Monday
31 July 2000
After quick customs formalities we take off at 15.11 l.t. destination Agadir
(Morocco). Initially the weather is good, then flying over Morocco we start
to meet some clutters that we avoid re-planning our route quite often, continuously
listening to the weather bulletins. Suddenly we get into a descending stream
and in a few seconds we loose 1000 feet, the autopilot keeps the nose up and
speed drops to 80 knots. Alfredo put the autopilot off and nose down; we inform
the ATC and calmly we recoup our flight level. Just before landing in Agadir,
Michele asks Maria if she has switched the hair-dryer on; the outside temperature
is 47 degrees Celsius! The mint tea is very welcome during our short technical
stop. Meteo information available in Agadir are incomplete, so we check the
weather forecast with Milan. We take off again at 18.20 l.t. in a landscape
that Maria (writer, poet and scientist of the crew) synthesizees saying that
she takes a colour picture but it will be in black and white. After the sunset,
we overfly Gran Canaria full of lights and continue to Tenerife where we land
at 22.06 l.t. With some difficulties we find our hotel driving through a town
that looks like Las Vegas. Other problem: it is difficult to get something
to eat after 14 hs. foodless.
31.7.2000 - Essaouira, en-route bad weather -
31.7.2000 time 22.00 - Tenerife Reina Sofia -
