Why a Bushpilot’s course?
A mate of mine started
flying.
He was in his forties, a latecomer to the trade. Not being a natural pilot
it took him a bit longer to complete his license but he seemed do enjoy
it tremendously, became a reasonable pilot and one day he was ready to
buy his own plane.
He told me, that he wanted to do what we did; fly out into the bush, take
his family up to the O’kavango Delta, into the Namibia Desert etc.
Since he learned to
fly on Cherokee140, I took him up in our Cherokee 235 and he instantly
liked the Plane.
Most Cherokee 235s have high compression Pistons, which give them 250hp
at sea level and a good 6 hr Range to reach most fields with 4-People
up and enough fuel left to come back to civilization.
A good reliable Bush-Boeing as we call it.
He went out, bought himself a 235, and embarked upon a bush pilots career,
which was rather short-lived, because a few short months later he crashed
on a bush strip.
Having heard similar stories before and this guy being a mate of mine,
I started investigating what really went wrong.
I know the strip well; I spoke to the pilot and the rangers that had watched
the crash from the ground and soon an all too familiar picture emerged,
well documented in the files of insurance companies
It all started out ok, the pilot had taken the precaution of driving out
to the Bush lodge the week before, to inspect the runway.
He was happy with what he saw and was all set to fly in.
The Cherokee called up on the radio; he was a bit lost initially and the
rangers at the lodge, both pilots, guided him in, whilst chasing the antelopes
off the runway.
He then proceeded to do a standard pattern and ended up on final approach
high and fast. Calls from the ground about being too high were acknowledged
but he continued his approach. The touchdown at high speed occurred somewhere
in the middle of the runway. A few seconds later the pilot applied full
go-around power and started climbing away.
About five meters up in the air again, he cut the power and disappeared,
crashing into the thorn trees on the far end of the strip.
The four occupants were very lucky.
The plane had not spun in and the bush had cushioned the fall.
The left wing and the gear tearing off had further reduced the impact
energy.
They had hit nothing head on, the nose was intact, the propellers were
bent backwards and there was no fire.
All four of them climbed out of the plane and were found by the rangers
wandering around the bush in a state of severe ‘’brownpants’’.
The only casualty was the pilots forehead which had been in a close encounter
with the altimeter setting Knob.
The Knob, although bent, survived too, but the pilot has never again flown
since.
So, what happened on that fateful day when a Sunday breakfast went uneaten?
The strip is located on the Southern foothills of the Waterberg mountain
range.
1000 m long and 60 m wide it faces the mountain straight on and the uphill
slope makes it a one-way runway.
Land northwards take-off southward, nevermind which way the wind blows.
Although the strip faces a gap in the mountain, it is impossible to take
off and out-climb the gradient in anything but a Harrier jet.
The wind often blows from the north through the gap and downdrafts as
well as turbulence must be expected.
It is not advisable to land without alerting the rangers, since the grassed
runway attracts a lot of game, which is not easily scared off by an aircraft
engine.
The mountains in the north do not allow a standard 1000’ traffic
pattern and a pilot has to descent into mid-downwind to join the circuit
proper. Missed approaches are possible but one has to be fast in applying
full power, raising flap and doing a rather steep low-level turn to the
west.
Knowing all the above facts it’s not a difficult field to fly into
there is ample runway and space.
The pilots sole experience up until then was to fly around his home base
and he had occasionally ventured out to land at some other nice Airports
in the surround.
That was his first bush landing ever and he was nervous.
He simply hadn’t been taught how to make a safe low level run across
the field to establish altitude hence he ended up flying a traffic pattern
dictated by the height of the hills around him.
This pattern was almost 700 ‘ higher than the one on his home field.
When he arrived on final, he did not possess the ability to judge his
glide angle by simply rifle-sighting a point on his windscreen with his
touchdown point.
He never did a go-around because he did not mentally brief himself that
that might be a possibility or even necessity.
When he touched down in the middle of the field, he had 500m of uphill,
rough, high-wheel-drag-ground to stop on.
But the unfamiliar sight of not having the 1000m of his home field in
front of his dash scared him and he decided to go around.
By then he was flying on the back of the powercurve, there was no more
runway left and he realized that he could never out climb the mountain
in front of him
All out of worldly options he closed the throttles and started talking
to his maker, successfully as it turned out.
This incident made me think:
A trained pilot, a well functioning airplane, a good landing field there
was just no reason for this to happen.
If he had only received some basic training with us, done some flights
with an experienced pilot, got some of the ground rules into his head.
He would have been ok, not have been flying miles behind his airplane
then and buying some expensive piece of real estate.
