Australian Flying - July 2018

for just about everything. Without
it, it's unlikely the communities
could stay out there. But one thing
they like is to be understood ... and
that will even include pronouncing
the location names right!
For Rafa it was an introduction
to the life he was aspiring to lead,
and he got it straight from the pilots
who were being there and doing
that. It was pure learning gold, and
you could see it in his eyes.
Our f light plan home was via
a few islands in the Arafura Sea,
and we left Elcho the next day with
me in the command seat. Our first
leg was a short hop to Howard
Island, illustrative of the sort of
missions charter is often about.
Another classic red gravel strip
here prompted us to have a short
discussion about surface conditions
and how they can impact a decision
to take off or land.
Learning this stuff in a
classroom is OK, but it's so much
better when you can reach down
and touch it for yourself. It goes

beyond just theory and is excellent

preparation for a charter career.

With me back in my customary

spot in the back, Rafa took the

stick for our island-hop. It was not

long after another short stop at

another red-gravel strip that "our

customer" changed her mind and

wanted to go to Jabiru instead.

That forced poor Rafa to re-plan

on the run whilst still on climb-

out going in what was now the

wrong direction.

Again, this is the reality of the

NT charter pilot.

Back to the

big smoke

Looking back, I think the

improvised leg to YJAB was one of

the most valuable for both of us.

Working without the comforting

magenta lines on a Garmin 430

or an EFB, it became an exercise

in ground-to-map navigation.

There's an inlet over there with

a river going south, a small town

australianflying.com.au 49

July – August 2018 AUSTRALIAN FLYING

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in Darwin, Central Australia

and remote Arnhem Land.

off the nose with a road going

through it, we've been f lying for

30 minutes, so where do we think

we are? Although genuine charter

pilots will use the Garmin 430 as

an aid, if the GPS goes U/S, the

company needs to know the pilot

can get on with the job anyway,

even if it means doing the mission

the old-school way.

But we made it to Jabiru without

getting too far lost and refueled

for the final leg to Darwin. The

INTERs were still in the forecast

and local experience told us the

PROB was realistically higher

than 30. Mackney motioned to me

to take the stick. Rafa had done

the bulk of the work and deserved

some back-seat time.