A big trip and a little rant about airstrip maintenance…

[Philster2001]

Agree with facthunter that it’s not that much fun flying in stinking hot weather, without even saying anything about engine management.  If you’re happy not to need to go swimming anywhere then any time mid autumn to mid spring would be my choice, even if you have to deal with some interesting weather conditions. My comments about not being in a hurry again come to mind.  Delays = read a book, watch Netflix, or in my case work online… 🙂 

 

As far as carrying fuel is concerned, I had no issues carrying a low shaped 20L plastic Jerry can on the passenger floor (when I was solo of course), strapped to the seat so it couldn’t slide forward onto the rudder pedals - that was in a Foxbat.

[facthunter]

I really don't like the idea of fuel containers in the cabin. There's an awful lot of heat in a few litres of fuel. I never liked the AUSTER fuel sitting above the dashboard either.. Being burned is not a good way to go..  Nev

[spacesailor]

Just don't go ,

I had 60% burns . And maybe 4 or 5 skin patches put on the deep parts . It was bad trying to shave after that , so now sport a beard .

When in the emergency the nurse said not to remove my cloths & wait till seen by a doctor.  I took my jeans off & climbed ( with help ) onto a gurney .

I woke up three days later .

spacesailor

[jackc]

3 hours ago, facthunter said:

I really don't like the idea of fuel containers in the cabin. There's an awful lot of heat in a few litres of fuel. I never liked the AUSTER fuel sitting above the dashboard either.. Being burned is not a good way to go..  Nev

This brand would only be my only choice, costly?  Yes, but probably the best there is……

 

https://www.turtlepac.com/products/collapsible-jerry-can-fuel-tanks/

[pmccarthy]

2 hours ago, spacesailor said:

Just don't go ,

I had 60% burns . And maybe 4 or 5 skin patches put on the deep parts . It was bad trying to shave after that , so now sport a beard .

When in the emergency the nurse said not to remove my cloths & wait till seen by a doctor.  I took my jeans off & climbed ( with help ) onto a gurney .

I woke up three days later .

spacesailor

I see by your little picture that your face went completely black. You must have grown the beard later.

[spacesailor]

My ' English ' relatives . 

A lot of Irish in them .

The elder is now a British soldier.  LoL

spacesailor

[BrendAn]

On 17/06/2024 at 9:16 PM, Philster2001 said:

Hi Skippy,

 

Sounds like you’ll also be having some fun flying! I’m a member of the Serpentine club and currently have my Lightwing SP2000 there for sale as it’s not certified for training. I live in both Perth and Esperance, so I might be there when you get there…let me know when you plan to be there and we can raise a glass together maybe… 🙂 (8 hours before flying of course - haha!)

 

I’d do the trans Aus trip again in a heartbeat - hoping to be able to do more touring flights in the J170 - maybe Uluṟu and the top end in winter could be on the bucket list…

 

cheers

What did you think of the lightwing.

It's a sleek looking aircraft.

[skippydiesel]

6 hours ago, jackc said:

This brand would only be my only choice, costly?  Yes, but probably the best there is……

 

https://www.turtlepac.com/products/collapsible-jerry-can-fuel-tanks/

Yeah! I have visited the factory. If attention to detail, cleanliness and order, have any bearing, they must produce top products.

 

For the most part their aircraft products are aimed at in flight fuel transfer (as in "ferry tanks").

 

I already have a fixed (in aircraft) conservative 6 hr duration with reserve. On all my travels I intend to land at around 2 -3 hr intervals, if for nothing else to have a pee & some exercise.  This will greatly impact on overall trip time but what the heck, I am retired and I do this for fun. The carriage of additional fuel would only be contemplated in the event of uncertainty about the next refueling point.

 

Not sure but think my 2 x20 L collapsible Jerrys/bladders may have been made by them - they don't have inflight transfer capability. The Jerrys have, up until now, only been used for fetching ULP from the nearest suitable petrol station (do not containe fuel in flight).

[onetrack]

Re the OP's Nullarbor airstrip conditions gripe - one has to keep in mind that the Eastern section of the Nullarbor region in particular has recently endured some of the heaviest rainfall events in recent decades. The Trans Line went under water for 3 weeks, an un-heard of event - and even the Eyre Hwy went under deep water for 4 days, and was closed to all traffic for that length of time.

So, it's not surprising that some of the Nullarbor airstrips are in serious need of maintenance and improved drainage.  However, I'd expect it's not a major priority when your homestead has been knee-deep in water for a couple of weeks, as in Rawlinna Homestead.

 

Rawlinna Station WA

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

---

Rawlinna Station WA, Rawlinna, Western Australia. 1,366 likes · 46 talking about this · 48 were here. Rawlinna Station, 380ks east of Kalgoorlie, is Australia’s largest operating sheep station.

 

I've just done a road trip recently from Melbourne to the W.A. Wheatbelt in a small truck, and I was stunned at the level of greenery, residual water, and water damage across the Nullarbor, from approximately the Eastern edge of the Plain, right through to Caiguna. I have travelled across the Long Paddock many times since I first traversed it in July 1969, and I have never seen it as green and verdantly lush, as it is now.

 

[laserfly]

I flew across the Nullarbor and back to Melbourne in a Searey April 2024.

 Cruises at 80 kts and 4 hours endurance. Head winds are a factor.

The road houses where fine. All Airstrips where ok.

 Nullarbor has the best runway looks to be all weather.

Boarder airstrip is good. Landed on the cross runway on rtn. It is rough, the surface is ok  a lot of weeds  growing up.

