What on earth are Plumpey Nuts?

This blog is in answer to the question, What on earth are Plumpy Nuts? So this is a re-edited blog that only 31of you read from last year so 'tuck-in'. 

However I will be back in Uganda on assignment in November 

so stand by for some fresh blogs from the Equator.

Plumpy Nuts what a wonderful name for a food...

"Ok I will take 9 boxes in pod B, 8 in Pod C and the other 45 in the cabin,"  each weighs 14kg so sweat soon trickles off, tickling my nose as I do my 32nd twist and turn, great for the waste line but doubt I'll never be able to limbo dance again! Loading Plumpy Nuts in the Juba heat, South Sudan's capitol  where we have our south Sudan base is hard graft but we soon have them on board and they are strapped down.

The refuelling truck pulls up take on board 512 litres of Juba's best Jet A-1. Once the fuel is signed for I double check the weight and balance, as whilst the aircraft looks empty with all the seats out we have a  ton of 'peanut butter' on board; not a kg more can it lift.

I am about to move about 5 tonnes of these boxes and other assorted medicines and supplies up to northern Southern Sudan for SCF over the next four days as well as pick up an AID Sudan team now Every Village http://www.everyvillage.org. The plumpy nuts (what a great name) in particular will save countless lives and make a real difference to many, particularly children in extremis.

Jim Le Huray (check out Jim's film)
supervising the unloading

I spot the airstrip 15 miles out, a khaki patch standing out as clear as a bell, against the sea of waving green, as despite the lack of rain, the grasslands look surprisingly lush from the air. The first trip takes me up to Waat over 200nm north of Juba, it is a new strip for me and as it is a freight flight, I bank hard over the black cotton soil airfield, getting a good look at the land below me. Boxes seldom complain about such manoevers. 

I can see the airstrip is a pleasant place for some of the locals today! However despite passing very low over the cattle, they barely raise an eyebrow today but they do take the hint and 'push off.' It also gives me a chance to look out for any standing water or any other obvious hazards that might be there to trip me up but it has not rained for a few days so there is only one area about 200m long that I had best avoid.  The cattle having ambled off, noses in the air, somewhat irritated by this giant fly that  zipped past their 'horn tops' at 110kts disappear into the bush. Another couple of hard banks keeping the circuit really tight and I am lined up again on the field, to the right of where I guess the runways centre line should be,  best avoid the muddy areas that would definately ruin my day if I landed on them, a rattle of wheels as I apply reverse thrust and brake hard and my shoulders push against my harness. Scotty alias 5X-SCO stops in no time at all as the tyres grip terra firma bringing me rapidly to walking speed, I then taxi to the far end to where I think the runway ends!

                                         

Father Christmas and his other job - One of the world's great secrets.

Recently I was on assignment in an undisclosed destination in the Africa, when I was somewhat flabergasted to come across the world's most experienced pilot. I was given a rare and somewhat exclusive interview as well as an opportunity to ride side-kick with this merry bundle of fun. Yes, you've guessed it, it was Santa Claus. Rumour always had it that he spent his time hanging out with Misses Claus and building toys in the off season but I can tell you with absolute confidence that these rumours are just that, rumours...

I picked up with Father Claus refuelling his Cessna 208 Caravan on a piece of rare African concrete. He was heard to have said whilst pumping in some JET A-1, "I was flying before the the Wright Brothers were out of nappies (diapers) anyway they were a pair of cowboys.... and who do you think gave them their first propeller anyway, though twas hell getting it down the chinmey!" 

He looked somewhat trimmer than normal but I guess it is red that makes you look fat and he looked in good form in his blues, well for a man of his age anyway. I can now reliably say in his off season from January 1st to Dec 24th that he keeps current at his flying by working with some really interesting guys, in an organisation called MAF - Mission Aviation Fellowship. I asked him what MAF was all about. He grinned at me his eyes sparkling out from under his bushy eyebrows & his weather beaten bronzed skin, all seemed at odds with his snowy white beard! "Well we fly these small aircraft, there are about 130 of them, based in over 30 different countries, each able to bring help hope and healing to some of the remotest communities  in the world, we partner with lots of organsations and it is great getting to know some remarkable people and supporting them in their work."

Loading some medicines for MedAir

     Flying up some blood for the blood bank                

I was dying to know though why one of the world's oldest and most experienced pilots in the world fly small aircraft for MAF.  Throwing back his head and giving a loud "ho ho ho, well I guess it keeps my hand in, as landing a sledge with 6 frisky reindeers on an upsloping roof, in a cross wind in driving snow, takes a bit of handling, well it feels about the same as a heavily ladden Caravan going into Kaabong on a hot and windy day! So I guess Christmas day flying keeps me on my toes for MAF and MAF operations keeps me in the game for C'mas day! Hey I'll tell you these Reindeers are great fun but  not nearly as much as flying an amphibious floatplane in Bangladesh, now that is the bees knees, nothing quite compares with that. I guess I make a lot of difference to people on Dec 25th but these guys make a difference to lots of people on the other 364 days of the year and I love just helping them do it."There was a whistful look in Santa's face as his mind raced off to watery flights in warmer climes flown long ago.

