What Freq for flight watch (sydney)

[motzartmerv]

Hi, what frequency are you useing to cancel SAR in the sydney area.. The flightwatch freq's are being deactivated and the chief tells us to use the call to syd radar "sydney radar flightwatch" ..on a nav the other day we did this and the operator (sounding gruff and cranky) barked that she wasb't holding a sartime for us, and could we please leave the freq free..Then at 0515 (my sartime) exactly i got a call from flightwatch on my mobile.. I know i should have called them on the phone, but the radar operator sounded certain there was no sartime.. Other pilots ive spoken to say to leave radar alone, they are busy.. so whats the go?? who is handeling SAR now??

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

whoever reads the note you left on the fridge:confused:

 

 

[Guest J430]

What FLIGHTWATCH............. ASA have done their best to kill it off .....

 

The RADAR or AREA folk should do it for you, cancel in the circuit........... probably best to use the phone once arrived. Just dont forget!!

 

J

 

 

[rong]

Melb Radar handled a flightplan amendment I called in under FLIGHTWATCH, .. 6 minutes after the initial contact. You have to feel sorry for the poor buggers, they're flat out.

 

Ron

 

 

[Mazda]

It's crazy isn't it? Airservices has tried to shut down Flightwatch saying it is OK to have on the Radar frequency, but it doesn't work! Imagine what it could be like on a marginal VFR day, with people asking for weather, and IFR aircraft being separated in IMC.

 

Write a letter to the boss of Airservices, outlining your experience, and ask him what you are supposed to do!

 

You could use the phone to cancel. Alternatively you could operate under a flight note, with the flying school holding your SAR.

 

 

[IanR]

I did a night flight last night and cancelled my SAR on the ground at Camden with Sydney Radar (124.55) - no issues. The flightwatch frequency for the area is listed on the maps as 121.1 - have used that on occasion as well. I was going to transfer to the Flightwatch frequency to do it but heard another aircraft cancelling on Sydney radar with no issues so did the same.

 

BTW - Was an interesting flight - 55-60 knot ground speed on the way to Goulburn and 175 knots on the way back !! Dead smooth at 6500/7500 ft !

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Ian, that flightwatch freq on the maps is the one thats being deactivated..try cancelling sar on that freq and see what sort of response you get..

 

I think radar dont mind doing it when there not busy or its an IFR flight..

 

you should call in some time at gostner for a coffee. You can't say its to far away from the scout hanga;)

 

cheers

 

 

[Mazda]

There are AIP Sups out on this, with a bit of a backpedal on the last one. Some frequencies have been transferred, others haven't. 121.1 has already been transferred to 124.55 and 125.8. If you do call on 121.1 you'll get Sydney Radar anyway. It's an absolute disgrace that radar controllers are also doing Flightwatch, but if no one complains about it that is how it will remain.

 

Ian that sounds like last Sunday. I headed south with a groundspeed of 59 knots, then reached showers and decided it wasn't the best day and turned around. Coming back I was doing 146!

 

 

[Guest J430]

At night lately you are lucky to have any ATC, most of the BBN FIR has been TIBA I believe. Will see what it is like tonight enroute from South East Asia to YBBN.

 

J