Oxford2Oxford

[G-HEVN]

Leg 27: Singapore Changi WSSS to Jakarta Halim Intl WIHH

Route: WSSS SJ JMB TKG CKG WIHH 544 nm, 3.9 hours (total: 12,938 nm, 81.6 hours)

We had a wonderful time in Singapore, and for a change, there wasn't a cloud hanging over us with the authorities!


I can't help wondering why we came to Changi, when there are other, more GA-friendly airports. We're parked on what they call the "GA Ramp", seemingly closer to the next town than the runway. On top, they only had Jet-A, so we had to arrange for a bowser to deliver 100LL. Then the airport announced they were going to charge what amounted to "corkage". Sigh!


On the way out we decide to take a last look around town. This is the football stadium. Nobody playing today!

THen on for a tour of the CBD...





Ahh, Raffles. time for one last Gin Sling?


Okay, enough sightseeing. Let's go before someone gets our registration...


Crossing the Equator. From now on, we're officially doing everything upside down!


I thought it might be interesting to see what FSX made of Krakatoa. In 1883, this was a big volcano. Then on 26 August it went bang. It was in fact the loudest bang ever recorded, and was heard 3000 miles away. The shockwave circled the Earth seven times, the 40 metre high tsunami travelled 3800 nautical miles in just 12 hours and was even felt in England. Ash fell on Singapore, 500nm to the North, and 36,417 people were killed.

FSX shows a vague blob.

[scon]

Even more good shots and yes some of the land in FSX can be um very bland. But that AI Smooth I used that for a long time untill I got Radar Contact it comes with Just Flight's Traffic 2005 (or just Traffic as they call it now) and it works well to stop you getting "run over"

Regards Scott

[towerguy]

Hmmm high fuel costs at changi eh? I wa planning back through there but may re-evaluate! nice shots.

[creator2003]

crazy and i are 1015nm away from singapore @ WAAA ,,
the airports covered from here to nz have some big gaps between them , but heaps of fun anywho ,so i guess we will pass by you today i hope as soon as that ozzy wakes up in oz land we are heading straight up to nepal {thanks to trollys recomedation }and then who knows but we will drop in on oxford for sure ,ive got a feeling theses world trips are going to take awhile ,to bad we arent all linking up on the inspire server for this amazing OE ,im learning so much geo its like going back to school abit,, but having alot of fun on the way
thanks for the info on that volcano by the way ill be sure to look out for and take a screenshot in fs9
mike

[G-HEVN]

TG: It's because they don't stock Avgas. There's a couple of other airports in Singapore that do.

Mike: I think we're gonna miss each other -- your track is further North than mine, and anyhow I managed to cadge a ride DCT to YPLM I did Nepal a couple of years ago (before the recent sceneries were available -- there'a a cracking free photo scenery of the area around Everest, btw). There's lots of "interesting" approaches, provided you're in nothing bigger than a B1900 or Twotter...

The volcano is between Java and Sumatra -- see map attached.

[G-HEVN]

Leg 28: Jakarta Halim Intl WIHH to Learmonth YPLM

Route: WIHH HLM B469 LM YPLM (IFR) 1053 nm, 3.0 hours (total: 13,991 nm, 84.6 hours)


When opportunity knocks, grab the iron with both hands, to mix a metaphor or two. A direct crossing from here to Australia is too far for our plane, requiring us to thread through the Indonesian islands in search of a narrower crossing. So when we were offered a ride on this Lear direct to Learmonth, it was too good to resist!


Aeroplane bling! Courtesy of Honeywell.


Maintain runway heading, climb 8000, expect further climb to 23000


The jagged volcanic peaks, er, rolling hills of Indonesia. Somehow, I feel a visit to FSGenesis coming on!


Cruising at mach 0.8 at FL350. From here you can clearly see the curvature of the Earth.


A certain swan-like quality!


Now this definitely counts as high and fast. Thanks to FSX ATC's inability to command a timely descent, We're at 10000ft and 200kts, just 8 miles from the runway. Ho hum!


As long as noone's looking, we'l just orbit for a while to lose height...


And finally, nicely lined up on short final.


Welcome to the big red land!

[Zöltuger]

Thanks to FSX ATC's inability to command a timely descent, We're at 10000ft and 200kts, just 8 miles from the runway. Ho hum!

sigh, that always seems to be the way

not far from the final destination now...

[G-HEVN]

Leg 29: Learmonth YPLM to Paraburdoo YPBO

Route: YPLM LM PBO YPBO 210 nm, 2.0 hours (total: 14201 nm, 86.6 hours)


After a ten minute taxi to the far end of the airport, I'm kept waiting at the hold by two planes on long final. Imagine my annoyance when the tiny speck in the distance eventually arrives, and then goes missed over the threshold. His "mate" then does the same. Yes, it was the RAAF Roulettes. Shame they didn't put on a display!


