Yes, we are crazy about flying and yes, we are even crazier about flying in South Africa. But the good thing is….we are not the only ones!
So for the first time I organize “my” flying holidays together with 8 more people: Petra, Reinhard, Jan Robert and Rick will spend 2 weeks with us, Robin is joining later this week and last not least my dear friend Kajsa with her 2 kids will be with us for the Botswana round.
Curious what we are doing? Well, then follow our diary…just after 24 hours I already know, we will experience yet again new things, surprises and challenges!
Day 1 – Monday
Flying in SA also means knowing the difference – the validation days always start with some theory
After our arrival yesterday this will be our first day of flying – hurra! Well….at least this is the plan! But we do not even have to open the curtains to know: there won’t be any flying today! The African winter skies are crying and this in bucket loads.
How does your plane perform 8.300 ft high?
Nevertheless we head to Brakkies (FABB) after breakfast – plenty of theory to be taken in: flying rules at FABB, within the Jo’burg Special Rules Zone, repetition of density altitude and leaning, all the lovely specialities and differences of European and South African Airlaw. And how does it work again to fly a variable pitch prop? For most in our group this will be the first time. Take off and landing at a bushstrip? Not really the same as our standards.
Did you ever sit with 6 flying enthusiasts of different backgrounds together?
Well, then you know what happens: We are discussing, exchanging experiences and simply chit chat about the best hobby of the world – no boring moment today, but lots of new learnings for all. Sometimes it is not the worst to happen when you have to stay grounded.
During the breaks there is enough time to discover – just have a look which beauties we find in the hangars:
Day 2 – Tuesday
Getting to know the ZS JOE
“Please let there be flying weather”, I pray silently when opening the curtains….just to look at a solid blanket of fog. Not to worry then – this will clear up in no time as soon as the soon warms up. After breakfast we are heading to Brakkies: the first familarization flights as well as the dreaded Airlaw exam to get the South African license are on the agenda today. While we wait that the weather clears there is plenty of time for some last minute revision. Do you remember all the light signals an airport can give to you? What are the actual altitudes you have to stick to in South Africa? And are you or are you not allowed to use a shaver during critical period of flight? Very important things to know for sure – especially the last one!
Ivan gives us a privat aerobatics show in his Pitts
But there are more things happening here…as usual. Ivan turns up – the guy who restored his Stearman to absolute glory, travelling airshows all over the country today. So we will meet him again on Botswana Airshow. But before we go there, he has to fly in the engine of one of his Pitts. Unfortunately he has to move away from the field for that, but by the time we hear him returning, aeroclub chairman Kevin has joined us. Kevin grabs our handheld and quickly uses his chairman authorities: “Come on Ivan, let us see some fun! You are the only up there anyway!” So that what Ivan is doing – our own little airshow! “Enough now?” we eventually hear him again. Kevin’s answer: “Well, guess we only need to have a low level inspection of RW 23 to finish off, please.” Well, if you did not just start reading our blog now, then you know from previous reports already: there is no RW 23 at FABBs…so yes, we also get a very very low fly over to enjoy.
4 years are planned to get this Skyraider restored – including the 18 cylinder radial engine with 2.700 PS
Enough for the day? Certainly not! To recover from this Kevin takes us to one of the hangars: “Meet Ape, who will be restoring this Skyraider in the coming 4 years!” Just one more reason to come back frequently to watch his progress.
The right way to finish off a busy day….HiFlyerz bar
Day 3 – Wednesday
“When you take her up in the air, she just wants to play, my little mistress”
Are we really in South Africa? Once more we grab winter and rain coats when we head to Brakkies and yes, our spirits are sinking a bit. We are here to go flying but Petrus seems to be really against it! Upon arrival we have the next bad news: JOE has a flat tyre. Rick volunteers to help changing it – another flying related lesson learnt for him. While we are waiting at Skyterminal, chairman Kevin pops by. “Wanna see my family?” Sure, there is nothing better to do anyway. So he takes us to meet his Cessna 182 which Kajsa will be flying later on the Botswana trip. With a big smile he then opens hangar C7: “You met my reliable wife, now meet my mistress.” And what a beauty she is.
