[JUN 15 18:00Z - JUN 16 14:00Z] Cross the Ditch 16

[Nick Johnston]

 

 

Cross the Ditch 16: Winter 2019

The days have grown short and winter has returned to Australasia.

 

From New Zealand's snow-covered South Island to the beaches of Australia's Gold Coast, from wild and windy Wellington to cosmopolitan Melbourne and bustling Sydney, aircraft everywhere are taking to the skies to Cross the Ditch!

 

• Check out the details at the official Cross the Ditch website
  
• Apply to provide ATC
  
• Book your Flights now!
  
• View the Full Event Schedule
  
• Check out the Virtual Airline Leaderboard
  
• Grab the recommended add-on scenery for each of the event airports
  
• Get the official promotional material and promote Cross the Ditch within your community/organisation/contact list!

 

 

 

 

What's it all about?

For twenty hours this December, the skies over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand will be filled with aircraft all on a mission to Cross the Ditch.

An example of that typical down-under understatement, this "ditch" is over 1100nm wide. The flight routes all range from two-and-a-half to four hours flight time.

Throughout the event, the Oceania region's two divisions - VATNZ and VATPAC - will be providing full ATC coverage, in the Southern Hemisphere's premiere oceanic event.

This is a great opportunity to experience Oceanic flying without the need to commit to an eight-hour flight!

If you're new to Oceanic Flying, our reporting tool makes taking part a breeze.

 

 

Event Times

This twenty hour event is timed to allow pilots from all over the world join the fun:

 

• UTC: Saturday 15th June 2019 18:00 - Sunday 16th June 2019 14:00
  
• AEST: Sunday 16th June 2019 04:00 - Monday 17th June 2019 00:00
  
• NZST: Sunday 16th June 2019 06:00 - Monday 17th June 2019 02:00

 

 

Waves

This season's event is organised in waves. Each airport will have a three-to-four hour departure window, during which time flights will be able to leave for the next destination. As the window closes, the departure window will open at the next destination.

Given each of the flights is 2.5 - 4hrs in length, the previous wave's flights will be arriving at the same airport as the next wave departs, maximising the amount of traffic at each airport.

 

NOTE: in order to ensure that you have ATC coverage throughout your flight, you MUST fly the wave route that is active at the time of your departure.

 

The individual routes are designed to ensure as much opposing traffic enroute as possible.

Each flight p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]es from one Oceania division to the other, and the result is six mini-flyins over the course of twenty hours!

 

The Wave Route and Departure Windows for Cross the Ditch 16 - Winter 2019 are:

 

• Wave 1 : 1800-2030z : Christchurch (NZCH) to Sydney (YSSY)
  
• Wave 2 : 2030-0000z : Sydney (YSSY) to Queenstown (NZQN) (B753/A320 and smaller) / Sydney (YSSY) to Christchurch (NZCH) (Wide-body aircraft only)
  
• Wave 3 : 2330-0300z : Queenstown (NZQN) to Gold Coast (YBCG) (B753/A320 and smaller) / Christchurch (NZCH) to Gold Coast (YBCG) (Wide-body aircraft only)
  
• Wave 4 : 0300-0630z : Gold Coast (YBCG) to Wellington (NZWN)
  
• Wave 5 : 0630-1000z : Wellington (NZWN) to Melbourne (YMML)

 

 

Calling all Pilots and Controllers

Flight plans are available from the Flight Plans section.

Book your flights now from the Flight Bookings page. Bookings made on this site help us plan for the event, and will also show up in vroute.

 

Controllers wanting to get in on the action can also apply now at the event's ATC Applications page.

 

Cross the Ditch is brought to you by VATNZ and VATPAC.

[Aharon Dayan]

wooo woooo I never miss NON STOP 24 hour New Zealand events!!!

 

2 months ago or so, I tried to sign up with Vatsim New Zealand forums but have not received any reply or approval. Can you please see what you can do about this?

 

Thanks,

 

Aharon

[Andreas Fuchs]

Will you be offering CPDLC (via Hoppie)?

[Deon Mathews]

Published on the #vatsimevents calendar. https://www.vatsim.net/events/cross-ditch-16

[Nick Johnston]

wooo woooo I never miss NON STOP 24 hour New Zealand events!!!

 

Hi Aharon, can't wait to see you here!

 

2 months ago or so, I tried to sign up with Vatsim New Zealand forums but have not received any reply or approval. Can you please see what you can do about this?

 

I just had a look in the approval queue on the forums and there's nobody pending approval at the moment. Try applying again and I'll keep an eye out for you. (Make sure you use '' for you username, or else the moderation guys will delete you.)

 

 

Nick

[Nick Johnston]

 

Cross the Ditch 16 is now just two weeks away!

 

 

Latest Update:

 

Controllers: The initial ATC roster will be published later this week, so if you want to be part of the controller team for the event, please make sure to sign up at the ATC page as soon as possible.

 

Pilots: Slots are filling up on a number of the routes, so make sure you Book your Flights to claim your spot.

 

The first long range weather update will be issued later this week.

 

 

 

 

Cross the Ditch 16 Links:

 

• Check out the details at the official Cross the Ditch website
  
• Apply to provide ATC
  
• Book your Flights now!
  