Turning onto track for a 90 minute jaunt across the barren Outback.


So far, those are the only two buildings we've seen in Australia!




It's not quite as featureless as the Arabian desert!


Ad we progress, the ground turns redder and redder. Somewhere between us and that ridge ahead is our desitnation...


Here we are: A runway in the middle of nowhere. The main things that distinguishes it from the road nearby, are the painted lines and the fact there's a fence around it.


Downwind


Okay, time to drop the danglies!


Now, where shall we park? The entire place is deserted. The fuel pump is padlocked, and there is a security fence around this place like you won't believe! Not sure if it's meant to keep the non-existant hoardes out, or me in. I think the only way to reach the road is to take the plane...

[towerguy]

Now you know why its called the GAFA!

[G-HEVN]

It's certainly that. I've got VOZ AI installed and the VOZ landclass (which is as much as you can use in FSX till the much-delayed 2.0 arrives). The default mesh seems to be quite good. I don't know the res, but it's a damn sight better than Indonesia!)

Still, can't help noticing the complete absence of the Paraburdoo township (should be on the Southern edge of that lake), and the giant open cast iron ore mine that would have sustained them...

[G-HEVN]

Leg 30: Paraburdoo YPBO to Mount Magnet YMOG

Route: PBO MEK MOG 310 nm, 2.9 hours (total: 14,511 nm, 89.5 hours)

We were lucky enough to meet up with a young chap (called Bruce, strangely, but we didn't say anything ) ferrying this Cessna 172 to Auckland, and decided most magnanimously to accompany him for this leg of the journey. Of course it gave us the chance to have a good play about with his craft...



This is the Flight1 172R, version 1.4, compatible with FSX. Clearly visible is the barbed wire fence that imprisons us here (there's no gate!). Fortunately some of the locals came by last night and tossed some bread over the fence. I had started to wonder if there was a "Do not feed the animals" sign pinned to the other side!


Freedom! The Township is at this end of the lake. Or would be, if FSX showed it...


I know I said I thought the mesh was quite good, but according to photos on the web, these should be steep sided canyons, with (seasonal) waterfalls and stuff!


They call this land "The GAFA". I suspect the river in the middle of desert is really an illusion - at this time of year anyway!


At Meekatharra we pass some interesting looking holes! From here we follow the Great Northern Road to Mount Magnet.


96 miles later and we're approaching Mount Magnet. There's an NDB for navigation, but of course this plane doesn't have an ADF!


Overhead and checking out the runway. the road goes all the way to Cairns, but that's for tomorrow.


As we turn final, the sinking sun infuses a pink glow...


Crossing the threshold


And down. Look, another barbed wire fence. Bet there's no gate here either. I sense a prison break coming on....

[Naki]

Hey you stole my 172! - the Flight 1 172 is one my favourites in FS 9 for some reason - I guess it is easy to potter around in and it has nice crisp and clear instruments and is easy on FPS.

The real ZK-CCI is an older 172D without wheel pants as you have it, however I like mine with the pants.

Looking forwrd to your arrival in NZ

Cheers

[towerguy]

be interesting to see when you get onto the east coast of OZ - thats were I did some of my flying for real - based out of Archerfield (Brisbane) and Caloundra up on the Sunshine coast ( just south of Maroochydore) doing tourist flights around the coast up as far as Fraser Island, the glasshouse Mts and the big pineapple.

[G-HEVN]

Leg 31: Mount Magnet YMOG to Perth Jandakot YPJT

Route: YMOG BIU PH YPJT. 260nm 1.8 hours (Total: 14,771 nm, 91.3 hours)

We had a bit of a hangar party last night. A few of the locals came by with a portable barbie and a step ladder (for the fence). Fortunately, wer're way out in the middle of nowhere, so there was no possibility of disturbing the neighbours! I can tell you first hand that the worst thing for a hangover is an early start...


The throbbing of my head mingles with the throbbing of the engines.


Did I say engines? I'm sure I only had one yesterday. Must be seeing double!


To our right you will see our cloud for the day.


And so we escape for another aerial adventure in the Great Australian er, Outback!


We're still following the same road from Yesterday.


All the way to Perth and the ocean.


Downwind for Jandakot runway 24, the CBD in the background.


Turning final.


Crossing the threshold


Down and parked.

If you can get hold of a copy of the current issue (Feb 07) of Pilot magazine, there's an article about VFR flying in Western Australia, covering a somewhat similar route. It makes for a very interesting comparison. You probably need to be quick in the UK as it's about to disappear from the shelves. In Oz and New Zealand, it probably hasn't arrived yet...

