Leg 47: Livingstone (FLLI) to Lusaka (FLLS or FLKK)

[Tim_A 997]

Steph’s arrival in Livingstone last evening was just in time for a rather splendid dinner on the hotel veranda, overlooking the Falls. It was good to catch up after all this time, and we dined on a variety of local dishes cooked to perfection by world renowned chefs (although, bowing to well established aviation tradition, I forewent the oven roasted Zambezi bream in favour of the more reliable warthog cutlets.

(click the pics for full size)

The following morning we made our way back to the airport, Steph to catch a flight back across the border, and me to carry the baton north to Lusaka. My steed for the trip was a battered-looking ex-military Chieftain. She may look scruffy on the outside, but inside she scrubbed up beautifully, with a state of the art suite of avionics and countermeasures.

I was still getting my clearance as Steph’s aircraft taxied out. Mindful that even though there’s been no sighting of Putinfeld for quite some time, he’s still out there somewhere, I filed the most obvious, direct airways routing.

Steph’s plane took to the air as I taxied out.

Twin Lyco TIO-540s rumbled into life as we hurtled down the runway, and very quickly we were airborne.

Immediately I asked ATC for a diversion from my filed plan. Steph’s description of flying over the falls sounded too good to miss.

Trouble is, they looked very . . . default.

Ahh, the mighty Zambeze. See how it majestically winds between cliffs, and sometimes over them!

ATC vectors me back towards the airway. But I have another idea . . .

If Putinfeld really is still out there, he’s going to be looking for my flight. So let’s do something unexpected.

The Zambezi flows into the man-made Lake Kariba, neatly split between Zambia on the left and Zimbabwe on the right. If I stay low, I can avoid the radars and Putinfeld won’t be able to track me.

Lake Kariba is 139 miles long, 25 miles wide and 318 ft at its deepest, making it the world's largest man made reservoir by volume. It holds approximately 200 billion tons of water!

Remember those stock footage shots you used to get in the old Tarzan TV shows? Yeah, well...

There were Nile Crocodiles in the lake too, but allegedly they can jump high enough to take down a low flying aircraft. I wasn't going to test out that rumour!

Time for a coffee, I think.

Sadly we're not going to get as far as the dam, and it's time to head back inland.

Above the river valley, the terrain is pretty flat, at least when viewed from altitude.

Ahead, we see the Kafue River, and another reservoir.

Beyond, on the horizon is Lusaka.

Lusaka. Capital and largest city in Zambia. Elevation 4200ft, population 1.7 million. Back before Rhodexit, this was Northern Rhodesia.

Kenneth Kaunda Airport (as it is now) is to the north of the city.

I contacted the tower directly, and they didn't seem particularly fussed that they didn't have a handover from Approach. I think they must be used to comms problems - that definitely worked in my favour.

After what could be considered a very wide right base, we're cleared to land.

Final . . .

Shorter Final . . .

 

Over the numbers.

I'm directed towards a far corner of the airport, away from the main terminal, which suits me fine. There's still enough bustle that I can get ground side without being conspicuous. Hopefully Chuck will be along soon...

Right, I'm headed for the bar!

[J G 927]

Great PIREP Tim. Putinfeld wouldn't find you as he was killed during an earlier Leg!

Watch out for the evil Temperance goons, much harder to spot as nobody knows who they are!

[mutley 4,498]

NIce PIREP Tim, love the addition of the stock Hippo's 

Hope you are feeling better now.

Cheers.

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Nice simple flight there Tim! I'm on my way!