3 weeks in Uganda!

Even though I am missing having the rest of the family here with me, time is definitely flying by just now! I have been here now for almost 3 weeks!  It helps that life here in Uganda is really quite busy just now. I am getting settled into Kampala, and enjoying working with the rest of the team here. There is a good mix of Nationalities represented in MAF Uganda, with Scots, English, Dutch, Swiss, Canadian, American, Ethiopian and (of course!) Ugandan flags all flying; having such a wide range of backgrounds makes for a well balanced team… and an interesting mix of accents!!

Kajjansi Airfield from above - our hangar is the white one!

Work in the hangar is going well too. Having 6 aircraft and a busy flying schedule means that you are never far away from an inspection of some sort, but I have also been able to spend a bit of time working on replacing a leading edge skin on one of our 206’s. It has been nice to be back involved in the kind of work we did a lot of at MMS, although until my own toolbox arrives I am borrowing tools from other people, and seem to spend as much time hunting for things as I do working!

Installing a new leading edge on a 206

The MAF Uganda programme continues to be a busy one. Since long long ago MAF have had their admin and operations office in Makindye, on the south side of Kampala, with the airfield 30 minutes south at Kajjansi. The plan for quite a while has been to build an office block at the airfield and keep all of our departments on the same site. This came one step closer with a “ground breaking” ceremony at the airport earlier this week. As with lots of things in Africa, the completed office isn't expected any time too soon, but the process is underway!!

Ground breaking ceremony for the new office.

Away from the airport, I have been getting my head around some of the finer points of driving in Kampala! It is very different to driving back in Scotland; I sat my driving test in Mallaig, where at that time they didn't have a round-about and only had some temporary traffic lights at a section of roadworks! Needless to say I had a chuckle to myself as I successfully negotiated one of Kampala’s round abouts! (No amount of round-about-ability from the UK translates to round-abouts here!!) All that said, it is amazing how quickly you get into the mind-set of driving over here; my only worry is whether I will be able to get back into UK-mode when I get back to Scotland!!

"I think that guy just maneuvered before 'mirror, signal'..."

Thanks again for all you support, prayers, thoughts and interest in what we are doing with MAF!