In the early 50s Khormaksar's roads, runways and movement areas were packed gypsum. We had a rain shower one year and surfaces became slippery for all of 10 minutes until they dried out. Brigands, Varsities, the occasional Hastings, Aden/Ethiopian Airways Daks, BOAC Argonauts and Hermes, and elegant TWA Constellations often trailed a plume of dust as they became airborne.