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Old 8th Mar 2017, 10:08
  #11 (permalink)  
soggyboxers
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: In the Haven of Peace
Age: 79
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Revolutionary,

Ah, Tanzania and helicopters...

If you ever find yourself in the skies over Dar, there's a helipad on the roof of the Holiday Inn but don't land there! It was the brainchild of the hotel's owners and a brave chap from Everett actually landed a Dauphin there once as a kind of proof-of-concept. With the front wheel all the way forward of the pad, the rear wheels apparently cleared the rear edge by about 4 centimeters. Beyond the edge: a twenty-storey drop-off. To their credit, the Tanzanian CAA denied the hotel a license for their pad. So nevermind arriving by helicopter but do visit the rooftop bar if you can for sweeping views of the city and good food.
What utter nonsense. It wasn't a brave chap who landed there. Everett have flown their Dauphin and BK117s there many times as it's a licensed helipad and well able to handle a Dauphin. I have personally landed there on numerous occasions in both the 365 and the 117.

The rooftop bar does have good views, but I have never found the food there to be particularly good.
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