12th October 2007 - Places I fly

Due to popular demand Today I thought I'd post some pictures of the places I've been flying, to help out all those who I routinely forget have no idea of the place names I mention. The maps I have posted are based on the two places I've flown today, but the photos were from earlier flights, so don't be picky on the dates they are stamped with.

Flight 1 - Darwin, Ngukurr, Darwin.

Up at 5:30 for this one. Depart Darwin 7:30, Arrive Ngukurr at 9:15. Collect 2 passengers, depart at 9:40. With a tailwind on the way back, I'm in Darwin by 11:00

3.8hrs logbook time, Cessna C310

The picture is based on the track I recorded with my GPS, and downloaded after the flight. The different colors represent different altitudes. The background is a satellite overlay. Click on the picture for a larger view.

The flight was IFR. Departure via runway 29 Darwin 3 departure, RNAV straight in runway 11 on arrival.

Ngukurr is a remote indigenous community of about 700 people, on the Roper river. The passengers were the same ones from the Monday / droppoff flight, who work for Mission Australia and are implementing the "work for the dole" scheme, in place of CDEP.

The community is much the same as any other. Hot, dry, filthy and not much to do (for visitors or locals). But the setting is pretty, as it is perched atop a hill with views over the surrounding landscape, I imagine in the wet it would be spectacular.

The company I work for has a 'base' here. One office, one plane, one pilot, constituting a 'base'. It's a busy, lonely life, but most productive for those new to flying wishing to build hours quickly.

Runway to the left, Ngukur about middle, Roper river to the right. Apologies for the multiple propeller lines, due crappy camera.

Town store, viewed from the Base Office. Car to the left is the Base bomb. People standing around are in the process of standing around.

Cockpit photo from return trip. Fuel is selected to auxiliary tanks by selectors on cabin floor, hence lights are on and quantiles on gauge reflect quantities in auxiliary tanks. When fuel gets to about 10lb remaining each side, we go back to main tanks, lights go off, gauges will reflect main tank quantities. Switch between allows you to display quantities in selected tank.

Natural selection has produced a new species of dog that fits under a 4WD

Trip 2 - Darwin to Milingimbi

The afternoon trip was another good one - same plane, client. Destination another small community, this one top centre of Arnhem land, called Milingimbi.

A map of the second trip. Red area denotes approximate outline of Kakadu. Yellow area is approximate extent of Arnhem Land. Map base is not a satellite base, just a general map overlay.

This was my first trip to Milingimbi, though I only made as far as the airstrip, not the town. There was a continuation of the cloud buildup this afternoon, perfect timing for me. Earlier, not so much cloud or fun. Later, perhaps the chance of thunderstorms.

Early afternoon buildup.

The flight to Milingimbi was again IFR, not so much because it needed to be, but because I needed it to be. Part of my career progression is to increase IFR hours, so I fly it any chance I can. Later, if this company needs me to have the hours, as they might if they want me to undertake particular flights, I will have them.

Departing Darwin was again a runway 29, Darwin 3 departure. Arrival again straight in via a RNAV approach. This morning I didn't need it, though it did help to fly it. This afternoon I did need it as the cloud over Milingimbi was quite low. I could have gone in under it without too much trouble, but the RNAV approach allowed me to go through it directly.

This flight, about 3.4hrs log time, so a good day all up.

Questions, anyone?