Perth ’10

Perth 2010

Day 1 Sun 24 Oct 2010

An early start always helps. Who can sleep the night before a big flight anyway? Already fuelled and ready I slipped the covers off, loaded and inspected JZE and was lining up before 8am and had the small victory of no tower fees at Moorabbin. Not like $9 was going to be noticeable with the coming fuel bill.

Takeoff was eventful. If you try to beat the tower opening you may be the first to clear the birds off the runway. I didn’t know about the birds at all really. I didn’t know they had a meeting in the middle of 17Left and natural selection was in action. I actually ducked in the cockpit as my Long-EZ was rolling past v1 and somehow the less agile birds showed me the red of their eyes as they played chicken with a non deviating object. Words that rhymed with duck came to mind but no impact was felt and I climbed away to the South in dead air at the usual disappointing MAUW climb rate.

The plan was go south from Moorabbin turn right at the bottom of Port Phillip Bay and follow the coastline until I arrived at Serpentine airfield 2,223.8 nautical miles down the road. At least the navigation was simple.

Clouds were low and stayed that way for two days. I never saw above 2500’ and most of the flight was under 1000’. Helps keep you awake. Over the heads at Portsea and onward through familiar territory, past the 12 apostles near Port Campbell at 1,000’ as required and on to Warrnambool before 9am. Somehow I’d picked a day with a little tail wind and progress was surprising. There were miles of beaches, rock formations and blue waters that kept deepening in colour the further west I went.

A few hours into the trip and my transponder hardly blinked. Its just a little remote out on the edges especially at low level. I played the game, did all the CTAF calls, kept a constant look out and noted possible landing areas if it went ugly. Frankly I’d be lucky to make most of them. It’s a calculated risk. I’d had a 100 hourly finished a few days before, everything seemed good but the possibility is always in play and you do what you can while still getting out there.

Up the coastline of Victoria soon leaving that state for the south of Adelaide airspace. I jumped a little water to beautiful Kangaroo Island. All new territory and I got to ask ATC about a bit of restricted airspace ahead of me. ‘Not active’ was the reply and this gave me a little less distance for my next water crossing. Its just slightly unsettling for some reason over the wet stuff. I kept it to myself as there was no point in telling the engine it was over water. Think big flat cleared paddocks and sure enough the little Lycoming just didn’t even notice. Up and back coastal of course around Spencer Gulf and a stop at Port Lincoln for fuel. I had planned to stay the night but it was only 1pm and with the co-operative winds my planned three day trip was rapidly turning into two long ones. I had thought to call a mate who is well advanced on building a Varieze, no need he was at the airport seeing off a friend. There will be a builder visit another time and it was nice to talk to someone.

A refuel and back in the air with more long beaches, blue water and endless coastline. There didn’t seem to be any whales around this trip but I did see what looked like a huge school of tuna near a beach. Oh and there was a pretty big shark a little further on too. Guess that gives you an idea of my cruising height.

Over Ceduna and on to the Nullarbor motel. A good look at the runway before landing showed no signs of all the recent rains. Its just so nice to land, taxi back to the motel, tie up my girl near the caravans and walk around to reception. Then its get some fuel organized from the friendly people and a room for the night. It may be remote but a very civilized arrangement. Ok maybe another tiny chip on the prop’s paint but that’s the cost of doing business on a dirt strip. 1,124 nautical miles, not too bad for a days flying over unique country.

Day 2 Mon 25 Oct 2010

An early start next day had me ready to run the cliffs. A highlight of the last journey to the west. This time I was a little lower, really if it all went badly a few hundred feet here are not going to make a lot of difference. I picked possible spots all the way and it means a ditching or landing in scrub if I can’t glide to the better ones. A couple of times I suddenly felt uncomfortable, gained a bit of height and really saw it wasn’t that much better. Soon it was back near the hard deck and watching those incredible limestone cliffs roll past at 150 knots off my wingtip. It just goes on and on. Past Eucla and after a while the walls dividing the Nullarbor plain and ocean turn back into golden beaches.

Well past Caiguna is a unique spot where sand dunes that must be close to 300 feet high reside in just one small area. I just can’t resist a careful play around them and a bit of a photo session. I plan to put extra windows to improve the viewing in my little plane and I’ll be back with a video camera one day. Not that the windows will change what is quite easy to see now, not that I really need an excuse to run the Nullarbor again but that’s one reason that is as good as any other. The southern edge of Australia here is like nothing I’ve seen anywhere, the size and variety from beach to cliff is really something unique.

On and on the fantastic coastline starts to change into islands and inlets full of variety. I have an eye on the fuel as at such low levels I’m unable to lean out the mixture as I usually do and consumption is up a good 4 litres an hour. I still had enough to spend a bit of time around riding the air around Cape LeGrand near Esperance and past Frenchman Peak and Lucky bay. Then on to Albany with right on the planned reserve remaining. Not before more astonishing coastline. Don’t believe me, go and see it for yourself.

