Fabulous thread. Brings back a lot of memories. Do any of the pilots/crew on this thread recall the Jonglei Canal Project in Sudan (the Bucketwheel excavator is still there) from 1976 through to the early 80's?
My Dad (Ron Melander) was a senior engineer on the project and I spent a lot of time flying with Keith Pickett, Peter Clark (RIP, murdered by 'rebels') and others who flew for the likes of Soberi (Islander). We were operating a very (for the conditions) trick 402B (see attached link to pic of her at base camp Sobat) but all sorts of a/c were pressed into action during maintenance e.g. the Soberi Islander, even a Nigerian registered Cherokee for a while and a Navajo C. One rainy season the a/c were even landing on the spoil bank as the usual strip was so wet.
Cessna 402B/Jonglei Canal | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Whilst flying to Bor to collect some pork one Christmas we were commandeered to fly the coffin of a minister who had been killed in a road accident. Very interesting experience when most of his tribe rocked up at the strip expecting to fit into the 402.
Best wishes,
Marc Melander