Flight Log: Duala FKKD -- Lomé DXXX 11.02.2011

Distance: 574 NM
scheduled Flying time: 4h 17min
Filed Route: DCT MBO RALIN R984 LAG A609 MONOS
ATIS Duala: RWY 30 Wind 300/03 KTS FEW 018 29/24 QNH 1013
Clearance: left turn MBO climb FL 100 call 40
Take Off Time: 08:55 (UTC)
ATIS Lomé: RWY 22 Wind 110/05 Kts 10km Sicht Few 007 33/21 QNH 1008
Landing Time: 13:35 (UTC)
11.02.2011 Duala/Lomé: As announced, the Commissaire Divisionaire Mbida Nkili, Joachim and his employee who had sold us the visa. Without any controls, we reached the VIP lounge for state guests. Monsieur Joachim, who had an envelope in his hand, welcomed us warmly and asked us to excuse the regrettable mistake again. After expressing sentiments of mutual esteem and thanks, I took the envelope and put it away saying 'I won't be counting it. I trust you'. Then I asked how many children the two men had and gave them the appropriate number of Globeflight biros. All in all their own criticism of the issue was credible and a very polite gesture on the part of the Cameroon police.

Then we paid the landing fee in the tower and discussed the flight plan. There was a major change. We wanted to fly out over the sea to avoid an area on the coast. The flight planner explained that the previous route was too dangerous. There was the risk that we might be shot down by enemies of Cameroon. Recently, a group of terrorists had used high-tech weapons to attack a Cameroon army control point from the sea on the border with Nigeria and had killed seven soldiers. He said that there was a border dispute with Nigeria on several islands on the frontier. Another group, equipped with automatic weapons had kidnapped a governor and several staff a few days before and demanded a high ransom.

Of course the flight plan was changed appropriately. The flight went smoothly, with no incidents. After landing in Lomé the controller let us descend first, after we had actually reached the sovereign territory of Togo. Once again it was a question of descending quickly at 1,200 feet per minute to 2,000 feet. But everything went fine. And we managed a particularly gentle landing. But I did wonder why Martin had started to clap...

Within about 15 minutes we were at the main building. Afterwards we taxied to our parking space at the end of the airfield where the local flying club was. A white, French, female pilot welcomed us and immediately started to talk to Martin. Everything was fine, but the flying club had no avgas. Apparently it was at the harbour and due to arrive at some point. Whatever, we still had enough and would manage the flight to Ouagadougou. We said goodbye amicably and went to the Mercure Sarakawa with our handling agent Christian.