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Post by ianfisher on Mar 23, 2024 20:32:41 GMT
And there we are Leg 10 completed. Down in Darwin. GAAR 2024 done and dusted for another year. Bring on the next one.
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Post by ianfisher on Mar 23, 2024 20:35:33 GMT
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ratty
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by ratty on Mar 26, 2024 14:04:34 GMT
Preflight at Learmonth
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Post by jazzthom on Mar 31, 2024 13:08:30 GMT
Hello to all of you!
It's a great pleasure to be participant of this years GAAR 24. Allan and his team made a great job,...as ALWAYS! In memory of my beloved friend Urs I have chosen a Swiss registrated aircraft: A Super DC3 - C-117 with registration HB-IMS. The history behind this number is a former Convair 240-19, who was operated by AERO LEASING from Euro Airport Bale Mulhouse Freiberg (BSL LSZM) in the 1960-70s. Then it was sold to IAI Israel Aircraft Industies in 1972 and unluckily destroyed in a hangar fire at Tel Aviv in 1987.....(nobody was injured) So the registration number was released free and could be used for the "new" Super DC3 for Swiss CTA ( Companie de Transport Aerienne ), later fusion with Swiss Balair. The latter was home for my friend Urs many years as a good company when he was young..... So far the background in honor to Urs,....and here some pics of this (Manfred Jahn's constructed) aircraft at Zuric airport where Urs was controller (ATC) in his later business years...... LEG 1 Geraldton YGEL-YSHK Shark Bay
everything setup to start the rally
my copilot is a fanatic skydiver, that's why he had to "jump in" from the sky... :-) open the doors and he'll jump directly into his seat...lol safe landed, no broken bones,...c'mon, let's have some fun! starting up always produces some oily smoke from the heavy radials.... ready for taxy and all " clocks" working..... take off with roaring engines..... and full of anticipation! glad to be airborn again following the coastline in 4500ft and with 170 kts good old "new" bird......Urs would have fun!!! the landscape just evenly plane but there are spectacular places, and I know, Urs would tell us many details from his travelling Aussie land...maybe like this: The mighty Murchison River in Kalbarri National Park is one of the best spots for fishing in Western Australia. Its path through sandstone cliffs and out to the Indian Ocean also makes for a stunning scenic view, excellent bushwalking, hiking, trekking, cruising and canoeing. The Murchison River is a few million years old and time has helped it carve a massive gorge through the park. Spanning 780 kilometres the river is the second longest in Western Australia and is home to nearly 200 species of birds including eagles, black swans and wetland waders. Emus sip from the shore while eagles swoop down to pluck a feed of fish from its pristine waters. Throw in a line at the river's tidal reaches and you're likely to snare a bream, whiting or mulloway. The Murchison River is also home to blue manna crabs and mud crabs. There is a range of tours to the Murchison River including sunset cruises, as well as half day canoe trips.I'll do my best to make this trip entertaining :-) :-) :-) approaching Nanga bay Freycinet Double Islands Etc Nature reserve with Salutation Island Nanga - Shark Bay isthmus and Shark Bay Rd leading from spectacular Shell Beach to Whale Bone Point and further north So far we are good in time and reach our destination easy due to sufficient horse power....gears down ( the tail gear is retractable in this special model ) look at the moon....... always special.... Shark Bay in front and entering landing pattern, as we are in perfect time.... just a look at the runway before entering lp on downwind above the village cockpit's view on final flaring out touch down,.....watching the time to get the perfect breaking point.... and glad to have done perfectly.... Royal Flying Docs are here...( this was always a dream of mine during my active medical life,...but you know,...dreams are dreams and everyday's life can catch all your needs and activities...) well: nice to meet you, guys!!! just a simple airfield and I miss Urs' competent scenery finals! anyway, we'll have a great time and engine shutdown will be followed by a "maneuver beer" :-) some people never saw an ancient Super DC 3,...so just enjoy till we continue within the next days! Cheers to all of you and HAPPY EASTER
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Post by jazzthom on Apr 3, 2024 8:32:54 GMT
Leg Two Shark Bay YSHK – Learmonth YPLM
we had a good time and relaxing chat together and talked much about emergency medicine, as I was a trauma surgeon in my former life,...so the rally just started nicely and today everybody has to go/fly his own way... again, all clocks setup for fun... it's amazing how much power the two radials offer.... so we dive through into a low pass in front of our new friends, and pull up like a rocket into the sky soon we leave Shark Bay and are heading towards our first WP Bush Bay Rd is leading against Mangrove Bay Mangrove Creek and Massy Bay...flaps 1 gear down and radio to Carnarvon we request a direct touch and go on rwy 36, although it's actually not in use... friendly TMC allows the use of rwy 36 under the given circumstances of the rally and with particular attention to local traffic so we are cautios approaching rwy 36 for touch and go a slight cross wind and a goose crew are the spicy part... they stop just in front of the rwy crossing and cheer us up enthusiastically on the radio as we touch.... and go.....seems to be a nice spot overhere,...who knows, maybe we'll be back...some sunny day...on another Thursday...another April...another life.... after a while Lake Mc Leod in front of us ( must have been a scotsman overhere???) Most of Lake Macleod is normally dry, covering an area of 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi), 60 km2 (23 sq mi) of which is covered by perennial bodies of brine.