Great Eastern Flyin - Evans Head 11-13 January

[kgwilson]

Is anyone planning on going to this years Great Eastern Flyin? I am planning to fly over on Saturday morning (12 January). Of course it is only a half hour flight from YSGR. Note that there is a new discrete frequency of 127.9 from 8am Friday till 5pm Sunday  to reduce congestion with the normal frequency of 124.2 which is shared by Ballina, Lismore & Casino

 

 

[Guest extralite]

Can't delete a message? ?

 

 

[kgwilson]

I must be the only person on this forum that went to Evans Head. The weather was perfect. I took off from South Grafton at 8:02am & arrived at Evans Head at just before 8:30am. I switched to the event frequency & made a 10 mile call. There was no other traffic. Then a minute or so later with about 7 miles to run there was a call from an RV from the north. He joined down wind for 36 & I joined crosswind for 36 behind him. Another pilot who didn't seem to be listening radioed he was straight in on final for 36 at 1 mile. I'd called joining crosswind, downwind & base, The RV pilot advised I was in the circuit. He was just on the ground. I immediately called final put the nose down & aimed at the piano keys, then slowed in ground effect for ages & put down just at the cross strip, braked & turned off the runway. The other bloke was right behind me. He only made the 1 call.

 

I had a chat with the RV pilot when I parked. We agreed that there are still plenty of dickheads flying. By 10am it was very busy with planes landing almost every minute or 2. 

 

There seemed fewer campers than when I was last there 2 years ago but otherwise it was very much standard Great Eastern Fly-in. Good coffee, good food, lots of market stalls & the displays were pretty good. Matt Hall's was outstanding as always. I met a few people I know & met some new pilots I didn't know, had lots of good conversation. RA-Aus had a table under the main covered seating area. Gap Aero had a Sling 2 & 4 and an Evolution there. I thought it a bit odd that the Evolutions top cruising speed of 165 knots is the same as VNE. There was also a Bush Cat. The whole event is pretty laid back with no obvious security. There were signs saying no access along the flight line but it wasn't policed and plenty of people just wandered past photographing aircraft & chatting to owners.

 

Here are  a few photosMatt Hall doing the corkscrew

 

I chose a shady spot on the flight line but that disappeared quickly

 

Matt Hall again

 

Seaplanes & Glider

 

 

 

 

[spacesailor]

Thanks for the report KG.

 

I would have liked to have gone But We (misses & I ) seem to be stuck, ( after the Dublin crash ), and haven't been away since getting home.

 

This is getting ridiculous making lots of excuses for not getting the A into gear.LoL.

 

spacesailor 

 

 

[Camel]

I was there Sat morning and left after lunch, I thought it was great event and hadn't been for a couple of years.  I saw you KGW near your SIERRA but you were busy talking to another ! I was in my J230 !