I have to comment on Mack Air. These days, there are all sorts of concerns for the safety record of African airlines, small air-taxi operators, and Cessna Caravans (icing problems). The fact is that on balance, no other mode of transport can match aviation for safety. In recent years, safety management has become the focus as we try to eliminate the hazards that continue to show up as causes of accidents. Company safety culture is looked at as part of the regular oversight by Transport Canada inspectors during audits, and it is examined in the event of an investigation into a mishap. The trick is to try to get everbody even remotely connected to aircraft operations in a company to embrace safety concepts in his or her everyday way of working. A good safety culture usually reflects well on management style, employee commitment and competence, and on overall operational efficiency and safety.
Enough of the lecture. Mack Air seemed to be a gleaming gem by all those standards. The airplane was pristine. The flight departed on time - early in fact. The three of us were the only passengers and the pilot gave us an informative safety briefing. During the flight, the pilot told us about their engine maintenance programme, including health and trend monitoring with regular consultation with the manufacturer and rigid adherence to their recommendations. He explained various measures they took to avoid unecessary engine cycles and stresses. With a fleet of single-engine airplanes, their programmes have resulted in the greatest single threat to airborne safety being vultures and storks.
When the flight was booked, we were told to go and pay at the airline's office when we got to Maun. On the ground, their ground staff took all the bags and carried them across the road to their office. The office staff told us that our pilot was the owner of the company and proceeded to tell us how wonderful a man he was, how great the company was, how much they enjoyed their co-workers. The office was clean and neat. They went out of their way to look after us, and one commented that that was just the way they did their business.
From our brief glimpse of Mack Air, their safety culture appeared pretty hard to beat. If I'm back in Botswana, I'll be looking to them to fly me around. If they read this, I hope they don't become complacent.
Before we got flying, we watched this pristine South-African-registered DC-4 depart. I had to put in the photo for aviation buffs.
During the flight to Maun, we flew across the Chobe Park. The road is a dirt road from Kasane to Maun, not always passable, and you need four-wheel drive.
From 8500 feet and a low-resolution picture on the web, it's hard to see the elephants, but they are at this watering hole.
This year is wetter than usual and we're seeing more watering holes than normal. You can see the animal tracks from miles around to this one.
This photo shows water in a river. Apparently is has been several years since the last time that happened.
Approaching Maun, we overflew part of the Okavango Delta. The Okavango flows from Angola into Botswana where the water basically empties into desert and dries up. More river flow (i.e., from rain in Angola) and the water is high. Ironically, high water means tall grass which means more to burn when the dry season comes, therefore a greater fire hazard.
The Okavango Delta has vast expanses of marsh land with islands here and there, accessible by the flat-bottom makoro boats that are poled through the grass. That's what we'll be doing for the next three days.
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