Plan the flight and fly the plan

The new Saratoga was acquired in Melbourne and as one of its pilots, Frank, needed a NVFR rating, he was sent off to Melbourne to get his night V ticket and ferry the aircraft to its new home base in Darwin.

Now I ask you, who could say no to the offer of a seat to help ferry the machine to Darwin?

Ferry flights are carried out every day in Australia, but few get into print for others to pick up clues and tips on the planning and safe execution of such flights. Maybe this will help.

In due course Frank obtained his night V ticket and the next day he and I launched northward to Darwin. The flight was planned to take two days to fly the 1742nm.

While Frank picked up his night V ticket I got involved in the planning and was scheduled to be the pilot-in-command for the first leg. We alternated each leg. Having made a few long-distance ferry flights, I found it invaluable to put in the planning work before the flight.
I broke the tasks down into three areas – the route, the ground planning and the air work.

The route was to be Moorabbin to Broken Hill and refuel. BHI direct to Birdsville. Refuel and overnight. BDV direct to Tennant Creek.

Refuel. TCK direct to Darwin. WAC charts obtained and studied, mud map drawn up, stops investigated, checklist drawn up. Frank booked accommodation at Birdsville, the last available before a race across the Simpson Desert booked the town out.
On the ground side I assembled a few bits of kit that I knew would be used during the flight and a few that I hoped would not be used.
With no airport cafes along the way I got together some 600ml water bottles, apples, dried apricots, bananas and chewy bars. All that became our inflight snack food with a yellow garbage bag for the cockpit rubbish. I also got some sandwich packs from the airport servo for lunch on day one. Stretched out, this lot could sustain us for the three days I figured it might take to haul us out of the scrub if Mr Lycoming took a holiday.

‘Be prepared and it is unlikely to happen to you’.

My personal survival kit, my first line of defence as I say, comprised a sharp knife, a fire lighter and an ELT. I carried these on me. Our second line of defence, our survival kit, comprised 12×1.5L water bottles, a quality first aid kit, foil emergency blankets, a VHF transceiver radio, torch, plastic tube tent, strobe light, ponchos, whistle, utility tool, 15m of parachute cord, several large orange garbage bags for use as sleeping bags, gaffer tape plus a pair of work gloves to prevent hand injuries.

We departed Moorabbin soon after nine. Shut down at Broken Hill was three hours and 24 minutes later, with 410nm covered. We cruised at 8,500’ on the autopilot. A refuel and we were soon back in the air bound for Birdsville 384nm away.

No controlled or restricted airspace up there, just a lot of remote area. On the nav side I held my wac charts in my flight folder and flew on the iPad magenta line. Easy flying. Birdsville for a refuel and an overnighter at the caravan park. There they advised the bakery was the best place to go to for a feed. Hmm! But what about the Birdsville Pub? We chose to have the lamb shank at the pub and breakfast at the bakery.

To Tennant Creek over 473nm of rolling sand dunes. How many countries can you fly a small aircraft in a straight line for that distance?
At TNK the self-refuel bowser computer was rebooting itself so no fuel. It continued to do so for an hour. We could not wait for later that day or perhaps tomorrow so Frank made the plan B phone call to Newcastle Waters, 142nm north and on track. Yes, fuel was available there. Good to have local knowledge. Newcastle Waters, a refuel, and then the last 333nm into Darwin.

For the whole trip the weather was kind to us. For most of the flight it was no cloud or scattered at about 6-7,000’ and maybe a touch of head wind. There was no burning-off smoke to talk of.

The cabin in the Saratoga is wide and comfortable. With 386 litres useable fuel it is a good long-distance flyer.

Tips? Use a checklist for kit required. Have a plan B in case of weather, fuel, a diversion etc. Carry a survival kit. Plan the flight and fly the plan.

And remember the modified Boy Scout motto. ‘Be prepared, and it is unlikely to happen to you’.

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]