Airborn Adventures

2009-04-02T08:45:00.002-06:00

All VFR pilots know you cannot fly each day for two consecutive weeks without getting weathered in. That even happens in Australia and our travel worn group are stranded on Fraser Island while our final destination is receiving more rain than has fallen in a long time. Lifeis difficult when limited to VFR flight, see picture to understand the degree of our hardships.Tomorrow we expect to return to Toowoomba completing our Australian Red Centre tour.

2009-04-02T08:43:00.000-06:00

We stopped at Fraser Island for R&R after two weeks of hard work. When our tour bus failed to start and 40 people were about to be left stranded in the sand, Reg's farm boy skills kicked in and wielding a trusty tire wrench, he encouraged the starter to return to its purpose and duty.

2009-03-31T07:30:00.000-06:00

G day Mate!

“A typical day in the life of a GA pilot & crew in the outback of a Flying Australia Safari.”

Breakfast at 7:00 AM, not to much coffee, we were warned some days flying time could be 4 hours. Then off to the pilot briefing (work, work, work). The briefing usually takes place by the pool or outside in the clear desert air. Our lead pilot Ray will review the routes, the altitudes & the day’s weather. We will also go over the radio frequencies, ERSA (flight supplement) & any points of interest along the route. A typical flying day back home we go from place to place to get there quickly, here we go from waypoint to waypoint to see the country. Speed is not that important. At 8:30 – 9:00 AM we are off to the airport. Once at the airport, we complete our walk around, pre flight & fuel (work, work, work). Janice & I are off first in VH-TWB a 172 because it is the slowest aircraft. Then Marjie & Harold are next with VH-CEV a 172 SP. Last leaving is Addie, Ray & Clare with VH-JCU a 182 RG. Run up complete GPS set, maps ready, and wheels up around 9:30.

Once airborne, we report to Ray giving our position, altitude & time to next waypoint. We fly the airplane, enjoy the view & take photos. Approaching our destination we review our airport diagram, overfly the airport, check the winds & attempt a beautiful landing. Secure the airplane, unload bags & wait for pickup. To the hotel we go, Clare checks us in, hands us all our keys, we throw our bags in our rooms.

Marjie has acquired a taste for the local beer “cascade light” & her pucker factor reaches an 8 until she has one, so off to the pub we go first thing. Now we know why the Aussies love their beer, it is a matter of SURVIVAL! The temp varies between 35 & 40 degrees.
Janice’s pucker factor also reaches an 8 until she has an afternoon nap so she will disappear for a few hours.

Our fearless leader Clare keeps us all organized, we follow him closely, & try no to be cheeky (some have to try harder than others). There may be an activity booked for the afternoon, a town tour, museum, afternoon at the pool, star gazing or a sunset dinner in the desert. The next day we will have activities to choose, camel rides at sunrise, flying Doctors, shopping (yes we have massaged our credit cards & helped out the Australian economy), opal mines, hiking, didgeridoo lessons & show (which was outstanding) & much more.

We all meet for supper around 7:00 pm, & have tried Camel, Emu & Kangaroo, each having their own distinctive taste, very well prepared, proportions way to large. Our shitters are expanding daily. Our fearless leader Clare prepares us for the next day. We all focus on him with big round eyes & listen with anticipation. What will we see & do tomorrow?

As you can see from our pilot’s we are having the time of our lives exploring Australia by air & land, meeting new mates, learning a new culture, seeing so many new places & things.
We usually stay 2 nights in one place & then fly the next. We sleep peacefully.

Back in a tick
Janice, Reg, Marjie, Harold, Addie, Clare, Ray

2009-03-31T07:29:00.000-06:00

This is a group of about 30 head of Santa Gertrudis Bull, cows & calves that have about 3000 acres of pasture.

2009-03-28T08:18:00.002-06:00

These are The Olgas with Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the background. In real time we are able to see Mount Conner another 60 miles to the east but that detail only comes out with enlargement and some imagination.

Approaching Uluru from the East - VH-TWB

Harold & Marjie's trusty 172 taken from VH-JCU

Reg & Janice enroute to Coober Pedy.

