The 2024 Australian Air Rally - The FBO

[PhrogPhlyer]

Last minute change and PhrogPhlyer will be PIC for the Eastern Route (timed). Let's see what happens when you mix a Vampire with a Phrog. Two 200 gal drop tanks, so this will be a one t/o one landing affair.

 

Rocketing out of Bankstown  into the clear southern skies.

 

Over Coff's Harbor

 

And then Ballina

 

Before I knew it, Coolangatta

 

Brisbane is off the nose. Halfway complete.

 

The view at 20,000ft has been amazing. Clear skies all along the coast.

 

Really pushing this old bird. The old E6B says she's maintaining around 450 kt GS. What I see on the gauges "may" be a bit over the published numbers with just over .82 mach, and an TAS of 575kt. Other than a little airframe buffeting and above average airflow noise, she handles well.

 

And there's Brisbane

 

Overhead of Rockhampton

 

The only clouds for the trip so far are directly above Mackay

 

Last waypoint enroute, Townsville

 

Cairns off the nose, requested and cleared for visual straight in from enroute altitude. Down to 10,000 ft now. Going to hold 250kt from here as long as I can.

 

Lined up, time for some flaps to start slowing in the approach after this point.

 

Flaps... slowing down... in the groove.

 

Full flaps, gear down and locked. Over the fence.

 

And on the deck. Punch timer, let her roll out, easy on the brakes.

 

Parked, canopy open for some fresh air. Wow, that was FUN!!!

 

This old Vamp did herself proud. Well done old girl. V-27

[jgf]

7 hours ago, TomPenDragon said:

jgf, meanwhile, decided Cairns was not enough, so he’s heading back to Jandakot by way of Darwin, to complete a full lap of Australia. The idea sounded just crazy enough to get us to do the same

 

Guess I'm committed now (it's often been said I should be).

Leaving Borroloola

 

400+ miles of this, Siberia with heat and humidity

 

For some reason IAS and GS nearly identical the entire trip

 

Only course alteration was the VOR at YPTN, first sign of civilization since leaving Borroloola (think it's time to switch textures again)

 

YPTN is  RAAF base Tindal near the town of Katherine, pop 6300, home to 75 Squadron

 

Fortunately my 75 year old relic was not seen as a threat as I headed to Darwin

 

And there is YPDN, Darwin;  I got lazy and let the ILS take her in

 

 

At least he waited for me to vacate the runway

 

Must be Beech day here

 

475 miles in 2 hrs 18 minutes, spent a dozen minutes seeking fuel and gave up, if they have any it's at least two miles away

 

Next stop Derby, YDBY

 

 

 

 

 

[ScottishMike]

Nice one PP. From the Southampton museum:

[PhrogPhlyer]

3 hours ago, ScottishMike said:

Nice one PP. From the Southampton museum

She's a grand old gal from a long gone era.

 

[TomPenDragon]

The Daily Update

(Cue “She Sells Sanctuary”)

 

CU: “Hi, everybody! I’m Claus Ullrich, for Elias Pacheco and the rest of the Radio Chachapoya team, and it’s time for our Daily Update for February 10th, 2024. Let’s go right to the Leaderboard; there’s a lot to discuss:

 

 

“First – and in first – is Melo965’s perfect run to Melbourne. The Leaderboard for the 1976 Australian Air Rally is unchanged from yesterday.

 

“However, we also have our first racer to not just run, but complete, the Eastern Route. PhrogPhlyer – coincidentally, Eli’s first flight instructor – has shown up, and he's brought a Vampire. Due to the change of aircraft from the Bell 206, his run to Coff’s Harbour is considered a Free Flight for the purposes of timing and scoring, and thus will not be entered in the Combined timing sheet.

 

“His run from Coff’s to Cairns opens the Eastern Route’s timing sheet – and what an opening, people! Were it a traditionally-timed route, his sub-two-hour run would be very hard to beat. Using the Cumulative Variance method, here’s his score sheet: A minute early to Ballina. Another -1 to Coolangatta. 2 minutes early to Brisbaine. His only bad run was the long one to Rockhampton; he had a -8 for that one. Then, 3 minutes early to Mackay, another 3 minutes early to Townsville, and finishing up with a -2 into Cairns, for a total of -20. For those thinking of timing an Eastern Route run, that’s the number to beat.

 

“As for out Free Fliers, taoftedal reports that the Gaggle is piquing the curiosity of the people who hang around airports in Australia – at least in Melbourne. We’re getting noticed, if for nothing else than the seemingly endless supply of Piper hats that Tao has been doling out. He and his Twin Comanche made the run from YMMB to YSBK, fueled by avgas and Anzac Biscuits. He posted a really simple recipe for them in his PIREP. They seem kind of like oatmeal cookies. As soon as we overnight in a place with mixing bowls, a rolling pin, and a baking sheet, I’m going to try making some.

