Finley Atherton
Well Known Member
Last year my wife and I flew our 9A across Australia from east to west and back to attend a fly-in at Perth. This year we flew to the remote Kimberley region in NW Australia.
Total distance was about 5,000 nm over about 2 weeks. We usually flew between 6,500 ft and 9,500 ft and had head winds more often than not. Typically at around 8,500 ft amsl we had a TAS of 150 kts burning about 24.5 to 25.5 litres/hr depending on how much the carb 0-320 was willing to be leaned before running rough on the day.
With full fuel and 50 kg (110 lb) of baggage we were about 2 lb below Vans max weight. Vans max baggage compartment weight is 100 lb but I had about 10 lb below the seat back fwd of the flap actuator tube so I figured this as extra pilot/copilot weight rather than baggage.
All this including tools, a tent, sleeping bags, air mattresses, 10 litres of water and an empty 10 litre fuel container fitted in the baggage compartment below the level of the seat belt attach cables.
This first photos are from home to the Barkley Wayside Inn in the Northern Territory.
Charleville is a typical larger Queensland outback town. During WW2 there was a US Airforce Base at the airport with about 3,500 personnel. There were a number of aircraft including the Flying Fortress and the base was very high security as they did the testing of the Norden bombsight.
Dodging showers between Charleville and Longreach. Northern Australia is dry at this time of the year and these were just about the last clouds we saw for the next two weeks.
Between Longreach and Mount Isa in Queensland
The Barkley Wayside Inn in the Northern Territory - very pilot friendly and the owner/operator has a very nice Bonanza.
Fin
9A
Total distance was about 5,000 nm over about 2 weeks. We usually flew between 6,500 ft and 9,500 ft and had head winds more often than not. Typically at around 8,500 ft amsl we had a TAS of 150 kts burning about 24.5 to 25.5 litres/hr depending on how much the carb 0-320 was willing to be leaned before running rough on the day.
With full fuel and 50 kg (110 lb) of baggage we were about 2 lb below Vans max weight. Vans max baggage compartment weight is 100 lb but I had about 10 lb below the seat back fwd of the flap actuator tube so I figured this as extra pilot/copilot weight rather than baggage.
All this including tools, a tent, sleeping bags, air mattresses, 10 litres of water and an empty 10 litre fuel container fitted in the baggage compartment below the level of the seat belt attach cables.
This first photos are from home to the Barkley Wayside Inn in the Northern Territory.
Charleville is a typical larger Queensland outback town. During WW2 there was a US Airforce Base at the airport with about 3,500 personnel. There were a number of aircraft including the Flying Fortress and the base was very high security as they did the testing of the Norden bombsight.
Dodging showers between Charleville and Longreach. Northern Australia is dry at this time of the year and these were just about the last clouds we saw for the next two weeks.
Between Longreach and Mount Isa in Queensland
The Barkley Wayside Inn in the Northern Territory - very pilot friendly and the owner/operator has a very nice Bonanza.
Fin
9A
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