I was looking forward to a meal at Albany as they have a nice new building for the RPT’s and a swipe card bowser for an equally hungry plane. Well one of us got fed. The café was closed. The big planes weren’t due for a few hours and not even a vending machine was available. Oh well. Nice airport.

My earlier tail winds had become a 20 knot headwind as I continued to the farthest south western point of Australia with more rocky coast and fewer landing options. After a couple of hours I was again heading North towards my destination. Civilization seemed to be retuning with more and more small towns and then total overkill as resorts, new real estate harbours started to blend into a line of population. Yet the coast remained even prettier and varied with long inlets and those white beaches. I kept making my CTAF calls to no one in particular and didn’t see one other plane in the air for the whole two days. It may have been my lookout but more likely low levels and the coast is about as inefficient a way to travel if A to B is your plan. Its quite an experience if rubber necking is your thing instead.

Finally I called inbound to Serpentine. You know for some time, since a bit past the cliffs I’d had this uncomfortable feeling about the sound of the engine. You know, like if you turn your head or the wind changes things sound subtly different. Not alarming, but you find yourself wondering if its imagination and just a bit of pilot fear. Like how the engine sounds different over water or a long expanse of rocks and trees. All this was sitting in a little corner of my mind being watched most of the flight with an ear for changes.

A precautionary search, a few photos of what looked like a little city of hangars next to a sealed runway and an uneventful landing. I taxied her back to a pre arranged parking space where I’d be leaving JZE for a couple of weeks. You know it was time for a walk around and sure enough one exhaust brackets had failed, just enough for the pipes to vibrate but they were still not going anywhere as theses were secondary supports. I got lucky and found a very helpful guy after spending some time writing a HELP notice on the club house board. Turns out that Arthur does the welding at the field and his other friend who also just happened to be around had a maintenance hangar close by. The cowls were soon enough off and the one weld became four as all the pipes needed reinforcement improvements with a second part cracked and was ready to give way.

Lucky me. In fact it was like I’d come down and arrived at some heavenly place. 300 members about 150 planes in hangars mainly homebuilt or vintage or at least really interesting and wonderful helpful people. Even cold drinks in the fridge. My friends were still some hours away for a pickup as something weird had happened to the time and it was 3 hours earlier than in Melbourne. I think it’s to do with the earths rotation. So I had time to wash the plane, get some help and quietly walk around yet another special place this time a little slower than flying all those hours. It was nice to know I could stop anytime at one of the hangars for a bit of a look. Walking is also interesting in its own way.

Sun 24/10/10 Flight Time incl Taxi FUEL Distance

YMMB YPLC 5:11 5:28 136L 25L/hr 751.0nm

YPCL-YNUB 2:28 2:50 67L 24L/hr 373.6nm

7:39 8:18 202L 1,124.6nm

Mon 25/10/10

YNUB-YABA 5:33 5:48 158L 27L/hr 790.4

YABA-YSEN 2:14 2:25 308.8

7:47 8:13 1,099.2

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Totals 15hrs 26mts 16hrs 31 2,223.8nm

926mts 991mts 143.1 knots average

The 12 Apostles on the Victorian coast line. Very impressive from the ground, just the coastline breaking up from the air.

Spencers Gulf, South Australia. One of many inlets

The Beautiful Western Victoria Coastline

This South Austalian coastline makes you wonder if you are inverted sometimes.

The picture is the right way up.

Beginning of the Nullarbor cliffs

Very blue cliff waters

Nullarbor Motel parking with the caravans

PART II Return

Day 1 Tues 9 Nov 2010

The day before the first leg home I’d visited the plane, filled her to the brim with fuel, checked things over ready for a brisk departure the next morning. Its true… “time to spare, go by air”. It all takes a bit of organizing and again the guys at Serpentine were very helpful.

Early morning and the next two days looked like the only weather window for a while, if you ignore the trough line someone stuck on an otherwise friendly map. Maybe I’d beat it home tomorrow? A quick check of the plane had me staring at a puddle of liquid underneath. Despite the light rain falling it definitely smelt like fuel as several thoughts involving a prolonged Perth stay flashed by as options. Turned out to be the fuel drain didn’t quite seat. That got my attention but it seemed to be OK after a few wiggles. JZE soon waddled out to the 930 meter runway and in nil wind used far too much of it to get airborne.

I’d planned Forest and several other options for the first fuel stop and the first hour or so directly east was in light rain, throttled back and over unfriendly hills. The plan was high and direct homeward. The breeze was picking up so I enjoyed the gentle push trying different heights until I found the optimum cruising level. Fuel burn was looking good and as the hours rolled on it looked like the Nullarbor Motel again. I could have rolled on homeward but you loose three hours going east, right? I have a night rating but hadn’t done all the planning for this, didn’t have enough very detailed weather and did I really think I’d be at my best for the dark sky after ten hours in the seat? Easy choice, early landing, refuel and a good nights sleep.

