mutley 4,488 Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 Hi Guys I've had problems with my chosen aircraft again.. I was promised a serviceable aircraft but unfortunately the initial repair just uncovered other problems :sadblinky: The good news is I have secured another aircraft which will arrive here in Entebbe late tonight along with some crew. So I am going to take a kip in the office, luckily enough I have a hangar based here a share with Boxwings Air Freight, a joint FBO :mrhappy: So I hope to get airborne in the morning. Here is a shot from Entebbe this evening sat in the Pajero waiting for our aircraft, a stunning sunset! Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 Sunset? And I thought it was the glow from the MacDonald's Drive-In just behind the Hangar! BTW, who's your friend with the shades, Joe? Anyway, bon voyage, mon ami..... Sante - Dai. :mrhappy: Link to post Share on other sites
A320cap 0 Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Take your time Joe. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,488 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Good News! I touched down in Vic falls about 5 minutes ago, I wanted you to be the first to know :mrhappy: It will take a while to go through the shots so it may not be posted until tomorrow morning :wink: Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,488 Posted November 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Boss..? Hmmm?? BOSS! Wazzup? :wink: It's Sharon! :wub (Looks a lot better soft focus!!) I was enjoying that sleep. It's early morning and Sharon has arrived in the??.. in the? Its a Nardi Riviera :shock: I heard I was getting a forked tail, I hadn't banked on this! It's like taking your Rolls Royce in for a service and getting a Ford Ka as a loaner! Here's our flight plan, and a cunning one it is too! We will be leaving the Queen and Prince Philip back in Uganda flying over most of Lake Victoria into Tanzania. Over another huge lake, Lake Tanganyika (Spoken like a local Mut!) dropping into FLKY Kasaba Bay for some fuel and a comfort break. This finds us in Zambia. Off we fly again over the South Eastern most tip of the DRC, back into Zambia again then descending into the Westernmost province of Zimbabwe and into Victoria Falls FVFA. Sounds easy doesn't it! Ok that's bigged up the flight as much as I can. let's get outta here. Just taxiing to the active, Sharon is on comms. One notch on the flaps upto 60KIAS an easy off with derated power, she's surprisingly responsive. Here we see the gear retracting into the the bow, with all these lakes around the boat may just come in handy. Leaving Uganda behind us and just checking the GPS for the direction as there is no auto pilot. Sharon's other job is to look after the baton. (No comments Dai!) Sunburst! We're just approaching the southern edge of Lake Victoria, looking at the map confirms we are over Tanzanian territory now. For the enthusiast the engine is a Continental IO-470-P with a 3 blade Hartzell HCA3X20-5L/L8433-6B :mrhappy: GTA Clue: Tanzania! I had to include this shot, I drifted off East this was over Lake Rukwa not far from our first stop. It is not edited, the water colour was stunning. Sharon is just going to confirm our approach. Were going to land on Lake Tanganyika as they have a waterport refuelling facility at Kasaba Bay. (I made that bit up!!) Held in an orbit to let traffic pass. Setting things up for splash down... .....Including lowering the floats. Checks done, flaps full slowing to 50KIAS now throttle back to idle and gently pull the nose up. Engaging prop reverser, slowing real fast! Fuel on board, just taking care of the neccessary. Firing her up, only another 3 hours to go. Yes I am reversing out, need to point the nose windward. Checking the map again This wide shot shows off the weather nicely. You can see the floats stowed. Needless to say the weather closed in. And yes there was lightning! Having out run the storm we can see the falls ahead at our eleven o' clock. Scanning the falls @ over a mile wide is quite an experience. Under Victoria Falls Bridge! (Sorry John) Twice as high as Niagara, the mighty Zambezi! (Get on with it.. Ed!) Floats down just in case but we are not landing here, I hear Panos is in town waiting for me, the last thing we want is a crazed Greek on our hands!! Sun is low in the sky now turning toward FVFA There's the runway, the airport is not that far from the Falls. On final approach, number 1 with one behind. Not much different to landing on water except gear down and about 60 KIAS. After a uneventful landing we're off the active making our way to the ramp. Cold and dark, enjoying the remnants of the day :wub Welcome to Victoria Falls International. I hope you enjoyed this flight and the geography lessons!. Over to you Panos! Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
A320cap 0 Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 What a post! Certaily worth the wait. :mrhappy: :wink: ...and thanks for the baton. Unfortunately, the weather isn't shiny at all!Needless to say, it is a typical Christmas day! Link to post Share on other sites
reef 3 Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Fantastic flight and story. I have the aircraft on my HD also, ford KA was a good description :mrhappy: steve Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Mut, that was really, really excellent. What a neat little airplane. Had never seen or heard of that. It appears Sharon was on good behavior and that the baton has arrived unscathed. Good flight, very interesting. John (posted from self-impozed exile in North Carolina, where there's frost on the ground) Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,488 Posted November 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Yes it is unusual! and real good fun to fly when Sharon is around. From the developers website - The classy looking Riviera amphibian is "Seabee" in Italian style... Built by Nardi and Siai-Marchetti, supposedly only 23 were built during the early 1960ies by Siai-Marcheti, the majority of them being sold to America. As every Italian design, it is built to go fast. It seats 4 people including the pilot, the reversible propeller gives it superb manoeuvrability in water (and taxi). It is a high-wing amphibian aircraft with double tail fin and pusher propeller. Download here- http://www.mario.wspilots.com/FN333.htm Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 What a bonny boat, eh, Joe? And such a charming passenger - I wonder who introduced you (mutters off!)? What do you say, when the Master pulls another fabulous flight out of the bag? Everything from the map to the dialogue was A.C.E. - thanks for sharing! :yes: Cheers - Dai. :wink: Link to post Share on other sites
dgor 0 Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Fantastic Joe! I really enjoyed that, always nice to see such an original aircraft :yes: Those shots over the falls are breathtaking, needless to say the commentary was first class too :wink: Cheers Dave Link to post Share on other sites
TapA321 0 Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Excellent leg! Some great scenery and great commentry! :wink: Link to post Share on other sites
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