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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 0707.PDF
MAY 8TH, 1947 FLIGHT 4*3 (Top right) The Autocrat at Thysville (where wewent on a hunting trip). The other aircraft are Mr. Fischer's Messenger and an eleven-year-oldLeopard Moth, the first aircraft to be registered in the Congo. (Above) Manpower is apparently noproblem to the Shell organization at Juba, Sudan. (Right) The author and Autocrat OO-CCX. poor condition (small ruts between each concrete slab) and onesmall grass strip. Taxis into town (to Hotel) 500 francs. Customs; Just outside airfield; Petrol: At least 73 and 100; Landingfee: 40 francs; Met.: Across road from airfield; General: One run- way on seashore west of town. Good condition. One cheap cafe. AJACCIO Customs: No recollection of Customs official, but stamp appearedin' log book with Customs clearance; Petrol: 80 and maybe 100 (no filters used and bowser let more petrol leak on to ground thaninto tank). Used own filter and found chamois leather filthy afterwards. Shell agent wanted signature for no litres when cor-rect amount was 80 litres; Landing fee and hangarage: 124 francs total; Met.: On airfield; General: One gravel runway in good con-dition and another being constructed. Airfield closed between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Small military hangar. Air France buss*occasionally run into town. Taxis 500 francs. Hotel des Etrangers very good (old R.A.F. rendezvous.) No departuresignal sent to Tunis. TUNISCustoms: In airport buildings; Petrol: 80 and 100; Landing fee: 80 francs; Met.: On airfield (accurate report received); General:.Two excellent runways. Very efficiently run airport. Good but expensive restaurant, also an exchange bureau in airport building.French currency and travellers' cheques not accepted. TRIPOLI (Castel Benito)Customs: None; Petrol: All grades. Shell extremely efficient and quick here; Landing fee and hangarage: 5S+4S (as at all R.A.F.stations); Met.: On airfield. (Excellent forecast received, as at all R.A.F. North Africa airfields); General: Three good runways18 miles south of Tripoli town. R.A.F. provide meals and accom- f modation and give every assistance to civil aircraft.ARBLE ARCHAppears serviceable available. from the air and 73 octane said to b< BENGHAZI (Benina) Customs: None; Petrol: 80 and upwards. Lauding fee: StandardR.A.F. charge. Mel.: In control buildings; General: Two tar runways and one gravel nearly completed. Meal obtained inN.A.A.F.I, canteen. Accommodation in emergency. TOBRUCH (El Adem) „ , ,Customs- None; Petrol: 73, 87 and 100; Landing fee: Standard R.A.F. charge; Met.: In control building; General: Three goodrunways. (One all-weather, two hard sand.) CAIRO (AJmaza) . .Customs: On airfield. All personal kit was literally ransacked and small charge made for ^ach case inspected.); Petrol:'AHgrades. Landing fee: Very reasonable (exact sum forgotten); Met.: In airport building; General: Egypt's main airport, withthree good runways. Light aircraft can land off runways. (Misr Airworks did 50 hours' inspection on • aircraft for £10.) Motelaccommodation in Cairo easy to obtain. LUXOR A . „.Customs: None; Petrol: So and 100; Landing fee: As at Cairo, Met: Rough forecast can be obtained from Egyptian Air r-orce. WADI HALF A . ., „ , ,. Customs: Officer comes in from town six miles away, 1 etrol. 73 or 60, and 100 (at least); Lauding fee: .Monthly landing |.. unit to cover the whole of the Sudan obtainable in Khartoum lor £2 10s (cheaper if 4 or more landings are to be made); M,l In control tower; General: One tar and two sand runways seven mile-, east of towTi. Excellent accommodation in Nil. Ilo'ei. KHARTOUM Customs: On airfield; Petrol: All grades; Lauding fee: £2 IOK; Met.: In control tower; General: Three tar nmwavs in good con-dition. Very good accommodation usually avail;;!.], a! <,mn.l Hotel. KOSTI Appears serviceable from the air. MALAKAL Customs: None; Petrol: 73, 87 and !<><>; Mel.: In control timer;General: Two easily distinguishable tar runways. Until IH,,I!>\ for meals and accommodation. JUBA Customs: Officer comes out from town; Petrol: 73, S; .in.i 100;Met.: From Khartoum at 7.30 every morning; Gt'neial: One good gravel runway and one bumpy grass strip. Airfield staffedby very unhelpful R.A.F. personnel. Meals and accommodation, at very reasonable price at Sudan Railway's hotel nearby. KISUMUCustoms: Oflicer comes out from town three miles away; Petrol: 73 and 100 (at least); Landing fee and liangarage; £1 6s total;Met:. In control tower; General: R.A.F. airfield, with two run- ways in good condition. Taxis obtainable to hotel in town—very comfortable, but may be crowded if arrival coincides with B.O.A.C. aircraft. TABORA Customs: None; Petrol: 73, 87 and 100; landing fee: 5s; Mil.:By radio from Nairobi; General: Two runways in good condition. Airfield run by very helpful South African, who supplies taxito hotel in town. Accommodation and food only tair. [On entering the Belgian Congo I found that there were noCustoms except at Lcopoldville, landing fees are not charged anywhere, and at most places met. information has never beenheard of.] ALBERTVILLEPetrol: Most grades except 73 aud 80; Gniir.d: One grass strip rather bumpy, but in reasonable condition. 'I eiej<r,ims are sentnotifying one's departure, but usuallv arrive after yon have left airfield concerned. KABALOPetrol: 73 octane; General: One grass strip, with Shell agent in attendance during day. Advisable always strictly to superviserefuelling in the Congo. (Just in timo to stop native putting oil in overload tank!) KABINDAPetrol: 73 octane; G'-neral: Fwo airstrips, one ,1 tar ranwav 4 miles from town, the other, a grass strip in centre of town. \ trygood hotel (Hotel de.K Aviatcurs). BANNINGVILLEPetrol: 73 octane; General: fine mud strip liable to be unservice- able after heavy rain. From 1'ort Iranqui to LSaiiningville along
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