Red's Cape-to-Cape Snowbird Adventure

RedGreen

RedGreen

Charter Member
First off, you may be wondering, why call it a "Snowbird" Adventure. Well, here in Michigan we use the term "Snowbird" to describe residents who go south during the winter months and come back north for the summer. And seeing as how I'll be spending most of my time going north, it seemed appropriate.

I'm about ready to depart Cape Town for Johannesburg in the Rockwell Turbo Commander. Fans of Bob Hoover may be disappointed that I plan on having both engines going during the entire duration of this race, but the civil aviation authorities from South Africa to Sweden have been understandly relieved to hear this news.

And it's time to go!
 
The Turbo Commander is fast, but does she ever go through her fuel quickly! Even with very favorable tailwinds it required a bit of fuel management to get her into Johannesburg safely. The approach wasn't too difficult, the weather was as good as could be asked for, and the landing was acceptable on this one. However, one has to wonder if this bird's lack of fuel mileage will be an Achille's heel further on into the race....

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=eavrAIryddQDOtPhQ2ufNdmbE

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It didn't take long into this race for the Rockwell's fuel guzzling to become an issue. Seeing as how Zimbabwe is closed for landings, it took away my optimal route north. I was thusly faced with three unenviable choices: Make short flights and extra landings that would hurt in the reference race, go for an extra long leg and pray I didn't hit headwinds, or deal with the government officials in Mozambique. I finally decided on the latter choice being the least of the evils. Do not fear though, readers. I'm bringing along three essential items that should prove invaluable on this next leg....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5puAN1PGQw

Now departing FAGM for FQCH, in the quaint little town of Chimoio. :kilroy:
 
This was overall a pretty smooth and nondescript flight. Literally the only challenge on the descent was a 4100 foot knoll directly in my flightpath that both the GPS and FSNav inexplicably failed to indicate ahead of time. Let's just say I'm glad I made a heading change a few degrees to the west before coming upon it! :icon_eek:

With that obstacle behind me however, the rest of the approach and landing were cake. Calm winds, unlimited visibilty and a gracious 8000 foot runway made for an easy conclusion to the flight.

Now for the really difficult part. I see some men in fatigues approaching with AK-47s slung over their shoulders. Not sure they're altogether happy to see me. :kilroy:

(I hereby accept a 30 minute penalty for landing in Mozambique.....unless the aforementioned lawyers, guns and money I carried somehow mitigate that sentence!)

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=YLmYNTIFn5SaSRryhstwydnv0

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Well, our experience with the Mozambique authorities didn't turn out too awful bad. They gladly accepted our "presents" in the form of greenbacks and firearms, and our lawyers even managed to get themselves prime positions in the national governemnt. (Crooks look out for other crooks, it would seem.) However, there was one major loss in this escapade. No, I don't mean the 30 minute penalty. While searching the plane the authorites found our generous stock of alcoholic beverages and promptly confiscated it for themselves! Off all the barbaric things!

So it's with great pleasure that we leave Mozambique behind us and continue our way to Karonga, Malawi. (FWKA)
 
If nothing else, the short range of the Turbo Commander is certainly giving me the opportunity to explore little-seen parts of Africa. I observed some thunderstorms off to the west over Lake Nyasa before I landed at Karonga International Airport. For an international airport, it would seem like you would be able to pick it out of the landscape from a little farther away than four miles. Yet, that was I close I was (in very good conditions) before the runway finally presented itself in full view. Anyway, I did some reading up on this place after I landed and it turns out that there's a uranium mine near here....

Now where did I put my lead underpants? :kilroy:

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=UqoXdbopf9f92UUS1OxuvtBfq8

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While sleeping near a uranium mine may be disconcerting, we've run a geiger counter over the plane and ourselves and are confident that we won't be glowing in the dark anytime soon. So today we push on to the checkpoint at Nariobi, home of a thoroughly modern airport with a runway long enough to handle a strategic bomber. So naturally, we must land instead at an airport five miles away with only a third the runway length and not even its own NDB to speak off.

(I'm starting to think Ms. Murphy is something of a sadist.....:kilroy:)

Upward and onward!
 
Well, this flight proved far less painless than what I thought it would. Had a nice view of a canyon going through Tanzania, and weather conditions were ideal in Naroibi. Not that the conditions were would have been ideal had I arrived a little bit later. I was definitely satisfied that I managed to get the Rockwell into town before the thunderstorm to the northeast managed to move into the city. So far, the weather's been on my side; no headwinds and clear visibility on every landing. Makes me wonder how long it will be until nature decides to unleash her fury on me....

