Flight to Echuca - Australia

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Robin
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Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Robin »

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
Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
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Robin
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Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
First Name: Robin
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Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Robin »

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.
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
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Robin
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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
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Robin »

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
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Robin
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Kai
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Kai »

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. :D It's very nice to follow your flights! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:

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)
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Robin
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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
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Robin »

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
Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
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Robin
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Posts: 456
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
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Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: VH-JRZ
Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Robin »

Kai wrote:have even gone through your flight downloading the 3D cockpit view. Unfortunately, the 3D cockpit view will not show the bug swarms yet. :D It's very nice to follow your flights! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup: away.
Hi Kai

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
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Kai
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Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Kai »

Robin wrote:
Do I need to download Google Earth ?
Yes, 3D cockpit view is a feature of Google Earth. Install Google Earth first, then download the converted file. It is free, of course.

I love watching your flights around places with exotic names like "Kangoroo Flat", "Mia Mia" and "Ladys Pass".
DA40F - N405FP/HS-KAI (sold)
User avatar
Robin
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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
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Been thanked: 11 times

Re: Flight to Echuca - Australia

Post by Robin »

Hello

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
User avatar
Robin
4 Diamonds Member
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

Post by Robin »

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.
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Banks of The River with water into the flood plains
Banks of The River with water into the flood plains
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Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
User avatar
Robin
4 Diamonds Member
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

Post by Robin »

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
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
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