BillD22 Posted August 21, 2022 Share Posted August 21, 2022 (edited) Here are some shots of a Navy Lockheed P3 "Orion" on a special mission flight from Ascension Island in the South Atlantic up to 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 because of its year-round sunshine, white sand beaches, and clear blue water it's become a very popular vacation spot with modern hotels and tourist amenities. 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 ocean 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 and mountains where the salt mines are located in the background. Roll out, turn off the active, and shut down on the ramp. Welcome to Sal! Edited August 21, 2022 by BillD22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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