Torres Strait Islands

[jt_williams 291]

A day of island flying in the Torres Strait. This is a warm water excursion over the coral-reef-studded sea that, for a full century, was a center of the world's pearling industry (from 1860-1970). The Torres Strait Islanders are a Melanesian people who speak their own languages. In modern times, the islanders have been important both for manning the pearling industry as well as serving as pilots for ships navigating the treacherously shallow Straits.

 

The islands themselves (of which 14 are inhabited) are at risk to the ocean's rising sea levels. In fact, some islands are peaks of an existing land bridge between New Guinea and Australia, a land bridge that was submerged by the rising sea levels after the last ice age ended about 12,000 years ago. The islands, and the surrounding reefs and waters, form complex ecosystems that support the islanders' fishing (and pearling).

 

Routing      
 

To set up the "continuity" you might want to fly from Daru, PNG (AYDU) to Murray Island (YMUI). This seventy mile leg might best be done before the Saturday gathering, at the pilot's own leisure. (That is 30 minutes over featureless water.)

 

The destinations (might be) are:

 

YMUI                      Depart      Murray Island

YYKI       40            Stop         Yorke Island

YCCT      27            Stop         Coconut Island

YSAS       14            Flyover    Sassie Island

YYMI      8              Stop         Yam Island

YGEB      12            Stop         Gebbar Island (Grass Strip)

YMAA     28            Stop         Mabuiag Island

YBAU     12            Stop         Badu Island

YKUB     5              Stop         Kubin, Moa Island

ULUI       13            Flyover    Ului Island

YWAR     5              Stop         Warrel Island (Grass Strip)

4MW       14            Flyover    Thursday Island (Administrative Center)

YHID       5              Stop         Horn Island (main airport for islands)

 

Total distance is 181nm.

 

 

Aircraft      
 

Most of these are short leisurely legs that will allow us to admire the beautiful scenery. Probably best enjoyed in something fairly low and slow. This is a good opportunity for the Piper Cherokee or Cessna Skyhawk or Skylane or something similar. We'll set a target maximum speed of 110-120kts. Pilots should fly anything they like as long as they understand that the gaggle will meander along at a tourist's pace.  [if you insist on a 220kts Lancair, then you might well expect to speed to the next airport and then wait for everyone else to do their flying.]  I will be flying the Carenado Commander 114

 

 

 

Scenery Addons  
 

To get a complete rendition of the Torres Strait Islands, you want to download and install the following freeware sceneries from several OZx authors.

 

Pilots should have OZx (updated through v3.4) installed as well as OZx libraries (v1.0 and v1.1). Also, you might install the Holgermesh Australia.

You can get all the OZx sceneries here:

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/category/1-ozx-scenery/

 

For flying in Australia, the textures of Orbx Global will do nicely. But owners of Orbx Australia will want that installed because it provides proper textures and also better landclass and autogen.

 

OZx Torres Strait Islands.

(Listed as JayKae but is by several OZx authors). OZx Gen II.  10-12-13.

This scenery does a nice job turning the ordinary FSX islands into something special. The reefs are especially nice. The package includes airports not in FSX, plus upgrades for others already in FSX. These airfields will form the core of our journey.

Go direct to:

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/file/3324-ozx-torres-strait-islands/

 

 

Torres Strait Islands Airports (Horn-Kubin-Badu-Tuin Islands).

[This is different than the one just above.]

Mike Burbidge (MeTriX) of OZx. 1-30-15.

An excellent rendition of three airports that we shall use.

Go direct to

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/file/5071-scenery-for-horn-island-and-airport-kubin-and-badu-airports-and-the-tuin-islands/

 

Yorke Island v1.2 (YYKI). 2-7-15.

This is a Mike Burbidge extra that adds Yorke Island to his "Torres Strait Islands Airports" just above.

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/topic/22216-torres-straight-islands-addon-yyki/

Scroll down to v1.2 in post #17.

The DropBox address is:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/im56ipt9yb9qxnq/MB_TS_Islands_Addon_YYKI_v1.2.zip?dl=0

 

This extra island enhancement should be installed into the Torres Strait Islands Airports by Mike Burbidge (as it uses some of the same files).

 

The Mike Burbidge airports are already in default FSX. But his additions are near payware quality and correct some incorrect FSX placements. So they are highly recommended.

 

You can get the required Alan Blencowe GMAX Library here:

http://www.alanblencowe.com/FSX/FSX_ModelLibrary.html

or download direct from:

http://www.alanblencowe.com/FSX/Zip/Blencowe_LibraryKit.zip

Simply install it into your "Addon Scenery" folder … or wherever you store addon libraries.

 

 

Murray Island Airport.

Tim Harris. Freeware from Orbx. Orbx payware quality package that includes the airport as well as the small community and volcanic island on which they stand.

https://www.fullterrain.com/freeware

 

 

Participation.
 

Time: Saturday March 28, 2015. 19:00 UTC

Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel

Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com

Multiplayer FSX Multiplayer (IP will be provided on Teamspeak)

The digital flightplan (in FSX format) and Torres Tour Narrative is available from the DropBox location here.

Please post your aircraft details in the MP spreadsheet so that we can see you in your true colors.

 

Route Planning and Scenery Recomendations by MM and Narrative by Jeff W

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

Heading off to OZx now! There's a few there I haven't got.

