Flying in Africa - Help
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying in Africa - Help
Hello,
My boss and I will soon be flying our biz jet to a number of African countries in the next six months and we have never been there before. Apart from what we can get off the net and Jeppesen Publications we don't know a lot of what to expect. We're hoping that the experience of this community can offer some great information - tips and tricks - for getting around safely from one country to the next. We're not really concerned with information in a tourist sense but more about aircraft operations, flight planning, weather, ATC, procedures, IAP's and so forth.
If anyone can help that would be greatly appreciated.
Look forward to hearing from you all.
Thx
My boss and I will soon be flying our biz jet to a number of African countries in the next six months and we have never been there before. Apart from what we can get off the net and Jeppesen Publications we don't know a lot of what to expect. We're hoping that the experience of this community can offer some great information - tips and tricks - for getting around safely from one country to the next. We're not really concerned with information in a tourist sense but more about aircraft operations, flight planning, weather, ATC, procedures, IAP's and so forth.
If anyone can help that would be greatly appreciated.
Look forward to hearing from you all.
Thx
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: UK.
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I am referring to a period up to about ten years ago.
Hard currency us$ will be required for most transactions apart from fuel. Even if you can use a credit card now, don't depend on it. An availability if a hard currency float is essential if all else fails. Make sure you take plenty of small denomination bills. If you hand over say $400 us for to settle an invoice of $315, they conviently wont have change. Of that you can be sure. Keep the bulk of that cash in a safe place on the aircraft, that should be locked of course and only take off what you really need.
The odd bottle of Scotland's best, never goes amiss either, to get the impossible achieved, depending on the country you are stuck in of course.
For that length of time you need to take precautions against malaria. Certain strains can be a killer, within a very very days. Equtorial regions especially.
Like all all other countries you visit, behave as a guest and not as if you own it.
Not sure how good your fuel carnt card would be in certain countries. You may need to check this out and arrange fuel credits when and where necessary.
Use the broadcast frequency, 126.90? and listen out at all times on this and the freq for the region asigned. If it is still used then it will be found in the Jepson manual.
If you dont have a sat phone, it may be a good idea to set up an account with some outfit such as Stockhom radio, for long range comms. Look them up on the net.
Not really much I can add apart from good lookout as normal and brief well on Safety heights etc.. You will enjoy it.
I am sure others can give better up to date advise.
Hard currency us$ will be required for most transactions apart from fuel. Even if you can use a credit card now, don't depend on it. An availability if a hard currency float is essential if all else fails. Make sure you take plenty of small denomination bills. If you hand over say $400 us for to settle an invoice of $315, they conviently wont have change. Of that you can be sure. Keep the bulk of that cash in a safe place on the aircraft, that should be locked of course and only take off what you really need.
The odd bottle of Scotland's best, never goes amiss either, to get the impossible achieved, depending on the country you are stuck in of course.
For that length of time you need to take precautions against malaria. Certain strains can be a killer, within a very very days. Equtorial regions especially.
Like all all other countries you visit, behave as a guest and not as if you own it.
Not sure how good your fuel carnt card would be in certain countries. You may need to check this out and arrange fuel credits when and where necessary.
Use the broadcast frequency, 126.90? and listen out at all times on this and the freq for the region asigned. If it is still used then it will be found in the Jepson manual.
If you dont have a sat phone, it may be a good idea to set up an account with some outfit such as Stockhom radio, for long range comms. Look them up on the net.
Not really much I can add apart from good lookout as normal and brief well on Safety heights etc.. You will enjoy it.
I am sure others can give better up to date advise.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Nowhere
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Let's write a book... would be easier to help if you would specifically define your route and destinations, Africa is BIG. Jeppesen has most of the major hubs covered.
A very entertaining thread you might want to read here is: http://www.pprune.org/african-aviati...rica-when.html That will prepare you for the african mindset.
A very entertaining thread you might want to read here is: http://www.pprune.org/african-aviati...rica-when.html That will prepare you for the african mindset.
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: U.K.
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You might get more helpful responses if you give a little more detail. For example, which countries in particular.
