20th anniversary of Oz Flight '99 - a flight around Australia's coast

20 years ago today, on the 3rd July 1999, I set off on a life-changing flight around the coast of Australia (mainland and Tasmania).
I'm a private pilot, not commercial or instrument rated, and when I set off I had only 400 hours flying time. But at 46 it was time for me to follow my dream.
It was a real roller coaster of a flight, with just 5% sponsorship and no partner or manager to share the load.
However, the main lessons learnt were: if you wait for ideal conditions before you attempt anything, then you'll probably never do anything, and if you want to achieve something badly enough then just persevere until you reach your goal.
The pics attached highlight not only the book about the flight but also places in Western Australia which I intend to revisit.

 
 

I invite you to join me on my next adventure by following https://www.onwingsandwheels.com/p/about.html and www.facebook.com/onwingsandwheels

Australia's Coast from the Air Detour to the Argyle Diamond Mine, Western Australia

During the "Australia's Coast from the Air" flight, a detour was made to the Argyle Diamond Mine, Western Australia. This blog post adds to the first post of "Diamond Adventure".

The Argyle Diamond Mine, located in the East Kimberley area of Western Australia, near Kununurra, is the world's largest single producer of natural coloured diamonds and is famous for its rare pink diamonds.

A commercial joyflight was taken from Kununurra to the diamond mine airstrip and then a bus tour followed. The bus trip was hot and dusty but FIFOs (people who Fly In and Fly Out) enjoy the work and the big money from mining in the Outback. A great lifestyle for people who want to work away from home and save their money. Western Australia really is the "State of Adventure and Excitement" with loads of opportunities for people who want to work hard and reap the monetary rewards.

Argyle Diamond Mine, Kimberleys, Western Australia - Fran West

 The mine area is quite extensive with several buildings around the place (like those above and below).

Argyle Diamond Mine, Kimberleys, Western Australia - Fran West

However, the most impressive sight is that of the open pit mine (below) which is huge.

Argyle Diamond Mine, Kimberleys, Western Australia - Fran West

You can read more about the Argyle Diamond Mine and Rio Tinto's operations by clicking here.

As with any marathon flight or holiday, you need to take a break and let someone else do the flying (or driving) and just enjoy.

It was worth the effort of researching side trips for my flight and having time off every now and then.

By visiting the mine I learnt something special about my own country and I learnt more about diamonds. As far as I'm concerned diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend. Give me a beautiful blue Australian sapphire any day!

Flyabout Adventure Around Australia's Coast - Broome, Western Australia

Australia's coast from the air is quite fascinating because it varies so much. People tend to think of Australia as only having beautiful white sandy beaches stretching for kilometres.

However, some parts of the coast are loaded with colour. One such area is in Western Australia, near Broome. Really orange red sand and rock.

Cape Gantheaume, Broome, Western Australia

To appreciate the rugged beauty fully, there's no better way than from the air.

During my flight around Australia's coast I had the best seat in the house, flying over the sea and taking photos from the pilot's seat on the left hand side of the plane.

As you can see from the photo of Cape Gantheaume, the coast is even more spectacular framed by the brilliant blue of the sea.

Broome is located in the northwest of Western Australia not far from Derby and the Buccaneer Archipelago, the crinkly bits on the map of Australia.

It was quite a relief to land at Broome because my flight was over the ocean, the home of saltwater crocodiles from north Queensland to north of Broome. Thankfully I didn't have an engine failure and I was flying within gliding distance of the land.

The thought of crocodile infested waters was in the back of my mind during the flight. However, I didn't let it stop me even though it was one of my fears. I don't like flying over water either but to take photos from this unique perspective I had to do it.

To achieve your goals in life, sometimes you have to confront your fears. It's a matter of getting over it and getting on with it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I digress, so back to the coast of Broome.

Port of Broome, Western Australia

This Outback town is also famous for its pearls and as I was flying around the coast, several of the pearl farms were visible from the air.

As far as I'm concerned, Broome is the Pearl of Western Australia because it has a real mix of culture and natural beauty.

As you can see from this photo there's white sand interspersed amongst the orange red areas. Broome is famous too for its Cable Beach and spectacular sunsets.

Sun setting over colourful sand on a much quieter beach is quite something again.


