EARL POLENZ TRIP TO AFRICA :: HUSKY DELIVERY TO LUANGWA
Earl is a Retired American Airlines 777 Captain, Navy Pilot and has been working with Aviat as a Test Pilot and CFI – Instructor. We asked him to go to Africa to assist the Frankfurt Zoological Society with their 4 Huskys and to train their Pilot/Game Wardens in tailwheel in the countries Zambia and Tanzania.
[ AUGUST 8 ] Depart SLC to Amsterdam – to Nairobi, Kenya Air to Lusaka Zambia
[ AUGUST 9 ] Arrival. Presidential election, CAA offices were closed. Side-tracked for 2 days.
[ AUGUST 12 ] Zambian CAA (Civilian Aviation Administration) Earl takes ATP test and flight check – was authorized a Zambian license. Husky was re-assembled. Performed test flight and considered it airworthy.
Jumped in the airplane and flew with Rob Stacey (the importer of the aircraft) to North Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Delivered the airplane to Ed Sauer – Program Director for Rhino Recovery Program in Zambia for the Frankfort Zoological Society. Total three and half hour flight to Ed’s camp.
1st evening went flying with Ed saw the big 5: Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard – 1 hour flight.
[ AUGUST 13 ] Flew with Ed in the Husky. Stayed with Ed’s family, his wife Claire, 8 year old daughter and 5 year old twins for 5 days.
[ AUGUST 14 ] Fly. Breakfast. Fly. Lunch. Elephant in camp, in the kid’s wading pool. Cool.
Flew along the River, saw a Rhino cow with her one-month-old baby that was reported in the area. A big event for Ed because it was special to see one of his Rhino’s young. Landings in the afternoon.
[ AUGUST 15 ] Fly. Breakfast. Fly. Lunch. Ed & Rob solo in the Husky! Hippos, Elephants along the River.
[ AUGUST 16 ] Fly. Breakfast. Ed flies Earl in a C-182 to MFUWE. See poached elephant en-route. Ed reports and sends ground scouts to that position. Depart to LUSAKA on ProAir Embraer Aircraft.
[ AUGUST 17 ] From Lusaka, Zambia flew to Kilimanjaro through Nairobi on KenyaAir, to Coffee House Plantation in Kilimanjaro 1 night.
[ AUGUST 18 ] Picked up by the game warden Captain Shayo in the 182 flew to Seranara Serengeti National Park Tanzania. 14 days trained 3 pilots, all three were game wardens using the Husky for anti-poaching services and animal surveys.
[ AUGUST 19 ] Breakfast on the veranda at the Frankfurt Zoological Society Headquarters. Lions roaring! Flew with Shayo elephants, zebra, crocs, hippos, herd of 600+ buffalo.
[ AUGUST 20 ] Breakfast. Baboons, zebra, warthog, giraffe, birds and gazelle right at the headquarters. Flight with game warden student David. Pre-flight. Taxi. Runup. Takeoff. Slow flight. Stalls. Steep turns. Landings. Lunch. Flight. Dinner.
[ AUGUST 21 ] Take offs. Landings. Lunch. Landings. Another pilot/game warden arrives for training, Hussien. Dinner. Big hippo walks through headquarters during the evening. WOW.
[ AUGUST 22 ] Early flights. High work. Lions feeding a buffalo kill. Herds of buffalo are migrating as far as the eye can see.
[ AUGUST 23 ] Day off. Took the Land Rover on a personal tour around the Serengeti.
[ AUGUST 24 ] Landings with both pilots.
[ AUGUST 25 ] Day off. Excessive winds & blowing dust.
[ AUGUST 26 ] Fly with both David and Shayo. Take offs. 3 Point and wheel landings.
[ AUGUST 27 ] Fly with Hussein 20 landings at Fort Icoma, herd of zebra & wildebeest crossing the runway. Buzzed the field twice to clear the runway, landings good. Flew with David Fort Icoma, check ride and solo at Seranara.
[ AUGUST 28 ] Fly with both Hussein and Shayo. Take Offs. 3 Point and wheel landings. Check rides complete both pilots. Solos. Training Complete. Land Rover Safari Time!
I traveled around the world in my Airline and Navy Career – but this was a trip of a lifetime. Thank you to all the fantastic people that I met along the way on this Husky flight training adventure. I treasure your hospitality and kindness, and can’t wait to return to visit new friends.
For more information about the Frakfurt Zoological Society Anti-Poaching Programs Click Here »
