Opportunity to fly light aircraft in South America

[sonofaeagle]

Has anyone done any flying down south? What is it like? Got a good story?
Whats the ATC environment like?

 

[CommStudent]

Has anyone done any flying down south? What is it like? Got a good story?
Whats the ATC environment like?

Flew a few times down in Rio de Janeiro (out of SBJR). The scenery is AWSOME, ATC is good, however, their english leaves much to be desired.

Did a few approaches into SBRJ, some are interesting. Juliet6 and Juliet11 are pretty chalenging. Since the area is blessed with gigantic rock structure sticking out of the ground, a straight-in approach is not very likely, so you end up flying something like a dog-leg on instruments (a mix of NDB and VOR).

 

[sonofaeagle]

The reason I ask is because I may have the opportunity to fly indirectly for a govt agency down there. Just wondering what pro's and con's may be.

 

[AcroChik]

Columbia?

If that is your potential destination, I woud think carefully about the entire exercise.

Bogota is a challenging and actually dangerous environment, where, in my own opinion, the civil, para~military and military security services are as problematic as the people they are protecting you from.

The only place in Columbia worth spending any time at all is Cartagena, where the government has invested heavily to ensure at least a minimal flow of foreign exchange via tourism into the country. It's a lovely place, and I am there on average twice each year. There's some wonderful dining and scuba diving there.

Columbia would not be a place to take family or children for any extended stay, due to underlying secitity issues and health care access.

 

[Flechas]

Colombia

If that is your potential destination, I woud think carefully about the entire exercise.

Bogota is a challenging and actually dangerous environment, where, in my own opinion, the civil, para~military and military security services are as problematic as the people they are protecting you from.

The only place in Columbia worth spending any time at all is Cartagena, where the government has invested heavily to ensure at least a minimal flow of foreign exchange via tourism into the country. It's a lovely place, and I am there on average twice each year. There's some wonderful dining and scuba diving there.

Columbia would not be a place to take family or children for any extended stay, due to underlying secitity issues and health care access.

Although I agree that Colombia is not the safest country, I would not go as far as saying that Cartagena is the only city worth spending any time in. Colombia is a beautiful country blessed with very kind people and by far, some of the most beautiful women in the world. If you are open minded and like something different, give it a try. Cities like Bogota and Medellin are like any large city in the world, have safe and dangerous places.

And by the way, it's spelled Colombia, not Columbia, thats in South Carolina.

Flechas

 

[AcroChik]

Colombia

I'm sitting here reading / typing in the middle of a Columbia University alumni association conference call (how boring can an afternoon get?). And I'm blonde. U? O? All the same to silly me.

No matter what anyone tells you, travelling in Colombia is an activity undertaken best knowing you are engaged in an activity entailing actualrisk, and being appropriately forewarned and thus prepared. I have extensive family, business and personal experience in the country.

In any event, hopefully his flying opportunity is in Chile, which is by far, in my own humble, limited and inexperienced opinion of course, currently the best place to spend time in South America (socially, culturally, politically, economically, stability, etc).

 

[Flechas]

Get out of there, go have a beer or something?

Why do you go to Colombia twice a year?

 

[AcroChik]

It's a lovely place, and I am there on average twice each year.

Work~related.

 

[flint4xx]

The reason I ask is because I may have the opportunity to fly indirectly for a govt agency down there. Just wondering what pro's and con's may be.

For specific answers you must ask specific questions. What you ask is too vague. What government, what aircraft, and what country? And spare us the "secrecy" crap, it's been discussed on this board for years by some of us that have been there already.

 

[pilot_guy]

Welcome to dope flight 1.

For specific answers you must ask specific questions. What you ask is too vague. What government, what aircraft, and what country? And spare us the "secrecy" crap, it's been discussed on this board for years by some of us that have been there already.

Just my .02, but I bet he's going down there to fly a spray plane in one of the coca eradication projects. They always advertise for that in Trade-A-Plane, etc.

...better him than me. Getting hosed down by the FARC hiding in a tree line waiting for you to make a pass on a patch isn't my idea of a good time, especially when you ain't got anything to shoot back with.