ATC can be very difficult to understand for a foreigner to these parts, the accents are thick, some Francophone, some Portuguese, some Arabic and some just plain difficult to understand English. In the Non-English speaking parts expect to hear a lot of the local language.
Double check your paperwork before you leave, actually quadruple check it. Carry multiple photocopies of everything including clearances and gen decs.
Some countries here are fairly straightforward, some are so much of a nightmare that unless you need to go, they're not worth the effort. The DRC falls into the latter category, and Uganda falls into the former category, by way of an example.
Nav Aids often don't work, transponders are not a requirement of all areas etc...
Please specify your routing a bit better and people here from the respective countries, with current knowledge will help you better.
Good luck.
ATC can be very difficult to understand for a foreigner to these parts, the accents are thick, some Francophone, some Portuguese, some Arabic and some just plain difficult to understand English. In the Non-English speaking parts expect to hear a lot of the local language.
Double check your paperwork before you leave, actually quadruple check it. Carry multiple photocopies of everything including clearances and gen decs.
Some countries here are fairly straightforward, some are so much of a nightmare that unless you need to go, they're not worth the effort. The DRC falls into the latter category, and Uganda falls into the former category, by way of an example.
Nav Aids often don't work, transponders are not a requirement of all areas etc...
Please specify your routing a bit better and people here from the respective countries, with current knowledge will help you better.
Good luck.
Last edited by Gooneybird; 8th Mar 2009 at 10:26. Reason: Poor spelling
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am presently flying in the area so my information will be reasonably current. Just keep in mind that just because it was OK yesterday, doesn't mean it will be OK today. I strongly suggest you use a handler, Palm or Universal do a pretty good job. If you don't want to take too much cash with you, plan on contract fuel as the only places I have found that will take credit cards are Luanda, J'berg and Cape Town. Every other place wants cash. You will need over flight and landing permits for just about every place you go. Don't try to BS number game as the fines can get pretty stiff.
About the only places I have found that have radar are Ghana, South Africa and Abuja Nigeria. But keep your transponder on as most aircraft do have TCAS. Some areas you will have to use your HF radio, mostly within the interior of the continent. ATC is spotty, they don't talk wit the ATC's of other countries and in some countries they don't talk to between the sectors. So plan on having to give each sector your complete details on initial contact. Departure point, destination, persons on board, fuel endurance, ETA's, depart time, registration number. If you don't understand something, ask them to repeat SLOWLY. Also be aware that ATC will sometimes give you a fix that doesn't exist on your charts. Be sure to ask them the details.
Depending on the country, the better hotels will take credit cards. So plan accordingly.
Also take some extra supplies with you. Extra oil, light bulbs, various over the counter meds, etc. They will either be non-existent or very expensive.
Be careful when you are give an approach clearance. Some airports, Lagos is a prime example, have multiple approaches with the same name (VOR DME 18R). So it can get interesting.
If you use hard currency, you will definitely get the greasy end of the stick on the exchange rates. Rep of the Congo, the airport will give you 400 francs to 1 USD, but the official rate is 520 to 1. Also the Central African countries that were former french colonies all use the Central African Franc.
Other than that have fun and just watch were you go and how you get there.
About the only places I have found that have radar are Ghana, South Africa and Abuja Nigeria. But keep your transponder on as most aircraft do have TCAS. Some areas you will have to use your HF radio, mostly within the interior of the continent. ATC is spotty, they don't talk wit the ATC's of other countries and in some countries they don't talk to between the sectors. So plan on having to give each sector your complete details on initial contact. Departure point, destination, persons on board, fuel endurance, ETA's, depart time, registration number. If you don't understand something, ask them to repeat SLOWLY. Also be aware that ATC will sometimes give you a fix that doesn't exist on your charts. Be sure to ask them the details.
Depending on the country, the better hotels will take credit cards. So plan accordingly.
Also take some extra supplies with you. Extra oil, light bulbs, various over the counter meds, etc. They will either be non-existent or very expensive.
Be careful when you are give an approach clearance. Some airports, Lagos is a prime example, have multiple approaches with the same name (VOR DME 18R). So it can get interesting.
