Tyabb or Bust!

"Oh gee, I hate that when I can't see them!" Says Shane, furiously looking around the sky from our cruise at 4500 feet.

"What do you mean?" I reply, getting a little worried.

"That guy that just broadcast that he's exactly at our height in the same region!" continuing to search.

"Mate, that was me! I just made that call." I chuckle.

"Oh sh#t.  I didn't see you talking. Phew!"

"Haha! That's ok.  Better to be safe than sorry!"


After a frenzy of flying adventures in the last couple of months, and then a few weeks of nothing, I was feeling the itch to get back in the air. This feeling was not helped by a friend who loaned me a copy of Richard Bach's book "A Gift of Wings" which is a series of vignettes about his life and thoughts flying all sorts of aircraft, including a vintage biplane across America. Any pilots that haven't read this should do themselves a favour! Richard (of "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" fame), has a wonderful - almost lyrical - description of what it is to be a pilot and take to the sky like a bird. When I saw that there was to be a big high pressure system lining up with a day off work, I jumped online and booked the plane. No real plans of where to go/what to do/who to go with at that stage, but I could work that out later.

Reading about Richard's adventures made me think about expanding my own horizons.  One trip I've always wanted to fly was to Tyabb Airfield - where my Dad learned to fly and remains a life member. Unfortunately, he had to work, so we couldn't meet there - so I'd go myself and send him pictures.  Shane didn't need much convincing to come with me.  It was set!

I looked into the ERSA for arrival and departure instructions - and promptly got confused!  CASA is telling us one thing, but the neighbours around Tyabb are obviously demanding something completely different.  I usually like to overfly an unfamiliar field and complete a mid-field crosswind join once I have had a look at the wind sock.  No overflight whatsoever at this airfield - and all circuits to the East of the runway.  How am I supposed to complete a safe circuit join from the West without overflight?  I decided to ask the CFI at the aero club.

"Have you had much experience flying in to Tyabb?" I asked Graham.

"As a matter of fact, yes - just a couple of days ago I flew into there." he replied with a smile. "Come with me into the computer room, and we'll have a look at it on Google Maps.  I'll show you where I'd go."

We then spent a while discussing the flight - what to expect, what pitfalls are possible and how best to perform a circuit join.  I was very thankful, and was much more confident.  Thankfully, the Tecnam is a relatively quiet aircraft in the circuit so I don't think I could put too many people off side if I got it wrong.
Shane and I then filled up the tanks, completed the daily inspection and started the engine.  The large firebombing helicopter has taken up it's summer residence here at Ballarat airfield - right on the run up bay!  I went and found another quiet out-of-the-way piece of tarmac to complete my engine checks.  The wind was a paltry four knots from the north, so runway 36 seemed to be the best option.  However, as we taxied down to the threshold of the active runway, a lone RV-6 transmitted his intentions of a straight-in approach to runway 18!  Ugh... More waiting!  It must take a bit of bravado to call a straight-in approach to the downwind runway!  Oh well, each to their own.

Once he cleared the runway, we seized the opportunity (had been waiting for ten minutes for traffic by this time! Very rare in Ballarat!) and lined up on 36.  Everything closed and locked, brakes off, temps and pressures in the green, full power - go!  Even two up with full fuel, the Tecnam had no troubles getting off the ground.  It wasn't quite as jump-off-the-ground as it had been in the dense Winter air, but it was still impressive.

Climbing out, there were the expected near-midday lumps and bumps from the heated fields below. Initial plan was to level out at 3500 feet, but as we approached that altitude it became clear we needed to get much higher to avoid getting tossed about.  I left the power on and climbed to the next hemispherical cruise height for our track: 5500 feet.  As we got to 5400 feet, and after I thought we'd never get above it, the bumps magically disappeared.  Just like someone had flipped a switch in the aircraft marked "Camel Ride" to "Magic Carpet Ride".  I secretly wished that I knew exactly where that switch was for future flights!

Looking East towards Lal Lal Reservoir.

Same place, looking West.

Settling into a cruise, we both marvelled at how quickly the lush green from a couple of weeks ago can give way to brown with just a few warm days.  All of the lakes and dams seemed to be full still, so that's a good sign coming in to Summer.

Lethbridge Air Park, with half of the paddock as scorched Earth.  

