Trip Report: YSBK-YSCB-YSBK - With video!

[Maikha Ly]

G'day Folks!

I’d like to share this trip report, which I wrote quite a while ago, but never got around to finishing and posting until now. There’s a few also in the queue to be finished for your reading enjoyment! This report is written from a licensed pilot's perspective and uses alot of lingo!

Introduction

On Christmas Eve last year, I was kindly invited by fellow message board member Matt_L to come for a ride as he hired and flew Piper Warrior III VH-TAK from Bankstown to Canberra and back for the day. Being my first day back in Sydney after several months away, I was more than delighted.

I had only just got my CPL weeks earlier. Months before that, I got my PPL, also in a Piper Warrior III with the full Avidyne Glass system, and two Garmin 430 GPS units, and indeed this aircraft set-up was my version of a Merry Christmas! Matt booked and hired VH-TAK from Sydney Aviators at Bankstown Airport, and after a short lunch and some planning, we were out moving planes around to position his out on the apron and he conducted a pre-flight on it.




Off we go!

Not long later, after we got in and buckled up, the delightful sound of the 160hp Lycoming engine fired up, and we were taxiing towards 29R. Everything about this aircraft, and its procedures I was quite familiar with, having pretty much amassed most of my hours on this same type, however, today anyway, I was just happy to sit back and enjoy the scenery and clouds.

At 1330, we taxiied onto 29R, and upon receiving clearance, Matt opened up the throttle, and at 55kts, pulled the aircraft into the sky for our afternoon trip down to Canberra. As many of you who’ve flown out of Bankstown are familiar with, we kept underneath the CTA (Control Area) steps and upon clearing the significant CTA, made a turn towards Camden which would take us down towards Canberra, although Dead Reckoning was the main navigation way to get there, we also had the aid of a Garmin 430 as well as many VORs around the place.






Enroute

YSBK (Bankstown) - YSCN (Camden) - YMIG (Mittagong) - YGLB (Goulburn) - Lake Bathurst - YSCB (Canberra)



Matt had planned our track to go from Camden, to Mittagong, Goulburn, then towards Canberra entering via the Lake Bathurst VFR reporting point. Initially to Camden, we were maintaining 2500ft, which gave enough clearance below all the big and nasty CTA steps, than once having tracked overhead Camden Aerodrome and clear of their airspace (And clear of any of those invisible gliders all over the place!) climbed up to a further 6500ft, which still provided adequate clearance from all the scattered cloud around.





This was the leisurely part of the flight, as once the aircraft was trimmed, it was simply sitting back and enjoying the passing scenery below of the Southern Highlands, scanning for other aircraft about (Or lack thereof due to the day we were flying on) and having much a discussion about aviation, cricket, life, ex-girlfriends, Boeings vs. Airbus, and the like.



This was infact the first time I ever flew above the Southern Highlands. I drive up and down on the Hume Highway very regularly, but was surprised to see the deviations the highway took from the towns alongside it, particularly the big dipper section between Mittagong and Moss Vale. Likewise, how the deviation completely curves around the town of Goulburn.


Mittagong


Somewhere


Some random ALA at Carrick, North-East of Goulburn


Goulburn

[Maikha Ly]

Arrival into Canberra

After passing overhead Goulburn, Matt then made a track towards the Lake Bathurst VFR reporting point, still at 6500ft which was OCTA (Outside Controlled Airspace) as it was just at the lower limit of the CTA step, and once approaching it, received clearance from Canberra Approach to enter and descend for a visual approach towards Runway 35.



Canberra was very familiar to me, having flown in there multiple times during the course of my flight training, and even the controllers whom I’ve met before sounded familiar as we were headed in. Matt then maneuvered for finals on Runway 35 and changed over to Tower frequency, who then cleared us in for a Touch-And-Go, then onwards clearance to depart again heading for Yass.



Matt made a nice smooth landing onto 35, and after reconfiguring the aircraft, we were airborne again, maintaining runway heading, and once transferred to Canberra Departures, made our track towards Yass and climbing up to 7500ft for the flight back to Sydney.







