From Europe to Kenya

[AfricanEagle]

Hopefully I'll be flying a TC 206 from Europe to Kenya in a few weeks time.

Tentative routing:

Roma LIRA
Brindisi LIBR
Iraklion LGIR
Cairo HECA
Luxor HELX
Khartoum HSSS
Addis HAAB
Nairobi HKNW
Malindi

Any suggestions, advice, first hand info much appreciated. Especially regarding HSSS and HAAB. Or alternative routings.

tks.

[savannah]

Hey Pal
I last flew on that route was 2003 on a PA-31 to Kilimanjaro Tanzania
Life was good till when i landed at HSSS, Only to learn that 100LL is a thing of a past, got stranded for 3 days. So thats one and second be ready for bakshish (tips) just like Egypt and third you dont want to hug any ground hills or mountains around Ethiopia, best is direct from HSSS to HKNW but for 206 you may not have the range so JUBA in sudan and LOKICHOGI in kenya might be of help, If you get to IMC then FL150 is the Min. NEVER forget the Permits, African jails are not the place you want to be..... Goodluck:ok:

Savannah

[Agaricus bisporus]

Shame to miss out on Addis, I'd have thought. Some of the most stunning scenery in the world thereabouts, and there's big terrain too, but what a fascinating place and culture. Ethiopian Airlines operates a training fleet there so 100LL shouldn't be a problem but always check ahead. You will find yourself at well over FL100 anywhere over Africa just to avoid thermal turbulence which is simply unbearable at lower levels. With having to go up to next airways level be prepared to fly at FL140, perhaps higher. Do you have Oxygen? If not be damn sure you (and pax) can cope up there without it. Be real careful about the high altitude stuff without Oxygen, the effects are insidious and often unnoticed until too late. Do you have radar? If you meet the ITCZ without it you'll be in a real pickle. Find out where the Front is, and avoid it. Take a survival pack, a proper one, 25litres of water per person, a sarbe, flares.
I don't know the political sensibilities out there these days but an alternative routing might be via Port Sudan rather than Khartoum, then via Asmara to Addis but that might be difficult due to the Eritrea/Ethiopia spat.
I operated thru Addis several years ago and found it a friendly and reasonably efficient place with clunky bureaucracy but all very good natures. Smile a lot, be unfailingly polite, patient and wear a white pilots shirt with 4 gold bars. I suspect Addis will be a breeze after Cairo and Khartoum. I don't know about Juba but my time in S Sudan says "avoid". Lokichoggio is a dump, but maybe needs must. Ethiopians are delightful people, proud of their beautiful country and love to meet foreigners, ditto Eritreans. Both places are far more efficient than your pre-conceptions might expect. Sadly the same is not true for Sudan or Egypt. Nairobi Wilson is almost European by contrast. I never paid a cent in Chai in Ethiopia or Kenya in over a year's operations. I don't believe it is necessary.

Just enjoy it! Lucky sod!

[V1... Ooops]

Posted by error - deleted, sorry.

[bush van]

In HSSS, 100LL, a person can get it, very expensive. I think its 400$ a drum 200L and with a bottle Jonny black 350$ last i checked.

just beware of customs and its a mission to get out, try avoid it

Regards

[AfricanEagle]

Still working out a routing that is relatively safe, has "fast" stopovers and most of all garantees fuel availability.

Can anybody confirm that avagas is available in Lokkichoggio (HKLK).

thanks

[merlinxx]

Why not save all the grief and call one of the Int'l Services folks. Jepp UK LGW +44 1293 842403 [email protected] or UV in CIA etc.

[AfricanEagle]

Thanks, merlinxx, I am already in contact with an int'l service.

Sudan is reported without avgas so will probably route Jedda, Djibouti, Addidas. Can't make it direct to Nairobi without tanking, hence considering Loki.

Basically I am interested in direct feedback from who flies the area to get a feeling of what to expect. I am africanborn but not an african pilot, just a simple ppl vfr sep.

tks.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Rumbek in Sudan used to have a stash for a C206 that dropped in occasionally but I think it was private stock. Not sure if they still keep some there.