NZFF

The Trans Tasman Endurance Challenge


Idea:
Everyone has flown the old trans Tasman route, Auckland to Sydney, just three hours of autopilot controlled flight in the big airliners, but who here has ever attempted to cross the ditch in a small propeller aircraft, like the real life pilots who ferry new and sold aircraft from Ozzie to NZ?

"¦I didn't think you had, after all it is a 10 hour island hopping haul, and a flight that would not be that much fun by yourself"¦ and that is why I want to do it on multiplayer, flying in formation with as many people as possible, an overnight endurance challenge to sort the men from the boys.

If enough people are interested, we will be able to break the record for the longest and largest multiplayer formation that the flight simulator community will ever see!


Route:
Depending on how many people choose to join in, we will fly in "waves' in groups of five.

Each group will start from a regional North Island airport, and then make their way to Auckland (NZAA), where we can hopefully organize some online ATC to guide us in, and out up to Kaitaia (NZKT). Each group will land and refuel, then cross the Pacific to land at Nolfolk Island (YSNF), refuel again, and head west across the Tasman to Lord Howe Island (YLHI) where we land and refuel for a third time.

If all goes to plan, the Ozzie simmers will have done a similar effort, and bought a few aircraft over from the mainland who can then escort the different waves back from Lord Howe to Coffs Harbor (YSCH), on the eastern coast of Australia.


Aircraft:
Oh the possibilities. We could all fly the same aircraft, or each "wave' could have a different group of aircraft. One thing I am certain on is that each aircraft participating will have a custom paint job and tail number which will only be available to download by individual pilots and will therefore be unique! I am also thinking sponsorship on these livery's, sponsorship which includes prizes perhaps, so there is an incentive to complete a 10 hour flight"¦ sounds like a front page news story for Avsim!


Date:
Yet to be decided, but sometime near the end of this year before Christmas. This way, it gives us enough to plan the event thoroughly, make sure we have no other activities planned for the night of the flight, and give us something to look forward to as well!


Servers:
I'm not too sure about this either as I don't fly on multiplayer as often as I would like to, but I would like it to work like this is possible:

• Each pilot who signs up is given a password which they will need to access the server, so no random people join and try to screw this up.
• Each "wave' group gets their own teamspeak server to chat via microphone with their fellow formation pilots.
• There is no limited number of players that can join the session, ie, if you don't want to fly in the challage, "spectators' can just park up at Coffs Harbour and do some virtual planespotting when we start arriving in our formations"¦
• We will have ATC controllers covering each airport we land to keep things nice and tidy, they will be crucial to this event.


So, if you are interested in making flightsim history, post your name below, the more pilots the merrier!

I'd be happy to do some ATC for you, if its needed.

Alex

Awsome idea trolly!

I'll be joining you , thats is if my parants will let me
Hopefully i will!

James

P.S would we be alowed to use a autopilot? wedd al have rather sore arms after with if i we couldnt

[EDIT]

an overnight endurance challenge

Each "wave' group gets their own teamspeak server to chat via microphone with their fellow formation pilots.

hmm maby talking to our computers mightnot be a good idea at 2am!
What about lunch time start instead?

Glad you are both keen!

Of course autopilot could be used, who is going to clutch a joystick for 10 hours straight with out getting paid for it? Even airline pilots don't do that!

I still think an overnighter would still be the best option, because starting at midday would mean missing meals, good old summer daylight, time with your friends etc- but if we can do it in the summer holidays it would just mean stacking up on some Red Bull and having a longer kip the next day. As the name suggests, this really is an Endurance Challenge Jimmy

Dick Smith himself recently flew from I think Sydney to a spot on the west coast of the south island in a cessna caravan.He was recreating one of those early flights done by one of the old pioneers of aviation. Apologies for not knowing who or when.What I do know is that Dick Smith did the hop only a couple of months ago. I think he may have had extra tanks in his Caravan,as he was the only person on the plane he could afford quite a bit of extra weight in fuel. I'm only guessing about the extra fuel maybe if you take off in the default caravan and climb high enough you could glide to the west coast if you should run out not too far from land!

Yes this certainly will be a endurance test! no food for 10hours for me ,,ahh no i take that back

I'm think I should be able to do it over night, just have to shut my door and speak quitly summer holidays is a good idea too (oo but so lang to wait )

I am flying straight in.
Your overnighter will give me a nice dayflight!!!!

Max.

Hey I would be keen to join your endurance flight but what sort of helicopter could I use ????

You can count me in. One question though: VATSIM or IVAO? I vote VATSIM.

I really don't mind which network we use, if its IVAO, I'll control, VATSIM I'll fly (hopefully ). Personally I vote IVAO, since I'm already set up there, but I'll go either way .

Alex

Count me in for this one.

So is this still going to happen?

So is this still going to happen?

Yep, when the NCEA exams have finished and it's the summer holidays

It is going to be part of the NZFFac, a special online event.

So what about those of us who don't have school holidays, or NCEA?? huh?

I'd like to think I'll be there. Squirrell you serious about flying a Helo? I'm a keen Helo pilot too but man that's a long way,you can't trim and supervise like a fixed wing.
Alex, love the BMW logo, I suppose not that many know it's a spinning prop after all!
Think I'll take my new Feelthere Caravan or maybe the WOP Mustang P51. I suppose I won't know untill the rules are clear, I understand it'll be singles only.

yup ill do it no autopilot helicopter to oz ill be waiting for the islands to come up but it sounds like a challange to me i did 300nm the other night so ten hours + sounds awesome hhhhmmmmm what helo shall we take ...? well have to take those 44 gallon drums with us and refuel on some rock
yup count me in ...

Wow that really will be endurance, youl be able to take your hand of the stick thow wont you?

Even after only 4hours handflying lastweekend I could hardly use my hand it was so sore lol gota get used to it I suppose.