Flight #9

Two Coporate VIPs this morning, heading to Port Hedland. I hope they're not too snotty for my little Skyhawk!

An uneventful flight, but that darn headwind made it take longer than it should have. But, the VIPs were very pleasant, and very understanding.

Two Air Taxi passengers this next leg, heading for Barrow Island right along my route!

Not much traffic at this airport, so I'm off for some quite time (alone) on my next leg to Learmonth.

Coming in to land at Learmonth

Better luck this time -- a Priority Courier package going to my next stop (Carnarvon), and 3 GAS passengers going to my final destination (the not-so-inviting Shark Bay). Unfortunately, that payload doesn't leave much left over for fuel, so I'm going to leave the courier package at the terminal.

I've been to Caernarfon in western Wales, but never Carnarvon in western Australia.

Total Profit: v$37,660.45

Flight #8

I'm departing Darwin, heading to Wyndham by way of Port Keats with 3 Great Australian Tour Supporters. These folks are really helping us out, providing jobs to keep us going on our way.

Almost a touch-and-go at Port Keats. Just a quick stopover to get my log book validated for the tour, and we're off again.

Approaching Wyndym, the scenery begins to change.

A longer hop than usual to Halls Creek this time. I'm taking 2 more Great Australian Supporters to Fitzroy Crossing on this leg.

Since the hills are growing a bit taller, I'll climb to 6,000 ASL.

Now a slightly shorter leg straight west to Fitzroy Crossing to deliver my passengers.

Not a cloud in the sky, and that sun is BRIGHT! On of the supporters even gave me a Sharpie pen, so I can mark my progress on my map. He's filled in my flights so far...

It's getting a little late in the day, but there's a great job headed for my next destination, so I'm going to squeeze one last leg in today, taking 3 Corporate Charters to Broome International. Looks like it's time to file an IFR plan again.


Total Profit: v$31,512.55

Flight #7

Lady Luck continues to smile on me. As soon as I check in at the FBO, I find a 3 passenger Charter going to my next destination, Borroloola. Gotta love a plane full of paying customers! But, you've got to take the good with the bad -- there's a 13 kt headwind, so this leg will take a bit longer than it should.

Climbing out of YMTI

Is this Australia, or Ireland?!

Swapping my 3 passenger for 3 new ones, I'll be completing today's tour around the surprisingly rectangular Gulf of Carpentaria -- I've found 1 Engineer to going to Groote Eylandt (my next stop), and 2 Corporate VIPs who I'll take to YMGD.

Approaching YGTE

I should buy a lottery ticket today! After unloading my passenger here at Groote Eylandt, I find a Miner headed for Gove (my next destination). So, I'm still full of paying customers!

Just showing off FTX Global scenery...

I've still got my VIP passengers. The only other job headed my way is 961kg of materials, which is just a little over my maximum (by about 860 kg!). So, after a quick turnaround, I'm off to Maningrida.

Just when I thought I'd used up my allotment of good luck, along comes another choice assigment. Although nobody's going to South Goulburn Island (at least, not on purpose), I've picked up 3 Cougar Air Taxi passengers headed for Darwin International (my intended stopping point for this flight). I am raking in the bucks today!

What a beautiful day for flying!

Why do the trees always line up with the runway?!

Darwin's a big airport, so I'm going to file an IFR flight plan. Don't really need to, but I like to make sure all the big boys know where I am.

Add caption

Total Profit: v$25,579.60  --  I've made my v$25,000 profit, so from here on out it's gravy!

Flight #6

Drat! I'm all set to go after a nice vacation here by the Lockhart River. And there's a job going my way... but it's 555kg. Too much for my Skyhawk. So, it'll just be me, myself and I as I head out to Scherger.

Well, happy day. At this stop, I find 2 Laborers and a Priority Courier package heading to my next destination, Pormpuraaw (say that 3 times fast!). The winds have really picked up, so this should be an interesting leg (between passengers, cargo and fuel, I'm within 10kg of my maximum weight). It'll be a slow climb all the way up to 4,000 ASL!

On approach to YPMP

There's no one heading to Normanton, so I'm back to flying solo for this leg.

As I approach YNTN, I start to see some hints of the red that I know will become more common as I head further east.

Starting to see red

A quick lunch from the vending machines (not my favorite, but I'm pressed for time), and then I load up 2 Aviation Mechanics and a Charter passenger, and we head off to Mornington Island.