Broome beach, Western Australia, at sunset

I guess you can take away two things from this post:

• go visit Broome (you won't be sorry) and

• confront your fears if you want to achieve your goals badly enough.

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Rules aren’t always meant to be broken

"Rules aren't always meant to be broken" is a chapter in my book, Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia's coast, and a topic for one of my newsletters. Worth bearing in mind.

Pilot your life newsletter no. 23: Rules aren't always meant to be broken from Fran West

Welcome to issue no. 23 of Pilot your life. May 2011

Just recently I’ve viewed a few movies where the main characters have “broken all the rules” and triumphed. However, real life doesn’t always work that way. Here’s a passage from my book, Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast, which illustrates the potential hazards if some rules are broken.

“Rules aren’t always meant to be broken

There are more rules up in the air than on the ground. You don’t just jump in a plane and take off because you can get into a lot of trouble if you don’t read your charts properly.

There are a lot of Prohibited, Restricted and Danger Areas (PRDs), some of which need to be avoided if they are active, and there is also civil and military controlled airspace.

Some areas are for training or transitting and this applies to planes, helicopters, gliders, float planes, military jets, parachuting, aerobatics etc. Other areas need to be avoided when active for bombing, flares, rifles, lasers, gunnery, blasting, high velocity gas discharge etc.

Quite a lot of things end up in the atmosphere and planes don’t want to be in the air at the wrong time. If you read the documents and obtain weather reports with the PRDs before flying, then safety is assured.

Controlled airspace is one place where you don’t do your own thing without obtaining a clearance (asking permission) first. Planes etc. need to be kept separate from one another to avoid collisions. This is easier in airspace where the control tower has aircraft on radar but in other areas it’s up to the pilot to keep watch and maintain separation.

Along the coast there are military areas where planes can transit by set routes. This suited me in many instances because the routes flew over the ocean anyway.

On one occasion I obtained a clearance to fly along the coast at 1,500 feet. I was on radar, transmitting the designated transponder code, and while I was flying through the area I must have been concentrating on the camera and not on the altimeter and I had gradually descended. The control tower promptly told me to climb back to 1,500 feet. Just as well I did because not long after, a military helicopter came in from the ocean and flew beneath me towards the land.

Imagine what would have happened if I had kept descending and the helicopter had been climbing! A good lesson learnt that day!

So every time you come across a rule which you consider unnecessary, think very carefully before you break it. The rule may well have been designed for your own protection!”

Take Every Opportunity That Comes Your Way

"Take Every Opportunity That Comes Your Way" is the July issue of the "Pilot Your Life" newsletter. Just email me at fran@franwest.com if you'd like to subscribe to the free monthly email newsletter (or use the "Subscribe by email" link at the bottom of this post). July's issue has just been published in www.ezinearticles.com. The newsletters usually have photos to illustrate the point and often a free destop wallpaper is offered when emailing a comment back to me. My own desktop wallpaper for this month has been of course Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Pilot your life newsletter no. 25

View more documents from Fran West

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - 12th Anniversary, 3rd July

It's hard to believe that it's 12 years since I set off from Naracoorte, in South Australia's South East, to fly around the coast of Australia. I was two days behind schedule because of the dreadful wintry weather. Even one of the flight briefing officers said the weather was so bad that I should go back to bed and not bother flying in the Cessna 172!

Nevertheless, I did set off around Australia's coast, flying over the ocean about a mile out to sea and at about 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the water. This provided an excellent oblique angle for the photographs and the Cessna 172 was the right speed aircraft for photographing under the high wing.

Plane Reflections Book

Australia (incl. P&H) $25.00 Overseas (incl. P&H) $28.00

Reflecting back on the flight and the past 12 years has been good for my own reminiscence therapy. Life certainly has changed for me.


Even though I had no team, partner, manager or thousands of dollars of sponsorship behind me, I still achieved my goal. However, I did receive help from people along the way. Members of the Australian Women Pilots' Association and members of Soroptimist International Service Organisation, in particular, provided me with accommodation and local knowledge when possible. I'd also like to thank again the series of friends and strangers who flew with me on different parts of my journey. From them I learnt a lot about flying, myself and life in general.

I had a dream to fly around Australia's coast and photograph while I was flying and I actually did it. The best advice I can give to people is that if you have a burning desire to do something, no matter how big or small, then just do it! Stop stuffing around and get on with it! You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't at least have a go.

