Propwash to Numbi.

[Blue Max]

Good morning,
Verskoon maar ek sukkel nog met die Engels..!!!
I see the forum as a newspaper for M.Lighters and I am also the reporter...Lekkerrr!!!and my children in Canada can see what their daddy does..So enjoy..!!and respond.!!!
I left the farm, Elands Quadcamp and Microlighters, near Marble Hall, on 23 Sept. 5h45 for Hazyview the rondevouz spot for the African Cup.( Cups!!!!).
The weather is good and my route will take me via Kwena Dam, 70 nm East of Elands Quadcamp, where I will refuel and meet up with other pilots. From there I will route to Numbie Hotel, another 45 nm N.E.
Once in the air I met with Nicow on the radio. He was flying from Potgietersrus and was about 30 nm behind me but more towards the north. It so happens that he was of huge assistance to me on more than one occasion during the flight. Witch now in retrospect demonstrates to me how valuable a radio buddy can be in the air.!!!
To anybody who has not flown from A the interior (JHB ,PTA) over the escarpment to Hazyview take note that you will have to deal with all the different dissiplance that you were taught during your training plus a few extra that will come your way while you are in the air.
Our first problem was the measure of air pollution. (inversion layer?) The visibility was so poor that it was imposable to see the mountains ahead..And there were pretty high mountains ahead of us. With the sun in your eyes and the glare of the pollution being magnified by the sun it was necessary to maintain a low AGL.!!
We had a headwind of about 5 knts and that caused me to experience quite a few downdrafts when attempting to gain altitude at some of the high ridges that suddenly appears infront of you.
At some places the visibility was so poor that I was not sure if we were in clouds or in an ‘inversion’.
Looking down I was able to see the ground and that made me believe it was just poor visability..I can only assume that the dence layer of inversion is due to the winter, dust, and ash from veld fires and other forms of pollution…( Help me if I am wrong.)
The thought of turning back did occur to me but with Nicow nearby who was experiencing same in a milder measure I kept on going east towards Kwena dam. Somehow without him knowing it he was encouraging me to push ahead.
As the visibility became better I notice a huge cloud of mist covering the mountains ahead of me.!!!I was expecting mist, but not this mutch. I was about 35 nm outbound of Kwena dam and thought that if I fly over it, it will disappear by the time I reach Kwena dam…This was where the contact with a buddy in the air was very comforting because from his reports he was not in a similar position yet..and I knew he was not to far away to the north..But from my position it was clouds all around me.!
When I reached Kwenadam it was impossible to land as the clouds was to thick and I could not see nothing below me. I subsequently reroute to Hazyview with clouds below me.
I was about to turn back to a farm I saw earlier when Nicow came on the air and report that it was blue skies and zero gravity at Hazyview..Agh what a relief..
We were the first to land and wihin an hour or two another 10 aircraft landed. My non-stop flight took me 2 hrs 40 min. and I was in time for a massive breakfast..!!
The runway at HView at Numbi Hotel is 1800 alt. Aproaching 01 you turn sharp to avoid a tower and koppie and adding to that the low alt makes you sukkel to loose height, so you pull bar with the result you come in to fast.
If you make the slightest mistake when you come in to fast you can end up in the wires adjacent to the runway….That is what (most likely) happened to Henry and his Raptor when he came in to land….
I will post some pics as soon as I get a chance..
This is my third visit to H.view and first non stop one (115 knt m)…and I have learned a lot of new things..!!!
Everything at the Numbi Hotel is excelant, The rooms, the meals and the service.. It has a nice long runway at 01 and 19.
Hope to be back soon to tell you more..!!!.
I will post more pics as soon as I have shrinked them succesfully. (One hell of a job.)

