54 Isla Margarita - Cayenne

12. May 2007

Friday I went for a drive in the afternoon, and returned to the airport to organize getting fuel. I was uncertain about the availability of Avgas. In the terminal I met Eddie, an Aruba Dutch living here, working for a local handling company. He helped me through the terminal and to the plane.

Eddie told me his story. He used to live on the border to Columbia. He had an aviation supply company there, but gangsters wanted him to pay for protection, and when he refused his house was burned down. He was burned on most of his body He told me, that the police was involved in the incident!

I had to taxi to a fuel station, but after taking fuel, I could park next to the fuel station. Fuel was cheap at 0.75 US $ per liter. 

Saturday morning I was back in the airport to leave for French Guiana. The departure was not as easy as the arrival. First I had too talk my way to the Despacho de Vuelo on the airside. Here I had to pay – first for navigation charges, and then landing fee. I also filed the flight plan here. After filing the flight plan I go to the control room to have it checked – and then to another office.

Having done that, I had to taxi the plane to the international terminal, to pass customs and emigration. I had to fill in 4 copies of a general declaration. After that, I could return to the plane. But the police wanted to search the plane, and they were not friendly at all. Wanted the bag with my survival suit out on the tarmac and searched very thoroughly through all my belongings. While one guy searched the passenger side in the cockpit the other officer wanted my bag out on the pilot side to search.

I was only due to luck, that I caught the officer, doing the passenger side, with his hands in my wallet! I carry my passport, license and an amount in different currencies in the wallet! I quickly grabbed it and I do not think he managed to get any money – but I am not sure? But who do you call for help, when you are dealing with the police?

Fortunately I have most of my cash stashed away in a different place.

So it was an hour and a half before I could depart – annoying because it would now be dark before I arrived in French Guiana.

After departing I was soon in over the mainland of Venezuela, and soon there was nothing but jungle below me – I prefer water to jungle. But as I got in over Guyana, large areas was used for agriculture. Nice – as a pilot in a single engine plane, you are always aware of a potential areas for an emergency landing.

The groundspeed was very slow all the way with a headwind blowing with up to 25 knots. By the time I was over Suriname I had de deviate north and south of track to avoid towering cumulus and just as I passed, they matured with lightning as a result.

I came in to runway 08 , Rochambeu airport,t hot and high, and had to dive to make the runway.

The reception here was very friendly and uncomplicated. 10 minutes and I was through the immigration etc, and in a taxi to the center of Cayenne