If you use hard currency, you will definitely get the greasy end of the stick on the exchange rates. Rep of the Congo, the airport will give you 400 francs to 1 USD, but the official rate is 520 to 1. Also the Central African countries that were former french colonies all use the Central African Franc.
Other than that have fun and just watch were you go and how you get there.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: KGRB, but on the road about 1/2 the time.
Age: 61
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi!
Rick1128: A lot of what U said is what the Dana Air (Nigeria) told me it would be like. Is that Nigeria, or most of Africa?
cliff
KGRB
Rick1128: A lot of what U said is what the Dana Air (Nigeria) told me it would be like. Is that Nigeria, or most of Africa?
cliff
KGRB
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would like to reiterate the clearances, have them squared away and easily to hand.
Fuel cards a more acceptable than credit cards I think. But Dollar bills are king, just make sure they are all younger than 2003 or some places (eg djibouti and many more) will NOT take, even if the fuel is in the tank already.
Take it easy
Fuel cards a more acceptable than credit cards I think. But Dollar bills are king, just make sure they are all younger than 2003 or some places (eg djibouti and many more) will NOT take, even if the fuel is in the tank already.
Take it easy
UN
In those countries where there is a UN Peacekeeping mission (which can be an oxymoron . . .) the Air Ops office can be a great help (i.e MONUC in DRC). The locations and Air Ops contact info can be found through the UN DPKO website.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Heaps
Guys,
Thanks heaps for the information - outstanding
. Our program for the work in Africa is still to be finalized but it looks like we're going to Lusaka, Adis Ababa, Windhoek, Jo Burg, Dar Es Salam, Maputo and of course Livingstone to name a few. When we travel around the world we use Jetplan for most of flight plan submissions but I'm thinking it's a different case in Africa - as a long as you have a few USD in the pocket you're good to go?
Does anyone know of a good website for local met in Africa?
Thanks again
Cheers
Thanks heaps for the information - outstanding
. Our program for the work in Africa is still to be finalized but it looks like we're going to Lusaka, Adis Ababa, Windhoek, Jo Burg, Dar Es Salam, Maputo and of course Livingstone to name a few. When we travel around the world we use Jetplan for most of flight plan submissions but I'm thinking it's a different case in Africa - as a long as you have a few USD in the pocket you're good to go?Does anyone know of a good website for local met in Africa?
Thanks again
Cheers
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cliff: That covers all of Africa I have been to. It doesn't change too much.
Grizz: If there is a major UN mission in the country, Plan on it not being secure. Heck, a lot of Africa is not too secure even without UN troops. And the UN Missions are usually not too much help to outsiders. The contractors that fly for them usually are.
Slip: I have fuel cards in the aircraft but except for Lusaka, J'berg and Cape Town, I haven't been able to use them. The airports and fuelers will take local currency or hard currency. They prefer hard currency as they can make a little extra money at your expense. However, some areas go over board, Like Rep of Congo.
Reaper: I would plan on using a handler. At least until you get to know the area better. Some places you will always need a handler, other you will not. However, when you get there you can find a local handler to handle you when you need it. I am based here and fly into these places on a very regular basis and I still need a handler in some places.
Another word to the wise. Stay at 4 or 5 star hotels only, preferably 5 star. And get your reservations early. Good hotel rooms are hard to find at times. And always take your reservation numbers with you.
Filing the flight plan is not the problem. That is usually quite easy. It's the overflight and landing permits that can be the issue. 24 hours minimum and usually 48 hours in advance. Monday through Friday, or Sunday through Thursday for the Muslim countries.
Grizz: If there is a major UN mission in the country, Plan on it not being secure. Heck, a lot of Africa is not too secure even without UN troops. And the UN Missions are usually not too much help to outsiders. The contractors that fly for them usually are.
Slip: I have fuel cards in the aircraft but except for Lusaka, J'berg and Cape Town, I haven't been able to use them. The airports and fuelers will take local currency or hard currency. They prefer hard currency as they can make a little extra money at your expense. However, some areas go over board, Like Rep of Congo.