Most of all he would still enjoy his flying today.
Training and practice give you confidence and take away fear and mind-numbing
nervousness
Flying away from home base, away from tarmac, air traffic control, clean
fuel pumps etc can be intimidating for the first timer or the unpracticed.
Like a bird, leaving its nest for the first time, flying into a strange
environment is mostly a psychological challenge, which can put tremendous
pressure on a pilot.
Most sports and recreational pilots spend most of their flying hours in
and around the familiarity of their home field.
It’s comfortable nice and cozy there, like in mothers womb, we know
the field, its procedure, can fly the circuit blindfolded and make beautiful
landings in front of our applauding buddies.
This familiarity, comforting as it may be, breeds complacency and makes
us lose the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
We have once upon a time learned how to operate a machine, we knew all
the right figures and numbers, but can’t remembers how to apply them
The world becomes a strange place when we start flying away from home.
All of a sudden the runways are longer, shorter, wider, uphill, down hill,
sandy, grassy, have high trees on short final and some, like the one above,
have cumulus granitus on one end.
The wind is blowing from funny angles the windsock is torn to shreds,
there is a herd of Zebra on the runway.
And then, when you have survived the ruts and dongas of the so-called
landing strip you return on the morning following night of colonial Gin
and Tonic sessions, only to find some hyena has chewed up your tires.
Why on earth would anybody want to do this, why venture out into such
hostile territory.
Well there are various reasons, a farmer, prospector, flying doctor, scientist
going about his business for instance, relief workers, missionaries, tending
to their, flock but they are not the bulk of the flyers ending up in the
wilds of Africa or Oz or Alaska for that matter.
The main thing is that these remote lading strips happen to be the gateway
to the most remote unspoiled, beautiful, places on earth “Gods own
country” so to speak.
We at SKYAFRICA have been doing flights into the bush for many years now,
alone, with guests and with many fellow pilots, some trained in Africa
some abroad.
And we will continue to fly there, because we are running professional
charters, fly our friends and families or just indulge in our own passion
for flying and nature.
The idea is that we don’t want any harm to befall them or us but
rather join in the celebration of flying in unhurried skies and spending
quality time in the serene peaceful surrounding called the great Outdoors.
It can be done safely, but it must be done right.
An that means training and practice, it means getting the confidence level
up and your fear down by knowing that you are well prepared and are aware
of the tricks of the trade.
Conventional flight training does not afford you sufficient skill nor
prepares you mentally for Bush flying.
It also does not give you basic rules of behavior when out in the wild.
For this reason, we have summarized our experiences and compiled a unique
Flying training course combined with basic bushcraft, survival, application
of common sense and airmanship.
The SKYAFRICA BUSHPILOTS TRAINING COURSE will convey a wealth of basic
flying knowledge, as well as endeavor to install some love and admiration
for nature and the wonders of Africa to pilots wanting to wander “off
the beaten track”.
And most importantly, we will all have some fun at the same time
Enjoy
Karl Finatzer
You are welcome to bring your wife or partner along. There is lots to do for them. We offer special partner rates and they are welcome to take part in all the ground activities and may come along on some of the flights.
And this is how it works…..
SKYAFRICA BUSHPILOTS TRAINING COURSE
Day 1
Arrival
You will be collected from Johannesburg International and accommodated
in a comfortable Bed and Breakfast Lodging.
In the afternoon, we will drive down to our airfield where you will meet
your Instructor and the SKYAFRICA Crew. You will then take a short familiarization
flight to get to know the aircraft that you will be flying with and its
systems. Information material containing essential map and navigation
material will be handed to you.
SKYAFRICA has published a Booklet called “The Bushpilots Bible”
which will be used as the basic reference book for this course
In the evening we will attend a typical South African Braai at the Flying
Clubs Swimming Pool
You will take off
for the days sortie and hone your flying skills, various short field,
soft field landing techniques as well as out-landings will be practiced.
You will fly out of a hot and high airfield.
Flight conditions and configuration that ordinary “straight and level”
pilots hardly ever experience form part of the training. Slow flight,
the use of wind and thermals, ridge flying, flying for maximum distance,
are all essential knowledge for Bush operations.
A practical flight test will form part of your License validation.
The afternoon sees us planning our flight and preparing our Aircraft and
Equipment for Bush flying.
Early morning we head
north on our flight to a Bush lodge that will serve as our Base for the
entire course.
Part of this sortie will comprise your x-country test towards your South
African license validation.
The flight is a Navigation exercise that will see us land on four different
fields en-route again practicing our field approach and landing techniques
as well as aircraft ground handling.
