Post 31: Good news. The Mooney is fixed. But an Antonov crashes trying to land a Pointe Noire shortly after Fox Formation takes off

March 21

Port Gentil, Gabon

307nm

2hours 40minutes flying time



One of the two Antonovs taking off from Pointe Noire
An hour later one of them crashes into a residential district
 coming into land

 An Antonov 12 crashes coming in to land at Pointe Noire just after we take off

Good news and appalling flying news today. A Russian-made, Russian-crewed Antonov 12 cargo plane crashes coming in to land at Pointe, Noire, Congo Brazzaville. It ploughs into the residential district of Mvou Mvou about 45 minutes after we take off on Runway 18 for a right turn heading north for Gabon. Pointe Noire is the country’s economc capital and a big port. The airspace is busy. And it’s hot. The latest death toll is 23, including crew.

As we wait to refuel we see two Antonov’s take off, dark smoke trailing their powerful turbine engines. (See picture) Bernard says they seem heavy and appear to take an awfully long time to get off the ground.   



The Mooney on 6-ton Jacks waitingto tests its undercarriage

 The Mooney is fixed: The good news is the hand-crafted, 3-inch metal rod for the Mooney’s broken undercarriage works. Eventually. Bernard carries out a test flight first thing. He takes off, retracts the wheels and does a low pass in front of the tower. They tell him the wheels seem to be up and the doors are closed. He banks and brings the Mooney into land. As he does, the new rod holding open one of the two doors which close in sequence, after the wheels are up, snaps again. He decides to fit the original rod which he’d had welded at a roadside “ garage” the night before by a  smiling Congolese with two enormous Acetylene welders.


Bernard fiddles and fixes

 Bernard borrows two 6-ton jacks, courtesy of Heli Union, a local helicopter outfit. Flying Farmer Martin and Helmut put the jacks in place. They lift the Mooney ( MTOW 3668 lbs) off the ground. If the doors close he’ll give it a go. If they don’t it’s game over. The problem is that the Mooney (usual cruising speed 175 knots) can only do 109kts with its undercarriage down. There just wouldn't be enough refuellng points to get him out of Africa.



The Mooney flying wheels down at 107 knots, two thirds
of its usual crussing speed, along the Congolese coast
 ( Picture: courtesy Martin from G-OSL)



Tense. He retracts and lowers the undercarriage on the ground three times. It works. Great relief all round. And great tam work. A real sense ofquiet and well-deserved accomplishment by the small group who worked on the problem



Flying farmer Martin jacks up the Mooney



The formation takes off in sequence for Port Gentil, just over 5o miles south of the Equator. It’s 40 degrees centigrade ( 100F) on the apron at 10:00 am.

On the way north Jo skims the coast at 200 feet over the beaches. We see a small herd of elephants, including a calf.  It seems like a good omen. We get to Port Gentil to be told that our Avgas, which is being trucked to Libreville from Cameroon, to the north, is stuck at the border. We will have to spend an extra night in Port Gentil. Helmut in the big Cessna with Kiwi Adam and Antoinette, the Flying farmer's better half - plus Al and Charly in the Bumblebee - have gone ahead to the paradisical island of Principe. The group is divided again. Not ideal. I’ve learned to take things day by day.