Reaper: I would plan on using a handler. At least until you get to know the area better. Some places you will always need a handler, other you will not. However, when you get there you can find a local handler to handle you when you need it. I am based here and fly into these places on a very regular basis and I still need a handler in some places.
Another word to the wise. Stay at 4 or 5 star hotels only, preferably 5 star. And get your reservations early. Good hotel rooms are hard to find at times. And always take your reservation numbers with you.
Filing the flight plan is not the problem. That is usually quite easy. It's the overflight and landing permits that can be the issue. 24 hours minimum and usually 48 hours in advance. Monday through Friday, or Sunday through Thursday for the Muslim countries.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: through the door, left
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Windhoek
Since you mentioned Windhoek:
Namibia doesn't have radar. Most of the good ATCs have left the country. WHat is left, is an overworked bunch of people, who haven't made it anywhere else. There are 2 good ones left, you will recognise them, since you wouldn't have any problem understanding them (no african accent).
Before entering the airspace, have your estimates ready for: FIR, 100 NM WHV (Windhoek VOR 114.50), 50 NM WHV (=TMA) and destination. Listen well to the other traffic, not that there is much enroute at higher altitudes. Get a mental picture of what is going on around you, just in case the controller looses his. Sometimes they give you rediculous seperation, because many of the controllers can't work on radial AND DME at the same time. If you feel it is to your disadvantage, question it and help them out.
If you fly into Windhoek (Hosea Kutako) International (FYWH) you need 2 frequencies: 124.7 for area control and 120.5 for approach once you are inside the TMA. The published tower frequency is not active, approach does the tower job too.
Should your plane be small enough and you are heading for Windhoek Eros (FYWE) you will be handed over to Eros tower 118.7 once you are below FL145.
FYWH has got an ILS on rwy 26 and GPS approaches, FYWE is VFR only. But the weather in NAM is not really a concern, 300+ days of cavok per year.
Let me know, if you need more.
Namibia doesn't have radar. Most of the good ATCs have left the country. WHat is left, is an overworked bunch of people, who haven't made it anywhere else. There are 2 good ones left, you will recognise them, since you wouldn't have any problem understanding them (no african accent).
Before entering the airspace, have your estimates ready for: FIR, 100 NM WHV (Windhoek VOR 114.50), 50 NM WHV (=TMA) and destination. Listen well to the other traffic, not that there is much enroute at higher altitudes. Get a mental picture of what is going on around you, just in case the controller looses his. Sometimes they give you rediculous seperation, because many of the controllers can't work on radial AND DME at the same time. If you feel it is to your disadvantage, question it and help them out.
If you fly into Windhoek (Hosea Kutako) International (FYWH) you need 2 frequencies: 124.7 for area control and 120.5 for approach once you are inside the TMA. The published tower frequency is not active, approach does the tower job too.
Should your plane be small enough and you are heading for Windhoek Eros (FYWE) you will be handed over to Eros tower 118.7 once you are below FL145.
FYWH has got an ILS on rwy 26 and GPS approaches, FYWE is VFR only. But the weather in NAM is not really a concern, 300+ days of cavok per year.
Let me know, if you need more.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: through the door, left
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
and weather for southern Africa you'll find here:
Aviation - South African Weather Service (the official one)
Welcome to Weather Underground : Weather Underground (for those places you can't find anywhere else)
Aviation - South African Weather Service (the official one)
Welcome to Weather Underground : Weather Underground (for those places you can't find anywhere else)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Down the airway.
Posts: 689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is a website for SA weather. I hope you find it satisfactory.
Otherwise, much of sub sahara weather is governed by the movement of the ITCZ which is pretty easy to track and forecast - in general terms-on a satellite weather website.
I would suggest that you are prepared to tank fuel as you find it, just to be on the safe side for weather and for the possible shortage or breakdown of equipment at your next port of call. Do not necessarily believe them if you call ahead to the less sophiscticated places and they tell you it is a nice day and they have lots of Jet A1.and that all the equipment is working. Things break very easily in Africa and lock up your aircraft at night and consider finding a security guard for it.
Aviation - South African Weather Service
Otherwise, much of sub sahara weather is governed by the movement of the ITCZ which is pretty easy to track and forecast - in general terms-on a satellite weather website.
