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

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Key Takeaways:

Pat Patten, a pilot for Flying Medical Service in Tanzania, relies heavily on dead reckoning during IFR flights.
Unlike U.S. IFR flying, Tanzanian IFR flying often involves self-reporting position in uncontrolled airspace.
Patten's flights involve navigating hundreds of miles, avoiding thunderstorms, and potential runway hazards (like elephants).
The article highlights the significant differences between IFR flying in the U.S. and Tanzania.

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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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