Article by Brittany Urbach, Hills of Africa Travel’s Marketing Director
When I first started with Hills of Africa Travel as their marketing director, I had never been to Africa – but, of course, it was on my bucket list!
Shortly after joining the team, I had the opportunity to visit South Africa – I was ecstatic to say the least. I pretty much already had my bags packed.
It wasn’t until I received my official African safari vacation itinerary that I realized during my trip I would need to fly on multiple small aircrafts – or puddle jumpers as I used to refer to them.
I was starting to get nervous and second guessing my decision. I thought, there has to be another way for me to get from point A to point B instead of taking an airplane. Ah, yes, a road transfer!
Turns out I could take a road transfer from Johannesburg to Sabi Sands Game Reserve but it would take five hours and I would miss a day on safari. So I knew that wasn’t an option.
I refused to miss this trip of a lifetime just because I was scared of flying on two one-hour flights in a small aircraft. I also needed to remind myself a few times that Hills of Africa Travel would never send me (or any of our clients) on an unsafe flight!
So, when the day arrived to take a 6-seater airplane to Sabi Sands my anxiety reared its ugly head. My palms started sweating, my heart started racing, and I felt light-headed and dizzy.
As I hopped aboard (shaking up the skinny staircase into the plane) I made eye contact with our pilot, realized he didn’t have a co-pilot with him, and blurted out (without even consciously thinking) “Can I sit with you?”
“Sure!” he said.
Oh, well, ok then! I hopped up front with our pilot and for the first time in my life, was in a cockpit, looking out over an airplane nose.
Before I knew it, the pilot got the propeller running and we were shooting down the runway before the wheels ever so delicately lifted from the ground. I felt safe and calm and the coolest part was that the pilot talked me through everything he was doing! He then explained the intricate details of how airplanes take off and land, and how they operate when you’re souring thousands of feet above the ground. And of course every once in a while he’d get a message from traffic control and speak with them before continuing on his route and continuing with his flying lesson.
Once we landed I practically skipped off that airplane with a huge smile on my face and not a care in the world. It was one of the highlights of my life – no kidding! If someone were to tell me that flying in a small aircraft was going to be a highlight of my life I would have laughed in their face.
So, you see, there’s nothing to fear on the small aircrafts in Africa – they are actually quite fun!
Of course, you want to be sure that you are utilizing reputable airline companies, which a trusted Africa safari specialist will know and always use. At Hills of Africa Travel, we only use the best of the best and each and everyday, these small airlines take hundreds of passengers safely throughout Africa.
So, if the fear of small airplanes are either preventing you from taking a life-changing trip to Africa, or adding hours of road transfer time to your itinerary, give us a call at 800.940.9344 and we can chat! I promise, you’ll actually enjoy your light aircraft flights!