Lying between the skyscrapers of the Perth Central Business District and the Swan River are a row of grass hockey fields. In 1930, these were the Perth Airport, Langley park. Every three years, the Sport Aircraft Association of Western Australia goes through the bureaucratic nightmare of negotiating with all the 'Authorities' to re-open the airport for the First Saturday in march to hold a Fly-In
After completing our Acro II in 1991, we restored a Piper Pacer as' family transport' ; and when the 1993 Fly-In came around, decided to achieve a long held desire and fly across Australia to attend for the day ! After that flight was over, we 'stored' all the memories and the large photo album of the good time we'd had. However, an advertisement for the 1996 Fly-In got us thinking as to whether the Acro could do it. Short range and poor fuel availability were the major problems, combined with a bouncy compass and featureless terrain for a lot of the way. It would be interesting to say the least ! Since we couldn't fit an extra tank in the time available, we decided to leave early and if the winds were unfavourable, stop and read a book. Surprisingly, in the 4500 miles we rarely had headwinds, and then only 5kts for a few hours ! I weakened, and the day before departure installed a garmin 90, teaching myself how to use it as we went.
15 Feb. Camden. Departure day. You guessed it, low cloud, showers and cold ! We waited for a few hours and when a little break appeared in the weather along our route, set off over the mountains all rugged up for the cold with me assuring Dianne that you don't get wet in an open cockpit aircraft in the rain. After about 30 minutes squeaking under them, the clouds started to clear and we were able to climb a bit and relax, landing at Wagga for RRR (refeul, rest, refreshment), then onto Swan Hill for a two night stop...........3.6 hours
Swan Hill is on the Murray River and was a river port; so we absorbed some of the local history, took a paddle steamer ride, went to the tourist village - did the tourist bit. And discovered the advantage of not having anyspace left in the Acro - tou can't but junk to take home !
17 Feb. Up before first light and airborne just as the sun appeared. Not a cloud in the sky, just a bit cool, and tailwinds to Renmark, a large fruit growing area on the Murray, where we took a little time to find the refueller, then off to Adelaide. Light tailwind for take off, lifted the tail early and enthusiastically and saw the gyroscopic effects of the prop. . Thankful for the wide runway, I made the decision that, in future, I would not relax until after airborne..........2.9 hours
Adelaide, capital of South Australia, was going to be another stop for a few days before the serious flying started. First we caught up with some old friends and talked aviation, then set off touring the sites - Victor harbour, Goolwa, and the Murray River mouth, where we took a cruise out to the barrages which stop the salt water from moving up stream into the agricultural areas. Next back through the vinyards (all samples stored internally) to get ready for another early departure.
21 Feb. Heading northwest, flying along the Gulf of St Vincent and Spencers Gulg, climbing to 6500 for the water crossing to Whyalla (the reason I like four engines over water is that there is no five engine aircraft !) A quick fuelling stop, then onto Widuna where we had arranged the night before to pick up fuel. The refueller was unusually the Council gardener, so after a chat we set off, just missing a large Wedgetail Eagle at about 800' - I don't know who got the biggest fright ! Next stop Ceduna on the Graet Australian Bight..............3.5 hours.
On our previous trip to Perth, we had tried the local fish, King George Whiting - so a night stop was compulsory. The Motel was also the temporary home base for the crews of fish spotting aircraft that operate hundreds of miles out to sea chasing tuna (these are netted and towed at 1-2 knots back to Port Lincon where they are kept in ponds to supply the fresh fish market in Japan). Needless to say, another social evening was had.
22 Feb. Up for a first light departure - quite cold with a strong southerly wind off the water, so well clothed. At about 300' after take off, the temperature rose about 10 degrees and we were now over dressed, so kept climbing to get a more comfortable temperature. The patches of ground fog around started to 'ring bells' , and the cloud ahead rapidly lowered, bringing back memories of our previous trip. The ground was rather flat wheat and sheep country, and when the sheep started to scatter as we approached, I decided the best place to be wasn't there so did a quick 180 and went back 20 miles to Penong, a very small town on the highway. The GPS started to earn its keep ! We now just had enough fuel to go on (into the weather) to the next available fuel stop at Nullabor, or go back to Ceduna, refuel, and start again. After waiting a few hours, the weather was showing signs of lifting, so we worked out a PNR and set off on the next leg. This time we stayed on top as the cloud was broken, and stayed further inland until about 20 minutes from Nullabor (PNR) when it was necessary to drop down and take a look below to see if continuing was a safe option.