Because I had a dream and did something about it, I set in motion a sequence of events which has led me to where I am now. On the return from my flight, I started speaking to people about my experiences. People then wanted me to write a book, which I did, Plane Reflections, and that led to collaboration in several academic publications. After that, I put my photos on CD and then progressed to movie presentations of the photos on DVDs. That in turn led me to producing DVDs for aged care and dementia patients as reminiscence therapy.

It hasn't been an easy path. In between times I suffered injuries in a head on collision in a car which further forced me in the direction that I'm now heading. Strange how my dream has now turned from me doing something solely for myself to me helping others.

Life is an adventure, so make the most of it.

If you want to hear or read more about my philosophy of life and business you can contact me at fran@franwest.com.

My websites are www.franwest.com and www.alzheimersproducts.blogspot.com.

Flyabout in Alaska - "Float Planes of Alaska" DVD Out Now!

For people who live in North America, especially mainland USA and Canada, I've produced a DVD devoted entirely to float planes in Alaska.

This would certainly bring back memories for so many who have flown as a part of life and an easy way to travel from place to place.

Although my videos are mostly designed for aged care, they're still great to watch for relaxation and armchair travel by people of all ages.

While I was in Alaska a couple of years ago, I spent a day and a half walking around Lake Hood, near the main Anchorage Airport. I also did some float plane training from Lake Hood and Trail Lake at Moose Pass, south of Anchorage.

The planes are colourful and the background shows the beauty of the mountains, the lakes and their surroundings. Reflections in the water abound. There's nothing quite like float planes. You have to be a sailor and a pilot at the same time. You need a life jacket, rope and a paddle and in some cases a rifle case attached to the wing strut.

I've also done an "Alfred Hitchcock" in this DVD. Two of the planes I flew in are well represented. And by the way, you'll never guess what my favourite colour is!

Many of the photos have appeared in "Awesome Aviation" but there are quite a lot which are new. The soundtrack is also the same. As usual this is available in NTSC and PAL format and the price is the same at $25.00 plus postage.

Float Planes of Alaska DVD

Australia (incl. P&H) $27.50 Overseas (incl. P&H) $31.00

In future videos you may also see the scenery which I photographed from the plane but buy this one first.


View Larger Map

"Float Planes of Alaska" DVD coming soon

For people who live in North America especially, I've decided to produce a DVD devoted entirely to float planes in Alaska.

This would certainly bring back memories for so many who have flown as a part of life and an easy way to travel from place to place. There are over 200 float planes in this DVD but as you'll see red is my favourite colour!

While I was in Alaska a couple of years ago, I spent a day and a half walking around Lake Hood, near the main Anchorage Airport. I also did some float plane training from Lake Hood and Trail Lake at Moose Pass, south of Anchorage.

Many of the photos have appeared in "Awesome Aviation" but there are quite a lot which are new. As usual I'll be producing in NTSC and PAL format and the price will be the same at $25.00 plus postage.

If you'd like to reserve a copy, email me at fran@franwest.com.

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Useless Loop Salt Pans, Western Australia

During my flight around Australia's coast, I flew past several salt pans. Some were located at Useless Loop, in the Shark Bay area of Western Australia, not far from Monkey Mia where the dolphins come to visit.

Each of the salt pans around the coast vary in colour - blues, greens, pink/purple. From the air they reveal a patchwork of colour and different shapes.

The solar salt operation is run by Shark Bay Salt and the town itself is closed to the public. The table salt from the ponds is reputed to be among the purest in the world.






Useless Loop was named by one of the French de Freycinet brothers on the Baudin sailing ship expedition.

Flying around Australia's coast became for me a real history lesson. Many of the names on the map originated with the early English, French and Dutch maritime explorers.

A different photo of Useless Loop appears in my DVD "Australia's Coast from the Air".


View Useless Loop salt pans, Western Australia in a larger map


Australia's Coast from the Air DVD.

Australia's Coast from the Air DVD

Australia (incl. P&H) $27.50 Overseas (incl. P&H) $31.00

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Cape Otway Lighthouse, Victoria

On the first day of my flight around Australia's coast, I flew past the Cape Otway Lighthouse, Victoria.

The day was overcast, the cloud base was low and in July it was quite chilly even with the heater on in the plane. I was flying about 1,500 feet (500 metres) above the ocean.

