Post 24: Southbound - journey's end

The most beautiful dream that has haunted the heart of man since Icarus is today reality.

— Louis Bleriot



Dr Livingstone I presume



Friday

Today, for the first time I understand what flight is really about. How birds must feel.  I am, you understand, a relatively inexperienced pilot, a novice, a late and slow learner. But today two young South African pilots, both younger than my son, , have come to my rescue. Thanks to them I finally discover what pilots mean when they talk about the heart soaring in flight. And to Alpha Charlie, in whom I now have absolute faith. My Archer III has carried me 9000 nautical miles across some of the most remote and inhospitable airspace on earth without missing a beat. 



DariusThe Intrepid

Darius texts to say they are wheels up just after 08:00 local and are on their way. I wait on the tarmac at a deserted, sweltering Quelimane airport. I “A”-check Alpha Charlie and file a flight plan with the help of a cuddly lady in flight ops. Kim, my driver, cleans the windscreen, wipes the remains of the tropical morning downpour off the wings and helps pack my stuff. This a big date. She needs to look her best. Just after 11:00 I hear the umistakeable growl of the 207’s three-bladed engine. Then I see it, downwind right, a steep base turn, short finals and a perfectly-judged landing. After five days in Quelimane, the cavalry has arrived. We fuel up from plastic jerry cans, and take off in loose formation for Inhambane in southern, Mozambique, just over 4 hours away.

We climb to Flight45 (4500 feet) at first, against a stiff headwind to try and get on top of a menacing cloud system coming in from the east and building as the heat rises. The outside air temperature gauge shows 25 degrees celcius. We try FL65 and then FL75. Darius, who climbs like a rocket, is above and says the cloud tops are too high. We should descend to 1000 feet on the QNH, turn left and head for the coast before resuming our southbound course. We are in cloud but we see him as a black diamond on Alpha Charlie’s TCAS ( collision avoidance system). Not for the first time I’m grateful I put it in.



Four countries on the Sentinel as we enter South African airspace

 We reach the coast over the Zambezi river delta, winding and breaking off like a great hand with many fingers after its 2,200-mile journey which includes Victoria Falls. A helicopter pilot from an outfit called Mercy Air is on the southern African chat frequency 134.45khz. He is skimming the surface. He says he has seen elephant and buffalo. “ Who are you guys?” We tell him we’re on the final furlong from the UK to South Africa. He is suitably impressed. “ Send me your blog. We do a lot of sitting around between missions”. I promise to do so as soon as I land. Strangers passing.

At the coast the skies clear. A white ribbon of sand stretches virually unbroken for two maybe three hundred miles south. Thatched fishing villages appear a few hundred feet inland, in between mangrove swamps, dunes and wetlands. We descend to 500ft. I’ve never done this before. Fishermen wave. Suddenly Darius appears just behind us, 50 feet away, perhaps less, steady as a rock. He peels away and then wheels, dives and swoops around us like a playfull porpoise. At one point he is “ on the deck” skimming the beaches at 100 maybe 50 feet. His father, Chris Briers, who has organised my rescue in the face of bureaucratic inertia and fuel profiteers who border on the criminal, is one of southern Africa’s most respected bush pilots. Darius is a chip off the old block. Watch out Dad he's catching up fast.



Henrich The Reliable

 Guided by the patient and reliable Henrich, my safety pilot, this is, by a long chalk, the most exhilirating and enjoyable flight I have ever experienced. I feel free as the Red Kites which swoar over my farm back home. Open skies, no traffic, perfect visibility: I follow Darius’s example. At least down to 300 feet. A flight of pink Flamigoes scatters to our right. I have absolute trust in Alpha Charlie. The engine is pitch perfect. We do this for an hour, maybe 90 minutes. For the first time I really “ feel” my aircraft. It becomes an extension of my will. It is an extraordinary and moving experience. Heinrich, an IFR instructor, says she is the finest PA28 he has ever flown. We fly abeam Beira, the old Portuguese port, Villancullos and finally arrive at Inhambane. “ That’s a serious aircraft you’ve got there “ Darius says after we land. Alpha Charlie is puce with embarrassment. Inhambane is clean and charming. Lobster, 2M beer and bed. Tomorrow we plan an early start to cross the border into South Africa, Kruger, Rand airport, my wife Vicioria and Gilly, my cousin, who has been ground control hopefully in time for a late lunch in her Johannesburg garden.


Darius porpoising around Alpha Charlie

 Saturday

We take off in perfect weather from Inhambane for Kruger, the largest thatched-roof terminal in the world. When get there we tuck in to a full breakast and a yummy milkshake. Alpha Charlie takes on 40 litres of Avgas, file a flight plan for Rand airport where. Victoria and Gilly are waiting. When the tower asks me to pass my message on first contact I can’t resist adding to the usual stuff: “ Point of origiin Cranfield Echo Golf Tango Charlie in the UK”. We land, Victoria ( mucu missed) hands me a bunch of r3d roses raciously bought by Gilly who has also brought a hamper with champagne, Windhoek beer and sandwiches. Alpha Charlie is put to bed. She will get a thorough check at PLACO, the Piper agents in South Africa.  A somewhat bewildered guy from the Aeroclub wanders over and reminds me to pay my landing fee. “ You came all the way from England in that?” No offence meant. None taken. 



Alpha Charlie taxing past a Moth at Rand

 

Safely tucked away 9000nm later for a bit of R&R before resuming active duty



NORTHBOUND IN 10 DAYS: We leave for the return journey up the west coast of Africa on March 15: Namibia, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome, Nigeria, Niger, Algeria and Ibiza. My new co-pilot will be my friend Jo Gemin. I will keep you posted. Stay tuned.

PS: Good news. Charly phones to say FP-SCB, the bumble bee, can be fixed and will be able to fly north.