Page 1 of 1

Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 03:24
by Rusky
Hi,

Interested to get relevant data from any pilot who has recently conducted a ferry flight crossing to/from East Oz (Sydney) to West Oz (Perth) in R22 or R44. Mainly interested in fuel stops, general stops, flight path chosen etc.

PM if you wish, thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Rusky

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 03:27
by FerrariFlyer
Captain Hollywood has done this a few times and might be a good starting point for you to send him a PM for info.

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 08:38
by skypig
A few general tips for ferrys:

Work out your max range on a PCA (scale between some known points). “Join the dots” (usually below your max range). This is rough planning prior to WACs, ERCs,VTCs and wind.

If the dots are too far apart you might need some jerry cans.

2 plastic 20L jerry cans fit nicely in an R22 seat if you take the seat base off (you can pull the pin from the hinge if you are mechanically inclined, or ask an engineer to do it). I used to put the seat base on the floor, strap my bag on top of the jerrys. Land and refuel as soon as it will fit in, don’t wait, and find “nowhere to land”.

If it’s summer you can wrap the driver’s door in bubble wrap etc and fit it inside, next to the still installed pax door.

Take tools for small jobs. (Only do what you know how to do):
Spark Plugs require a 7/8ths deep socket, not a plug spanner. You also need two open enders (3/4 and ½ or 7/16?) to change/clean plugs (and a flat blade screwdriver for the top plugs). A spare plug.
3/8 ? And Quality ¼ for clutch adjustments (especially if machine or belts are new)
A 3/32 long allan key for “re racking” radio.
Maybe some lock wire.
Leatherman.
Zip ties, Duct tape.
A spare key (zipped or taped somewhere)
A sense of humour

Sky "are we there yet?" Pig 8) 8)

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 08:52
by SuperF
You should also take a good easterly with you. will make the trip go quicker. :lol:

Also an important thing to pack, other than water, is crap paper...

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 09:29
by Capt Hollywood
I took a Jetranger from Perth to Armidale last year. Route was Perth - Kalgoorlie - Forrest - Ceduna - Port Augusta - Broken Hill - Bourke - Armidale.

Didn't really do any sightseeing as such as I wasn't paying for the machine but stopped at Forrest on the first night. Pretty interesting place Forrest, quite a bit of aviation history there. I took some jerry cans and used them on the Kalgoorlie - Forrest leg as it was about 350nm from memory. If you go to Forrest and stay the night, make sure you let them know you are coming so they can prepare meals, there aint no shops out there! A few buildings, a hangar and two bloody great runways is all you'll find at Forrest. The caretaker joked that there are two trees for every woman, that's why they call it Forrest, there's about two trees out there! I did a couple of the longer legs quite high, up to 9500', to get the fuel burn down. I could use my iPhone in the middle of WA at that height!

Hope that helps.

CH 8)

Image

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 11:07
by mja
SP very cool, why Armidale? What was there, how did you get the gig?............................. :cool_dc:

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 11:08
by mja
I am an idiot! CH, the Q was for you!..................... :oops:

Re: Planning Info for Nullarbor Crossing

Posted: Mon Jul 12 2010, 11:31
by Capt Hollywood
A mate rang me and said a company needed a Jetranger brought over from Perth and I was available. (Technically I was unemployed at the time!) The ferry from Perth took 19.9hrs and ended up turning into four months work around regional NSW doing powerline inspections. After three months out of work and wondering if I should look at a new career I ended up flying my ar$e off and did 317hrs in those four months.