Microlighters

Two brave Dutch Microlight pilots (Piet 61 and Bert 74 years old) just started their trip to south Africa in their German registered Comco Ikarus C42 Ultralight from Heinsberg, Germany close to the dutch border.
Both are retired and want to do the trip in 90 days.
It is not their first long trip. They went to the North Cape (cape on the northern coast of the island of Magerøya in Northern Norway) last summer.
More info with their route, current position and their plane is availiable on their web side
http://www.bertenpiet.nl/wordpress/
PS At least, they are not crossing Germany with a camping trailer (very unusual for Hollaender).

Thanks for sharing Oliver. When you coming this way again? You must keep us posted on your USA trip.

KFA wrote:Thanks for sharing Oliver. When you coming this way again? You must keep us posted on your USA trip.

Stefan, I am dreaming to do it the other way around. Flying one of your south african made Safaris from RSA to Germany. Those dutch guys need an airfield to fill the tanks up. With a bushplane like the Safari we can raid any petrol drum we can spot from above

I just might join you on that trip...

KFA wrote:I just might join you on that trip...

...and I will not allow that, unless you can build a Safari with 3 seats.....

The two microlight pilots had some difficulties on their way to RSA. However they landed in Cameroon some days ago and are now heading to Gabon. http://www.bertenpiet.nl/wordpress/?page_id=6
Give them a warm welcome when they arrive in South Africa. Greetings from the Netherlands

Do they have any idea at this stage where they will be heading to in SA?

There is a flightplan on their website, http://www.bertenpiet.nl/wordpress/wp-c ... IRPORT.pdf.

rmoonen wrote:There is a flightplan on their website, http://www.bertenpiet.nl/wordpress/wp-c ... IRPORT.pdf.

They'll just see our coastal area Hope they have a pleasant journey through Africa... .

Not without their own "Ondangwa" experience in Cotonau

Glad they got themselves out after a day or two.

Go strong chaps and be friendly, very friendly with the burocracy.

Wonder what happened to them. According to the website locator they are in (edit) Luderitz, but no updates since 30th May ?

So the Dutch geriatrics team and our SA geriatrics must have literally flown past each other !!! Both on Nam west coast, SA heading north and NL heading south ...

kloot piloot wrote:Wonder what happened to them. According to the website locator they are in (edit) Luderitz, but no updates since 30th May ?

So the Dutch geriatrics team and our SA geriatrics must have literally flown past each other !!! Both on Nam west coast, SA heading north and NL heading south ...

They will be in the cape next week, have send some parts for there Ikarus to Robertson in the cape. Klink die ou-toppies was hart op die briekke

Goose

After a long journey and a night in prison (blamed to have landed without permission in Gabun) and ripped off with a 1500€ fine (3800€ was the original request), they finnaly reached SA

Here a link to a report from a local SA TV station.
Retired pilots attempt world record:
http://www.enca.com/south-africa/retire ... rld-record

This story about these two dutchguy doing this trip.... I wish all goes well for them and my the good weather follow the FLYING DUTCHMEN lol

After 30 000 km flying around Africa in their Comco Ikarus C42 the guys are back in Germany/Holland.

http://www1.wdr.de/mediathek/video/send ... ize-L.html

Sorry, the video is in German, but the guys stated that the best place on the whole Journey was SA.
They had no problem with the plane at all (the modell is used by 80% of all LSA flying schools in Germany due to its toughness and durability/ repairability).
They were put in jail once to press bribes, but apart from that, they were welcomed where ever they went and found always people to help them with accommodation.
Longest leg: 1.235 km
Longest leg over open water: 950 km.

They are now planning to fly to Australia.
Not too bad for being retired (makes me confident getting old).