Kevin tells his piloting story: “I started lessons in the late 1970s but did not like my instructor, so I stopped. I tried again in the 90s, but was simply too busy workwise. In 2000 I saw a Piper Cherokee coming along and bought it. Now that I had a plane I simply had to make time to get my license and that’s what I did.”
Nanchang CJ6A – one out of 3 in South Africa
On our way back to Skyterminal I notice that another hangar door stands open, one where we have been told to sneak in whenever possible. And very rightly Kevin points out: “The man cave is open. Let me see if I can introduce you all to Gordon.”
Gordon is proud to show us around his Man Cave
And surely Gordon welcomes us warmly to his “hangar” – a flight museum, lovely home and well yes….his hangar all in once. We are fascinated by the model planes he has collected, the photos and posters, little flight related details of furniture and last not least his stories. “I do not like things from China, but one day I saw the Lanchang landing at Brakkies for refueling and I knew I need to have her. Today I have approximately 1.000 flying hours in her on paper – and I guess not more than 10 in real. I always fly her from the front seat, but just do the take offs and landings. Cruise is done by the guy sitting behind me so that I can simply enjoy her!”
And then finally our program starts: Petra heads off for her check flight, Reinhard and Jan Robert join us to get the Botswana route programmed into their respective laptops. Now that we know the preferences of the group we adjust the routing slightly to make it even more exciting for everybody. Lunch is taken at the club house today – the constant rain and drizzle does not allow the braai on Skyterminal’s roof terrace.
5 years after its foundation Brakpan Aero Club had to borrow 5 pounds from the bank to built their club house
And again we stumble over a little peace of funny information: Brakpan Aeroclub was founded in 1924 and borrowed 5 pounds from the bank in 1929 to make their “business” work. The original certificates are until today on the wall of the clubhouse. Hard to imagine now – but another thought strikes as well: “I want to be back here in 6 years time when they celebrate their 100 years party!”
So far we just know the Caravan from the Aero….and then only from the outside
When Rick heads off with Clemens, Glen and Mike to do his check flight in combination with picking up some more planes from other fields, we are giving up. A nice relaxed afternoon is a good alternative to the cold rainy surroundings on the field – even though we have filled the time with all these other things. But sure enough, the moment we are getting into the car, yet another beauty is arriving and we stop again. Ape, owner of the Douglas Skyraider which is restored just arrived with his brand new Cessna Caravan and once again the nosy (or should I say curious) Europen visitors are allowed on board to discover. Thanks for that Ape!
“Flying this one is like flying a C182” – the PICs comment wakes new dreams about future careers in us
Day 4 – Thursday
Ready for departure RW 18 at FABB
Blue skies, crisp air, sunshine – this is what we have expected all along, this is what we are here for, this is what we get today! In perfect happy smiley spirit the group takes off to Brakkies and I to the spa at the hotel.
Turning into Downwind left hand circuit RW 18 at FABB
What better place could there be to finally read the POH of the plane I will take on the trip while being pampered at the same time 🙂
Clean and relaxed Mike comes to collect me and together we take into the African skies. A few rounds within the local training area and some T&Gs at FABB and I am getting the hang of ZS-PLF. No there are no foot brakes and it takes getting used to to use the parking break to slow done. And it takes even more getting used to to trip via a crank handle on the cabin ceiling to trim, but I guess PLF and me will be friends during this trip.
In the meantime we get news of the group: all landed safely and happy in Kunkuru – roughly an hour North of Jo’burg. This is were they will be staying for the next couple of nights to do some extra training on challenging strips within the area: (too) short, gravel, grass, dirt, full of holes, uphill, obstacles….I am curious to hear their stories when we meet again on Saturday.
Dreamteam Flo & Mike reunited again
Day 5 – Friday
Washing line with a pilot’s view
The day starts with some simple calculation:
Flying holidays in South Africa = Travelling light
Travelling light = As little luggage as possible
As little luggage as possible = Washing is necessary in between
As it is cold and grey once again (what did I do to deserve this?) drying might become a challenge as all needs to be ready to be packed tonight.
