Ferry flights

The spraying seasons in Egypt and Sudan did not overlap, which allowed the equipment to be used consecutively in both countries. Work in Egypt lasted from May to August and in Sudan from September to February. Aircraft flew mostly under their own power between Poland and Egypt and Sudan through Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, and further across the Nubian Desert. Initially, a small number of PZL-101 aircraft were sent by sea freight to Alexandria, and a few even by transport aircraft. The destination of the ferry flights was the agricultural aviation technical base in Egypt – Benha, located 50 km north of Cairo, and in Sudan – Hassaheisa, 140 km south of Khartoum. PZL-101 aircraft, after being ferried from Poland, worked in Egypt from May to August, then flew to Sudan where they worked from September to February, and then returned to Egypt where they were prepared for the next season and no longer returned to Poland.

The An-2 aircraft, on the other hand, flew annually as needed to Egypt in May and to Sudan in August and returned to Poland to take part in spring operations domestically. From 1976, after the start of production of the modern and safer PZL-106 Kruk aircraft, these flew to Egypt and gradually replaced the PZL-101 aircraft, which were withdrawn from service and scrapped in Egypt. After 1991, when agricultural operations in Poland and services in Egypt ended, An-2 and PZL-106 aircraft remained in Sudan. Only newly manufactured PZL-106 Kruk BT aircraft (with turbine engine) and An-2s flew from Poland as supplementary aircraft for additional operations. The bases in Egypt and later in Sudan also served as technical support facilities for aircraft flying out to work in Ethiopia or other countries in the region where contracts had been concluded.

When planning group ferry flights, the route was determined, crews and group leaders were assembled. Diplomatic clearances for overflight were sought, visas for crews were arranged, and financial resources were planned for airport fees, fuel, hotels and per diems. Maps and other navigation information for each crew were prepared for the route. These were contained in the so-called navigation folder of the given group, which included, among other things, start and landing procedures for all airports planned for landings and alternates, together with a dictionary of basic radio communication phrases in English. The technical department assigned specific aircraft with sufficient remaining airframe and engine service life, gathered spare parts for the group for the ferry flight and for transport as freight.

The required safety equipment for overwater flights and “desert” rations for the flight between Egypt and Sudan were prepared. Initially these were life jackets and a life raft on the leader’s aircraft, and later immersion suits for each crew member as well as radio beacons to signal the location of a possible aircraft ditching. For flying over the desert, a supply of water, food, and signal flare pistols with cartridges were required. Each participant received a tropical uniform, thermos, etc. The validity of aviation medical examinations and vaccination dates in each participant’s international yellow health book was checked, as well as individual contracts for participation in the assignment.

In addition to aircraft crews, the group included a so-called leader, who was the group commander. This was an experienced pilot with knowledge of radio procedures in English and the ability to act independently in unusual situations. He had many duties. During the flight he conducted navigation and radio communication with air traffic control authorities of the countries and airports on the route and with the group’s aircraft. At airports where groups landed, he contacted airport services, border guards and customs, ordered fuel for the group and other necessary services, filed the flight plan and requested weather reports for the next flight leg, and based on the information obtained, decided on the feasibility of continuing the flight.

He made payments for fuel, oil and landing fees, and organised transport for crews to the hotel. The pilot of one of the aircraft flying in the last position was the so-called vice-leader, whose duty was to replace the leader if he could not perform his function, but also to observe all the group’s aircraft and possibly provide assistance to an aircraft falling behind during the ferry flight or during an emergency landing. A chief technician was designated within the group, who was an experienced aircraft mechanic. He was responsible for the technical condition of the aircraft, conducting their inspections at stopover locations, supervising refuelling with fuel and oil, securing aircraft during stops at airports – anchoring them, fitting covers and control locks. Usually, aircraft flew in groups of 5-6 aircraft of the same type. During ferry flights of single-seat aircraft, the group included at least one An-2, in which the group leader, mechanics for those aircraft, spare parts flew, and a life raft and radio beacon were carried.

Sometimes, in worse atmospheric conditions but with better visibility at lower altitudes, flights were conducted at altitudes of about 150 m above terrain, which however required higher pilot qualifications and somewhat more thorough navigational route preparation. In prolonged bad weather conditions, ferry flights were made by individual aircraft with additionally dispatched pilots holding instrument flight qualifications, i.e., in so-called IFR conditions. However, this significantly increased costs. On the Warsaw – Cairo – Khartoum route, aircraft made intermediate landings for overnight stops and refuelling at airports and desert airstrips. Typically these were: Budapest, Belgrade, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Heraklion in Crete or Larnaca on Rhodes, Alexandria, Benha (agricultural aviation base in Egypt), Luxor, desert airstrips in Sudan – Wadi Halfa, Station 10, and the final destination – Khartoum. From there, after customs clearance and other formalities, the aircraft flew to the agricultural aviation base in Hassaheisa. At the desert airstrips in Sudan, own fuel and oil supplies were sent ahead of ferry flights.

Ferry flights were also carried out on parallel alternative routes depending on actual weather along the route, aircraft type, their navigation equipment, crew qualifications or other circumstances. An event more in the sporting than professional category were the early ferry flights to Egypt and Sudan of PZL-101 Gawron aircraft, particularly across the Mediterranean Sea. These aircraft had no radios and the basic navigation instrument was a KI-13 compass with a 4 cm diameter. During a group ferry flight of 5 aircraft, only the leader aircraft had a radio and the others had to “sit on the leader’s tail” and repeat his manoeuvres. The scale of these operations is demonstrated by the fact that in the peak years of 1976-1989, each spring approximately 40 aircraft were ferried towards Africa, and in winter the same number returned to the country. Newly manufactured aircraft from WSK Okęcie also flew to Egypt during this period. In addition to ferry flights through Egypt, redeployments to other regions were also carried out on the same principles, such as to Iran through the USSR, to Portugal through southern Europe and further to Algeria via Gibraltar.