[3] Climatically, this part of Western Australia is greatly influenced by the north-flowing Western Australian Current that brings cool water northward from Antarctica, which is not conducive to producing inland precipitation. This cool offshore current, coupled with a very flat coastal plain, contributes to the near-desert-like conditions along the coastal region as evidenced by the brown landscape around the lake and the highly reflective salt beds within the lake. The low point in the lake appears to be near the northern end where the light blues indicate some standing water. Close inspection of the image discloses very faint lines at the southernmost end of Lake Macleod where large evaporation beds are used for the production of high-quality salt and gypsum.....that's what Wiki tells me...lol Urs would have known better.... Ex Boologooro Park with Durack river on the right wing and the northern part of Mc Leod , dry, vaste, salty, crusty....and Warroona Rd crossing in front exactly now, we are crossing the Tropic of Capricorn: it's is the circle of latitude that contains the subsolar point at the December (or southern) solstice. It is thus the southernmost latitude where the Sun is perceived to be directly overhead. It also reaches 90 degrees below the horizon at solar midnight on the June Solstice. Its northern equivalent is the Tropic of Cancer. back from astronomy, half an hour later, we reach Exmouth Gulf in front of us on Learmouth approach we pass a restricted area on the left...whatever there might be hidden,... we better not know.... as we have plenty of time we are entering the landing pattern instead of direct in....
evidentually on downwind.... and short on final easy touch down..... and taxy to parking place just as we open the door, the goose arrives behind us.... we' ll have some fun,...for sure! See you! Cheers
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Post by roghanson on Apr 5, 2024 16:20:44 GMT
Parked at Barrow Island in from Learmonth
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Post by jazzthom on Apr 5, 2024 19:09:11 GMT
Leg Three Learmonth YPLM – Barrow I YBWX
after a short visit to Learmonth, we are ready for takeoff.... uneventfull.....turning to our new heading further northwest track 42 last glimpse from the tower.... Y Island and Victor Island Nature Reserve... we will not see much land on this leg just the Indian Ocean.... and our clocks,....cockpit view a little more than half way.... Serrurier Island, a hidden gem nestled in the vast expanse of Australia's coastline, boasts a pristine beach known for its untouched beauty and tranquil atmosphere. The beach features a stretch of soft, white sand, inviting visitors to stroll along its length while enjoying the serene ocean views. Activities at this secluded spot are geared towards relaxation and nature appreciation, including swimming in the clear waters, picnicking under the shade of native vegetation, and bird watching, where various species can be observed in their natural habitat. Serrurier Island has few amenities, so plan your trip accordingly, although it does not have lifeguards on duty, bathroom access, or allowances for dogs, making it a peaceful retreat for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle. (Sandee advertising) Rosily Islands are way to small for a visit.... so we listen to the steady humming of our Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasp radial engines in solitude.. about 3/4 of an hour we have our target in sight: Barrow Island This island has an LNG plant but still the island is preserved as an A-class natural reserve is being preserved with a dedicated effort. Lots of construction activities on going on-site. A friendly workplace and good accommodation facilities. A police station is also situated but this island is restricted to employees only. and the GAAR... announcing from radio, tower tells us a Cessna is in landing pattern,...we'll watch out... we are set up for rwy 21 due to gusty winds,...no problem,...we are good in advane.... so after the usual landing pattern we are cleared to land .... touch down and steady breaks.......we just overshot 0,02 pretty busy,...maybe workers from the gas refinery? as we are fuelling up anyway this is no problem, and as GAAR aircrafts mainly use AVGAS, the authorities set up a special tank as usually at B.I. only jet A1 is available my " uniform" changed to a relaxing outfit.... "hey, my friend, where to get some gasoline? and a beer?" could nor be better: a female ground crewmember is ready....not only for our aircraft I hope .... and that`s how it is....after fuelling up, we make the bars....cheers parking position on grass apron is very welcome....see you!
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Post by roghanson on Apr 6, 2024 20:48:35 GMT
Turning onto finals Port Hedland
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ratty
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by ratty on Apr 8, 2024 19:04:58 GMT
I decided to fly the route again, this time with thirty close friends. En route to the first stop at 5,000 feet Approaching Shark Bay
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Post by jazzthom on Apr 8, 2024 20:38:55 GMT
Hello ratty! extremely stylish, your bird!!! the Connie is one of the most wonderful aircrafts ever built! Congratulations to your participance, and looking forward to see some more nice pics! Thom
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ratty
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by ratty on Apr 9, 2024 13:50:43 GMT
Thanks, Thom. I'm enjoying yours too!
