Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > PPRuNe Worldwide > African Aviation
Reload this Page >

Cameroon private flying

African Aviation Regional issues that affect the numerous pilots who work in this area of the world.

Cameroon private flying

Old 19th Feb 2009, 16:13
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Romania
Age: 45
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cameroon private flying

Hello,

New shining PPL, I will be heading to Cameroon for a work assignment of 6-8 months, based mostly in Douala.

Is there anything as private flying, some C172, C150 or equivalent to rent, eventually with instructor, owner, just to keep me current for the period and build some hours?

Thanks for all info.
florin_el is offline  
Old 19th Feb 2009, 20:53
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Inside the storm
Age: 44
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hey mate.

I'm operating out of douala,there are no flying schools around nor u'll find an instructor only on much bigger planes,however there are a couple of 172's around that are privately owned so i suppose u won't be able to do ur hour bilding u were hoping to.
alpha-b is offline  
Old 21st Feb 2009, 19:24
  #3 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Romania
Age: 45
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Small planes are operational?

Is it common to see small aircrafts operating from airports in Cameroon or they are inexistent? All the searches I have done came with nothing.

Does anybody knows somebody that flew a small aircraft from Europe to West/Central Africa?
florin_el is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2009, 08:15
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: In the Haven of Peace
Age: 79
Posts: 600
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Florin,

It's a few years now since I was in Cameroun and I was flying helicopters there, but I didn't see any flying clubs anywhere. As in much of Africa, many of the airports don't have fuel anyway.

I haven't flown a small aeroplane, but I have flown quite a number of helicopters from Europe to cameroun and Nigeria. Great fun
soggyboxers is offline  
Old 24th Feb 2009, 06:40
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SAYE
Posts: 281
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There is one C-172 (Thielert) in FOOL and a real cool aero-club in FCPP with lots of flying airplanes!
avionimc is offline  
Old 24th Feb 2009, 09:52
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: In the Haven of Peace
Age: 79
Posts: 600
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Pointe Noire and Libreville are scarcely Cameroun though are they?
soggyboxers is offline  
Old 5th Mar 2009, 16:11
  #7 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Romania
Age: 45
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Now really looks to me that Cameroon it's the wrong country for continuing training. Well, I expected that.

Thanks soggyboxers for your answers.

Ferrying helicopters from Europe to Nigeria and Cameroon?! Wow.

What route did you usually use? on the coast side? Morocco, Mauritania... ?

I understand that it's not easy to find avgas on most airports in sub-Sahara. Given the fact that you fly something that drinks mogas or jet fuel can you actually fly something small down to western Africa and live to tell the story?

What does it involve? Special airport fees? Restrictions? Special access on different airports?

If I could bring with me a light aircraft in Cameroon do you think that I could actually use it to tour the country, fly around or the airspace is not open for this kind of traffic?
florin_el is offline  
Old 6th Mar 2009, 06:01
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: In the Haven of Peace
Age: 79
Posts: 600
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
florin

I think your biggest problem if you brought out a microlight would be getting fuel and from some airports you need to file a flight plan with a military clearance number which can take time to get. Of course, there are other small, barely-used airfields out in the country or you could ask Cotco if you could use their strips at Belabo or Dompta. When you're in Douala get over to talk to the CHC guys who fly a Twin Otter from there.

We used to ferry across the Sahara but getting insurance to cross Algeria is now a problem because of the problems there, so my last few flights were down the West Coast. It used not to be possible to get landing clearance or fuel in Western Sahara so we had to route from Morocco to the Canary Isles (my favourite was Marrakech to Fuerteventura then Nouadibhou, though last time my Moroccan overflight clearance expired so I went direct Faro to Fuerteventura). Now you can land at El Aaiún so things are a bit easier. Because of the fuel problem we normally have to either have a ferry tank and/or extra fuel drums or arrange for drums to be pre-positioned at airfields without fuel availability. On my last flight we had a ferry tank and 4 25 litre plastic containers with a modified bilge pump for transferring fuel into the ferry tank in flight. With that layout we were able to do some quite long legs without landing although we still didn't have much fuel left on legs like Fuerteventura to Nouadibhou or Banjul to Bamako. When I ferried the helicopter to Cameroun we routed Bamako to Ouagadougou then Cotonou and non-stop Cotonou to Douala.

Enjoy Cameroun, the flying there in the mountains is lovely, though as they're pretty heavily wooded in the south of the country it's not a place you'd want to make a forced landing. We used to call the leg from Douala to Yaoundé "Jurassic Park" because of the terrain.
soggyboxers is offline  
Old 17th Aug 2014, 08:55
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Europe and Africa
Age: 31
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is this still current?

We have a C182 missing at Mount Cameroon and we are looking for a local pilot that could fly out and could conduct some search for us.

Please advise if there is anyone of you close by!!!!
Alexander Pichler is offline  
Old 17th Aug 2014, 16:52
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Dubai UAE
Age: 48
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
you can try Decolvenaere, he has a C182 as well flying in the forest there, for more info please PM me.
africanbushpilot is offline  
Old 17th Aug 2014, 18:58
  #11 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Romania
Age: 45
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
crop dusters

Close to Mount Cameroon there area several large banana plantations that have airfields and aircrafts on ground. Unfortunately I don't have any contact details but if you have anyone in the area this could be a path to follow.

There is an airfield in Tiko, on the way from Douala to Limbe
Another one in Penja, one of the banana plantations.

Hope that helps.
florin_el is offline  
Old 18th Aug 2014, 08:01
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Europe and Africa
Age: 31
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Managed to arrange a local Cessna 206 and R44.

Thanks for your input.

Alex
Alexander Pichler is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.