Going down through the hole, the cloud base was distinct at 1500', so carried on. While on top, we had left the last of any cultivation that we would see for 800 miles, as for now on we would be crossing the Nullabor Plain. Nullabor itself is close to the coast, and at the right time of the year is the center for whale watching, but for the rest, it is a motel and fuel stop. We arrived after the fish spotters had "moved on" so no Avgas was available, nor was there any idea when the tanker would arrive. It was necessary to use some initiative here, getting a lot of attention from the truckies, travellers and tourists. By now it was hot, and the next leg would be hotter, so took off some layers of clothes and took off for Forrest. We had bought the GPS especially for the next two legs, as both would be over the desert without any visual fixing available, with only one source of fuel, and that was on the only airfield. The ground speed readout was what i really wanted; but everything else was a bonus. After 1.6 hours, Forrest was under the nose, so we started descent. The temperature rose rapidly as if we were flying into an oven, reaching 40C in the shade......3.7 hours.
Originally built to cater for civilian and military traffic crossing Australia about 50 years aga, Forrest was also a railway village on the trans Australian railway. The railways have abandoned it; but the airfield is kept open as an emergency field for airlines and whoever calls in. The usual residents total three - the refeuller, his wife and a rabbit shooter, (who should have done well, they were everywhere !) ; however on this occasion, the sole woman had to take an injured dog to the vet, in Kalgoorlie (250 miles away by train), so we doubled the population for the night ! The accommodation was a well equipped ex-railway house, and the cooking was done by Dianne - the refueller came to dinner with us as he said he only knew how to cook steak or steak !
23 Feb. The next leg to Caiguna would be taking us back close to the coast, so to prevent early morning weather problems, we departed about 0830 across the desert on another fuel critical leg. Approaching Caiguna, the cloud started increase again, but again we stayed on top for a while (the winds were better too) before descending below for the las 20 miles where it got cold again as we flew back into the 'southerlies'. The refeulling point at Caiguna was about 3/4 mile up a track from the strip; but at least it was Avgas ! With the wids as they were it was not possible to reach Kalgoorlie non stop, so a short leg to balladonia along the Eyre Highway was called for. This was all straight forward, though after landing, I noticed steel posts hidden in the grass off the side of the strip- file that away for the return leg ! The dirt track to the refuelling point was very narrow with over hanging branches, stumps and potholes, so Dianne had to run ahead as marshaller and guide me around the obstacles. Again this got everyone's attention - I guess we star on a few japanese home movies by now. Then back down the track and into the air for Kalgoorlie - the last of the desert and claypans.....4 hours
Kalgoorlie has been a major gold producer for the last 100 years, so there is an enormous hole in the ground - visible for miles. The kalgoorlie Aero Club put the Acro in their hanger for the night, and one of the instrutors gave us a lift into the town to a motel - Western Australian hospitality It was very hot (around 40C) and dry, so the laundry dried really fast. Not able to carry much, this was an ongoing activity ! No touring to do here, we'd done that last tripso up early next morning for the last two legs.
24 Feb. The country started changing from desert to scrub to open wheat country on the first leg to Merredin. After landing, the line of training aircraft parked under cover seemed out of place for an isolated small country airport, and talking to the instructor there we established that it was in the process of becoming a training base for a large airline-contract flying school owned by an old family friend and former instructor of mine, Barry Fernandes. Resolving to look him up in Perth, we departed on the last leg to the Sport Aircraft Association field at Serpentine, south of Perth.
On arrival we tracked down one of the members, Horst Zulsdorf, who had offered the use of his hanger while we were there, and put the Acro away for a rest. So far we had done 26 landings and nearly 21 hours. The club had organised a hire care for us, which was delivered by two members, Arthur and Pam Winstanley, just after we arrived (more WA hospitality) so we were able to move the contents of the Acro to a friends place to stay for a few days. After taking it easy, some touring, but mainly catching up with old friends, we returned to Serpentine for the weekend Fly-In.