Discobeast

Where in Aoteoroa are you, I am at Princes Wharf (AKL). Heading to Jo'Burg Thursday to catch up with Dave M and then go as part of their seven ship flight (EC-120 x 5, EC-130x1 and AS-350? x 1) to Nairobi for the Rally of Kenya. Should be a good trip. Staying overnight in Malawi somewhere.

Autorotate.

hi autorotate,

i'm in albany, north-shore. i was wondering if they were going to go up for the rally again. i heard the last time was an awesome trip. wish i could go along..... damn! hehehe...

wow! 7 ships hey?! plus the EC130?! i knew dave would get to play with the new toys!!! hehehe...

where do you know Dave from?

ciao!
:D

Viking-Oncho
 

I spent 18 months in West Africa in '79-81 with Viking Helicopters of Ottawa Canada on the the Oncho project. Looking back it was one of the greatest time and most challenging job of my flying career. Nothing like 200 miles out to a fuel casche in 1/2 mile vis in the "Harmatan". No GPS in those days and just C model 500's! Good times and good people. "Flag" beer tasted good when it was cold!

I have spent a lot of time back and forwards doing stories and shooting pics, back from the days when Brian Lehmkuhl was running the Rand Airport unit for SAPS, with Rod McLay as 2IC. On this trip am also catching up with Mark McJannet and Ivor Marais at STAR and up to Livingstone where there are a couple of 350s plying the tourist trade.

If I get time will duck across to Vic Falls where the old UAC and Southern Cross have combined to form Zambezi Helicopters, flying 2 x 206L and one 206B.

The trip to Nairobi is going to be fun. Sliding door on EC-120 and have just bought 100 rolls of slide film, should be just enough for the trip.

Not sure if you know John Fogden, foggie used to be Ops Dir of NAC at Rand, now is Helo Inspector here in Kiwiland for the CAA (C***s Against Aviation).

Autorotate.

Autorotate, If your going up through Malawi, I will bet you stay in Karonga...... Dont Eat the salad......Also dont get into any Bullfights..............Gerry will explain......

Bert,

Arr into JNB last night and caught up with Dave and some of the pilots. I am flying with Martin, Daves Chief Pilot in an EC-120. Leaving crack of dawn tomorrow and refuel at Tete then through to Llongwe (not sure on spelling) and then throw a few jerry cans in the back and do a bush refuel the following day for last leg.

Now have eight aircraft going from here. By the way did Dave mention they bent a Rooivalk during a flight test for the pilot the other day :eek:

Autorotate.

P.S. Dave said Gerry is on this flight as well.

Found this which backs up Daves little incident :D


A Rooivalk belonging to the South African Air Force (SAAF), was involved in an accident on 28 June outside Pretoria.

Denel says that during a routine maintenance test flight, with one of its test pilots at the controls, the helicopter carried out a quick stop manoeuvre when the aircraft hit the ground ‘in what can be considered a hard landing’. First news indicates that the port shock absorber collapsed as a result of the impact, with some collateral damage.

The crew were not injured in the incident and the aircraft was returned to the Denel plant at Kempton Park.

An official board of enquiry has been and a first sitting will be held.

hi autorotate,

i thought it was only petri van zyl in the rooivalk. did'nt know dave was with.

martin bouer, the chief pilot, is a great guy. i flew with him once in a 350 doing a test flight. do you know if nic is going along as well?

are you talking about gerrie that own the EC120?

Talking aboput Gerry Broberg......Former SAP Pilot and general all around good guy....

Bert & All

Made it into Nairobi yesterday. Great trip and I got to fly EC-120 ZS-RNA all the way, with Martin as co-pilot. Chased girafe around low level in Zim and then did a photo shoot at 11,500 ft in front of Kilamanjaro with Gerry flying EC-130 as No 1, Francois and Mark in EC-120 as number 2 and Renae in AS-350BA as No 3.

Will post some when I get home. Bert, heard from Gerry that you tried to ague with a Buffalo and got butted for your trouble :D

Stopped on top of 7300 ft mountain to top up with jerry cans. Route was

Pietersburg - Chireze - Tete - Llongwe (Overnight) Dodomo and then Nairobi.

We have 28 helicopters working on the rally here. Will post more soon.

