From the Middle East to Middle India

Well it’s been quite a transition in the last week, from the surprisingly rainy Deserts of Saudi Arabia displaying some cloud cover and hence therefore “relatively” cool, to be now faced with the oppressively hot 47 degree Celsius heat of Nagpur and Raipur. At least it is a dry heat with little humidity, unlike later in the summer as the monsoon creeps across the continent.

The weather for flying has been good  - apart from the daily sauna on the ground whilst getting ready! I don’t recall pre flight checks during my early flight training in Cumbria (N.W. England) make any mention of seeking out the nearest spare baggage trolley to keep the fuel in the shade until the very last minute before departure. Photo below of an Indian maintenance crew not sure where to start on this funny little aircraft.

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Norman has landed at Raipur, India

Norman has landed at Raipur, India at 8.37 (IST) remember that is 13.37 local time

Norman flies to Raipur / notes from the heart of India

Norman flies further east from Nagpur to Raipur in India. This is a relatively short flight of 174 miles / 280 kilometers which should take him about 2 hours.

Norman has now reached steaming heat as he flies through the heart of tropical India.  The temperature on arrival at Nagpur was a blistering 47.  While he had the relief of sea breezes the previous day there was no such relief yesterday. Norman below, with the Indian crew, looking a little blurred after his long flight to Nagpur.

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Norman has landed at Nagpur

Norman has landed at Nagpur, Indian at 13.50 (IST)

Norman immortalized in a newspaper cartoon because of flying ban

Norman has been immortalized in a newspaper (Belfast Telegraph) cartoon today.  As the rest of Europe and beyond is a no fly zone Norman flies on. The cartoon suggests if he was back at home in Northern Ireland he could offer his services to holiday makers wanting to head for the Mediterranean sun. This of course would be at a slower pace, one at a time with some stops in France or Italy - sounds good!

Norman is flying in Indian today

Norman plans to fly in Indian today to:

• Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport VAID 
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Int. Nagpur  VANP

While on his way to Ahmadabad he crossed a range of interesting sights.  The most notable were vast salt flats of the Saurashtra coastline between the Gulf of Cambay and the Gulf of Kutch which some what strangely reminded him of the Yorkshire Dales. This is near where he went to college. He said he even started humming the theme of the famous 80's British TV drama series 'All creatures great and small' . This was based on the books by James Herriot about the work of a vet in the north of England. 

He also saw what he considers a real oasis, not the rock band, in the arid lands between Pakistan and India. Keeping on the theme of desert he witnessed a dust storm which he was able to fly above. This was all probably over the Thar Desert in Pakistan's Sindh province.



Media interest has been rising in Indian with Norman doing various interviews and two photographers chasing him.  The latter is particularly difficult because of security at airports.


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Norman has landed in India

Norman has landed at Ahmedabad, India at 11.14 (IST) in the lush green state of Gujarat. We have been told that Ahmedabad and Gujrat in general are famous for traditional Indian sweets. 

India here Norman comes!

Norman plans to fly to the Republic of India today the world's largest democracy - staggering 1.2 billion people. This leg of his journey could present the greatest challenge as the last attempt to fly an autogyro around the world faltered here. Expedition Global Eagle (logo below) took place in 2004 and was abandoned in the far east of India because of the monsoon generated difficult weather.

Norman's journey through India will be a total of over 1,450 miles / 2,300 kilometers - a challenge in anyones book. He will be traveling in an easterly direction from the cities of Ahmadabaad in the west to Kolkata in the east.  Below are the places Norman plans stops: 

• Ahmadabaad VAAH - 18 Apri
  
• Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport VAID - 19 April
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Int. Nagpur  VANP - 19 April
• Raipur Airport VARP - 20 April
• Jamshedpur Airport VEJS - 21 April
• Kolkata Airport VECC - 21 April

Obviously this is subject to weather conditions, flight permissions and a myriad of other things. Because of the very hot weather Norman is now departing very early in the morning local time. 


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Norman has landed at Karachi, Pakistan

Norman has landed at Jinnah International Airport Karachi, Pakistan at 10.45 (IST)

Tales of jagged mountains, Iranian airspace and security conscious Pakistan

Norman flies to Karachi, Pakistan today where it is 33 °C and sunny.  It will take him about three and half hours covering over 300 miles / 480 kilometers. He reached Pakistan via Abu Dhabi and Oman. When Norman departed Abu Dhabi he considered that the Hajar Mountains in Oman might, like the rolling hills of Ulster, offer a quick stop off or a scenic fly by.  Such notions soon evaporated when saw the reality. What he witnessed was something completely different to his home - jagged peaks with very steep plunges. Photo below shows Norman and Gyrox getting the VIP treatment as they are rolled out from the Abu Dhabi hanger by no less than seven staff.

Entering Muscat and for those closely following the SPOT tracker you will notice he had to divert around restricted airspace. When landing and departing Norman drew on his famous haggling skills to try and alleviate the impact of the very high landing and fuel charges he has been met with in parts of the Middle East. He was successful!


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