FSAirlines

She was really loving this country. Of course, it was quite a big mess to try to organise the routes of the EPSILON African branch, but she finally succeeded to force the Government to authorize her to use two more airfields, Sumbe and Uige. And she has just succeeded in getting the main information about them, as fuel cost. Now, she was able to work on an Angolan tour.

In fact, she was wanting to work in a different way than in Europe with direct liaisons. She will organize all in a huge circle, running from Luanda to north, then centre, then south and then coast main places. She will not go to east now. Even if Savimbi was killed more than 10 years ago, there was still some tensions in the diamond mines areas, and she was not wanting to fly there immediately. When the African branch will be efficient, she will study this.

A "plane ring", as she was calling it, was perhaps more appropriated to share the Angolan way of life. And especially because the passengers she was targeting was the new lower middle class population that was appearing after years of nearly peace time. This people was preferring to have time and they were not needing to go and come back in the same day. In fact, she was looking to the basis of exploitation as aerial bus lines.

Future will say if she was right.

Brown short hairs, green eyes with a severe face. It was the best way to describe Samantha Adonis. But, when you were able to go deeper with her, you could discover a girl with a fine sense of humour, a real passion - flying - and a iron mind in a diplomatic glove, that was allowing her to enter Angolan administration without any fear.

Before to work, she wake up and had a look to the fleet that has been provided by Mr. Fitzgerald. A nice guy, dynamic and sharing the same passion. If he was not so a sexual joker, he could be a really nice guy. But not Samantha's kind. On the left of a own fleet, she could observe the rest of former soviet helicopters, mainly MI-8 and some planes, that has been given to Angola during Civil War time. They were in ruin, waiting there for years.

She had a look to her office, in fact the former United Nations hangar where UNAVEM planes, WFP planes and even IRCC acrobatic plane was based. She looked to the air cooler that was still out of order. 35° and 88% of humidity... She was preferring the conditions of the highest part, like Huambo. In fact she would have preferred to install the HUB in Huambo, but currently, for administrative reasons, it was better to stay there. But, as soon as she could, she will transfer to this very nice town.

A last look to Angolan mechanics that were learning with Matt, her chief mechanics, to take care of her "babies". Whatever could be said about Angolan, they were really, really good in mechanics, like all African people. Used to have to keep in order the little they possessed, they were very imaginative and brilliant in repairing everything. Of course, what Matt was trying to do was to force them to respect security measures and rules...

She smiled, thinking to one mechanics in Huambo she was liking a lot, named Bruno. The kind of guy able to create a fifth speed in a 4-speed box. She was far too impatient to meet him again in the Huambo disco for this to stay only at friendship level.

-"But, we have only one life", she whispered, going back to a deck to establish the new routes...

After a nice landing, Sam drove the plane to Gate 4, just in front of a own office. This "ring tour" was quite tiring, and made three times a week ! A little less than 1700 nm every 48 hours, with 6 landings and those terrible 30 minutes in each airport to wait for passengers and, worst, to deal with angolan administration.

But she was finally very pleased with this brand new C208. The first tour, she flied with a hasty C172 ! Taking in account that she was to fly 11500 feet at the main altitude, it was quite difficult to do it with such a little plane. The full tour was taking more than 18 hours of flight, not taking in account the 3 hours stuck in the airports... Now, she was only needing 12 hours with this powerfull plane.

It was just at this time that she saw some differences there.

-"Damned !", she said. "Where are the B58 and B350 ???".

As quick as procedure was allowing her, she left the C208 and reached the hangar. The planes where more and less in pieces, the wings yet prepared to be introduce inside a full 40' container. Whereas she was going to shout to everybody to receive some explanations, she saw the origin of all this mess. Mr Fitzgerald himself.

-"Fitz' ?? What are you doing there and what are you doing with my planes and... And by the Hell, when did you arrive and why didn't you inform me ??"

