• DISP - San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire

    November 24, 2024 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    World Heritage Sites Air Adventure: Out of Africa
    Flight 24 – 11/24/2024

    The past few days have been a string of transit flights as I work my way down the coast toward Sierra Leone and beyond. First stop: GFLL (Lungi Airport, Freetown, Sierra Leone). Despite the city’s legendary history, I didn’t stumble across any hidden gold treasure—just the usual airport hustle.

    From there, I hopped over to Monrovia, landing at GLRB, before heading into Côte d’Ivoire. En route, I had the privilege of flying over the breathtaking Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site straddling Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia. The reserve is famous for its lush forests, dramatic slopes, and rare species—definitely a highlight from the air.

    I touched down at DIMN (Man Airport, Dix-Huit Montagnes, Côte d’Ivoire), where things got lively. Twice, as I called out “FINAL,” ATC had to cancel my visual landing clearance due to a logjam of AI traffic. Honestly, it was kind of fun not to be alone in the airspace for a change. Of course, a pesky Vans aircraft dropped in on my approach and then managed to block the taxiway—guess even in West Africa, there’s always someone who can’t park straight!

    Later today, I’ll head down and out to the coast, aiming for DISP (San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire). Here’s hoping the next airport is less crowded—and the taxiways are clear!
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