Tonym

There is a Foxbat that I believe is used for RAA training at Warnervale.

I don't know how much time you have for extra stops but about a half hour south of Longreach is a town called yaraka. It has a great strip, friendly locals and a beautiful view from mt slowcombe. We had a fun stopover there so add it into your list of options.

Thanks to Mnewbery and his mate Brian I went down today and had a fantastic day. The weather out of YWVA in the morning was pretty foul with isolated thunderstorms and rain but by the time we got to Long Reef it had stopped raining and the southern end of Victor 1 was swimming in sunshine. A disappointingly small turnout of lighties. I counted 12 fixed wings, I think all VH registered. Maybe the weather turned some away but the last few times I have been, there were many more aircraft flying in. Anyway, at least there wasn't a long queue at the end of the day. My highlights: the Connie with Roulettes in formation was beautiful. I thought all the aerobatic guys excelled but it is hard not to be impressed with Matt Hall's skills. The hornet was, as usual, a spectacular climax. Loved it. Thanks to the organisers and volunteers.

Does anyone have an answer to the number of lighties on the paddock today. I was late to seeing the detail about WOI - too late to do the compulsory pre-registration. I have been trying various channels to get an OK to come in for tomorrow morning but not having much luck. Was it a full house today? I am thinking maybe I just pot luck tomorrow morning early and if they let me in, great and if they don't then I guess they'll just make me take off again.

Not sure how far you want to travel but maybe Camden Haven near Port Macquarie is what you are looking for? http://www.skycam.com.au/YCMH/

For anyone else planning Tennant Crk to YBMA, Barkly Homestead also has AVGAS from a pump. I can't remember if it is marked on the WAC and it's probably only 1/3 the way to YBMA but, if the fuel calculations look skinny, it's a good (s)topping point.

Hi I have an iPhone which I bought outright and I use a TPG SIM (Optus network but cheap as chips). I pay $14.99 per month for 1GB data and heaps of phone calls and never crack the included value. I also use them for home phone and internet and find them ok but you need to look at the plans to see if it makes sense for you. Whirlpool is a pretty good source of information. For flying, I use an iPad and I have a Telstra NextG prepaid SIM for when I am going out into the serious boonies. 1GB prepaid costs $20 and it lasts for a month. You don't need to renew at all. Just pay when you need it. NextG is a ripping network. We were emailing from 5000 ft in the middle of absolutely nowhere. But I find that if you're flying in more populated areas with towns or highways around, the Optus network is fine. I can tether the iPhone to the iPad via bluetooth for those kinds of trips and use the TPG plan's included data. I don't worry about using the NextG at all. Not sure if that is the kind of information you wanted. YMMV.

Try the Prairie Hotel at Parachilnya SA for great food, friendly people and nice accommodation. Strip is an old road with a bit of a kink in it but its OK.

I have done two trips over Lake Eyre in the last year in an Arrow. The closest licensed strips are, as far as I know, William Creek (34NM west of Halligan Bay) or Marree (about 60NM south of the southern end of Lake Eyre north). I have not stayed at either but stopped in at both for something to eat. William Creek's pub is a classic and well worth a stop. A couple we met described the accommodation as "interesting" but, who knows ... they might be precious. You can camp there. The strip is right next to the pub. Marree has also has a pub that people stay at. Not sure about that one. The strip is maybe a kilometre or two's walk from the pub/roadhouse. Hope that helps.

It is off your planned track but, if you happened to be passing nearby, Narromine in western NSW has a small but interesting aviation museum with a full size replica of the Wright Bros craft which is currently not being flown but has been flown in the past. I'd also second (or third or whatever it is) the vote for the HARS collection at Wollongong.

You could call and ask if the guys at Rawnsley Park Station were prepared to help you. Its just on the south wide of Wilpena Pound (about half way between Port Pirie and Maree and last year they had AVGAS from a pump. Nice place to stop for the night too. They may only offer fuel if you're staying over but couldn't hurt to ask.

