Kpong Adventures!
At Kpong Airfield visitors and pilots alike have exciting times. This page is set aside for those who have stories to tell from their time at Kpong Field and elsewhere - whether on a trial flight or a cross country - all are invited to submit a report, preferably with pictures, on their adventures.
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Martin set out to Techiman - and had a surprise when he got up the next morning - let the adventures continue... you need to download the pdf for this one here Capt. Harmattan in Techiman be patient the file is around 500Kbs...
Techiman airfield is a strategic airfield practically in the geo-centre of Ghana and is exepected to become a hub for flying doctors and nurses in coming years. |
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| “Sky Tico” to Techiman by Bill Owen, 31 August 2009 Matthew and I took the 'high road' to Techiman. Our route was full of discoveries. For three hours we enjoyed a full view of half of Ghana. Unfortunately, the day was not full of sunshine and we were not fully dressed for the occasion. As we entered higher ground over Ashanti, the damp winds became brutally cold. We all believe in the democratisation of flying where “any man or woman who wants to fly can now fly.” (Langewiesche). However, do dress for the occasion! Our morning departure out of Kpong Field took us past Yo Gaga Mountain (“Tall Lady”) and over the Akwapim-Togo Range and abeam the Akosombo Dam. What a breath-taking picture of that small stone wall that means so much to the country. Ceilings at that time were 2,500 feet with more than 10 km visibility. We descended to 600 feet agl above the expanse of the Volta Lake (altitude 270 feet ASL) and headed to Techiman on course 310 degrees. I had expected that flying low would protect us from headwinds coming over the scarp. The GPS informed us, however, that we moved 10 kilometres slower than our indicated air speed.
Over the Lake we looked down upon the resettlement communities along the shore. They had been established in the 1960’s by the Volta River Authority. They housed the farmers and fishermen who were being flooded out by the rising water behind the Akosombo Dam. Three towns boasted having cell towers and buses and taxis in residence. One had a water tower. Mixed with the VRA planned settlements were new “mushroom” communities. We spotted fishing canoes, onion gardens, corn farms and what seemed to be a cassava leaf (kontomere) garden irrigated from the Lake. An hour later at Adawso, we glided over the ferry crossing to the Afram Plains. It was a shiny boat loaded with passengers and cargo. Earlier, we had spotted fishing canoes under sail power. They confirmed our headwind. To the southwest
was the Mampongtin Range where peaks reach 2,600 feet. Today’s
ceiling was about the same. The hills are covered with the shiny roofs
of Abetifi, Kwahu Tafo, Mpraeso, Nkwatia and Obo. I was surprised to
see dense settlements covering the tops of what had to be very remote
hills. A half hour later was the end of the Volta Reservoir. We met a lazy meandering river flowing into the Lake from the Northwest. It snaked through a marsh for several miles. What would it be like to take canoe through such an environment? We saw very few settlements. For the next 60 kilometres, the landscape was barren. We followed light green ovals of swamp mixed with dark green and rather unfriendly shrub forest. Upon entering the Ashanti Region, we noticed a different level of rural development. There were teak, cashew and corn plantations along with herds of cattle and sheep. Many towns were below and close together. They were connected by more roads, more vehicles and, of course, more of the ever-present cellphone towers. The Ejura scarp with the GTV towers was easy to spot. Flat land lay to the southeast and north. I was reminded of the Fante colonial surveyor, George Ekem Ferguson, who walked around Ejura in the 1890’s to get to Attebubu and Nkoranza. There he concluded treaties that led to an attack on Kumasi. Over Sekyi-Domasi we saw Nkoranza town. Nkoranza is where the Sesseman Ntua shrine caretaker, Nana Adomako, brought the first car in 1917. He was convinced of the value of this new tool. If Nana maintained a car at that time in a remote town, could not a light airplane be maintained in these parts today? Private car ownership in Ghana has boomed over the past 15 years. Will the new drivers want to try the “Sky Tico” too? My planned approach into Techiman was hampered by low cloud. Ceilings were 2,000 feet ASL. Ground level at Techiman is 1,300 feet ASL. We went south, found better visibility and returned north to the blue roof of Ghana Nuts Ltd. Techiman Municipal Airfield stands out due west of the factory. The landing was uneventful. However, the visitors lined up, albeit at a safe distance, near the runway were distracting. The length of the Techiman field was more than adequate for the X-Air “Sky Tico.” The reception by the chiefs, officials, citizens, students and house kids was more than adequate too. Ayisatu’s chicken and chips was well worth the trip. Democratisation of flight in central Ghana has begun. If you want to fly, you do it. “To be a pilot is a right no longer reserved for the soldiers, the daredevils, the millionaires and the professionals.” (Langewiesche, 1939) |
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Your adventure could be here.... call us on 028 5075254 and book your trial lesson now or visit Stellar Travel and purchase 'The Gift of Flight' for one of your loved ones! |