[bryan]

Hi Oom Paul
You might have bigger balls than me and perhaps you have more experience than I have had BUT flying above thick cloud for any reason in my book is still a definite NO NO !!!!!!! Please be careful and think of the consequences.
Regards
Bryan
ZU BFR
132hrs

[Blue Max]

Hi Bryan,
You are right, I will have to be more carefull. After re-reading what I have written it realy sounds as if I am recless..That is not realy the case...I have turned back on more than one occasion in the passed and have also landed on farmroads to sit the weather out..With the trip to Numbie I was assured by Nicow that the cloudbank was only a few more Kn. miles to the north and was moving away..Thus I considdered it to be a culculated risk..Thanks for your input..
I will try to post more pics, also some of Henry who had the bad luck to prang into the fence at Numbi.

[Blue Max]

One more pic to demonstrate the weight a trike can carry..!!!

[Asterix]

You end up in cloud / fog, in a trike, only once. If you survive, you will never, ever come close to a situation where you might end up in it again.

Happened to me a month or so after getting my licence , during October 2008, on my first fly-away. Group of five trikes, cloud bank looming up ahead, group decision to stay under it, powerlines coming up and I climbed too much - into the muck. From here, too afraid to descent again because of rapidly rising ground, and more sets of powerlines up ahead.

White darkness is probably the best description. After about 15 - 20 seconds panic grips you, and your first instinct is to stop! But you can't... Next, visor becomes so wet you can barely see your compass, and you do not know where up or down is, nor whether you are flying level, or banking. And you don't now your AGL. And you wonder when the Rotax is going to draw water through the carbs and quit. The fear that grips you, truly is the fear of death. It was the first time in my life that I knew with certainty that I was going to die.

How I managed to extract myself from the situation, after sitting in that absolute white darkness for minutes, I do not know. It was God who intervened, of that I am sure, and I am not being idle in saying that. He heard my crying, heard my praying, and probably saw the tears running down my face as I contemplated my doom.

Not too preach - but from my own experience - keep away from those thick cloudbanks. Turn around, or get a place to land, but don't go over / under. When it goes wrong it does so quickly!

Enjoy the trip, and please be safe.

[Air Hog]

My ou Maat
Jy het vir ons by Numbi vertel van jou doelwit om by 1000 ure uit te kom op jou ouderdom.

Wel, hierdie is nou die 2de keer wat jy vir ons vertel (op die Forum) van hoe jy lang afstand, bo die wolke vlieg. As jy so aangaan gaan jy ook net 'n Mikrolight Statistiek word.
Jy stel 'n absolute swak voorbeeld vir ons jong en nuwe Pilote. Hierdie is nie iets om oor te Brag nie. Asb, dink mooi oor wat jy op die Forum sê. Die jonges leer uit jou voorbeeld wat jy stel.

Veilig vlieg

[Slabfish]

You end up in cloud / fog, in a trike, only once. If you survive, you will never, ever come close to a situation where you might end up in it again.

Happened to me a month or so after getting my licence , during October 2008, on my first fly-away. Group of five trikes, cloud bank looming up ahead, group decision to stay under it, powerlines coming up and I climbed too much - into the muck. From here, too afraid to descent again because of rapidly rising ground, and more sets of powerlines up ahead.

White darkness is probably the best description. After about 15 - 20 seconds panic grips you, and your first instinct is to stop! But you can't... Next, visor becomes so wet you can barely see your compass, and you do not know where up or down is, nor whether you are flying level, or banking. And you don't now your AGL. And you wonder when the Rotax is going to draw water through the carbs and quit. The fear that grips you, truly is the fear of death. It was the first time in my life that I knew with certainty that I was going to die.

How I managed to extract myself from the situation, after sitting in that absolute white darkness for minutes, I do not know. It was God who intervened, of that I am sure, and I am not being idle in saying that. He heard my crying, heard my praying, and probably saw the tears running down my face as I contemplated my doom.

Not too preach - but from my own experience - keep away from those thick cloudbanks. Turn around, or get a place to land, but don't go over / under. When it goes wrong it does so quickly!

Enjoy the trip, and please be safe.

My ou Maat
Jy het vir ons by Numbi vertel van jou doelwit om by 1000 ure uit te kom op jou ouderdom.

