Week - by - Week (Week 18)

Week 18 (21 March ’15 – 27 March ’15) – Nare (Buffalo)

Mostly did Moremi Air charters this week, so a lot of long legs with few take-off’s and landings.

Was lucky enough to stay at Camp Moremi with a bunch of Capetonians, and go on a game drive during which we were surrounded by a huge herd of buffalo.

New camps visited: Camp Moremi

Take-off’s and landings:  37

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 6.9hrs, FBMN-KAN-LEB-NP-FBMN/FBMN-KWD-KWA-LEB-FBMN/SCENIC

Week - by - Week (Week 17)

Week 17 (14 March ’15 – 20 March ’15) – Tau

This week I stayed in a Wilderness Safari’s Camp for the first time. On the drive to the camp, we stumbled across a large pride of lion. Wow!

I was also fortunate enough to go for a boat trip on the Chobe River, while staying at Chobe Chilwero. I can highly recommend it!

New strips visited: Jack’s Camp (Tsigaro), Saile

New camps visited: Vumbura North, Saile

Take-off’s and landings:  33

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 4.5hrs, FBKE-SL-MB-FBMN/FBMN-JK-CHI-FBMN

Vumbura North

Chobe River

Week - by - Week (Week 11 - 16)

Week 11 (31 January – 6 February ’15)

Take-off’s and landings:  16

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 3.9hrs, SV-KS-SV-SL-KH-XK-PP-MN/SCENIC

Week 12 (7 February ’15 – 13 February ’15) – South Africa

Take-off’s and landings:  3

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 0.5hrs, C206 instructor sign-out

Week 13 (14 February – 20 February ’15) – Holiday

Chilling in the Cape 8-)

Week 14 (21 February – 27 February ’15) – Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

Back from a wonderful break in Cape Town, it was time to get back into the flying game. It’s amazing to see how much the Delta changes over short periods of time!

Take-off’s and landings:  12

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 2.1hrs, FBMN-SL-MOTS-MAP-PJ-FBMN

Week 15 (28 February ’15 – 6 March ’15)

New Camps Visited: Nxabega

Take-off’s and landings:  18

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 3.6hrs, FBMN-NP-KWA-KWD-FBMN/FBMN-NXB

Week 16 (7 March ’15 – 13 March ’15) – San

Was lucky enough to fly to the border between Botswana and Namibia, in order to deliver some guests to Xai Xai. The Kodiak joined me

New strips visited – Xai Xai

Take-off’s and landings:  16

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 4.1hrs, FBMN-XAI-FBMN/FBMN-VMB-OM-FBMN

Week-by-Week (Week 6 - 10)

• Week 6 (27 December ’14 – 2 January ’15) – New Year’s

Take-off’s and landings: 41

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 5.1hrs, MN-STL-KS-CHI-MN

Christmas Eve - Samedupe Pan

Christmas Eve - Samedupe Pan

Christmas Eve - Samedupe Pan

New Year's Eve - Savuti

• Week 7 (3 January ’15 – 9 January ’15)

Take-off’s and landings:  18

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 3.3hrs, MN-NXB-MN/MN-KWA-NXB-STL-MN/MN-KH-CHI-MN

• Week 8 (10 January ’15 – 16 January ’15) – 1000hrs

A huge achievement: 1000hrs of flying experience!

Take-off’s and landings:  39

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 3.8hrs, MN-PJ-CHO-SL-KS-SV-KH-MN

• Week 9 (17 January ’15 – 23 January ’15)

Take-off’s and landings:  52

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 5.5hrs, MN-KWD-MN/MN-PP-NT-MN/MN-TP-MN/SCENIC

• Week 10 (24 January ’15 – 30 January ’15)

Take-off’s and landings:  31

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 3.9hrs, MN-PP-MN/MN-NXB-MN/MN-NT-MN/MN-PP-MN/SCENIC

Week-by-Week (Week 1-5)

In an effort to keep this blog updated, I'm going to try post a weekly report on my flying.

• Week 1 (21 November ‘14 – 28 November ‘14) – Line Pilot

Signed out as a Mack Air Line Pilot

Kicked off the bush flying career with a double night stop (Savute Elephant Camp, and Chobe Chilwero) and my first international flight (Livingstone)

Take-offs and Landings: 32

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 4.2hrs, FBKE-SHI-PP-FBMN/FBMN-STL-FBSV-FBMN

Khwai River - Machaba

Khwai River - Machaba

Khwai River - Machaba

• Week 2 (29 November ’14 – 5 December ‘14) – Ntswi

One week down. Time to turn up the heat with a flight to Ntswi, the shortest strip that Mack Air operates out of (650m).

Take-off’s and landings: 44

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 6.2hrs, MN-PP-MN/MN-KWA-SL-KS-STL-CEM-MN/MN-OM-MN

• Week 3 (6 December ’14 – 12 December ’14) - Nkwe (Leopard)

Take-off’s and landings: 36

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 4.7hrs, MN-PP-ABU-PP-SV-OM-MN/MN-SV-KS

Savuti - Savute Elephant Lodge

Khwai River - Machaba

Khwai River - Machaba

• Week 4 (13 December ’14 – 19 December ’14)

Take-off’s and landings: 34

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 5.4hrs, KS-CHO-KS-PJ-STL-XX-MN/SCENIC

• Week 5 (20 December ’14 – 26 December ’14) – Limpopo Valley

Almost Christmas time.
My present? A trip to Limpopo Valley. In an Airvan :-/

New strips visited: Limpopo Valley airfield, Francistown

New lodges visited: Chief’s Camp

Take-off’s and landings: 28

Longest day (in terms of hours flown): 7.5hrs, MN-LV-FT-KH-MN

Biking Maun - The Track and a Fall

I am ashamed to admit that I have hardly ridden the motorbike since getting it to Maun.

But on Tuesday, I decided enough was enough, and headed out to a very basic mx track down the road. My first time on a track of this sort, the first few laps were slow. But oh so much fun! And hard work!

Darkness approaching, I decided to do one more lap before heading home. And you know it's always that "Just one more..." that ends in disaster. For me, it was while slowing down in the parking area, and having the front wheel slip out.

Nothing like having a 150kg+ motorbike fall on your leg.

Biking Maun - Riding the Storm

Now that I have my pride and joy out here, it's time to explore!
As luck would have it, we chose to head out as a storm was rolling in.

Dust, wind, rain, hail, mud, thrills, spills, and a whole lot of fun!