Anybody who knows the South African bushveld in December will know - Its HOT.
I had to pick up two passengers from Marataba and flew out a little earlier so that I could park the gleaming aircraft on the disused cross runway, to allow space for the King Air which was inbound for a pickup at the same time
When the King Air arrived all the crew stood in the shade under the aircraft wing chatting for a little while until our passengers arrived.
I warmly welcomed my passengers and loaded them and their luggage on the C206 and proceeded to get the aircraft ready for departure. When I switched the Battery master on, the G1000 screens came on but when it was time to start, the aircraft flatly refused.
She was as dead as door nail.
While on the phone to the boss to make alternate travel arrangements for the passengers and the AMO to request assistance, I watched the King Air start up and then accelerate down the runway……..and then decelerate and stop. They turned around and came to park at the runway threshold again.
They could not develop the power required for take-off.
Now there we were.
Two aircraft, three crew members, and ten passengers stuck on the dirt runway, in the December sun at Marataba.
Luckily the game rangers, who were observing and assisting with the departures, offered their vehicles to the passengers as impromptu accommodation rather than the sweltering interiors of the aircraft. We fetched snacks and water from the aircraft and then the Big Wait began.
It did not take long for one of the German tourists to unearth one of her portable speakers from her luggage and perch it on the nose of the vehicle. She decided that it's the ideal time for a little bit of a bush bash and had German dance music blaring through the speaker for everybody and the surrounding bush to enjoy.
Not even halfway through the first song, there were ten German tourists and two game rangers dancing in the red sand of Marathaba.
It really became an October Fest in the middle of December.
With all the dancing, laughing and fun, time went by quickly. Out of the heat haze our rescue arrived in the form of a Caravan. It carried a battery pack for me and would fly the eight German tourists and flight crew to OR Tambo.
We carefully manoeuvred the 206 past the stuck King Air. My passengers reluctantly climbed back into the 206 and we started her without to much hassle. We flew back to Lanseria in the golden late afternoon summer sun. A quick battery change sorted out the ailments of the 206.
I must say if I had to get stuck in the middle of the bush in the middle of December in the sweltering heat, I would have an October Fest with these ten German tourists any day.
Thank you for sharing some of my adventures and stories with me. May you have many amazing adventures of your own.
