Why fly a small single engine airplane around the world? A simple enough question to ask, you might say, but when put to the Bazflyers any relevant response is boarder line complex. Perhaps naively at first, the underlying premise for such a question was for some while misinterpreted by the Bazflyers. Why? Well when directed to the Bazflyers such a question is not normally formulated to elicit a stereotype response about adventure and seeing the world. No, not at all. It invariably spearheads a polite inquisition motivated by incredulity concerning a ‘senior-age’ couple flying a small airplane so far from their home. From a woke perspective this could be ageism...!
No such inference weighs upon the Bazflyers. Rather than viewing age as a physical and cognitive decline until the end, they have embraced the positive changes that take place as you grow older. After all ageing is a privilege denied to many. This is only too apparent as the ‘wings of friendship’ makes its way across the vast open spaces of Russia. A land where in terms of age the Bazflyers well and truly exceed the average person’s lifespan...and are pursuing an unexpected activity....which perhaps helps explain media fascination.
However, when it comes to things old the Altai Republic of Russia, geographically lying immediately north of Mongolia, revealed many surprises hitherto unknown to the Bazflyers. Comanche ZK-BAZ alighted on the modern airport of Gorno-Altaisk, the capital of this very scenic and mountainous region. Some hours spent at the city’s imposing National Museum was an amazing history lesson with artefacts chronologically tracing an innovative culture for a period of 50,000 years.
Today’s scheduled departure from Gorno-Altaisk to Krasnoyarsk was delayed 24 hours due to on-route weather conditions, the type possessing icy fingers. Not having any desire to participate the Bazflyers chose a rest day in lieu, beneficial at times for an aged pilot’s body. Growing older means we are able to differentiate our needs from our wants while focusing on the matters in our lives that are relevant....like the occasional nap.
The Bazflyers are here
Another media interview this time in the Gorno-Altaysk airport.
And waiting for the Bazflyers at Gorno-Altaysk airport were David and Tom Berger (father & son) who are flying their very nicely equipped Cessna 185 from the USA to Australia going the wrong way round
Gorno-Altaysk (UNBG) is a very morgen airport
Cafe lunch local style
The next sector is 800 kms to the city of Krasnoyarsk
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