I would suggest that you are prepared to tank fuel as you find it, just to be on the safe side for weather and for the possible shortage or breakdown of equipment at your next port of call. Do not necessarily believe them if you call ahead to the less sophiscticated places and they tell you it is a nice day and they have lots of Jet A1.and that all the equipment is working. Things break very easily in Africa and lock up your aircraft at night and consider finding a security guard for it.
Aviation - South African Weather Service
Reaper:
Use a handler such as Universal or similar if this is your first trip to Africa and you are going to hit as many bases as you list.
Honestly, the cost will be worth it. If you don't retain a handler, you'll wind up spending just as much money on undocumented expenses as the handler will charge, plus, you'll have more headaches.
Trust me on this one, the advice is based on 20 years of experience flying all over Africa. If you were just going to one or two countries, you could perhaps gather sufficient information from all of us here on the forum - but for all the stops you will be making... get a handler.
Use a handler such as Universal or similar if this is your first trip to Africa and you are going to hit as many bases as you list.
Honestly, the cost will be worth it. If you don't retain a handler, you'll wind up spending just as much money on undocumented expenses as the handler will charge, plus, you'll have more headaches.
Trust me on this one, the advice is based on 20 years of experience flying all over Africa. If you were just going to one or two countries, you could perhaps gather sufficient information from all of us here on the forum - but for all the stops you will be making... get a handler.
Originally Posted by Der absolute Hammer
He is coming from Oz, should not be a problem to understand strange dialectiks.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: namibia
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
a true perspective of namibian (windhoek fir) conditions
hi. dafly
i came across your post on atc conditions and as an namibian atc i was abit offended. plus i have to say i am sorry that you had to misinform the poor chap with your wrong opinion.
my dear lad, doesnt mean if some1 does not have the same accent as yours then they suck. i have a pretty good idea who the two controllers are you are refering to (both of german decent). just for your information, namibian atc's are all highly trained people at well recognise ICAO institutions around the world e.g ATNS south africa, DHPS langen Germany to name a couple. they are all outstanding atcs, that is why you will find that the south african system head hunts staff from our system. the ones that do not live are either poeple who have remained due families or of own choice.
i am a young guy who has decided that i will be staying put. who is gonna look after and build up my country if a run off for money abroad.
(p.s: i dnt have 2 to 3 passports to just go where i want like some people. i am namibian)
about how some poeple make mistakes: u will find in the daily notam bullitins that atc trainning might be taking place and everyone makes them, even pilots. you will find that a pilot is told to report leftbase for RWY 01, and he calls next right base RWY 19.
i came across your post on atc conditions and as an namibian atc i was abit offended. plus i have to say i am sorry that you had to misinform the poor chap with your wrong opinion.
my dear lad, doesnt mean if some1 does not have the same accent as yours then they suck. i have a pretty good idea who the two controllers are you are refering to (both of german decent). just for your information, namibian atc's are all highly trained people at well recognise ICAO institutions around the world e.g ATNS south africa, DHPS langen Germany to name a couple. they are all outstanding atcs, that is why you will find that the south african system head hunts staff from our system. the ones that do not live are either poeple who have remained due families or of own choice.
i am a young guy who has decided that i will be staying put. who is gonna look after and build up my country if a run off for money abroad.
(p.s: i dnt have 2 to 3 passports to just go where i want like some people. i am namibian)
about how some poeple make mistakes: u will find in the daily notam bullitins that atc trainning might be taking place and everyone makes them, even pilots. you will find that a pilot is told to report leftbase for RWY 01, and he calls next right base RWY 19.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: through the door, left
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dear Norbert, I guess you are quite eager to for an answer, since you have send me your post as private message 3 days after posting it on this thread. I do apologise for offending you personally, quite possibly you are one of the better controllers in Nam.
But let us face the facts: since there are no facilities in Namibia for initial training, you guys are being send to ATNS for that. I doubt you have been to Germany for that matter. DHPS Langen does in fact not exist. DHPS is the German private high school in Windhoek. The place in Langen is called DFS.