Regards

Autorotate.

wow! sounds like an awesome trip! just wondering.... is it possible to post some photos here?

did rene fly ZS-RHA? RHA currently holds the world helicopter altitude record @ 42,500ft.:eek:

enjoy:)

Autorotate,

Disco beast got me on this site, as I asked about the trip on a thread in "African Aviation" Anyway I am envious. I had one hell of a good time a few years ago...
And Yes I am de great Kenyan Booolfighter... the Sumbitch threw me ass over teacup. But I did get a lot of toothy smiles from the locals....
That trip, every year will no doubt become the most popular Helicopter flying in Africa and I can see it becoming something that will have its own Alumni Association....
Please keep Gerry out of trouble, he seems to think that Tonic wards off Malaria....

Bert & Discobeast

Am back in JoBurg now, doing some flying with STAR and SAPS and then Johaan Nell and the Land & Ag B3. Left Nairobi this afternoon.

Renee flew the Giraffe up there, blue and green BA. I will post some of the images once I get them developed. Shot images all the way up there including the amazing formation shots in front of Killy.

Bert, I am going to be back on this trip next year so you should make a point of joining us. Am also going to make up some t-shirts commemorating this years bash so if you and Discobeast would like one will put a couple aside.

Now Arthur Walker, he is a character.

Autorotate.

Autorotate, so all you did was the ride up...... Fun begins when the work begins....and those good evenings along the routes.
next time you have to stay the entire time.....Ride home is not so bad also. Did you see a customs Official in Malawi wearing Vaurnets?? If so they were mine, the little S51T was so fast I didnt catch him.....Stop by vegas on the way home.....

The whole plan was originally just for the trip up. I was going to stay but a certain person turned out to be a real SOB, and since he was running the helo ops side I decided it wasnt worth the hassle.

They now have a Helipark where all the machines are based and work out of so all nights are spent in tents at Suswa. The only ones that dont are Garry and Renee who are based out of the Safari park because they are flying the media.

We went and had lunch at Carnivores down at the end of the airport, such delights as zebra, crocodile, ostrich, etc.

All in all a great trip and if I had the time to stay I would have waited around but also the owner of the 120 we flew up there was coming up to fly it home with friends so that was another reason to cut out early.

Autorotate.

Giraffe? Ohhh yeaah… got it! the giraffe… right! ;o) I think Helibip wanted to buy it just before I left for NZ. Guess they did!

Would love to have one of those T’s! Now I can say, ” wasn’t there, didn’t do it but hey… got the t-shirt!” hehe…

Have fun with the STAR EC-135. Don’t know the folks that operate STAR personally but know about them.

And enjoy a couple of Castles at Rotor Arms at the SAP-hangers. Cheapest drinks in town!!! Right… Bert?:D

Cheers!

Thats for sure. Its a beautiful place. Many times there when there were Pilots in the SAP Airwing. Seems most have all gone by now and the load is being picked up by the few remaining.
Sad thing, but Im sure it will revert to jungle in the not to distant future.
If you visit the place dont forget to bring a good bottle of Gentleman Jack and leave it for those who are still there......

Bert

Just got back from having a few in the Rotors Arms for you. Went flying with Marius in Jo'Burg in the 500E and found a couple of carjackers in delightful Soweto. Then it was back to Pretoria for an air to air shoot with the B3 from a 105. Beautiful shots then we had to retire to the Arms. Got a couple of commenorative bottles of wine with the SAPS AIRWING logos on them so might drop one off on the way through Vegas in a few weeks.

Great day and back with STARS tomorrow with the EC-135 and then Sunday head north with Johann in the Parks B3 for some game counting and darting etc. Life sucks NOT :D

Autorotate.

John Bassi Helicopters in Pretoria has R-22 for R1,350 + VAT per hour for hours building and is rumoured to being getting a Hughes 300 to add to Jet Ranger which goes for R3250. Tel 082 892 9444.

Bert

Got to meet Fred today, great guy and we had a ball. Flew up there with Johaan in the Land & Ag B3. Then we met up with Fred at the lodge and flew up to the mountain site and had lunch. The next couple of hours resulted in some awesome images. You know the pedal turn he does in front of the rock face, well he recreated that while I was on the ground and we got some spectacular images. Also got Johaan to do it in the B3 and he had the thing upside down, and yes you did read right - wait and see the evidence :eek:

The we had them in formation looking down the sheet cliffs with one under the other. From here it was off around the park shooting from the B3 to Fred. Low level over the reserve was great.

Then swapped to Freds machine and chased the B3 around. Got simply out o this world images of the B3 with two Rhinos, giraffe and Wildebeest. Will email some for you. Then drive back to Pretoria with Fred, drinking few beers on the way back, 140kmph and handgun on the seat, just in case of highjacking. Needless to say a great day, and a true gentlemen. Heard a few war stories about you too :D

Autorotate.