Japan Times — A dozen biplanes taking part in a vintage air rally bound for Cape Town arrived in Sudan’s capital on Sunday, with one participant walking away from a bad landing.
The aircraft dating from the 1920s and 1930s took off on Nov. 12 from the Greek island of Crete on their 13,000-km (8,000-mile) journey to Cape Town.
British pilot Maurice Kirk, 72, known as the Flying Vet, walked away from a hard landing in his Piper Cub at Khartoum airport on Sunday, organizers said.
He had only joined the rally earlier Sunday, despite his Piper Cub not being a vintage biplane, and his plane had to be towed off the runway after the mishap.
“He had a bad landing. His plane is little bit scratched, but he is absolutely fine,” Vintage Air Rally spokesman Jeremy Martin told AFP.
“He missed the rally in Greece and Egypt. … Today was the first day he had joined us.”
