PaulN

Crezzi,

This suggestion is tongue-in-cheek, although could be done legally if life jackets/bouyancy vests/PFD's are worn. Just like flying Victor One past Sydney. Floats might make one feel a little more secure but not required. I know some of our forum members fly across the Bass Strait too.

To do this just to get around GC would be silly as I know the TWR guys would be happy to help if asked.

Paul

Fair comment Kerry. C'mon guys, give it a rest.

Paul

Fair comment Kerry. C'mon guys, give it a rest.

Paul

You could don a life jacket, take a SE heading from Sea World, climb to 1500' and pass east of the 7 mile DME zone around GC then come back in around Kingscliff :confused:. But don't expect to glide back to land in the fan stops. Wouldn't be my first choice.

You could also telephone GC TWR (5599 5990) the day before, explain your aircraft type and that you feel unsafe taking the inland route and ask them if they would clear you to fly past. I know from experience that they're a co-operative bunch and are known to help like this. Don't be afraid to ask, and the experience is well worth it.

Paul

Paul

Z,

My only limited experience in the 2005 Allegro (actually 2004 model) was my ab initio training with Snowy Aviation Academy (sounds swish, eh). Yes, it is twitchy and bouncy but I wouldn't think landings were all that difficult. I also found (compared with the CT) the cockpit pretty cramped and the layout of controls a bit awkward. Also, sitting on the fuel tank is not my idea of the best arrangement.

Hope this helps,

Paul

Thanks for the tips Mike. It's always helpful to hear from someone with experience and local knowledge. I've done a bit of reading and am now aware of their F'ohn (spelling?) winds and have been cautioned about turbulence and rotors of the mountains and in the valleys. This has influenced our decision to tag along with an instructor, better to use his previously gained experience/knowledge than gain mine the hard way.

Paul

From one CT flyer to another ... welcome aboard Macka.

Paul

Funny this should come up now, I've been talking with Ruth just last week about the possibility of hiring a Tecnam for a fly-your-own scenic around the Sth Island of NZ next month. Here's her comments ...

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your email. I have been flying the 206 today..hence my late in the day reply!

Yes you are able to transfer your licences to a 'holiday' Microlight (Or ultralight ) certificate with us, to an eqiviliant level of the rec licence you currently hold. This is valid for 4 weeks and all you need to do is fly with myself or my CFI for a check out. Similar to a BFR and we have a chat about airspace and airlaw as well. If you wanted to transfer your rec licence to a NZ eqiviliant then you would need to sit airlaw with us. However this is not necessary if you choose the 'holiday' licence.

Once we check you out, we may fly with you again in moderate wind if we have not had the opportunity to do so, as the wind here can creep up without warning. How long the check out takes is dependant on your skill level, however if you fly the CT I would imagine it would be a straight forward type conversion.

The cost for administration to join our afflilated national club is NZ$65.00, regardless if you do the four week visitor licence or join for 12 months. The airlaw exam is NZ$10.00 and our hourly rate is NZ$179.00 dual or solo.

Once you are signed out you can private hire our machines for the same hourly rate. All rates exclude landing fees and airways charges.. E.g. landing fees at Wanaka is NZ$7.50 and Queenstown is one of the expensive ones at NZ$30.00.

At the moment we have Tecnam Sierra and Echo Supers online. Our national club is called Sports Aviation Corporation.

We are recreational only, in regards to Instruction towards your NZ PPL. However we do have have access to GA machines that we can take the both of you for flights in or there is another operator in our building that has a cherokee and provides GA instruction. I can also recommend various accommodations.

Best regards,

Ruth Presland

I also made enquiries about hiring and flying a 172 and whether my PPL would be valid there. Not so easy for this one. The NZ CAA requires an o/seas PPL holder to sit a BFR and Flight Law exam before being issued with a NZ licence, and at least one operator I enquired from required that I do 10 hrs of mountain flying under an instructor before they'd hire one of their Cessnas.

