Ian Thompson. 1981

Narromime May 1981

Ian Thompson's account of his flights at Narromime.

Well, I have been asked a number of times to relate what it is like to fly at this world renowned site, so here goes.

Firstly, a booking is required to fly with the soaring centre at Narromime and they are usually booked up twelve months in advance. A deposit of $100 is required to confirm your booking. This is, however, deducted from your account when it is finally totalled up. If you wish to make a booking on a particular machine and have sole rights to it, there is a fee of $40 per day booked and will be charged for days they consider soarable. But if you fly the aircraft every day that you have it booked then you incur no extra costs above the normal rates.

Narromime is about 450km west of Sydney, situated in a vast flat plain. Access is by road, rail or air. The rail and air links go via Dubbo about 30km down the road and from there to Narromime by bus. I used a rental car to get there; the costs were comparable with the rail fare and afforded a bit of sightseeing on the way. Accommodation at Narromime is usually arranged during the booking and I found the caravan at the airfield more than adequate with the main meal of the day taken at the local golf course clubhouse.

Oh…. you want to know about the flying? Absolutely fantastic. Having sorted out who the instructors were, I went off to have a check flight in the Janus. The difference in the flying there and at home in Taranaki immediately obvious. The land is FLAT!! Things they call ranges become indiscernible at 5000ft so navigation is by following roads, rivers, railway lines and compass bearings. Having got the checkout done, they sent me off in a Hornet to get some practice in it prior to trying for the 300km. As I didn't get lost or bend it they okayed my attempt for the very next day. As this was my first attempt at a Gold distance task, I had to learn very fast that you do all your own arranging of such things as barograph, camera, filling in the task board etc. I thought that I was going to be left at the tie-down point, but the cross-country launches were delayed until 10am at which time the thermals became obvious. No clouds but columns of dust rising straight off the ground as a thermal went off.

Happily launched, we were off, first to Gillgandra in the north, then south to Parkes airfield and back to Narromime. Five hours and three minutes. A milkrun! Much booze that night, there being several others who completed tasks also. Two days later, I made an attempt at a 500km task but bombed out at 410km along the final leg after five hours thirty-six minutes, (and this in a Cirrus!) Ah well, there is always next year.

The ground organisation at Narromime is excellent, everything totally oriented to soaring. Weather briefings in the mornings, lectures for students, machines and pilots paired off and the instructors working like billy-oh. The office staff make things really easy, supplying maps, cameras, observers, barographs and taking lunch and tea orders. Everything to make the stay as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. Its hot during the day but not too uncomfortable and pleasant during the evenings. Take half as many clothes as you usually need and twice as much money if you go there, then relax and collect the gold and diamonds that are waiting for you.

Would I do it again? My Bloody Oath, Mate!!

Ian Thompson.