-"Oh ! Sam' ! I'm just reorganizing the company, as you can see. But, better to speak there, in the hangar, let's go to your office."

Sam, still a little furious and nervous, followed up the huge black guy. As he was closing the door, he said.

-"Sam', I'm very satisfied with the job you are doing there. I'm sorry with the way I arrived. I tried to inform you, but you were in The southern part and you know very well that we do not have enough communications means to speak with you. Something you should work on and upgrade. But, first, let me congratulate you for your c4 qualification that allows you to fly with all the planes I'm sending there. You can continue to progress, but for a while, we would not need here any other qualification. Sam', I decided to extend our company to the Pacific to and I opened a new HUB in Papeete - in fact Faa'a, in Tahiti Island. I want to extend a full network to Australes, Marquesians, Tuamotu Islands, and of course to Bora-Bora. As you know, to fly over Pacific with limited risk, I need all the double engines planes. It is the reason why I'm currently sending all our B58 and B350 to Tahiti. Here, you will only keep single engine planes. One C172 for your own use, eventually to transport technical team if needed. You will keep the current D2-EPS2 C208 and a second one is currently one the way from Paris to you. You have already a DC3 and I bought a second one - a cargo - to allow you to work on cargo transportation there. I know, all are quite old planes, but the are rough enough to endure flying conditions here, and more, landing conditions."

-"You should have inform me about your project ! It took month to gate registration there, and I have now to start again ?"

-"Sam', you are a good pilot. I studied all your report, and they are pretty good. I want you to concentrate on flying. It is the reason one I'm pleased to say you that I contract 3 people to solve these administrative questions for you. You will not have to do this job. What I want you to do is to fly, and to establish our strategy there to, first, enforce our network and try to have some partnership to make more money, second, to extend to direct liaisons mainly to Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Central Africa. Are my aims here comprehensive for you ?"

-"Yes of course, but I will have preferred to be informed, not to discover this after a 6 hours of flying day !"

-"Sorry, but it was a decision I took in a very short time. The company is good with money now and we can develop in the world."

-"Ok... May I offer you something to drink ? A typical CUCA beer ? "

-"Yes, ok... ", he answered, looking throw the window. "Sam ? What's about the DC3 ? I saw that you did not fly with."

-"Ah... In fact, I'm not so confident in flying with this plane. I'm quite a new pilot and it is very specific to land in a different way. You see what I mean ! the "nose" wheels before the rear ones. It's the reason I was wanting to be more experienced before to fly this plane. You know, Fitz, I do not have any copilot here and I will be alone in this 36-people plane. I'm sure you will not be pleased if I scratched all of them..."

She gives him the beer and opens one for her.

-"Saude", she said.

-"Santé", he answered, still looking outside.

-"I have time tomorrow, Sam'. What do you think about flying together ? Let's say you will be my copilot to go to, let's say, Cabinda. And I will be yours to come back. it will be a test. What do you thing about ?"

-"Really ? It's nice ! I really appreciate you offer. And I accept !"

Mr. Fitzgerald turned its look inside a beautiful blue-green eyes. He smiled.

-"And what's about passing the night together in Luanda, tonight. I remembered a very good place, the French House Club."

Mr Fitzgerald was satisfied by the way Samantha was running the Angolan HUB, key point for the extension of EPSILON va in the southern part of African continent. He looked to the just print and approved by Angolan authorities c5 qualification that will soon allow Samantha to fly greater planes to reach neighbouring countries.

He rememberer too their last week-end in Mussolo, having fun with local people and especially local music. He should come there more often !

Looking outside, he saw a plane, wearing Azorean Airways livery. There was someting he was to do before to leave the area. A local partnership could be useful to develop EPSILON strategy.

He reachs the phone and, looking to the paper with all the information he required, he phones.

-"Azorean Airways ? Bom dia ! Eu poderia falar com senhor Filipe, si faz favor?"