Airwork briefing with Mike – oh yes, we will practise precautionary landings
Anxiously we watch the arrivals at Jo’burg. Robin is on his way and should land around 9 this morning. BA took off late yesterday evening (I will spare you all the messages about stand by tickets and other obstacles along his way) but obviously managed to catch up enroute. Just before 10 I am happy to welcome him in South Africa and we head directly to Brakkies.
And there he goes: Robin takes ZS-PLF into the grey African sky
After a warming cup of tea we start our briefing: Runway directions, orientation points, altitudes, radio. While he gets a break to have a look at the Yak together with Kevin, we get ZS-PLF out of the hangar…and so the training continues.
When Mike arrives from his “day job” in the AirForce I hand Robin over for some more detailed briefings of their trip together for today. Unfortunately all the sight seeing has to be skipped as the weather is closing in more and more, but much more important anyway is to get to know the plane and its performance. So off they head to the training area again for “just the usual exam stuff”. Here we go – I feel for Robin! Like me a couple of years ago he only got his license a week ago. Having another “exam” is simply no fun, I remember. But when I see the spark in his eyes and his big smile I stop worrying: he is just curious to hit the sky and fly a new plane with lots of learnings to come in the next week!
Hard to miss that Avgas will be available at this field! Rick obviously found i
Happy after some Pitts aerobatics in the grey Jo’burg skies
In the meantime we receive the first pictures of the bushpilot guys. More happy smiling faces there….and do you notice something else? I see T-shirts and shorts while I make myself another cup of coffee to warm up. I guess they are not just having fun, but also brilliant African weather up in the North! Guys…enjoy…you deserve it after the grey Jo’burg days!
But our spirits are high anyway and Robin is also catching up quickly: Ivan invites him for a spin in his Pitts…and we are sure the others will be jealous about this experience and Robin already now cannot take the smile of his face.
Day 6 – Saturday
First game drive….we cannot wait
ZS-PLF crew is on its way and happy
And finally we go! After some stomach ache if Kajsa and her kids will make it, Robin, Mike and me are taking of around lunch from Brakkies, the bush guys are already in the air – and Kajsa’s car just pulls in the airport when we are taking off. Sightseeing en route to Polokwane – where we all meet. Kajsa in her 182 is much faster than we are and goes directly – and the others are there already as well.
Quickly we fill up the planes, empty all our luggage and head into the airport building: border control it is! Good-bye South Africa….Botswana next! Clemens hurries us along as he just had a call: customs at Limpopo Valley is only waiting for us now and usually finishes at 4. So they are happy when we finally arrive at 4:30….while we are happy to see the snacks and drinks the lodge has prepared for us already upon arrival.
And that’s not the last surprise: as we fill up 2 game vehicles we still get our game drive (even though we have to skip the sundowner due to timing)! Now the safari part has definitely started!
How lucky can you be? A cheeta with her prey is our first sighting!
Day 7 – Sunday
Limpopo Valley
After the amazing viewings we had yesterday we are motivated to get woken at 5:30 am for another quick gamedrive.
This we will never forget for sure
And once again luck strikes: we watch in awe as a leopard eats her prey in a tree! Unfortunately not much more we see as the weather is closing in, but this alone was worth the early start and will certainly never be forgotten. After a healthy breakfast we head to the field: our reliable little planes are waiting for us – and our rangers don’t mind to take or group memory picture. I guess they even have fun themselves when I explain the old chicks tradition: 1-2-3-jump!
We have a long day ahead: the first leg is relatively short, in theory. Did you read carefully above?
Kasane International after a bit more of 4 hours of flying
The weather is closing in…..and unfortunately we are pretty much caught up in it! So we meander our way through rain showers and grey clouds, some of us climbing high, the rest trying to stay 500 ft above the ground so that at least visibility to the ground is given. No – we did not expect this and we do not feel comfortable. Without safety pilots none of us would have done that! But together we feel safe – and are treated with lovely blue skies as far as we can see when we finally make it through the front 40nm out of Francistown.
Here we all meet again to refuel – then we start the longest leg of the trip: roughly 2,5 hours we head North towards Kasane, green pastures, straight line and level flying…once again in theory…or could you resist a couple of 360s when you are flying over a waterhole with elephants? Well, we certainly can’t!
