06AUG21 | Cairns to Cooktown via Cape Tribulation

Simulation Date/Time: Current date set to daylight.

Weather: Real World / Fair weather if real world is unsuitable for VFR operations.
If not using live weather, please be mindful of others who are using live weather and will be taking off and landing into the wind.

Distance: 132 nm

Est Flight Time: approx 75 mins

Aircraft: Any "low and slow" aircraft capable of 100-110 kias.

Altitude: Remain in class G airspace after leaving Cairns CTR. See waypoint notes below.

Flight plan
File as: YBCS YKS BUCP WAT PTD YWGA YCBY YBMD EDOR YCKN

GPS flight plan is available for FSX/P3D .pln, MFS2020 .pln, X-Plane .fms and Little Navmap.

Navigation: Pilots are encouraged to navigate visually. For those less familiar the accompanying GPS flight plan is the recommended method of navigation.

Communications

Australia uses CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) for radio comms at uncontrolled airfields. During an event, Pilots are requested to broadcast intentions on the published CTAF. Pilots should also be aware that it is a VATSIM CoC (Code of Conduct) requirement that all pilots at uncontrolled airfields should monitor UNICOM on 122.800. Pilots should ensure that at least one of their radios (COM 2 being the most likely) is tuned to receive UNICOM transmissions in addition to transmitting and receiving on the published CTAF.

Pilots also should read this post regarding the implications of using VATSIM UNICOM for CTAF. It provides some insight into potential pitfalls for the unwary when monitoring 122.80 in a CTAF environment.

Scenery

Due to the plethora of simulation platforms now being used, scenery is left to the discretion of each pilot. Updated X-Plane 11 scenery is available here.

Flight details

• CAIRNS [YBCS] Takeoff
  elev: 10
  rwy: 15/33 asphalt
  TWR: 124.9
  VOR/DME: CS 113.0
  NDB: CS 364
  If there is no ATC, use UNICOM 122.8. There is no CTAF for Cairns.
  
  Tune DME to Cairns VOR/DME.
   
• YORKEY'S KNOB [YKS] overfly not above 1500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• BUCHAN POINT [BUCP] overfly not above 1000 ft or as directed by ATC - visual along the coast
  
  After 12 DME CS, aircraft may climb to not above 2500 ft
   
• WANGETTI [WAT] overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along the coast
  
  After 22 DME CS, aircraft may climb to not above 4500 ft
   
• PORT DOUGLAS [PTD] overfly not above 4500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• COOYA BEACH overfly not above 4500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• WONGA BEACH [YWHA] T&G - visual along the coast
  elev: 22
  rwy: 03/21 grass
  CTAF: 121.2
  
  After 36 DME CS, aircraft may climb to not above 6500 ft
   
• CAPE KIMBERLY overfly not above 6500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• DAINTREE [YCBY] T&G - visual along the coast (Airfield may be called Cow Bay in some simulator databases.)
  elev: 41
  rwy: 02/20 grass
  CTAF: 121.2
   
• CAPE TRIBULATION overfly not above 6500 ft - visual along the coast
  
  After 50 DME CS, aircraft may climb to not above 8500 ft
   
• BLOOMFIELD FALLS overfly not above 8500 ft - visual along the coast and Bloomfield River
   
• BLOOMFIELD RIVER [YBMD] T&G - visual along the Bloomfield Track
  elev: 10
  rwy: 12/30 asphalt [RWY 30 not available for takeoff/T&G due terrain]
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• ENDEAVOUR REEF [EDOR] overfly not above 8500 ft - in GPS flight plan, otherwise visual along the coast to Obree Point
  
  Endeavour Reef is where James Cook's Endeavour ran aground in 1770.
   
• OBREE POINT overfly not above 8500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• FORSBERG POINT overfly not above 8500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• ARCHER POINT LIGHTHOUSE - overfly not above 8500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• GRAVE POINT overfly not above 8500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• COOKTOWN LIGHTHOUSE overfly not above 8500 ft - visual along the coast
   
• COOKTOWN [YCKN] Land - visual along the Endeavour River
  elev: 26
  rwy: 11/29 asphalt
  CTAF: 126.7

Charts