The Two River's Odyssey

[mulderpm]

Alan, ask oom Hans how to do the gravity fed top up of your main tank. He explained it to me and it is very simple and effective. Remember: "Don't land on anything but a runway if you don't have to". In flight re-fueling is much safer than trying to land when you have to refuel.

[Blue Max]

Bundy - it is a active topic of discussion, I don't visit the other forums much, prefer to leave it here

That is counter productive!!!
Jy moet die ander forums begin vissit.!!
I have placed all my adventure trips under the topic of 'events'
If this topic is placed under the heading of events then the events topic will get the vissits it deserve.!!!

I agree that it is nice to read it but why are we having an 'events' topic if we do not place it where it belongs.!!!
Julle engelsmanne moet nie die oom moeg maak nie.

[Bundy]

Right boys, now that the basic route has been established, I would really like to start getting in contact with some of the Airfields and Pilots based there.

Day 1 of our journey will hopefully see us make Hoopstad adj to Bloemhof Dam.

Is there anyone here who is based at or near:

FAPY (Parys Aerodrome)
Mooihawe Vliegveld (Approx 4miles WSW of Viljoenskroon)
Huntersvlei Airstrip (also about 4 Knots WSW Viljoenskroon)
Shackleton Airfield (same as above)
FABO (Bothaville)
FAHP (Hoopstad)

We will be overnighting at one of these destinations and will need some info WRT Fuel, Field facilities and possible accomodation. Would appreciate some contact people who can assist? Also any other runways between FABO and FAHP?

Many Thanks

[Louis Cole]

Some contact no's that could be useful;
SAN Parks. (012)428-9111. - reservations@sanparks.org. - www.sanparks.org.

There are 5 campsites in the Richtersveld (Park entrance R30 p.p. Camping R15 p.p.);
. Sendelingsdrift. (The office can inform you on the road conditions.Pumps supply leaded petrol only.Alexander Bay is the closest for unleaded fuel). -(027)831-1506.
. Potjiespram
. Richtersberg
. Helskloof
. Kokerboomkloof

4x4 Ofroad Adventures operate in the Park and could be useful in the event of an emergency. - (021)913-1262. - offroad-@iafrica.com.

Hope it helps.

[Gyronaut]

Bundy, I wish you guys well with your adventure. Pity you're not coming further South to the Fairest Cape.

My friend Leon Bower has a farm and a nice runway about half way between Kenhardt and Pofadder. 37 miles south of Augrabies. He is a keen aviator and I am sure will be more than happy to supply fuel, accom etc. Co-ords are S29 14 00; E020 10 00.

Give him a call on oh ate two 558 3038 if he you're going that way.

Keep us posted with lots of pictures and stories please!

Have a jorl

Len

[Bundy]

Many Thanks Len and Louis.

All very usefull and I think we may def stop at your Mates runway. I am really struggling to get contact details for the various runways on route. Runway information is easy to get info on but I cant seem to find any tel no's in the web searches Ive done so far for their owners/SO's or Managers..... Will ATNS be able to assist with this do you think? Is there a database somewhere with this info?

I really need to find or order the 1:250000 Maps for our intended routing....or get easyplan. Have allready discovered that we cannot route via Vastrap (Kalahari) as it is a military base and restricted airspace.

[Asterix]

Bundy we will have a groundcrew - so outlandings will not be a problem. Also - I am not selling GK anymore. Putting him in storage - so in May it will be DBP and DLY. (I am SO glad DBP has got so much yellow in the wing now - you'll see - this solves half your outlanding problems!

Also, you can stop stressing about me flying away from you! Seriously, I would rather do this trip in Geel Kerneels than the Cobra. Shortfield , k@k terrain, Aquilla is number 1. Not called the Jeep of trikes for no reason!

[Bundy]

Anyone got a contact for Kleinzee Airstrip (on the coast south of Port Nolloth)? I am told we need permission to land there.

Also, is there a strip in Port Nolloth? Surely there must be? Cant find an obvious one on Google.

Am hoping to possibly overnight in Springbok. Contacts anyone?

Vastrap is Restricted airspace. (Although not FAP!) We may possibly be given clearance to fly through but it's unlikely we will be able to stay there. This has made me reconsider this stretch through the Kalahari. I can find bugger all airfields around but what about the many Pans in the area? Has anyone flown this area before and can you give insight as to potential landing spots?

Thanks guys.

[Rudix]

Anyone got a contact for Kleinzee Airstrip (on the coast south of Port Nolloth)? I am told we need permission to land there.

Also, is there a strip in Port Nolloth? Surely there must be? Cant find an obvious one on Google.

