RNZAF Radar Avoidance Mission

[Toz]

G'day all,
this mission is a real RNZAF mission from the 1950's & 60's.
Takeoff is from Wigram 21 . This is a MILITARYmission, and therefore no matter WHAT the wx are, takeoff is on 21.
The reason for this is so that you will not be visually picked up by all the Nasty Invaders who have just landed at New Brighton, and are Taking Over the City.

You will fly at LESS than 300 AGL. This is so you are in ground clutter, and invisibull to radar.
You will fly across the old bomb range on Lake Ellesmere, and hang a left, flying round the outside of Banks Peninsular.
Now, I know that GPS is a VERY tempting option, and I guess if you choose to do this mission in a C130, GPS may even be " allowable ". But the blokes I know did this in Harvards, so MAP READING and very good DR were required.
Once you come around the eastern side of the peninsular, do NOT shoot direct for the Waimakariri River......you want to plot a course that means a square approach, which of course, will mean a course change some 5 miles off the coast so that you shoot the river mouth square on. ( gee.......i hope this makes sense ! ).

Once you are in the river bed, try to stick to less than 200 AGL, as you will be flying withing visual range of the NZCH tower. Keep ur eyeballs skinned. navigate the river bed. Once you are genuinely in the mountains, hop out of the riverbed. Your final destination is Lake Sumner ( Sunmer ???). Take 100% advantage of any " cover " you can find.
I will bet the RNZAF actually have a " route " that I know nothing about, but its fun doing it off ur own bat.

I took the VA guys I fly with on this run, and they kept asking what the FP was. Darn it.....I had sent them maps, and a full briefing, but they still didnt get it........but eventually they settled down, and even enjoyed it. Just shows how much 717 pilots miss sometimes huh ??? We even found a spot to " drop off " supplies etc up at Sumner. After that it was thru the Southern Alps to NZWB. I did trout spotting , while they all flew at FLwhateveritwas.......just like typical comm pilots ( which one of them was ! ).

Its a HARD MISSION. If you get it wrong, thats ok. Dont sweat it. Just dont make a hole.
Try it in Huey, or A4 , or whatever......it makes it a different mission !
Lotsa fun. Have a blast.

Cheers,
Toz

[Ian Warren]

hey yo , Toz .. around airports, especially NZCH they have 'FOLLOW ME' trucks ... maybe i should thro 'FOLLOW ME' sign on a Harvard well go 200 AGL max al the way

[towerguy]

Another one for you to try

This is one of the Airtrainer training missions from years gone by.

Depart Wigram and fly IFR to Hokitika and carry out the Hokitika NDB approach to minimums and then proceed VFR up over the pass and then its 250AGL all the way out to the coast at a point 20nm north of Brighton. You then run along he coast low level with a Time on Target requirement to be abeam the clock tower at your nominated time +/- 30seconds. This is the real standard used for the flight. Nominate your Target time before startup and fly with real weather. NO GPS as we didn't have it at the time. Just map reading, clock and basic instruments for the IFR leg.

Use any aircraft, you will just amend the departure time to achieve the nominated target time at the other end.

enjoy
(even though there isn't a 'boundary rider' chasing you, you'll probably end up sweating buckets just like us sproggy cadets did )

[SUBS17]

That sounds like a fun mission IRL though RNZAF pilots fly lower than 200ft often even quater of that in some places.