting

 

 

[Guest airsick]

I'm with you Darren. It's people like this that make us realise what we are capable of. I don't know the guy from a bar of soap but wish him the best.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

I'm with you Darren. It's people like this that make us realise what we are capable of. I don't know the guy from a bar of soap but wish him the best.

Me neither but I just offered him accomodation and support for either his Mittagong or Hawkesbury leg aswell as full media coverage. Will keep you posted as to what I hear.

 

 

[Guest J430]

Hey guys, dont let some idealistic pride get in the way here!

 

I am not knocking the guy for his intentions and passion for a good cause. His machine will fly further than the Wright Flyer ever did, however for such a mission I feel.....IN MY OPINION, that a slightly more suitable machine would be in order.

 

At no point did I come out with personal attacks on him being a stark raving lunatic or any such things, so back off would ya!

 

I think Brent's summary of some of the logistical issues give a pretty good clue on the degree of difficulty and if he can pull it off more power to the man, however if your goal is to travel the country to raise awareness of depression, I would have thought a Kestrel or something that has only one TBO per trip might be a far better choice.

 

I do notice that he was warmly welcomed at YCAB.....we have a number of chute flyers up here and I hope to see him get here!

 

J

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Hey guys, dont let some idealistic pride get in the way here!I am not knocking the guy for his intentions and passion for a good cause. His machine will fly further than the Wright Flyer ever did, however for such a mission I feel.....IN MY OPINION, that a slightly more suitable machine would be in order.

 

At no point did I come out with personal attacks on him being a stark raving lunatic or any such things, so back off would ya!

 

I think Brent's summary of some of the logistical issues give a pretty good clue on the degree of difficulty and if he can pull it off more power to the man, however if your goal is to travel the country to raise awareness of depression, I would have thought a Kestrel or something that has only one TBO per trip might be a far better choice.

 

I do notice that he was warmly welcomed at YCAB.....we have a number of chute flyers up here and I hope to see him get here!

 

J

Good stuff mate. Give him the support there. Having being personally touched by his cause, I think it's great. Maybe a Drifter? At least there are a couple of more kts there!

 

 

[Guest airsick]

him being a stark raving lunatic or any such things,

Maybe you should have because I think he is! But more power to him is all I am saying. :thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Almost un-related, however apparently the Aerochute guys are screaming because Rotax have dropped production of the 503 which only leaves them with the 582 model that they can fit. It will mean major design changes to the Aerochute along with weight ramifications etc. They have bought as many as they can get their hands on, so it would be a frustrating situation to be in with the cost of re-certification.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Jerry is currently at Holbrook. Spoke on the phone yesterday too. He is now overnighting with Emma and myself on leg 10. He will be 'parking' for the night at The Oaks. At this stage, day unknown. You know what the aerochutes are like 7 News and print will be in attendance at The Oaks.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Looks like The Oaks (leg 10) will be out of the question for Jerry. A quick call to Ashley at Sydney Jabiru Flying School at Hoxton Park solved that one. Looks as though Jerry will land at Hoxton Park and park there for the night on leg 10. I have let him know. Just working it all out with Ashley now. Nice when the owner of your home airfield lets you down...

 

 

[Guest Graham Lea]

Someone had better let the chopper drivers at Hox know not to go too close or the chute could fold up before he plans to land! Is he going to circuit at 500'? Got a radio? Any eta? Could be interesting. It can't cause hangar rash can it?

 

Graham

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Someone had better let the chopper drivers at Hox know not to go too close or the chute could fold up before he plans to land! Is he going to circuit at 500'? Got a radio? Any eta? Could be interesting. It can't cause hangar rash can it?Graham

Graham, yes he has the radio and is well equipped. What sort of circuit do you suggest? Maybe a straight in 500'? He will make all the required calls. Told him he must. He is planning on the grass for now. Not sure of ETA. Would like to hear some other comments from others at YHOX otherwise I will take suggestions from Ashley.

 

 

[Guest Graham Lea]

For similar reasons as I guess Graeme won't let him into The Oaks, I can't give an answer. I would think it prudent for him to have a look at an ersa. And to be very aware that choppers operate at 500' for circuits. There can be up to 4 in the circuit on grass left and right at Hox plus a number of Raa and Ga guys on the main runway on a weekend.

 

Holbrook to Hox is a long run in a Jab much less one of those! Then again, I am not PIC and not doing the flight plan. Hope he goes OK. Tell him about the bumps from Mittagong down. Is he going to fly over The Oaks? Fly over is 2400' but it is a reporting point at 2000' for Camden GA inbound.

 

You probably know all this and more so I won't bore you,

 

Hope to see him.

 

Graham

 

AOPA weather being no longer available does not help I guess.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

No worries Graham. Thanks for the info. I will let him know all accordingly. Thanks for the info re the choppers too. He has a loooooooong way to go yet for the rest of this wonderful country! The reasons at The Oaks seem to be more than meets the eye. I have not been told too much about it it's a 'I can't say too much' situation but it did not relate to this expedition specifically just a decision in general by the airfield owner not to have any media attention around there at any time. I would love to know what is going on as I will probably be buying a little rag and tube soon and don't know whether I can put it there or whether I have to start looking for a paddock somewhere. The mind boggles. i_dunno

 

 

[spacesage]

This reminds of the guy that went around Australia on a skateboard.

 

I think the whole point of doing this in an aerochute is that its NOT the most practical way of doing it. Hence the uniqueness of the challenge.

 

Good on him, I would like to think he is much more prepard for this than the BBG (Brazilian Baloon Guy).

 

 

[Captain]

Good on him, I would like to think he is much more prepard for this than the BBG (Brazilian Baloon Guy).

 

 

I know that it is only early days and he has had favourable winds (but including a couple of good fronts and strong SW'ers), however Jerry has hit every schedule in his flight plan so far, so he appears to have been realistic in the planning of his flying time together with the media and promotional stuff at each stop, and in handling the heaps of emails and calls from well wishers and contributors.

 

 

 

"Good on him" is right.

 

 

 

The real time GPS tracking feature on his website is great. http://www.overdownunder.com.au/content/blogcategory/20/31/

 

 

 

[Guest David C]

Looks like The Oaks (leg 10) will be out of the question for Jerry. A quick call to Ashley at Sydney Jabiru Flying School at Hoxton Park solved that one. Looks as though Jerry will land at Hoxton Park and park there for the night on leg 10. I have let him know. Just working it all out with Ashley now. Nice when the owner of your home airfield lets you down...

Why am I not surprised .... Good on Ashley for coming to the party though and offering the mat ..

 

Dave C

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Why am I not surprised .... Good on Ashley for coming to the party though and offering the mat ..Dave C

Yeah, I don't know the go Dave. I really don't. Look, Dave was all for it as I am sure the other flying school would have been to have the media there but the owner has 'something going on' that we cannot know about. Probably sold out to Macquarie Bank:laugh: