Welcome all to this, the last flyer for 2024. Detailed below is the full program and booking details for our February Fly-in to Tasmania. Please get in and book if you are coming, and let George know; it makes the organisers job much easier! I hope to see as many as possible there.
ICS Australasian Tribe 2025 Autumn Fly-in
YLDG (Longdown, Tasmania). Friday Feb 14 to Sunday Feb 16
Our next fly-in will be held from Friday February 14 to Sunday February 16 at George and Maree Mills’ airfield at Longdown in northern Tasmania.
There will be a BBQ at Longdown on Friday evening before the bus takes us into the LeisureInn Penny Royal Hotel in downtown Launceston.
Highlight of this fly-in will be a full-day bus trip (8am to 6pm) on Saturday to view the Wall in the Wilderness (https://thewalltasmania.com.au) at Derwent Bridge. This is one of Australia’s most unique attractions. Using Huon Pine, the wall sculpture is over 3 metres high and over 100 metres in length and required over a decade to carve. The trip down and back will also give us an opportunity to see some of the most beautiful scenery in Tasmania (with someone else doing the driving!).
A 3-course dinner has been booked in the Hotel Restaurant on our return.
Transport to Longdown will be provided on Sunday morning and George is arranging for a Fuel Truck to be available for those needing AVGAS.
George can be contacted on 0427 976500 and is happy to provide both a briefing on Longdown airfield and on the Bass Strait crossing.
We are still looking for anyone who would be prepared to co-ordinate a stop over at either Flinders or King Island immediately prior or after the fly-in.
Accommodation UPDATED
15 rooms have been reserved at the Leisure Inn Penny Royal Hotel (147 paterson St, Launceston) for Friday Feb 14 and Saturday Feb 15. A discount rate of $180 per room per night has been arranged and is available by mentioning the Comanche Society.
The discounted room rate does not include breakfast so you will need to make your own breakfast arrangements on both Saturday and Sunday, noting the early departure times both days.
Accommodation Booking
Booking must be done by phone. Please call the hotel directly on (03) 6335 6600 .
Once you have booked, please send George either an email (geomills@bigpond.com) or a phone call (0427 976500) to let him know you are coming and your planned arrival day and time. This will allow him to confirm our bus transport and catering for the Friday evening BBQ.
Costs
Saturday Tour costs: The full day bus tour is $100 per person. You will need to pay for your own meals on the day plus entry to the Wilderness Wall ($20 per person).
Dinner And Fly-in Costs: There will be a club charge to pay for the Friday night BBQ, Saturday Night dinner ($75 per person) and Bus Transfers. You will also need to pay for your own drinks at both the BBQ and dinner.
AVGAS: Please contact George to arrange for this and agree a payment method.
NOTE: Please make sure to bring sufficient cash to pay for the fly-in and your incidentals as we cannot guarantee that EFTPOS will work outside of Launceston City.
YLGD Details
Please contact George Mills (0427 976500) before departure to confirm strip condition, parking arrangements and obtain a briefing on the arrival procedures.
YLGD is shown on the Launceston Terminal Chart just outside the CTR – 10NM South and beneath the 1500 Class D step. Please find attached the Nov 28 ERSA and current Country Airstrip Guide entries for Longdown along with a north-up Google Earth image.
George suggests you note the large area of covered irrigation to the south of YLGD as an aid if you are having difficulty in identifying the strip.
If for operational reasons or if you do not feel comfortable landing at Longdown, Launceston is the nearest alternate. Call George upon landing to arrange for transport from Launceston Airport to Longdown.
Pilot Proficiency programme
Our 2025 February PPP is scheduled for the weekend 28th Feb to 2nd March at Deniliquin. This is normally well attended and accommodation should be booked as soon as possible. Book directly with “The Coach House” hotel/motel citing the ICS Australasia PPP on 03 5881 1011. We have rooms reserved for the weekend.
ICS International
There are no new developments to report on this front. The Australasian Tribe’s suggestions for a sustainable future were put to the board at the last meeting and are tabled for further discussion at the next meeting on 9th January. As you will see in the latest “Flyer” ICS is seeking members to become “Sustaining Members” by donating an additional membership fee. It is hoped this will bring the budget into the black in 2025 and succeeding years.
Maintenance Data
You are reminded that ICS Australasia maintains a subscription to the current approved maintenance data for our aircraft. Access to this is required by our maintenance shops to sign off all maintenance and installation. Whilst some of the larger organisations may have access of their own to this data the cost may be prohibitive for the smaller organisations. If you or your maintenance organisation need temporary access to the data it can be provided through contacting either Ken Holdsworth on 0427722821 or Nigel Wettenhall on 0418362428.
In winding up, I hope you all had a great Christmas and wish you a very safe and enjoyable 2025.
We have a good program of events scheduled and look forward to participation in the events by as many of you as possible.
Nigel Wettenhall
Assistant tribe Chief