Belgium - South Afrika with single prop airplane

[digits_]

hi all,

i'm looking for information regarding a trip i want to make during summer 2008.

i would like to fly from belgium to south africa with a single prop airplane (PPL license)

so, im looking for information about the administrative requirements, available airfields, security in these regions , maintenance, what if the plane breaks down, ....

is there anybody here who can tell me where i can find these things ? or somebody who has done something similar in the past ?

thank you very much in advance,
digits.

[B Sousa]

If you have never flown there before...Forget it.... If your serious, get someone who has done a lot of ferry work in Africa and PAY them to take you there. If you want it to be successful.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

There was a mob of Germans and Danes who did the trip a few months back IIRC. Might want to do a search or Google for it. I'll see if I can find a link for you. The difference is they went with a number of aircraft and could back each other in case of trouble.

[Soap Box Cowboy]

There was a Belgian who went from SA to Belgium in a Homebuild a year or two ago. His plane looked like a Katana or Cirrus. He had a web page but don;t recall what it was. Recomd flying along the Eastern side of Africa. Easier access to Avgas and maintenace. Should be easy enough from Kenya Southward. Only problem is flying over Sudan.
You should be able to get to Egypt alright. Hope whatever you are flying has a range of more than 5 hours.

[Soap Box Cowboy]

Almost forgot a large group of Swiss and germans did it a month ago. Might try to track them down for info. But what are you flying exactly?

[digits_]

Almost forgot a large group of Swiss and germans did it a month ago. Might try to track them down for info. But what are you flying exactly?

what we will be flying has not been decided yet. we were thinking about a diamond, since they use jetfuel (easier than avgas) and have longer endurance. but that's not certain. before we contact people to rent an airplane we want a detailed schedule, so that's why i'm looking for information first.

thank you for you advice.

digits

[GULF69]

this is the website of the group of aircraft that did the Salzburg - CPT - Salzburg a while ago. worth visiting:

http://www.14east.org/

69

[digits_]

this is the website of the group of aircraft that did the Salzburg - CPT - Salzburg a while ago. worth visiting:

http://www.14east.org/

69

thank you!

very good to know it's at least possible :)

[B2N2]

Oh c'mon, there has to be some more info out there, my post is a shameless BUMP....

[JG1]

In 2008 in Africa it will all be changed... hey, it could all be JAA compliant :} , but whats more likely is that the civil wars have moved a state or two East... but not to be negative, who knows, George W Bush could have taken over:uhoh:

[MungoP]

As someone pointed out... stick to the east side... and Sudan is no problem...I was inbound to port Sudan when the 'Danes and Germans' ( I'm sure that there was at least one brit among them ) were arriving at Port Sudan having departed Djibouti.... about 10 a/c in all... they were in and out of Port Sudan with no hassle all in a couple of hours. like any trip... the real work will be in the preperation.

[GULF69]

check you PM's digits

69

[Ndge nyekundu]

No problem at all to go, Avgas enough, just need to go,
Its not an easy and hassle free flight, I did it about 8 times now in a single, backward and forward to and from Europe to Africa, Eastern route is a bit more expensive thn western but easier (
Remember Avgas in Luxor is US 3,17 per liter!!!!
If you survive >Egypt then you are almost done
Have a lot of cash _ US- with you , no notes older then 2001 !!!!
Port Sudan : they will ask for 300.- US for SECURITY ? ! ( there is no security at all BUT......, plus 48 for parking plus 75 for landing.

Kenya
Land at Eldoret, avoid Wilson/Nairobi

if morew info needed, please post
if you want adventure - do it ist fun - i still love it
if you cannot take hassel , stay home

Good luck

[EchoMike]

Meant to comment on this some weeks ago while the thread was more active, but was having login problems . . . solved them, so here goes.


I note your plans are to rent an aircraft for this trip.

Have you checked to see if ANYONE will *rent* you *their* expensive aircraft to go tour this dangerous, far-away place? My feeling is they will not - if you get stuck somewhere, they will not be able to retrieve either you or their airplane, and they know it. Stuck means: mechanical failure, political problems (usually punctuated by gunfire), out of money, illness, returned to sanity . . . any number of reasons why you may not be able to go forward or back - same for someone else's airplane . . . which you are responsible for.

If you are going to do this (and more power to you if you do!), I think it may have to be in your OWN airplane, and you may want to verify that your own insurance will cover you on this journey.

I'm in Florida, and many FBOs will not rent an airplane for the short hop to the very safe Bahamas - let alone to Mexico, which is a far safer destination than cross country in a small, slow, unarmed civil aircraft in some of the places you are considering.

As was mentioned earlier - take a lot of cash, you'll need it . . .


Perhaps you might look for someone who wants to FERRY their airplane there - and that way you might not only have an airplane but also the fuel and other expenses paid for! You also might get an airline ticket back.


And if you DO go, make sure you write about it, you should be able to sell the story to any number of aviation magazines.

Best Regards,

Echo Mike