Back into the night sky

It's been hard to find a clear day or night for flying in Durban over the past month, but last night was perfect. I am trying to complete my night rating and we managed to get 1,6 hours over an incredible almost full-moon lit Durban city and harbour. We practised VOR techniques to the old Durban International airport and the reciprocal as well as rate 1 level, descending and ascending turns to instructor Warrens's stopwatch. The Virginia ATC closes at 7pm, so we also managed a few free touch and gos. The wind was calm although the air was a bit trashy near the threshhold and for some reason each time we got within 50 feet of the ground the windshield fogged up slightly then cleared again. The red cabin lights of the Sling were supplemented by our red headlamps to improve readability of the cockpit instruments.

 

Fredenheim and Leopard Rock

ZDL visits Light Flight, Cato Ridge

Flying over the sea from Durban down the coast

5 Planes and their crew fly in to Leopard Rock for breakfast

With the beautiful weather on Saturday 5 planes took off from Light Flight and Virginia and we met up at Fredenheim, a private airfield on the edge of the Oribi Gorge where the airfield owner dropped us ff at Lepard Rock for breakfast. Oribi is about an hour's flight south of Durban, just inland from the coast. We followed the coastline until Hibberdene and then cut inland to Fredenheim.

 

The Oribi views are breathtaking and we all took some chances perching on the edge of the rock after a scrumptious breakfast. We finished off the morning flying with a stop-over (and bumpy landing on 19) at Light Flight before returning to Viginia.

Here's a link to the full set of ZDL photos.. first red, then white.
 

 

 

Back in the air

On the ground at Light Flight

Umlaas Road area from the air

Sling visit to Light Flight



Durban from the Bluff

It is great to be back in the air and this weekend the weather let up enough to enjoy a flight down the coast on Saturday and around the Camperdown area on Sunday.

 

It looks like the flight school where I did my training may be relocating due to a sale of the airfield so alternatives for landing and hangarage are still being sought in the Camperdown area.