WIN TV Studio Canberra


Gungahlin


Gungahlin


Enroute back

Our track back to Bankstown was slightly different from the way to Canberra. From Yass (West of Canberra), we then tracked north to Crookwell, a town West of Goulburn. From Crookwell, we tracked onto Bindook, as many of you know, is a common location where incoming flights would meet for their track into Sydney, thankfully those big scary planes were several thousands of feet above us. From Bindook, it was back across Camden’s airspace and over to Bankstown’s VFR Reporting Point 2RN, with the flashy light.


Yass


Crookwell



Unlike the highlands where we had towns and highways to observe and occasionally poke fun at, the track from Yass to Crookwell to Bindook has bugger all, just hills and mountains and one horse towns. Still, once he had the aircraft trimmed, it was just a relaxing time to once again, enjoy the passing scenery (Or lackthereof), have a munch of a museli bar or two that I brought onboard, and also talk about all facets of life once again. We passed overhead Crookwell (Now I’m just curious, who actually wants to move out there? There’s like nothing there, and yes I have driven through that town several times!) we continued our track to Bindook, also tracking to there by the Bindook VOR, which as the flight progressed, the scenery became a little more impressive with gorges and cliff faces that make up Nattai and Burragorang State Recreation Area.

[Maikha Ly]

The Oaks ALA


Back into Bankstown

We passed overhead the Bindook VOR, Matt then began his gradual descent to 3500ft, as we descended towards Camden’s CTA. Matt then got his airways clearance to once again cross through Camden’s airspace, and for us to also watch out for an invisible glider we couldn’t sight.








The mysterious Holsworthy Airfield

After Camden, we started tracking for one of two Bankstown VFR reporting points, this one being 2RN, which is a big red and white radio tower, and is visually sighted by a bright flashing light that can be sighted many miles away. We started to track for that, Matt made his inbound call to Bankstown Tower who cleared us to track via Liverpool and Warwick Farm racecourse, for an arrival onto Runway 11L, which was in the opposite direction to where we taken off from earlier that afternoon.


M5 Motorway


Liverpool Station


Chipping Norton

We followed the track, and once over Warwick Farm, received our clearance to land on Runway 11L. Matt smoothly descended the aircraft for a nice profile, which once the aircraft was configured, brought us over the piano keys and touched down nicely on the runway. After that, we taxiied off, changed to Bankstown Ground, then made our way back to the Sydney Aviator’s hangar.





He shut down the engine, and we both hopped out, gathered our belongings and handed the aircraft over to the next pilot, a young chap doing his solo circuits.

After everything was finalized (Including the hardest part of paying for the aircraft hire!), we parted company to head home and enjoy Christmas with our families. Indeed it was a great way to spend an afternoon.

YouTube Video – “Touch and Go”



Additionally to this Trip Report, I have included a video which I shot with my GoPro HD sports cameras, which have gained a very wide prominence on the market. The video pretty much summarises the flight from start to finish, as well as the sights and scenes we enjoyed along the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofoDf655jig

Aside from that, thanks for reading, and thanks to Matt for having me along. Hope you all enjoyed it! ☺

[SteveW]

That's an awesome read Maikha - looks like it was a great day!

[Bernie P]

GREAT stuff Maikha, and to Matt L as well, what an experience!! And whilst you used the 'lingo' you said it in pretty much layman's terminology that even I could understand!!

Off to watch the video now, thanks again!

[Grahame Hutchison]

Hi Maikha,

Your report brought back many memories, my PPL flight test was along the same route to Canberra. A storm front approaching Canberra resulted in a final approach with the Runway lights on at 10am in the morning (first time I had used the VASI). The rain and wind hit as we ran from the aircraft to the terminal.

Really enjoyed the read.

[Greg McDonald]

Great effort both of you and excellent video Maikha!

[Michael Mak]

Great report Maikha, thanks for sharing!

[Matthew Chisholm]

Some great photos. I drive down to the Southern Highlands on a regular basis and its certainly different from the air.

[A McLaughlin]

Nice one!