As you can see from the photo the spray from the ocean created a mist effect to the right side of the lighthouse and other buildings.

The lighthouse, built in 1848 not far from Apollo Bay and the Great Ocean Road, overlooks the Southern Ocean and Bass Strait. There was also a telegraph station built there in 1859.





The coast is dramatic and treacherous and the winds fierce. Many ships were wrecked before the lighthouse was built.

Cape Otway was named by the English maritime explorer, Lieutenant James Grant, after his friend Captain Albany Otway.

For more information check out http://www.lightstation.com/
and http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=86.

Flyabout to Rainbow Bridge over Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona

Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah, can be reached by boat, on foot or on horseback but my preferred method of viewing is from the air.

I got up very early to go on a scenic flight at 6am while the sun was rising. We took off from Page Airport and headed over Lake Powell and Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. It's better to go flying early in the morning when it's cooler and generally calmer. The light is quite intriguing as well.

Rainbow Bridge is the largest natural bridge in the world at 290 feet tall and 270 feet across (about 90 metres) and is considered sacred by the Navajo Indians.





When viewed from the ground Rainbow Bridge looks as though it's in the open but from the air you can see that it's tucked away amongst the rocks. Zoom in on the photo so you can see the top part of the bridge in the bottom right foreground.

Fortunately there's no visitor centre on the ground to degrade the spirituality of the place.

After my flight I headed back to Wahweap to catch a day cruise which took us over the large expanse of the lake, into some of the canyons, and to Rainbow Bridge itself. It was a short hike from the jetty but on such a hot day a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water were essential.

This is one place to put on your bucket list but see it from both the ground and the air like I did.

For further information check out Rainbow Bridge National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreational Area.

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia

The Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia, is one of the best stretches of coast around the Australian mainland.

As the name suggests, it's a sea of islands, with the most incredible shaped coastal landforms. It's situated northeast of Derby in the northern part of Western Australia, stretching from about Collier Bay to King Sound. This is outback Outback with the easiest access by water and air rather than by road.

William Dampier, the English buccaneer, visited the area on the "Cygnet" in 1688, but the archipelago was named after his buccaneering ways much later on. Phillip Parker King was charting the area in 1821 and named it in his honour.


This is one of Australia's remotest areas and I'm glad I had all the survival gear in the plane just in case something went wrong on my flight around Australia's coast.

If you want to see the area by plane, then take a scenic flight from Derby or Broome. You won't be sorry that you did. Spectacular with a capital "S"!

Why Did You Turn Off the Plane's Engine?

As a pilot I like to see the humorous side of flying a light aircraft.

Here's a joke about a student pilot who was sent on the first solo flight without the instructor.

Instructor to student pilot (who just crashed the aircraft): "What happened, you were doing so well on your first solo?"

Student pilot to instructor: "Well, I was doing fine at a thousand feet so I thought I'd climb a little higher. Then I climbed to two thousand feet and that felt OK too. But then as I was climbing higher and higher to three thousand feet, it was getting colder and colder, so I turned off the big fan at the front!"

Here's the big fan at the front - the propeller!

Awesome Alaskan Sunset Stirs the Soul

Sunsets in Alaska are awesome (as is just about everything else about the place). However, this one was at the end of a superb day for me.

In the morning I left Anchorage and headed down to Trail Lake and Moose Pass to do some refresher float plane flying. I'd gained a float plane rating in Seattle years ago and wanted to try some more float flying in a mountainous region that had lakes, rivers, glaciers and ice fields.

Spectacular is an understatement for the scenery. The flying wasn't bad either. You can see some of the photos on my main website www.franwest.com.

Just a wonderful day with the long drive back to Anchorage accompanied by a setting sun.

The sunset seemed to seep into my soul and remind me just how fortunate I've been to live my dreams of travel, flying and photography.

Enjoy the photo.

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Tacking Point Lighthouse, New South Wales

Lighthouses are a feature of the coastal landscape and Australia certainly has its share of life saving beacons which warn mariners of dangerous coast. Tacking Point Lighthouse, New South Wales, is one of them.

It's not far from Port Macquarie, north of Sydney, about 10 minutes by car or about one hour's walk.

Built in 1879, it's classed as a small navigational lighthouse so there's no huge tower.



The lighthouse is a heritage site and is classified by the National Trust of Australia (New South Wales).