We've settled on hiring a 4-5 hour training flight in a 172 out of Christchurch with Canterbury Aviation (NZ$225/hr). This way we both get to fly with another pilot who is familiar with the region and will act as tour guide ... and I get to do the flying for more experience and logged hours. We plan to track over the Canterbury Plains, over the alps, around Mt Cook, over several glaciers, the Fiordlands, down the west cst and along Milford Sound where we land. Then off again for Queenstown, more of the alps across to the east cst and back up to Christchurch. Of course, all subject to weather . Doing the tour this way works out around $500-$600 cheaper than taking one of their full day commercial tours in a 206 and we don't need to share with other tour pax. Methinks this might be the highlight of our NZ trip :big_grin:.

If anyone reading this has tips to offer re flying conditions and/or places to see ... please step forward and let's hear from you.

Paul

PS Sorry to digress from the original thread topic, guess I got a bit excited .

Well above it Ross ... as always ;). Some may frown but when over alpine areas and nearby terrain I like to be up around 9500' or so.

Paul

Hey guys,

Don't keep it to yourselves, there's a few more of us out here that would like to know more about the inland alternative.

Paul

Hi Gav,

Have enjoyed flying south from YCDR a few times now and always coastal for the scenic value ;).

Do you have a PPL and is your plane transponder equipped? If so, then plan to track down Bribie Beach until abeam the Fairways Golf Resort at Woorim climbing to 3400' (tune BN RADAR 125.7) then TL and head for the Tangalooma Wrecks on Moreton Is.

Track coastal on the western side of Moreton and Straddy (listen out on 126.7) keeping below the 3500' control step of YBBN losing height as you choose to 1000' lowest as tracking past Surfers 1000' is required to avoid northbound traffic. You'll need to plan to contact BR RADAR (119.5) before reaching Surfers (say at top end of Straddy) to obtain clearance and sqwark code to pass through the Gold Coast CTR. On approval they will advise you to contact GC TWR (118.7) who will guide you through quite happily. Also along Straddy keep listening out on 126.7 for Dunwich and Heck Field.

Well before Surfers tune to Southport CTAF (119.0) to announce your position and intentions, and to listen out of course. About 5nm before YBCG make sure you're tuned to GC TWR. You may be asked to hold off Surfers if there is an imminent arrival or departure.

Between YBCG and Cape Byron is a good time to call Flightwatch (128.15) to check that the restricted areas around Evans Head are deactivated. Continue on past Cape Byron (tune BR RADAR 119.5). Before Lennox Head tune to the Ballina CTAF (124.2) to announce your position and intentions before passing Ballina.

When approaching Evans Head (still 124.2) also make the usual calls but be aware that there is the Great Eastern Fly-in event planned for there on Dec 28 - 31 (drop in ... you'll be warmly welcomed).

Then at Yamba just follow the Clarence River (IFR) to Grafton but remember the req'd safety/courtesy calls for Palmer Island strip (126.7) and Sth Grafton (126.7).

If you don't have PPL and transponder then you'll need to avoid controlled air around YBCG by tracking inland over Southport. I'm not familiar with this route so won't attempt to offer any advice .

Hope this is helpful.

Paul

Brian,

I went through this myself at one time. Was advised to try TruBlue Puncture Goo by another forum member being assured that it worked well for him/her. Alas, not so for me. The CT on take-off and landing vibrated badly with out-of-balance wheels. So had to replace all three tubes to get rid of the shakes.

Dave,

If you get onto an Oz source for the Airstop tubes let me know. I've tried with no luck.

Paul

Sounds ominous Neil ... what happened?

Another ditto for me.

Looks like you're fixed Sean ;). Ian, I have a JPI Fuel Scan FS450.

I've been known to pee in a bottle on long flights. A very large neck obviously.

Good advice. Discovered through experience Nev? :yuk:

G'day,

From another CT2K owner, welcome to Oz Mike, good to have you on board. I bump into you occasionally on the ctflyer.com forum and think your slide shows are just wonderful. Thanks for sharing them. Looking forward to hearing more from you here.

Cheers,

Paul

PS You might be interested to know that your PM loaned his APEC official car to Osama Bin Laden yesterday ... got plenty of press too . http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=31423&category=Breaking%20News

Shucks, thanks guys .