 

“Yesterday, I reported that we were turning the end of the Eastern Route into a circumnavigation of Australia. I spoke a little too soon – shortly after our last broadcast, we ran into thunderstorms that were so severe that we ran back to Cairns for the night. We were discussing where to head next – Eli wanted to fly right back to Sydney so that he could try to best PhrogPhlyer’s times in a jet, and I was thinking of trying a timed run at the Eastern in the Saratoga.

 

“Then jgf wrote that yesterday’s mention of a whole lap of Australia had committed him to completing his, which meant that we were heading to Jandakot via Darwin. That was where jgf ended up yesterday, making his run from Borroloola to YPDN in 2:18. We’re trying to catch up with him today, before he heads out to Derby. Right now, we’re on the jig north to Gove from YBRL, cruising at 22,000’ with a True Airspeed of 218 knots, which is pretty close to our groundspeed. The skies had been clear until we passed Borroloola, but the cumulonimbus are building as I speak.

 

“So let me bring this Daily Update to a close before the weather turns too nasty. I’m Claus Ullrich, for Eli who’s flying and the rest of the Radio Chachapoya team, signing off. Fly safely, everyone!”

[defaid]

Here's the plan for our run over to Sydney.

 

Sedate ain't the word.

 

[Rupert]

21 hours ago, taoftedal said:

Melbourne is a big place and as I kind of over-did-it in Adelaide I took it easy in ‘Batmania’ (no ... nothing to do with DC Comics) ... booked a hotel within walking distance (expensive digs - thank you Piper) and just kind of hung around the airport (hope I didn’t make a nuisance of myself).  When they discovered I was part of the GAAG the questions never stopped ...

 

“Who’s leading?  What are they flying?  How does the scoring work?  That chopper bloke who came through and asked directions to the museum ... he in the race too?  Thanks for the Piper hats!  Need another Long Black?”  Good thing I had my laptop ...

 

 

YTOC>YNAR>YPKS>YBTH>YSBK will be the pathway to Sydney/Bankstown.  After a final farewell to Moorabbin the PA-30 lifts off 35L into the northern sky and we settle in at 5,500 feet.  Again, I hand the controls over to Otto and settle back to enjoy the views.

 

 

Heading out of Melbourne the view is much the same as coming into Melbourne ... only in reverse and soon the landscape reminds me of the Midwest again.  Just before Tocumwal we say farewell to Victoria and enter New South Wales ... home to Sydney/Bankstown.

 

 

 

A few more hills here and there but the Nullarbor it is not.  At Parks we turn back to the east and Bathhurst is soon behind ... crossing the Blue Mountains we pull back the throttles about 15 minutes out and start a slow decent into Bankstown.

 

 

 

With the checklist complete and a ‘cleared to land’ the Piper touches down on 29C.  A memorable trip and fair taste of this great 'Land of Oz' ... now ... still plenty of time before the banquet ... what to explore ‘down under’ next ... 

 

 

 

(On a personal note I did bake a batch of Anzac Biscuits (really) this past week and they were better than advertised ... the recipe I used is attached below ... enjoy)!

 

Anzac Biscuits.pdf 87.74 kB · 5 downloads

Great recipe!  And a sweet looking Piper as well!

[PhrogPhlyer]

2 hours ago, TomPenDragon said:

Using the Cumulative Variance method, here’s his score sheet:

The spreadsheet I posted has me early on each of the legs (Estimated vs Actual), with a V of 27 minutes early. 

As always, I'm confused on the + and -'s.

17 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

 

[TomPenDragon]

1 minute ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

The spreadsheet I posted has me early on each of the legs (Estimated vs Actual), with a V of 27 minutes early. 

As always, I'm confused on the + and -'s.

 

The leg between Sydney and Coff's Harbour is only counted when running the Combined Route (same aircraft from Jandakot to Cairns).  The Eastern Route starts in Coff's, so I scored from Ballina to Cairns (there is no slot for Coff's in the Eastern Route Leaderboard).  I entered the whole numbers shown, but I think they may be rounded up from decimal place or two, which would explain the difference between the individual leg score total (26) and the calculated total (27.3).

 

The way I've calculated times is; early - ; late +.  If you calculated your times differently during the '76, no problem, as long as you were consistent.

[Bossspecops]

On 2/7/2024 at 9:22 PM, MAD1 said:

 

So let's hope we have some stories and plenty of photos from Bossspecops about his amphibian operations during his visit to Australia. Others in the gaggle might be tempted to join him, if brave enough, in their own (borrowed) amphibian and deal with the challenges of water operations - getting the aircraft fast enough in the 'chop', then onto 'the step', then break from the surface, and up and away. Apparently it can be quite an acquired skill.

 

 

 

That's for sure, and the very reason I looked for a suitable amphibian to fly this Rally. I must admit the Sealand didn't occur to me at first, and I was thinking in terms of a Lake, or a Republic Seabee,or even a Catalina, but then I remembered I had a resin kit of a Sealand and looked for an FS version. Lo and behold this one popped up! I did a bit of tuning on its .cfg file and ran up an Albion repaint and here I am. 

