Longreach Qantas Founders Museum trip with pics (not 56k friendly!!!)

Romulus · 18-11-2009, 10:20 PM

I had the opportunity to take another trip to Longreach after a two day workshop in Sydney. The beauty of being on the east coast is the ease of travel and the relatively low expense compared to coming over from the West.

I left Sydney Friday evening and caught the early flight up to Brisbane. I departed Sydney at 650pm and arrived in Brisbane 710pm. Short 20 minute flight

: Not really, Qld doesn't have DLS so I arrived in at a reasonable time. The taxi ride to my overnight accomodation was wild - I wish all taxi drivers drove this way

Got up early to catch QF2532, the 655am flight to Longreach. Aircraft was a Dash 8 Q400. Short trip, direct to Longreach. Flight took just under 2 hours

Got to Longreach, picked up a hire car and checked in. The accommodation was only 500m from the airport, but with temps around 38-43 degrees forecast bugger walking. The taxi service probably isn't as frequent as it would be in the city either, so a hire car was in order.

Took the hire car for a quick run to Ilfracombe to see just how well the new FG XR6's are. I came away very impressed with it's performance and comfort

Quick turn around and back to Longreach, watching out for the flying Kangaroo

A little further down the road, looking through the 38 degree heat haze

A nice contrast of a quality Ford product and Boeing product

VH-EBQ and VH-XBA side by side

No photographs are allowed to be taken of the cabin of VH-XBA, although the video of VH-XBA shows the current cabin layout. It is very luxurious, although the trim does show it's age. Glass tube tv's and big globes could easily be done away with and replaced with LED/LCD screens and LED lighting to save some weight. I was able to take some pics of the flight deck, or cockpit as better known

A short walk down the stairs and up a small set of stairs to stand in the engine cowling of a Rolls Royce RB211. This one's a baby, only makes around 29000hp. The current General Electric GE90-115B makes approximately 111,500hp! Kind of puts things in perspective when looking at aircraft engines compared to automotive engines. So are the prices too, USD$24m for a GE90 vs. ~$20k for a blown Boss.

Aboard the cabin, looking towards the rear

Door 3L with it's skin removed showing the green protective coating, and the slide/raft

Down in the avionics bay

Me in the captain's seat, slight grin on my face as I was explaining to the tour guide....

....if I flick the STANDBY IGNITION switch from NORM to ON, and swith the ENGINE IGNITION switches to FLT Start .....

....and set the throttles to rich.......

....we should be able to kick her in the guts again. The look on the tour guide's face was priceless, especially considering the story she told us of a prank they played on a couple of tourists a few weeks back. For a moment she thought I'd be able to get EBQ started

:

Quick walk on the wing

In the museum, where a RR211 is on display

Intake

Specs sheet for the RR211 on display

For an aviation enthusiast like me the trip to Longreach is well worthwhile. The tour guide told us that "Connie" was expected to arrive within the next few weeks, adding another aircraft to the collection. There is talk of perhaps XBA and Connie becoming flying exhibitions - although it is mere speculation. The cost to keep these aircraft in airworthiness condition is large, thus would require serious funding or ticket sales to make it possible. We shall see what happens.

The flight back on Sunday afternoon from Longreach to Brisbane was short, a tad under 2 hours, on another Dash 8 Q400. The flight from Brisbane to Perth was also quick, taking only 4 hours 20 minutes. Good flying conditions had us tracking more inland towards the centre of Oz rather than heading over the GAB. My previous trip from BNE to PER in early October took 5 hours 30 minutes.

Something I wasn't 100% comfortable with was the humming of the engines on the 767. I just don't like the low level vibration and spooling up and down these engines have during cruise. Never mind, the flight was quick, seats comfortable and the service was once again great.

Looking forward to going again soon.

Fev · 19-11-2009, 09:09 AM

Interesting pics. I remember way back when i was about 7 with Ansett flying to the Red Centre and i got to check out the cockpit

Pity you can't anymore (for innocent reasons anyway)

You thrashed the FG right

hehe

**Raptor** · 19-11-2009, 09:58 AM

Thanks for sharing TVS. Great pics.

Longreach is definitely on the to-do list. Both for the QANTAS museum and the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame. One of these days

:

Nice score with the FG XR6 hire car. I had one when I was last in Melbourne and was also quite impressed.

Cheers, Rob

CAMS290 · 19-11-2009, 08:30 PM

Awesome pics. I love 'em

DBourne · 20-11-2009, 07:54 AM

thanks for sharing mate

Riksta · 20-11-2009, 12:08 PM

That's awesome, another museum to add to the "I want to go!" list.

What's the reason for no photos of the cabin of VH-XBA?

CAMS290 · 20-11-2009, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riksta

That's awesome, another museum to add to the "I want to go!" list.

What's the reason for no photos of the cabin of VH-XBA?

I heard awhile ago that VH-XBA was still fitted out the way the Arab Sheik had it, and Qantas was looking for a original period interior for it............not sure if that's true or not.

Romulus · 20-11-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAMS290

I heard awhile ago that VH-XBA was still fitted out the way the Arab Sheik had it, and Qantas was looking for a original period interior for it............not sure if that's true or not.

Pretty close to the mark......the previous owner's religion/custom prohibits seating areas and tables to be photographed. I believe QFM is looking at having the restriction relaxed.

Lukeyson · 20-11-2009, 12:22 PM

great pics

Good to see you got to hire a XR this time over the pov pack

**Peuty** · 20-11-2009, 12:33 PM

Any more (outside) pics of the 707?

TC200six · 20-11-2009, 05:52 PM

Brings back memories from when I was in Longreach back in 2006. The 707 wasn't there nether was there any FGs. Another place to see in Longreach is the Stockman's Hall of Fame across the highway.

Romulus · 20-11-2009, 08:45 PM

I do have more pics of the 707, give me a day or so to find them and I'll show them.

The stockman's museum is also worth a visit, it provides a good run down of the area and it's history. I didn't take any pics from the Stockman's museum although I will when go back.

I believe the tour guide from QFOM may have mistaken Connie for the Catalina aircraft. VH-EAX was due in Longreach this week or next but an issue with the right engine has it stuck in Thailand. A replacement engine is needed for it. No ETA as to when that will occur.

V3RSAC3 · 21-11-2009, 12:32 AM

That would be absolutly killer to see!. And to also see how they set them up also would be a sight I would be interested in!. Anything big and I'm all into it, Planes, Boats ect.

How was the other Plane in comparesion?

EB_5.0_WAGON · 22-11-2009, 10:11 AM

Im still trying to work out how they stopped the bigger one( sorry not a plane nut so dont know types) on the runway at Longreach. I know its only a relatively short runway.

Another place to visit up around that area is the pub that banjo paterson wrote "waltzing Matilda". Its not at the museum at Winton as they lead you to beleive but actually at a small pub on the left hand side heading north about an hour out of Winton.

CAMS290 · 22-11-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EB_5.0_WAGON

Im still trying to work out how they stopped the bigger one( sorry not a plane nut so dont know types) on the runway at Longreach. I know its only a relatively short runway..

This video will show you, the pilot seems to know what he is doing.

This is the 747
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceCt2_hPoGY

And the 707
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THbXQ...eature=related