Flights to Remote Islands Part 3 - Ascension Island to Sal, Cape Verde Islands

[BillD22]

Here are some shots of a Navy Lockheed P3 "Orion" on a special mission flight from Ascension Island in the South Atlantic up Sal in the Cape Verde Islands off the West Coast of Africa. "Back in the day" Sal was a remote little-known desert island whose name in Portuguese means "salt." It was the scene of large salt mines, a prison camp for captured guerillas during the Portuguese-Angolan war, and not much else.

 

In more modern times it's become a popular vacation spot with modern hotels, year-round sunshine, white sand beaches, and clear blue water.

 

Let's fly along and check it out.

 

Ready for takeoff from the Royal Air Force Station (FHAW)on Ascension Island.

 

Lift off and climb out past the peak of Ascension's iconic "Green Mountain" whose lush vegetation is a sharp contrast with the stark lava fields around the airport and lower parts of the island.

 

 

Climbing up to our cruise altitude of FL260 for the 5-hour 1600-mile flight. En route, we'll be crossing the equator from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere. Sorry, no pics of the special mission part! :D:D:D

 

With the special mission and transit parts of the flight behind us, we're on final for Sal's airport (GVAC) with a good view of the island's desert terrain.

 

 

 

 

[NMLW]

Nice long flight to Sal Bill. Great shots of it and a good narrative too. :cool:

[jankees]

I like this series, nice shots too!