VintageAirRally Crete2Cape
12th November 2016, for five weeks.
An official event of The Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom and The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
A flying rally across Africa, from Crete to Cape Town, for aircraft built before the 31st December 1939.
Following in the footsteps of the pioneering flights in the 1920s – we connected some of the most beautiful and evocative points in Africa. We flew low along the Nile from Cairo to Khartoum, past the highlands of Ethiopia before the plains of Kenya and the home of African aviation in Nairobi. Then we went off again past Kilimanjaro into the Serengeti – and on to the spice island of Zanzibar. After a short pause we enjoyed the Indian ocean, we continued, crossed Zambia to Victoria Falls, before we continuied to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Our final days took us across Botswana and into stunning South Africa – to the Cape, journey’s end.
A rally such as this was never done before.
Throughout we stayed in a wide variety of locations, from 5* hotels to tented camps (and everything in between). Obligatory equipment included a sleeping bag, full black tie and a beginner's guide to Swahili (all three items will be needed at some stage or another, perhaps simultaneously!).
There were trials and tribulations, mechanical and human stress – all in stunning visual settings. The support aircraft (both aeroplanes and helicopters) were busy keeping the show in the air (and helped the vintage aeroplanes that have made precautionary landings here, there and everywhere).
For the full itinerary please click on the link below:
Download PDF
Crete2Cape crews
These adventurous aviators flew the length of the African continent fundraising for the African Vulture.
To find out more about BirdLife International, click here!
Canada
Winner7 SoCal Travel Air: Pedro
Travel Air 4000
NC 9048
USA
Spirit of the Rally winners11 Team Alaska: Nick & Lita
Travel Air 4000
N6263
South Africa
2nd place3 O Team: Mark & Lauren
DH82A Tiger Moth
ZS-DNP
USA
3rd place8 Team Barnstormers: Keith & Colin
Travel Air 4000
N8708
Germany
4th place2 Amur Falcon: Ingo & Bob
Bü 131 Bücker Jungmann
D-EEEK
USA
Ireland
Did not finish
9 Eagle: Aharon & Yuval
Boeing Stearman
N999WY
United Kingdom
Rally completed4 Lotmead Tiger: John & Norman
Tiger Moth
G-BPHR
Belgium
France
Rally completed13 Frog & Kiwi: Cedric & Alexandra
Stampe
OO-GWB
Botswana
Did not finish5 Geezer & The Girl: Brett & Sarah
DH82 Tiger Moth
A2-PIX
South Africa
Rally completed42: Courtney
Tiger Moth
ZS-UKW
Germany
Rally completed35 Team F&J: Fabian & Johann
WACO YMF5D
D-EDOP
United Kingdom
Did not finish37: Martyn
Antonov AN2
SP-KTS
United Kingdom
Did not finish21 Helipaddy: Paddy & Sarah
R44 Robinson
G-RALA
Cyprus
Rally completed23 Boris & Yulia
R66 Robinson
N7021Z
UK
South Africa
Rally completed38: Graham
Cessna
G-JBRN
United Kingdom
Disqualified
31 Liberty Girl II: Maurice
PA J3L4 Piper Cub
G-KURK
Egypt
Did not finish41: Yasser
Cessna 172
N92MM
Germany
Rally completed36 WhiskyEcho: Wolf & Emily
Pipistrel Sinus
D-MYWE
USA
Rally completed34 Team BushCat: Steve & David
Cessna Grand Caravan EX
N248JP
USA
Rally completed32 Team BushCat: Paul & Robert
BushCat
N506PM
USA
Rally completed33 Team BushCat: Adam & Pasquale
BushCat
N507PM
Zimbabwe
Did not start44: Ron
Cessna 210A
ZWFK
Our Travel Partners along the route: