CH701 helps to save C206

Do you remember training for engine failures - PFLs (Practice Forced Landings)? Well, a transit pilot flying over our territory had a real one - with smoke in the cockpit, losing oil pressure and a rough running engine that led him to choose to land on the edge of the Volta Lake, a LONG way from any nearby access roads - he was flying a C206 with a big ol' Continental 300Hp heart up front...and was lucky not to be ten minutes more into the gallery forest...

Above is where he landed - near the lake edge - below is the terrain 10minutes flight further on...


His landing was impeccable - he was then airlifted by the Ghana Air Force - but his plane was left, undamanged, but with urgent need of a new heart, deep in what we in Africa call 'bush'. (For Canadians - wilderness, for Australians - Outback, for British - Countryside and for Shrek fans 'Far Far Away'). - X marks the spot...

Once the pilot had finished his official and legal obligations, it was the turn of 9G ZAF, the Medicine on the Move ( http://www.medicineonthemove.org ) CH701 to provide practical assistance to its older and bigger relative.



Using a built in overhead video camera, we traced a series of potential extraction routes out of the location to the nearest road - A LONG WAY. We established the nearest fuel point for the recovery vehicle (about 80miles) and the state of the roads, locations of places that my have guest houses, etc.

We flew non-stop for 5.5 hours and still had 3/4 full inboard tanks - enough for another three hours at least! We detoured on the way back to hunt for a sight of Forest Elephants (but they were hiding in the forest) and then to see magnificent waterfalls.

For the French pilot of the C206 who's route from Gabon to France was so rudely interrupted, this was his first time in a 701 - and he found it very responsive - especially when I was twisting the turns around the tracks to get shots of routes. He was on the controls for about 3 hours and also provided the French in flight refreshments - except that there was no cheese... We landed back at Kpong field just in time to send him to the city to fly out on a commercial flight - because he needed to attend his brothers wedding!!

Thanks to the 701, he was able to fly out knowing the route his plane will take to recovery, and confident that there is real support for remote issues - and that the 701 really is an excellent long haul, surveillance, reconnaissance and all round winner when it comes to bush flying...

Will update you when the 206 is out of the woods...


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Comment by Jonathan Porter on August 5, 2010 at 2:53am
Thanks Sebastien, but remember we can only do what we do thanks to what YOU do! The Akan's have a proverb 'all fingers are not equal' which means that we cannot all be the same - each has its strength and needs to work together... when it comes to the aircraft side - you are the thumb - you work with all the other fingers, some fingers use the planes simply for pleasure, others for different types of work. I guess we are the fore finger - the one that gets pointy things to do - but it never marginalizes the other fingers!!! Thank YOU for being the thumb that works with us to make a difference to so many - 'Changing Lives, One Flight at a Time' (http://medicineonthemove.org)
Comment by Sebastien Heintz on August 4, 2010 at 12:48pm
Great stuff, Jonathan. Your adventures make us look pretty tame (and lame)!
Keep up the good work!
Comment by Zenith.Aero on August 4, 2010 at 6:45am
Good report. Thanks for sharing...
Comment by Clay E Hollenback on August 3, 2010 at 8:06am
Good work!

Can't wait to see the sites for myself.
Comment by Andre Levesque on August 2, 2010 at 8:37pm
Stunning scenery!! But yes indeed...10 minutes more and a real survival course would be required...if not killed or hurt on impact.
Keep us updated on the story!
Comment by Bob McDonald on August 2, 2010 at 8:19pm
The aviation brotherhood would be proud. The country you fly is remote, hostile and very beutiful.

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