Pinedene Routing and FABA, Babs & SR airfields

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Flew Pinedene to FABB last evening just before dark. Usually I am routed by FAWK from Shell Ultra to Pinedene station then to Babs Tower (to stay out of buffer zone) at 5500' or 6000'. Call Pinedene station and then call exit to Special East (125.40) on 124.10 abeam Babs Tower. So as it was unmanned I did same yeasterday Called inbound, Pindede station, Fly Inn (due to conflicting traffic at Fly Inn) and then at Babs on 124.10, before going 125.40. After Fly Inn around FABA I flew below a couple aeries and then at Babs one flew directly below me. All a bit close for comfort. I was doing 170+kts so closing speeds would have been high. I was at 6000' and due to smog viz was baie K@K. I think last aerie was in circuit at Babs and would thus assume was on 120.35. I did not hear any of these guys on 124.10.

I routed south of FABA and climbed from 5500 at Fly Inn to 6000 abeam Babs. I was on 124.10 until abeam Babs tower (almost overhead Babs field), then 125.40, then 133.20 (Petit traffic) then back to 125.40 and then 122.70. I did not at any time broadcast on 120.35 . I did not have the 196 with me and the KLX135A does not show much other than FAJS airspace). On the 1:250K map FABA is in WK airspace thus assumed 124.10 and Babs and SR are not shown at all.

Not looking to start a war, just want to know what the correct procedure/freq are in this area as I will be doing this route more freq in the future. I have flown the route 20+ times, but usually weekdays during the day and have never encountered traffic at these strips before. I was based at Fly Inn for a couple months so am famil with the airspace towards FAWK and FAGC, but never routed East other than direct to Petit where one would remain on 124.10 until inbound to Petit.

I have heard various guys complain that some are not on 125.40, some complain that guys are not on 124.10 and others that they are not on 120.35. The 3 strips around Babs have their own freq 120.35. Where the 3 airspaces meet (FAWK, FAJS, Spec East) you can possibly be on 124.10, 125.40 or 120.35? FABA seems to be inside WK airspace, but assume that they use 120.35 so as not to congest 124.10...

Thus a Couple Questions
What is the correct radio freq to be on when routing in this way, esp if equipped with only 1 radio.
Anyone based at Babs, SR or FABA? What is circuit alt at these strips? Easy plan gives their alts as +/-5400' and +/-5300', thus assume circuits at 6300/6400?
do you monitor 124.10 at FABA and
do you monitor 125.40 at Babs and Sierra Romeo?

Thanks in advance for comments...

[Morph]

speak to Philip Van Niekerk, resident instructor at Sierra Romeo 08dubbletwo5dubbleeight618

[t-bird]

Done the same trip form Summit , Central ,Pinedine to FABB yesterday afternoon.
The Bapsfontein area is definitely a problem.
I am fine cruising low and at 80 mph , but the speed difference between you and a trike is really big.
My suggestion would be to make Waterkloof smaller. They should draw a vertical line to the West of Fly-inn.
The area between this line and the current Waterkloof boundary to the east should be a buffer zone on 125.4 MHZ with a height restriction.
Does not make sense to have a controlled airspace with strips that operate on own frequency inside.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

T Bird.
Closing speed would be greater for you at 80 than a trike at say 40 and from directly in front/behind an eggbeater is not easy to spot.

Problem for me was that, that late (5.30pm local) the smog made viz a real problem. I did not see 2 of the planes (1 was a Samba the other a trike) before I had almost passed them. Had we been at same alt it could have been . There was also a blik low level at Fly Inn routing back to Kitty. Most aeries in the area regardless of size remain lower than you would expect of them elsewhere.

I just want to know what freq the guys are on and what their std ops are, so I can give them a shout out when inbound, but do not necessarily want to change the airspace...

[Big-D]

At Siera Romeo we don't monitor 125.40 Special rules east while in the circuit. We are on 120.35

Here is what I do when flying Pinidene West to East - I route just North of Baps,Micro,SR and change to 120.35 when North of Microland and 125.4 when approaching the Bapsfontein tower.

Not saying this is right - Just what I do - When overhead Baps Tower definately on special rules east. Nobody on 124.10 unless they are flying Pinidene route

D

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Big D
What is Circuit alt at these fields? I was 125.40 at Babs, but never 120.35..

[DieselFan]

From Waterkloof, change to 120.35 when close to powerlines just west of Microland.

6000 for Microland, 6200 for Baps. Once across the road towards tower change to SRE.

Ofourse this is for trikes / slower moving AC...As I had a run in previously with blik...

[Tumbleweed]

RV4ker, your post is very intimidating for us out - of -towners. At that speed you need to appoint a full time radio assistant, another to look out and get a daglo paint job.

Could you (sometimes) please give the (FABA) complete name till we get accostomed to it and save doing a quick search? (little free memory)

Very informative, but still intimidating.

Heard on SP East in close succession;

"WYZ on route to Bronkhort Dam"

"BHY routing to Bronk dam"

DHT, one of 4 trikes heading to Bronk dam"

"WYZ, correction, I'm going to Cullinan, coz everone else is going to Bronkhortspruit dam"

[cobra]

From Waterkloof, change to 120.35 when close to powerlines just west of Microland.