[MM 424]

This week's Sports Illustrated includes a feature story about Patty Mills, the Australian with family roots in the Torres Strait Islands and in the Aborigine community. Mills is a backup point guard with the San Antonio Spurs NBA championship team, a good player but not a great player. But the real heart of the article lies in its placing Mills in his own heritage, its past, present and future. His father is a nephew of Steve Mabo, the Murray Islander behind the fundamental legal change in original Australians' property rights. His mother lived the life of the "lost generation" of Aborigines who were taken from their homes and placed in foster care. As the author says, "for a U.S. counterpart, you'd need to find the son of a father who marched in Selma and a mother whose Cherokee family walked the Trail of Tears." The story ends with Mills (and his fellow Aussie teammate Aron Baynes) taking the championship trophy on a six city tour of Australia that ends on the ferry wharf of Thursday Island for a celebratory meal of fried turtle accompanied of a traditional dance performed by a troupe from Murray Island.

 

You can read the story here at imgur. Or you can download the page images from this location and read it at your leisure.

[spokes2112 179]

Excellent readings Mike & Jeff.  :Applause:

 

I will be flying Ron's N5429K repaint for the Navion B w/ the excellent aquamarine colors to match the warm tropical waters. :Big Grin: (Where's spring! Got 2.5" of snow w/ sleet & freezing rain overnight - BS!)

 

Made it to YMUI the "proper"   B)  way.... Used 19" & 1900 rpm to keep it in the 120kt range.

 

Proper way =

  

 

Off to figure out the scenery, pretty sure I gots most of it, no harm reinstalling what's necessary though.   

 

Finally a SkyVector rendition of paths over water can be found here.

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

Helluva read. :Applause:

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

I know most, if not all, of you were concerned by my airport elevation issues on YMUI and others this evening. I have good news! Torres straits are 'meshed' under the auspices of Holger Mesh for Australia. So, swapping from Global, which I was on, to Oceania made everything lovely! You may now sleep soundly in your beds.  -_- 

[spokes2112 179]

Boy that was a thorn in the 'ol rear end huh? Glad you got it!  :Applause:  You can go to sleep now .

[spokes2112 179]

PIREP 1 of 2 - What a great flight! Beautiful scenery the whole way!


Ron in the Scout trudging his way through a little squall. It took all of 15 minutes before that squall was gone. ( Nice! )



As Nick said - "I will be happy to park it here forever."



Josh coming in over a trawler with waaaayyyy to many antennas on board. MMM?? I wonder why?



Again it's Josh, working the crosswinds for One-Two @ Yorke Island (YKKI).



Turned out perfect.



Who ever painted these aircraft is a pure genius!  :Big Grin: 



At YKKI it seems a whole bunch of us congregated over to the right side of the apron, coming in. There may be some kind of international espionage going on. I do believe that is Ms. Lana Kane, the supreme butt-kicker from the adult cartoon show "Archer".



What do you think?



TCAS from Jeff's perspective.



Now.... I know that there is something going on within these islands. I've seen that same stern gentleman all over the southern Pacific including Malaysia. (MacRobertson) Now he's got an assistant. The assistant got on the cell phone soon as we arrived. (Not Good)



"Let's get outta here!"



A planned flyover of Sassie Island (YSAS). The "welcome" was really nice. It seems Ron ( Lower Rt Tip ) wanted to get "Sassy" and do a T & G, no worries.



Josh, with just a little "puff" - Excellent!



Nick, just catching the ground effect, bring it down nicely.



Mike @ my 10 "oh" 15 bells. Sporting the "Charlie Brown" paint by our MP host. Ron Attwood. (Mr. Curmudgeon)   :blink: 
 


Mike again at my 8:45. Note to self - clean the windows!



Mike, in Charlie Brown, just over the fence and lookin' real good.



(Continued, part 2... Maybe tonight, Maybe tomorrow.)

[spokes2112 179]

PIREP 2 of 2 - A "Sausalito Sunset"


Ron over the fence skirting the foliage. ( Dat's a purdy shot )



Plenty of airspeed to pitch up and catch a shot. Ron in the scout and either Nick, Craig, or Roger up ahead in a WACO ( should be a 182 :mad: ) The Sun is going down.

New Chapter - The sun is going down. Everyone is going - "OOOHHH, AAAHHH, AINT DAT PURDY!"

Yuuuup.. It sure is purdy. It seemed like a warm, humid sunset. 84,84 = 100% humidity = haze.



Jeff enjoying the same thing... At least in my world. :-)



NOW THAT'S Purdy.



NOW THAT'S even Purdy' er.



Jeff turning final in the Rockwell. That'll be about the last glimpse of the Sun for today.



YUUUP! Jeff over the threshold as a glimmer is only left.



Hard to see. But that is Mike to the right rolling out just behind Jeff.



OOOPS! Forgot one! Ron is coming in barely legal for VFR Day. That little "night light" bulb under his prop turns night into day = "No Problem"! The very last glimpse of the Sun is setting.



Smartly over the numbers comes Ron. All good. Over the radio it was heard - "Roll out to 14/32 and turn onto 14, taxi down on 14, turn right on the next taxiway to the right, quick left, then right - taxi to parking. The FBO is still open for cocktails."

"Roger"



Once again, we "will" find out what ails the world. ( Once the pub closes )




Thank You Jeff, Mike & Ron for another excellent Saturday.

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

That was very nearly as good as the flight itself. Seriously, bloody well done Roman. You have retained your position as Piccie-taker-in-Chief.

[robrooke 42]

thanks guys for an excellent flight.

 

 regards,

 roger.