Mundrabilla   ok in places lots of weeds growing up. No fuel.

Caiguna Good surface flat. Airstrip, looks prone to flooding if raining.

Balladonia Good surface.   Wide and long airstrip, great food and 98.

[onetrack]

Caiguna Roadhouse also provides excellent food.

[turboplanner]

On 24/06/2024 at 12:06 AM, onetrack said:

I've just done a road trip recently from Melbourne to the W.A. Wheatbelt in a small truck, and I was stunned at the level of greenery, residual water, and water damage across the Nullarbor, from approximately the Eastern edge of the Plain, right through to Caiguna. I have travelled across the Long Paddock many times since I first traversed it in July 1969, and I have never seen it as green and verdantly lush, as it is now.

That's pretty consistent with most outback areas. I've travelled on holidays extensively out west in NSW, Qld northern SA, and you can go through for 20 years and it's just red dirt and stones, but on the 21st you can drive for days through waist high wild oats, and get bogged all day long at every depression. On one occasion we left the Flinders Ranges up the track to Maree. A couple of hours later a storm blew in and vehicles started getting bogged in the dips. We made it into Maree and spent thr night bogged in the main street. Three days later the roads were fit for travel.In the other trips we've made to Maree since the tracks around Maree over the years have been as hard as bitumen.

 

After rain airfields really need an on the ground inspection. I checked out the Booligal Pub airfield from the road and it looked perfectly smooth. From the pub it looked smoother. I decided to walk it anyway and it had big crab holes, some half a metre deep.

 

On one occasion a Hay Council worker told me he'd followed the grader out along a track to the north west with a water tanker they'd bought at an auction. It started raining before they'd finished their shift so they turned around and came back in the rain. The truck had a Detroit 6V53 and Allison transmission. As truckies would know that's about the last specification you'd take outside Sydney. "After a few minutes" he said "the truck started cutting two grooves in the wet road, the Allison changed down to low and I had to flat foot it all the way home, the screamking engine left me deaf and I had to take a bawling out for leaving 80 km of grooves in the road which had hardened like concrete a day or two later.

 

Despite the fast nature of a surface becoming unusable with rain in any district at any odd time, there are lots of times that the surface doesn't change for years, so the local fliers know what signals to watch for, but for cross-country fliers it's critical to get up to the day information because as OT said the airstrip isn't a priority when the locals know they won't be using it for months.

 

 

[Garfly]

On 21/07/2024 at 4:54 PM, laserfly said:

I flew across the Nullarbor and back to Melbourne in a Searey April 2024.

 Cruises at 80 kts and 4 hours endurance. Head winds are a factor.

The road houses where fine. All Airstrips where ok.

 Nullarbor has the best runway looks to be all weather.

Boarder airstrip is good. Landed on the cross runway on rtn. It is rough, the surface is ok  a lot of weeds  growing up.

Mundrabilla   ok in places lots of weeds growing up. No fuel.

Caiguna Good surface flat. Airstrip, looks prone to flooding if raining.

Balladonia Good surface.   Wide and long airstrip, great food and 98.

That's a fantastic flight to have done.  Shows that it's possible - even with a slowish steed.

 

Kyle Gardner did the west-east trip in the same type a few years back and made this video:

 

 

 

Edited July 22 by Garfly

[BrendAn]

3 hours ago, Garfly said:

That's a fantastic flight to have done.  Shows that it's possible - even with a slowish steed.

 

Kyle Gardner did the west-east trip in the same type a few years back and made this video:

 

 

 

thanks for that. i just watched the series to the end. i wonder if that was thruster 88 that repaired the plane at cowra.

 

[Thruster88]

21 hours ago, BrendAn said:

thanks for that. i just watched the series to the end. i wonder if that was thruster 88 that repaired the plane at cowra.

 

No, that was Brumby's hangar. 

[BrendAn]

1 hour ago, Thruster88 said:

No, that was Brumby's hangar. 

Ok. 

 

[jackc]

I did not have a good experience in that hangar. Visited there a few years ago when on a trip to Dubbo to do my L1 training, was looking at a new aircraft at the time, they had their red demo plane? In that hangar, had a good look at it, spoke with the owner etc, was impressed with the aircraft got a price…….and the fatal question. I asked how much for one with all steam guages.  His furrowed brow was followed by, we don’t offer that choice.  I said well that is what I would want, no further discussion……walked out to the car and wife asked what did I think, what was it like. I had only one word for her….f…d.  She said don’t worry, you will find something you want. Dead right about that 🤩 

[skippydiesel]

On 21/07/2024 at 4:54 PM, laserfly said:

I flew across the Nullarbor and back to Melbourne in a Searey April 2024.

 Cruises at 80 kts and 4 hours endurance. Head winds are a factor.

The road houses where fine. All Airstrips where ok.

 Nullarbor has the best runway looks to be all weather.

Boarder airstrip is good. Landed on the cross runway on rtn. It is rough, the surface is ok  a lot of weeds  growing up.

Mundrabilla   ok in places lots of weeds growing up. No fuel.

Caiguna Good surface flat. Airstrip, looks prone to flooding if raining.

Balladonia Good surface.   Wide and long airstrip, great food and 98.

My thanks - Great information for aspiring trans Australia flyers.😈

[skippydiesel]

VH JEY -

 

VH registered aircraft seem to be able get away with very small registration letters (compared with RAA registered numbers). No hope of seeing  JEY's rego from the ground or air.  How can this be???😈