As far as navigation goes, lighthouses are also good beacons for pilots (a bit similar to the huge white grain silos inland). They're clearly marked on the map and there's no question about position.

One thing I do regret about my flight around Australia's coast is that I didn't fly lower to photograph the lighthouses. So my photos really only capture the shape and colour of the coast rather than the actual lighthouses themselves. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Here's a bit more about the Tacking Point Lighthouse.

If you're interested in lighthouses, I came across this book on Amazon.com. Tacking Point Lighthouse is listed in the contents, so hopefully it's the Australian lighthouse that's depicted. Click on the ad if you want more information.

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory or "There are No Accidents"

Nhulunbuy (or Gove) in Arnhemland, Northern Territory, is one of the places I had to spend some time on the ground during my flight around Australia's coast.

The weather was extremely windy and not good for flying and successfully photographing. Sometimes it's better to stay on the ground and rest or do other things.

I caught up on writing my diary, did my laundry and a bit more planning and rescheduling.

I was also put in contact with a local military historian.

Apart from the tremendous hospitality (especially the meals at the canteen) from Nabalco (now Alcan Gove) this was a highlight of my stay.

According to a character in "Kung Fu Panda", "There are no accidents" and I believe this to be the case here. My father was stationed at Gove during the Second World War. He was in the Royal Australian Air Force in signals, not as pilot crew, and he never liked to talk much about his war time experiences.

Phil, the military historian, told me a little bit about Gove during the war and even showed me an old map. Everything has changed and the building where my father would have been stationed is now under the bauxite mine (the bright orange/yellow colour).

So, I had to do my flight around the coast of Australia to discover something about my own father. No accident indeed!

Check out Nhulunbuy http://www.theterritory.com.au/index.php?menuID=140

Australia's Coast from the Air DVD

Australia (incl. P&H) $27.50 Overseas (incl. P&H) $31.00

Flyabout to Rawnsley Park, Flinders Ranges Video Clip 2

Another clip of a plane taxiing along the runway after landing at Rawnsley Park, Flinders Ranges, South Australia.

The strip is good and is located within view of the dominating Rawnsley Bluff, part of the famous Wilpena Pound. Just watch out for eagles in the air when coming in to land.



Because there's plenty of accommodation, this is a great place for a fly-in.

Flyabout to Rawnsley Park, Flinders Ranges Video Clip

During "Sea, Sky and Sand: a flight around South Australia's coast and Outback" in 2002, I landed at Rawnsley Park, in the Flinders Ranges.

This time, during Off the Beaten Track, I was on the ground filming planes taking off and landing. Not quite as exciting as flying the plane myself but it did give the opportunity to enjoy the view of Rawnsley Bluff in the background.



Airstrips in the Outback can be a challenge and at this one pilots have to keep an eye out for eagles (not good to hit one in flight).

Travel tips Australia Click Here!

Your guide to travelling Australia Click Here!

Flyabout along Australia's Shipwreck Coast, Victoria

On the first day of my flight around Australia's coast, I flew along the Shipwreck Coast in Victoria. As you can imagine from the name, the coast is very rugged and treacherous. Many ships have been wrecked and lives lost.

This particular photo highlights the gorge where one ship, the "Loch Ard", was wrecked. A place of sadness yet at the same time infinite beauty.

In the foreground is Muttonbird Island, with Loch Ard Gorge the second gorge in the background. To the right is Island Arch.


All this beautiful coastline is located within Port Campbell National Park, home of the famous Twelve Apostles.

In my book, Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia's coast, this photo is featured with these words. "Life is like the coastline. It has its ups and downs, its ins and outs and rugged and smooth patches, but it's still beautiful - a gift to be treasured."

Flyabout over the Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina

After trekking in the cooler region of Patagonia, in southern Chile and Argentina, it was a shock to the system to be in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.

It was very hot and humid but worth the effort to see the longest waterfalls in the world.

The first day was spent on the ground on the Argentinian side with the first part of the visit being the long walk to see the Devil's Throat. Up close, you get drenched with the spray, and the roar of the falls is overwhelming. Humans really are quite insignificant compared to the power of nature.

However, one of the best ways of seeing the long expanse of the falls is to take a helicopter ride from the Brazilian side (about 15 minutes).

Words can't adequately describe the vista, you just have to do it.

Here's more.