                                          Unloading with Bishop Bismark in South Sudan.
So if you want to find out why Father C flies with MAF, why don't you check out their web sites, perhaps even sign up for their free magazine. So if you live in the UK use  www.maf-uk.org,  in the US www.maf.org and Australia www.maf.org.au So Merry Christmas from me Bryan at Biggles Abroad

Stopping by for a cup of tea with the Karamajong

A well earned rest me think's

A break with ground staff. No reindeer to muck out here!

The Guernsey Press and a cup of Rooibos bliss!

So Merry Christmas from me Bryan at Biggles Abroad

Dodging raindrops a great Ugandan sport!

The weather seems very wet this November, unseasonally so, a number of the pilots have had long flights and the odd unexpected overnight dodging raindrops. This is an account of such a day that I wrote not so long ago. What a day, flew about 8hrs including an extra 250nm avoiding awful weather – just about everywhere. It did not seem that bad getting out of Kajjansi but hit a wall of heavy rain after 40 miles and low cloud, west looked dark & foreboding, decided to go east along with another aircraft in the area.

This is part of a black cotton soil strip after recent rain best described as not great!

 Eventually got around the weather, somewhat off course and headed up to Arua for refueling, customs and Immigration. Arua had had very heavy rain overnight but the strip is well drained and although made of compacted murram is in tip top condition, as it is used by small airliners. Took on two barrels of fuel - 400litres - and headed NW out over the Congo to Yambio in SW Sudan another 1.5 hrs away. Visibility was good but gradually the ceiling got lower and lower and I was being forced more and more east and I wanted to go west and eventually the clouds touched the ground and as we did not plan on going any further by road, I had to divert to my bolt hole at Yei – always have an out in bad weather, actually once Yei bound all very pleasant. Munch a tasty flapjack – pleasant sugar boost. Waited half an hour on the ground, the wx is definately moving west, cannot wait too long if I am to complete the flight today. Soon climbing out and heading to Yambio again. Spoke with a UN aircraft that had sneaked out of Yambio, and he advised me it was not that good there, our Op’s Manager in Kampala had checked the satellite photo’s and he thought wx was moving off. Decided to route over Maridi, another good bolt hole, I could always leave the freight there and at least bring back most of my passengers to Entebbe, as I had been going there after Yambio anyway. Passing overhead Maridi, which has some low cloud, 

I look down and I can see the air-strip below the whispy clouds, so I carry on west. A wall of black weather stands proud and defiant on the horizon but I reckon it is just beyond Yambio town now and so of little consequence. Great, got in as the strip, though a tad damp is clear, 600kg medicines for Nzara Hoz & Tambora Diosc & 2 pax, already bright and sunny! Soon my  shirt  is soaked from sweat unloading and loading the freight, as really warm and quite muggy after the rain. Doors are shut, pax strapped in, the turbine is going full tilt and we are heading down the airstrip, bank left into a 180 and abt 30mins to Maridi, then a pleasant jaunt down to Arua , as I 

decide to clear the paper work there as well as  take on extra fuel.  Parked up we  hear the deep rumblings from a huge approaching storm, a large wall of darkness  steaming into Arua. Head out East where it is very clear but  difficult to find a way through tot he south, so after half an hour I am further from home than when I took off, my current escape route will take me for coffee at a mission station in Nimule back in Sudan! At last a clear gap ..... I gradually weave my way down country, pass Gulu – at least that is in Uganda, after that Masindi, then Jinja. All the time I press on and I have to calculate can I get to my diversion strip before last landing time and also feed in a few what if’s into the equation. Look at pax all happy reading their books or asleep, as despite the weather it has been pretty smooth. Samuel is ahead of me by 40 minutes but when I get to the clear airspace he was in, more bad weather. Fox-Fox tells me it is nice in Kampala, Entebbe weather is good but…… was just thinking it might be an overnight now in Jinja and I then I am through, beautiful & sunny, 'what weather' I say!!! I can still make Entebbe before last landing time by a few minutes, beautiful touch down, am sure passengers do not realise we are on the ground, they disembark quickly remarking , 'what a nice flight it was!' No paper work needed, so I can 'leg it' to Kajjansi, only 12 miles away, I am allowed another 15 minutes of 'daylight'. 


Traffic driving home is really heavy and takes forever, this is definitely the dangerous part of the day. Arrive back at the office almost 13hrs after I left it, tired with all the passengers and freight in the right place, twas’ a good day. 

The best part of flying has to be ...

       ... the 4 stripes on the shoulders, the way they call you Commander in Franco-phone countries, definitely the difference you can make to a  lot of people using a large piece of noisy aluminum, being part of a team that extends from supporters in Guernsey, Jersey, Sark, Alderney, UK, New Zealand, Australia and a few other places to the front left seat and everyone in between, possibly the fact that every one looks up at you (pun intended), fulfilling a boy hood dream or answering a call to fulfil your dream from the King of Kings - actually I'll go for all 7!

What is the best the best part of flying def...has to be the landing .... Here are a few African ones that I have filmed over the last few years, which you may find of interest? 

You can also find more on bigglesgsy on youtube.

