Mission 6576 - Stanthorpe to Archerfield

Background

On Wednesday the 29th of June 2011 I flew Mission 6576, making it my 162nd Angel Flight.

The mission description from Angel Flight was:

SUBSEQUENT TRIP REQUEST(10th & 11th ANGEL FLIGHTS):

This lady lives in rural QLD and both she and her husband are on disability pension. She continues her cancer treatment in Brisbane. The public transport costs are beyond their meagre resources and Angel Flight have offered continuing assistance.

The flight to nowhere

It was a mish-mash of weather - blustery with the occasional shower moving through as I prepared the aeroplane for the trip ahead. This matched the forecast that included predictions of isolated showers. So I set off, confident of locating Stanthorpe in the mountains.

As I flew south, I was initially in the clear, but half way along a solid layer of cumulus insinuated itself between myself and the ground. This was not in the forecast. Not to worry, I thought, I should be able to get visual on the way down.

However, this was not to be. I descended to my lowest safe altitude and did occasionally get a glimpse of the ground, but not sufficient to be able to affect a safe approach and landing. So after stooging around for 10 or so minutes in the vicinity of the airfield I had to concede defeat, climb to altitude and head back to Archerfield without picking up my passengers. At least the mobile phone allowed me to notify my passengers, who now faced a four or so hour drive into Brisbane.

En-route to Archerfield I again set atop a layer of cumulus, and dipped below it on descent. I was visual with Park Ridge, the approach point to Archerfield, but, due to a heavy shower between myself and the aerodrome, I did not sight the rotating beacon ontop of the tower until quite close in.

I landed on a dry runway 10L, and rolled out on a wet runway 10L as the rain shower caught up with me again.

In my absence the temperature had plummeted too; I had to go back to the car to retrieve my jacket as I refuelled and tied down the aeroplane.

Summary

During this flights, I