Perth to Changi in a single Engine Piper

[rolfrolf.id.au]

Hello everybody. I am a low hours PPL with a Piper Cherokee 140 and a desire to do something interesting. I am planning a flight from Perth to Singapore. The route would be from Perth up the coast to Darwin and then across to East Timor and then across the Indonesian islands to Singapore. There is only one one long hop over water between Darwin and East Timor, but provided that the winds are favourable I should be able to get there with at least an hour left in the tanks. All the other legs can be kept under 3 hours. I am finding out about refuelling locations along the way and the weather and terrain along the route. I am also enquiring about the required clearances and visas needed. I want to be able to plan the flight completely and safely before I set off. I will make sure the aircraft has all the required safety and survival gear, ample radios, epirbs, sat phone, etc.

 

What I am looking for is any advice from anyone who mght have done something like this before, regarding any language or local issues that might arise in Timor or Indonesia or Singapore.

 

Does anyone have any experiance flying a relatively slow (110knot) single engine around Indonesia?

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Just as long as you're prepared for what ever may happen, make sure you take along a 406MHz EPIRB and any other bits you might need in the unlikely event of an emergency. Notify all relevant authorities of your trip just in case you don't make a destination.

 

I'm sure the other guys here will give you heaps of trip info.

 

Brett

 

 

[ossie]

Hi there Rolf, have had a bit of experience in this sort of venture myself.

 

Don't underestimate the planning involved, particularly in regards to overflight and landing approvals. Local authorities wont be too impressed with someone arriving with no documentation or approvals.

 

Start with DFAT for local authority contacts for the necessary approvals, DFAT will want to know your route details and all planned stops.

 

Check the fuel before you buy, and take plenty of cash with you, you may need to grease a few palms along the way............

 

Thorough planning will go a long way to help make your trip a successful one, good luck with it all.

 

Cheers

 

Os

 

 

[Ultralights]

make sure you get all your Visas and paperwork done well before you depart, especially for Indonesia, and sadly, bribe money, lots of it for the indonesian islands as well.

 

sure, you might have your paperwork in order, but 1 annoyed official can "lose" them, and you will be in a world of trouble.

 

thats all i can think of at the moent

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

i think weather will be your biggest hurdle. give the monsoon season a miss and go for july. i'd get some first hand reports on terrain and seasonal wx enroute.

 

i've heard that wearing a pilots uniform will help to move refuelling and airport activities, customs/ immigration along a bit faster. i know a lot of yachties carry a gun when sailing around that area.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I would imagine a damn good liferaft too, and some of that brown shark repellant that YENN was promoting..........................

 

 

[Simonflyer]

Sounds like a wild trip!Need a co-pilot?

 

Excuse my ignorance here, but can we fly to(or in) particular countries with GA licenses?

 

Anyone know which ones?..

 

Cheers

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

sure can with a GA licence

 

 

[Guest kreugers]

This site Earthrounders: round the world flights in light aircraft is well worth a look. There's plenty of info on the flight reports of others. Sounds like a hell of an adventure. Look forward to hearing about it.

 

 

[gofastclint]

Southeast Asia works on bribes. once you get to the airport, pay the re-fill guy a decent tip and tell him you will pay him a bigger tip next time you see him if he lets you get on your way quickly. If he thinks he will see you again he wont hold you up as he will want to see you again for that tip.

 

Make sure you know where the fuel depot is at each airport and taxi over there as soon as you land to refill and be on your way.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

interesting news story at the moment about those poor 5 tourists who flew into Papua expecting to get a visa on landing. they had spent some months in jail and then the high court let them go but the local prosecuter kept them from departing. he is hanging out for his bribe. bloody amazing how that country works.