• View the Full Event Schedule
  
• Check out the Virtual Airline Leaderboard
  
• Grab the recommended add-on scenery for each of the event airports
  
• Get the official promotional material and promote Cross the Ditch within your community/organisation/contact list!

[Aharon Dayan]

Try applying again

 

Considered it done. You should be able to see my application.

 

Thanks,

 

Aharon

[Nick Johnston]

Initial ATC Roster Published

 

 

Quick update for those who applied to provide ATC: the initial controller roster has now been sent out.

 

Please review the roster and confirm that you are still able to provide ATC during the shift(s) you've been [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned.

 

If you haven't received the mail, check your spam folders and then contact Eric via the Contact page on the CTD website.

 

 

Nick

[Nick Johnston]

 

Cross the Ditch 16 is now less than one week away!

 

 

Latest Update: 9 June 2019 0700z

 

Controllers: The initial ATC roster was published on Friday. If you haven't received a copy, please contact Eric via the website. The roster is pretty much full however there are usually a few changes that take place in the final week leading up to the event, so if you want to be part of the controller team for the event, please make sure to contact Eric as soon as possible.

 

Pilots: Flight bookings have accelerated in the last few days, and are likely to surge again as everyone's schedules for next weekend firm up. There are still a number of good flights available, so make sure you Book your Flights to claim your spot before they're gone.

 

Long Range Weather Forecast

The seven day forecast (see chart below) shows a relatively clear and calm day for Sydney, Gold Coast, and Melbourne with most of Australia nestled beneath a large high. Several models are forecasting a shallow trough centred over New Zealand's South Island during the event. There is the chance of the odd shower for Christchurch, Queenstown, and Wellington, although at this stage winds are forecast to be light and there is a very real possibility that we could be heading for our first ever fully dry Cross the Ditch in sixteen events!

 

No matter which airports you're visiting, the forecast suggests great flying conditions!

 

The caveat here of course is that this is the seven day forecast and, given the relatively low speed with which the weather systems are expected to be moving, the forecast may well evolve over the course of the next week.

 

 

Flight Briefings

Another reason to book your flights ahead of time is that as always we will be mailing out Flight Briefings to all pilots with bookings approximately 24 hours before the event. These will include an updated and more specific weather forecast for each airport along with a run-down of likely active runways and event procedures.

 

 

Nick

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cross the Ditch 16 Links:

 

• Check out the details at the official Cross the Ditch website
  
• Apply to provide ATC
  
• Book your Flights now!
  
• View the Full Event Schedule
  
• Check out the Virtual Airline Leaderboard
  
• Grab the recommended add-on scenery for each of the event airports
  
• Get the official promotional material and promote Cross the Ditch within your community/organisation/contact list!

[Nick Johnston]

 

Cross the Ditch 16 is this weekend!

 

 

Latest Update: 14 June 2019 0600z

 

Controllers: The revised ATC roster was published this afternoon. There were a few changes so please check your shifts again to make sure you know where and when you're expected. If you have any problems, please contact Eric via the website ASAP.

 

Pilots: Flight bookings have more than doubled in the last few days! There are still a selection of good flights available, so make sure you Book your Flights to claim your spot before they're all gone.

 

Weather Forecast

This weekend is shaping up as a good one for flying. Most of the event airports should be relatively clear with calm conditions everywhere except (surprise, surprise) Wellington, which is likely to see moderate winds. The forecast is suggesting that there could be rain on the Gold Coast during the afternoon, and a few showers earlier in the day at Queenstown.

 

We'll be issuing a more detailed weather forecast tomorrow as part of the flight briefing mails that will be sent out to all those pilots who have booked flights.

 

 

Flight Briefings

Another reason to book your flights ahead of time is that as always we will be mailing out Flight Briefings to all pilots with bookings approximately 24 hours before the event. These will include an updated and more specific weather forecast for each airport along with a run-down of likely active runways and event procedures.

 

 

Nick

 

 

 

 

 

Cross the Ditch 16 Links:

 

• Check out the details at the official Cross the Ditch website
  
• Apply to provide ATC
  
• Book your Flights now!
  
• View the Full Event Schedule
  
• Check out the Virtual Airline Leaderboard
  
• Grab the recommended add-on scenery for each of the event airports
  
• Get the official promotional material and promote Cross the Ditch within your community/organisation/contact list!

[Eric Coufmann]

Any controllers able to accommodate CPDLC will have that information in the remarks.

[Andreas Fuchs]

So far nobody on my route :/

[Aharon Dayan]

So far nobody on my route :/

 

I actually saw you on radar. You were AHEAD of a pack or stream of TWENTY-FIVE planes flying from Australia to New Zealand

 

Thanks to all New Zealand controllers for great non stop 24 hour event!!! I flew TWO flights in that event!!

 

I never knew that runway 23 landing for NZQN Queenstown would be allowed in Vatsim and in real life!!!!

 

I had extremely hair raising approach to NZQN runway 23 through surrounding mountains but managed to land successfully!!

 

Regards,

 

Aharon

[Andreas Fuchs]

Oh, I meant that I saw not a single ATCO using Hoppie's ACARS server for CPDLC, that would have been the icing on the cake!

 

My landing in Queenstown was [Mod - lovely stuff]py. I should have gone around, but it was already 2:20am local time at my location, so I was desperate to land and go to bed!