With the release of a re-vamped Australia, I thought it was finally time to head down and do some GA flying.  My first and only flight so far was YPBO to YBRM.  Both new "bespoke" airports were quite nice and Broome looks like a place I'd enjoy visiting IRL, but the flight over that part of Western Australia was a bit... well, just OK I guess, even though I generally like dry desert terrain.  It's just that over the several hour flight in the Black Square Baron, things didn't change much until I finally reached the coast.

So, what would folks familiar with the continent recommend for some fun, scenic VFR flights?  Preferably involving some good GA/regional fields with available freeware or payware if warranted, but I'd do a large airport if the flight was visually interesting.

TIA for any suggestions,

 

Scott

I just took a flight from Canberra (YCBR) to Sydney (YSSY). There are several ways, either over the mountains or head over to the coast and fly up to YSSY. Both ways have good scenery.

I recommend a nice southern tour of the coast, for example Portland - Avalon - Moorabbin - past Wilson's promontory down to Flinders Island - Launceston - Hobart. Had a blast with that awhile back even before the upgrade

Around Hobart ...

 

It's a great update overall, but the problem with Australia can be (just as in real life), all of the gorgeous hand-crafted airports and TIN details are very widely spread apart, for flight in a GA piston (or even a T-P).  

The most enjoyable legs I've enjoyed with the new update so far, were from the Melbourne Metropolitan area, up to the Canberra ACT, then over to Sydney.   Lot's to see on this one. I did it in 3 legs over about 4 hours in the COWS DA42.

4 minutes ago, JYW said:

It's a great update overall, but the problem with Australia can be (just as in real life), all of the gorgeous hand-crafted airports and TIN details are very widely spread apart, for flight in a GA piston (or even a T-P).  

The most enjoyable legs I've enjoyed with the new update so far, were from the Melbourne Metropolitan area, up to the Canberra ACT, then over to Sydney.   Lot's to see on this one. I did it in 3 legs over about 4 hours in the COWS DA42.

Seems like a good use for the YF-23A: a really nice v2024 flight model, a panoramic bubble canopy, and Super Cruise! 😎

1 minute ago, UrgentSiesta said:

Seems like a good use for the YF-23A: a really nice v2024 flight model, a panoramic bubble canopy, and Super Cruise! 😎

It's a nice plane for sure 😎

Yeah.

 

 Broome airport is simply amazing but nowhere to go really. 

Fly around the gold coast area. It is simply beautifull.

 

4 hours ago, tttocs said:

With the release of a re-vamped Australia, I thought it was finally time to head down and do some GA flying.  My first and only flight so far was YPBO to YBRM.  Both new "bespoke" airports were quite nice and Broome looks like a place I'd enjoy visiting IRL, but the flight over that part of Western Australia was a bit... well, just OK I guess, even though I generally like dry desert terrain.  It's just that over the several hour flight in the Black Square Baron, things didn't change much until I finally reached the coast.

So, what would folks familiar with the continent recommend for some fun, scenic VFR flights?  Preferably involving some good GA/regional fields with available freeware or payware if warranted, but I'd do a large airport if the flight was visually interesting.

TIA for any suggestions,

 

Scott

I was messing about with the Kodiak in re an FM debate the other day and I picked Tindal out as the airfield to do the testing. 

It’s a smallish airfield that reminds me somewhat of KBJC (without the mountains 😉). It’s also a dual civ- / mil- airfield with a really cool dispersed parking shelters, etc. 

Nice enough that I want to re-visit. And it’s fairly close to the north coast, so should be eminently suitable for at least a sightseeing trip along the beach.

Haven't picked a destination yet, but Tindal will def be the jump off point. 

Lord Howe Island airfield is also another must see for me 🤙

16 hours ago, tttocs said:

With the release of a re-vamped Australia, I thought it was finally time to head down and do some GA flying.  My first and only flight so far was YPBO to YBRM.  Both new "bespoke" airports were quite nice and Broome looks like a place I'd enjoy visiting IRL, but the flight over that part of Western Australia was a bit... well, just OK I guess, even though I generally like dry desert terrain.  It's just that over the several hour flight in the Black Square Baron, things didn't change much until I finally reached the coast.

So, what would folks familiar with the continent recommend for some fun, scenic VFR flights?  Preferably involving some good GA/regional fields with available freeware or payware if warranted, but I'd do a large airport if the flight was visually interesting.

TIA for any suggestions,

 

Scott

Shellharbour north along the coast to YSSY.

16 hours ago, flyblueskies said:

I just took a flight from Canberra (YCBR) to Sydney (YSSY). There are several ways, either over the mountains or head over to the coast and fly up to YSSY. Both ways have good scenery.

 Canberra is yscb and ycbr is Collarenebri airport 🙂 

I use FSTARTER24 to explore the new scenery. It is a must have tool to check out new releases.

I intend to do a trans-Australia flight to test the endurance of the default HU-16 /G111 Albatross under extremely lean mixture settings, sampling SU5's Oz update en route. The route is Learmonth YPLM in Western Australia to Shellharbour YSHL in New South Wales, via Alice Springs, which I shall overfly unless I need a fuel top-up to reach YSHL. This is in anticipation of a RTW trip, and whether to cross the Pacific eastbound from Hawaii to California, or south of the equator from Mataveri SCIP to Carriel Sur Intl. SCIE in Chile. 

Thanks to all of you for weighing in.  Much appreciated!

 

Scott