The Bush lodge has its own Landing strip and we will radio ahead to make
sure the rangers clear the runway from ever present grazing game and buck.
The Lodge is comfortably furnished and boasts great South African Hospitality.
Thatch covered roofs and natural stone walls blend into the surroundings
and the main lodge houses a rustic bar and a lecture room.
Gargantuan steaks and other scrumptious food are on the menu and there
will be many opportunities to enjoy the African Bushveld or simply to
relax at the poolside.
After a nourishing
Breakfast we prepare for our first Bush flying exercise flying to, landing,
and taking off from various airstrips.
You will learn how to handle your Aircraft safely and proficiently on
the ground as well as in the air.
Every sortie includes a thorough ground briefing on various flying techniques,
some great flying and breathtaking scenery.
We return to camp in the afternoons and you will be taken out into the
Veldt by qualified bush rangers who will teach you the basic skills needed
to operate safely in the wild. Basic survival techniques and the handling
of various tools and gadgetry necessary in the bush will be demonstrated.
This day will see
us landing at various other Strips, again the challenge will be to judge
the route, the weather, the fields you are going to land on until you
are proficient at flying the numbers like a professional. One way fields,
inclines, declines precautionary landings will be practiced.
Afternoons we make the Bush our classroom:
Rangers will take you on bush walks introduce you to tracking and teach
you how to spot game, read spoor and identify various edible plant and
game species.
Night and day Safari game drives will bring you in touch with Africa’s
abundant fauna and flora. Antelope, Giraffe, Zebras and other Game roam
freely and you will get good photo opportunities.
Evenings will include talks about Airmanship, “tricks of the trade”
for bushpilots.
Day 6
Time for long range
navigation, how to plan your Flight, reading of ground features, awareness
of the your environment, landing site selection. You will learn how to
navigate about the Bushpilots VOR and how to establish and maintain contact
with other planes flying in your area.
. This night we may camp out. You will learn how to establish a temporary
Bush camp, how to safeguard yourself and your Plane from the natural hazards
of the wild outdoors. We will have Sundowners under the wing of our Aircraft
and watch the fiery red African sun meet the horizon. Evenings are spent
around the campfire taking in the sounds of nature around us. Nowhere
will you see a sky so clear and the canopy of stars so bright than in
the African Bundu.
Who said bush pilots may not be romantic, that why we do it in the first
place?
Day 7
Mid-morning we fly
back to the lodge. This will be a low-level flight where we will learn
how to spot and identify game from the air.
The day is spent relaxing on the pool with a couple of Gin tonics.
For those interested, the following activities are available
Basic Firearms course
Golf
An underground visit down some old MineshaftsThe evening will be spent
around a delicious farewell dinner and there will be an award ceremony
for those that have proudly obtained their BUSHPILOTS
CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY
Day 8
After saying goodbye
to our hosts the rangers will clear the runway for us again one last time.
We will take off for a relaxing sightseeing flight that will take us across
Pretoria South Africa’s Capital city and then onwards around City
of Gold Johannesburg to land at our Home Base FABB.This course will have
prepared you for flying in remote areas and will give you the confidence
that it takes to enjoy what must be on of the life’s most exhilarating
pleasures-Flying African Skies.
Hints
East-West travelers
should plan to arrive 3days earlier to acclimatize and get rid of jet
lag before flying off into the wild blue yonder.
For the North-South crowd its ok to arrive the day prior to flying.
Included are:
- Airport meet by SKYAFRICA course-leader
- Orientation
- Escorting and hosting throughout
- All transfers by road
- Twin sharing accommodation for tour duration in good quality hotels, lodges and safari camps
- Meals and soft drinks on Course, as stated in your itinerary, all breakfasts, lunch packs on-route
- All local taxes and service charges
- 1 Pilot's full certification and validation program (hour limited as per tour itinerary)
- Rental of the airplane that you will be flying for the duration of the course (hour limited as per tour itinerary)
- Aircraft insurance and pilot’s excess insurance,
- Avgas and Lubricants
- Flight monitoring
- Flying instructor/Tour guide/safety pilot
- Daily leg briefings
- Assistance with filing of all flight plans
- WAC charts, Airports directory, Frequency directory, Pilot's flight bag, folder and documentation
- Air-rescue medic insurance only (does not include medical, tour, baggage, money, deductible)
- Tents, sleeping bags, emergency tool kit, First aid kit
- Theory Bushflying course
- Bushcraft course
- Basic survival course
- All bushwalks, safari excursions and big game activities day and night as stated in your itinerary