22OCT23 | Townsville to Shute Harbour

Circumnavigation of Australia - Stage 84

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: 134 nm

Est Flight Time: Approx 75 min

Aircraft: Cessna 172 or similar aircraft capable of 120 kias.

Altitude: Remain in Class G airspace outside Townsville CTR and Hamilton Island CTR. See waypoint notes below.

Flight plan

File as: YBTL CEN GIRU YAYR GUNG YBWN LFC CAV YSHR

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 for Townsville and for Shute Harbour (XP11 version or XP12 version).

Flight details

• TOWNSVILLE [YBTL] Takeoff
  elev: 18
  rwy: 01/19 07/25 asphalt
  TWR/CTAF: 118.3
  VOR/DME: TL 114.1
  NDB: TL 275
  
  Tune DME to Townsville VOR/DMR
  
  Not above 1500 ft within 11 DME TL or as instructed by ATC.
   
• RAILWAY JUNCTION overfly not above 1500 ft or as directed by ATC - track over Townsville CBD or as directed by ATC
  
  Not above 2500 ft within 18 DME TL
   
• CLEVEDON [CEN] overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along Clevedon VFR route
  
  Not above 3500 ft within 25 DME TL
   
• GIRU [GIRU] overfly not above 3500 ft - visual along the railway
  
  Not above 5500 ft within 36 DME TL
  Not above 8500 ft beyond 36 DME TL
   
• AYR [YAYR] T&G - visual along the Bruce Highway
  elev: 40
  rwy: 01/19 asphalt
  rwy: 11/29 grass
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• GUTHALUNGRA [GUNG] overfly - visual along the Bruce Highway
   
• BOWEN [YBWN] T&G - visual along the Bruce Highway
  elev: 26
  rwy: 04/22 asphalt
  rwy: 12/30 gravel
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• LONGFORD CREEK [LFC] overfly not above 4500 ft - visual along the Bruce Highway
   
• MYRTLEVALE overfly not above 4500 ft - visual along the Bruce Highway
  
  If Hamilton Island TWR is active, remain below Class C/D airspace.
   
• CANNONVALE [CAV] overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along Gregory Cannon Valley Road
   
• SHUTE HARBOUR [YSHR] Land - visual along Proserpine-Shute Harbour Road
  elev: 40
  rwy: 14/32 asphalt [RWY 14 preferred. RH circuit both runways.]
  CTAF: 127.85

Charts