Worth also checking out the Guide if you plan on flying in. http://www.illawarraregionalairport.com.au/default.aspx?WebPage=54

Hi Jayz from a fellow Warnervaler. I use an iPad with Co-Pilot which cost about $20 (the software that is; the iPad much more). It has all the waypoints I have ever needed and, if it doesn't, you can easily create them. There are no moving maps, airfield details or anything but you get a nice line that tells you if you are on track or not and all waypoints show up on the screen as you pass them by so diversions can be easily achieved. I generally write out separate Warnervale Flight Plans so I have never actually printed out the flight plan itself but you might be able to do it. It doesn't give you radio details. Headings automatically correct once you put in the wind from forecast. I didn't get this until after I completed my PPL (about 6 months ago) 'cos I thought it would be much better to be able to do it without the electrics and I knew Wayne would be ****ed if I was cheating. But on my first big trip as a PPL around half the country in PRF last October, it was a great comfort to me (and my wife) to be able to double check my course. The software also works on iPhone so we actually had three GPS units in the plane - iPad, Wife's phone, my phone. For the money, I think it works great and I can't see me buying a separate GPS unit. YMMV.

Hi Guys, Website suggesting that it is cancelled this year. http://www.greateasternflyin.com/

Great on my iphone too. Definitely bookmarked. Thanks for your work.

When I was discussing the experience with the instructor afterwards, he said the same thing. Apart from the descent through the hole, I wasn't flying in a place where someone would have flown out of the clouds and into my path. I presume its not unreasonable to expect that someone flying within a few miles of an aeorodrome, in cloud, and at around 3000' would radio his/her position.

I agree with the above. My training has included (Dual and solo) circuits in bad weather where the cloud base was at or about 1000AGL and other instances where the cloud cover was higher but we weren't getting anywhere near it. On one dual day, the rain and clouds came in so that visibility required staying on the ground for a time while the weather passed. It was really good to get that experience with the instructor on board. But my trips around the training area have been on clear days. So this was my first experience of making a judgment about clouds and I had to do it on my own. Perhaps my tickerer wouldn't have ticked as hard had I either been up there with my instructor or had had the experience previously. I was aware of the VMC rules and, being below 3000 when going through the cloud hole (which as I said was quite large), I felt OK about heading up, clear of the clouds, to the blue sky beyond 3000. All tips and comments appreciated.

Hi all, I am just pre-GFPT and had a fun time on the weekend flying in my training area. It was early morning and the night's moisture had formed up into some fluffy whiteones in the area but it didn't seem enough to stop me. So I went up looking for at least 3,500 to do stall and recovery work and all was well until close to the training area at about 2,500 where the blue sky was clearly accessible but only through a reasonably large hole in the layer of clouds. So I had the experience of climbing up through a cloud hole which got the heart tickering I must confess - certainly more than the stalls. Above the cloud level there was lovely blue still sky and it was very enjoyable but the pesky buggers seemed to be closing the hole back down again so I made the decision that it would be wiser to descend through the hole and head on back to base early which was a little frustrating because I didn't get through my program. I spent the rest of the time flying circuits below the cloud level and looking wistfully over at the training area which seemed to clear nicely over time (which I must say I had expected - it seemed like a typical fog burning off type of morning). So it was an interesting experience to "dance" with a moving mass of moisture. I reckon at my stage I made the right call to head back but I suspect that people with more experience would be prepared to sit it out or otherwise fly around the cloud to get to home base. Any comments? Tony

Thanks for the welcome Thx. Frankly, it isn't pleasant even walking through the dust and, as a motorcyclist, I can tell you that the vents in my helmut got pretty stuffed with it when I rode to work during the week so I hate to think what it would be doing to the airfilters etc on a C150. That said, I can hear small AC flying over me now in what I would think would be 35-40Knots so obviously someone's happy enough to fly today.

Hi guys, I've taken my midlife crisis energy and just started (2 hours so far) learning to fly a C150 with Warnervale Flying Services on the central coast near Sydney. I am loving it but am frustrated by having lessons cancelled due to wind. This morning it was cancelled due to wind AND dust! Should have known better than to start learning in Spring in Sydney when the westerlies are regular. Anyway, hopefully the NorEasters will start soon and we'll be able to really get going. So g'day to all... Tony