OurAirports: Comments on airports in Oceania

[NZWR] "Whangarei - NZWR" by 60503

Fri, 30 May 2008 01:41:51 -0400

18 October 2005 - my first landing at Whangarei, having grown up north of Whangarei near Hikurangi.

Aircraft was ZK-CNY, a Piper PA-28-160 upgraded to 180hp.

From memory I landed about 30 cm high and bounced accordingly - I'll blame that I was flying from the right seat.

[PTPN] "Runway overrun and closure" by david

Thu, 22 May 2008 12:44:08 -0400

A cargo Boeing 727 overran the runway on Friday 16 May 2008 and ended up with its nose in a Lagoon. The airport -- the only one serving the island -- was still closed as of Thursday 22 May 2008.

http://www.cdnn.info/news/travel/t080521.html

[YADG] "YADG" by PILOT99

Tue, 06 May 2008 03:39:19 -0400

Fantastic place to visit. Coffee and light meals always available. Friendly people.

[AU-TPR] "re: Tom Price Airport" by david

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:34:48 -0400

Thanks for the correction. It's hard to find AU airport info, and a lot of what I have is inaccurate -- I've fixed the lat/lon as you suggested.

[AU-TPR] "Tom Price Airport" by whatelyb

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:29:51 -0400

Tom Price Airport is currently sparse of traffic, and only accommodates the Royal Flying Doctor's Service and a few recreational flyers who want to get up their practice. This used to be the main airport for Tom Price, however since the airport in Paraburdoo was built it has become somewhat disused. Plans are going ahead to rebuild the Tom Price airport however no estimated date has been given. Also the Latitude and Longtitude for this airport are somewhat incorrect. The correct coordinates are 22.746°S, 117.869°E at an altitude of approximately 700m (2300ft). Runway length is approximately 760m (2500ft).

[NZUK] "NZUK - Pukaki Airfield, Twizel" by 60503

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:34:22 -0400

A sealed and grass strip conveniently close to Twizel, and great little town in the Mackenzie Basin. My first landing here was in an Robin Alpha 2160 ZK-RBN on 30 December 2003, a few days after getting my rating for this aircraft. My father was my passenger, and we enjoyed calm and clear weather on a great cross country outing from our home base of the Canterbury Aero Club at Christchurch. We carried on from Pukaki to Omarama airfield (NZOU), then down the Waitaki Valley for a stop at Timaru Airport (NZTU), and then home to Christchurch.

[PGUA] "B-2 stealth bomber crash" by david

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:56:05 -0500

On Saturday 23 February 2008, one the 21 stealth bombers in the USAF, visiting from Whiteman AFB in Missouri (SZL), crashed at Andersen AFB in Guam. Fortunately, both pilots ejected safely:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080223/wl_afp/usmilitarybomber

[YPEA] "Australia's busiest air base" by david

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:43:28 -0500

This is the RAAF's busiest base by aircraft movements, and serves as an alternate landing site for the U.S. NASA space shuttles.

[NZWF] "Warbirds over Wanaka" by david

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:28:45 -0500

Every two years, this airport hosts "Warbirds over Wanaka", a major international show attracting over 100,000 spectators:

http://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/

[NZGS] "Rail line crosses the runway" by david

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:59:56 -0500

If you zoom in on the satellite photo a bit, you can see that the Palmerston North-Gisborne railway line crosses the runway.

[YDLL] "Re: Dunolly" by ptomblin

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:50:42 -0500

I have my doubts about several of the airports that came from that particular user. I've got 529 Australian airports from him, so I'm reluctant to delete them all, but I'm also reluctant to verify them all.

[YDLL] "re: Dunolly airstrip" by david

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 07:44:28 -0500

I agree -- I can find no evidence anywhere that this airport exists. It came in some user-supplied data from navaid.com, but I'll probably delete it unless someone has a better source.

[YDLL] "Dunolly airstrip" by Anonymous Flier

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 06:43:38 -0500

So where is it? The coordinates seem to put me into a hillside of trees.

I can't seem to locate the airstrip in the surrounding area even though Google Earth is high definition.

sincerely, Wesley wdalefamily@hotmail.com

[YBUN] "Bunbury Aero Club" by Anonymous Flier

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:20:45 -0500

On arrival at the Bunbury Airport, be sure to call into the newly renovated Aero Club building. We are open 7 days a week and our pilot shop sells maps and charts. Come and say hi and have a drink on the deck for a great view of the strip!

[YBIN] "What do you mean - I damnwell left a comment" by Anonymous Flier

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:33:12 -0500

I have been here and loved the place - great little place to relax

[PWAK] "I love wake island" by Anonymous Flier

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:11:54 -0500

I would move to wake island right now and never leave!!!

I love the airport,hope to see it in real life someday.

[YJCW] "could you please email any information on the proposed airpo" by Anonymous Flier

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:59:48 -0400

To Whom it May Concern,

Could you please forward any information on the proposed airport to david@clcsol.com.au

Regards,

David

[YDLV] "YDLV" by Anonymous Flier

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:20:13 -0400

Fun dirt strip to land on - love it

[YMGD] "YMGD" by Anonymous Flier

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:17:44 -0400

32 is one of the most beautiful approaches a pilot can fly - I loved it

[YSBK] "Bankstown" by Anonymous Flier

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:14:33 -0400

Too many sausage factory air schools here

[YPDN] "YPDN" by Anonymous Flier

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:12:44 -0400

29 is the best one to land on

[YBHB] "as remote as it gets" by Yannick

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:25:35 -0400

Flew there with Par Avion www.paravion.com.au on a Islander

[YCBG] "PAr Avion" by Yannick

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:20:54 -0400

The GA field for Hobart, just next to the International airport - so close they use the same tower.