[Bossspecops]

Try as I might I can't figure out how, to post multiple quotes from other pilots in the same post, so I'll have to do a few in  series.

[Bossspecops]

On 2/8/2024 at 1:21 PM, PhrogPhlyer said:

 

 

That's the Saunders Roe Princess, a ten engined, double decked flying boat from the UK which flew in the 50s.

 

Not only did I see it fly at Farnborough (it was as if the Princess was standing still and the world rotating underneath it....) but I've TOUCHED one! Two of the un-flown Princesses were stored at RAF Calshot where my brother and I had gone for an RAF kid's camp one year. I sneaked out early one morning and hiked along Calshot Spit to the ramp at the end and climbed under the rather worn cucooning that covered the two huge 'boats, and reached up to touch the hull right at the aft end. A Corporal spotted my feet sticking out from underneath and hauled me out, but it was worth it. 

[Bossspecops]

On 2/9/2024 at 3:30 AM, Melo965 said:

 

I am tempted to go free flight for the eastern portion and fly a Canberra! 

 

 

If you chose a PR9 you could do it at 60000 ft! 

 

I have just the one you'd need for that too Melo. 

[Bossspecops]

On 2/8/2024 at 5:35 PM, ViperPilot2 said:

 

Too bad there were some Flying Boats that didn't survive the Scrapper and become Museum pieces... to see a Boeing 314, a Martin M130, or perhaps a Sikorsky S-42 up close and personal today would really be a treat.

 

 

I've been aboard the Shorts Solent 'Beachcomber' at the Solent Sky Museum 2-3 times and once was lucky enough to be allowed in the cockpit and sit in the Captain's seat. It's a LONG way down from up there!

 

While there aren't any real Boeing 314s left there's a superb full-size replica of most of one at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum in Ireland, just west of Limerick and across the Shannon River from Shannon Int. Airport. It's difficult to miss as the three fins stick out over the wall of the Museum and are almost IN the road! It was built by an LA film properties guy and has a full cockpit and like the Solent, has various cabins all sumptuously furnished, as they were in period.

 

I should get my joystick back soon, maybe tomorrow, maybe Monday, and I can get 'Austral Rose' back in the sky.

[Bossspecops]

Oh yes, while I'm at it, my version of the Martin P-6M Seamaster, a SUPERB aircraft.

 

I surmised the RAF used them as modern day Sunderlands, and it's built from a Mach 2 kit, but most of the beaching trolley had to be scratchbuilt as the kit parts were rubbish. It's called the Martin Monterey MR(K)1 in RAF service as it can be a tanker as well. 

 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

42 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

 

If you chose a PR9 you could do it at 60000 ft!

That would be quite a view!

[PhrogPhlyer]

29 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

I should get my joystick back soon, maybe tomorrow, maybe Monday, and I can get 'Austral Rose' back in the sky.

Can't wait to see her again.

[PhrogPhlyer]

49 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

Not only did I see it fly at Farnborough (it was as if the Princess was standing still and the world rotating underneath it....) but I've TOUCHED one!

I'd bet we all have a story like this one There is something almost unreal about "touching" history.

[Melo965]

35 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

If you chose a PR9 you could do it at 60000 ft! 

 

I have just the one you'd need for that too Melo. 

 

Still deciding what I want to do, but if the runs to Bankstown continue to go very well, I may just switch aircraft after that.

 

At 60,000 ft I could get reconnaissance photos of most of Australia in the process. 

 

Let me know what you have available via email.  Is it a repaint for the Just Flight Canberra PR9 (for FSX)?  I have that already (but would need to reload it in FSX).

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, TomPenDragon said:

The way I've calculated times is; early - ; late +.  If you calculated your times differently during the '76, no problem, as long as you were consistent.

No matter how its calculated, the best part of this run was pushing the Vamp to her limits (and perhaps a bit more) and she never once complained. A true lady of the skies.

[Melo965]

26 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

Martin Monterey MR(K)1

 

Excellent! 

 

[jgf]

1 hour ago, Bossspecops said:

Try as I might I can't figure out how, to post multiple quotes from other pilots in the same post, so I'll have to do a few in  series.

 

Just go to each post and select "quote", it should add them all to one post for you.

[jgf]

1 hour ago, Bossspecops said:

I surmised the RAF used them as modern day Sunderlands

 

Oddly, they were designed as nuclear bombers, though I can find no reference to any of them ever dropping any type of bomb.

[jgf]

2 hours ago, Bossspecops said:

a Lake, or a Republic Seabee,or even a Catalina

 

or

 

FN.333 Riviera, designed by Nardi in the fifties, 26 were built in the early sixties by SIAI-Marchetti, mostly for the US market.  About a half dozen are still flying;  180kt cruise with a 250hp Continental engine.

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, jgf said:

180kt cruise with a 250hp Continental engine.

Not bad at all.