The U-Dream Global team of South African teenage pilots, who built their own sling 4 aircraft, have arrived in Kilimanjaro Tanzania on the way to their final destination of Cairo. This plane was built by a group of 20 South African teenagers by the support of an NGO, U-Dream Global. The teenagers said that it took them 10 days to build the plane though it was not an easy task for them because it was their first time.
After spending the past few days negotiating with Kenyan authorities for flight clearance to land in Nairobi was unsuccessful the team left Zanzibar on Sunday.
“The authorities in Kenya say they were not happy with our routing and thus denied us entry,” said team leader Des Werner, father of 17- year old Megan Werner, founder of U- Dream Global.
“We do have the option to change routings but we just don’t have the time for it. Our feeling is that if they are difficult then we just don’t go there. It is after all their own country that misses out in terms of our team interacting with and inspiring youth in their country.”
The team is due to depart for Uganda tomorrow but they are still awaiting their permit to fly into Addis Ababa which is currently following their scheduled stop.
Mr Werner added that they are slightly behind scheduled but will catch up if all goes well and hope to be in Cairo around 7 July.
The team is flying two four-seater sling 4 aircraft-one flown by teenage pilots who have swapped since departing Cape Town on 15 June and another flown by an experienced support crew.
Mr. Werner, who is flying in the support air craft, says the team is in good spirits and that flying conditions have been generally good.
