Birthday Clouds

Johannesburg was the destination to fetch our Sling ZDL from The Airplane Factory. Here's the trip on my birthday in pics...

 

The routing from The Airplane Factory in Johannesburg to Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria took me north past the Johannesburg CBD and towers

En Route from Durban to Johannesburg we needed to pass the escarpment and mountain range that divides the Gauteng Province in the north from our KwaZulu-Natal Province in the East - you can see the thick cloud back in the background ahead of us

We decided this would definitely be IMC to continue and we turned back to Ladysmith where we waited over breakfast for the clouds to burn away

The friendly Engen fuel station owner was more than obliging as he ran Louis back and forth 3 times to top up his tanks whilst I waited at the Ladysmith Airfield with Louis' Savannah.

After breakfast we got back in the air and the clouds were scattering, but nevertheless pummelled us as we flew over, under and through some of them

Back in the seat of my own plane which was waiting for me at Tedderfield after the 300 hour service at The Airplane Factory

Louis takes a seat in a new Sling ZU-TES being finished at The Airplane Factory - "yes I want one just like this" he enthused before signing a deal for one to be built over 2 months, using his Savannah sale as his securing down-payment

Dave and Louis deliver his sold Savannah to his buyer in Pretoria

We landed the Savannah at Wonderboom Airport - this used to be a tiny airport/airfield and has grown to a vast and impressive national airport which we were told handles more air movements that Johannesburg's International OR Tambo Airport

Guinness YUM

 It was my birthday of course - 24th August and 55 years young. The idea was to drop Louis' plane off in Joburg and return for a birthday dinner, as well as a birthday lunch with my mom and family on Sunday.. none of which became possible after our IMC delay in Ladysmith waiting for the skies to clear. We only arrived in Wonderboom at 5pm and fortunately were able to stay in the airport motel for the night, sans extra clothing or toiletries. I was at least able to down a few drinks and enjoy an impressive meal at the Wonderboom Airport before succumbing to a deep slumber dosed up with medication for my cold and voice which was now reduced to a squeak.


 

Birthday anti-pasta starters at Wonderboom Airport

Fortunately my voice lasted for the trip to Wonderboom, but by the next morning I couldn't say a word. As Louis and I had now delivered his plane to a delighted buyer, we were returning to Durban in my plane and he was on hand to handle all the radio work whilst we took turns flying and also gave the autopilot a turn... thank you MGL for a wonderful product with gps EFIS and autopilot setup.

 

Again the weather was not playing ball and we again made a diversion to Harrysmith, where a friendly local pilot took us under his wing for a few hours whilst the weather improved. The visibility was pretty shitty though due to the phenomenon called (in Afrikaans) Nattigeklei (wet clay). The red clay-sand in the area apparently gets swept up by the winds and if there is humidity present forms a haze of wet clay... not sure how good this is for engines!!!, but with his good advice we managed to make it back to Durban departing at 2pm under the clouds, around and above the mountains which extend up to 8500 ft in this area, and through the wet clay haze. Quite an eventful trip, and both Louis and I confirm we have learnt a lot more about the weather, decision-making in bad weather and flying the plane!