From: ccla@marlin.jcu.edu.au (Lee Askew)
Subject: Trip to Longreach from Townsville.
Organization: James Cook University
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 02:10:25 GMT

Trip to Longreach LRE from Townsville TL.

I have posted this to aus.aviation and rec.aviation, although most 
overseas pilots may not know the locations of this flight, I thought that it
may be of some interest. Especially to Aussie Aviators.

Well last weekend I flew the local Cherokee Arrow to Longreach from 
Townsville and back. And what a trip it turned out to be.

A quick stop at the met office on saturday morning saw a slow moving front
passing across out track, but other than that nothing to worry about, cavok
at LRE.
Checked out the plane (the standard issue Cherokee Arrow, 180hp), loaded the 
family and proceeded to taxi out.

With only a C150 doing circuits at 8am the skies were ours. 
TL TAF indicated cloud 3cu@2500, 1cu@5000, great, shouldn't be any problems.

Well we needed approx 3000' minimum to climb over the range around TL, but
unfortunately due to lower than expected and more than expected cloud and an 
active restricted area, we had to divert around the range at 1500' 
(no problems).

Once back on track, and west of the range we climbed to 4500' above the cu,
but unfortunately it was well more than 4/8th and made positive fixes rather 
hard (actually impossible) so finding a large gap we decended back to 2500'
flying to Charters Towers (54 miles south west of TL).

Charters Towers CHT,is a sleepy town, off the half dozen or so times that i've
flown there, there has never ever been any traffic, but this time there
was, so after a quick transmission and over fly of CHT, we set track
for LRE some 230miles away.

Some 35 miles to the SW of CHT maintining 2500' the cloud was still approx
7/8th and more of cu, so no chance of climbing up and over. 
My dad at this times wants to know why we dont just climb through the cloud 
and sit ontop, after all we know where we are going? RIGHT?!), after some 
explanation of why I preferred to stay below (play it safe) and a few rules 
and regulations, he understood, reasons like, what if we had an engine 
failure, I dont want to be decending through cloud etc etc), 
anyway what's wrong with 2500', it was smooth, it's not like we were being 
buffeted around, plus we'd miss out on seeing the outback, (all those outback 
dunny's).

By this time the land marks are getting very scarce (and the outback dunny's 
even scarcer) and trying to relate the WAC chart to the land is getting very 
difficult, infact there is approx 100miles where there is nothing, maybe the 
odd house or dry creek bed, but basically (as all good pilots know) its a 
matter of holding your heading and waiting, which we did.

1/2 way between CHT and LRE the skies opened up, clouds disappeared, and we
climbed to 6500' (what an excellent view) for the rest of the trip (still 
some 120miles to run). At this point were almost in LRE NDB range, dialing
up the NDB things looked good, (at least the needle pointed forward). Then 
after obtaining the VOR and DME information we were going to be on time
(after calculating our new arrival time after the small diversion getting
out of TL), and were within a couple of degrees off track. Which I knew 
anyway by this time (not to bad I thought for a 230nm leg).

About 50 or so miles out you all you can see of LRE is a silvery roof, and
that's all you see until about 15 miles out when you realise that, the
silvery roof that you have been looking at wondering what it is is the
township of LRE. The size of 2 average sized suburbs, and this big tin roof,
just happens to be the Stockmans Hall of Fame (why else would you go there, 
I ask myself?)

So after an ordinary decent and landing on the sealed runway (there are 2,
1 seadled and 1 dirt), we taxied to the GA parking area. I was amazed at
the number of planes along the flight line,
150's/182's/172's/ultralights/choppers/barons, the place had probably a 
dozen of so planes parked there. It looked great. 

Out in the boonies there were as many planes if not more than TL (i felt 
right at home)(I love aviation).

So we unloaded the clan and baggage and walked to the passenger terminal,
called the refueller, who was a very pleasent guy. If you go there, and 
require fuel, there is a $10 opening fee for sundays, so organise it sometime 
other than on a sunday if at all possible, and it's 93c/litre.

The motel that we stayed at was the jumbuck motel, (saw it in an AOPA
magazine), is very close to the airport so we walked there, they do have a
coutesy bus if you dont want to walk the 200metres.

The motel is very nice and being an AOPA member gets you 10% off, the rates
are very reasonable.

So off to the Hall of fame. It's excellent, and looks better in real life
than it does on TV, it is comprised of areas or rooms which all highlight 
a time in outback life, ranging from the early aboriginies right through 
to the bush telegraph days onwards, each room is joined by walkways (suitable 
for the disabled) to the next room, it took us approx 3.5hrs to have a look
through, get a few things at the gift shop and have a bite to eat.

The caffeteria was very good. The gift shop is also good, with t-shirts,
windmills, posters/postcards for purchase.

For those interested in the cost for the Hall of Fame, it is:

		Adult		$14
		Family		$35     (2 adults, 2 small kids)
		Concessions	$10

The main street of LRE is worth a visit, with plenty of places to eat, and
some good places to shop. 

If you dont feel like walking anywhere, the Taxi if $4 to go anywhere in
town, eg. town to the airport $4, Hall of Fame to the Airport (100m) $4.

LRE has a number of boat cruises, 1 to 3 days safaries for the more
adventurous, as well as many other local attractions. The locals are VERY
friendly, infact while walking from the airport to the motel several locals
stopped to give us a lift.

The next day a 15-20kt easterly blowing with cavok, a call to the met guys on
the new 008 number saw an 15kt/180 @5000 and 15kt/220 @7000 area forcast, 
great, cruise back at 5500', could go to 7500' but no real reason. I found 
the met guy on the other end of the 008 number to be most helpful, provided 
me with all the information that I needed and then some. All I said was that 
I was flying from LRE to TL and he did the rest. Top service...

A C210 had arrived the previous evening from somewhere near the gulf,
heading for Melbourne, so after a quick chat, and a few stories, they
departed. 

A Baron then arrived from Mt Isa, the place was a beehive of aviation, I
couldnt believe that activity. Ultralights running along the strip (those
guys are amazing to watch).

Departure from LRE was via the dirt strip with almost a direct headwind, 
1 circle overhead LRE saw a standard departure, with no traffic in the area, 
on climb to 5500'.

I was amazed at the amount of traffic/chatter on Brisbane FS 122.1 on both 
days. Traffic giving enroute details for a sartime etc. I heard a friend
of mine who departed TL for WA give a call to FS and would have liked to give
him a quick call but after the recent discussions (Flying/Disk Smith etc), 
i'm a little reluctant to make any calls that are not absolutely necessary.

Again just to the SW of CHT the cloud returned, so after careful
considerations it was decided to fly over the cloud so we climbed to 7500',
to find that the clouds topped out at around 7500'. Requiring more than 0'
between us and the coulds we then decended back to 5500' to fly well below
the could base.

TL APP, asked if we'd like to be vectored (why not I thought, I had never
been vectored before), after all, the weather was getting progressively 
worse, and this would be alot easier for me. We then decended to 4500' due 
low cloud, then through 3 rain showers for a final approach for RWY 01.

Our only other traffic for the entire trip was a R22 chopper, some 2000'
below us on approach to TL, has anyone ever been able to see a chopper some
2000' below on a hazy afternoon??

So a great time was had by all, and I can thoroughly recommend a trip to
LRE, all up 5.5hrs clock time. 
The outback may not be as spectacular as flying to Hamilton or Brampton 
Island, but it really is a sight to see. If anyone would like further 
information, please dont hessitate to contact me.


Lee.
PA28R, C172, PA140
ccla@marlin.jcu.edu.au
L_ASKEW@damsel.jcu.edu.au