You Know You Are In Africa When.....
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ***
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wingunder, I love it!
When flying into Addis on a foggy morning, after holding for a couple of hours, ATC comes on with "Visibility now 5km, report VOR outbound" we asked "Say Ceiling" the reply was "Ceiling now 15 meters" on a VOR approach.
The Ethiopian Captain above us in the hold gave the poor controler a lenghty shout down of wich I only could understand the words ceiling and visibility...
But customs never asked about the beer crates that were handed to us just past the checkpoint, in their plain view...
AC tires get stuck to melting apron due to A1 eating it away
The Ethiopian Captain above us in the hold gave the poor controler a lenghty shout down of wich I only could understand the words ceiling and visibility...
But customs never asked about the beer crates that were handed to us just past the checkpoint, in their plain view...
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK + Africa
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When the dispatcher comes to you with the load manifest stating you have 17 pax and 4 'babies' on board. When said 'babies' show up, they are twelve year olds with mustaches!
...when after diverting due to weather from Algiers to Bejaia they try to give you an enormous bollocking for not diverting to the diversion filed on your flight plan 
...when, whilst with a formation of 5 light aircraft all lined up on the mid-point on the active at Khartoum, he gives "clear take off" to the Ilyushin ready to depart from the threshold!
...when everything is possible, and the scenery literally takes your breath away.
Fly safe, Sam.
...when, whilst with a formation of 5 light aircraft all lined up on the mid-point on the active at Khartoum, he gives "clear take off" to the Ilyushin ready to depart from the threshold!
...when everything is possible, and the scenery literally takes your breath away.
Fly safe, Sam.
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: GERMANY
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ohhh yes, I really had a good laugh - keep going!
Africa...
...if you safe half your lunch because you even have to bribe the dogs running around at the airfield...
...if every local at the airport is chewing green stuff - ignoring the "NO KHAT" signs...
...if you never(!) touch anything other than your private parts whilst using a public lavatory - don't tell your kids at home that YOU didn't wash your fingers...
But I really miss Africa - please drop me a PM if you know somebody who is looking for a King Air pilot
(See my other post for details)
Africa...
...if you safe half your lunch because you even have to bribe the dogs running around at the airfield...
...if every local at the airport is chewing green stuff - ignoring the "NO KHAT" signs...
...if you never(!) touch anything other than your private parts whilst using a public lavatory - don't tell your kids at home that YOU didn't wash your fingers...
But I really miss Africa - please drop me a PM if you know somebody who is looking for a King Air pilot
(See my other post for details)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: california, usa
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You know you're in Africa when:
Your flight is scheduled to arrive and depart during daylight hours, so that the loaders may walk to and from the airport in daylight, as a measure of protection from wild animals and bandits.
ATC's ONLY interest in your enroute flight segment is obtaining your "registration mark", for airway fees billing information.
ATC's ONLY interest in your enroute flight segment is obtaining your "registration mark", for airway fees billing information.
Last edited by 727gm; 14th Jul 2014 at 04:08. Reason: clarif.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You know your in Africa when
You land at the airport with a very seriously injured and obviously bleeding casualty onboard and Immigration wont let the awaiting ambulance take the patient to the hospital until his passport has been stamped - oh yes, the man with the stamp had gone home early!
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Been around the block
Posts: 629
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That exact thing happened to me in the US inbound lifeguard flight from the Bahamas with a stroke victim. KSFB a few years back and an overzealous customs "agent". Ambulance was waiting, victim delayed for 15 mins whilst said retard searched the obviously dying patient and scrutinized his passport. To that particular agent, I wish you ill will. One good thing about afrika, no dept of homeland security dicks with no accountability and a big attitude. In afrika we have an entire continent where the only people accountable are expats...
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Tanzania
Age: 38
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You know you are in Africa when:
-Landing at a former military airfield the remaining guard force mounts a full parade for you and expects you to inspect them.
-Or in another instance you are arrested and have a number of loaded AK47s pointed at you for walking too close to an old AN26 which probably was destroyed 20yrs previous, all this besides the fact you are at the field to pick up the Minister of Defense, who with much arguing manages to have you released.
-You get arrested because your client has put down on his import sheet that he has 70 rounds of ammunition when he only has 69. Poor man had to watch as his pilot was dragged off in handcuffs and interegated for the next 2hrs. Welcome to Africa
-All the pilots are summoned to the local airport to watch a demonstration put on by the fire brigade and they promptly put their aging truck straight through the back wall of the garage. End of demonstration.
