7 summits by Microlight

Home
Talks & presentations
 
Latest news
3 Sep 2008, World records ratified
31 Jan 2008, SiB news
24 Jan 2008, Post flight analysis
19 Jan 2008, Record!
22 Jan 2008, Another record
17 Jan 2008, Summit 3!
15 Jan 2008, Summit 2!
13 Jan 2008, Summit!
12 Jan 2008, Nearly ready
10 Jan 2007, Moshi
5 Jan 2008, Sausages
12 Nov 2007, Test flight
17 Dec 2007, Kit leaves
23 Aug 2007, RAF Henlow
 
Videos
17 Jan 2008, Summit 3
 
Weather
General info
METARs and TAFs
 
History
RMH pilot CV
 

2-1

17 Jan 2008, Summit 3!


 

 

 

 

After I dropped David, Janelle and Mark off at Arusha and risked my life (again) on the 1 hour drive back to Moshi, I spent the rest of the day fiddling around with the machine, putting all the video cameras back on (which had been stripped off for the record attempt to save weight), re-setting the propellor pitch as we've always been a bit low on revs and fixing the pilot's microphone which has been a bit intermittent.

I left Noel & Nell's house at 5 to meet Fons at the airport just as it was getting light. He is a big man, but I got him into his flying suit, and just into the co-pilot's helmet; I've never come across anyone with such a big head!

So we were off at seven. Rather a lot of cloud about at low level but we were soon above it to be awarded a spectacular view of the mountain; crystal clear and with a new covering of snow right down to the saddle.

Despite Fon's weight we were clinbing nicely, the prop really does look as if it is set about right at last. When I was towing Angelo, the main tow arrangement goes through the centre of the propellor but on this trip we didn't need that, so sometimes I wonder how much easier things might be with a variable pitch prop, you could then apply exactly the right load onto the engine whatever the height. I know Jan Bem used one for his record - maybe next time (but they're expensive of course...)

At one stage the CHT rose to 111 deg c so I throttled back a bit until we got a bit higher and it soon settled down to just over 100 which is about right. At 825 I thought one of the EGT's was a bit high too, but this went down to 780.

We took the same route as before, North to fly round the windward side of Mawenzi, I circled a couple of times to make sure Moshi wasn't completely disappearing beneath low cloud and to get some nice video shots of the mountain. Fons occasionally made exclamations about the amazing sight.

At 17,000 ft we slowly slid cross-wind towards Kibo, the hut on the saddle was clearly visible, but the main track up to Gilman's point was hidden in the snow, though it was probably more of a dusting than anything serious. The highest point of Kilimanjaro is on the south side of the crater, wheras the main route comes up the the North East side, so most people call it a day at Gilmans rather than walking the fair distance and a few hundred feet of elevation round the crater to the actual summit.

As we approached summit level we did another clockwise turn away from the mountain to then fly over Gilman's around the rim to fly over the actual summit; Fons exclaimed that he could see quite a few people walking slowly up the track to the summit.

For me, this is what I'd come here for; it was a simply beautiful sight, with the craters-within-craters over on the west side. I made sure that this time I got some decent photos.

We lingered all too short a time before it was time to start our descent back to Moshi. Interestingly, despite not reducing throttle, we got quite a lot of sink as we headed away from the mountain, exactly in the area where Mark and Janelle were attempting to continue their climb for the record the other day. Maybe if they had stayed on the windward side of the mountain they would have made it...

Back on the ground, Fons was jumping from foot to foot he was so pleased. Partly it could have been the relief of getting his helmet off, but mainly because he's such a big man I'm not sure he really believed the machine could do it, but it did.

I think Eve is coming on friday, we are using so little oxygen it might be possible to tee from just one bottle which will save 10 Kg which could be enough for me to have a crack at the record on saturday - the scales will reveal all once she arrives....


 
 
Dare2b outdoor clothing - Life is for the living, savour every minute
 
 
Micro Avionics - Suppliers of pilot intercom and radio equipment to the expedition
 
 
O-ZEE flight suits.  Suppliers of Bar-mitts to the expedition.
 
 
SKYDRIVE, the UK Distributor of ROTAX engines
 
 
PARAMINA; Suppliers of Oxygen equipment to the expedition
 
 
P&M AVIATION manufacturers of fine microlight Aircraft
 
 
Neltec flexible heaters for battery and flight recorder
 
 
Cam-ARA - Suppliers of video equipment to the expedition
 
 
BAILEY AVIATION manufacturers of Paramotors and automotive sport acessories
 
 
ON RISK - Suppliers of insurance to the expedition
 
 
P&M AVIATION; UK dealer for Warp Drive Propellors
 
 
Articole Studios - GRP mouldings
 
 
Gerbings heated clothing
 
 
menu2 2-2 3-2 4-2 sponsors-2
Page last reviewed
18 Jan 2008
2-3 Contact  RMH        4-3