Re: Finally: MY own Bushbaby Explorer
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:08 am
Refuelled first sparrows on Sunday morning, not knowing where I will head off to. Ahh, pay next-door neighbour, Kobus Nel in Niewoudtville a visit. Quick call to make sure he`s not gone walkabout. ( Die man het rooimiere in sy gat!) See u in about half an hour! I allways enjoy flying this route.
The "white band" is clearly visible, meandering all around all the little hills and valleys around my hometown. Clear to see it from up here. This white band is full of fossils, and also some natural gas. Some of the boreholes in and around town will burn if you are not carefull with the matches! The gas makes the water stink like rotten eggs. I recently met up with some geologists from the US of A, chipping stone, and no doubt rubbing their hands in glee, to start "Fracking" for natural gas. Told them to Frack off! We are totally dependant on borehole water, so......... don`t u come "frack' around with it!!
About 20km south of Loeriesfontein I fly over the Kokerboom woud. 1000`s of quiver trees growing here. This is the largest, most Southern quiver tree forest of this size on the African continent. Most of these trees are well over a hundred years old, surely some a couple of hundred years. In recent years the young Quiver trees has gained a monatary value of 4000 rand per meter in height. So the smuggling continiues. I hope that these magnificent plants does not eventually go the way of the Cycads!
About half-way to Niewoudtville I fly over Brandkop. That is where the TV series, "Die Manakwalanners" has been shot a number of years back. Some of the buildings have started to collapse. A pity really....
The waterfall gorge just outside Niewoudtville is a magnificent sight. After some recent rain, there is still some water dropping down about 200 feet, into a big water hole at the bottom. We used to go swimming down there when I was younger. Doubt if I will ever make it down again! Pity.
At Niewoudville International, I check the windpump for the wind direction.(No wind sock...) The 'strip" is a bit of an obstacle course. So opt for an (interesting) quartering stiff tailwind landing. Fortunately these Explorers are easy to fly aeries, and my arrival is not too undignified. Kobus is already there, busy servicing a Pipistrall motorglider. He is the SA importer and distributor of these lovely and efficient aeroplanes. We have a nice chat, about flying and the way forward for flying. It is nice to meet up with someone else sharing your own passion about flying.
"I have something for you here" says Kobus. "Let`s go look for it". He unwraps a long bundle, and `lo and behold, it is a 2 blade in flight adjustable, (AND full feathering) propellor. "For you" he says, and leaves me quite speechless. (If he was prettier, I would have kissed him!!!!) Thanks a million!! I notice his 912 engine lying seized up on a bench. The pressure sender unit popped whilst flying, and dumped all the oil overboard. Bad, very expensive noises resulted. So I donated a set of hardly used pistons for his engine. And the loan of some of my Rotax SST`s ( Special Service Tools, for those not in the know)
Isn`t this flying a wonderfull thing? Especially "With a little help from my friends"!!!!
Fly safe and enjoy.
The "white band" is clearly visible, meandering all around all the little hills and valleys around my hometown. Clear to see it from up here. This white band is full of fossils, and also some natural gas. Some of the boreholes in and around town will burn if you are not carefull with the matches! The gas makes the water stink like rotten eggs. I recently met up with some geologists from the US of A, chipping stone, and no doubt rubbing their hands in glee, to start "Fracking" for natural gas. Told them to Frack off! We are totally dependant on borehole water, so......... don`t u come "frack' around with it!!
About 20km south of Loeriesfontein I fly over the Kokerboom woud. 1000`s of quiver trees growing here. This is the largest, most Southern quiver tree forest of this size on the African continent. Most of these trees are well over a hundred years old, surely some a couple of hundred years. In recent years the young Quiver trees has gained a monatary value of 4000 rand per meter in height. So the smuggling continiues. I hope that these magnificent plants does not eventually go the way of the Cycads!
About half-way to Niewoudtville I fly over Brandkop. That is where the TV series, "Die Manakwalanners" has been shot a number of years back. Some of the buildings have started to collapse. A pity really....
The waterfall gorge just outside Niewoudtville is a magnificent sight. After some recent rain, there is still some water dropping down about 200 feet, into a big water hole at the bottom. We used to go swimming down there when I was younger. Doubt if I will ever make it down again! Pity.
At Niewoudville International, I check the windpump for the wind direction.(No wind sock...) The 'strip" is a bit of an obstacle course. So opt for an (interesting) quartering stiff tailwind landing. Fortunately these Explorers are easy to fly aeries, and my arrival is not too undignified. Kobus is already there, busy servicing a Pipistrall motorglider. He is the SA importer and distributor of these lovely and efficient aeroplanes. We have a nice chat, about flying and the way forward for flying. It is nice to meet up with someone else sharing your own passion about flying.
"I have something for you here" says Kobus. "Let`s go look for it". He unwraps a long bundle, and `lo and behold, it is a 2 blade in flight adjustable, (AND full feathering) propellor. "For you" he says, and leaves me quite speechless. (If he was prettier, I would have kissed him!!!!) Thanks a million!! I notice his 912 engine lying seized up on a bench. The pressure sender unit popped whilst flying, and dumped all the oil overboard. Bad, very expensive noises resulted. So I donated a set of hardly used pistons for his engine. And the loan of some of my Rotax SST`s ( Special Service Tools, for those not in the know)
Isn`t this flying a wonderfull thing? Especially "With a little help from my friends"!!!!
Fly safe and enjoy.