Wel, hierdie is nou die 2de keer wat jy vir ons vertel (op die Forum) van hoe jy lang afstand, bo die wolke vlieg. As jy so aangaan gaan jy ook net 'n Mikrolight Statistiek word.
Jy stel 'n absolute swak voorbeeld vir ons jong en nuwe Pilote. Hierdie is nie iets om oor te Brag nie. Asb, dink mooi oor wat jy op die Forum sê. Die jonges leer uit jou voorbeeld wat jy stel.

Veilig vlieg

Asteriks ,well said.
I have to agree with both the comments above.
Ek dink dis tyd dat die betrokke vleenier vir n slag terug sit en sy toekoms en die van sy familie nadink,vir die beswil van sy familie.

[Asterix]

Dear Airhog and Slabfish (and Blue Max )

Firstly, let me state: Blue Max, I think that you are a good pilot, and it has always been a pleasure for me to visit you on your farm. Also, I really enjoyed our trip down to St Lucia during May this year, and lastly, I admire you for your achievements in that Blou Aerie over the last year or so, at your age. I find it inspirational.

My comment above about my own near death experience in thick cloud is not aimed at "gunning" for you. Just to give a bit of perspective from somebody who by no means claims to be an ace. Flying in contravention of VFR will most probably end well 90% of the time. But when that battery on the GPS quits, or the Rotax says PHAARRRRRrrrr....and goes silent, what then? The 10% will kick its deadly kick.

I want to visit you at Elands Camp for many years to come. And remember, next year May we are going down to Ezulwini, St Lucia Lake again. Don't make me sad...

Luv ya!
James

[Tumbleweed]

Did anyone delete a post I made here?

[Blue Max]

Goeie more almal,

Ek het nou deeglik kennis geneem wat almal gese het.
Ek voel natuurlik nie lekker om so uitgedinges te word nie, maar het een troos dat die hele oefening waarmee ons besig is, is insiggewend en leersaam vir beginners en ook vir my.
Van almal wie met my geraas het, wil ek se Asterix het dit die mooiste gedoen..Dankie chom.
Tumbleweed, ek weet nie wat van jou posting geword het nie.!!maar as dit ook n uitk@k is hou dit biekie terug!!
My ervaring in Numbi was fantasties..
Vrydag het ons geleentheid gehad om in die omgewing te vlieg en almal het van die uitstekende weer gebruik gemaak...Ek en Nicow het Graskop, Mac, Mac, Die Bridal Falls, Sabie, en Die Blyderivier dam besoek..Die agtermiddag het ons langs die wilddtuin grens gevlieg en baie wild gesien. Ek sal fotos plaas sodra ek tyd kry..
Die besoek aan Numbie die deelname aan die kompetiesie en die interaksie met so baie ander ML pilots is n uitstekende platvorm waarvandaan n ou jou liefde vir die sport kan vorentoe vat..
Aan Rob en almal wie met die reelings betrokke was, baie dankie.
My vlug terug was baie aangenaam..So biekie van alles..
Ek het dieselfde roete gevlieg as die manne van Petit met die GT 450.
Ek is 10 min voor hulle opgestyg.
Volgens hulle radiowerk het hulle op Middelburg geland toe was ek nog 36 nm. outbound Middelburg..Dit gee jou n idee hoe vinnig hulle vlieg!!!.
Ek het teen n headwind trug gevlieg en het 50 litt fuel gebruik en 3 ure gevlieg teenoor 30 litt en 2 ure 40 min met die soontoe gaan.
Slotsom..Die African cup by Numbi is n Not to be missed item en solank my mede MLpilots my laat welkom voel sal ek dit bywoon..
Dankie vir elke persoon se bydra en ook julle wie my geskrifte lees..!!
Ek belowe om meer bedagsaam te wees

[Tumbleweed]

Paul, jou besluit om te vlieg was reg, soos al die ander 15 van ons.

Climbing for the ecarpment at 9 500 ft, cavoc cloud at least 1500 ft below, wind still, mountain tops visible and the bank of cloud right on our arse allowing at any time to divert. Kwena dam was under cloud, but in a valley right on the ridge edge and with Sabie about 10 miles out clear of cloud, Lydenburg 5 miles north and ample oppertunities behind from that height.

