Have I been into Australia?

Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
ian16th
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 10029
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:35 am
Location: KZN South Coast with the bananas
Gender:
Age: 87

Have I been into Australia?

#1 Post by ian16th » Mon May 02, 2016 12:21 pm

This maybe seen as a stupid question, but it ain't.

My wife & I once took a journey with Emirates, our destination was Auckland NZ.

The flight stopped in Brisbane, for an hour, and we pax were made to disembark and we had to take our passports and boarding cards and pass an Australian Immigration guy who checked us against a copy of the passenger manifest.

We spent an hour or so in the 'luxury' of the Transit Lounge, without any Oz$, but they sold us coffee and allowed us to pay with our foreign credit cards. With the charges and lousy exchange rate, the 2 most expensive cups of coffee I have ever bought.

We were then called to embark, and we were each very carefully checked against our passport photo's and the manifest, and went on our way to Auckland.

On our return trip, we went through a similar process.

Now the reason of my question.
My wife and I are considering going to Australia, the Visa Application asks if the traveller has been there before, and there ain't a box for 'Don't Know'!

I realise it all depends if that Emirates passenger manifest was entered into some computer or not.

How do I find out?
Cynicism improves with age

User avatar
500N
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 6985
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 4:27 pm
Location: The Great Southern Land - Melbourne, Aus
Gender:

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#2 Post by 500N » Mon May 02, 2016 12:24 pm

I don't think so.

Unless you pass immigration AND Customs and then cross the line on the floor,
you are still in the international part of the airport.

They probably checked the names / photos just to make sure the right people were in the transit area.

User avatar
Alisoncc
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4260
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:20 am
Location: Arrakis
Gender:
Age: 80

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#3 Post by Alisoncc » Mon May 02, 2016 12:45 pm

Yes you've been to Ozzie Ian, but we didn't let you in. :)) =))

Alison
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

Sent from my PDP11/05 running RSX-11D via an ASR33 (TTY)

User avatar
500N
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 6985
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 4:27 pm
Location: The Great Southern Land - Melbourne, Aus
Gender:

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#4 Post by 500N » Mon May 02, 2016 12:46 pm

Alisoncc wrote:Yes you've been to Ozzie Ian, but we didn't let you in. :)) =))

Alison


:YMAPPLAUSE: :YMAPPLAUSE: :YMAPPLAUSE:

The standards are lower for NZ.

Sisemen

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#5 Post by Sisemen » Mon May 02, 2016 1:01 pm

Word of warning - coffee is even more expensive now. It's probably on account of being so far from the rest of civilisation that coffee purveyors have no feckin' idea what happens in the real world

User avatar
ian16th
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 10029
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:35 am
Location: KZN South Coast with the bananas
Gender:
Age: 87

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#6 Post by ian16th » Mon May 02, 2016 2:17 pm

Alisoncc wrote:Yes you've been to Ozzie Ian, but we didn't let you in. :)) =))

Alison


I didn't want to get in.

In fact I didn't want to get off the a/c. We were 14 hours into a 18 hour flight, I just wanted to sleep.

Since that trip we have been no further than Reunion, and only once to there. The 'glamour' of Jet Setting has definitely been satisfied in this family.

I was spoilt by travelling business class while at work, but when paying our own way, from tax paid income, one has a different perspective.

This is why, IF, and that is a BIG IF, if we do go to OZ, we go with SIA and have nights in a hotel bed in Singers, each way.
Cynicism improves with age

User avatar
ian16th
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 10029
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:35 am
Location: KZN South Coast with the bananas
Gender:
Age: 87

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#7 Post by ian16th » Mon May 02, 2016 2:20 pm

500N wrote:
The standards are lower for NZ.



Not so much lower, but simpler. We didn't need a Visa!

A 3 month stamp on arrival, with a smile :YMPARTY:
Cynicism improves with age

User avatar
Alisoncc
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4260
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:20 am
Location: Arrakis
Gender:
Age: 80

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#8 Post by Alisoncc » Mon May 02, 2016 5:17 pm

ian16th wrote:The 'glamour' of Jet Setting has definitely been satisfied in this family.

I know exactly where you are coming from Ian. Have numerous retired golfing friends who are constantly jetting off somewhere, who look at me in astonishment that I have no real desire to go anywhere, but when I question them they never ever went anywhere before retirement. Often felt before retirement that I was rarely in the country. Now have no need to go anywhere.


Alison
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

Sent from my PDP11/05 running RSX-11D via an ASR33 (TTY)

User avatar
ExSp33db1rd
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3229
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:51 am
Location: Lesser Antipode
Gender:
Age: 89

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#9 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Tue May 03, 2016 12:34 am

Aussie / NZ Imm.

As crew members we had to complete a "Form 5" ( I think it was called ?) which was a Crew Members Customs Dec. showing what we had that would be re-shown on departure - to prove that we hadn't flogged to Aussies any expensive Nikon cameras purchased on the previous transit of Singapore en route to Aus.