And I also know, what ATNS thinks about the majority of controllers working in Windhoek. And we both know, that Namibia has had an extremely close shave by ICAO, amongst other factors due to the short comings of ATC. We are lucky, not to have lost ICAO membership, yet.
To be honest, at the moment I wouldn't know of any 2 controllers of German descent. There is 1, who is about to go back to Walvis Bay within the next couple of weeks. Then there is another one of European descent, but he is actually Dutch. In the end it would be very wrong, to judge anybodies abilities by their accent. But it so happens, that those controllers in Windhoek, who are the hardest to understand, deliver the worst service. I am convinced, it is coincidence.
We both know, that there is at least one controller working in Windhoek, who has been fired by the Botswana ATC, for poor performance.
Then we have a young lady (not a trainee), who lost the plot completely, because she had to deal with 3! aircraft within the Eros ATZ. Unfortunately she has proven on several occasions, that anything more than 3 aircraft is hard to handle.
Quite a while back, another lady, also not a trainee, has made me do a go-around just before touch down in FYWH, after landing clearance was already given. Her reason for this instruction was, that there were some large birds observed next to the runway, but more than half way down. Since I was flying a C210 at that time, well capable of using only a few hundred meters of the runway, it was a bit of an over reaction.
One of your controllers is so laid back, that you always have to call at least twice, before he answers, and no, he has not always been busy on another relay. Pilots do talk amongst each other.
A few weeks ago, an A340 (frome the north) and a B190 (from the east) approach FYWH. At 100 NM WHV the B190's ETA is 1 minute ahead of that of the A340. The controller tells the B190 crew to keep the speed up and the A340 guys to slow down. The A340 was not even in the descent yet. Since both A/C belong to the same company, the 1900 Captain suggests, to rather slow down and give preference to the faster A340, since it is much easier for those guys to keep the speed up than for the 1900. Slowing down an Airbus is a much more costly affair, since that thing costs a few hundred U$ per minute to operate. The controller insisted, that the 1900 must stay number 1.
In another instance a departing 735 destined to FACT was kept at 9000' for almost 10 minutes due to a small piston twin passing FYWH enroute southbound. Knowing the climb performance of the 735 being in excess of 3500 ft/min , it would have been much better to make them turn out northbound with the instruction to cross WHV southbound above the FL of the light twin. That would have saved quite a bit of fuel.
Despite having received start up clearance, we had to wait for more than 10 minutes at the holding point, because there was an A319 40 NM inbound from FAJS.
Recently a PC12 was told 'no reported traffic below FL150' while in descent into an uncontrolled airfield, despite the fact, that the very same controller has just spoken to a C401 flying into the very same field. Both a/c were approaching the airfield from the same direction and got each other visual closer to the field. Luckily the pilots did communicate amongst each other.
Interestingly enough, the only collision I can remember has taken place relatively close to FYWH in controlled airspace, while there was hardly any other traffic around, not in the busy uncontrolled airspace around Sossusvlei or Swakopmund in high season.
I could go on and on. I have flown in many countries, low level uncontrolled and FL410 controlled. Namibia certainly has not the worst ATC service, but there is much room for improvement. But the average ATC in Namibia is far behind those guys working in RSA and Europe, even the Luanda guys are more clued up, when it comes to handling traffic volume.
Being an ATC is not only about safety. You are supposed to deliver a service to pilots, to give them the most efficient routings within the boundaries of safety regulations. And that is were most of the Windhoek controllers fail badly, not necessarily on the safety side, but on efficiency.
And in order to work in a foreign country, you only need 1 passport. It can even be a Namibian one, ask me, I have done it before, brother!
But let us face the facts: since there are no facilities in Namibia for initial training, you guys are being send to ATNS for that. I doubt you have been to Germany for that matter. DHPS Langen does in fact not exist. DHPS is the German private high school in Windhoek. The place in Langen is called DFS.
And I also know, what ATNS thinks about the majority of controllers working in Windhoek. And we both know, that Namibia has had an extremely close shave by ICAO, amongst other factors due to the short comings of ATC. We are lucky, not to have lost ICAO membership, yet.
