Pat Patten of Flying Medical Service Talks to IFR Magazine About Flying the Gauges in the Wilds of Africa

Pat Patten of Flying Medical Service Talks to <i>IFR</i> Magazine About Flying the Gauges in the Wilds of Africa

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

IFR flying in Tanzania is characterized by self-reporting positions in uncontrolled airspace, a stark contrast to radar-vectored flights in the U.S.
Flying Medical Service pilot Pat Patten navigates hundreds of miles using dead reckoning.
Patten's flights involve unique challenges such as avoiding severe thunderstorms and preventing collisions with elephants on runways in the dark.

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In the U.S., IFR flying may be all about radar vectors and ATC. But in Tanzania, it’s mostly self-reporting your position in uncontrolled airspace. Come hear how Flying Medical Service pilot Pat Patten flies hundreds of miles on dead reckoning, stays out of the worst of the thunderstorms, and avoids running into elephants on the runway in the dark of the African night.

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