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=8FVI0pSSseonWULbjQ8LDhd1k

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Well, here's a leg where fuel mileage won't be an issue: a short 150 mile hopper over to Kisumu. I don't believe I've ever flown in this part of the world, so every mile's a new experience so far.
 
Made it to the shores of Lake Victoria! One moment Nariobi was a mere speck in the distance, and not long at all afterward the shores of the mighty lake became clear on the horizon. What also became clear were some onimous dark clouds and fog down below that seemed more than a little forboding as I approached. Visibility didn't prove to be a hinderance however, and I made a solid landing. Now, off to check out the Museum in Kisumu that everyone tells me I have to see while I'm here.

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=EB37mKp7aFCeSWsNrGnNfnC98E

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Next stop: Kisangani, DRC. This leg is a bit of a conundrum for the Rockwell. It's too short to justify breaking down into two smaller legs, but it's just enough at the edge of its practical range that a headwind could prove to be a major headache. We'll see if the weather spirits are with me on this leg.
 
This has assuredly been one of the most breathtaking flights in my travels so far. From the expanses of Lake Victoria (which reminded me of the Great Lakes of Michgian) to the mountain range in the middle of my flight (which brought back fond memories of the Rocky Mountains) to the building almost right in front of the runway threshold (which had me wondering if the guy who built it wanted an airplane to crash into it); this truly was a memorable flight. I even made Bob Hoover proud by touching the right landing gear down before coming back up and landing cleanly on the main gears. (It wasn't intentional, granted, but I'm still proud that I pulled it off.) :icon_lol:

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=zEzqD8BUNM6uF67w6BAlFpKuPJ8

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Thanks PRB!

Next stop, Lisola. A short leg...but a gravel runway? What, was this race just not exciting enough as it was?

In all seriousness though, I've never tried landing the Rockwell on an unimproved surface before, so I'm not sure what's going to happen when I touch down. Although it does seem to handle being put down on one wheel well enough....:kilroy:
 
Going into a gravel strip with only an NDB for navigational aid. Old Man IFR has an uncanny ability to reveal himself at the worst times. The clear weather I had experienced early in the flight soured quickly as I approached Lisola. The haze caused me not to spot the airport until less than five miles away from it, and then I was far left of where I needed to be. It took quite a bit of fancy maneuvering to get the Turbo Commander where it needed to be to land safely. And as I was coming down, I heard the dreaded "Stall!" alarm going off. I instinctively applied throttle, only to feel the landing gear touch down. As the airplane started trying to climb back in the air I had to quickly idle the throttles to get the plane back down on the ground.

This one definitely goes in the file of "Memorable Flying Adventures"!

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=PeAgpJLXIq4c7iwypOTBYVOpctc

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More evidence that the race organizers may be a little sadistic? :kilroy: I now get to fly more than 500 miles....away from the northward direction where my ultimate destination lies. Further, I have to eschew two major airports at the destination of my next leg and land at one with a much shorter runway and little in the way of useful navaids (an NDB a full mile to the left of the runway heading. Yep, I'm heading for Kinshasha.

Leastways after this leg I finally get some indepence to my routing. But I also have some number crunching to do in order to figure out what my precision time should be.

But first things first....
 
After miles and miles of smooth sailing, Mother Nature decided it was time to remind me of the calamity she can cause. I was cruising along with a decent quartering tailwind with everything seeming hunky-dory. Then about 140 miles from FZAB I ran smack into a thunderstorm that had the Rockwell bucking like a bronco and its airspeed gauge and altimeter wildly fluctuating. Had to slow down to prevent any chance of an overspeed while I rode the storm out. I was more than a little thankful when I finally broke out of the storm cell and found Kinshasha just to the south of the thunder and lightning.

I wasn't nearly as thankful to find another moron had put a building right on the glide path to the runway. Is it a pastime in this part of the world to see how close you can put a building in front of runway until someone crashes into it?

Anyway, I'm happy that I made it safe through south-central Africa. Now I need to break out the slide rule and start making calculations for my precision time...

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFlight.php?detail=flight&value=I6M1L614gsJPiVrlZtVp9sKLA

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After much number crunching, pondering, and instrospection, I have finally settled on a precision time of 32 Hours, 30 Minutes, 0 Seconds.

Will I even come close to this number? No clue whatsoever....
 
Turning northward, the next destination is Libreville, Gabon. Airport Idenitifier: FOOL. An appropriate term for someone about to fly to a place where thunderstorms are in the forecast? You be the judge....
 
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