AIRCRAFT – Which plane should I use on my Self-Fly Safari?

The fleet of General Aviation aircraft available for rent in South Africa are older models with high air frame time. Their engines are all within TBO limits.  All are well maintained by the owners – who also fly them – and receive 50-hour, 100-hour and Annual inspections. All AD’s and SB’s are mandatory under South African CAA rules.

Planes are certified “airworthy” before leaving base. They all have two radios and long-range fuel tanks (79 gallons, 75 usable in 182's) for conservatively-estimated 5.5 hours endurance. With proper leaning they’ll go longer.  All have “steam gauges” (analog instrumentation). Privately-owned glass-cockpit aircraft exist in South Africa but have not yet been available for rent. Cirrus SR-20's and 22's are popular (there are more than 70 in the country) but are not let out privately. Single-engine Piper aircraft (Cherokee and Cherokee 6’s) are scarce on the rental market in South Africa. Low-wing aircraft are less suitable for aerial photography of scenes on the ground.

What plane is best for you?

To fly a South African-registered plane you need to have PIC time in the type of aircraft you will fly before arriving in South Africa. That’s the South African CAA rule. If you only have time in a C-182 you would not be allowed to fly a C-172 or any other type of plane - except a 182. Even one hour in the specific type (or an instructor’s sign-off in it) will make you legal. But, as well as being legal, you want to be current and comfortable flying it. If you haven’t flown it recently then log four or five hours in it before you come to Johannesburg. 

C-182: the standard bearer for bush flying

parties of 2 or 3.

Our experience is that a Cessna 182 is the best machine for a Self-Fly Safari. We own one and manage a second. When we need more – for group safaris – we go to other 182 owners. All the 182's – ours and outsourced ones – are older (P models, 1973 &1975).  

C-206 with cargo pod is
best for parties of 3 or 4.

A C-206 with a cargo pod is the ideal safari aircraft for parties of three or four. We have access to two such planes – both owner-flown and well maintained. The insurance companies insist on a minimum 50 hours in type and 500 hours total time to qualify to fly these C-206’s. With luggage in the cargo pod passenger seating is comfortable if not spacious.  

C-210: Often used when escorting groups and
for piloted Self-Fly Safaris.

A C-210 can also be used for a Self-Fly Safari with three or four people. We prefer the 206 in these situations for the simple reason that there are at least three fewer things to go wrong in a 206 (landing gear).The same experience requirements (50 hours type/500 hours total time) apply to qualify for insurance.

C-172: pilot and one passenger only.

A C-172 may be adequate for a Self-Fly Safari itinerary but comes with several shortcomings. Available 172’s in South Africa are mainly used as student trainers.  Compared with a C-182 the 172’s are slower, carry less fuel, are more cramped, have a lower load capability, often have just one radio and, cosmetically, look like well-used trainers.

Pilatus PC-12: smooth, fast, luxurious ride.

Larger aircraft: With a party of six or more for a safari, a larger aircraft is necessary.  In these scenarios a chartered Cessna Caravan or a Pilatus PC-12 may be just the right solution. This is also one option if you have lost your medical or given up day-to-day flying.

Cessna 208 Caravan:
plane of choice for parties of 6 - 10. 

A South African validated license is not required as the charter companies supply their own professional pilots. You’ll have the aircraft at your disposal and more flying options as the planes are faster, and carry the bigger load. You may be able to sit “right seat” and assist the pilot. Although there are no instrument let-down procedures at most bush air strips, the pilots are able to fly in IFR conditions and may be able to fly when VFR-only flights are delayed.

Whichever plane you fly the experience of flying the African bush is what it’s all about. Speed isn’t necessary. The legs aren’t that long. You’re here to fly. Remember “Out of Africa”. You have honed the skills of a pilot and you’re heading into new territory, new horizons, and a new adventure. ATC has different accents but the plane sounds familiar and reassuring. The plains below are dry and sometimes burned but pocked with watering holes and dotted with elephant, buffalo and other thirsty animals. The GPS guides you to your destination and you land on a dirt strip. You shut down and tie down. The rangers carry your bags and take you to the lodge and the adventure continues at camp. 