2009-03-28T08:07:00.002-06:00

The walk up Uluru, the white streak is remnants of rubber soles.Climbing is discouraged as when people fall and die, tradition has it, that their soul remains on the Rock. The Aboriginal people prefer not to have foreign soles/souls on their rock.

Just in case you thought we did not have time for meals. This is "Sounds of Silence" under the Desert Stars, followed by a short Astronomy lesson.

When the Cessna's aren't working this is our alternate mode of transport. There reportedly are a million Camels in Australia, most of them feral, supposedly more than in the Middle East.

This is the bar at William Creek, population 2. In Australia all communities have a pub, no pub no community.Note the various articles of clothing left behind by Patrons, Bra's do double duty as collection containers for Brush fire victims.

The break away hills, near Coober Pedy. The industry at Coober Pedy is primarily Opal mining.

2009-03-28T07:41:00.002-06:00

Flight briefing Aussie Style by the pool but minus the beer.

Departing Ayers Rock Airdrome, Toowoomba (destination) is 1200 nautical miles to the east; looks like this will be a long pull.

VH-TWB showing Uluru in its glory!

The Olgas are about 20 NM from Uluru (Ayers rock) flight restrictions here discourage over flights, taken from VH-TWB.Some information on the religious history of the Olgas can be found at http://witcombe.sbc.edu/sacredplaces/olgas.html

Janice providing a close up of the Olgas.

VH-CJU (Addie, Clare & Ray)

2009-03-24T14:38:00.001-06:00

A nicer picture of the fearless leaders

2009-03-24T14:30:00.002-06:00

Short final for 13 Guess where? Note Ayers rock is an important clue!

"Uluru (Ayers Rock) was built up during the creation period by two boys who played in the mud after rain. When they had finished their game they travelled south to Wiputa ..Fighting together, the two boys made their way to the table topped Mount Conner, on top of which their bodies are preserved as boulders"
Circling Mount Conner.

Mount Conner, 2813' ASL. Ayers Rock is about 60 miles to the upper right. In real time we could see Ayers Rock from here.

Mount Conner - about 60 miles east of Ayers. If it wasn't so close to Ayers rock it would be a major tourist attraction.

2009-03-22T08:37:00.002-06:00

Harold & Marjie over Lake Eyre
Sunset near the Simpson Desert taken as we had Hors d'œuvres on the Big Red Sand Dune.

One of the Australian road trains we read about.

The desert South and west of Birdsville enroute toCoober Pedy, when the desert gets water is does turn green.

2009-03-22T08:09:00.002-06:00

Racing up Big Red, the sand flows like cold snow.

Big Red sand dune one of more 300 sand dunes run in a North south direction pushed up by westerly winds.

Addie Janssen, Clare McEwen and Ray Garner in VH- JCUC-182RG Taken leaving Lake Eyre.

Cockpit view of lake Eyre courtesy Reg & Janice in VH-TWB. This year rains have come so there is water in Lake Eyre.

Landing at William Creek population of 2.

2009-03-22T08:03:00.002-06:00

They do try to be careful when driving in the desert as we are told two day survival is about all one can expect.

Landing at Windorah for fuel. These places are at least as remote as Northern Canada so one does not want to miss your way points.

This dugout is the water source for a Station or ranch, one cow/ 110 hectares.

Reg & Janice flying VH- TWB as Harold and Marjie were flying IFR (I follow Reg).

Some more impressions (Janice & Reg)

2009-03-21T07:22:00.003-06:00

Sunset on Big Red, a sand dune near Birdsville close to the Simpson Desert.

On a more personal, lighter side of our trip, Australia is HOT! The scenery so far is desert- grey, red, sand dunes, sparse tress & grass, dry river beds, a few lakes & hills. It is beautiful, stunning, and breathtaking.

The Australians have their own way of saying many things. For example, ----the “Pucker Factor”. For the pilots training & flight test rating 6, day 2 first day of flying pucker factor a 5, day 3 second day of flying pucker factor a 4. any thing less than that " No worries mate".

