Al Ahsa Work Out

The forecast weather doesn't look much better today in Al Ahsa than it did yesterday, but the current weather is, so we decide to head on!  Our decision is partly swayed by the fact that the weather in Ha'il appears to be getting worst.  It looks as if we are following them sands storms around Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  Looking ahead we also see that Al Ain is IMC today also.  Maybe we are "The Sand Storm Chasers".  

Are taxi driver for the airport is an old leather skinned local with a really nice mannerism.  All the local so far have been real friendly if not completely efficient.  We arrive at the airport and report to the SGS offices and sit around for another half hour before we can head of to the helicopter.  Customs hand us our passports in a sealed envelope and explain to us that we need to hand the sealed envelope to immigration at Al Ahsa along with the immigration document.  

Dropped of by SGS on the apron we make our way to the helicopter, we are off there hands now, and now they are not bothered with us and let go in escorted.  At the helicopter we are cleared to lift from position an on route.  Our climb is initial to 8,500 (we were cleared to Fl090, but visibility and weight was against us).  Pretty much straight away we can see or not as the case would have that visibility is going to be an issue for this trip.  We needed to remain high in order to keep a tail wind (or at least avoid a headwind).  At our alitiuted the TAS is 110kts with DA of 11,170.  The dessert below is barely visible but we can make enough out to see crop circles below and smatterings of huts / Rvs in the desert.  Man seems to get everywhere, even in the most inhospitable of locations.  Why would anyone want to live in the desert.  It is fascinating to see.  

The auto pilot is a god send today and Peter is appearing to get used to it and see it benefits.  To be honest I do. It think that today's trip would have been possible with out it.   Today's trip is a long trip and towards the end Riyadh control make contact with us and inform us that we are to avoid military traffic and fly around a military zone and contact the Damman crontrol.  On contacting Damman control we informed that  we were unable to take big diversion due the fuel.  To our surprise they were cooperative and cleared us direct to our destination asking us to contact Darhran military.  

At FL090 we requested descent and aimed for Al Ahsa.  At around 5,000 ft the desert became a lot clearer, but Al Ahsa was still some way off in the distance.  Luckily the weather held for us as Al Ahsa was reporting 4,000 with blowing sand.  Al Ahsa uses a multi on frequency of 122.8 and a tower frequency of 118.2. On contacting tower they told us to lease with a citation jet on multicom and sort out our own traffics sequence, very bizarre.  On contact with the Jet (N734A) they let us in ahead of them (we were expect to make the field about 5 mins ahead).  With a 45 left downwind entry on Rwy34 we made a short final and landed at the far end of the runway and proceeded to the apron south of the tower as instructed by the tower control. 

This is when our work out began.  As usual here the fueler didn't want to fuel us, as usual customs want there piece of us immediately, and as usual SGS did not seem to know what was going on.  And as usual we sort it all out.  Once sorted we wrap the helicopter up and make our way to the terminal.  However, once in the terminal we are told that since we are staying over night we must move the helicopter.  Peter is not happy, and neither was I.  Peter tried in vain to convince that airport director that the helicopter was fine were it was but to no avail.  Even though the helicopter was on a massive apron, supposedly it was not big enough for Saudi  pilots to manoeuvre 737's etc. without hitting a small helicopter parked out of the way in a corner spot.  

So back out the helicopter, unwrap, repack and move to a location about 3/4 of a mile down the taxiway.  Unpack, rewrap, and back to the terminal hot and tired teds.

We were picked up by our taxi driver in a London black cab for our hotel.  We travel 9 days, some thousands of miles to jump in a black cab, go figure!  Our hotel appears to be in some back water of town, even the airport staff had not heard of it.  The hotel turns out to be a two bedroom apartment p, with no restaurant.  The front desk orders our dinner from gods knows were and we eat hamburgers and chips.  I am happy with this but I am sure Peter is missing his vegetables and vitamins.  Just before dinner we walked down the road to find some shops. I would imagine that they do not get too many westerners walk around this part of town. We find a patisserie which has some pretty amazing cake and chocolates, but the portions are too big and we find a local corner shop were we purchase snacks and something for breakfast.  

As usual we wash our clothes and plan for tomorrow before bed while being frustrated by the drip by drip wifi.

Off the see Andy tomorrow, yay!