General Aviation Flying Africa

[mdsalern]

Has anyone in the AH community flown themselves in or between countries in Africa in General Aviation aircraft? If so, could you please provide me information on where and what you flew? Back country or big airports? What were the procedures, etc.? Any tips? I’m a SEL Private Pilot. Thank you.

 

[318AE]

I once flew commercial to South Africa, converted my license, and rented a ZA registered Cessna 182 for about three weeks. Some fly a circuit west, with some airstrips in Botswana getting some traffic. I flew east, over the Kruger from Nelspruit, into Mozambique, landing in Vilanculos, Quelimane, Ibo, Pemba, and north into Malawi. I landed on dirt airstrips on islands (like Ibo), and abandoned 9,000‘ Portuguese military airstrips. At Mozambique Island, I was the first aircraft that month, and the 9th that year (it was September).

Very little of the aispace was controlled at the time, and I doubt it’s much different now. Fuel can be really tricky; it’s easy to get into places and not have the fuel to get back out. At the controlled airports, like Pemba and Beira, they don’t really know what to do with you once you land. Your are actually “aircrew”. There were the usually challenges there. Where there was air traffic control, it was always straight forward etc. Either taking off or landing at a controlled airstrip requires a flight plan, but its mostly a formality. The weather forecast don’t account for the “slash and burn” crop fires that can severely limit visibility.

Let us know more about where you plan to go etc.

 

[mdsalern]

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, and Tanzania are on the list.

How long did it take to get your SA license? Was it easy to rent an airplane for flying into other countries? I’ve had trouble here getting an overnight rental here at times. Did you take firearms with you? Any safety concerns flying/leaving an airplane?

Thank you for the help.

 

[318AE]

At the time, I had to bring with me a notarized copy of my logbook, and an FCC “restricted radiotelephone operator permit” (in addition to license, logbook, medical etc). I did a check ride with an instructor at Nelspruit airstrip. I took all that down to the office at “281 Middle Street, Nieu Mucklenuek, Pretoria” and paid 319 rand to get my RSA pilots license for a year. If you can find a “November” or US registered plane, you wouldn’t have to do any of this. Your license must match the registration of the plane you are flying.

First, find someone to rent you a plane - they can help with all the conversion details, and give up to date advice on where to go etc. The list of countries you have above could take months to get through, unless you are almost literally “touch and go”.

Most the time when I landed, someone would almost literally walk out of the bush, and offer to watch/secure the plan overnight. I think I was basically paying in advance for them to not rummage through it. Speaking a little Portuguese helped. At one town, I was met by the “mayor” when I landed and he asked me to return some documents back to the mainland - it was on an island. I was quite literally delivering airmail. Didn’t get hassled on that island, which was nice….

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@mdsalern you might contact well respected PH and AH member, @John Sharp. John is a private pilot and owned his own Cherokee Six for several years. I believe John has a brother that was a pilot in the RSA military too. Should be a good resource for info you are looking for.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Has anyone in the AH community flown themselves in or between countries in Africa in General Aviation aircraft? If so, could you please provide me information on where and what you flew? Back country or big airports? What were the procedures, etc.? Any tips? I’m a SEL Private Pilot. Thank you.

Just curious, are you instrument rated?

 

[mdsalern]

No. Not yet. Have all the requirements. Just have to do a little refresher and take the check ride. 385TT.

 

[Sourdough]

Great thread thanks. @318AE as someone looking into retiring in South Africa or Namibia, and as a bush pilot, not counting fun flying is there any practical advantage to bringing my plane with me? Not talking about doing any commercial work.

 

[318AE]

It’s not my area of expertise, but if you bring your own aircraft over, it will need to be maintained by an FAA certified A&P, which may be difficult, but not impossible to find in RSA. Keeping your “N” registration, you will not need to convert your license to RSA or maintain an RSA license. You will need to maintain the medicals etc for a FAA license.

Depending on where in RSA or Namibia you will be, and what you plan to do, your plane may be as “handy” to have there as it is in Alaska.

Let us know what you decide, and post pictures!

 

[Hogpatrol]

A homebuilt like an RV of some sort could be an option.

 

[Sourdough]

It’s not my area of expertise, but if you bring your own aircraft over, it will need to be maintained by an FAA certified A&P, which may be difficult, but not impossible to find in RSA. Keeping your “N” registration, you will not need to convert your license to RSA or maintain an RSA license. You will need to maintain the medicals etc for a FAA license.

Depending on where in RSA or Namibia you will be, and what you plan to do, your plane may be as “handy” to have there as it is in Alaska.

Let us know what you decide, and post pictures!

I would certainly re-register it. An extremely handy/practical feature of flying in Alaska is being able to land on roads. So for instance, if no airport or close by off-airport location is available I might land on a street in town, go get groceries or see a doc or something else "practical" and then fly home.

You know, something like this.

 

[mdsalern]

An experimental aircraft doesn’t have an ICAO conforming airworthiness certificate. To fly it in another country one would have to obtain permission from that country’s aviation authority. There are some countries that won’t give permission. I believe France is one of them.

 

[mdsalern]

Your own plane is always preferable to renting. You could pull the wings and container it over.

 

[shotgungibbs]

Interesting thread. Thank you for posting!

 

[BigJake]

Does anyone have any connections if a US private pilot wanted to get a little flight time in South Africa? Nothing like a charter, say maybe an hour or two of "scenic" flight "lessons"? (or even renting a plane if possible).

 

[318AE]

There are about three different flight schools that operate out of Nelspruit airport. It seems to be the hub for general aviation in the area. A simple google search can turn up the names. I don’t have any recent recommendations etc.
I’d start there - I’m pretty sure you could easily make a flight with one of their instructors to Kruger Mupumalanga airport, and/or fly over the Kruger etc. I hope that helps.

 

[BigJake]

There are about three different flight schools that operate out of Nelspruit airport. It seems to be the hub for general aviation in the area. A simple google search can turn up the names. I don’t have any recent recommendations etc.
I’d start there - I’m pretty sure you could easily make a flight with one of their instructors to Kruger Mupumalanga airport, and/or fly over the Kruger etc. I hope that helps.

Yes, I saw those too. Was looking for anyone that has an actual contact/recommendation though! Thanks!