Flying Lessons: Desert Caravan

Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 05:37 AM ET

Verified

Lane at the controls of AIM Air’s Caravan in Sudan. Photography By Lane Wallace

Key Takeaways:

The article chronicles a journey through remote areas of Sudan and South Sudan, highlighting the critical role of aviation (e.g., AIM Air 206, AN-32 cargo planes from Lokichoggio, Kenya) for transportation, refueling, and delivering supplies to isolated communities.
The region shows visible impacts of Sudan's 22-year civil war, including abandoned villages and destroyed aircraft, but also features active post-conflict rebuilding efforts such as newly formed "peace" villages and communities returning to re-establish life and commerce.
Daily life in these rural African villages is characterized by basic living conditions (mud and thatch dwellings) and significant challenges, such as the arduous task of fetching water and reliance on air transport for essential supplies.
Aviation in Africa faces considerable safety issues, with a transport aircraft accident rate significantly higher than the international average, as hinted by references to wrecked planes at airports.

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Sunrise seen from an AIM Air 206 en route to Boma, Sudan.

The airstrip at the village of Boma, Sudan, only barely visible against the surrounding landscape.

The wreckage of a Seneca airplane, destroyed by the SPLA during Sudan’s 22-year civil war, still sits beside the runway in Boma, Sudan.

Typical living quarters–a mud and thatch tukal, for villagers in Boma, Sudan.

Lane with villagers in traditional tribal dress in the newly-formed “peace” village of Kuron, Sudan, where displaced villagers of various tribes are attempting to live together.

Even the simple things are an effort in rural Africa: a woman in Kuron, Sudan, returns from a long walk to the river to get water, carrying the load, as most African women do, with grace and ease on her head.

Lane and a gaggle of enthusiastic village children at a refueling stop in Pieri, Sudan, near the Ethiopian border.

Women at the airstrip in the village of Pieri, Sudan, near the Ethiopian border.

Lane helping to refuel AIM Air’s Caravan from the only fuel source around–55-gallon barrels brought in by plane–in Kauda, Sudan, in the central Nuba Mountains.

An ancient muslim mosque/fortress in Kauda, Sudan.

**The “souk” —or central market—in Kauda, Sudan. Kauda was completely abandoned during Sudan’s civil war, and the residents—all Muslims—split between supporting the northern and southern troops. But recently, people and commerce have begun ?

Sunrise at the Kauda airstrip, in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.

The main drag in downtown Lokichoggio, Kenya—a major supply depot for relief supplies going into South Sudan.

This DC-9, damaged after running off the runway, is only one of many wrecked “gate guardians” at airports across Africa. Africa has an accident rate 13 times the international average for transport aircraft.

Lane strapping into an AN-32 cargo plane in Lokichoggio, Kenya.

Lane aboard the AN-32 en route to Nyamlel, Sudan, with a cargo of supplies for a new school being built there.

Lane meeting children in Nyamlel, Sudan–one of many villages abandoned during Sudan’s 22-year civil war where villagers are returning and trying to rebuild.

Water tank on a donkey cart, Nyamlel, Sudan.

The arrival of an AN-32 supply plane is a big event in Nyamlel–the whole village turns out to see what cargo has arrived.

Unloading the cargo from the AN-32 cargo plane, operated by 748 Air Services out of Lokichoggio, Kenya.

Lane in the cockpit of the AN-32 with its Russian captain, Mikhail. Note the two Garmin 195 GPS units on the glareshield.

Street scene in Juba–the capital of South Sudan.

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