Van down in the Congo
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SOUTH AFRICA
Age: 46
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Sad
Hi all
Today is a realy sad day in aviation we have lost 2 very good pilots.I knew the Capt of that ship very well him and his wife.I am in a sence glad to say that they went out of this worl toghter and wil be together for all iternity I am just realy sad that the other crew member had to leave his wife and kids behind they are all in a better place now.
They defnitley made aviation a better place to be in and wil save alot of lives on the long run.So I would please like to ask the ppl that fly in Africa (and I know africa its not a place for scary pilots) but please if you are a captian on a plane dont be scared to turn the plane around if the Wx gets bad its not so bad or u feel uncumfy with the flight.
Then to there families my deepest condolences to u and the lost that u are sufering.He was a dearest friend and the best.To his wifes family and friends she was the same as her hubby very good friend to have in your corner.Then I dont know the F/O well but to his family aswel my deepest condolences.
Then to them that knew the Captein have a Vodca or Amstel Lager on them tonight.
WE WILL MISS U GUYS HEY BOET U WERE THE BEST FRIEND EVER ADN LIEFIE U 2 U WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON IN OUR HEARTS C U SOON!!!!!!
Today is a realy sad day in aviation we have lost 2 very good pilots.I knew the Capt of that ship very well him and his wife.I am in a sence glad to say that they went out of this worl toghter and wil be together for all iternity I am just realy sad that the other crew member had to leave his wife and kids behind they are all in a better place now.
They defnitley made aviation a better place to be in and wil save alot of lives on the long run.So I would please like to ask the ppl that fly in Africa (and I know africa its not a place for scary pilots) but please if you are a captian on a plane dont be scared to turn the plane around if the Wx gets bad its not so bad or u feel uncumfy with the flight.
Then to there families my deepest condolences to u and the lost that u are sufering.He was a dearest friend and the best.To his wifes family and friends she was the same as her hubby very good friend to have in your corner.Then I dont know the F/O well but to his family aswel my deepest condolences.
Then to them that knew the Captein have a Vodca or Amstel Lager on them tonight.
WE WILL MISS U GUYS HEY BOET U WERE THE BEST FRIEND EVER ADN LIEFIE U 2 U WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON IN OUR HEARTS C U SOON!!!!!!
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Africa
Age: 44
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To Our Dear Friends
To our dear friend and his lovely wife, you enriched our lives and brought happiness to everyone with whom you crossed paths. We will all miss the genuine friendship, good times and happy smiles. Your kindness was appreciated by all. Thank you for all the heart to heart chats and for never hesitating to go out of your way to make sure those around you were comfortable and happy. Honest friends like you two do not come along every day. I know you are together right now looking down on us and having a good laugh. We will see you again soon my friend's and when we do, this round is on me.
My condolenses go to the family's and friends who have lost loved ones in this sad week for aviation. Our thought's and prayers are with you all.
My condolenses go to the family's and friends who have lost loved ones in this sad week for aviation. Our thought's and prayers are with you all.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dark side of the moon
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To my friend who flew the grand van so high.
Everytime we drink you shall be toasted up there in the sky.
You were a great boss but you will never be lost.
I didnt know you as long as others but you were a legend and you will always be one.
I know that you are in the great brewery where you will never have to pay for a drink.
Your spirit will always live on my friend!
Cheers Boet
Everytime we drink you shall be toasted up there in the sky.
You were a great boss but you will never be lost.
I didnt know you as long as others but you were a legend and you will always be one.
I know that you are in the great brewery where you will never have to pay for a drink.
Your spirit will always live on my friend!
Cheers Boet
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Melbourne
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Heard that another two aircraft have been reported missing (C406??), not sure where but supposedly from Fugro Airborne Surveys in Lanseria? Any more info much appreciated...
It may have already been discussed, I haven't gone through every thread.
It may have already been discussed, I haven't gone through every thread.
