Saturday, January 5, 2013

New Year flying

The plan was to fly to Margate then spend the 5 days holiday flying around the wild coast for breakfasts or lunch. However, the weather was playing up so we ended up driving there and spending 4 nights under low cloud and steamy hot or rainy days. We then drove back to fetch the planes - our Sling ZDL and Marc's Sling SAA - on Thursday and spend the day flying the Wild Coast and Port St John's, then overnight in Margate and back to Durban on Friday early... in time to put in half the morning and the afternoon back at work.
 
So Happy New Year to everyone. Here's to some happy flying in 2013. Next trip on the cards is our first international flight to Mocambique in April. The weather should be great and Inhambane is calling us. Again both ZDL and SAA will convoy it there and have some fun in the Mocam skies.
 
 

On the apron at Margate Airport

Our friends Marc and Lee with Sling IS SAA



The approach to Port St John's is quite scary flying over one mountain, then a gorge gap to the next with the runway, and possibilities of up or down-drafts on finals.

Port St John's - my favourite, mountain-top runway


Maps - yes I do take them with!

Me at the controls.. coming up for the coastline


Margate 122,7 and runway 22 on the way


Ready for an early morning start back to Durban


The South Coast coastline stretches out with the dot of SAA above the spinner

Look ma, no hands.. autopilot snap as I fly solo to Durban

This looks like home - Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban