Fun Stuff With Helicopters

(Hennie) wrote in message . com...
Rocky,
Thanks that was a really nice one from right
here at home.
Keep them coming.

regards

Hennie

Bell 206 out of Durban to P.E. with some businessmen. Down the
Transkei coast where the hills end up going right into the water.
Cloud deck lowering the farther south we went. Headed inland to see if
the clouds stayed higher but they all of a sudden were down to the
ground! VERY carefully picking our way towards the highway we knew was
there, watching out for wires or obstructions or someplace to land and
wait it out. Saw some buildings and decided to land and see if there
was some fuel anywhere close by since we had burned a lot flying low
and slow. I landed and suddenly, blades still turning, we were
surrounded by a group of natives, most of whom seemed to be carrying
knobkerries. A very distinctive regal woman came towards the
helicopter and I got out to talk with her. A small wizened old man
with skin as black as coal and more wrinkles then an elephant was
giving me the evil eye and agitating the rest of the group. The woman
asked if there was a problem and I told her no, we were looking for
some fuel and had gotten disoriented in the clouds. She pointed off
down the road and said perhaps we could get some at the mission store
about 5 km. In the meantime, the businessmen had elected to stay in
the helicopter except for one who got out in case I needed a
translator. He was getting worried at the restless crowd who were
starting to press in on us. I was concerned they'd hit a rotor blade
or the tail rotor and was anxious to get into the air. I thanked the
woman and we got airborne quickly. We landed at the mission store and
bought all the illuminating parafine they had (about 100 Liters). The
clouds seemed to have moved up a bit and we elected to return to
Durban. As you know, there ain't much along that coast in the
Transkei!! I climbed up to about 2500' as the cloud deck lifted and we
landed back at Durban with about 25 liters of fuel remaining.
As it turned out, we had landed at the kraal of the paramount chief of
the Pondo and I had been talking to his senior wife (not sure if she
was properly the Queen). The little old black man who was so agitated
was the witch doctor and he was telling everyone we were the police
come to arrest their chief and take him away. Looking back, we were a
lot closer to being in the deep dung than I realized! I was concerned
the pax would be upset but they thought it was a great adventure and
continued on to P.E. via SAA or someone. My boss said it odd that I
was always the one to have the adventures......