Kalgoorlie

I flew to Kalgoorlie this afternoon. I left at 1pm as I wanted to get
there during daylight the first time and it gave me a chance to refuel
and have a coffee before flying back in the dark. The plane performed
perfectly, although the ADF gets confused sometimes. It was exactly 3hrs
flying there and 3.5hrs flying back with a headwind. I'm glad I have
started using the GPS as it came in handy when I was out of VOR range
and the ADF was playing games. I got some great video and photos, but I
suspect that the SD card is playing up as I cannot read them at the
moment, hopefully I'll be able to recover something.

Fuelishly Optimistic

Ok, I am in the process of calling all the Aerodrome Operators along the
route to verify that the strips are serviceable and that they have fuel.
It seems that when the ERSA states that fuel is available it means that
at some point it was/maybe available. I get a lot of responses like, we
only have a 3000L tank here and it's half full at the moment, if there
is still some left when you get here... And we should have fuel again
this week, of course they said they were going to deliver 3 weeks ago...
All the airfields without automated pumps charge between $100-200
call-out fee after hours, got to avoid that one!

I have a BP card that I can use at some places, this is the map I am
planning around now that I realise fuel is going to determine my route
more than I originally thought.

Flight Around Oz

I'm planning to fly around Oz in the next couple of weeks to build hours and experience before I take my commercial flight test. I'm still working on the exact route, but it will look something like this. I have a good mixture of airspace and large populated areas and designated remote areas. I've got huge bitumen strips at international airports and tiny gravel strips at remote communities and mine sites and even a remote station planned so far, I have even got a military base or two in the plan at the moment.
Over the next few days I will be ringing each of the smaller airfields to verify that they are open and have fuel and to check on any local regulations that might apply. One the route is determined I can start working out the timing and see how many days this will take.
I am really tempted to go via Ayers Rock as I suspect it would be worth the visit, I am still deciding on that.

CSU & Retracts

Yay! I passed my flight test in the RG and now have the complex aircraft
endorsement. It means that with the exception of the minimum hours
requirement I have met all the pre-requisites for a commercial licence
flight test. In order to build hours and experience and because I am in
desperate need of another adventure i am heading off to circumnavigate
Australia, clockwise, next week.
I'll be planning the trip over the next few days and contacting friends
along the way.

Night Flight Video

Here is a short video from the flight last night..

Photos from last night.

More pretty lights!
During the Right Hand Orbit of the City.
That's Perth City down there, see the new Ferris Wheel?
All those pretty lights!
I said "Karl make sure the flash is turned off as I really need my night vision!" Luckily I was talking to Clearance Delivery and looking at my flight plan so it had little effect.
Checking everything prior to Taxi.
On the ground during the pre-flight.

Night Scenic Flight

Now that I am a qualified Night Rated pilot, Karl was keen to have me show him what the city looks like from above when it's dark. I took him over the City where I did a couple of orbits at 2500ft before we headed off to Rottnest via Observation City. Then back over the city and on to Jandakot. I extended my downwind for spacing on arrival at Jandakot and as a result had to use more power than usual and had a rather flat approach to 06, then I started braking before I had raised the flaps and got a couple of chirps out of the main tyres before I retracted the flaps and made the exit I wanted. I was relaxed and really enjoyed the flight. As usual Karl took a camera with him and some of his photos and video follows.

Night Rating Flight Test

I passed my night rating flight test tonight! Yay! I'm getting stuck
into my CSU and retracts endorsement at the moment and hope to have it
done next week. Then I have to decide if I want to get my taildragger or
head off on a long trip somewhere.

Wongan Hills

Karl and I flew to Wongan Hills today. I wanted to know why my night
circuits there had felt so strange, I know now, the strip is on a hill
above the town and that creates the illusion of being high on
base/final. I've got my night rating flight test tomorrow night, I could
not get an overfly of Perth today, but I am hoping I get one tomorrow
for the test. I'm also starting my CSU and retracts endorsement tomorrow
and I hope that once I have completed that next week I will be able to
get my tail dragger and float-plane endorsements out of the way soon too.

Collie

I flew down to collie to have lunch with a friend today. So many trees!
Definitely not as much fun as the last time I flew down there in my hang
glider!

Night Rating

I have completed the required Night training and my instructor thinks I
am ready for the flight test. It is booked for the 8th.