Eliye Springs, Kenya
 

Hello all,

Does anyone have any info on the airfield at Eliye Springs, Lake Turkana, Kenya?

The coords which I have are 3° 13' 12.00"N, 36° 0' 0.00"E, but Google Earth shows nothing there. I know its fairly new though. Anyone?

Thanks

Hi there. Eliye Springs is an existing airstrip - but not often used. It used to be okay for light twins, but don't know of too many people that have been there recently. Co-ordinates on the EA Aeroclub database are: N 03°14.209´ E 35°58.310´ usable length is 900'.

Not a usual destination for South African aircraft though???

Thanks! Yes, a long flight for an SA aircaft. Its an eclipse run......clearing inbound at Eldoret, the flying to Eliye Springs. We'll have our ground transfer guy run up and down the strip before we land.

Cheers, appreciate the info (again!)

Eliye. Springs
 

I would not land there with anything other then a light piston or a very lighlty loaded 208.
certainly not an airfield for someone not familiar with no Turkana airfields.
good luck.

West Turkana
 

Hey bud, It's a while since I was up there, and then I was in a vehicle not flying; but you might want to check out Kalokol at 3 29 23N 35 59 25E, or Lodwar at 3 07 15n 35 36 19e as alternatives to Eliye Springs… I think Capt Haddock is spot on with his assessment.

Safari n'njema!

Eliye Springs
 

For future reference the coords from Wiki give a point about 1.8km NW of the actual airfield. The strip is more like 850m long, but with about 100 to 200m of what could be used as clearway/stopway on the eastern end. Its marked with standard white side and end markers, and not that difficult to find. The condition of the strip is not bad, but theres a rain water gulley across about a third of the runway width near the western end, running from south to north. If you keep to the northern side of the strip you should be fine. Watch out for goats and the odd vehicle which uses the strip as a road instead of detouring to the south.

Although a Van is better able to handle the roughness in some parts, and getting off the strip to park, I took a BE20 in and had no problems. I was only about 10 000lbs for takeoff. About 15kts of easterly wind was consistent while we were there, and if you leave early morning it is relatively cool.....

Eliye Springs
 

Thanks CaptHaddock and rcsa. Appreciate the info. We had a great time there: I wanted to transit up to Kalokol but decided not to chance the strip being potholed (and possibly full of other planes), so we drove up to Kalokol from Eliye Springs instead.

Great country, great people. Hope to fly up again sometime.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the info, Zoneout - and glad you had a good trip. Check out some of the areas on the east side of Turkana one day - Kalacha, on the edge of the Chalbi desert, is a big favourite of mine.

Best regards

R

Kalacha looks incredible. Some time I hope.

Cheers