The mission of today flight was accomplished successufully according to the rules and desires of the Nepal Civil aviation.

GLWF team

Also spare oxygen cillinder, Nepali car gas and communication through the mask was new to my hight altitude flying. So decided for test flights in Annapurna area yesterday and today morning. Winds were quite strong just above 100 km/h from NW so I quited climbing at 20000feet due turbulence, today direction of the wind changed to W, so was quite smooth right to 25000 at first morning flight and above 27000 an hour later. The MH oxygen system performed well, as well as aircraft.  I was able to see Makalu but Everest was headen in the clouds. Hope for some lower winds for tomorrow. We have experienced some problems with server today so could have some delayed informations tomorrow.

After being greeted by our GLWF team and my wife Katarina who all came to Nepal on their own expenses (there is no people like them - our team members Vojko, Andreja, Domen, Petra, Natasa) I am graounded to reality with  my daily paper problems. 

Fortunately I got a big support from Avia Club Nepal, its founder and driving force Natasha Shrestha who moved to Nepal from Russia 36 years ago. Avia Club Nepal has 16 years experience of tourist flights with ultralights in Annapurna region. They are one of two in the world who managed to convinced CAA authorities to get permits for this kind of commercial work.  Natasha and Barun Gyawali spent the whole afternoon, late evening and morning of the next day between Kathmandu, Custom, and Airport, to get numbers of papers in order so that I would to be able to depart to Pokhara where they also operate their Avia Club. They were tired but very successful and I  was  soon cleared to fly to Pokhara. Visibility was again very poor, mountains were hiding in the clouds, heavy traffic in the air and bad communication was present. Pokhara airport came in sight after 45 minutes of flying and only 1 mile before I was cleared instantly to land for runway 04. And than big surprise warms my heart:  In front of the Avia Club hangar there was a number of people with airport manager, all pilots of the club, welcome transparent, nice Nepali girls, journalists… A big thank you guys, it was very special.

Flight into Everest region is still a bit uncertain due to restrictions and still high winds or bad weather. If it is clear they are high winds and severe turbulence which can easily destroy aircraft,  in more calm days the clouds with snow could come over the Himalaya. So we have to be realistic and wait for a new day.

Matevz

Stormy Indonesia has speed up my flying there, so I landed only in Jakarta at Halim airport which is normally difficult for paper work. But I was lucky to met with Nurachman Pudjo Basuki chief Maintenance at Alfa Flying School who kindly arranged everything from fuel to Custom and Immigration. Many joung pilots with instructor Grace came to the aircraft and we had a nice chat.

Next day Mr. Basuki helped me out to apron and I was soon in cloudy and hazy sky heading straight North to Thailnad. Some bad weather before Singapore forced me into slaloming but after I reached eastern coast of Malaysia the weather improved and remained good all the way across the sea to U-Tapao Airport close to famous Pattaya. There I was greeted by Neil Nawaporn Sawaetwong owner and creator of Pattaya Airpark and dealer for Pipistrel aircrafts. He organized everything in advance so the time spending procedure did not spend much time. Next morning I moved little one to Pattaya Airpark for oil change some scenic flights over famous Pattaya beach, and did with Neil and his lovely wife some air to air photographs. Thank you Neil, you did so much for GrewenLight WolrdFlight. Next morning some bad weather from east decrease visibility to special VFR what means climbing over the sea to FL 100 IMC conditions. Clouds and haze persists up to altitude 13 000 feet where I remained for the rest of the flight. A big disappointment for me as colorless landscape of Myanmar and Bangladesh passed by without having chance to make any good photograph. Strong north easterly winds decreased ground speed to only 110kts so approached Patna airport with thick haze very slowly. Main reason to stop in India was refueling Avgas which is not available in Nepal to later mixed it with lower octane fuel in Pokhara. Unfortunately unhelpful  ATS personnel made me really hard times and after all couldn't provide promised fuel. Again into hazy sky towards Kathmandu which was to my surprise closed for VFR flights so I had to prepare charts for IFR arrival and approach. I did not feel comfortable as there was no visibility many aircrafts around and bad communication. Holding several times before finally cleared for VOR DME approach for runway 02. Fjuuuu this kind of flying burns calories very fast. But nevertheless I was very happy to be in Nepal again after so many years.

Matevz

Matevz left Patna in India in the middle of the day. After going through so much of paper work and custum control already in India, he landed in Kathmandu, Nepal after about only one hour after taking off. The flight to Kathmandu was relatively short, but it took him more than four hours to go throught the papers and custum here in Nepal again. It is still not set compleately, so the departure for Pokhara is still a bit uncertain, especially concerning the time of take-off. There is really a loooot of paper work, through which he is getting with the help of Mrs. Natasha and Mr. Bharun from Avia Club Nepal.

But Matevz relaxed more when he was kindly greeted also by Slovenian Huston / GLWF team (Domen, Vojko, Natasa, Andreja and Petra) and his wife katarina who came to Nepal to give him a special support. We all were special guest also on behalf of Mr. Aswin Shresta, the Nepal consul in Slovenia, who arranged a welcome dinner with Mr. Bharat Regmi for all of us. Thank you all again for your support!

Namaste!

GLWF team and Matevz

Matevž finished his long flight to Patna, India. From Pattaya it took him 9 hours to reach the India. The flight was ok, although it was quite hazy. Tomorrow he will continue his flight to Kathmandu, Nepal.

GLWF team 

News are coming soon.

James Wiseman did so much for us!

Matevz didn’t take-off yesterday, because of very bad weather conditions. Tropical Cyclone is taking strong winds of 40 kts with strong turbolence and heavy rain. Another tropical low is bringing heavy rain and gales. Troughs are generating rain across Darwin. It seems that Cyclone over the Weipa and Darwin will insist for two more days.

Thank you for understanding the situation.

GLWF team