On one occasion our Flt. Eng. was taken sick and replaced by a colleague flown down from Sin, who of course had arrived as a passenger the day before, so on departure as crew he had no crew Form 5 to show. The Jobsworth on duty didn't know how to handle this, as crew you MUST deposit a Form 5 to be allowed to depart. Absolute deadlock, aircraft delayed, rants and raves to no avail, eventually our Skipper took the Flt. Eng. aside and quietly gave him a blank Form 5 that he had acquired from somewhere during all the hiatus. Form 5 duly completed, Skipper counter-signed it with a squiggle and then the Flt . Eng miraculously "discovered" it, forgotten at the bottom of his briefcase. Honour satisfied.

Prior to our emigration to NZ, we were issued with permission to enter NZ for a short period on a temporary Visa, and "one may " then apply for a Resident Visa to stay permanently, trouble was that initial temporary Visa had an expiry period once activated so we didn't want that clock to start ticking too soon. On one of my last working trips before retirement, Mrs. ExS accompanied me to Auckland, house to organise etc. etc. I was entering as crew, so no problem with my Imm. status, but Mrs ExS asked for a short term visitor visa, just for the 2 days that my flying roster dictated. No Way said the Jobsworth, you have been granted an application for a permanent Visa and it must be activated NOW . This didn't suit our timetable for the period allowed once we started our eventual retirement, so she said No thank you, I'm not applying to activate the permission granted for permanent residency at this stage,please just give me short term Visa and I will activate the permanent one when we finally retire, the permission granted says "may" apply for a permanent Visa, I am not therefore applying at this time. Deadlock. Eventually she returned to the aircraft we had just come in on and flew out again !! Bureaucracy in the hands of Jobsworths know no bounds. And it doesn't get better, nobody learns - or listens ! QED.

User avatar
dubbleyew eight
Capt
Capt
Posts: 1207
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 8:13 am
Location: vaguely somewhere
Age: 71

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#10 Post by dubbleyew eight » Tue May 03, 2016 11:10 am

exspeedbird a question re your avatar.
how on earth to you fit into the cockpit of a turbulent?
has it got the seat tweaked rearward?
are you a short guy?
I built 3/4 of a turbulent and found I couldnt get into the cockpit so I had no choice but to give away the project to a short guy.
I'm 5ft 10".
serious questions btw.

User avatar
A Lutra Continua
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2527
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:05 am
Location:

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#11 Post by A Lutra Continua » Wed May 04, 2016 5:20 am

My Sonex has a slightly raised canopy and almost no seat foam in that it's a thin layer of high density. It's also been constructed with a single centre stick so I can fly from the middle with feet on the two outboard rudder pedals. Many have suggested I fit long range tanks with all the space and weight saved, but there's no way in hell I want to spend more than an hour or two with my arse on a thin layer of foam.

I'm 6'4".

User avatar
ExSp33db1rd
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3229
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:51 am
Location: Lesser Antipode
Gender:
Age: 89

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#12 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Wed May 04, 2016 6:00 am

dubbleyew eight - wilco, standby.

User avatar
ExSp33db1rd
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3229
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:51 am
Location: Lesser Antipode
Gender:
Age: 89

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#13 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Thu May 05, 2016 1:22 am

exspeedbird a question re your avatar.
how on earth to you fit into the cockpit of a turbulent?
has it got the seat tweaked rearward?


No, surprisingly for one who is 5'11" I don't seem to have a problem, and there is a canopy designed for the Aus. copy of the TURB. - the Corby Starlet - under which I can also still fit but prefer the Wind In My Hair experience. (the engine cowling is a Corby Starlet accessory as well ) Wearing the puffer jacket gives me a bit of a squeeze across the sides, and with the canopy off the slipstream tries to remove my headset, I've fashioned a Velcro loop to the top of my helmet to sort that !

I love it, but it is giving starting problems at the moment, no starter means that one can only get one spark at a time, at a time, at a time - and one sometimes runs out of puff ! The only time it ever fired first swing was when I had left the throttle open after pre-start priming - distracted by an onlooker ( my excuse ) - fortunately the chocks held but the increasing power lifted the tail before I could run around to grab the throttle. Murphy is always with us. That cost me a prop.

I now tie the tail down to a concrete block, or a nearby fence, but it gets a bit exciting when one is alone on a deserted strip ! With no parking brake one has to be nifty with the chocks removal, and recently I've taken to chocking the tail wheel with a chock that can be pulled into the cockpit with a suitable length of rope, and I believe others tie to a fence with a Highwaymans Hitch that can equally be released from the cockpit.

I have a friend who built a TURB. from scratch, and did re-rig the seat back a couple of inches. He also fitted electronic ignition and starts the beast with a nonchalant push on the prop with a couple of fingers, it starts straight away - I hate him !

,

User avatar
dubbleyew eight
Capt
Capt
Posts: 1207
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 8:13 am
Location: vaguely somewhere
Age: 71

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#14 Post by dubbleyew eight » Thu May 05, 2016 3:13 pm

thanks for that. I have flown a turbulent.
I shoehorned into the cockpit with some effort.
cockpit has the 2 inch aft mod but I'd hate to fly it like that for any length of time. far too cramped for comfort.
superb flying characterstics.

User avatar
ExSp33db1rd
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3229
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:51 am
Location: Lesser Antipode
Gender:
Age: 89

Re: Have I been into Australia?

#15 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Fri May 06, 2016 12:19 am

The longest flight I've done was just under 2 hours, with a rucksack/nightstop gear tucked under my knees in front of the rudder pedals ( don't tell the CAA ! )

Post Reply