Private flying from the Cape to Namibia/Botswana
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Join Date: Jun 2009
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Private flying from the Cape to Namibia/Botswana
May I pick the brains of anyone who knows how these things work. I'm currently writing a fiction novel partially based in SA.
The heroine ("S") is currently on an overland tour, vaguely like this:
Cape Town to Victoria Falls - North » Nomad Africa Adventure Tours
The rugby-playing hero ("M") is going to make "booty calls" by private plane from the Cape to various campsites.
Yeah, romantic but what a waste of aviation fuel when there's so many lovely women in the Cape. If it makes you feel better, I can have him giving lifts to mates. Nevertheless...
I'm sticking to the fiction writer's rule of not being too specific, but I need it to be realistic enough that someone's not going to be distracted by working out whether each 'visit' is possible.
So, I was wondering if anyone could supply more info on:
- how common is private plane ownership in the Cape?
- how common are airstrips or areas he can use to land?
- what plane would M be flying? 2-6 seats, something Skyhawk-ish?
- how far is reasonable in one go? E.g. he flies up to the Orange River camp the night before, spends the next day with her (day off) and flies back that evening/the next morning.
- if he's crossing borders, what's the local procedure e.g. SA to Namibia or Botswana?
- any essential kit that he would need to do if he picked her up and took her to the bush for a little 'private time'?
(e.g. wire netting to protect the landing gear from interested visitors.)
- any great expressions that I could drop in?
I've personal experience from travelling that area and also done a fair bit of research
; I have general ideas to answer some of the above. However, a fresh perspective may stop me making a massive 
up.
Thanks in advance. Anything covering any of the above queries is appreciated. Can't offer much in return apart from a spare bed near LHR if needed.
(Apologies if in the wrong forum.)
The heroine ("S") is currently on an overland tour, vaguely like this:
Cape Town to Victoria Falls - North » Nomad Africa Adventure Tours
The rugby-playing hero ("M") is going to make "booty calls" by private plane from the Cape to various campsites.
Yeah, romantic but what a waste of aviation fuel when there's so many lovely women in the Cape. If it makes you feel better, I can have him giving lifts to mates. Nevertheless...
I'm sticking to the fiction writer's rule of not being too specific, but I need it to be realistic enough that someone's not going to be distracted by working out whether each 'visit' is possible.
So, I was wondering if anyone could supply more info on:
- how common is private plane ownership in the Cape?
- how common are airstrips or areas he can use to land?
- what plane would M be flying? 2-6 seats, something Skyhawk-ish?
- how far is reasonable in one go? E.g. he flies up to the Orange River camp the night before, spends the next day with her (day off) and flies back that evening/the next morning.
- if he's crossing borders, what's the local procedure e.g. SA to Namibia or Botswana?
- any essential kit that he would need to do if he picked her up and took her to the bush for a little 'private time'?
(e.g. wire netting to protect the landing gear from interested visitors.)- any great expressions that I could drop in?
I've personal experience from travelling that area and also done a fair bit of research
; I have general ideas to answer some of the above. However, a fresh perspective may stop me making a massive up.Thanks in advance. Anything covering any of the above queries is appreciated. Can't offer much in return apart from a spare bed near LHR if needed.
(Apologies if in the wrong forum.)
