(Hennie) wrote in message . com...
Rocky,
You should try that site again. Maybe it was off line
at that stage.
I am trying to get the story on my own web page with some pictures.

The turbine power is so smooth ( without the piston engine power pulses)
that the transmission will be able to handle the extra power.

I am based in Kroonstad town. The last figure I had on civil helicopters
was 339 piston, 304 turbine and 53 homebuilt. Quite a change from the
70's.
Interesting about the regulations, i have a few friends doing crop
spraying.
Hennie
Astra Helicopters had crews that were doing a week out and two back
in. I was in a single status and loved flying out in the Karoo so
offered to stay out there for a little "hardship" bonus and let the
married guys stay in JHB. It worked out great and I got to fly all
over the place. Frequent crew change was in Kimberly and naturally I
had to drop in and fly around in the "big hole". For those who don't
know, it was the original diamond mine and is huge! I only did it once
and I'm sure got away with it since there were so few helicopters yet
in South Africa.
From there it was natural to follow the Oranje River - Orange River
for the Yanks, and so it followed that I'd drop in on Augrabie Falls
which is a kind of miniature Grand Canyon with these incredible falls.
I'd fly down in the canyon and look around. Found a spot just down
river from the falls where, during flood times, the river would
overflow its banks and go around to this drop off point, down into a
catch basin which appeared to be about an 80' drop, then spill again
over a lip another 40-50' into the main river bed. Often thought that
wouuld be a perfect place to look for diamonds that were carried in
the current and dropped into that catch basin. But, not wanting to be
caught up in IDB laws, never did anything about it. Got some great
pics and plans though..... IDB aka Illicit Diamond Buying.
Then there was the time when we had to jam a pole into the snakes hole
to keep a cobra from attacking us... and landing on top of a mountain
peak that required me to put one skid down so my crew could get off to
clear enough boulders so I could land right on the edge of a sheer
cliff that dropped for probably 1000' or more. The takeoff was a fun
one but will save that for the next episode.
Cheers
Rocky

I did a lot of work in the Prieska and de Aar area. Me and my partner
in crime run a communications company. We have a lot of repeaters
on high sites and rent airtime to farmers and companies. All over
the Free State, Northern Cape and into parts of Natal.

Think About the next story over the weekend????


Regards

Hennie