It might look like peanut butter but if your hungry it's a banquet

From my July Blogg. I was asked to tell a little more about Plumpey nuts, so thought a spot of video would tell it all...

Gave a chap from Save the Children a lift 1hr 20 flight back to Juba and asked him how long would it have been by road? 'Oh 2-3 days assuming you can get through!'

Parts of South Sudan's small network of roads are quite difficult to travel by road at the best of times but there are seasons in the year when they become downright almost impossible to navigate and that is when MAF really does come into it's own .... 
Flying over a thin brown pencil line in the green sward below me, the road as if  drawn with ruler disappeared into the distance, yet closer examination showed it as a mass of puddles, ponds and small lakes,  that must easily turn to a quagmire once any weight is applied to the surface, especially where there is black cotton soil - should think that was the end of  that, till things dry out a bit!  

Even with the long arm of MAF getting around here is not easy. Have just had 4 days flying up in the north of South Sudan, loved it I have to say, a demanding environment. Amazingly green, I had jotted down on my knee board when the muse was upon me, ‘The verdant grasslands stretch before me, a luxurious green carpet as far as the eyes can see, to my right  the Nile winks in the morning sun.’ but the rains have been light this year ...well the media have let us know that, so the disaster ‘sown’ years before, unfolds in northern Kenya, Eastern Sudan and Somalia. 


This trip much of my freight was plumpey nuts and I add below a spot of film that perhaps fills in a few gaps on these strange squidgy aluminium foil packets ...

Plumpey nuts fill many an eager stomach and provides for physical needs & hope for another day, alongside this runs the Jesus Church, purveyors of spiritual hope.  Only a fool says in his heart that you only need one of these.

Plumpey Nuts ......what a great name for a food - that truly saves lives

Plumpey Nuts what a great name for a food.....

"Ok I will take 9 boxes in pod B, 8 in Pod C and the other 45 in the cabin." Sweat tickles my nose as I do the 32nd twist and turn, great for the waste line but doubt I'll never be able to limbo dance again! Loading Plumpey Nuts in the Juba heat, the new Capitol of South Sudan is hard work but we soon have them on board and strapped down. 

The refuelling truck pulls up and I load on board 512 litres of Juba's best Jet A-1. Once the fuel is signed for I double check the weight and balance, as whilst the aircraft is full (not a kg more can it lift), it actually looks pretty empty with all the seats out, as the cargo I am transporting today is pretty dense. 

I am about to move about 5 tonnes of these boxes and other assorted medicines and supplies up to northern Southern Sudan for SCF over the next four days as well as pick up an AID Sudan team. The plumpey nuts (what a great name) in particular will save countless lives and make a real difference to many, particularly children in extremis.

I spot the airstrip 15 miles out, a khaki patch standing out as clear as a bell, against the sea of waving green, as despite the lack of rain, the grasslands look surprisingly lush from the air. First load in is to Waat over 200nm north of Juba, it is a new strip for me and as it is a freight flight, I bank hard over the black cotton soil airfield, getting a good look at the land below me. Boxes seldom complain about such manoevers, then line up on the centre of the airfield and pass very low over the somewhat rough surface in an effort to encourage the cattle wandering across it to 'push off.' Also gives me a chance to look out for any standing water or any other obvious hazards that might be there to trip me up but it has not rained for a few days so there is only one area about 200m long that I had best avoid.  The cattle amble off, noses in the air, somewhat irritated by this giant fly that has just zipped past their 'horn tops' at 110kts. Another couple of hard banks keeping the circuit really tight and I am lined up again on the field, to the right of where I guess the runways centre line should be, as best avoid the muddy areas that would definately ruin my day if I landed on them, a rattle of wheels as I apply reverse thrust and brake hard and my shoulders push against my harness. Scotty (5X-SCO) stops in no time and I taxi to the far end of where I think the runway ends!

Once on the deck, Save the Children's truck reverses up to the rear freight door and the straps securing the cargo are quickly whipped off as I have to do this again before the day is out, we get the cargo unloaded. I start passing the boxes out,  this beats any gym session. The Land Cruisers suspension groans under the load.

 Here I have Jim Le Huray my co-pilot resting for a while on the plumpey nuts on a later flight up to Akobo, now that is one 'rubbish' airstrip - not much fun when dryish, suspect it soon becomes unusable when wettish!

'
Plumpey nuts are  are in a distinctive red and white box each weighing 14.7kg, this is one load of 'peanut butter' that is going to a very good home .....

Wikapedia say  Plumpy’nut is frequently used as a treatment for emergency malnutrition cases. It helps with rapid weight gain, which can make the difference between life and death for a young child. The product is also easy for children to eat since they can feed themselves the soft paste. The fortified peanut butter-like paste contains a balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins (macronutrients), and vitamins and minerals (micronutrients). Peanuts contain mono-unsaturated fats, which are easy to digest. They are also very high in calories, which means that a child will get a lot of energy from just small amounts, important because malnutrition shrinks the stomach. They are rich in zinc and protein — both good for the immune system and to aid long bone growth in reversing stunted height, while protein is also needed for muscle development. Peanuts are also a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps to convert food into energy.