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Randburg
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Originally Posted by locknut
Heard that another two aircraft have been reported missing (C406??), not sure where but supposedly from Fugro Airborne Surveys in Lanseria? Any more info much appreciated...
It may have already been discussed, I haven't gone through every thread.
It may have already been discussed, I haven't gone through every thread.
Where did you hear this ???
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Lusaka and Joburg
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Any Names?
Are there any names being made public yet?
A lot of our aircrew move on from us to Charter Companies at Lanseria, especially on the C208 and B1900.
Perhaps someone could drop me a PM.
Condolences to the families left behind.
A lot of our aircrew move on from us to Charter Companies at Lanseria, especially on the C208 and B1900.
Perhaps someone could drop me a PM.
Condolences to the families left behind.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: around
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Never a good thing when people die needlessly.
Our local newspaper has published the 2 names of the South Africans. Is there a specific reason no-one is making them known here?
Bye
Our local newspaper has published the 2 names of the South Africans. Is there a specific reason no-one is making them known here?
Bye
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Changes quite often, so I do not know.
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Freelander - I do agree with you it is such a SAD event that should not have happened! To speculate we can all day long, but knowing the region and general accident investigation on this continent we will never know what exactly happened onboard that Caravan.
I do think that we can only learn from the accidents.
In this industry it is the so called professional pilot who always draws the short straw. I have flown in the area with various aircraft and know what is it is like to be out there doing the job.
This in my books is the problem:
Every year more inexperienced guys are given the same jobs with less money. Standards have gone down there is no question about it. I am not referring to the Goma incident but aviation flying standards from crew in general on this continent. Nowadays a commercial license holder is allowed to fly as Captain of a B190 only because there is a shortage of ATPL holders. Excess insurance policies are taken out all the time because the operating crew do not meet the minimum required hours. You can only ask has the safety impoved with this...I dont think so!
Freelander -I feel that you are right in saying the contract pilots do a great job out in the field especially in the mentionned company. But, majority of the flying experience is self taught through different experiences, ie. trial and error. I have been there and done that already. There is no training what so ever. Contracting is just a job at the end of the day. The pilots arent really any better than in the airline environment. Flying a Caravan out of 300 meter air strips is just as challenging as flying a 747 out of 2300 meter strips. At the end of the day it all boils down to having the required experience for the task at hand. I feel the experience levels are too low for the posts given!
Condolences to all families left behind.
I do think that we can only learn from the accidents.
In this industry it is the so called professional pilot who always draws the short straw. I have flown in the area with various aircraft and know what is it is like to be out there doing the job.
This in my books is the problem:
Every year more inexperienced guys are given the same jobs with less money. Standards have gone down there is no question about it. I am not referring to the Goma incident but aviation flying standards from crew in general on this continent. Nowadays a commercial license holder is allowed to fly as Captain of a B190 only because there is a shortage of ATPL holders. Excess insurance policies are taken out all the time because the operating crew do not meet the minimum required hours. You can only ask has the safety impoved with this...I dont think so!
Freelander -I feel that you are right in saying the contract pilots do a great job out in the field especially in the mentionned company. But, majority of the flying experience is self taught through different experiences, ie. trial and error. I have been there and done that already. There is no training what so ever. Contracting is just a job at the end of the day. The pilots arent really any better than in the airline environment. Flying a Caravan out of 300 meter air strips is just as challenging as flying a 747 out of 2300 meter strips. At the end of the day it all boils down to having the required experience for the task at hand. I feel the experience levels are too low for the posts given!
Condolences to all families left behind.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: G P
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To all friends and family,
the service for the captain and his spouse will take place on friday the 19th may at 13:00, at the Marathana church, cnr of Dann and Veld rd's Kempton park.
I wont be able to attend but will be thinking of every one on friday
LIGP
the service for the captain and his spouse will take place on friday the 19th may at 13:00, at the Marathana church, cnr of Dann and Veld rd's Kempton park.
I wont be able to attend but will be thinking of every one on friday
LIGP
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Lusaka and Joburg
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Crew Identity?