Pilots can also be very happy on the water
Once more we are welcomed by the lodge staff upon arrival and immediately brought to our next game drive: this time we the boat! Chobe river is an excellent nature reserve for hippo and crocodile viewing – and we are even spoilt again with some elephants. It seems after the first cold and rainy days now our luck, the good weather and most of all the holiday spirit has started!
Day 8 – Monday
And yes – it is impossible to stay on the ground if you are a pilot
Another day, another plan. Today we will stay firmly grounded and head into Zimbabwe via bus. After military took over from the government during my last trip just the day I wanted to fly to Vic Falls, we decided against flying there. Better safe than sorry – better making sure we see the falls!
Victoria Falls
Once more: this turns out to be theory only. “Mum, you promised a day without flying and now we had to do it again!” says Per with a smile after he comes out of the helicopter that took him and 6 others for a sightseeing flight over the falls.
But now we want to see them from close up – and have a wash!
Wet but happy
Vic Falls from Vic Fall hotel
We enjoy spectacular views, the falls have not been that full for years! Water sprays high in the air and it does not take long before we are all completely wet to our underwear. But look at these smiles – and the happy jump!
Excitement makes hungry. Or maybe it is just all the outside air, walking, laughing and enjoying the new experiences. And what better to do then heading to Victoria Falls Hotel for our lunch! Wet and dirty we arrive in the honourable halls of old colonial times.
A quick walk around the local market for souvenir shopping, this is probably our one and only chance as we will be pretty secluded again as off tomorrow.
Relax and enjoy
More happy faces, tired feet and tired bodies when we slump down into the bus. Let’s go back to the lodge, enjoy a sundowner and start the route planning for tomorrow when we will be heading into the Okavango delta.
Day 9 – Tuesday
Following the border to Namibia along the river into Okavango delta
Probably the day I am personally looking forward to the most: today we will be heading westwards towards Okavango, an area which was completely burned when I was here 6 months ago but should now be lush with water in the delta, green vegetation and hopefully lots of animals to spot.
Lunch after an exciting morning flight
Our navigation planning is simple: sightseeing along border river for the first 40 minutes or so, then head from airfield to airfield as orientation points for the second half of the trip. There are no roads, towns or railway lines to follow and with the water coming and going also rivers and their shape are not a reliable focus for navigation. However, airstrips to not tend to disappear over night and are usually relatively easy to spot as open surface in the normal landscape.
And our arrival has yet another surprise for the group: floods were high this year – so the airstrip lies on an island! Easy to spot for sure and it is additional fun to be picked up and transported to the lodge by boat!
Nxamaseri airstrip is rough sand with the odd donkey in between and after the raining season located on an island
The rest of the day is simply relaxation: we have reached roughly half of our trip, we have now left civilisation behind, sitting on the deck of the main lodge and watch the water for crocodiles and hippos or look up into the trees where the numerous monkeys of the lodge island chase each other that there is left to do – apart from a sunset boat trip with some malaria preventing Gin Tonics obviously!
Day 10 – Wednesday
Kevin and Kajsa in their Cessna 182 nearly kick us off the boat during their fly by
This day was planned as relax day without flying, but as we skipped the scenic tour for the 2nd pilot yesterday and everybody in the group is curious to fly into the main airfield for bushpilots Maun just once, plans have been changed. The group takes off for some low flying over the delta towards Maun where the planes will be filled up for our next leg tomorrow.
Per, Stein and myself have other plans! We watch them overflying the lodge from a boat – fishing ruts in hand! And even though the water is high and there is not much hope for fish, Stein wins the game by catching a 1 kg tiger fish. Unfortunately too bony to chuck on the fire in the evening – but anyway a brownie point for him as the only successful fisherman in our team!
Yes we can! Fishing and watching Mum fly pass low
The day goes on like the day before: relaxing in the lodge after return from Maun, full of impressions of all the bushpilot planes standing there. A lovely boat trip in the evening and then a pub quiz we had prepared during the day. How heavy does a hipp become? How many teeth does a crocodile have? And how much did the crew of ZS DUR drink the night before? Well…for some of the answers there is only one valid background: what happens in Nxamaseri stays in Nxamaseri 🙂
Sunset boat tour in Nxamaseri
Day 11 – Thursday
ZS DUR taking off from Nxamaseri
ZS PLF says good bye
Time to say good bye and head on, after the watery surroundings now dry Kalahari is waiting for us – as well as another good old tradition of the Sky team: formation flying on route so that we can take some nice air to air shots of each other!
