Bored doing an all day wait

The only reason im writing this is to cure boredom. So if its rambles or just pictures, apologies in advance. I get borred quite quickly, and with newly acquired music im happy to sit here typing away listening to it!

I have done a lot of flying recently. I went to Tennant Creek recently and flew back at night which was a cool charter. Was weird to be back in Central Australia. I had actually forgotten the dry heat, the smells and just how different it is to the top end. But it was good hours for the logbook, nice to meet up with some of the boys from my old company, and even a dude i worked with in Kununurra was there. Good news San Diego!




Flying down to Tennant. This is near the waypoint DOSAM which is about 150nm north of Tennant, near Elliot.





A blurry photo coming back into Darwin at around 1am. Was really hard to get a shot, and this was the best result!

Other than that the flying has been pretty routine. Similar places etc. I did goto Robinson River the other day. Its only about 100km from Borroloola which i have spoken about in 2 previous posts. Thats one place in the NT i hadn't been too which was pretty regular for my last company. So was interesting to go there, even if all i did all day was watch cable tv.

Lining up at Milingimbi with a conquest backtracking behind me.

Some of the coastline between Maningrida and Milingimbi.

Anyway till next time.

200nm Over Water

Not really a big deal, but was the longest i had ever been over water, especially in a piston twin. Was pretty cool seeing nothing but blue the entire way around the aeroplane. I was flying to Kalumburu (western Australia), which is probably on the most north-western area of Australia. I used to go there a lot when i worked at my first job in Kununurra, as its reasonably close.

As you can see there isn't much! No radar or VHF out here so all positon reports were made on HF radio.

The baron sitting at Kalumburu. Last time i was in Kalumburu it was a dirt strip! So it was good to see it was sealed.

Kalumburu from the air. I joined a right downwind for the purpose of the photo.

Welcome!

Flying to Gove, Groote and Bickerton Island.

I got the sort of charters i love doing. I got the fly to Gove empty at night (im always after night hours!), then overnighted, and flew a technician to Bickerton Island, which is about 15nm from Groote. We then flew to Groote, then back to Gove. I then flew home empty from Gove back to Darwin. Good flying. Although by the end of the return leg i went a bit crazy, plus my headset broke on that leg. I dont know how, but i ended up using earplugs, the hand mic in the plane and the speaker on the roof. Was ok when i was talking to centre, but was a bit tricky hand flying the plane and talking to approach.

Anyway was pretty cool. Its now hit the dry season, like someone turned a switch. No transition, just one day it suddenly wasnt humid, wasnt raining and is blue sky. Although there are a lot of fires all over the places, which makes everything really hazy.

This was the haze after take off from Darwin. Im sure the sun and light at the time didnt help, but it was almost like flying above a layer of cloud.

I get bored at night.. easily! This was the best photo i took. I think i had the overhead light on. Flying at night also means doing an instrument approach so i dont kill myself. I did the RNAV rwy 13 via WC.

Flying to Bickerton Island the next morning. Was awesome flying over the water!

Approach in to Bickerton, i think!

A picture from the main wharf thing on Groote. Was a nice day as well, so i didnt mind being outside.

Night flying.. Again!

So this post is all about the pictures. Had to do a charter where i picked up a doctor from Timber Creek and then flew her to Yarralin for the day. Then return to Darwin in the afternoon. I love night flying, and im less scared from it now that i have a second donk on the wing.

I think i departed at quarter to sixish, which is about an hour of flying at night. Anyway twin flying at night is one of the few things that still gets me really excited about flying.




Its really hard to take a photo at night, thats in focus, while waiting for a 1900 to take off before you on the runway at YPDN. This is with a bit of help from my friend boredom and photoshop is the final result.



Sitting on rwy 11, using my landing lights for a change as the 1900 taxis into position. They let him depart ahead of me due seperation, as we were both tracking south. And from memory a jet departed ahead of us, so also due wake turbulence.



1900 in position and holding..



Slowly rising sun and 8000ft.



Finally, sunrise from 8,000ft. Good times, good times.