Flight to Echuca - Australia
Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
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- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
- First Name: Robin
- Aircraft Type: DA40
- Aircraft Registration: VH-JRZ
- Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
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Flight to Echuca - Australia
Good morning
Finally all of the maintenance issues have been resolved. We got to fly our Diamond DA 40. I have alredy loaded up our flight reports. We did a DGA - DME/GPS approach into YMNG - Mangalore, with a overshoot then depature to Echuca.
We vectored about as the Air Ambulance was flying into Echuca to pick up a patient. We ran the RNAV approach into Echuca, had to join the circuit rather than a straight in approach as there were other aircraft in the circuit.
Echuca is a lovely town on the banks of the River Murray. Rivers are very important in Australia as water is in short supply. The older part of the town is on the river bank. We had lunch at our favourite restaurant.
More straight forward flight back into Essendon.
Regards
Robin
Finally all of the maintenance issues have been resolved. We got to fly our Diamond DA 40. I have alredy loaded up our flight reports. We did a DGA - DME/GPS approach into YMNG - Mangalore, with a overshoot then depature to Echuca.
We vectored about as the Air Ambulance was flying into Echuca to pick up a patient. We ran the RNAV approach into Echuca, had to join the circuit rather than a straight in approach as there were other aircraft in the circuit.
Echuca is a lovely town on the banks of the River Murray. Rivers are very important in Australia as water is in short supply. The older part of the town is on the river bank. We had lunch at our favourite restaurant.
More straight forward flight back into Essendon.
Regards
Robin
Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
- First Name: Robin
- Aircraft Type: DA40
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- Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Hi
I have added some photos to this post.
The Air Ambulance that we allowed in. This is part of the RFDS - Royal Flying Doctor Service. The pilots that fly the King Air are highly skilled, often end up flying into strips at nigh with minimal lighting, land on roads etc.
I have added some photos to this post.
The Air Ambulance that we allowed in. This is part of the RFDS - Royal Flying Doctor Service. The pilots that fly the King Air are highly skilled, often end up flying into strips at nigh with minimal lighting, land on roads etc.
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
- First Name: Robin
- Aircraft Type: DA40
- Aircraft Registration: VH-JRZ
- Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
- Has thanked: 25 times
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
We are fortunate to have had some good rains, bu unfortunately this now has allowed locusts to grow. At Echuca there were 2 air tractors doing aerial spraying locust eggs.
The strip at Echuca is approx 1000 metres, these heavily ladened air tractors took most of that to take off, they did not climb much above 200'
The locusts make a mess if you fly through a swarm...
Cheers
Robin
The strip at Echuca is approx 1000 metres, these heavily ladened air tractors took most of that to take off, they did not climb much above 200'
The locusts make a mess if you fly through a swarm...
Cheers
Robin
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Kai
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Hello Robin,
I love your reports, have even gone through your flight downloading the 3D cockpit view. Unfortunately, the 3D cockpit view will not show the bug swarms yet. It's very nice to follow your flights! Thanks for sharing!
Interestingly, we have two airtractors here at my home base, too. It seems they have quite a lot of accidents though. Here, they are not crop dusters, but work for the fire brigades. The pictures were taken from my house with a telezoom during a fire in a forest about 10 kms away.
I love your reports, have even gone through your flight downloading the 3D cockpit view. Unfortunately, the 3D cockpit view will not show the bug swarms yet. It's very nice to follow your flights! Thanks for sharing!
Interestingly, we have two airtractors here at my home base, too. It seems they have quite a lot of accidents though. Here, they are not crop dusters, but work for the fire brigades. The pictures were taken from my house with a telezoom during a fire in a forest about 10 kms away.
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DA40F - N405FP/HS-KAI (sold)
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Hi Kai
Last year we had terrible bush fires, 178 people died on one day. That day I was flying doing the beach patrols. The air charter company I fly for part-time also provided air support for the fire brigade. These pilots fly low level, often in and out of smoke, very dangerous work.
We had very strong winds that day, 50-60 knots gusting 75 knots. The temperature was 47C. Extreme! We had to find a man whose boat had capsized, fortunately he had an EPRIB, so he was easy to track. Coming back in low on fuel the X wind was 35 knots, I was flying a twin who X wind rating was 25 knots, fortunately the runway is quite wide so I landed diagonally across the runway to try and reduce the cross wind component. I logged 7.2 hours flying that day.
Cheers
Robin
Last year we had terrible bush fires, 178 people died on one day. That day I was flying doing the beach patrols. The air charter company I fly for part-time also provided air support for the fire brigade. These pilots fly low level, often in and out of smoke, very dangerous work.
We had very strong winds that day, 50-60 knots gusting 75 knots. The temperature was 47C. Extreme! We had to find a man whose boat had capsized, fortunately he had an EPRIB, so he was easy to track. Coming back in low on fuel the X wind was 35 knots, I was flying a twin who X wind rating was 25 knots, fortunately the runway is quite wide so I landed diagonally across the runway to try and reduce the cross wind component. I logged 7.2 hours flying that day.
Cheers
Robin
Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
- First Name: Robin
- Aircraft Type: DA40
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- Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
- Has thanked: 25 times
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Hi KaiKai wrote:have even gone through your flight downloading the 3D cockpit view. Unfortunately, the 3D cockpit view will not show the bug swarms yet. It's very nice to follow your flights! Thanks for sharing! away.
How do you get the 3D Cockpit view ?
I click on it, but says application not found
Do I need to download Google Earth ?
Thanks
Robin
Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Kai
- 5 Diamonds Member
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- First Name: Kai
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Yes, 3D cockpit view is a feature of Google Earth. Install Google Earth first, then download the converted file. It is free, of course.Robin wrote:
Do I need to download Google Earth ?
I love watching your flights around places with exotic names like "Kangoroo Flat", "Mia Mia" and "Ladys Pass".
DA40F - N405FP/HS-KAI (sold)
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
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- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Hello
My daughter took this photo of the city as we flew out of Essendon as we flew north towards Echuca
Cheers
Robin
My daughter took this photo of the city as we flew out of Essendon as we flew north towards Echuca
Cheers
Robin
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
- First Name: Robin
- Aircraft Type: DA40
- Aircraft Registration: VH-JRZ
- Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
- Has thanked: 25 times
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
Jane and I went upto to Echuca to get away this weekend.
Its about a 3 hour drive from Melbourne, but only a 50 to 60 minute flight in the Diamond DA 40 XLS. It varies depending on how they vector us around Melbourne International airport.
Many weekend visitors were scared away this weekend as the River Murray has been in flood. As you can from the photos no real floods, but high reiver levels.
Good flight back, a layer on stratus cloud 4000-5000, unfortunately a VFR pilot got caught out on top. They vectored him north where the cloud was broken. The joys of IFR.
Its about a 3 hour drive from Melbourne, but only a 50 to 60 minute flight in the Diamond DA 40 XLS. It varies depending on how they vector us around Melbourne International airport.
Many weekend visitors were scared away this weekend as the River Murray has been in flood. As you can from the photos no real floods, but high reiver levels.
Good flight back, a layer on stratus cloud 4000-5000, unfortunately a VFR pilot got caught out on top. They vectored him north where the cloud was broken. The joys of IFR.
- Attachments
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- Banks of The River with water into the flood plains
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
- Robin
- 4 Diamonds Member
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
- First Name: Robin
- Aircraft Type: DA40
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia
More photos of Echuca
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- Looking towards the Port of Echuca, the paddle steamers in the good old days would transport wool etc up and down the river
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia