Flying in Antigua

[Davidt]

Any one know if there is a light single (C150/C172, Pa28 or similar) for self fly hire in Antigua?

If not I'm going to have to entertain the missus for a whole fortnight
:sad:

[Ken Wells]

I was there last September and we could not find any hire A/C

There used to be a club there but it is now closed.

All I can suggest is go to the Antigua and Barbuda website and post a message.

We can Highly recomend HOMES for a great local cooked meal ask any Cab driver it is in St johns Harmany Hall is one of our Favoraites on the East side of the Island although last Setember it was closed for refurbishments. The New Cricket Ground at the Airport also has a great new Sports Bar good food in lovely surroundings.

Hve Fun:cool:

[Flying Lawyer]

I did some flying while in Antigua last February.
It's not strictly self fly hire in the sense that the aircraft owner comes with the aircraft but you sit in the left seat, do all the flying and take passengers in the back if you wish. It didn't bother me because I always fly with a local when flying in a new country for the first time.

Aircraft: PA28-161, Registration V2-LDW.
Contact: David Hart on +1 268 463 3000.
He's a civil engineer, and used to instruct in California before moving to Antigua some years ago.

I flew around Antigua and also over Montserrat and on to Nevis and St Kitts.

English Harbour
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/EnglishHarbour.jpg

Horseshoe Bay
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/HorseshoeBay.jpg

Montserrat is worth seeing but, unless the new airport is completed by the time you go, you won't be able to land. The original airport was destroyed by the volcano a few years ago and is unlikely to reopen for a very long time, if ever.

Nevis is a small friendly airfield and they'll let you fly around the island, do a touch and go or land, as you wish.

St Kitts airport is bigger and busier. I flew around part of the island but was then given (firmly non-negotiable) options of landing or going away immediately! I didn't have time to land so headed back to Antigua - No 2 to land behind the inbound Virgin 747-400 which flew us home a couple of hours later. :)

I didn't go to Barbuda but I'm told it's a pretty island - Antigua has wonderful deserted beaches (if you get away from the hotels), but pretty it is not.

David's happy to do longer flights to other islands if required, and is very pleasant company

[bar shaker]

Ah Antigua, probably my favourite place on Planet Earth.

Nothing to do with flying, as I didn't fly then, but a funny story anyway.

I met up with a group of American chaps and we decided to rent a fishing boat for the day. Being fishing, wives were not allowed. This was difficult for two of the chaps, as they were on honeymoon. The boat was duly booked for a pick up at 7am.

On said morning, on said pier, were two very fine American girls. They were meant to be meeting some playboy who had pulled them a couple of nights before and had a big boat. Needless to say he wasn't in sight. When our boat turned up, they asked if they could join us, as "we seemed like a good laugh".

Some consternation amongst the honeymooners, but a majority vote carried it.

Much Tuna, Baracuda and King fish was caught and the instantly naked birds, between sunbathing on the front of the boat, kept us fishermen full of rum punch. Anyone who has been game fishing in the Carribean will know that you are totally bolloxed by the time you get back.

As the day draws to a close, El Capitano heads for home and we admire our catch and these two fine young fillies, all through very drunken eyes, drinking even more punch and all singing shanties.

Horror, abject horror.

Our destination pier is covered in "fish wives"... but worse, they are our wives!!

As we disembarked, the girlies were giving out kisses and thanking us for inviting them and saying what a great day they had. :uhoh:

I think I got away with it, but the US chaps certainly didn't :O

I would love to fly around the islands and am very jealous of Tudor's pictures. Must get back there this winter.

[Davidt]

Thanks all contacted Mr Hart and we're on, so she can sit on the beach I'm goin flyin!:ok:

[Flying Lawyer]

Pleased you're fixed up. :ok:

When you meet David, tell him I send my regards. (Tudor Owen who stayed at the Galley Bay hotel.)
If you fly over Montserrat, tell him I warned you to be prepared for sudden severe turbulence near the new airport. We lost a few hundred feet in seconds and it shook him as well as me! :eek:
I might have recovered a little more quickly if my partner hadn't been tapping me on the shoulder asking what happened - not realising I'd heard her the first time but was too busy to answer. :D

Tudor