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We left Geneva for our 2007/08 African
flying adventure 6 days late because of Flemming’s fractured leg (see
diary entry in ‘real time map’ for 5 August 2007). The last days before
departure were busy: the cast came off Friday morning 14 September, the
annual check ride was done Friday afternoon, a thorough 100 hour
inspection of Honey Mooney was done the following 5 days, Flemming’s
annual medical check-up on Monday afternoon, and we had also to move out
of our house on Monday 17 September. We had hoped to leave on Thursday
20 September, but many things still remained to be done. Finally Friday
21 September at 15:30 LT it was take-off time. What a relief to be
airborne!
The weather en route was forecast to be good except for rain showers for
our arrival in Alicante, as well as for our alternate Valencia. Also a
chance of thunderstorms was forecast for the period after 18Z (20 local
time). And due to our 2-hour late departure from Geneva, our ETA was
1815Z or about 15 minutes after sunset.
And sure enough, big CB's appeared and the stormscope lit up as we
approached Valencia. We had to make a few detours to avoid them before
arriving at our initial approach fix VILNA for the 20 DME arc for ILS 10
approach into Alicante. We heard a few airlines making the approach
ahead of us without major complaints. But then it got quite scary as we
were lined up on final as a thunderstorm with quite active lightening
was located 10 miles out on the ILS for runway 10. The airline ahead of
us had reported a 35 knot tailwind at 10 miles final while the wind at
the airport was calm.
When about 15 miles out we saw a big lightening flash right ahead
between us and the airport. Then some heavy rain while we flew through
the cell and soon after the runway was in sight. We had no major updraft
or downdraft we could not compensate.
Then while about 4 miles out and slowing down to lower the landing gear,
the yellow warning light for low voltage lit up from time to time:
alternator problems. This was confirmed by no charging current from the
alternator. After an uneventful landing (wind calm!), we were directed
to our parking and the 'low voltage' warning was now on solid and the
charging current zero. We would have to look into that problem before
our departure for Ouarzazate, Morocco tomorrow.
Our friends Tina Pastor and her daughter Cristina had kindly offered to
come and pick us up at the airport, and we got warm welcome hugs as we
met up with them. Soon after we left the airport towards their home in
San Juan d'Alicante the heavens opened the floodgates full blast,
accompanied by heavy lightening. The roads became rivers, as drainage in
the Alicante area is minimal; it is normally about the driest area in
Europe. The traffic was crawling at very low speed and we often had to
avoid areas where the rivers on the roads became lakes.
Finally we arrived at villa Emma where we met up with the rest of the
family: Pedro, Javier, Carlos (Cristina's husband, also a pilot) and
Carlos and Cristina's 3 children. Time for a welcome drink and a nice
dinner.
Thanks to Cristina, Tina and Pedro.
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