17 year old solo around Australia.

Reports on the news yesterday about a 17yo departing from Cambridge (Hobart) on a solo trip around Australia in a Cessna 172. The reports said he only got his license 2 weeks ago, cross country endorsement I assume, as he said he had about 200 hours up. Hoping to be the youngest to circumnavigate Australia solo.

 

 

ABC report here - Teenage pilot begins record flight attempt around Australia

 

Highlights:-

 

Tasmanian student Oliver O'Halloran, 17, ... climbed into a Cessna 172 and took off on the first leg of his attempt to set a new record for the youngest pilot to circumnavigate Australia, unassisted.

 

The plan is for a 20-day mission, taking off from Hobart, and stopping in Launceston, Merimbula, Coffs Harbour, the Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Cairns, Normanton, Darwin, Broome, Karratha/Port Hedland, Geraldton, Jandakot, Esperance, Ceduna, Parafield, Devonport, before landing back at Hobart's Cambridge airstrip; a round trip of around 15,000 kilometres.

 

As is the way of doing things these days, Oliver has pulled together the money for the attempt by crowdfunding, with sponsors also helping in return for their decals taking up much of the space on the Cessna's fuselage.

 

Oliver plans to take time away from the cockpit to speak at schools around the country. "I'm just going to speak to them about achieving their dreams," he said. "That's the main idea behind the flight, the record's just a bonus."

 

Cessna 172 on hire from Par Avion flight training.

 

 

 

unassisted

 

my opinion when armed with the latest gadgets that is not unassisted neil

 

 

Twenty days - that doesn't leave much time for his talking engagements, let alone weather.

 

 

good stuff - a great achievement to be had

 

it's not a crime to have gadgets .................... I bet the Earharts and Kingsford-Smiths would like to have seen some more gadgets

 

 

Is there a chance that I could do an oldest pilot around Australia. What is the record for oldest?

 

 

This should be encouraged on all your social media outlets.

 

Anything that encourages other young blood into the sport is a priority, so keep your cynicism's at home for this one!

 

 

This should be encouraged on all your social media outlets.Anything that encourages other young blood into the sport is a priority, so keep your cynicism's at home for this one!

The problem with the "youngest person to do <whatever>" type records is it becomes an increasingly risky proposition in a lot of ways - and when it goes wrong, which it invariably will to someone - the negative publicity generally outweighs the few snippets of coverage this bloke will generate.Now - that bloke flying around the country in a Jab who was a quadriplegic, that's newsworthy, and definitely worth a mention. But being the youngest? Not in the slightest. He is trained and assessed as competent - what difference does going round Oz make vs a junket around Sydney's? What does his age have to do with anything?

 

 

Good luck to him. Someone has the funds for this. Hope he makes it safely:-) GPS makes this adventure a whole lot easier.

Don't need GPS to circumnavigate Australia its just which way you go to keep the water on left or right.

 

 

This should be encouraged on all your social media outlets.Anything that encourages other young blood into the sport is a priority, so keep your cynicism's at home for this one!

Nahhh, Far better to just whinge and complain and grumble.....

 

 

What does his age have to do with anything?

Because it has the affect of appealing to others his age, and a young spokesman pushing the joys of flying.

 

Modern extreme sports nullifies any negativity about accidents, it's an expectation now for Gen X.

 

 

Yep,

 

If it can't kill you real easily it is boring for most youngsters these days.

 

Good on him but he should be using a Jabbawocky J430 which given normal hire prices would be half paid for if second hand.

 

And showing a young bloke doing the trip in a local design and home built plane would be a better inspiration in my book.

 

But good on him anyway.

 

 

I traveled around Australia off my face back in the seventies.

 

 

What's the range of those Jabba things?

Well the range depends on which way the wind is blowing, but my Jabiru J170C, at 15 litres per hour and 135 litre tanks you can get 9 hours at 90 knots = 810nm. That's Adelaide to Brisbane in a straight line, no wind.

 

 

The 430 can do a easy 110 knots.

 

 

Good luck to him I say. He's scored himself 20 days flying around the country, without having to put his hand in his pocket. Great experience and good way to get PIC hours up too.

 

 

The 430 can do a easy 110 knots.

But at the higher fuel burn, the range is limited - maybe 675 nm?

 

 

I traveled around Australia off my face back in the seventies.

They do it off their facebook now.

 

 

good stuff - a great achievement to be hadit's not a crime to have gadgets .................... I bet the Earharts and Kingsford-Smiths would like to have seen some more gadgets

They had a navigation gadget called a compass and this served them well.

 

 

But at the higher fuel burn, the range is limited - maybe 675 nm?

. Which at 110 knots is plenty really, that's still a long way between fueling and a lot better than slugging away at 90 and a lot cheaper than a Cesspool 172.

 

Yes it would be more sports car then Cessna taxi but that is the point, more of a adventure .

 

And at a price of training and costs that are accessable compared to a Cessna. For the young crowd and their sponsors- parents that can be a deal breaker.

 

Also you have to really try to kill yourself in a Jabberwocky. So in mind much safer

 

 

"Which at 110 knots is plenty really, that's still a long way between fueling and a lot better than slugging away at 90 and a lot cheaper than a Cesspool 172. "

 

Well, it depends. I fly because I like to fly, so 90 knots is great. If I flew to get from A to B in a hurry the 110 knots would be better. Having said that, you'd need to fly at about 135 knots to make any real difference in time unless the distance was greater than (say) 300 nm.

 

 

I like anything above stall speed plus 10 knots, being in the air is what counts.

 

But if doing the big circuit of Oz, speed on a tank full does reduce fatigue and is better on the bladder. It is a long way and extra distance per hour is your friend.

 

I always like a bit of grunt and range in reserve for comfort. 30 plus years of motorbikes has taught me that. A bit like touring on a 250 compared to a BMW flat twin, both fun but one is much more relaxed to really enjoy the trip, at any speed.

 

Mind you I am happy to have a postie bike with wings.

 

 

Good luck to him I say. He's scored himself 20 days flying around the country, without having to put his hand in his pocket. Great experience and good way to get PIC hours up too.

Yes a damn lucky lucky lucky ...........barstard. Sponsorship and crowd funding are much easier these days - but he may still have to pay something. But a well done facetwitt campaign as he goes should sort him out.

 

Now how can I get folks to pay a greying bloke like me to do the same?

 

I will fly anything that stays off the ground but the slower ones mean more stops, more beer as consumables. I will happily do talks on anything to anyone if that helps.

 

Any sponsors?

 

 

Par-Avion looks to be pure GA training from their website. RPL, PPL, Commercial.

 

I'm guessing he might not even know that an RAA pilot certificate even exists.....

 

Plenty of schools pushing the GA only route for increased revenue....

 

 

I can see the school's view but as a industry and sport the RAA needs to be pushed as the starting point that is cheaper and less intimidating for potential flyers.

 

Given the cost of many school and after school stuff like sport, a rec cert is not out of the question for many.

 

A high school down south coast NSW was doing something like this. Given the option of a flying course or business studies, I think It is a no brainier.