Heading for YMTI -- I hope my GPS knows where it's going!

Time for some scuba diving!

Total Profit: v$17,335.60

Flight #5

After cutting my last leg short because of darkness, I'm off once again (a bit earlier in the day this time!). I'll be leaving Townsville and heading to Ingham (YIGM), Cairns International (YBCS),

I'll start out this morning with 2 Tasman Aviation passengers going to Ingham and 1 Bartek passenger going to Cairns. Surely I'll find more jobs in Cairns going my way....

Approaching Ingham in the morning mists

On the ground at Ingham, I find two more Tasman Aviation passengers heading to Cairns, so after a quick swap, I'm off with another full load.

It's a beautiful day to be flying (IFR) ....

Midway through my flight, the clouds rolled in, so I filed an IFR flight plan. Usually a good idea when I'm going to be landing at a major airport anyway. But sometimes, you do have to wonder about FSX's ATC. They had me zigzagging all over the place before I finally got lined up for a nice approach.

For an airport that calls itself "International", there aren't many jobs from Cairns. So, I'll carry on solo for a bit...

How lucky can one guy be? After landing at Cooktown, I find that a 3 passenger charter group for Lockhart River just arrived! With a brief touchdown at Coen, that's where I'm headed! This will be a nice v$2,000 paycheck!

The clouds are rolling in, the ceiling is lowering, so I'm glad to be stopping for the day.

Might be a dark and stormy night....

Total Profit: v$13,642.20 -- half-way to my goal, and not nearly half-way done, so things are looking good!

Flight #4

From Rockingham, I'm off to Mackay (YBMK), Hamilton Island (YBHM), Townsville International (YBTL), Ingham (YIGM) and finally Cairns International (YBCS).

I'm starting off with one Great Australian Tour Supporter (gotta love them!) going to Mackay, and one Tasman Aviation passenger going to Townsville. I'm hoping to find other jobs as I make my intermediate stops....

At Mackay, off-loading my passenger

Heading off-shore to Hamilton island

I sure hope I pick the right island!

You can't tell from the photos, but it's a very blustery day -- I'm really getting tossed around up here!

On ILS Approach to Townsville

As I arrive in Townsville, the sun has set and it's just to dark for me to continue to fly VFR. I didn't find any other jobs so I'm technically done for the day. So, I'm going to stop here for the night!

Total Profit: v$8,541.90

Flight #3

With this posting, I'll be all caught up to "real time".

After spending a few days enjoying Brisbane, I took off this morning and continued my northward journey. After an extremely quick hop to Redcliffe (YRED), I stopped in Maroochydore (YBMC), Hervey Bay (YHBA), Bundaberg (YBUD), and finally Rockhampton (YBRK). Another enjoyable 4 hour day.

Approaching Redcliffe (YRED); hard to focus with that gorgeous water view!

I get to go first!

The town and airport of Rockhampton (YBRK)

Total Profit: v$6,878.70

Flight #2

Today (actually August 4), I left Taree and visited Port Macquarie (YPMQ), Coffs Harbour (YBMC), Ballina (YBNA), Gold Coast (YBCG), and ended at Brisbane International (YBBN). A number of short hops -- all told, this leg took just under 4 hours.

Between Taree and Port Macquarie

Gold Coast (it's more turquoise, really!)

Great Australian Tour livery

Total Profit: v$4,605.30

And so it begins

Some of the guys on FSEconomy (Razor and Bonehead) have started The Great Australian Tour, and I am one of the pilots participating. Basically, we've each been assigned a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, and will be strictly following a defined route that will take us completely around the circumference of Australia (with one major detour to take us past Uluru).

Although it's technically a race, the main goal is not to finish first (although that would be swell!) but to finish with at least v$25,000 in profits. There are also going to be prizes (major and minor) along the way (to be announced), and a "mystery box" waiting for us at YAYE.

Great Australian Tour Route

I actually started on August 3, but am just now getting the idea of using this blog to document the trip!

I began at Sydney International airport (YSSY), and will be traveling "anti-clockwise". My first day's journey took me to the wonderfully-named Aeropelican (YPEC) and then Taree (YTRE). A nice relaxing day, and a very enjoyable beginning.

Downtown Sydney

Approaching YTRE

Total profit: v$2,397.60