Vih Going To Angola

[skywatcher]

I agree with Gary , wear the uniform.

[worldywings]

The other thing to try is to get some white shirts with epalets and some bars. As in airline uniform looking. I onow guys who had a h*** of a time in a couple under-developed country until they started wearing a uniform.

 

I have not been to Angola but I have worked and volunteered in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, Rwanda, Zaire and Madagascar and the last thing I would want to be in is a uniform. If things go for a sh** (I was once stuck and in hiding for 2 weeks) the last thing you want is to stand out or have any connection, real or not to any uniform wearing force or group.

 

I always found it best to look like a poor, silly backpacker and most just leave you alone. Uniform = target when things get crazy.

 

Play safe!

 

WW

[Guest bag swinnger]

about an hour before this took place, all twenty of us had been asked to give up our passports and a photo copy of it for delivery to the office of the Presidente Casa de militiare for a special Visa which is why I was without both a passport and my photo copy. Larry just took a gamble in that we could get out of this with out needing to produce them, he was right.

I am with Worldy wings in that the white shirt is the best target out there when the $hit hits the fan and Larry was wearing his. we all have them complete with the epalates. I personally wont be wearing one over here unless I am actually flying, with a spare shirt ready for the drive back to the hotel or whatever. I watched some guys be very careless about this in Afghanistan last year.

 

In this photo we (four white guys) walked from where the photo is taken to down in the middle of the 747's before we caught $hit...but hey were making friends and I hadn't had a coffee in two days and that was were the coffee was. no shortage of beer here though.

 

 

[Gary Watson]

I was thinking more on the line of airside.

 

I agree with the off-airport clothing. Definately "disappearing" into the crowd so to speak is always a safe bet anywhere.

 

Looks like lots of big iron activity- any other heli operators around?

[Swamp76]

I was thinking more on the line of airside.

 

I agree with the off-airport clothing. Definately "disappearing" into the crowd so to speak is always a safe bet anywhere.

 

Looks like lots of big iron activity- any other heli operators around?

 

The old answer olds true: It depends.

 

If you are at an airfield, the uniform helps considerably as it is still a very class based society and a airline captain holds a fair amount of status.

 

For an average white Canadian in many African locations, there is nothing you can wear to blend in unless there is a significant European population already there.

 

Be careful and take a long hard look at any advice you get.

 

--------------

Harmonic_Vibe, I tried to send you a PM.

[dimit]

Bags,

 

Great stories, keep 'em coming when you have the chance. Pics too. Play safe!!!

 

D!ck

[skywatcher]

Blue Sky Network Ensures Real-Time Tracking in Support of First Angola Election in 16 Years

GPS Tracking Solutions Onboard VIH Helicopters Contracted for African Country's National Election

 

 

Last update: 12:27 p.m. EDT Sept. 5, 2008

 

LA JOLLA, Calif., Sep 05, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Blue Sky Network, a leading global provider of mobile asset management and fleet management solutions using GPS tracking, today announced it will work with its customer, VIH Helicopters Ltd., to provide flight tracking for the distribution of voter materials for this year's presidential election in Angola. This is the first national election since 1992 for the southwestern African country, and the Angolan government has contracted Canada-based VIH, which has equipped their entire fleet with Blue Sky network tracking, to assist with transportation and logistics before and after the election.

VIH Helicopters, which has Blue Sky Network D1000C and ACH1000 kits installed on its entire aircraft fleet, will provide two Sikorsky S-92s, two Sikorsky S-61s, a Bell 212 and a Eurocopter EC135. The helicopters will be used to help set up polling booths before the election, fly international observers throughout the country, and fly to remote communities and offshore oil rigs as mobile polling stations. After the election the contracted helicopters will also serve as a temporary national transit service since many roads in the region are impassable.

"Blue Sky Network equipment in each aircraft is essential to our flight watch plan for this project. There is very little air traffic control in Angola and the VHF radio coverage is extremely patchy," said Corey Taylor, operations manager for VIH. "Local operators in Angola use high frequency radio but that is not reliable across the country, and we wouldn't feel comfortable having six aircraft in the Angolan outback without knowing where they are at all times."

Blue Sky Network's D1000C is a reliable and economic solution for near real-time fleet tracking with a built in GPS position reporting, an Iridium transceiver and telemetry data link. Combined with the ACH1000 control head, it also provides VIH helicopters with voice connectivity. This secure and easily installed equipment brings reliable fleet reporting and remote tracking capabilities to all the VIH helicopters, regardless of location.

Both kits combine with SkyRouter, Blue Sky Network's web-based tracking software. SkyRouter easily integrates with Google Earth for asset tracking, and interactive updates on all mobile assets. The onboard unit transmits reports from the remote assets directly to the site for review by operations or dispatch, providing a real-time view of asset locations.

"We are pleased to supply our valued, long time customer VIH and the Angolan government with our technology for this historic event," said Jon Gilbert, president and CEO of Blue Sky Network. "This is a great example of how Blue Sky Network tracking and GPS solutions provide essential communication tools for organizations working in developing countries around the world."

About Blue Sky Network

Blue Sky Network is a leading global provider of voice and data services via the Iridium satellite network. Our aviation, marine and vehicle products for GPS tracking, real time flight tracking and fleet management provide reliable fleet tracking and communication services. Blue Sky Network's solutions serve the Aviation, Oil and Gas, Government, Forestry, Mining, Supply Chain Management and Intermodal Transportation markets. Founded in 2001, Blue Sky Network is headquartered in La Jolla, California with customers and distributors worldwide. For more information about our company and solutions, visit the Blue Sky Network website at www.blueskynetwork.com.

[Guest bag swinnger]

Here are some photos from Angola

 

This photo was taken from the pilot seat not ten seconds after the blades stopped turning. There was not a soul around when we landed in this feild.

 

 

 

almost as if these people had never seen a 212 before.

This happens almost every time we land, no matter where we are

 

 

 

It seems that the women do most of the work here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest bag swinnger]

Classic Africa!

 

 

 

Seems that half the country is on fire on purpose. they are making instant pasture for cattle, but creating a desert, not that different than what I have seen in northern Saskatchewan really.

 

 

 

Lots of this going on all day and all nite in the city of Lubango where we are.

 

 

 

Some of the coastline seems nice dotted with small fishing villages

 

 

 

These people lined up in the absolute middle of nowhere to Vote and waited for hours before we arrived with all the equipment for them to vote with. We set out completely blind, all we had for direction was a police officer who had been there by ground once.

we did a grid pattern for about an hour before we found it. Well maybe more like big circles.

 

 

 

We tried to get some photos of Crocodiles but its proving to be very challenging to take photos at 90 to a hundred knots at 100 feet agl. any slower and the freakin things can here us coming somehow I thought it would make a good photo to get the Crocs and the children swimming all at the same time. not sure how many children they lose in a year.

[Gary Watson]

Great pictures Bag, a great view of the people and their obvious poverty-compared to here.

 

Looks like the locals are friendly. What's it like after dark?