Gambella, Ethiopia, 11.6.2004
Topping off - Adding stock to 'Honey Pot 1 & 2'
Transcript of e-mail traffic 9.6.2004:
"G'day gents,
Just a quick message to keep you updated.
The plan is still to have the both Honey Pot locations fully stocked before the weekend.
Remember I told you that it took us quite a while to fly down and back; the Porter cruising at 'only' ±118 kts.
Well, I did pull a few strings here and there, trying to find and contract a better 'tool' for those flights.
With a bit of luck and the right contacts, I managed to lease a Twin Otter from the TMK Commuter (9Q-CBO) down in Congo and had it ferried to Gambella with a chartered crew.
It did arrive earlier this morning and I don't think the pilots were to happy about doing this today. The weather wasn't very smooth and approach was quite difficult. They had to come in with no flaps and even with the engines almost at idle, they were landing at just over 100 kts; bouncing a few times before the could keep the plane on the ground...
We had a strong wind; 19/38/76 kts at 151º, and turbulence 3.
I sure hope that for tomorrow the winds lay down a bit...
Anyway, after taking over the plane and paperwork; Coop and I spend the remaining time of the morning and a good part of the afternoon working with our spray guns.
As before we'll have to keep most of the daytime on the ground and a quick layer of cammo is needed to disguise the plane.
Apart from being faster than the Porter, the Twin Otter is also larger; so I'm hoping we'll be able to take both loads in a single flight... Still have to check the numbers (needed fuel and available payload), but I think that may be possible.
Cheers,
Brick"
(click on the snapshots to enlarge)
arrival of 9Q-CBO <- -> sprayed over
Gambella 11.6.2004
Part 1 - Delivering
OK, got the final numbers for this trip. Now, if I look the amount of fuel we would need to make the round trip HGM-XSH2-HAGM and add to that our intended cargo of 11 drums; the Twin Otter proves to be just a bit too small for this operation, but...
Since we have no FAA inspectors around here or any other local officials for that matter, we could as well just go take off, right?
And so we did.
Just before 05.00 we took of from HAGM 36, with 1103 lbs overweight (that's MTOW + 1103 lbs), set for a direct course to 'Honey Pot 1', switched off all lights and the transponder, and settled in for cruising at 2000 to 4000 ft agl and ±120kts.
After locating the field and flying over it for a quick check first, we landed and parked in front of the shelter just after 06.00.
With parking brake on, RH engine running 'low idle' and LH engine shutdown, we proceeded to unload the 6 drums for this location and placing them in the shelter. That and making sure that the shelter and other stock were still in order too, took us about 30 minutes.
Then we taxied out to the field and took off in a northerly direction, already turning to a 256º-258º heading while still climbing...
We arrived at 'Honey Pot 2' sometime after 07.00. To be more precise; at 07.21 we were at the shelter, engines shut down and ready to start unloading the the 5 drums for this location.
The approach we flew is the only we know and probably the easiest to follow (visual): come in over the big swamp a few miles to the South of the location, turn North to leave the swamp following that little stream; count the stream's meanders "left, right, left... green patch on the left, field on the right!"
(click on the snapshots to enlarge)
taxiing to HAGM36 | leaving Gambella | enroute 05.17
enroute 05.30 | sand dune spotted | unloading at 'Honey Pot 1'
leaving 'Honey Pot 1' | enroute to
'Honey Pot 2' | swamp spotted
picking up the stream | R green patch, L the field | at 'Honey Pot 2'
[] see flight log flightno. 955
Part 2 - Back to Gambella
After 'sitting out' the day, waiting for the sunset, we left XSH2 at 17.46 for the journey back home; flying straight to Gambella.
Not much to be seen on our way to Gambella as it was getting dark rather quickly.
... and it was pitch dark when we arrived at Gambella; in fact it looked as if someone had forgotten to switch on the lighting or was there a power outage?
I was later told that the generator supplying the power for the airfield's illumination had already broken down several weeks ago.
Oh yes, I remember now! it was already like this on 5th too, but then I though it was one or another 'safety measure' :-)
Maybe Coop and I ought to have a look at that old generator...
Right, so both refueling points are now stocked for a round trip with the Huey.
There's now 11 drums and 2 jerrycans of JP-4 (582.4 us gallons, ±3785.6 lbs) at 'Honey Pot 1' and 10 drums of JP-4 (520 gallons, ±3380 lbs) at 'Honey Pot 2'.
(click on the snapshot to enlarge)
[] see flight log flightno. 956
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