RTW Retro Flight #41 Livingstone to Victoria Falls & Return . . . . 1960

This is a Pietenpol Air Camper in a 1930’s private livery flying from Livingstone, Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland (Now Zambia) on a VFR sightseeing trip to Victoria Falls and return, (FLLI – FLLI). There are 10 gallons of fuel on board and the total flight time is about 25 minutes. The weather is fair with scattered high clouds. We will be flying at altitudes varying between 3,200 and 4,100 feet.

Thanks to:

Aircraft: Pietenpol Air Camper in a 1930s Private livery. Original Model & textures by Bill Lyons, repaint by Damian Radice.

Propliner AI & Traffic: CalClassic & FS Aviator - Tom Gibson, Mike Stevens, Jason Krogmann, Manuel Jagmann, Bill Towers, Nikko Yaginuma, Richard Wright, Frederick Coleman, Dave Jones, Paul Haak, Marty Lochmiller, Ake Lindberg, Harland Sandberg, Richard Wright and Gary Harper. www.calclassic.com

AI Garwood Cruiser: Wooden cruiser on the Zambezi by Lynn & Bill Lyons.

Scenery: FS2004 Standard, FSX Standard and:

- Livingstone Airport from the 1960 Africa Scenery Package by Wolfgang Gersch, Harry Biard, Jaap de Baare, Mike Stevens, Tom Gibson, Nikko Yaginuma and Johan Dees. Available at www.calclassic.com

- Victoria Falls, spray effects and Zambezi River Landclass with channels & islands by Holger Sandmann. Victoria Falls Bridge and beta testing by Johan van Wyk.

- Rwy12 and EZ Static Object and Scenery Libraries.

- FS2004 Classic Scenery Libraries V3 by Wolfgang Gersch.

- REX FS9 enhancements for sky, cloud, weather, water/waves, runway, taxiway textures, sun and lighting.

- Flight One Ground Environment Pro II.

- HDE 2.0 grass texture enhancement by Pablo Diaz.

Click to enlarge . . .

1. Starting the Pietenpol’s Model A, 4 cylinder engine at Livingstone Airport.

2. We taxi out to Rwy. 28 past a Hunting Clan Vickers Viscount.

3. Liftoff and on our way.

4. We have turned to the Southwest to intercept the Zambezi River and we can already see the spray from Victoria Falls off to our left.

5. Turning to follow the river to the falls we see the Zambezi is muddy, high and running fast. The front passenger’s temperature is also running high because of the blowback from the radiator and the engine exhaust.

6. We are down to about 3,200 feet and notice a fast moving craft coming up river.

7. As we close in on one another we identify a sleek, wooden Garwood Cruiser.

8. With the falls less than a mile ahead, we turn to fly a course over the back side of the falls.

9. With lots of spray we see the Victoria Falls Bridge that crosses the second gorge of the falls. The roar of the falls is so loud we cannot hear our engine.

10. We’re up to 4,100 feet over the small town of Victoria Falls turning back toward the falls for a better view.

More in the reply . . . . . . . . .

Click to enlarge . . .

11. We fly near the falls at 3,900 feet for a spectacular view. The bridge over the gorge and Zambezi is down and to our right.

12. The falls and the Zambezi River are off to our left as we head back to Livingstone.

13. Not far from Livingstone we fly over the beautiful African savanna below.

14. Passing a large forested area off our left wing.

15. Near Livingstone Airport we have descended and now turn toward our approach to Rwy. 28.

16. We are on short final.

17. Touchdown.

18. Turning off the runway toward parking.

19. We pass a UAT DC-6B loading passengers.

20. Parked and engine shut down. Thanks for touring Victoria Falls with us.

Wow!..fantastic post, scenery and shots of this old vintage Larry, really enjoyed,;) specially seeing Jan in the back seat (see shot 13) with a awe face and full of pleasure.. assuming that you are on the plane controls right?

Gonzalo:rolleyes:

Thanks Jan, Peter, John B. & Klee.

Adam I don't fly small props very often, but I will when they fit in with the scenario. I did fly balsa wood gliders that I got from the five and dime when I was a kid. :)

Wow!..fantastic post, scenery and shots of this old vintage Larry, really enjoyed,;) specially seeing Jan in the back seat (see shot 13) with a awe face and full of pleasure.. assuming that you are on the plane controls right?

Gonzalo:rolleyes:

Gonzalo that is not Jan in the back seat. He wanted me to fly too close to the water (you know how he likes to do that), so I refused to take him with me. He then rented a dugout canoe so he could see the falls up close and personal. The picture below is the last I have seen of him. Hope he didn't paddle too close to the edge of the falls. :(

Thanks Darren. You can find repaints at the Ole Hangar: http://oldhangararchive.jrwilliamsart.us/

once here do a search for Pietenpol.