As we flew over Lethbridge, it struck me that it won't look like this for much longer.  I remembered back to the conversation with Jodie from All Axis Aviation back when Shane and I almost made it to the 12 Apostles.  She mentioned that over Christmas/New Year this year the runways are going to be closed, a temporary one built and the new ones built in a slightly different alignment to make better use of the prevailing winds.  Oh, and at least one of them will be paved!  One can already see the beginnings of the temporary runway over on the right, close to the cowl.  It will run along the fence.

Corio Bay and Geelong City.

Compared with the time I brought Mel down here to Torquay/Barwon Heads, it was quiet in the skies around here.  Last time, there were parachute jumps, tiger moth flights, Savannahs doing beach cruises, and more!  This time, just one departing Cessna doing a 500 foot beach run to the West.  So, between my various position broadcasts, we got a chance to have a look around.

Swan Island.  The near half is a golf club, the far is a home for the SAS. Lots of secret squirrel stuff going on there!

Our route.

We crossed the heads, switched to the inside of the bay and followed the curve of the Mornington Peninsula around until we found Martha Cove.  From there, it was a simple matter of lining up three large features: the cove, Devilbend Reservoir and the refinery on the other side.  That was the easy part.  Next was to try and work out which end of the runway was in use!

As we approached, a Cessna departed from 17. "I guess we have our answer then?" I remarked while watching it depart to the East.  As it turned out, it wasn't as clear-cut as it initially appeared. The wind sock was sticking out exactly ninety degrees to the runway, making it a line call which direction to head.  I decided to go with the already established direction and joined a conventional crosswind, careful to keep my circuit away from built up areas.

The approach was a bit bumpy, but the real fun was waiting for us when we got to the asphalt.  The moment we crossed the fence and the lift started. I was struggling to keep the aircraft under the flap extension speed through the bumps. The extra lift was not welcome!  I pulled the engine to idle and we eventually settled on the runway - after some fancy foot work to keep us on the narrow-ish runway!

Made it! 

Shane and I parked the Tecnam on the grass adjacent to the impressively large club house and went in to pay our landing fee. By this time I was desperate for a cold drink so the coke machine in the foyer was a welcome sight! The question was, what to drink? I know! The drink named especially for pilots: Lift!

The pilots' drink!  :-)

We sat on the balcony and watched the comings and goings of Tyabb.  There was a couple of 172's fighting the gusts on arrival - bouncing from left main wheel to right a couple of times before finally making solid contract with the Earth.  There also was an Robinson R44 beginning and ending scenic flights. He didn't seem to be troubled by the wind in any way!  Impressive display of control! Shand liked the look of a 150 Aerobat that was taxiing to some hangars to our left. I commented that it had the same or very similar paint job as the one Dad used to fly.

We then had a look at the memorabilia on the walls of the clubhouse.  Many pictures of happy smiling aviators standing next to their pride and joy.  Some in flight... Many had faded through years of sunlight.  I didn't see a photo of Dad, but I could imagine what it works have been like to learn to fly here.  There seemed to be a vibrant aviation community with a rich history here.

Receipt for our $5 landing fee.

Here I am!

Before long, it was tone to get back in the place and head home. I'd been watching the wind sock carefully from the deck while we rested.  It was still 90°, but every now and again it works move to the left - indicating slight northerly gusts. 35 it is, then!  We made the long taxi down to the beginning of the runway.

"I think this will be a bit of rock 'n' roll!" I joked as I looked at the tips of the trees lining the airport premier, moving around like crazy.

I was right! We were only about 30 or 40 feet in the air when a gust hit us from the right and lifted the wing.  I had to apply immediate aileron into the wind, and then as we got above the tree line the gust abated - requiring an immediate aileron to the opposite side.  Thankfully, the wind settled down once we climbed a little more.  I avoided the built up areas by flying almost a full circuit and departing by extending what would have been a base leg.  This pointed us back towards the heads.

Approaching Rosebud. It's amazing to see how much longer the old pier actually was! 

The cruise back to Ballarat was uneventful (aside from the phantom radio call!) ... Until we got in range of the AWIS.  I checked it a couple of times to see what the wind was doing.  Each time it gave a completely different reading, often 180° or more apart!  I decided to overfly the field to eyeball the windsock and broadcast my intentions accordingly. Moments later, the aero club's 150 announced they would also overfly at our exact height and with an expected arrival only two minutes later!  It was the new instructor with a student.  I figured I'd set a good example and talk to them to prevent any possible conflicts.  They hung back for a moment and waited for us to scope out the wind situation.  They then tied into what we were doing.

We joined mid-field crosswind for 05 and landed with a light crosswind from the right. Two crosswind landings today!  A very good day indeed.