BOTSWANA fly-away 25 April to 10 May 2015

[Blue Max]

Visiting the Vic Falls with our Microlights is high on the 'must do list'!
The closest airfield in the vicinity of the Falls is Kazungula.
Kazungula is about 35 Knts into Zimbabwe!
What type of arrangements are being made to visit the falls and land at Kazungula during our stay.?
Or are we just going to surprise them with a visit.?

[mulderpm]

See previous page Oom Polla.

24 hrs before flying to the falls we have to request clearance via the Briefing Officer at Kasane. We should include a re-fuel stop / emergency alternative at Kazungula. It however is in Zimbabwe and not in Botswana.

[mulderpm]

14 pilots clearance request submitted and paid to the CAAB. Two are still pending finalisation of paper work. This must be the largest number of Trikes in one cross-border group??? The South African invasion is planned for the 26th of April 2015. It is going to be fantastic.

The commemorative garments have been ordered and will be in time for hand out at our final meeting on the 18th April 2015. Those unable to attend will get there's in Kasane.

Oom Polla, It looks like the Victoria Falls scenic flight will include a refuel, regroup, stretch legs, body break stop at Livingston Airport. They have an international area where we can park without clearing customs. I have requested more information from the briefing officer.

[ME 109]

The long awaited adventure is upon us Kan nou nie meer wag nie! Adventure of a lifetime, for sure. Apologies for not being able to attend the braai/meeting on the 18th April. However, come Saturday 25th, i'll be in the convoy

[mulderpm]

The following people will meet on the N1 at the Petroport just north of Pretoria:

Andries Kruger
Andre Jansen V Niewenhuizen
Chris Van Zyl
Mark Fincham
Nick Swardt
Paul & Dionne

We are meeting the following people on the other side of the border, on Saturday morning, at Palapye:

Dawid Redelinghuys
Frank Smallwood
Fanie Lombaard
Massimo Guerini

The people below are not traveling in convoy:

Louis Cole - flying all the way.
Mervyn & Pax - flying all the way.
Wynand Coetzee - flying all the way.
Paul Van Schalkwyk
Jacques Moolman
Tiaan Brand

Went to have a look at the progress with the garment customisation yesterday and picked up the badges. Looking fantastic.

[Blue Max]

Not easy to guess how long a job will take.
I thought to convert my trailer into a trike trailer will take two days max. Ha Ha two weeks was closer to the correct time.
Also had to build a tow bar onto the Bantam. Eish.!!
Botswane here I come.!

[mulderpm]

Looking fantastic Oom Polla. Hope you have tested the trike to fit on the trailer. Normally the trike wheels fit behind the trailer wheels. Hope you have also included ramps and a hand winch? It is very difficult to pick up both back wheels (60Kg's each) and impossible if you are alone.

All the customised clothing, except for one incorrectly delived Jacket (mine), has been received, packed and labeled, ready for handing out on Saturday.

I have also received all the original copies of our Permit's to Fly from the CAAB in the post. These will also be handed to you on Saturday.

Only 9 days to go.....heeehaa.... Vic falls, Chobe, Okavango and the pans here we come.

[Blue Max]

HeeeHaaa
See you Sat.
Ek sal n skaap ribbetjie bring.!!

[ME 109]

trailer.jpg (15.65 KiB) Viewed 2872 times

Enjoy the braai and Botswana chatter See you all soon! Registered trailer, fitting winch next week, ready to go

[mulderpm]

Andries, I didn't know you were building a caravan....does the wendy house fit?

I have your clearance with me.

AMH and a few others packed up this weekend and ready to leave Friday. Thanks to Dionne, Fiona, Nick and Mark and of course the expert, Johannes, for all your help on Sunday.

I emailed a copy of the relevant 100K Botswana WAC to you. Please check your inbox.

[Suesing]

Hey guys you are going to have such a magic time, will be thinking of you all

[mulderpm]

Thanks Sue.

The first trike (Louis Cole) has just crossed the border on its way to Selebi Phikwe. The rest of us, except for the fixed wings, are congregating at Palapye at 8 tomorrow morning. Mervyn and Wynand will fly accross on Sunday. We will all meet at Senyati Safari Lodge on Sunday evening at 7pm. Cant wait.

This is going to be the biggest cross border trike safari ever. 16 Pilots and planes, plus family and friends.

Fly Safe all yee Adventurers.

Please keep us in your prayers.

[Louis Cole]

What a blast so far. I took off from Eagle's Creek with my brother, Ben and a ground crew consisting of my sister and sister-in-law on Thursday 23 April in my Raptor with newly fitted spats and winglets for Polokwane in absolutely perfect weather. Mauw almost exceeded but serviced to perfection by Flo we reached Polokwane in 4 hours only to find that my newly installed radio wasn't transmitting. Landed at Polokwane Civil and after some road repairs so to speak, I took off in the dark the next morning for Polokwane Int.to clear customs before ATC arrived but fortunately they heard my transmission and we landed, cleared customs and immigration and landed blind at Selibe Phikwe Int. 2hrs. 50 mins. later after calling the ATC frantically only to find that the ATC was closed down.

That evenig we slept over in the house of a CAAB official for P100 pp after clearing customs and immigration and left at sparrow the next morning for Nata 145nm direct but found to our dismay that it was 145 nm. of bush. Again putting our trust in mr. Rotax, we were very relieved when we landed at Nata 2hrs. 42 mins. later. We paid the CAAB assistant P200 to sleep next to the Raptor and left for Kasane the next morning at 06:40 for another 155 nm. leg. Apparently I flew over Elephant Sands where the rest of the group was camping and I am told that they frantically waved but having seen no blashing boobs or brown eyes, I soldiered on and landed at Kasane Int. in 3 hrs. 15 mins. after landing in the road for a refuel and pi(t)sstop.

The rest of the group arrived an hour or so later and sweated in the sun for hours rigging their trikes. Mervyn and Alwyn arrived the following day and the guys have been flying, cruising the river and doing the tourist thing for 3 days now and bueaucratic hassles are preventing us so far from flying to Livingstone to over fly the Vic Falls but I'm going to try and extend my stay here to see if the authorisation comes through. Bucketlist unchecked.

Wi-Fi connectivity crap, so can't post photos yet. Got to go. Meat is calling.

[Goose]

have fun and fly safe

[Louis Cole]

Tnx. Goose. Today was a huge disappointment. Our flight clearance for Zambia was verbally approved last night but had to be confirmed at 07:00 this morning. This deadline was moved to 10:00 and we had already cleared Customs and Immigration and pre-flighted when Mervyn who pulled all strings,was told tht a General of the Zambia Airforce decided that no uncertified type aircraft would be allowed in Zambia airspace. It confused Immigration somewhat when we checked back into Botswana without having left. Nothing we could do, so tomorrow we take the long rwy. back to Sua Pans via Nata which is about a 176 nm.leg.