THE ADVENTURE…GYRO AUS FLIGHT 2007
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To be the first to fly three Gyrocopters Solo around Australia passing Furtherest East/North/West/South points , 13500km , via Cape Byron NSW, Thursday Island QLD, Shark Bay WA , South East Cape TAS , including flights across the Tanami , Great Sandy and Great Victorian Deserts and twice across Bass Straight. Estimated flight time 140 hrs over three weeks. The Gyro is a German certified MT-03 two seater with the rear seat holding a ferry tank , endurance 8-9hrs. No ground support crew will be used with all camping gear carried onboard. Three Gyros will be flown on the trip by Experienced pilot Willi Ewig, Adventurer Don McIntyre and Otmar Birkner the German manufacture of the Gyros. WHY? For Willi it is another chance for a great adventure flight he has done previously in a fixed wing aircraft, claiming many world records in the process. For Otmar it is the ultimate test for his Flying machine. For Don McIntyre it is personal….. In April/May 1924 I.E. McIntyre and S.J.Goble made the first flight around Australia in a Fairey 111D Float plane. Since Don was a boy he dreamed of such a flight but it had to be a challenge…not just a Cessna! “A few months ago when I saw the MT-03 Gyro for the first time I was impressed” said Don “I went for a 20 minute flight and said YES , this is the Machine to do it!” The MT-03 is one of the worlds first certified Gyro's and extremely well engineered. Five days of intensive training by Willi at SKYRANCH and he had his license and the dream is on…The three Gyros leave in about Three weeks, around April 12th….a few days after the 1924 Flight. MEDIA Trans World International TWI has agreed to produce the Television Documentary which will be screened in 32 countries around the world as part of their Action/Adventure HI5 series …a huge viewing audience of hundreds of millions. Main Demographic is late teens to mid 30's The series is pre-sold. Australia - Fox Sports (PMG) Australian Geographic will print an article on the flight as will National and International flight magazines where good photos will be published. The entire flight will be filmed and photographing in Digital format. With three machines flying there will be excellent opportunities to grab the required material. This is a Grand Adventure, a Great Travel log in a special Flying Machine, the perfect Adventure Vehicle to honor that first Epic flight by McIntyre & Goble WHEN? Actual Departure will depend on a few variables. To make the weather window the Flight needs to depart no latter than mid April, but the earlier the better. Flight Plan allows 18 Days flying in Good weather…For every three good days there will probably be one Bad day, adding another six days… therefore the best flight time is around 24 Days. Add to this a possible four day weather delay waiting to cross Bass Straight… we get to 28 Days…4 weeks….BUT it could be done in three weeks. Don McIntyre and Willi plan to attend NATFLY 07 Flyin at Narromine over Easter. WHERE? 1 Start..Manilla Skyranch…Tamworth-390km- Cape Byron-290-Kingaroy. 2 300km-Gladstone-660-Donnington Air park Townsville. 3 740km-Coen 4 350km- Thursday Island . 5 350km-Kowama-450km-Burktown. 6 630km- Tanami Desert to Elliot 7 630km- Great Sandy Desert to Halls Creek. 8 690km to Telfer. 9 490km-Paraburdo-450km-Carnarvon. 10 West Point, Dirk Harthog Island to Shark Bay . 11 500km-Meekathara-440km-Laverton 12 700km- Great Victoria Desert to Eucla. 13 460km-Ceduna-340km-Port Lincoln . 14 280km Over water to Selecks Beach-560 km-Apollo Bay 15 400km Over Bass Straight to Strahan-280km South East Cape-90km-Hobart. 16 200km-St Hellens-350km-across Bass Straight to Sale . 17 390km- Canberra /Gundaroo, Dick Smith Farm? 18 475km- Manilla Skyranch… Tamworth Distances for 18 Flight days are straight line-actual will be greater. WHO? Willi Ewig….Professional Flyer and previous Operations Manager of the German Ultralight Federation, currently Training and Safety Manager of the Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association and Chief Flying Instructor for Gyro Planes, Ultralights & Microlights, is a fixed wing GA pilot, Para-glider , Hang- glider and Commercial Helicopter pilot. He Operates Manilla Skyranch and has had considerable experience as a professional cameraman on numerous International Documentaries. Don McIntyre….Best selling Author/Award winning Documentary film maker, Solo Around the World Yachtsman, Antarctic Adventurer, Tarmac Rally Car Racer, Part time flyer in fixed wing, Trikes, and Gyro Copter. Margie McIntyre….Gyro Aus. Flight Expedition Co-Ordinator , Sailor, Antarctic Adventurer , Tarmac Rally Car Racer, Part time flyer Fixed wing and Trikes. The McIntyre's received the Australian Geographic Societies highest honor in 1996, a gold medal Award for Excellence as Adventurers of the Year. Otmar Birkner…Chief Designer/Manufacture of the MT-03 and long time Gyro pilot. He produces 150 Gyros per year and is planning to double production soon. WHAT? German Designed and Engineered Gyrocopter MT-03 All structural components of the machine are metal, the airframe and ancillaries from high-grade stainless steel, the rotor system from aviation-grade aluminium. This combination of materials makes the MT-03 highly durable. Pneumatic trim and Rotor Brake. Engine driven pre-rotator. MT-03 Fairey 111D Rotax 912S…………100hp Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII………..375hp Empty Weight………239kg Empty Weight………………..1473Kg Maximum weight……450kg Maximum weight……………..2231kg VNE-Max speed……163kmh VNE-Max speed………………170kmh Cruise………………..120kmh Cruise………………………….129kmh Rate of Climb………….5 m/s Rate of Climb…………………..3.6m/s Fuel capacity………..135ltr |
