08AUG21 | Cooktown to Cairns via Atherton Tablelands

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: 185 nm

Est Flight Time: approx 75 mins

Aircraft: Beechcraft Baron or similar aircraft capable of 150-160 kias.

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

Flight plan
File as: YCKN YHEL YLND YPAL YMDW YBYN YYAK YMBA YATN GOV ASUTR YBCS

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

• COOKTOWN [YCKN] Takeoff
  elev: 26
  rwy: 11/29 asphalt
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• HELENVALE [YHEL] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway not above 8500 ft
  elev: 460
  rwy: 10/28 grass
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• LAKELAND DOWNS [YLND] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway not above 8500 ft
  elev: 460
  rwy: 16/34 dirt
  CTAF: 121.2
   
• PALMER RIVER [YPAL] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway not above 8500 ft
  elev: 1383
  rwy: 10/28 dirt
  CTAF: 121.2
   
• MAITLAND DOWNS [YMDW] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway not above 8500 ft
  elev: 1994
  rwy: 11/29 dirt
  CTAF: 121.2
  
  Tune DME to Cairns VOR/DME (CS 113.0)
  
  Not above 6500 ft within 50 DME CS
  Not above 4500 ft within 36 DME CS
   
• BROOKLYN [YBYN] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway
  elev: 1168
  rwy: 13/31 dirt
  CTAF: 122.8
   
• YALKULKA [YYAK] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway
  elev: 1270
  rwy: 18/36 asphalt
  CTAF: 122.8
   
• MAREEBA GOLF COURSE overfly not above 4500 ft - visual along the Mulligan Highway
   
• MAREEBA [YMBA] T&G - visual along the Mulligan Highway
  elev: 1564
  rwy: 10/28 asphalt
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• ATHERTON [YATN] T&G - visual along the Kennedy Highway
  elev: 1564
  rwy: 15/33 grass
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• GORDONVALE [GOV] overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along the Gillies Highway
  *** Inbound reporting point ***
  Contact Cairns TWR if active.
  If there is no ATC, broadcast intentions on UNICOM 122.8. There is no CTAF for Cairns.
   
• GREENHILL overfly not above 1500 ft - H-038° D-3.9 nm
  If ATC is active, do not proceed until given circuit instructions.
   
• TIMBERTOP overfly not above 1500 ft or as directed by ATC - visual along Yarabah Road
   
• ABEAM SUGAR TERMINAL [ASUTR] not above 1500 ft - visual towards Cairns Harbour or as directed by ATC
   
• CAIRNS [YBCS] Land - as directed by ATC
  elev: 10
  rwy: 15/33 asphalt
  TWR: 124.9
  VOR/DME: CS 113.0
  NDB: CS 364

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