The mission description from Angel Flight was:
SUBSEQUENT TRIP REQUEST: (25th & 26th Angel flights)Originally this return leg from Toowoomba was left open, as the doctors did not know when they'd release Phyllis. So on Monday afternoon, I received a call from Geoff Marsh telling me that they were ready to go now. Unable to leave at such short notice we scheulded the departure for Tuesday morning, noting, however, that the weather was pretty lousy at both Archerfield and Toowoomba. So we put Phyllis and her daughter in law Kerry-Anne on notice that we might have to wait for a better day.A seventy-two year old resident of Charleville requires follow up consultation after chemotherapy for bowel cancer.
Due to the long distances involved, air transport would greatly reduce the travelling time and amount of discomfort experienced by the patient.
I got up early on Tuesday to double check the weather forecast and observations. It was not encouraging. Toowoomba was overcast at 100', making it impossible for me to fly in. So we rescheduled for Wednesday with a departure out of the nearby Oakey Army Airbase. While this would entail a half hour road journey for Phyllis and Kerry-Anne, it had the adavantages of being 700' lower in the plains as opposed to being on top of a ridge, and it has an ILS instrument approach that would allow me to descend to about 250' above the deck.
It had been bucketing overnight, with our rain gauge at home overflowing at about the 60mm (1 ¼") mark, the airfield was sodden and the ATIS was announcing instrument departures. However, the forecast looked pretty good for Oakey and downright optimistic for Charleville.
As I readied the beast for her short flight to Oakey we even got a few rays of sunshine.
I climbed to 6,000' as I headed west and spent most time sitting on top of a solid layer of cloud. Oakey approach had me initially descent to 4,000' and then, about 1 mile out 3,500'. It was at this height that I broke out and spotted the airfield off my left wing. So with a quick circling approach I managed to splash down on runway 32. Phyllis and Kerry-Anne were already waiting for me
Kerry-Anne and Phyllis quickly settled into the back seats and we got airborne at about 9:30, climbing through the layer of cloud and settling in at 10,000'. Before too long all cloud disappeared and we were sitting in the clear as we passed over Roma toward Charleville.
Following a straight-in approach to runway 30 we touched down and taxied to the fuel depot. I helped my charges with their bags and bade them farewell.
Pete from Western Air Services pumped some 163l of AvGas on board. I then refuelled myself with a hot chicken roll before climbing back aboard for the return trip.
Just after take-off I passed over the town ship before turning back east and climbing initially to 9,000'.
The heat of the day was starting to cause small thunderstorm clouds to start building in the previously clear skies. So I climbed to 10.000' where I as sitting above most of them, but still I had so spend a fair bit of time darting off to the left and then the right to remain clear of the turbulence contained within these clouds.
A little over two hours later, I was back on the ground at Archerfield.