-When you are stuck on the apron for a minimum of 2hrs with a plane full of sweating and angry pax waiting for an aging dictator to slowly make his way to his commandeered from the local airline for him, for permission to start up, all the while surrounded by police and army armed to the teeth.
-You have to get permission from the presidents office or the intelligence organisation every time you want to take of from a certain airport.
-You take over from the controller at a field as they have more than 2 aircraft in their circuit and have gone to pieces, so you decide to hell with this and do the controlling yourself.
-Landing at a runway you are informed by the tower that there is 600m unusable of a 1400m strip, which is not a problem if they could tell you where the unusable bit is, but there is the inevitable language barrier and in the end you decide to do a low flypast under the pretense of a GA and the controller threatens to report you for doing a GA. Much to ones amazement you find the unusable bit of the runway is almost right in the middle, so you decide maybe better to land somewhere else rather.
-When you are fined USD250 for landing after 5pm local even though the airport is open till 0200 the following morning for the national airline.
Yet having said that there is no where else in the world I would rather fly, and over the years have had a wonderful time for the most part.
-Landing at a former military airfield the remaining guard force mounts a full parade for you and expects you to inspect them.
-Or in another instance you are arrested and have a number of loaded AK47s pointed at you for walking too close to an old AN26 which probably was destroyed 20yrs previous, all this besides the fact you are at the field to pick up the Minister of Defense, who with much arguing manages to have you released.
-You get arrested because your client has put down on his import sheet that he has 70 rounds of ammunition when he only has 69. Poor man had to watch as his pilot was dragged off in handcuffs and interegated for the next 2hrs. Welcome to Africa
-All the pilots are summoned to the local airport to watch a demonstration put on by the fire brigade and they promptly put their aging truck straight through the back wall of the garage. End of demonstration.
-When you are stuck on the apron for a minimum of 2hrs with a plane full of sweating and angry pax waiting for an aging dictator to slowly make his way to his commandeered from the local airline for him, for permission to start up, all the while surrounded by police and army armed to the teeth.
-You have to get permission from the presidents office or the intelligence organisation every time you want to take of from a certain airport.
-You take over from the controller at a field as they have more than 2 aircraft in their circuit and have gone to pieces, so you decide to hell with this and do the controlling yourself.
-Landing at a runway you are informed by the tower that there is 600m unusable of a 1400m strip, which is not a problem if they could tell you where the unusable bit is, but there is the inevitable language barrier and in the end you decide to do a low flypast under the pretense of a GA and the controller threatens to report you for doing a GA. Much to ones amazement you find the unusable bit of the runway is almost right in the middle, so you decide maybe better to land somewhere else rather.
-When you are fined USD250 for landing after 5pm local even though the airport is open till 0200 the following morning for the national airline.
Yet having said that there is no where else in the world I would rather fly, and over the years have had a wonderful time for the most part.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You know when you're in Africa when...
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
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
Last edited by Eagle402; 2nd Jul 2011 at 15:58.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Africa...
Solid Rust Twotter,
That be the very machine albeit in sorry repair compared to the last time I saw her. The Bucket Wheel section (nearest camera in 2nd shot) is disconnected from the Bridge and the diesel-electric generators are missing from the top of the BW section.
When were these shots taken please ? I had heard that the machine had been fired at with RPG's in an attempt to sabotage her but not sure how accurate the rumour was.
Best wishes,
m
That be the very machine albeit in sorry repair compared to the last time I saw her. The Bucket Wheel section (nearest camera in 2nd shot) is disconnected from the Bridge and the diesel-electric generators are missing from the top of the BW section.
When were these shots taken please ? I had heard that the machine had been fired at with RPG's in an attempt to sabotage her but not sure how accurate the rumour was.
Best wishes,
m
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Behind 1480mm RHA equivalent
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OT, but while we're talking about the canal, I was always told that if it had been completed, it would have completely messed up the ecology (something about water in the area at least) of the whole area. I'll resist posting my photo's of the excavator, I'll bet every pilot who has been through Loki/Sudan has 100's 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Arica
Shrike200,
The eco debate raged for years before the project was started and even during the initial excavation we were visited by the Cousteau's and their Catalina as they had 'concerns'. The project also featured on BBC Horizon and in 'Geo' - the French version of National Geographic. There is talk of re-starting the canal but from what I've seen and heard of the machine the costs of getting her working again make that a very remote chance and that's before you even address the safety of the workforce.