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ratty
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by ratty on Apr 9, 2024 17:10:08 GMT
Morning at Shark Bay Touch and go at Carnarvon Applied maximum braking at Learmonth but we were still 21 seconds over. Found a nice spot to park, though.
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Post by jazzthom on Apr 9, 2024 18:12:57 GMT
as the rally is going on we see a lot of really admirable pics from other pilots (ianfisher, roghanson, ratty,...),...thanks for sharing them!...and maybe there are more to come ,...so here is my Leg Four Barrow I YBWX – Port Hedland YPPD
starting up after a nice breakfast without any hurry a last farewell from the cockpit and.... turning left to new adventures.... still the Indian ocean beneath.... some of the "passage islands" - Mardic.... On the right side Gnoorea Point, also known as 40 Mile, is an ideal spot for anyone seeking a natural, coastal camping area with quality fishing coupled with protection for those wishing to cool off in the tranquil waters. The Yaburara and Mardudhunera people are the Traditional Owners of this nature-based camping area. (more here: karratha.wa.gov.au/recreation-and-sports/boating-camping-and-fishing/camping-40-mile)we are steadily moving eastern,...so...we reach Dampier Archipelago (....:With 42 islands and islets of the Dampier Archipelago to explore, the chances of you running into another person are minimal, giving you the opportunity to unwind and discover the coast’s untamed wilderness. The archipelago is a haven of coral reefs, sponge gardens and more than 650 species of fish. It is also home to green, hawksbill, and flatback turtles that nest on its beaches. Dugongs, whales and dolphins have also been spotted in surrounding waters. Island wildlife includes wader birds and wallabies. Enjoy a tour, dive and snorkel or while away the hours on your boat amongst the islands, 25 which are nature reserves. Many of the islands lend themselves to day trips and while there are no facilities, camping is permitted on some of the islands such as Enderby, Eaglehawk, Dolphin and Gidley Island.)wiki soon we have Karratha airfield in sight and on the radio,.....With a bustling city centre, Karratha's recent reinvention will surprise you with its hip restaurants and modern facilities, but best of all Karratha's location means it is surrounded by iconic natural attractions. Karratha is the perfect base to explore the natural beauty of its surrounds. The ancient Aboriginal rock engravings on the Burrup Peninsula and the picturesque beach at Hearson’s Cove are within a twenty minute drive of Karratha, as is the port town of Dampier. Cleaverville Creek, a popular fishing and camping spot is just a thirty minute drive away. The oasis of Millstream-Chichester National Park is a comfortable two hour drive from Karratha. we enjoy the spectacular view from our bird and think of Urs who might have been here before as well.... not long afterwards we cross The Yule River...it is an ephemeral river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It was named on 10 August 1861 by the surveyor and explorer Frank Gregory ... and a few minutes later we cross Turner River: The river has three tributaries; Turner River East, Turner River West and Red Creek. It also flows through two large permanent pools, Kunagunarinna Pool and Moorambine Pool. The mouth of the river is a large estuarine area that is mostly unmodified. The estuary functions primarily as a result of tidal energy. It covers a total area of 9.1 square kilometres (4 sq mi),[3] which is mostly made up of salt-marsh with a small colony of mangroves. just five minutes more to fly and we ave contact on our radio and call for approach to Port Hedland..... rwy 14.... and heavy sidewinds... gear down, flaps 1,..all set for landing pattern turning to long final well, the crosswind is more than expected,...so we keep on throttle and nose to the wind a little left to the centre line, but safe...touch down brakes are wheening, not to overshoot, but to keep our good timing on taxying back you can imagine the strong side wind watching our exhaust smoke... parking place staight in.... 35 °C and full sun....let's find a bar and a cool beer.... just a moment,...I'll change my T shirt... even at night it will stay pretty warm,...but I've heard they have some ice cooled Foster's over here,...cheers
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Paughco
Junior Member
Nice day for somethin'.
Posts: 98
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Post by Paughco on Apr 11, 2024 3:02:25 GMT
Flight 06. Arrived at Gibb River a few minutes early, so we flew a couple laps around a very scenic holding pattern. Here we are on the downwind at YCIB: Here we are, lined up with Rwy 07: Got her down in one piece. Nobody died: Cool. Seeya ATB
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ratty
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by ratty on Apr 11, 2024 14:37:27 GMT
Leaving Learmonth Approaching Barrow Island Looking for parking Out of Barrow Parked at Port Hedland The weather for Leg 5 was NOT as forecast. Stayed at 1,000 feet to minimise some horrendous headwinds. And rain But we landed on time and found a nice spot amongst the GA fleet
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