Going Home

[DownIn3Green]

I'm Free, Free, Free at last!!!!!

It was great but I finally figured out the best reward for anyone flying in one of the many "primitive" spots in Africa is when you finally get to leave.

Good luck to the guys still there, it was a great send off...

Free Free Free at last!!!!!!

[Loc-out]

I've seen them come and go and come back again. You will be back.

[Flying Bean]

Yeah Yeah Yeah. The Mud. The Mossies. The Bloody red tape and even more bloody minded Airport officials. Up to your eyes in grease and sweat trying to get the plane started on some God forsaken bush strip miles from Home base (not they they can fix it there anyway!!)
BUT
The early morning take off in winter. The elephant watching as you come in. Sunset over Kariba, with or without the haze, both are good. Flying along ANY great African River watching your shadow pass over the hippos and fishing canoes. Lake Malawi from any heght or time.
Yeah Mate. You'll be back

[The Guvnor]

The distant sound of the 'orchestra' as the army and rebels go at it hammer and tongs again. Lack of petrol. Changing money on the black market. Being shot at on short finals - and driving through town.

BUT... The view over Bujumbura town, looking out onto Lake Tangyanikya as the sun sets. The hippos down at the Cercle Nautique. The crisp clear air first thing in the morning as you drive out to the airport as soon as curfew is lifted.

Africa's like malaria (or aviation). Once in your blood, it's there forever!! :D :D :D

[Metro man]

I know exactly how you feel , some of the best flying I ever did ,fantastic experience good mates and great times .Something not many people get to do.

But also no corrupt airport officials being deliberately difficult ,nav aids now work when they're supposed to, can get a proper weather forcast ,decent engineering back up ,much less danger ,phones work ,no power cuts the list goes on.

I had a smile like the Cheshire cat when I left ,sometimes miss it though.

[baronvonmildred]

Guvnor

Being shot at on finals? Congo n'es pas?

Just guessing

[JJflyer]

Afrika is a tough continent and Congo a tough country.

[The Guvnor]

Congo, Burundi and Liberia (now there's a place!! :eek: :eek: :eek :)

[blueline69]

Hallo JJFlyer. Still enjoying some good old Congolees hospitality ? How's TAC doing ? Yeah , Africa is great , for a short time anyway. :D :D :D

[DownIn3Green]

Blueline...what's up?

I think JJ's getting Bagdad'd out. And I don't blame him. What started out to be a pretty good deal turned sour real quick. Once rainy season starts in earnest I'll be watching the news...

By the way, it's a long shot, but I may be seeing you real soon once you report for your new assignment...

[bushjock]

DownIn3Green - You lucky Basterd!! Gongrats and good luck! :cool:

[Nick Mahon]

Guys, bit off tangent but here goes. I've just finished a ppl and was wondering if there is any flying at all out there that requires light aircraft - and anyone who needs pilots.

Any gen would be great

[DownIn3Green]

Nick,

As JJ says: Africa is a tough place, however, I haven't personally seen anywhere that would hire a newly minted PPL. Believe it or not, everywhere I've been wants to see some sort of certificate (higher than a PPL) and then the guys you end up flying with want to see the proficiency and skill that go with that certificate.

Not to say there isn't a place out there that would hire you, but in my experience, if you did get hired most probably you'd get yourself in over your head.

Sorry I can't be more optimistic for you...Good Luck...

[bugg smasher]

Guvnor,

Not to forget Somalia and Angola, very tricky people there with some serious attitude. And damn good shots! Talk about adding injury to insult...ain't no hippos left alive there.

[JJflyer]

Yip... Unfortunately with a PPL there is virtually no chanches to get a job here. Minimum is a CPL, Multi, Inst. ATPL preferred by most companies.

Local CAA's depending on the county are very " accomodating " when it comes to paperwork. You just need to provide the right kind of paper ( green with $$$ signs on it) and everything will be just fine.

It seems that Insurance requirments, rather than company or CAA, are more often the limiting factor as to the experience required for a prospective pilot.

I suggest you use your PPL on activities allowed by JAA and continue working towards a CPL. It improves your chances of emloyment quite considerably.

[DownIn3Green]

So JJ, I notice you are still from Point of No Return. drop me an e-mail and tell me some stories...

[Stonebird]

Talking about work, does anyone know of anyone needing a newly-minted RSA CPL/IR, anywhere where the licence would be valid?
TIA

[DownIn3Green]

Stonebird,

Try to contact Blueline69...I think his company may be hiring...also try checking out any Caravan operator. I hear they're requirements for their right seat (in general) are almost as low as their pay scale...Good Luck :D

[Viivi Wepf]

Well well well, I wonder why you add up going home or happy to leave Africa, What the hell were you flying there for at the first place? lucky they didn't shoot your butts off.....;-). Damn right too you all will want more of Africa:-) Hey and what do you guys says of my beloved Namibia? I bet none of you ever heard of it and scretching your heads making up something. If you hate flying there don't ever accept any deal nommater how high the pay is.....;-) have fun criticising us guys :-) :p :p

[Viivi Wepf]

Well well well, I wonder why you end up going home or happy to leave Africa, What the hell were you flying there for at the first place? lucky they didn't shoot your butts off...... Damn right too you all will want more of Africa:-) Hey and what do you guys says of my beloved Namibia? I bet none of you ever heard of it and scretching your heads making up something. If you hate flying there don't ever accept any deal nommater how high the pay is.....;-) have fun criticising us guys :-) :p :p

[DownIn3Green]

Friend?(s)

First off, been to Windhoek, thought it was great.

