2011. augusztus 26., péntek

Best Aviation Site Award


Out of nothing I just got an email saying that my site/blog was nominated for the Best Aviation Site Award and I've won. Because "you are continuing to help the "Aviation" community and that your site offers great content and provides a wonderful user experience…" Well, what do you know. So from now on you will see the logo on top of the right column.
Thanks guys!

2011. augusztus 25., csütörtök

One thousand hours


09.08.2011, a landing at Solitaire strip (FYSO) marked the first big milestone. I got my 1000th hour. 
Frank of Delta Air in Maun, Jazz the new guy at Bush Bird
and Shady the gymnastics coach of the Namibian Olympics team
with a nice shishaa
Most of it flying in and out of the bush and over the dunes of the big Namib and the endless plains of the savanna. 
A year ago I just started flying here (and well just started flying at all), and the more I flew the more there was to learn. 
Himba boys
 FLY FOR FUN
Rossing mountain in fog
Swakop river flowing
My man Theo cleaning da plane
Rain and bow over the dunes
Summer over the desert
FLY baby
Something is building 
Resting in the shade
Colors of Ugab
My Cuban wingman
Walvis saltworks with the Kuiseb flowing into the Atlantic
Spitzkoppe
Henties Bay reflections
Underwater over the savanna
Green dunes
 
I still think that this is the best school for a fresh pilot. A couple of hundred hours flown over and into these remote areas will improve not just your flying skills (flying the lovely 210 to her limits safely), but your airmanship as well, and will definitely improve your situational awereness (crowded uncontrolled airspaces can get tricky), and lots more. Not to mention the feeling of belonging to the Brotherhood, where no matter where you come from, no matter what you did before, no matter how old you are  (I know, I know I've had a bit too much of The Right Stuff book). The only thing that matters is whether in the air you know your job and if you're willing to have some chatting after hours at one of the cultural institutions like the Skydivers at the airport or the Kückis or else. I got my biggest compliment when local lots-of-thousand-hours pilots said that they are unhappy because they know that I will soon leave Swakopmund. A compliment that one rarely gets from these old aviators.
End of a nice flight
Swakopmund is still the best kept secret in aviation. I mean low time job wise. Flocks of fresh pilots show up every year in Maun, Windhoek, Dar es Salaam, but just very few make it to Swakopmund. It is true that there are not too many companies here, and decisions are mostly taken in Windhoek, or some companies want to hire only locals or SA pilots. But if one makes it here and gets a job then will probably get a lifestyle that no other African bush flying job can offer. Amazing flying from the desert to the savannah and mountainous areas. From this small Africa-for-dummies town, Jewel of the Atlantic Coast. 
With complicated weather and thrilling winds.
Skydivers night
Love every moment of flying and living here, and a big thank you goes to the owners of Bush Bird Adventure Flights on running a company with the most flight hours in Swakop and thus making this 1000+ hours possible!
Welcome to wherever you are
Enjoy the pictures as much I enjoyed taking them. 
Smooth