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  Next time: Navigation – Finding your way on a Self-Fly Safari

The Lodges – What kind of places will I be staying at in the bush?

Belmond Eagle Island Camp

The terms “lodge” and “camp” are used interchangeably in southern Africa. They are privately-owned establishments and no two are alike.  Whichever ones you visit, two things are certain: 1) this not “rugged”; and 2) you won’t starve. Indeed, your accommodation will be first class and you’ll be offered good food and plenty of it! Kitchen and maintenance facilities and staff quarters are located away from the guest area. The entire camp may be surrounded by a fence or open to the surrounding bush.

The camp’s central lounge with couches and chairs is a great place to relax after lunch and after dinner. This is where guests gather for game drives, eating and drinking, and to relax. It usually overlooks a plain or watering hole where animals gather. You’ll find a small library of animal and bird books. Coffee, tea and soft drinks are always available.  The bar is open all day and, if it is not a self-service arrangement, someone from the staff is always available to give you a beer or pour you a drink. Offerings at afternoon tea, served just before the afternoon game drive, will include sweet and savory delicacies.

Discussions at dusk over drinks

Before embarking on a game drive, the ranger will take orders for “sundowners” – drinks that are served from the land rover at a scenic spot in the bush as the sun sets. For morning game drives you'll have a break for coffee, tea and snacks. 

Each lodge is comprised of eight or more individual chalets or tents within a larger compound. This is where you’ll park your luggage and sleep. Each has its own private bathroom with hot and cold running water and toilet. 

Tented accommodation

Tents are large, canvas walk-in, officer-style accommodations built on a cement slab or raised off the ground on a wooden platform. Windows and doors are covered with mosquito netting  and canvas flaps that can be opened or zipped-closed to block light or a breeze. Tents may be placed under a tree and have a shade canopy to keep them cooler during the heat of the day.

A desert chalet

Chalets are similar but built with brick and mortar and normal wooden doors and windows. Thatch roofs are common. Both styles often have a private deck or patio off your room where you can sit outdoors to read or watch activity in the surrounding bush. Some camps have private plunge pools at every chalet.

Interior chalet

Rooms are furnished in the camps’ own unique style with charm and guest comfort in mind. Each will have two twin-size beds, a small table, chairs, a closet and drawers for your clothing, light fixtures, a sink, private shower and toilet. You’ll have clean linens for the beds, pillows, blankets, towels and wash cloths.

Interior tent

Staff members make the beds and clean the rooms daily. Rooms are supplied with basic toiletries, mosquito repellant and bug spray. Each bed is likely to be draped with its own mosquito net. One or two-day laundry service is available, often free-of-charge.  

All camps have electrical power. Most run on

12-volt systems powered by solar panels or a generator that is run only during the day when guests are away from camp on game a drive. The camp will have a centrally located “charging station” where guests recharge cameras, GPS’s and other electronic devices. Room lighting allows guests to read at night.  A few camps have main-line electrical power (240 volts, 50 Hz). Here you can use hairdryers, curling irons and other high-draw appliances that cannot be used at other camps.

The lodges are magical!  Each is different from the last and each is charming in its own way. Service and attention to the guests is paramount. Rangers are enthusiastic and persevering in their efforts to locate elusive game. Cooks take pride in the meals they prepare.  Room maids are courteous and thorough in their work. At some camps the entire staff treats guests to traditional songs and dance performances and invites guests to join in the fun. Bush camps in southern Africa are a delightful experience to be long remembered.

Pamushana Lodge at night

What kind of flying experience do I need for a Self-Fly Safari?

Flying in southern Africa is the same as flying anywhere else in the world – air, airplanes and airstrips. If you can handle a plane at home you can fly it in Africa. Practically speaking, the more flying experience you have the more comfortable you’ll be.