To be honest, at the moment I wouldn't know of any 2 controllers of German descent. There is 1, who is about to go back to Walvis Bay within the next couple of weeks. Then there is another one of European descent, but he is actually Dutch. In the end it would be very wrong, to judge anybodies abilities by their accent. But it so happens, that those controllers in Windhoek, who are the hardest to understand, deliver the worst service. I am convinced, it is coincidence.
We both know, that there is at least one controller working in Windhoek, who has been fired by the Botswana ATC, for poor performance.
Then we have a young lady (not a trainee), who lost the plot completely, because she had to deal with 3! aircraft within the Eros ATZ. Unfortunately she has proven on several occasions, that anything more than 3 aircraft is hard to handle.
Quite a while back, another lady, also not a trainee, has made me do a go-around just before touch down in FYWH, after landing clearance was already given. Her reason for this instruction was, that there were some large birds observed next to the runway, but more than half way down. Since I was flying a C210 at that time, well capable of using only a few hundred meters of the runway, it was a bit of an over reaction.
One of your controllers is so laid back, that you always have to call at least twice, before he answers, and no, he has not always been busy on another relay. Pilots do talk amongst each other.
A few weeks ago, an A340 (frome the north) and a B190 (from the east) approach FYWH. At 100 NM WHV the B190's ETA is 1 minute ahead of that of the A340. The controller tells the B190 crew to keep the speed up and the A340 guys to slow down. The A340 was not even in the descent yet. Since both A/C belong to the same company, the 1900 Captain suggests, to rather slow down and give preference to the faster A340, since it is much easier for those guys to keep the speed up than for the 1900. Slowing down an Airbus is a much more costly affair, since that thing costs a few hundred U$ per minute to operate. The controller insisted, that the 1900 must stay number 1.
In another instance a departing 735 destined to FACT was kept at 9000' for almost 10 minutes due to a small piston twin passing FYWH enroute southbound. Knowing the climb performance of the 735 being in excess of 3500 ft/min , it would have been much better to make them turn out northbound with the instruction to cross WHV southbound above the FL of the light twin. That would have saved quite a bit of fuel.
Despite having received start up clearance, we had to wait for more than 10 minutes at the holding point, because there was an A319 40 NM inbound from FAJS.
Recently a PC12 was told 'no reported traffic below FL150' while in descent into an uncontrolled airfield, despite the fact, that the very same controller has just spoken to a C401 flying into the very same field. Both a/c were approaching the airfield from the same direction and got each other visual closer to the field. Luckily the pilots did communicate amongst each other.
Interestingly enough, the only collision I can remember has taken place relatively close to FYWH in controlled airspace, while there was hardly any other traffic around, not in the busy uncontrolled airspace around Sossusvlei or Swakopmund in high season.
I could go on and on. I have flown in many countries, low level uncontrolled and FL410 controlled. Namibia certainly has not the worst ATC service, but there is much room for improvement. But the average ATC in Namibia is far behind those guys working in RSA and Europe, even the Luanda guys are more clued up, when it comes to handling traffic volume.
Being an ATC is not only about safety. You are supposed to deliver a service to pilots, to give them the most efficient routings within the boundaries of safety regulations. And that is were most of the Windhoek controllers fail badly, not necessarily on the safety side, but on efficiency.
And in order to work in a foreign country, you only need 1 passport. It can even be a Namibian one, ask me, I have done it before, brother!
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Some airport hotel
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Reaper65
aviationweather.gov has been pretty good for me. If in Sudan, no credit cards, not even in the smart hotels. We were also unable to draw cash, require a local bank account I am told.
From my rusty Latin I vaguely remember Ex Africa aliqid sempre, the English I do remember, Always something different in Africa.
Enjoy your African adventure, dont forget to have a sense of humour handy.
Cheers
yambat
aviationweather.gov has been pretty good for me. If in Sudan, no credit cards, not even in the smart hotels. We were also unable to draw cash, require a local bank account I am told.
From my rusty Latin I vaguely remember Ex Africa aliqid sempre, the English I do remember, Always something different in Africa.
Enjoy your African adventure, dont forget to have a sense of humour handy.
Cheers
yambat