[G-HEVN]

Leg 32: Perth Jandakot YPJT to Albany YABA

Route: YPJT YGAD BLN ABA YABA 300nm 2.3 hours (total: 15,071nm, 93.6 hours)



To kick off this time, let's take a quick look at the route for the Australian section of the tour. As you can see, in the original tour the boat from Singapore arrived in Perth. They then took the Great Northern Roas as far as Tom Price, before heading back to the coast at Exmouth and then following the coast road via Shark Bay back to Perth. They then basically follwed the coast all the way to Sydney.


I knew I was hallucinating yesterday: There really is only one engine on this plane!


A straight out departure from runway 24 Right...


...takes us out over Garden Island, part wildlide reserve, part Fleet Naval Base.


It's probably not a good place to hang around, so before they can set their subs on us, we turn left to follow the coast.


This is VFR flying at its easiest!


The town of Busselton has the longest wooden pier in the Southern Hemisphere. It's two kilometres long!


Heading away from the coast towards Albany


My passenger tries to get a photo of the distant mountains


Final for runway 34, just in time for a spot of lunch!

[G-HEVN]

Leg 33: Albany YABA to Kalgoorlie-Boulder YPKG

Route: YABA WPL ESP NSM KG YPKG 440nm, 2.9 hours

After a brief stop for lunch at Albany, we decide to press on to Kalgoorlie. We should arrive about dusk, and the brochure for our hotel, Langtrees, claims it caters for "working girls, their clients and tourists", so I'm quite looking forward to it, as thus far on this tour we haven't met any tourists...


In aviation, everything takes longer than you think, and we're delayed setting off by a flat tyre. By the time we've had a new inner tube fitted, we're 40 minutes late leaving.


Climbing out from Albany. The glory of the morning has departed, and there are now ominous clouds filling the sky...


The cloud bases are at around 3000ft and it's an uncomfortable journey beneath them. The distant hills rise up into the clouds and we can see rain showers around and about us. Fortunately we're not going that way!


The ground looks pretty inhospitable, should we be forced down.


Interestingly, as we cross the 120 degrees East meridian, everything abruptly changes: Weather, scenery, everything!


At Esperance we turn inland towards Kalgoorlie. The sun, previously high in the sky has started to plummet!






Very quickly it drops to the horizon, and then sinks below it,leaving us to rely on a solitary NDB for guidance. Good job this plane has an ADF. Oh, and a GPS!


The merged towns of Kalgoorlie-Boulder stand out like a ebacon, guiding us in, and after a brief search, we spot the airport lights. Once on the ground, we taxi in pitch blackness to what we hope is a suitable parking spot, before heading into town...

[ardypilot]

I enjoyed reading the last leg there HEVN as those where all places I visited on my VOZ Tour back in 2006- especially that short as runway on Garden Island meant for choppers!

The Perth and Jankadolt area are represented fantastically in FS9 with addon scenery from VOZ and WestSim, with equally beautiful airport and landclass updates for the Albury area.

IMO, that 3rd shot down in the above post looks a little unrealistic compared to my VOZ scenery, its more sort of brown and dusty from what I remember. I think VOZ does work with FSX, so it may be worth a try for you.

[towerguy]

enjoy flying over this area - I did the trip by bus "Adelaide - Perth - Adelaide" in 7 days
of which only 2 days were in Perth, the rest were all on the bus! and you are right - it is pretty inhospitable.

[G-HEVN]

Leg 34: Kalgoorlie-Boulder YPKG to Forrest YFRT

Route: YPKG NSM FRT YFRT. 466 nm, 2.7 hours (total: 16,037 nm, 99.2 hours)


After a refreshing night, we set out to explore this gold mining town before heading off into the desert.


The Super-Pit - Australia's largest open cast gold mine


I knew this was a mining town, but it rather looks like they're actually mining the town!


I think we've been spotted!


The vast Nullarbor Plain. Not a single tree as far as the eye can see in any direction...


Eventually we come to the Indian-Pacific railway line. A single straight line stretching from horizon to horizon.


If we follow it, we'll come to Forrest. This is apparently the largest sealed airfield with lights outside any capital city in Australia. It was a refueling stop for radial engined air liners before the jet age.


We self-announce on the radio and land. The place seems to be desterted.


Fortunately they do have fuel. And this rather magnificent hangar (this is default FSX...)


Here we met Wal, the Caretaker, who in exchange for tales of our travels, kindly allowed us to park up inside the hangar. We then retreated to the airconditioned office for a much needed can of the cold stuff...

[towerguy]

Ah yes ..Wal.

is that the same Wal that made a couple of movies here, used to live down Raupo way and emigrated to OZ takin his best friend Dog with him?

if it is , say "hi" from all us here.