10MAR24 | Wangaratta to Essendon

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: 137 nm

Est Flight Time: approx 75 min

Aircraft: Cessna 172 or similar aircraft capable of 100 kias.

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

Flight plan

File as: YWGT YMFD YTGG MVL YLIL DSN YMEN

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. 

Flight details

• WANGARATTA [YWGT] Takeoff
  elev: 504
  rwy: 18/36 asphalt
  rwy: 09/27 grass
  CTAF: 119.1
  
  Not above 8500 ft to Healesville.
   
• WHITFIELD overfly - visual along Wangaratta-Whitefield Road
   
• MANSFIELD [YMFD] T&G - visual along Mansfield-Whitefield Road
  elev: 1050
  rwy: 15/33 grass
  CTAF: 126.7
   
• HOWQUA INLET overfly - visual along Mansfield-Woods Point Road
   
• EILDON DAM overfly - visual over Lake Eildon
   
• TAGGERTY [YTGG] T&G - visual along the Goulburn Valley Highway and Taggerty-Thornton Road
  elev: 700
  rwy: 02/20 grass
  CTAF: 126.7
  
  Tune DME to Melbourne VOR/DME (ML 114.1)
   
• MARYSVILLE [MVL] overfly - visual along the Maroondah Highway and Buxton-Marysville Road.
  
  Pilots may optionally bypass Marysville and continue along the Maroondah Highway to Heahesville.
   
• MAROONDAH DAM/HEALESVILLE overfly - visual along Marysville Road and the Maroondah Highway
  
  Not above 4500 ft within 30 DME ML
   
• YARRA GLEN overfly not above 4500 ft - visual along Healesville-Yarra Glen Road
   
• LILYDALE [YLIL] T&G - visual along the Melba Highway
  elev: 242
  rwy: 18/36 grass
  CTAF: 119.1
   
• LILYDALE LAKE overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along the Maroondah Highway
   
• RINGWOOD overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along the Maroondah Highway
   
• DONCASTER SHOPPINGTOWN [DSN] overfly not above 2500 ft - visual along Eastlink and Doncaster Road
  *** Inbound reporting point ***
  
  Not above 1500 ft within 15 DME ML or as directed by ATC. 
  
  If ATC is active, do not proceed beyond the Yarra River until given circuit instructions.
  
  Note: There is no CTAF for Essendon. If there is no ATC, use UNICOM 122.8 for the benefit of non-event traffic using Melbourne (YMML).
  Note: Essendon may be controlled top down by Melbourne Approach or Melbourne Centre.
   
• MELBOURNE/ESSENDON [YMEN] Land - visual along Manningham Road and Bell Street
  elev: 282
  rwy: 08/26 17/35 asphalt
  TWR: 125.1

Charts