Last year we flew some fashion-designers from India and their South African friend Adam Levin (writer of two great books Aidsafari and Wondersafari- if you ever look for some unusual reads). After their quick 20min late afternoon flight, they could not stop talking about the amazing experience, and especially Tarun wanted to fly again ...lots. He has flown private jets, little prop-charters and helicopters all over the world, yet to him the trike was the most awesome of all.
Many things came together to arrange this little trip. Durban fashion week (he is always invited), great weather for June/July, our business being closed, David and I needing a little decent flying time... so we arranged a 3 day safari... smack bang in the middle of the worst cold front South Africa has seen in 25 years!
We were due to leave on Tuesday, with Berg-winds of 10kts on the ground, 60kts at 8000'! in the morning, turning to a 45kt SW in the afternoon. We phoned friends, weather office, checked the weather sites for any possible change about every 10 minutes. Tarun and Sumeet had to be back for Fashion shows starting Friday and then they had to get back to India... we were screwed.
Tuesday morning, we went to the airfield in any case. Packed the trikes, and looked at the mountains, the windsock the lenticularis clouds. Looked and wondered... to fly or not to fly. The answere was blatantly obvious, but we were trying to find some excuse to ignore reason. According to the wind-forecast there is this shadow on the lee-side of the berg (off-course - its called rotor!), but we were talking such pathetic rubush like, if we stay low enough, the thermals / ground effect will make flying OK
We both knew it was not going to happen, and when our two guests arrived, the South Wester did as well. A couple of hours earlier than predicted, a couple of knots stronger than predicted. So its time to pack up and find something else to do. So we set off to find some long-johns for our fashion-conscious friends. It was quite something, especially after having introduced Tarun to his bright purple and lime-green flying suit. I think he phoned people in India just to tell them the shear horror we were subjecting him to! Beanies and balaclavas were also on the list of extras, as we knew that snow was on the cards, and no way in hell were the black Safari suits and designer scarfs going to do the trick. It was very entertaining to watch Tarun trying to find something to match his suit. Will royal blue, charcoal or black go best with the barney-outfit?
We went to a restaurant for 'the view', which was all they had going for them, still downloading various weather sites in my PDA every 10 minutes, in the hope that the prediction of solid rain and gale force winds for Wednesday will miraculously change into blue skies and a breeze.
After a restless night at a local B&B, we woke to rain. And wind. And Snow. The weather site predicted a light reduction on rain between 11-2pm. So we were going to try to get away in a gap there. Only problem is, our first stop was the 'Berg and there the cloud was on the deck, and still snowing at 11am! The rain did not give the promised gap, and after staring through rain with a visibility of around 300m, trying to convince ourselves that it will stop any minute now, grumpy's sense prevailed and we turned ourselves over to Tequila and sushi. Try again tomorrow....
The coastal wind prediction was again gale-force, morning rain, but it reduced rapidly inland, with only moderate south-easters prediced for the Ladysmith area, so we decided to get airborn as soon as the predicted rain in the morning let up, and just wing it
Our intended route was Brett Tungay's place in the Berg for fist night, Ithala game reserve second night and then Sodwana coastwise back. Now we will have to fit as much as possible of the journey into 2 half-days and one night. This meant skipping Dragon's Peak, refueling in Ladysmith and heading straight to Ithala (Swaziland border) for the first night. Great idea... if we can get airborne.
Thursday dawned. Wet. Windy
7:30 breakfast. 9am at the airfield. Wind in Durban gusting 30kts, Wind in Ladysmith 1kt. OK, we can do this... 'Are you OK' asked Tarun for the 7th time. Apparently I am walking around looking very worried. In truth I am rather very nervous. Thinking about what Greytown can be like in this wind. Valley of a Thousand hills. Take-off... At 10 we are packed and ready...sort off. We look at the sky. The 4000' cloudbase is dark, but no longer raining. The windsock is acrobatic, and there is virga over the high mountains where we are heading. I don't have a bad feeling about the flight, just nervous about getting to the safety of 500' AGL, where I can fly without fear for wing-tip into the ground. On the ground I can't handle the wing. My passenger helps me to keep the wing level forward in the taxi and wing-tip down parked while we watch David take off. Some of the gusts are now so severe (FADN over 35kts) that it feels like it is going to tip us over and tumple us down the runway.
Deep breath.
Speed is safety.
I gun it down the runway in the turn - going from wing-tip down to into wind to wings level in one smooth accellerating movement. My heart accellerates with the trike. Thankfully the wind was just about straight down the runway, and at that speed we were airborne in about 25m. But then we hit a lull and I don't climb for the next 200m or so, then shoot into the sky to 600'AGL as the next gust hits us. Safe! Heavily loaded 503 heading towards Ladysmith, average full power climb rate : 250'/ min.
From then on it is reading the ground. Every hill and ridge has to be taken into considerations over Klein Noodsberg / Valley of a 1000 hills to make sure that with this wind, we get lift and not rotor. Our track is a bit zig-zag, but awesome. It is magical to get to the area of virga with small patches of sunlight forming rainbows around the trike. Our crab-angle is around 60 degrees. Once David asked me where I am heading? Pietermaritzburg? But then at once he realised that he was also pointing somewhere very different to where we are going. 35kt ground-speed, but if we were going to point into wind, we would have gone backwards, I'm sure.
My passenger did take some photos, and I hope he will send some on from India. It was awe inspiring to see the 'Berg so clearly from over 100km away. Like you could reach out and touch it. 
