I recently had a wonderful opportunity to fly one of our Caravans, 5X-SCO, or more affectionately known as “Scotty”, from Kampala to Nelspruit, South Africa. Scotty earned this name as it was paid for by the funds raised by the Womens Guild of Scotland. The aircraft was scheduled for a re-paint in the new MAF paint scheme which had to be done in South Africa, and fellow pilot Simon Wunderli and I volunteered to fly the plane down.
Scotty delivering Mercy Corps staff on a recent flight.
Why all this trouble and expense for a paint job, you might ask? MAF takes our roles as good stewards of what God has provided us to heart. This airplane is the tool He has provided to do His work and we will take care of that tool as long as it is entrusted to us.
The paint protects the aircraft surface from corrosion, which will increase it’s service life. Also, the smoother, freshly painted surfaces are more aerodynamic - this reduces fuel consumption and increases airspeed - and although these changes are very small, given how much we fly it certainly adds up over time!
Last, but definitely not least, the people we serve recognize the MAF name (and our intentions). Simon Wunderli has experienced this on several occasions, especially in South Sudan when the arduous customs and immigration process has been expedited by the customs officer. One day, when Simon asked why, the officer said upon seeing the MAF name, “ We know you people are here to help.”
Simon and I departing Kajjansi Airfield, Uganda (photo by Dallas Derksen)
Pre-flight checks before takeoff.
We left Kajjansi Airfield on March 21st with a quick stop in Entebbe to clear immigration - Simon flying the first leg of our 5 country, half continent journey! Our first day was 5 1/2 hours into Lilongwe, Malawi. We flew across lake Victoria to Rwanda, staying close to shore as our aircraft is required to stay within gliding distance from land and then headed for Lilongwe, crossing over several islands on Lake Victoria before reaching mainland Tanzania. The weather was perfect.
Flying over Lake Victoria
Some of the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria
We made our way south, contently watching large swaths of Tanzania and Malawi pass by underneath, and chatted about everything from parenting, settling in Uganda, and BBQing steaks, while frequently pausing to talk to Air Traffic Control and jot down checkpoint crossing times. Simon’s bladder was the first shrink but fortunately we had a large “washroom” in the back as all the seats had been removed and he made good re-use of some empty water bottles.
Huge mountain seen from above Mozambique.
Crossing a mountain range towards Mbea, Tanzania.
Beautiful Tanzania.
We arrived in Lilongwe at the same time as a couple of airliners but aside from that the airport was very quiet. We cleared customs without a hitch, refuelled and secured the aircraft for the night. Lilongwe is a quiet and laid-back city and was a wonderful break from bustling Kampala. At the hotel we discovered a single queen size bed in our room. I asked Simon how he felt about snuggling and his hesitation prompted me to ask for a second bed :)
Landing in Llilongwe, Malawi.
5X-SCO Safe and sound for a night in Malawi.
First thing the next morning, we departed for our final leg down to South Africa with me at the controls. It was a little cloudier this time so the countryside wasn’t as visible as it had been the day before. With our route with map in hand, we could identify various mountain ranges, lakes and rivers; such as the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers; before crossing into South Africa from Mozambique. This time it was my bladder that shrunk first and had to make use of our empty bottles.
Next stop, South Africa!
Me at the controls.
We landed at the beautiful Kruger International Airport and cleared customs. It looked more like a safari lodge than an airport terminal with thatched roof, varnished wooden beams and gazelle lining the driveway. Simon then flew the quick 5 minute flight over the hills to the other side of Nelspruit to land at the smaller Nelspruit airport as I drove the rental car there to pick him up. We were met by Stephen, the son of the owner of Leading Edge Aviation. He helped us unload and push the plane into the paint hanger, all while we kept an eye on the opportunistic monkeys clambering around.
Outside of the beautiful Kruger International Airport.
Simon Wunderli and myself outside of Leading Edge Technologies - Scotty's home for the next 6 weeks!
After a good nights sleep we were on our way back to Kampala with South African Airways while Scotty stays in South Africa for the next 6 weeks. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to do this flight, it really was a once in a lifetime experience!
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