With the motel in sight at 1000’ something hit the plane hard enough for me to knock my head on the canopy. The engine complained bitterly and my eye flashed to a close-up interior view of the carburettor bowl having a big slosh around. On landing there was no damage and perhaps just a serious thermal had exploding into the sky as I wandered past. Beasts of the air are always lucking.

It was hot. The insects were carpet bombing as I filled her up at the bowser after an uneventful, yet cautious landing. At the restaurant I asked the girl there for some weather details. ‘Not possible’ she said. ‘Don’t have it’. ‘Last time I was here I got weather so maybe we can work something out?’ I asked “No, that when the whale trips are here. Its finished for the season.” I tried again, “I got weather here a couple of weeks ago?” “No, we don’t have it now.” Was the come back. “How about the internet please?” “No not available.” I tried another angle, “Could I use your computer for a couple of minutes?” “No, can’t do that.” Last try..”Do you have a landline I could use?” “No not available.” It seemed I’d met a NO person. She went away with my order and a minute later the guy who got me fuel for the plane put his head around the door. “I’ll have your weather in a few minutes.” He was a YES person and soon delivered full details for the flight home. Draw your own conclusions.

Dinner held a surprise. There was a Lancair parked outside the motel where I tied up my ride. It was owned and build by a famous glider pilot who I’d know of for many years but never met. With his partner they were going in the opposite direction to Perth. Guess what we talked about… I was told that I might as well build myself another plane too as I wanted a lighter one. Only take ten years or so and I was still young after all. I like the attitude.

That night my room had odd crackling noises which I though was the heat and air conditioner in dispute. After lights out I had the feeling I was not alone, a visual check revealed lots of little biting guys had joined me in bed and all their mates were gathering for missions on the soft squishy bits that I use as a body on this planet. Well I needed sleep, there were too many to hunt and destroy so I imagined myself surrounded in bright white light for protection and turned off the bed light.

After a few bites including one on a tender spot to the South I remembered that my plane was covered in insects too like a giant fly swatter, and what colour is the aircraft? White! Plan B was imagine myself surrounded in other colours and it seems a sort of dull grey worked a treat. Either that or I fell asleep, not sure which happened first. It was soon approaching first light and time to saddle up and get moving.

Return Day 2 Wed 10 Nov 2010

Pulling the prop through a few blades had only a little compression on two cylinders. This might be a stuck valve or two and once before it cleared itself after an engine run. The strip is long enough to stop if the revs don’t come up on take off so I proceeded. With all the loose gravel, a full power runup was not in my plans for propeller health. My current draw gauge was not working either. This was probably an earthing issue that has occurred a few times before. I knew the alternator was working at 14 volts and no warning light showing.

A normal take off and then a few engine lurches and a slight rev drop. Decisions had to be made. The rev drop I’d had coming home from Cairns on my last big trip. It happens every few minutes then restores itself and I though it was ignition. This had been checked and the fault disappeared for six months, until now. Given I had two separate systems, still good to fly on. How does the engine know it’s a long way from home? I already knew it doesn’t know when its over water.

The other option was land, pull things apart with my little screwdriver, stare at the bits for a while, find nothing wrong and truck the plane back to Melbourne for many thousands of dollars. Plan B, get a lot of height, see how it goes and think ‘places to land’ if necessary. The lurches stopped and the rev drop was consistent but only about 20 or 30 rpm and still seemed to be the mechanical mag that fires a little after the electronic system I have.

The wind was picking up and ground speed was impressive. Peaking at 190 knots but around 180 knots for the five hours back home. I thought about my new friends going in the other direction. It was a long five hours, a little uncomfortable but the big views and swift progress soon had me taking in the magnificence of the moment. There was indeed a trough line, like a grey curtain covering half the sky but I had her measure in speed and we both seemed to be going in the same direction. I flashed past the deserts of South Australia and soon into familiar more local territory. 30 minutes from home I saw another plane, the only one sighted for the entire trip and I was given as traffic.

An easy uneventful landing at home base, Moorabbin airport. These Long-ez are so comfortable that after 5 hours I just sat in the plane and had another muesli bar. It was only lunch time. After unpacking I just couldn’t leave her as she was. Being white, my Long was covered in black globs and smeared red insect remains. My glider pilot instincts knew it was easier to clean now before the bodies harden. Maybe a light grey is the go if I ever build that other plane. For now it’s a little fault finding, a clean up and wondering about the next trip. Its always about the journey.

Tues 9/11/10 YSEN YNUB less 30mts taxi say 154kts av

In Flight incl taxi FUEL

5:14 5:31 122L 22L/hr 794.8nm

Wed 10/11/10 YNUB-YMMB Less taxi 30mts say 170kts av

In Flight incl taxi FUEL

5:00 5:30 128L 24L/hr 848nm

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