Left Cambridge for a tour with Par Avion, www.paravion.com.au - to Melaleuca, a remote strip near Bathurst Harbour. It was just fantastic, this is really what flying is all about.

[YBRS] "plane crash" by Anonymous Flier

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:38:02 -0400

a very dangerous place for joyflights never go there

[NZWG] "Wigram" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:42:25 -0400

Actually, just remembered that I made a number of dual flights from Wigram in an RNZAF Airtrainer way back in 1982, but they were all dual, so don't really count.

[NZAP] "Taupo" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:38:55 -0400

First time here was in Oct 05 in CNY with BSC. Can't remember who landed - might have been me?

[NZWU] "Wanganui" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:37:27 -0400

Did some touch and gos here in a CT-4E dual flight in 2004

[NZOH] "Ohakea" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:36:38 -0400

First time here was when going for a dual flight in a CT-4E in 2004

[NZWG] "Wigram" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:35:33 -0400

First landing here late 2006 - precautionary landing after experiencing a total electrical failure.

[NZHK] "Hokitika" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:34:20 -0400

First visit in ZK-CUY on a pre-PPL cross country from Christchurch

[NZGT] "Glentanner" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:33:31 -0400

Winter 05 in an Archer

[NZOU] "Oamaru" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:32:48 -0400

Touch and go in ZK-RBn 31 Dec 05

[NZTU] "Timaru NZTU" by 60503

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:32:02 -0400

I first landed here in ZK-RBN on 31 Dec 05.

[YPID] "The reason why I want a PPL" by Yannick

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:10:56 -0400

Or at least something to look forward to !

Every year Phillip Island is home to the Australian Moto Grand Prix. In October 2004 I rode there with a mate all the way down from Sydney to attend the Grand Prix and witness Valentino Rossi historic win on the Yamaha, claiming back-to-back championships on two differents bikes (he won the 2003 championship on a Honda).

It's a very scenic but also a very long way from Sydney (we got there via Princes Hwy, and back via the Great Alpine Road which caused some overenthusiastic riding and subsequently claimed the life of a soft-compound rear tyre).

I sold my bike 2 years ago and when I resumed flying, I made it an objective to get my PPL in time for the 2007 MotoGP in order to fly there (safely). I am not flying often enough to reach that objective though.

Still, am going this year, flying commercial via Melbourne, and will fly there as a PPL pilot in 2008 (hopefully)

[YSSY] "I listed Bankstown at my home airport but I could have liste" by Yannick

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:50:17 -0400

I live fairly close by, walking down the street to the beach I can see the main runway 34L which is reclaimed on Botany Bay, I drive next to it every morning going to work (actually, in the airport tunnel under the runways) and my job is so close to the airport that the building is shaking when heavies e.g 747 are on very short final on runway 25 - so close you can almost touch the aircraft !

We get to see some interesting aircrafts land there now and then. Indeed there were quite a few of us to watch the A380 land here for the first time almost two years ago.

[NZAP] "Flying around volcanoes" by Yannick

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:29:42 -0400

We did a scenic flight in a C172 out of Taupo, over the huge Lake Taupo (itself filling the caldera of a massive volcano that erupted last 1,800 years ago, and there are some theories that the Ice Age would have been caused by the ashes from its largest explosion 26,500 years ago), then down to Ruapehu, a 9000ft volcano which is still active. A unique experience and a must-see for anyone visiting New-Zealand north island.

[YSHR] "Viva The Whitsundays" by Yannick

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:34:18 -0400

Landed here on a short (maybe 15 minutes) shuttle flight in a Cherokee 6, from Hamilton Island where we just arrived from Sydney. Absolutely fantastic views of the Whitsundays Islands :-)

The grass runway is located between two big hills so you basically can't see the circuit on the downwind leg (which is itself above water) and keeping the runway centerline is not just an option here...

Oh I almost forgot the subsequent sailing around the Whitsundays was awesome too !

[YSCN] "Careful here - no dead side" by Yannick

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:45:26 -0400

The southern side of Camden is dedicated to gliders, so gotta be careful in joining the circuit here - circuit always on the northern side of the field, and there is no dead side to the circuit.

[YCDR] "Skyfox Gazelle" by Yannick

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:42:57 -0400

had a TIF on a Gazelle ultralight there. How slow compared to the Warrior, but also how easy to fly. Flying at fairly low level above the beach, awesome :-)

[YSBK] "where I have done my first solo flight" by Yannick

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:24:47 -0400

I am a student pilot at Schofields Flying Club based there

[YBMC] "MCY" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:54:07 -0400

A great place to fly into, but ramp space is very limited.

[YBCV] "CTL" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:52:47 -0400

A much busier airport back in the 70's.

[YBAR] "BCI" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:51:08 -0400

I flew in here in a Stearman one day, and was warmly welcomed by about half the population of the town. A nice friendly place.

[YAPH] "ABH" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:49:08 -0400

Hope you have a mobile phone, because there is no other way to call a cab if you want to go into town.

[YBRK] "ROK" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:47:05 -0400

Situated right on the Tropic of Capricorn. A cattle town.

[YBMA] "ISA" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:45:28 -0400

A good airport and quite an interesting city.

[YBHM] "HTI" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:43:47 -0400

Seeing the amount of rock and soil they moved in order to contstruct this airport is mind-boggling.

[YBOK] "OKY" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:42:11 -0400

Be sure to visit the Army Aviation Museum. Some great airshows were held here years ago.

[YAMB] "Amberley" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:39:44 -0400

Lots of interesting military aircraft here.

[YBTL] "TSV" by Ozguy

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:37:47 -0400

Always efficient.