6000 for Microland, 6200 for Baps. Once across the road towards tower change to SRE.

Ofourse this is for trikes / slower moving AC...As I had a run in previously with blik...

Agreed. routing from Pinedene - although WKLF ATC will ask to report outbound at the BAPS TWR, I report leaving the area just before Microland (on passing north of Fly-in - > change to 120.35 until 2-3nm north, east or south of Bapsfontein airfield - > then 125.40

This area is a problem, as many blik aeries call WKLF for clearance at least 5min before entering from the east and stay on the freq 124.10

.. I was doing 170+kts so closing speeds would have been high. ...

Hi RV4ker, saw you pass through yesterday to the south of microland at mach 1 the area south of the airfield is the Microland GF 120.35, this is in itself a big problem as the instrutors and student are normal busy with some manoeuvres and may not be looking out for other aircraft passing through.

General rule within 3-4nm from Bapsfontein airfield 120.35

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Delata VV


FABA - Microland flight park...

Not intended to intimidate, but to give you an idea of the time I digress below. I was loooow level as it was such a lekka flying day and I was enjoying hunting the hun straffing the odd convoy and gen having an awesome sun arvie flight but light and viz was getting K@K fast so groundspeed was beeeg.

Herewith a timeline for ease of ref.
Central 122.8, then 124.1 for WK @ Shell Ultra City
1min 34 sec's to Pinedene station
Then 2mins 20 to Fly Inn all on 124.10 (OK to here, BUT then)
41 seconds to FABA and a further 37 seconds to Baps, on 120.35 (while still monitoring 124.10)
Then 1 min 50 to Petit during which time I have to call WK on 124.10 abeam Baps, make radio call on 125.40 and then for Petit traffic, then back to 125.40 for traffic near Springs, then 122.7 for Brakkies..

Summary
From FLy Inn to past Petit is just under 3 mins and requires 7 changes of freq along with position broadcasts....
124.10 to 120.35 to 124.10 (report outbound at Baps as required by WK) to 125.40 to 133.20 to 125.4 to 122.7

When would anyone have a chance to reply as I would basically be broadcasting all the time and flicking channels. No point covering all the freq's and not having time to hear if there is any traffic?

I just don't want to ruin anyone (especially mine)'s day by "bumping" into them by accident..... The sky is plenty big enough for us all....

[RV4ker (RIP)]

This area is a problem, as may blik aeries call WKLF for clearance at least 5min before entering from the east and stay on the freq 124.10

That is the Key. I call WK abeam Petit as by the time they come back I am in their airspace and I then tend to stay on 124.10 unless they have cleared me to Pinedene at initial contact... Past experience shows that if you enter controlled airspace without permission you get a free ticket onto the red carpet. Been there and got the T shirt. I have a transponder which I keep on and they pick you up if you enter airspace and it can get ugly. Not nice, but I would prefer red carpet to having a trike hood ornament on the Meercat ...

.. I was doing 170+kts so closing speeds would have been high. ...

Hi RV4ker, saw you pass through yesterday to the south of microland at mach 1 the area south of the airfield is the Microland GF 120.35, this is in itself a big problem as the instrutors and student are normal busy with some manoeuvres and may not be looking out for other aircraft passing through.

General rule within 3-4nm from Bapsfontein airfield 120.35

Looked awesome. If I had more light I would have tried a missed approach at Micro to se if I can stop it before the fence for the next brekkie run...

There is also another strip on the west of micro where I have seen the odd trike. When training you do not have time to look for Kamakazee Meercat's, that was original reason for my question as it did appear that a couple of the guys I passed did not even know I was there....

Based on the above input I am gonna do as follows...

122.70 to Jan Smuts Dam
125.40 to Petit,(133.20 to briefly)
125.40 to south of Baps
120.35 to west of Micro
124.10 from Fly Inn onto Pinedene.....

Thanks for all the responces...... Gotta love this site....

[cobra]

Does Kitty HAwk have its own frequency - that would have been 16 if I knew it

But still a great flight, and I now oficially rename Sunday to Funday, just Friday is Flyday

Kittyhawk 120.65, check Rhino freq is 135.60

[Massimo]

Microland, bapsfontein can get extremely congested. I have often been in micro GF when out of nowhere flies a blik right under me on its way to fly inn. Not even on the same frequency as they already probably on fly inn frequency as its so close to microland.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Microland, bapsfontein can get extremely congested. I have often been in micro GF when out of nowhere flies a blik right under me on its way to fly inn. Not even on the same frequency as they already probably on fly inn frequency as its so close to microland.

Microland GF is not on the aviation maps and is in WK airspace, so freq is 124.10. I moer'd through there yesterday on 124.10, but luckily it was not busy....

PS
Demon
Yip when we were on way to HBV WK was manned. Prob closed at 17:00 local.

[DieselFan]

Shees Demon, you and RV4ker are some serious radio disc jockeys!

I never really thought about how fast one must be < 1 min.

If my plane flew that fast I'd pretend I was in a war movie and maintain radio silence - just in case someone's listening.