Ponta and Back

[LarryMcG]

Two trikes, wife and I, all camping equipment etc. Windlass 503 and Clipper 582

Sat 3 Jan. Grahamstown to Port Edward.
Sun 4 Jan. Port Edward to Sodwana.
Monday 5 Jan - some local flying.
Tuesday 6 Jan - Flight up the coast to Kosi bay, turn at Ponta da Oura / Border, back to Sodwana.
Wednesday 7 Jan - Sodwana to Durban, turn inland to Emoyeni, strong wind.
Thursday 8 Jan, Emoyeni to Mazeppa Bay, strong tail wing, evening storm, nearly blew trike over.
Friday 9 Jan, Mazeppa to home, foggy and rainy.

NO problems, some great flying, and some interesting flying!!!

Many thanks for fuel and help, at Haga Haga, Port Edward, Balito, Sodwana, Emoyeni, Mazeppa! Without friends along the way, these flights would not be as easy!

26.2 hours.

LM

[LarryMcG]

More

[AndyG]

Nice pics. Sounds like you had a lekker trip.

[Stephan van Tonder]

Looks lekker - one day when I've robbed a bank and bought and airplane.
Just one silly question. When following a terrain feature(such as a coastline) - shouldn't it be to your left? Here of course it now clashes with not flying over built up area in your NTCA?.

[Tailspin]

Just one silly question. When following a terrain feature(such as a coastline) - shouldn't it be to your left?

As long as you are in safe gliding distance of a safe landing spot you are ok. I think

[IceAge]

Nice pics Larry, especially the one with 'lunch' on the fly..........

Yes, it is trips like these that make for many hours of enjoyable discussion and sharing of experiences. It is also these trips that makes one realize how insignificant we really are, admiring the beauty of our country and at some stages the complete inhospitable terrain below.....

Post more pics.......

[Stephan van Tonder]

Tailspin that's not what I'm talking about. The airlaw says that when you follow a terrain feature you should be flying towards it's right so that it is on your left. So if you follow a coastline or a river or a railway or whatever it should be on your left. This is for collision avoidance so if you have somebody coming from the other side and he is following the same feature and rule you will clear each other. Don't want to make a thing out of it. It's just that I often see pictures of guys flying south on the east coast and following air law you should be over land then - not over the sea. In this specific case over land there is now built up areas which in an NTCA aircraft you are not supposed to overfly. How do you now apply these two laws together.

[Tailspin]

Eish Sorry

Was not even remotely thinking about that Rule.
Yes you are correct. but the speeds at which some of our aircraft fly and with constant radio calls i am sure these guys were not really in any danger.

But yes we do sometimes bend the rules a bit to enjoy our lovely country side.

[LarryMcG]

HI SVT

Yes, that correct, although many guys seem not to worry to much, regularly saw all types of aircraft on the wrong side, and I suppose as long as every talks to others, maybe no problem.

In this case, we were under control by Virginia, and they had us flying there, while being escourted by a 4 seat Jab, through Durban airspace, although the headwind made us turn back, and then inlanland to Emoyeni. We would have run out of fuel before leaving Durban ctr!

[Stephan van Tonder]

If ATC makes you fly there then you better
Love the pics and the hippos are cool. Where was that taken?.

[Tumbleweed]

Great pics.

Could you maybe give the details of any commercial resort/ club e.t.c who gave assistance for a punt and for future reference?

[Tumbleweed]

Another thought.

Those aeries without a hope in hell of successfully landing on a beach should be banned from even flying the coastline.

That would reduce traffic and allow trikes and gyros to happily relf- regulate directional use.

[John Young]

If ATC makes you fly there then you better

Hi Larry,

Awesome - nice one

Stephan - the area Larry was flying in the photo is approaching Umhlanga Rocks in Virginia Airspace. North Coast Special Rules apply. South bound traffic at 1000' and North bound traffic at 500'.

But yes, perhaps the waterline could have been on the left meaning "stay above the beach". But who cares, the beach was in easy reach from 1000'.

Furthermore, flying the "back line" (as Larry was) is often very rewarding in terms of spotting sea life.

Regards
John ZU-sEXY

[LarryMcG]

Thanks, Guys.

Hippo pics just North of Sodwana, Lake Sibaya.

Good places to stop -

Haga Haga, just North of Easy London, - Runway and Acc -Neil Arnold -0833948864
Port Edward M/L - Runway and Acc - Vernon - 0834598673
Balito - Dave Jackson and co
Sodwana Bay - Francois - runway and acc 072211662

I will happily supply more detail and info, for anyone wanting to plan any coastal trips.

L

[Stephan van Tonder]

Would love to do trip like that but then continue north maybe all the way up to Beira.