Along with contact in the area and phoning various folks on the ground, with various options to divert, the choice was correct. Trust your planning, instinct and alternatives and don't be overly concerned about the armchair judges.

Paul has huge respect among everyon,e and thats from his ability to fly and compete with the best and his experience. Hy is nou 'n"Ou Man"

You should see him handling wind and turbulance in the company of his new pal Strohl.

[nicow]

Ek was ook bo die wolke-net soos Blue Max,en ek het ook gesien die wolke lyk soos 'n dik bank,maar dit was nie so nie.Die wolke voor het solied gelyk,maar wanneer jy daaroor vlieg was daar baie gate om die grond te sien.Ek dink in elkgeval nie daar is plek vir 'n noodlanding nie-selfs nie wanneer daar nie wolke is nie.Dit is bergwereld wat met bome toegegroei is.

[Jetman]

Paul, hoor wat die manne se, maar moenie slegvoel oor wat jy gedoen het nie. Vir my is jy 'n man met 'n passie vir wat jy doen en jy doen dit deeglik. Jy vlieg uitstekend en ek mik daarna om op 66 jarige ouderdom te doen wat jy doen. Jy SAL jou 1000 ure nog vlieg...... Dankie vir jou daarwees by die Africa Cup. Jou teenwoordigheid maak 'n verskil.

Groete
Hendrik Loots aka Skin

[Blue Max]

Numbi Outing.


Good Morning,
I read all the postings above. Here is my reply.

To everybody,
I go well prepared on all my outings,I do my homework as required. I don’t want to bore you with everything I do before undertaking a trip but I do want to say that I will never trailor. If I cant fly where I want to go I will stay at home..The reason is not because I think those who trailor are sissies but because it is damaging to your trike to fold the wing to often.
One thing I will never do on the forum is to say openly some-one is a braggar….more so, if I have trailored there and not flown there myself..!!!
I see the forum as the best newspaper for microlighters and persons like myself should be encourage to write and paste picrures as often as you can..
If we kill the good messenger there is not going to be a messenger..
Thus be careful what you say to others on the forum.

To Skin, Tumbleweed, and Nicow,
Thank you.

To Asterix,
You should have written and posted that well written account long ago..
When reading it I felt that I was with you there in the cloud..

When I get a change I will post more pics..

[Thatchman]

Well said Blue Max.

Its important to share experiences whether they are good or bad. Most of us have been stupid on occasion and taken off into bad conditions and got lucky. Thats what we should avoid. But sometimes you just end up in poor conditions and the mark of a good pilot is how you deal with it.

Two months ago I took off from Jhb to a pvt strip in Northern KZN to attend a meeting. Weather report had predicted a 50mph wind over van Reunens pass. I went anyway. Got there in 2 hrs 20min having got smashed over the escarpment. All I could think about during my 3 hrs on the ground was the flight back.
I climbed to 10 000 feet to get over on the way back. Got pushed down 3000 feet before getting close to tghe escarpment. Turned around, got out of the downdraft and climbed to 13 500 ft. Had a ground speed of 3mph in the climb (in a GT). Once at 13 500 leveled out and had a ground speed of 28 mph into a 50 mph headwind. The most severe turbulence I have ever flown in.

Once over (which took forever) I decended to about 7000 to get airspeed otherwise I would not get back before dark. I got hammered the whole way. Tried to land 5 times in different places and could not. Once at Vrede and 4 times on gravel roads. I wanted to trf fuel. Eventually made it to Frankfort and managed to put down in the wind with 3 litres left in the tank. I was physically F##%$#%.

Got back to Jhb 10 mins before dark with a 5h30 min flight time for the return trip. A terrible flying experience.

I knowingly put myself into a bad situation.
I ignored a high wind warning - especially going over the escarpment.
I chose to fly back into the wind and bad turbulence having been offered accommodation to stay over.

I survived but the choices were stupid. I was/am a doos.

My learning was the following : It does not matter how experienced you are as a pilot, you carry on making decisions like I did (because you think you can) and sooner or later luck runs out and shit will happen. I still want to fly for a long long time and share good times with my mates.