My access to the South African Newspapers is intermittent, so is it possible to get the crew names now please?
On other matters I would also like to endorse how vital it is in this region to get a proper handover and briefing from the aircrew and operator when a new crew takes over.
We had our Van in Uganda for 3 months a couple of years ago. Although our crew was experienced, each region has its peculiarites. Our first flight into the DRC in partial VFR at Fl12 was a real eye opener. On the return leg we were sure to check our oxygen system and Fl 21 performance for when we needed it.
But I must add the local information, co-operation and advice we got, especially from Airserv and other local crew was fantastic. Entebe is a very freindly place.
On other matters I would also like to endorse how vital it is in this region to get a proper handover and briefing from the aircrew and operator when a new crew takes over.
We had our Van in Uganda for 3 months a couple of years ago. Although our crew was experienced, each region has its peculiarites. Our first flight into the DRC in partial VFR at Fl12 was a real eye opener. On the return leg we were sure to check our oxygen system and Fl 21 performance for when we needed it.
But I must add the local information, co-operation and advice we got, especially from Airserv and other local crew was fantastic. Entebe is a very freindly place.
Join Date: May 2006
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Regulus
Its always sad when lives are lost. In aviation all of us become familiar with loss of dear friends. And though grief does cloud reason at times but we do need to take a pragmatic approach and try and learn what happened so that we may be able to use this knowledge to make it safer for all of us.
I currently operate out of goma and I completely agree that a proper handing over/briefing of new crew in the area can not be over stressed.
Since I am here I did get to know certain facts about the crash of caravan UN43W, There was a lot of turbulence that day in the vicinity of the Rwenzories , where the crash took place. and the peaks are almost always covered in clouds. Most aircraft in the area fly anything between 9500 to 12500. And almost every one follows a routing to avoid the Rwenzori mountain range and follow shores of lake edward till you come north of lake to take a route where you can avoid high ground. There is a flight following system in place which monitors ops normal calls and logs the GPS position of all UN aeroplanes every 20 minutes. According to Flt following logs the caravan had reportrd altitude as 22000' in last call. Analysis of GPS position reports made by the caravan show that it travelled just 28 miles along the track between the last two calls a time period of appx 30 min! . There is of course the possibility of the GPS co-ordinates being wrongly interpreted or transmitted. And finally the crash site was located at a height of more than 12000'. I did manage to get some pictures of the crash site but I am not able to attach them here . I will put them on my web page soon.
I currently operate out of goma and I completely agree that a proper handing over/briefing of new crew in the area can not be over stressed.
Since I am here I did get to know certain facts about the crash of caravan UN43W, There was a lot of turbulence that day in the vicinity of the Rwenzories , where the crash took place. and the peaks are almost always covered in clouds. Most aircraft in the area fly anything between 9500 to 12500. And almost every one follows a routing to avoid the Rwenzori mountain range and follow shores of lake edward till you come north of lake to take a route where you can avoid high ground. There is a flight following system in place which monitors ops normal calls and logs the GPS position of all UN aeroplanes every 20 minutes. According to Flt following logs the caravan had reportrd altitude as 22000' in last call. Analysis of GPS position reports made by the caravan show that it travelled just 28 miles along the track between the last two calls a time period of appx 30 min! . There is of course the possibility of the GPS co-ordinates being wrongly interpreted or transmitted. And finally the crash site was located at a height of more than 12000'. I did manage to get some pictures of the crash site but I am not able to attach them here . I will put them on my web page soon.
Last edited by Regulus; 19th May 2006 at 17:33.
Join Date: Jul 2005
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I also flew the Goma Beni route the day the van crashed, took off at 0800 in the morning, and the wind was pumping.. We had a heavy crosswind at Beni and on the Northern side of lake edward had about 15 degrees of drift from the east (Fl 075).. cloud was scattered around Rwenzori from about 10000 ft up,if i remember correctly.