Second, what crawled up your ar$e?

Third, what are you doing in Switzerland, then, you over reactionary clown.

(One too many N'Gok's, perhaps? You know what JJ says: "1 Gok and then pillow talk")

[blueline69]

As down in 3 greens says , the Caravan company is called Solenta. They are based at Lanseria. Have to pay your own rating though. Hows your holiday so far 3 greens? Missing the N'goks yet ? I wonder how many nightfighters JJ's pillow talked since we leaft ? Anyway , some oppinions on Angola from anybody.... Been here a week and would say , it the world had an ass , i'm spending two months in it.....aaahhhhhhhhh !!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

[DownIn3Green]

Blueline,

Don't miss the N'Goks as if I were to be drinking them I would be waking up in the same old nightmare. At least with the Buds I am waking up in paradise.

I think JJ's nightfighting days are over as he should be close to being on his way home. Haven't heard from him in about a week. Last I heard he was in J'Burg with both a/c at the maint depot. Wonder when they decided to start doing maint? Guess the "Al-'s" aren't tough enough to fly a 727 on 2 engines.

The package should be on it's way to you in S. Africa this morning.

Enjoy the falls.

[blueline69]

Thanks Buddy. Can't wait to see them. Check your mail. :cool: :cool:

[JJflyer]

:D

Blueline... You nasty ape. I havn't been burning rags or throwing rocks since you left. Clearly you where of bad influence :p
If you guys had stayed here I am sure we could have gotten into some serious trouble. But now that I am alone here defending the western civilization there is no chance for that.

DI3G... You should know by now that I don't do chokolate. Ask John as he is the one who always asked for the dancers to show for some nightfighting. Lately whe have had some genuine dayfighters too.

anyways I am back to Point of No return from Joburg. Wgat a wondeful place. I send 5 days there, and would go back immediately. PNR on the other hand is one of these places where nothing but time of day and date changes . In essence a real hellhole.

[Jam Doughnuts]

Do Yourself a favour Blueline.... go have a beer !! if you can find the PAM pilots house, think its in Alvalade... friday night is usually a hummer..... last I heard is a new shipment of beer from SA arriving this week so will save your Guts from rotting on the local stuff, well for a day or two at any rate.. :cool:
Spent many a month in Angola and know its a sh#t hole but its what you make of it....so get off yer ass and go get a beer.

[blueline69]

Beer !!! Howcome beer always seems to be able to solve all our problems ? Who cares !! It works. Thanks for the advise. Seen some of the Rossair guys around and also know some Balmoral crew , just don't know where to find them. JJ , keep the faith. I hear that Cathy have stopped there union nonsense....... any news ? :D :D

[Chris2]

Angola is like the Hotel California !!

Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place (background)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year
Any time of year (background)
You can find it here
You can find it here

You can check out any time you like ... But you can never leave :D :D :D

[blueline69]

Thanks for the advise. We spend some nights in Luanda,not to often. Transport is a b&^%#$ though and only starting to learn the lingo around these parts of the woods. Will definately see what i can do.

DI3G , JJ tells me that TAC is going to pay his type rating....... I hope , for his sake , they keep to there word.

Back to the original topic. Anybody out there with any hot gen. on what the locals have to blow our asses out of the sky's ? When last was there a report of any aircraft been shot at ? :eek: :eek:

[JJflyer]

Take A Cab is going to assist me with 50% of the cost in cash and then increase my salary as to pay the total remaining cost back to me in a years time... Complicated ? Yes for sure, but you should know what is going on behind the scene. It' big big big trouble between our brother Al's. As they don't like to see my big fat Nordic butt in the left seat anytime this millenium
:D

[DownIn3Green]

Believe it when you see it, JJ. You know what they say: There's those that can, those that can't, and then there's the "Al's".

By the way, when did you decide to come from Norway? :D

[ 01 November 2001: Message edited by: DownIn3Green ]

[Jam Doughnuts]

BEER !!... to quote Homer Simpson...."Alcohol is the cause and solution to most of lifes problems!"

say no more :D :D :D

[blueline69]

The man thinks he's a viking now ! :D :D :D Where will he end.

[DownIn3Green]

When he gets his pale, white ar$e down here to S. Fla later this month for a type. Chicks here don't dig non-tanned, no matter how big the tattoo...