14JUL23 | Exmouth to Karratha

Circumnavigation of Australia - Stage 55

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: 171 nm

Est Flight Time: Approx 75 min

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

Altitude: Remain in Class G airspace outside Karratha CTR. See waypoint notes below.

Flight plan

File as: YEXM YOLW YCPR MWK MIAR YPKA

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 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 scenery is available here (this includes Cape Preston which is not in default X-Plane 11, but is in X-Plane 12).

Flight details

• EXMOUTH [YEXM] Takeoff
  elev: 10
  rwy: 02/20 gravel
  CTAF: 118.3 (also the frequency for Learmonth TWR if active)
  
  Tune DME to Learmonth VOR/DME (LM 112.4).
  
  Do not overfly RAAF Base Learmonth (YPLM) to the south of Exmouth Airport or the Naval Communication Station north of Exmouth township.
  
  Not above 2500 ft within 25 DME LM.
  Not above 10,000 ft within 40 DME LM.
   
• VICTOR ISLAND overfly not above 10000 ft - H-069° D-20 nm
   
• HARDING RIVER overfly - H-068° D-15 nm
   
• ASHBURTON RIVER overfly - visual along the coast
   
• CASURINA POINT overfly - visual along the coast
   
• ONSLOW [YOLW] T&G - visual along the coast
  elev: 23
  rwy: 03/21 asphalt
  CTAF: 126.6
   
• ROBE RIVER overfly - visual along the coast
  
  Tune DME to Karratha VOR/DME (KA 117.3)
  
  Not above 8500 ft within 50 DME KA.
  Not above 6500 ft within 40 DME KA.
   
• CAPE PRESTON [YCPR] T&G - visual along the coast
  elev: 77
  rwy: 08/26 asphalt
  CTAF: 132.05
  
  Not above 2500 ft within 31 DME KA.
  Not above 2000 ft within 25 DME KA.
   
• MOUNT WIKLIE [MWK] overfly not above 2000 ft - visual along the North West Coastal Highway
  *** Inbound reporting point ***
  
  If Karratha TWR is active, do not proceed beyond 16 DME KA until given circuit instructions.
  
  Not above 1000 ft within Karratha CTR or as directed by ATC.
   
• MIAREE POOL BRIDGE [MIAR] overfly not above 1000 ft or as directed by ATC - visual along the North West Coastal Highway
   
• KARRATHA [YPKA] Land - visual along the North West Coastal Highway and railway, or as directed by ATC
  elev: 33
  rwy: 08/26 asphalt
  TWR/CTAF: 127.35

Charts