1. Leg, Day 1: EDFE (Egelsbach) - LDDU (Dubrovnik): approx. 560 NM

We finally arrived safely in Dubrovnik. First it looked like we would encounter some strong headwind and our trip would have to end in Split/Croatia already. But then the wind changed and the weather was really great for the entire leg and we had 10 kts tailwind.

Our routing was Egelsbach - RID - LBU - KPT - Brenner - Bozen - Venedig - Pula - southbound along the Croatian coast - Zadard - Split - Dubrovnik. Maximum flight level was 7500 ft to cross the alps along the valleys, due to heavy weight of the aircraft.

ATC in Italy wanted us very low, as usual. Just stop thinking about engine failures, while flying in 2000 ft above the water of the Adria. ATC in Croatia was very helpful and flexible, they allowed for any direct route we would ask for, so we were cruising at an altitude of 2000 ft AMSL.

Arrival in Dubrovnik was on time and due to reasonable cost for AVGAS (Euro 1,37 per Litre), we got our D-ENTE an immediate refill full :-)

Unfortunately, they had no oil for our engine. This is bad, because our D-ENTE seems to consume more oil than what was anticipated and we need to make sure we carry enough oil with us to support the entire trip. However I found a soultion to solve the problem. Handling in Dubrovnik und dues where ok, only Euro 32,50.

We are now getting ready for our next leg tomorrow, over to the island of Crete in Greece. The weather forecast is looking great and we expect to continue as planned.

2. Leg, Tag 2: LDDU (Dubrovnik) - LGIR (Iraklion/Kreta): approx. 586 NM

After a flying time of 5:45h we landed savely at Iraklion Airport, on the isle of Crete, in Greece.

Here in Iraklion they ask Euro 2,85 per litre AVGAS, we expect quite some more rip off tomorrow ...

Flying in Greece is a little bit different than inCroatia, but still ok, maximum altitude was 6500 ft. Sitting in a Do 27 for 6 hours is quite tiring, so we started switching seats for some time and moved around in the cabin, as much as possible, especially Christian, being 1,85m tall :-)
Bernd helped me to keep the airplane on course, while I had to figure out the routing, provided by Athens ATC,

After some time over water, there was a strange noise. Turned out, it was just a loose rubber in the front section of the wingslats, nothing to worry about, once you know what it really is.

The crew of an A320 of German Wings helped us relaying our estimates to Iraklion Approach because of the far distance and out of reach of VHF. The turned to become the usual situation overhead Africa. We landed at 20 kts wind and taxied to the GAT were paid 235 Euros for handling and 2,90 € for an liter of AVGAS.

Weather forecast for tomorrow is ok and we plan to depart for Luxor at 7:22 UTC.

3. Leg, Day 3: LGIR (Iraklion) - HELX (Luxor): aprox. 744 NM

Our stay in Iraklion was very nice, great hotel, good food and lots of beer and wine. The weather forecast for the next day to Luxor was good as well.

The only worry was the actual oil consumprtion of our D-ENTE, which still was around 0,5 l/h, hence, this would become the limiting factor now in terms of endurance of wide open spaces and waters. We have to plan for flying at maxium.

After breakfast we headed for the airport and settled our bills, filed our flight plan, checked the weather again and made arrangements with Kairo ACC. We finally departed at 5:45 UTC, seing around 20 knots tailwind. our routing and ATC communication was ok, although limited in reach over the see. But relay services by friendly airliners helped us to always stay in contact.

But than Kairo issued a strange clearance for Luxor to us. It was relayed by the crew of an Kuwait Airways Airbus to us. Kairo cleared us to Luxor via El Kharga (HEKG). This meant that we would now have to fly for at least one hour more, something we did try to avoid and couldn's accept in the end. So I decided to land 100 miles west of Luxor, at EL KARGA (HEKG) to refill oil.

The weather there wasn't really ideal, due to heavy winds 360/35 kts and blowing sand, but that was the lesser problem though and we deciced to land for technical safety reasons, to avoid any damadge to the engine.

As this was a unplanned landing and this place isn't really busy at all, things now started to slow down dramatically for us. As it stands, we will have to wait here until Friday, before we may be able to continue our trip, because the CAA of Egypt decided to refuse our flight permit because they anticipated that D-ENTE has technical problems, which was definetly not the case. After many negotiations the CAA issued a flightpermit again after having been convinced by our mechanic (who cam from Germany!) that D-ENTE is o.k. and airworthy. So we lost 2 days.

4. Leg, Day 6: HEKG (El Kharga) - HELX (Luxor)

We are ready to go again and departed at 6:15h lcl for Luxor. This was a relatively short leg and completly uneventful.

This picture is from our archive.

