Sweet Federal Air

When Federal Air talk about a departure gate they mean a literal wooden gate.

Our pilot met us at the gate and walked the small group out over the tarmac to our waiting plane.  If you are never sure if you would prefer a window or an aisle seat then this plane was made for you.  With only one line of seats on each side you get to do both.

The in flight refreshments were selected from a cool box as we stepped onto the plane.  This same box was then brought on board and used by the pilot to sit on while he pulled the door shut.  No hot hostess required.

It was a fun flight.  I felt like all the flying I had done up to that point had been kind of fake.  This was cooking and all the other stuff was tv dinners.

But then we had to change planes.  For this we had to land in the middle of nowhere.  I still do not know where it was!  We only stayed at arrivals terminal (if you could call it that) for a few minutes where we met a Ranger Trainer.  I'm not sure that was his real job title but it turned out he was responsible for the training of the Rangers or Guides at the game lodge we were going to.  So what was for us a trip of a lifetime was nothing more than a commute to him!

Then we moved to the second plane.  It was even smaller than the first!
Again, the pilots walked us to the plane - all 3 passengers.  I got in at the back of the plane and after hitting my head on the ceiling I crouched, took 2 steps and sat down behind the pilot.
This was fun.  As well as just enjoying a more basic form of flying we lucked out by having the guide on board the flight.  He drew our attention at various points in our small journey to different spots on the ground.  As a guide he knew how to spot where the animals where - so before we even got there we were sighting Wilder-beast and Impala from the air!