Legally speaking you need a current private pilot license (or higher) to get your license validated. A “validated” license means you are legal and insurable to fly a South African-registered plane. We’ve had pilots ranging from 148 hours total time to 30,000 hours. By rule of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) flights on a validated license can only be done in daytime, VFR conditions.

 

Hazy day in Zambia

An instrument rating is not necessary. However, bush fires sometimes produce hazy conditions during the dry winter season. We’ve seen sun on our wings, good visibility of the ground but only a faint horizon. Though technically you are in VMC conditions and flying legally, an ability to fly by reference to instruments can be useful.

Okavango Delta Airstrip (Botswana)

It’s helpful if you have some experience landing and taking off from dirt airstrips as many of the destinations you fly to are not paved. Aircraft are not allowed to land "just anywhere". All landings on a Self-Fly Safari are made on a prepared airfield. Some are better than others but all are suitable for the machine you're flying.  

Most of the airstrips are at least 3,300’ long (1000 meters) – plenty long enough for a Cessna Caravan or a Beech KingAir as well as a C-182.  The surrounding bush and shrubbery is often cleared to a distance of 160’ (50 meters). Information such as “trees at the approach end of runway 09” is provided in our Cockpit Tripkit^© and in the Airfields Directory of Southern Africa that we supply and you’ll have with you.  

You’ll also stop at controlled, paved airports along the way to refuel and clear Customs & Immigration formalities when entering or leaving a country. Their paved runways are well maintained and 5,000’ long or longer.   At these airports you are required to establish and maintain contact with ATC at the boundary of their Traffic Management Area (TMA), which is Class C airspace – usually inside a 50nm radius of the airport. A tower operator will give you instructions for letdown, approach, and any frequency changes for landing. 

Practice with cross-wind landings is important. Remote bush lodges will only have one runway that is aligned with the expected prevailing winds. But if the wind is at 90° to the runway on the day you fly in, you need to be able to handle it. You should also be experienced enough to know when a cross-wind is more than you can handle and that you should divert to an alternate. Judgment is important.

  

Much of your safari is in uncontrolled airspace. But you’ll start your Self-Fly Safari from Lanseria airport (FALA) in Johannesburg airspace, which is busy and controlled. Throughout your safari you are always able to reach a ground-based controller.  In South Africa, you’ll always have radar coverage. However, once you leave South African airspace there is no radar coverage.

Radio communications can be scratchy and indistinct. This can happen because of long-distances between you and the transmitter or poor quality radios in the plane or (more likely) from the ground-based controller. The accents of other pilots and radio controllers in southern Africa are different from the voices you hear at home.

Radio procedures in controlled airspace throughout southern Africa require that you read back all ATC instructions. If a transmission is unclear you can reply “Say again please” or “Speak slowly”. They’ll know you are a foreigner. Other private pilots in the area will sometimes intercede in muddled conversations and explain to you what ATC is requesting. “…he wants you to report ready for base turn” or “…he wants you to report reaching 20 miles to go” etc.

You can also appeal to other aircraft to clarify what ATC is asking. The aviation community in southern Africa is small and pilots enjoy meeting new people. You may meet the pilot you were talking to while airborne on the ground at the briefing office or fuel bay. They are always happy to answer questions and share stories. Hangar flying and mutual assistance among pilots is universal. 

50-foot obstacle crossing the runway

Bush airstrips are usually not fenced. This means that wild animals (and sometimes pedestrians and automobiles) can wander onto the airstrip.  The big ones, such as elephants and giraffe, are easy enough to spot. But antelope or wart hogs are small, naturally camouflaged and represent a potential hazard to a landing airplane. The sound of an approaching plane can spook a grazing herd of impala that could suddenly dart out onto the runway as you cross the threshold. 

Before landing a low pass over the airstrip to look for animals on the periphery and survey the landing surface is a good practice. Be prepared always to abort your landing and go around until you are absolutely committed to land.