5. Leg, Day 8: HELX (Luxor) - HSSS (Khartoum) 644 NM

Luxor wasn't really a great exeprience for us. Many hours of endless handling procederes, 1000 US Dollars for handling services, 4,75 Dollars for one litre AVGAS and so on :-(

Unfriendly stuff, a place were I don`t like to be once more. Extremly hot and expensive for pilots. Only the hotel was ok and helped us to settle down a little bit.

At 3:39h UTC we managed to depart for Khartoum and made it there by 10:29h UTC.

This picture is from our archive.

6. Leg, Day 10: HSSS (Khartoum) - HKLK (Lokichoggio/KE):

We where actually planning to fly out yesterday, but we couldn't take the rsik to stay far from a toilette for to much time :-(

Today we felt better, had proper medication and other things to help us through the day and our intension was to take off at 8:00h lcl.

Unfortunately, local burocracy is taking over again and we couldn't manage to get our clearance for more than two hours. As this jeopardizeds our arrival timing for Kenia, we decided to pull back and try again tomorrow morning.

This picture is from our archive.

6. Leg, Day 11: HSSS (Khartoum) - HKLK (Lokichoggio/KE): approx. 725 NM

We finally managed to fly all the way to Kenya now, Because of the sand storms, we where heading for the airport very early, at 3:20 UTC already !

This was a beautiful and uneventful flight and the landscape was turning green again. Our arrival in Kenia was on time and we received a lot of help from our friends there.

This first picture in flight is from our archive.

7. Leg, Day 12: HKLK (Lokichoggio/Kenya) - HTKJ (Kilimanjaro/TZ)
and from HTKJ to Musoma (HTMU)

We spend the night in a tent and had a really nice evening. Although the weather here is typically very solid VFR, we expect some thunderstorms to develop over the mountains today. Since we didn't have to take that much fuel anymore, we where where now light on weight and could climb out easily and fly towards our final destination, the Serengeti.

8. Leg, Day 12: Musoma (HTMU) and Seronera (HTSN)

We took off in Formation with Markus and his Cessna, 5H-ZGF. This was the most beautiful and rewarding flight, so far. The experience of all tis wildlife in the Sergengeti us unbelievable. Bernd was bsuy filming us, out of the formation and Christian took hundrets of pictures.

we finally get to rest and settle down as well, after all this stress during the previous days.

We are now getting busy with flying in Tanzania, always at low altitudes. Our D-ENTE is back in her natural environment, doing what seh was originaly designed for.

in the Serengeti

This morning we stared our two day trip into the Serengeti, to find the accident site of the original D-ENTE. There are several different opinions about the true location but we think we have enough inside information to find it. Our Jeeps will have to drive for more than 10 hours to get there. D-ENTE and 5H-ZGF are expected to make it to Malombo in 50 minutes. Obviously, airplanes are a very means of transportation around here.

The flight was very nice and scenic, our pictures tell the story :-)

Obviously, after landing in Malambo, a little sand strip not easy to find nor land on, we where the attraction of the year.

in Malambo

Today we started very early, as usual, for a short expedition into the Serengeti and managed to locate the site of the accident (January 10, 1959), where Michael Grzimk died tragically after a colission with one of those rather big vulture birds. And as we can now experience ourselfs, they are really big and many and not just in low altitudes. As Markus adviced us, we have to be very careful when flying around there, in fact, better completely avoid some areas at all!

Apart from that, the wilfdlife and scenery is just unbelievable out there, indeed.

back again in Seronera

Up again early today :-)

Today we took all the staff from the Center here for a ride, so they could enjoy the results of their passionate work from the air.

Our D-ENTE is now having to work a little bit harder, field altitde is 5100 ft MSL and tempratures typically 30 degree celsius or higher!

It was also a day for cleaning the aircraft, sand and wind make the looks change quite fast ...

We also get to meet some other comercial pilots, who fly tourists in other Cessnas around. This is nice, for a change, as they always provide good hints and tips about flying down here.

The pictures again speak for them selfs, all taken today, right here, inkl. the faboules sunset. All you have to do for that is to sit down, have a beer and releax :-)

Flying to Kilimanjaro Airport

Everything has to come to an end and we are heading for Kilimanjaro Airport. Uwe is my CoPilot and I introduced him in our D-ENTE, how to refuel and where to find what,, because he will assist the Pilot during the flight back home to Worms, from here, in a couple of days.

Bernd and Christian are already on their way back home and I'm now flying back with Condor. OK, its a bigger airplane now, but the flight in this can by now means be compared with what we had the pleasure to experience the last couple of days, flying over the Serngeti.

We will have more picures and details for you, after we get back home, stay tuned ...