Only last week I had a grumble at my ol' Mum suggesting she could have planned conception a little better ... for years now I've received only one round of gifts for combined Fathers' and Birthdays. Oh well, makes it just that bit easier for the family to remember I guess.

The highlight this year was getting a phone call at 2320 on Saturday from an unknown voice in Nepal relaying birthday and Fathers' day greetings from our daughter who's trekking up there and away from mobile reception. Ain't that sweet.

Paul

They walk among us ...

I was at the checkout of a K-Mart. The clerk rang up $46.64 charge. I gave her a fifty dollar bill. She gave me back $46.65. I told her that she had made a mistake in my favour and gave her the money back. She became indignant and informed me she was educated and knew what she was doing, and returned the money again. I gave her the money back again ... same scenario! I departed the store with the $46.65.

They Walk Among Us ...

I walked into a Subway with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a sandwich. I handed it to the attendant and he looked over at a little chalkboard that said 'buy-one-get-one-free.' "They're already buy-one-get-one-free", he said, "so I guess they're both free." He handed me my free sandwiches and I walked out the door.

They Walk Among Us ...

One day I was walking along the beach with some friends when one of them shouted, "Look, a dead bird!" Someone looked up at the sky and said, "Where?"

They Walk Among Us ...

While looking at a house, my brother asked the real estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?" When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, "Oh I don't keep up with that stuff."

They Walk Among Us ...

I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that Eastern, Central or Western Standard Time?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Western."

They Walk Among Us ...

My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the boot.

They Walk Among Us ...

I pulled into the LL drive-through and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since the pantry was empty I bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave a 20% discount.

They Walk Among Us ...

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet?"

They Walk Among Us ...

While working at a pizza shop I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. "Just cut it into 4 pieces. I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces."

... Yep, They Walk Among Us ... AND they reproduce!

You can only hope they don't pilot aircraft too ... or do they

;) Very tidy Matt, good flying.

Paul

Only by way of clarification for those reading and learning (not meant as a correction of vk3auu's post) ... an "inbound" call is just that. When approaching a strip with intention to land you are to give an inbound call stating your position and intentions and ETA. However, if overflying a strip, do not use the term "inbound", as you are not planning to land.

That is, if you're overflying within the specified parameters, give a position call stating your intentions. Many times I've heard pilots make calls when overflying using the term "inbound" simply because they are approaching the strip. This is confusing, especially for any local traffic using that strip.

Paul

Troy,

The ERSA, VTCs and ERC Lows detail all the correct frequencies for CTAFs and controlled APs along with ATIS and AWIS numbers. Multicom is commonly understood to be the 126.7 freq used at most (not all) ALAs (licenced and unlicenced).

Unfortunately, as there are so many strips that use 126.7 that sometimes while on a XC trip you can be listening to calls from as far away as 150nm. Pretty pointless really.

If you put together a well thought out flight plan you will make notes of all relevant frequencies along your route and where they apply. I believe the correct practice is to stay tuned to the relevant area freq for any given location along your route, but ALWAYS switch to local CTAFs and multicoms when within 10nm to listen out and report your movements if within the given parameters.

On more than several occasions I've heard ATC and other pilots trying to contact an aircraft in their area but not able to as that pilot is happily listening on a totally irrelevant frequency. Use the frequency for the place you're at ;).

BTW, if you hear someone ask you to tune to "the numbers" or "chat channel" that usually means 123.45 ... but please, if you use this keep it brief then get back to the correct frequency. Oh, and avoid social chat on anything other than the "chat channel".

Hope this helps,

Paul

Thanks for the tip JL. This had already crossed my mind (that's a very short trip) but alas my hangar (shed) has no power available.

Went to Fyshwick Battery Factory today and now have a Deka ETX15 (14 Ah @ 10hr rate, 190 CCA, 4.3kg). At $180 I reckon this is pricey. After buying I checked around on the net and can buy in US for AUS$75. Even if freight was $50, importing your own would have to be cheaper, but a bit of a worry if you have problems with it.

I'll let you know how this goes, but will be a couple of weeks before ready to test.

Paul