Leg 19 - FAPI - FSIA Part 1

[vacs007 0]

Due to the distance of this leg I have decided to break it up into a number of parts. As I am not much of a heavy flyer and am therefore flying it in medium GA.

Here goes, Enjoy.

Got the call that the ATWC batton had arrived at FAPI on a VIP flight authorised by a VIP. As luck would have it CP and I where back in ZA, flying for an new movie about South African Jet Ace's during the War, we were in ZA to shot some of the training sequences for the movie.

The first part of leg 19 will take us from FAPI to FQBR (Beira in Mozambique)

Well when I got the call, I pulled some strings to allow a short break from filming and to borrow 2 of the AC being used for the movie, well when the producer heard what the reason for the request was he did not hesitate to allow my request, the ATWC reputation is that wide spread and held that highly.

So CP and myself grabbed 2 of the F-86 Sabers we where flying for the movie and headed for Pietersburg straight away.

On the apron at FASK, the original home of the South African Airforce F-86 squadron.

Ready and hold for clearance at Rwy 02

Climbing out leaving Pretoria behind.

My wing man - CP ( that always exciting chap)

Playing around abit

Now that we are outside of the altitude and noise restrictions, I decide to head back down and do some low level flying.

Flying VFR along the main highway that takes us into Pietersburg.

FAPI straight ahead.

Fly past and gone vertical

And climbing, lets see how far I can push this baby in the vert.

Ooooops, Stall , lets get the nose down, can not afford a flameout now.

:mrhappy: phew, nose down and heading back to earth.

On finals, all the bits and pieces are hanging out.

Touch down FAPI

Man that was fun, now time to get to work, this is a important mission, but we need to plan carefully, it is a long way to FSIA so we are going to make a few stops along the way for some pickups and drop offs.

Here is our bird, ready, packed and fueled up.

Awaiting clearance and doing final checks.

Up and away, cleaning up quickly.

Leaving Pietersburg behind, the batton has a short stay in South Africa.

As we head for our first waypoint PHV (Phalaborwa) before we turn for Beira.

The beautiful town of Tzaneen, largely citrus farming in this area, and some game farming.

In this next shot, I will share a bit of personal history, at the very location where I have drawn the yellow circle at the nose of the AC, is a dirt road along which I was travelling for business in 1990, when I had a tyre blowout causeing my car to role. It roled so violently that the car jumped into the air and cleared a 8 foot game fence and landed on it's wheels inside the game farm which this dirt road ran along side. The most amazing part of all, I walked away with not so much as a scratch, only a slight bump on the head. The car was a right off.

Still cruising.

The office

Phalaborwa below, time to change heading.

Turning on to heading for FQBR

We have crossed the border and have changed hands from ZA control to Mozambique Control.

Just a lovely shot from overhead.

Looks like things have been a bit dry here in Central Mozambique, a dried up dam below, they need some rain.

As we go further north, it looks like they have had a lot of rain.

40nm out we begin our decent for FQBR.

Funny, just been wondering about the rain, and we decend into rain. Setup on the glideslope for an ILS landing on rwy 12 bearing 116 frequency 110.30

Touch down at FQBR

Clear of the runway and getting taxi to parking instructions

Parked and preparing for the next phase of the leg to FSIA.

I hope you all enjoyed that, and are looking forward to the next part of Leg 19.

[mutley 4,487]

Stunning, what a selection.

Travel in style, that's what I like, Sabre and PC-12.

I always enjoy your posts Wayne as we get great commentary, great edits and a powerful imagination!

I hope the baton is safe and I'm looking forward to the next part.

Cheers

[rob16584 42]

Brilliant shots Wayne

I have the Sabre on the PC Pilot Cover disk, just waiting to be installed!

[rosariomanzo 545]

Very nice commentary and images. After you rolled in your car, you should avoid stalling a Sabre! :mrhappy:

Waiting for the next part, ciao!

[CyprusAirwaysA330 0]

Nice shots, the messing around in the Sabre must of been fun. And a nice aircraft for the second leg, where did you get it from?

[vacs007 0]

Thanks for the kind comments guys, really appreciate them, definitely keeps me going for more.

Cheers and Thanks again

CyprusAirways: the F-86 Saber is freeware for FS9 only and can be found here

http://sectionf8.com/downloads.html

[cooldude1313 0]

Those are some cool pics

[grth_bbtt 0]

some great shots there vaccy :yes:

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Stunning