Am hoping to possibly overnight in Springbok. Contacts anyone?

Vastrap is Restricted airspace. (Although not FAP!) We may possibly be given clearance to fly through but it's unlikely we will be able to stay there. This has made me reconsider this stretch through the Kalahari. I can find bugger all airfields around but what about the many Pans in the area? Has anyone flown this area before and can you give insight as to potential landing spots?

Thanks guys.

Hi Alan!

I do have co-ordinates for a strip at Port Nolloth (S29 15 00.0 E16 52 00.0) but a quick look on Google Earth puts the strip in the water I cannot see anything that looks like a strip in the area.

Many of the pans in the Kalahari is land-able but be careful of a thin layer of dust/dirt over mud, as you slow down you get stuck or even flipped! Always land around the edges of the pans not in the middle. I do have co-ordinates for a few safe pans, like Groot Aar Pan (65 miles nort-west from Vastrap) but they might be a bit further north than you plan on flying?

[Rudix]

Just a note on the Vastrap restricted area (FAR 23), it is quite large, almost touching the Upington TMA, and goes from ground up to FL195 Would need to fly around that lot.....

I do have 2 other strips just north of Vastrap, Tellerie (S27 22 00.0 E21 22 00.0) and Bruin Pan (S27 24 00.0 E21 23 30.0), I found them in my Jepperson database so they should be ok but with no facilities and they do not look like much on Google Earth!

Looks like you are having fun planning, I love spending time looking at maps and planning trips

Below are some of the landing strips in the area.



It might be worth doing a "Recce" in a faster aircraft before the trip to go and look at the actual condition of some of the strips. Flying from Upington to Tellier, then Groot Aar Pan and back is about 188sm........

[Rudix]

I cannot find any reference that permission is needed to land at Kleinzee, normally it will be indicated in the databases but I can only find the normal info like runway direction, length, alt and freq.

[Gyronaut]

John Boucher (aka The Stirrer) is touring that area as we speak.
Give him a call on 0 eight 2 553 one-one 05. I am sure he would be more than willing to go recce Port Nolloth for you and establish where/what/how you can land/stay/refuel there.

Len

[Learjet]

I cannot find any reference that permission is needed to land at Kleinzee, normally it will be indicated in the databases but I can only find the normal info like runway direction, length, alt and freq.

The "runway" at Port Nolloth is situated on the saltpan outside the town and is sometimes unusable when wet.

Kleinzee is a better option but you will need to apply for a permit to land there as it's situated within the De Beers diamond concession area.
Contact Rodney Williams on oh ate three 4419646 - he will advise you on the permit application process and he may be able to assist you with fuel. IIRC they only have JET-A1 at the airfield but he may be able to arrange some mogas for you.

Regards, Dave

[Bundy]

Dave, Rudi, Airhog and Len...

Thanks guys. So nice to be a part of an aviation community that go out of their way to assist and help. I owe you all a beer or two.

Airhog, thank you for sending me the details for Springbok's flying community. I really appreciate it!

Len, I asked JB to go recce Port Nolloth as soon as I saw his pic of the town on facebook!

Rudi, yes that Vastrap FAR is a big obstacle (unless I can get up to FL200? )

Dave, thank you so much for the Kleinzee contact, I will definately call Rodney to see how we can go about this. I'm hoping he san give me more insight into the other "diamond areas" situated on the east side of the richersveld too. We may need to land/refuel/camp at one of those as well if we get caught by weather etc etc on route to A bay. We will have a ground crew so fuel is not an issue... (Although maybe if we fill up with jetfuel we will fly faster?? )

Given what you guys have posted, I think we will route home from A bay as such:

Day 1 Return:
Alex to Kleinzee. 79NM. We will re fuel and then takeoff again for Springbok 44NM east.Will overnight in Springbok.

Day 2: Depart Springbok route to Pofadder via Aggeneys, (85NM) Stop, relax and then weather dependant carry on to Kakemas (Another 67NM) Overnight in Kakemas.

Day3: The Kalahari leg. With your help, I have identified two good landing spots. The first is what appears to be an unknown runway (S 27 51'08.30" E 20 54'02.73"). The second is Tellerie/Bruinpan.

I like both becase it takes us well clear of the FAR and the ground vehicle can reach both if necessary. Will take off Kakemas and route direct to Bruinpan 96NM (with the fist LZ above as an alternate). Land, refuel and the carry on to Twalu game reserve in the afternoon (if possible). Twalu is another 60NM away. (S 27 12'15.70" E 22 28'54.19").

Your thought's?

[Sukkelaar]

I have overnight facilities and car available at Kakemas

Cheers