Catsy Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Hi Everyone, How are you all? We're planning on flying a Tecnam Eaglet home from Runaway Bay QLD to Gawler SA in the near future. We have a few days at our disposal to bring her home at a somewhat leisurely pace. 1) Has anyone completed a similar such trip? 2) Any inside knowledge on good pilot welcoming places to stay overnight? As in, accom is at the airfield/nearby? 3) Any aerial views that we can't miss en route? 4) Any tips or tricks or suggestions? Thanking you kindly in advance. :-) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickduncs84 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Yep just did the exact trip in the bearhawk! Not sure what your range and cruise speed are but for us with a 20 knots of headwind we were only getting about 100 kts ground speed. Range was about 400 miles. We ended up stopping Walgett, Cobar, Mildura and on to Aldinga. It was a long day with about 9 hours flying but with an autopilot it was easy to do in a day. If you're going to spend a night, Cobar might be a good spot. About half way and not much between there and Mildura from memory. There are normally good notes in ozrunways about good places to stay. Good luck and have fun! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabiru Phil Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I regularly fly Loxton to Caloundra return. My suggestion are don't go Cobar route. Fuel call out fee $100 heard recently. Also won't go the route again re tiger country east of there, scrub, scrub everywhere. I suggest you look at planning... Warwick, Moree, Narromine, Hay, Mildura or Wentworth, Renmark and home. Swipe cards at Moree, Narromine, Mildura, Wentworth and Renmark. Moree have Free pick up to motels, numbers on airport bill boards. Narromine has airport accomodation at caravan park, cheap and good. The route Moree to Narromine is pleasant scenery just west of the ranges. I haven't flown Gold Coast to Moree, but was told that it was fairly easy to navigate the control areas from someone from Heck Field I met at a Straddy breakfast. Enjoy the trip. PHIL 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catsy Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Thanks so much. nickduncs84, according to the new POH/AFM, 116knots cruise speed. A bit less than the 130-135odd knots of the bearhawke, but not too shabby! We'll likely take 2-3 days. Cheers for the ideas. Jabiru Phil, thanks so much for your detailed run down. $100 call out? That's a bit steep, but they are providing a service... so yes. Moree, yes, I've heard that town mentioned numerous times now. Looks very promising. What aircraft are you using for the extensive Caloundra return trip? For Work? Or is it in your 230? I've heard people also half follow the Darling River down also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabiru Phil Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Hi Catsy, I use my 230 as much as I can, getting long in the teeth so not looking forward to the day I can't fly. It usually takes my 7.5 hours flying, less or more depending on the winds. I would hazard a guess that your Tecnam would be a similar cruise speed. I have stayed at Moree a few times at the Golden Dragon motel, I think that's the name, when I have a passenger. Hot pool and very good Chinese Restaurant. They pick up and deliver. I do this trip two or three times a year, mostly to visit friends in Mooloolaba, golfing etc. I plan to go again early November till New Year. May hear you in the air! The Hay route takes you along the Murrumbidgee for as long as you want to follow. The Darling route would mean via Bourke, haven't flown that way but the little pub at Louth has a strip which would be a good overnighter, as is Pooncarie. Cheers PHIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Thanks so much.nickduncs84, according to the new POH/AFM, 116knots cruise speed. A bit less than the 130-135odd knots of the bearhawke, but not too shabby! We'll likely take 2-3 days. Cheers for the ideas. Jabiru Phil, thanks so much for your detailed run down. $100 call out? That's a bit steep, but they are providing a service... so yes. Moree, yes, I've heard that town mentioned numerous times now. Looks very promising. What aircraft are you using for the extensive Caloundra return trip? For Work? Or is it in your 230? I've heard people also half follow the Darling River down also! I used to fly an Eaglette but it didnt cruise at 116 knots, but I used to fly it at 4900 rpm in cruise. It may get there at 5000 plus. But it did cruise over 100 at 4900 RPM. I havent flown an Eaglette for a few year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catsy Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 I used to fly an Eaglette but it didnt cruise at 116 knots, but I used to fly it at 4900 rpm in cruise. It may get there at 5000 plus. But it did cruise over 100 at 4900 RPM. I havent flown an Eaglette for a few year though. Yes, that's just the *new* manual, I'll be planning on the usual 105 knots that the old P92 echo super gave us. The Jabiru 160's and 170's I usually fly I always plans nav's at 90knots cruise. It's a matter of having a rough guide, see how we feel on the day, weather etc. See how long it takes to get to our first waypoint and we'll get a better idea of actual aircraft speed. Each aircraft is always that little bit different! That and we'll be taking off with full fuel (or as near as practicable to MTOW after weight/balance), 2POB, water back packs and two overnight bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catsy Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Hi Catsy,I have stayed at Moree a few times at the Golden Dragon motel, I think that's the name, when I have a passenger. Hot pool and very good Chinese Restaurant. They pick up and deliver. I do this trip two or three times a year, mostly to visit friends in Mooloolaba, golfing etc. I plan to go again early November till New Year. May hear you in the air! Cheers PHIL I really like the sound of Moree. :D Thanks again, such a wealth of info. Awesome! What a life! How wonderful is that! What an era we live in. Holiday in Qld, that's awesome! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Yes, that's just the *new* manual, I'll be planning on the usual 105 knots that the old P92 echo super gave us. The Jabiru 160's and 170's I usually fly I always plans nav's at 90knots cruise. It's a matter of having a rough guide, see how we feel on the day, weather etc. See how long it takes to get to our first waypoint and we'll get a better idea of actual aircraft speed. Each aircraft is always that little bit different! That and we'll be taking off with full fuel (or as near as practicable to MTOW after weight/balance), 2POB, water back packs and two overnight bags. Yup, It was definitely quicker in cruise than the P92 Echo Super . I used to fly both and swap between the two. Now I just fly a Teccy Golf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickduncs84 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 No call out fee Cobar week days. 85 weekends. Can't remember thinking there was much tiger country once over the ranges which happens pretty early on. Would certainly go a different way if I had a few days as there are no doubt better places to spend a night, but the Cobar route was the most direct and safe enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabiru Phil Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Bruce, Don't want to be a party pooper, just my inbuilt fear of tiger if I can't glide to an open or less dense area. PHIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tecnamdave Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Methinks being this time of the year, we will be having some pretty hot days for the trip, early starts should give us a 4 hour trip, with a long lunch and afternoon tea, then maybe a couple of hours flying late afternoon before sunset 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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