Aviation in Botswana book

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
CharlieOneSix
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5004
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
Location: NE Scotland
Gender:
Age: 79

Aviation in Botswana book

#1 Post by CharlieOneSix » Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:57 pm

41JDIg+u0NL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
41JDIg+u0NL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg (24.81 KiB) Viewed 4114 times
Possibly of interest to the Ex-Ascots. I have no idea how good it is but a writer in Botswana co-wrote a book on aviation in Botswana last year, commemorating 100 years of powered flight. Their first book covered the first 50 years. They are now working on the 2nd book, the next 50 years. The first book is available at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Botswana-Natio ... 08S2PSQ21/

At the moment they are researching the British Caledonian service to Gaborone which started in March 1987 as an extension to the Lusaka route and have appealed to ex-BCAL crew for more information.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#2 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Tue Mar 02, 2021 7:20 pm

I can't resist any book on African aviation. Have bought it and will report back when it has been read.
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

prospector
Capt
Capt
Posts: 1151
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2018 12:37 am
Location: New Zealand
Gender:
Age: 84

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#3 Post by prospector » Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:50 am

Taking a long time for that report to be reported!!

User avatar
ian16th
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 10029
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:35 am
Location: KZN South Coast with the bananas
Gender:
Age: 87

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#4 Post by ian16th » Mon Aug 02, 2021 12:52 pm

prospector wrote:
Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:50 am
Taking a long time for that report to be reported!!
Naw.

He is operating on African time.
Cynicism improves with age

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#5 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:50 pm

I stalled in the reading of the book. Not though any deficiency in the writing style thereof, but due to the need to clear backlog of other books in the unread queue.

I shall get back to the task this evening,

Resuming at the scene of Van Ryneveld's crash.
When the Silver Queen II came to rest on the banks of the Matsheumhlope River, it looked as if the first attempt to fly from London to Cape Town had come to an end. Yet, only ten days later, a DH.9 of the fledgling South African Air Force had been taken out of a crate, assembled, and flown to Bulawayo – via Palapye Road, becoming the first aircraft to land in Bechuanaland – in order to complete the epic journey.
VanRyneveld.JPG
VanRyneveld.JPG (44.71 KiB) Viewed 3057 times
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#6 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:24 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:50 pm
I stalled in the reading of the book. Not though any deficiency in the writing style thereof, but due to the need to clear backlog of other books in the unread queue
Through.

Thoroughly enjoyed the first four chapters and will give the promised review when I am finished but can say that it is packed with fascinating historical detail, anecdotes and is well illustrated with many photographs. The style is engaging, not turgid at all. Still reading....
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#7 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:13 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:24 am
Thoroughly enjoyed the first four chapters and will give the promised review when I am finished but can say that it is packed with fascinating historical detail, anecdotes and is well illustrated with many photographs. The style is engaging, not turgid at all. Still reading....
I had not known this! Sir Seretse Khama's son is a keen pilot...
Khama's love of aviation had started at a young age and he held both fixed-wing and helicopter licences and had displayed his skills at several of the Matsieng airshows during his time as president. Nothing too ambitious or showy, just accurately flown flypasts in either a CASA 235 or a Bell 412 that brought the crowds to their feet. Prior to entering politics, he had been commander of the Botswana Defence Force and had been involved in the setting up of the BDF's Air Wing in the late 1970’s.

Laverick, Jonathan; Morgan, Bruce. Botswana National Airways: The Journey to Botswana's first National Airline (A Century of Flying in Botswana Book 1). Botswana Aviation Art. Kindle Edition.
I think Pinky the Pilot might agree with me that in the case of parcels to Australia, not much has changed.
However, the mail was slow and a letter sent from the United Kingdom would take five weeks to arrive in Cape Town while a package sent to Sydney would be lucky to make the journey to Australia in less than three months.
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#8 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:53 am

When Britain had an empire...
the Cairo to Cape Town air route was having its finishing touches made. This route consisted of a series of twenty-four airfields and nineteen emergency landing grounds that were created from scratch from a series of desert outposts, tropical jungle strips, and grass landing grounds carved out of the savannah. To take on such huge tasks, three RAF working parties had been sent out to cut and flatten these virgin aerodromes to detailed specifications. Unlike modern airports with their long runways, these early airfields were simply large squares (roughly 750 metres by 750 metres), allowing aircraft to take off and land into the wind, no matter what the direction of the breeze. This mammoth effort had started in January 1919 under the guidance of Major General Salmond, the Commanding Officer of the RAF in the Near East. He organised the three working parties to carve out these forty-three aerodromes. The first group worked from Cairo to Lake Victoria, the next section (and most challenging due to a combination of tropical forest, lack of roads, and tsetse fly) covered the route south until the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika. The final stretch through to the Cape was led by Major Court Treatt.
<<error in the text... I feel a letter to the author coming on>> :))

Geoffrey Salmond

The Court Treat Expedition

Major Court Tread's wife was a well known South African.... Stella Court Treatt

Court Treatt's wife's sister's son created a ballet to be danced by the Goblin's aunt at Sadler's Wells.... (we are all related or know each other in South Africa, probably why the Goblin has webbed feet>> =))
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: Aviation in Botswana book

#9 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:42 pm

The history of Botswana's indigenous aviation was profoundly effected by this place...

Palapye Hotel.JPG
The Palapye Hotel...
Palapye Airfield.JPG
Palapye Airfield (possibly the oldest in Africa but certainly the oldest to have been built by an African leader)...

This book is a fantastic read.
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

Post Reply