RA Pilots Flying Into our Major Cities

[Super Petrel LS]

As Recreational Pilots and not being able to fly into controlled air space what airstrips in close proximity of Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide have other RA Pilots found that offer the most convenience when it comes to links with public transport, proximity to city, aircraft parking/tie down and most important permission (if it’s a private strip).

 

For example is Wollongong Airport with a train station straight across the road the best place to target, say for Sydney visits?

 

Visioninaction (Kelvin)

 

QRAA Warwick QLD

 

 

[shags_j]

I guess Brisbane it's really either caloundra or caboolture. Once CTA endorsements are allowed then Arcehrfield becomes much more viable.

 

Caboolture has train and bus to brisbane cdb though.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

For Adelaide, you could fly into Gawler. There is a train to the CBD from there.

 

Once we get the CTA endorsement, it will be much easier. As long as you enter GAAP fields from class G airspace, you won't even need to fit a transponder. Just get your CTA at a school (with transponder) and as long as you meet the other requirements (approved engine and altimiter and medical) you are good to go.

 

Easy to get into Adelaide that way as you can catch the train from Parafield!

 

 

[Super Petrel LS]

Great tips guys. Thanks

 

Cheers

 

Kelvin

 

 

[flying dog]

 

Is it a fantasy of mine or what?

 

When the CTA things come in, I want to find someone who is good with a video camera and book a landing at YSSY early one morning.

 

Man what a buzz that would be!

 

 

So what about the landing fee!

 

:thumb_up:

 

It would be so "kewl" I reckon.

 

Get some other mates over near the tower and video you landing from the outside.

 

Probably better to get rwy 25 too.

 

But there again, rwy 16 (either) coming in over the city..... :big_grin::man flying:

 

 

[Ultralights]

When the CTA things come in, I want to find someone who is good with a video camera and book a landing at YSSY early one morning.

 

 

So what about the landing fee!

 

:thumb_up:

 

It would be so "kewl" I reckon.

 

:big_grin::man flying:

that would be cool! but expensive, landing fee is minimum $250/tonne. then a taxi fee of about $80. then there is the airways charges on top of that. a few yrs ago i was a pax in a duchess into YSSY, cost was about $400 all u, and all we did was a touch go. could be wrong though, most likely am, as it was some time ago now, best option is to simply ring up and ask!

 

The trick with getting into the sydney CTA on the cheap is sadly after 11pm. after that time ATC will give you clearance to do just about anything. the finally to m NVFR yrs ago was a nav to cessnock and back then direct to Sydney Kingsford smith then harbour orbits then via parramatta river direct to Bankstown. fantastic flying and scenery over the city at night, and no tother traffic other than night freight departing syd to the south.

 

if your aircraft meets requirement to fly in CTA, and with an appropriate licence, then there is no reason you cant fly into syd if you ask the tower.

 

 

[flying dog]

Well, I don't think RAA pilots are allowed to do Night VFR. :(

 

Yeah, it would be expensive. But *IF* I get to do it, it would be so nice.

 

As I said, I need someone who I can trust with a video camera, etc.

 

 

[Ultralights]

once the CTA endo comes in, and with a few phone calls to the tower, im sure they will be able to figure something out within daylight hours.

 

though im sure it will require a flight plan to be lodged etc, the guys in the syd tower are always willing to help if asked.

 

as for a good camera guy, i cant help with that! i tried taping a small camera to my headset ], it didnt work out to well, its amazing just how much your head moves around scanning for traffic, instruments etc. made for quite a nauseating video!

 

 

[jcamp]

Did some good scenics around Sydney in 1977? during an ATC strike. I did a number of charters BWK-BK-BWK and virtually all of them involved the bridge, city and whatever else the punters couldn't otherwise see.

 

IIRC liasion/chat was done on SY tower frequency although it all (except for BK) was uncontrolled airspace and no requirement to talk to anyone.

 

 

[flying dog]

I could very much imagine how bad the "head shake" would really be.

 

Anyway, for now it is future stuff.

 

:)

 

 

[Guest watto]

When I go to Brisbane I use Redcliffe as it is just outside Bris control zone and I have had a chat with Thrifty car rental and they either leave a car there for me or pick me up and when I leave I just hand the keys to the great folks at the Redcliffe Aero club and fly away, works for me! I was landing at Jacobs well but there is no available fuel and no transport out of there!

 

Watto

 

 

[flying dog]

Watto, true, but Jacob's well is a nice place.

 

I've been there a few times.

 

Great bunch of people.

 

 

[Guest watto]

Absolutely, but from my perspective it is more convenient for a visitor to access the city from Redcliffe unless you have someone to pick you up and you do not mind flying to Redcliffe or Caboolture should you need fuel, but yes the folks out there are great, Roger Porter has been most helpful and they are welcoming to visitors and share there clubhouse and amenities without a problem.

 

Watto

 

 

[shags_j]

Forgot about redcliffe, oops.

 

 

[quentas]

Took my J230 into Adelaide late last year. Had to do it once.

 

 

 

[Guest Decca]

What a thrill Quentas, especially coming in over the coast. Adelaide can be fairly busy in this modern era. (Yes it really was just a backwater when I was flying).

 

Were there any major challenges for you at your licence level?

 

Regards, Decca.

 

 

[quentas]

Hi, It wasnt too hard to do as I have taken GA type planes in there many times before. Just put in a plan after ringing the tower to find the 'quietest' time. I regularly overfly YPAD on my way to YGWA or YADG in the Jabby so they were getting quite used to me. I took my daughter shopping at harbour town so she had the camera duty. I have put a link to the takeoff on runway 23 below. Cheers, Q.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB9xO5BOZDk"

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

I took my daughter shopping at harbour town

In that case the savings at the outlet shops would have paid for the exorbitant landing fees!

 

 

[skybum]

RAA in CTA is dead!

 

Awaiting official announcment but my intel is solid.

 

 

[Guest Elk McPherson]

This is for the best.

 

I know you don't want to hear this, but:

 

The hue and cry following an incident would be enormous.

 

The litigation following an accident would kill RAAus.

 

The probability of ICAO allowing such a departure from internationally convened standards? Nil.

 

We all read the horror stories of how third-world countries allow sub-standard conditions to persist despite fatalities, and about the airlines the EU bans from their airport due to safety breaches.

 

CASA allowing the proposed RAAus into CTA changes would turn Australia, in regulatory circles, into a pariah state.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

CASA allowing the proposed RAAus into CTA changes would turn Australia, in regulatory circles, into a pariah state.

You mean just like the US then, where LSA pilots can get a CTA endorsement?

 

 

[hihosland]

Outside of GAAP tower hourse MBN defaults to CTAF-R so a RAA pilot in a RAA aircraft can fly in outside tower hours. Overnight parking for ultralights is around $5.00 perday.

 

A good idea for anyone not familiar with MBN would to get a copy of the free CASA publication visual pilot guide for Melbourne, there are also VPGs for Brisbane Sydeny and Perth, I'm not sure about Adelaide.

 

Davidh

 

 

[skybum]

MB TWR Hours are 0800 to 1800EST THU-MON 0800 to 2100EST TUE -WED and closed on XMAS

 

 

[quentas]

For those of us who actually want to use controlled air the answer is simple, get your PPL. Theres not a lot of difference between the training these days compared with 15 years ago anyway. It doesnt hurt also to have a medical check up every 2 to 4 years for your own peace of mind.

 

 

[djpacro]

CASA requires[/url]

The provision (within 9 months) of aerodrome ATS daily for the hours of daylight without any reduction in the service currently provided during the hours of darkness.