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Next time: The Lodges – What kind of places will I be staying at in the bush?

Over the next several months we’ll discuss what a Self-Fly Safari is like. Among the topics: What are the lodges like? Is this a rugged camping experience? (No). What plane should I use? What happens if I have a problem with my plane? What happens if weather interferes with my safari? What is a day like at a safari lodge?

We want to show what you’re dealing with when flying in southern Africa.  Have a specific question? Let us know and we’ll answer it. Once you've flown in southern Africa your only regret will be that you didn't do it earlier!

We'll start with a look at destination airstrips...

Airstrips – What are the airstrips like in southern Africa?

Approach over a river

The landing strips vary from paved tarmac and concrete to earth and gravel. All are suitable for use with a C-182. Many are long enough to accommodate landings by Cessna Caravan, King Air, Pilatus PC12 and comparable aircraft.

Most bush airstrips are privately owned by the lodges they serve. Typically they are 3,300’ long (1000 meters) long and 50’ wide. The airstrips are well maintained by the lodges and used by private pilots and air charter companies that bring the majority of guests to the lodges.

An Okavango Delta airstrip

In Botswana’s Okavango Delta lodge airstrips are established with a grader or bulldozer. A locally abundant mineral called “calcrete” (calcium carbonate and sand), is mined and crushed to a powder and then spread over the surface of the graded strip. The material is moistened and then rolled smooth. When it dries the surface is hard and provides an excellent landing surface. The Botswana Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that the airstrips be cleared to a distance of 100 meters (330 feet) either side of the landing strip. 

Intu Africa (FYIA) , eastern Namibia

In Namibia, where the geology is different, lodge airstrips are often made up from  loose or packed gravel. Pilots are cautioned to do their run-ups on specially-provided cement run-up pads to mitigate damage to the propeller and tail plane.

A main airport with fuel, Customs & Immigration

Self-Fly Safari pilots will also make intermediate stops at larger, controlled airfields along the way to their bush destinations. Runways at these airports are paved and vary from 5,000’ to 16,000 feet in length. Facilities at these airports include an air traffic control tower, a briefing office, firefighting equipment, fuel, a snack bar and Immigration and Customs facilities for entering and exiting the country.Only a few of these airports have maintenance facilities. The fire brigade at a towered airport may be able to assist with inflating a tire, providing a jump start for a dead battery or other minor services.

The airspace surrounding towered airports are Class C airspace. Pilots approaching them are required to establish and maintain radio communications with tower when entering the airspace through landing and taxi to parking.

In Zambia's Kafue National park

Private bush airstrips in Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe vary in their surfaces within these parameters and are suitable for the same range of aircraft. This one is dirt and gravel. 

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Next time: What kind of flying experience do I need for a Self-Fly Safari?

August wind

We encountered wind in Namibia during August. Local pilots confirm that the season – late winter with moderate temperatures – are prone to windy conditions. The same “August winds” are a factor in South Africa, too. They were not a constant factor during our 11-day flight around Namibia but the likelihood of encountering strong breezes has to be considered in this period. Good crosswind- landing techniques can be useful as most bush lodges have only one runway.

The wind made for slow ground speeds on some of our westerly and northerly legs but we made up the time on easterly and southerly legs. The C-182’s were able to make 100 – 110 knots ground speed going west and north but 130 – 150 knots returning to South Africa. Our progress in a C-172 dropped to 80 knots sometimes though we raced along at 130 going back. On long legs, Johannesburg to Upington (385nm), this meant spending a long time in a cramped cockpit.

Luderitz (FYLZ), right on the coast, is particularly vulnerable to wind. Its crossing runways (04-22 and 12-30) can be a great help when westerly’s are forceful. But make the time to tie down the airplane if you’re there overnight. The wind can also cause sand storms to reduce visibility to IMC conditions. The same applies to Swakopmund (FYSM). Its crossing runways (17-35 and 06-24) are really welcome in windy conditions. Both places have avgas and may be necessary refueling stops when flying through Namibia.