Plus, that machine was designed for the canals it dug in Pakistan and not the soil in Sudan. There were huge technical issues with the buckets which were continually being modified as the soil had a high clay content and used to stick to the buckets.
I would appreciate a PM with just a few of your pics if you get a moment. My Dad spent 7 years responsible for that machine in Pakistan and a tough 4 years in Sudan.
Best wishes,
m
p.s. is there any way of finding out the fate of the 402 ? Her Sudanese reg was ST-AGU.
The eco debate raged for years before the project was started and even during the initial excavation we were visited by the Cousteau's and their Catalina as they had 'concerns'. The project also featured on BBC Horizon and in 'Geo' - the French version of National Geographic. There is talk of re-starting the canal but from what I've seen and heard of the machine the costs of getting her working again make that a very remote chance and that's before you even address the safety of the workforce.
Plus, that machine was designed for the canals it dug in Pakistan and not the soil in Sudan. There were huge technical issues with the buckets which were continually being modified as the soil had a high clay content and used to stick to the buckets.
I would appreciate a PM with just a few of your pics if you get a moment. My Dad spent 7 years responsible for that machine in Pakistan and a tough 4 years in Sudan.
Best wishes,
m
p.s. is there any way of finding out the fate of the 402 ? Her Sudanese reg was ST-AGU.
Last edited by Eagle402; 2nd Jul 2011 at 18:31.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
no disruption intended 402.
Being given a manifest in Port Harcourt that showed a " Mrs Kat .... " over our head count ( yep, posh l know ) apparently weighing 112kg using standard weights.
Well, the despatcher was called back.
He arrived at the same time as the no.1 returned after investigating, who whispered " that seat is occupied by a cat in a basket".
First question ? seemed reasonable to me " the cat belongs to Mrs.......?"
"Yes."
Second question ? equally reasonable l would venture, " why 112kg ?"
"lt`s a female cat"
He`s on firm ground now and confidence returning.
"Ok, that`s 77kg and the rest?"
"the cat is pregnant" he said as he left the aircraft proudly, leaving me wondering about the bags and freight.
Being given a manifest in Port Harcourt that showed a " Mrs Kat .... " over our head count ( yep, posh l know ) apparently weighing 112kg using standard weights.
Well, the despatcher was called back.
He arrived at the same time as the no.1 returned after investigating, who whispered " that seat is occupied by a cat in a basket".
First question ? seemed reasonable to me " the cat belongs to Mrs.......?"
"Yes."
Second question ? equally reasonable l would venture, " why 112kg ?"
"lt`s a female cat"
He`s on firm ground now and confidence returning.
"Ok, that`s 77kg and the rest?"
"the cat is pregnant" he said as he left the aircraft proudly, leaving me wondering about the bags and freight.
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: GERMANY
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Africa...
... and you will soon find out that the old rule "Cook it, peel it - or forget it!" will not safe you from Montezuma's Revenge as long as the kitchen staff is using water from the local river to clean the dishes and the cutlery ... 
Mistrust in Management
Today you check into your new room in Lagos for a stay of 4 weeks.
You unpack and sleep. Next you try to take a shower - bit difficult as there is no water.
You move rooms into what appears to be a converted cupboard - however there is water (both hot and cold which is a real bonus) and the internet even works (at dial up type speeds of course). So you unpack and decide to take a look out of the window - the view is a bit surprising as it is a view of another hotel corridor and doesn't look outside at all. So you pack again.
The next room seems OK but this time I check for internet and TV - none of either - but at least this time I've had the sense not to unpack.
Finally I move into room number 4 where everything seems to work for now - but I won't hold my breath.
Would have been good if they had offered me room number 4 the first time around, but I suppose my activities brighten up a hotel receptionist's otherwise boring day.
You move rooms into what appears to be a converted cupboard - however there is water (both hot and cold which is a real bonus) and the internet even works (at dial up type speeds of course). So you unpack and decide to take a look out of the window - the view is a bit surprising as it is a view of another hotel corridor and doesn't look outside at all. So you pack again.
The next room seems OK but this time I check for internet and TV - none of either - but at least this time I've had the sense not to unpack.
Finally I move into room number 4 where everything seems to work for now - but I won't hold my breath.
Would have been good if they had offered me room number 4 the first time around, but I suppose my activities brighten up a hotel receptionist's otherwise boring day.