Like yesterday we are heading towards Maun, handing over controls to our safety pilots and concentrate on photo shooting and animal spotting. You simply do not know where to look first – this area is simply stunning.
So over the heads of hippos, giraffes and yet more elephants we head South where the airspace becomes busier and busier. Maun is one of the busiest airports in Southern Africa with big airliners bringing in tourists every hour and smaller aircrafts flying to all the different lodges in the delta. We quickly get confused: everybody seems to fly on the same altitude and the airfields mentioned do not ring a bell for us. So watching out is once more one of our focus points the closer we get to Maun.
Haina “international” airfield is easy to see from the air – and thankfully has other RW directions than deception valley just a couple of nm further
After a quick refueling we head off to the Kalahari. What a difference awaits us there: The landscape is still greenish – but with vast strips of sandy soil in between. Vegetation is growing after the autumn rainfalls, but is low and sparse compared to the paradise we have just left.
Vliegclub Rotterdam members on safari in the Kalahari – cheers!
The two areas have only one thing in common: there are no settlement, roads or railtracks for orientation so we are happily following our pink lines on skydemon.
We are curious what we will see in this new area on our evening game drive….but maybe the G&T prophylaxis is just more important for once anyway….
Day 12- Friday
Our planes for a last time united in Haina
“When things are best, it is best to stop them” – a good old German saying comes true today.
Rick is ready for his 1st take off in our Piper
Getting up for a first light breakfast at 6.30h the mood is already a bit down: ZS- PLF will say good-bye to the group today, changing pilots over from Robin to Rick and heading for the Botswana airshow at Matsieng while the rest enjoys yet another day in Haina.
We start the day with a game drive, it is lousy cold and the animals are still hiding. But when we finally get lucky to meet a giraffe family we can celebrate the successful spotting with some hot tea and coffee.
Back at the lodge a brunch is awaiting us – as well as exchanging addresses, repacking for the new ZS-PLF crew as we have to travel relatively light for the remaining part of our trip and then the good-byes. We all head to the airstrip together, while we get ready, Glen gives a talk about taking care of planes in the bush and how to handspin an engine into running should it not start itself. Murphy’s law is working in the middle of nowhere as well.
Good bye dear old ZS-PLF and dear ex crew
For once ZS-PLF starts without a problem, so we taxi off for our runway inspection and pre-start test while the rest does the prop spinning on the Cessna.
No, you definitely do not want to try this at home!
I miss you all already!
xxx
And the conclusion of it all? Flying in Africa is an adventure! You meet great people, you see stunning landscape, you never know what to expect after the next turn! Is it safe? Yes, with reliable and serviced planes as well as thorough preparation. Certainly things can go wrong – but that can also happen at home. Would we do it again? Most of the participants already discuss future flying plans with the Sky team.
For me it was a great experience to travel is such a big group. We had fun, we learnt from each other, we laughed together, we discussed together! What an inspirational time – thanks for being part of it!
Thanks Robin – for waking me up enroute with 60 degrees sightseeing!
Thanks Mike – for your patience and for kicking me through the bad weather!
Thanks Petra – for being crazy enough to join without knowing us and being so much better in packing than Kajsa was 2 years ago :-)!
Thanks Rick – for not snorring in Matsieng and the dancing and singing all along the way!
Thanks Glen – seeing you smile during your first flying safari with guest is a special present for me!
Thanks Reinhard – another crazy person to join us not knowing what he lets himself in for!
Thanks Jan Robert – for all your enthusiasm from the start and the whole trip along!
Thanks Kajsa – Africa rocks! Chicks rock! And without you I would never have started this the first time around!
Thanks Stein – for beating Clemens in the fishing competition….even though it wasn’t a competition!
Thanks Per – for saving the rhino so that we can all go and watch it again in the future!
Thanks Kevin – for all the special introductions at Brakkies and all the jokes along the route!
And last not least: thanks Clemens, Alex and darling Janna for all the organisation upfront! You are great!