Where we really had to pay attention was at Eros (FYWE) – the general aviation field set at the southern end of the Namibian capital. Windhoek sits in a bowl of hills and wind from nearly any direction will cause turbulence of varying degrees. Runways are 1-19 and 09-27. ATC advised us of “winds 270° at 18, gusting to 30”. Runway 27 was perfect but we laid in a serious crab on base leg and used power on final.

Getting out of Eros was more of a challenge. Field elevation is about 5600’. A ridge to the south rises to 6500’ within less than five miles. The hills to the west climb more gently to 6,000’ within 10 nm. However, the westerly wind blowing over the hills creates burble and strong down drafts. The power difference between a C-172 and a C-182 is significant in these conditions. Take off was quick but rough air was a factor immediately after rotation and my groundspeed in the 172 was 43 knots. At about 500’ I turned out left. Our rate of climb showed, variously, 0 fpm, 100 fpm descent and 100 fpm climb. A mountain wave was holding us down. Not uncommon at Eros.  The terrain ahead already looked too close.  I told Tower we would “orbit” to the left to climb before leaving the area. After a 360° turn we had gained no altitude at all. I returned to a heading of 270° with the vertical speed indicator barely showing any upward progress. A wing would abruptly drop. The stall warning horn would sound momentarily. We were getting rocked around pretty good but were able to climb slowly.

The southern ridge still loomed ahead as we turned on course and the air was still very rough. I’d planned to level off at 7,500’ but told Windhoek Area Control that I wanted 8,000’ until I’d crossed the ridge. They allowed. Once beyond it the air smoothed and the rest of the flight was unremarkable.
On the ground at the Sossusvlei dunes, the wind provided a graphic illustration of how dunes are formed and shaped. Climbing “Dune 45” we braced ourselves against the wind. Sand blew from the ridge line like snow blowing off Everest. The blow often subsided in the evening when we could sit comfortably on the lodge verandah watching the sunset.

Not a Pilot?

Lost your medical? We can send you out with an instructor who’ll sit “right seat”. You can use a C-182, a C-210, a PC-12 – whatever suits the size of your party. You’ll have the plane at your disposal. You can go to any of the same places. You’ll have the same comfortable lodges and the same encounter in the African wilds. The instructor won’t carry your bags but there are plenty of staff around to do that.

Piloting a plane over the wilds of Africa is a great experience! Christina and I flew from the USA to Europe and south through Africa 15 years ago. Along the way it became clear that pilots of all nationalities would love this sort of flying. Getting dust on your wheels and landing on bush airstrips was rewarding enough. But the icing on the cake were the lodges we found! These places can be hundreds of miles from the nearest town. Yet when you land you are escorted into stunningly attractive African-style camps. There are dozens of staff to pour you drinks and cook up meals that you’d expect only from the fine restaurants. The accommodations are roomy and comfortable with hot running water, flush toilets fresh linen and comfortable beds. The game rangers know the area and track even the most elusive of Africa’s great game. If you tire of the game drives, just stay at the lodge for a morning. At some places you can get a massage! Most lodges have swimming pools and a few have private plunge pools at each chalet.

Last year’s Botswana tour was documented by German TV (ARD). Watch it online at http://mediathek.daserste.de/sendungen_a-z/894524_weltreisen/8025650_safari-in-afrika. On the right is a small box labeled “Mediathek”. Click on that to play the video. Another box, just below, will take you to the websites of the lodges where the group stayed. The sound track is in German with voiceovers of the American pilots. If you don't speak German the visuals tell you all you need to know. The photography is beautiful and the production gives a flavor of the animals, the flying, the comfort and luxury of the lodges - and the fun! The crew put cameras on the wings, under the belly, in the cockpit and at the lodges. One of the ladies was in tears over the sight of Victoria Falls. “It was on my bucket list”, she said. Other great moments captured on this self-fly safari are close encounters with elephants and lions. They can’t be planned, but they happen!