Harold & Marjie have seen 2 Camels & Reg & I have seen 2 Kangaroos from the air. I have inspected kang poo at eye level on the runway. Ray (our lead pilot) informs me that wombat poo is square cubes. HELLO? “Are you shitting me?” “Oh no he insists, it’s true”. Now this has me in a lather, how is that possible, square poo? This we have to see, another thing on our list.

As I said it is hot. I suggest a skinny dip in our pool, after a bit of discussion we decide at our age it would be more of a “chunky dunking”. Too much drama as they say here. Fly’s are bad so we have all learned the Australian wave & have hustled our asses out & bought fly nets for our hats.

Reg was chatting up the local blokes & drovers in the Birdsville pub, learning all about the outback, wild camels, buckets of horse hair etc. What they did for crust? The meals are excellent, tried lamb chops, & kangaroo & enjoyed both. Proportions are huge.

Back in a tick

Janice & Reg

Ps Off to the opal mines to massage the visa

Interesting sights along the way.

2009-03-20T08:24:00.006-06:00

At home we are more used to asking the door to be closed for mosquitoes or the cold.........here blowing sand is a bigger issue (including VFR flight!!!). During the day flies are at least as abundant as our most pesky Mosquitoes. Harold

Houses in the out back were built on stilts to improve cooling.

The Birdsville Hotel is across the street from the airport. Birdsville has a population of about 70 and is considered a "real" Outback town.

These solar panels are very near the airport at Windorah QLD. 40C heat and bright sun
drive the generators.

2009-03-20T07:59:00.005-06:00

We are in Charleville QLD and the attached picture is of Janice Marks in the bath tub that Amy Johnson bathed in champagne when she completed a flight from England in May of 1930. The story is she landed and stayed in a luxury hotel in this Outback town. The story continues that the hotel re-bottled the used champagne so that the bar patrons could share her celebration. And in true Australian fashion, the story is further embellished by the fact that they ended up with 1/2 bottle more than was added to the tub. The Australians do enjoy their stories!

Here is short bio of Amy Johnson

http://www.ninety-nines.org/johnson.html

and this is the history of Charleville

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Queensland/Charleville/2005/02/17/1108500202236.html

2009-03-18T07:41:00.001-06:00

Just where are we??

Here are two markers showing our position.

2009-03-18T07:04:00.004-06:00

Today we completed our check rides

in our rented planes at Darling Downs airfield near Toowoomba Queensland, and then reviewed Australian air-regs and desert survival techniques. After an hour flight tomorrow we will leave populated areas behind and head into remote dry country.We are a group with three planes heading west on a Red Centre tour of Australia. For those who have access to COPA magazine this tour was described in the last February issue. The gentleman in the above picture is Addie Janssen (theNetherlands) beside the retractable 182 which he will fly with the lead pilot. And just to make sure you all have something to do at night check out: http://www.addiejanssen.com/. That’s the place where Addie will put his stories up.

Reg & Janice Willick (originally from Spiritwood) beside their C 172 with a G1000 panel,

Marjie and I with our C 172.

2009-03-15T10:10:00.002-06:00

When we left Saskatchewan we were pushing snow from a significant weather system, here is another use of a 4WD tractor. This is a modified rock-picker used to clean debris from the beach.

2009-03-15T09:17:00.009-06:00

We will meet the other tour members Tuesday in Brisbane, Wednesday have our check rides and documents verification then we are off for about 35 hours of flying between March 17 and April 2nd.

This particular tour is called the Red Centre tour and for most of the time travels part of Inland Australia.

The tour is organized by Clare McEwan access for more information is included below.
[In association with TICO # 2038905] Tel: (416) 407 6904 AU Tel: 61 (0488) 165 330 Website: http://www.airsafarisint.com/ Email: cm@airsafarisint.com

We arrived Friday Australian time and are with friends in Coolangatta on the Gold Coast (Eastern Australia), a popular surfing area.

Here are 3 young lads surfing at 7 AM on Saturday morning, particip-action Auzzie style!

Harold & Marjie