JG3 Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Gday All, I just got back from a grand flight to Alice Springs and The Centre. 2700nm round trip. Wish we were still out there, but a rain front was pushing in from WA. Went with Hans (701) and myself (Savannah) from Kilcoy, Roger and wife Kerrie (Savannah) from Caboolture, and Brian (Savannah) from Boonah. Went Injune, Rolleston, Longreach, Lark Quarry, Boulia, Mt Isa, Boulia, Bond Springs, West MacDonnell Ranges, Hermannsberg, Palm Valley, Kings Canyon, Henbury meteorite craters, Curtin Springs, Ayers Rock, Kulgera Roadhouse, then they went south to Lake Eyre, Flinders Ranges, Broken Hill, and are now following the Darling back home. I went east into the Simpson Desert and found an abandoned oil exploration strip and landed and stayed the night. Wish I could have stayed longer, but the approaching weather pushed me all the way home on a strong tailwind. Some photos are at: Picasa Web Albums - j.gilpin - Centre Flight... Cheers, JG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightygirl Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 WOW! that is my dream trip! would love to hear more about the planning and where you stayed, how you worked out refueling, what did you carry etc. My partner and i have a Savannah and plan to fly from Sydney to Uluru next year. We are hoping others come along for the trip. What precautions did you take flying in the remote areas? how many hours did you average for each leg? questions questions! the photos look amazing. no doubt the trip of a lifetime! Rach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JG3 Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 Yes, by all means do it! I'll do a write up for the magazine, that will answer all those planning questions. It's really quite easy when you know the right spots and contacts. JG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightygirl Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 cant wait to hear more! am so inspired to get the maps back out and get back into planning. so would you say you went at the best time of year? we are still a little flexible with when we leave, so am keen for advice on best time of year to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Brilliant photos as usual, John. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunlopdangler Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 what Spin said John..great photos thanks for sharing:thumb_up: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JRMobile Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Truly great pics John, some of the geography of the center are the stand outs for me eg #25, 26, 27. Thanks for sharing! :) Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfGnome Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Fantastic photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregF Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I am so jealous......... Truely Awesome! Thanks for sharing! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastmeg2 Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Mighty Jealous here too. I have a 2 week trike trip coming up later in the year, but won't quite be making it all the way to the red center. Hope I can get some shots half as good as yours . . . and finding that abandoned strip in the Simpson Desert. Can't get much more isolated than that.:thumb_up: Cheers, Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Incredible. :thumb_up: Will have to show my Grandad your pictures as he has covered probably every meter of Australia and that country, but I bet he's never seen it in this perspective. From above! (Tour operator for 50yrs.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JG3 Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 Yeh, any of those aircraft could do the trip. All those strips that you need, such as Kings Creek Station, Curtain Springs, Bond Springs, and Kulgera Roadhouse are long, well-maintained dirt strips suitable for the Flying Doctor aircraft. I have a passion for going 'off-road', thus the big tires, but that's a whole different game.... JG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Likewise I am also extreemly jealous as I was to make the number 5 plane on the trip but due to an accident with a circular saw 3 weeks before I couldnt make it. Now after seing the photos I am even more upset. This would have been my first big trip to the outback. Anyway John well done with the pics and I hope to join you all on the next one maybe Birdsville. Cheers Dags:score 010: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JG3 Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 Yeh, Dags, we thought of you often, and wished you had been able to come along. Next time for sure, and there will be more trips for sure.... As to planning and fuel stops, I'll write up a guide later when I can make the time. I just have a lot of issues to catch up on first, and resent spending too much time at the keyboard this time of year. Fuel and logistics are not a problem when you know where to go. It's quite doable in just about any aircraft, and sure is worth doing, so keep your dreams alive for next year. So that you can start by booking your holiday time, this is the advice from Ken Watts at Bond Springs, who's been flying out there for more than 40 years, and will welcome visitors to that airfield. Late April thru May -- cool to cold mornings - very good temperature inversions - warm days - light winds. Chance of frost late May. June thru July -- Cold frosty mornings - low level temp inversions with a higher inversion level at 5-7000 Ft. AMSL -- fresh and gusty winds associated with cold fronts moving across the Great Australian Bite. As we experienced, winter rain a possibility, usually from the same North West cloud band. August thur Sept -- Cool to cold mornings with a chance of frost -- warmer days - lighter winds - good temp inversions - diminished chance of rain. After 2nd week in September I always say that you can expect the weather to be getting hot. Late September you can expect the start of the equinoctial gales -- October defiantly with a slight possibility of cool mornings but hot days -- turbulence & thunderstorms. Tailwinds always, JG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballpoint 246niner Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Great trip, great photo's and we're all very grateful for this fantastic post. Australia- clearly a country whose enormity and beauty can only be fathomed from above- we are all so lucky to live here. Many thanks + all other comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerin Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Thanks for the pics John. The flying you do really is the epitome of "recreational" aviation. Something that we can all aspire to! Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Nice photos John, Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 We just got back from a similar but shorter trip to the centre - absolutely magic - particularly Coopers Creek, etc. What I would like to know is how you get such good photos - my wife took heaps but only a few came out well !! Yours are so clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingVizsla Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Ahh, my old stamping grounds. The channel country looks better than I have ever seen it and that lone gum tree has a fence around it to keep the tree eating beasties out. I built the roads Birdsville - Bedourie - Boulia - Winton - Longreach - Windorah and I managed the clinics Birdsville to Urandangie from Winton. Did trips over the Simpson to visit friends, but never bothered with Uluru. Went to Alice once for the Aust Women Pilots conference. The Alice - Boulia trip was the longest leg I have ever done - a tad over 4 hours into a headwind. Pax legged it to the amenities as soon as we landed. Your pictures have brought back many memories. Must go for a nostalgia trip one day. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 The number of posts say it all. What a great trip and fabulous photo's. Thank you so much for posting them, for us all to enjoy. Many who are able, will have itchy feet now, and start planning, i'm sure. Kind Regards Planey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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