XP11 Islamabd to Gilgit

[bernd1151 5,820]

The beauty being able to create your own photoscenery is that you can repeat flights that you have done in real life, in scenery that looks exactly as you remember. In my case, it was in the mid-1980s in a Fokker F 27 of the Pakistan Air Force. These flights into Gilgit were risky and on two occasions, we had to turn back because of weather.

We could have done the trip by car, which would have taken slightly less than one-and-a-half days on rough to very rough roads (one way). And you were not allowed to drive during darkness, meaning you had to stop in one of the small road houses available to travelers.

 

The F 27 is parked at the military part of Islamabad Intern.

 

On our way north

 

First glimpse of the Himalayas

 

 

 

The tall mountain in the distance at 2 o’clock is the Nanga Parbat

 

 

 

 

The road you see below the plane is the road that leads to Gilgit. It’s the only one.

 

Gilgit. Now comes the moment of truth

 

There was in those days in Gilgit no such thing as a missed approach for an F 27. You either nailed it or you had it

 

 

[John_Cillis 2,406]

So nice, love the location, aircraft and photo scenery!  Great job!

[HaraldG 559]

Very impressive, particularly the view to Nanga Parbat.

May I ask what it needed to get a flight with the Pakistan Air Force to Gilgit? Did they handle the passenger traffic to trekking or mountaineering locations? I can hardly imagine that this is possible these days...

[bernd1151 5,820]

2 hours ago, HaraldG said:

Very impressive, particularly the view to Nanga Parbat.

May I ask what it needed to get a flight with the Pakistan Air Force to Gilgit? Did they handle the passenger traffic to trekking or mountaineering locations? I can hardly imagine that this is possible these days...

No, Harald. In those days I lived in Lahore and worked for a German pharmaceutical company. Before that I was an officer in the Luftwaffe and we had a liaison with the Pakistan Air Force.  That of course helped me, when I was stationed in Lahore. Flights to Gilgit were all handled by PIA, but the Pakistan Air Force had an outpost there, so they flew with the F 27 from the military part of Islamabad on occasion also to Gilgit. And they invited me and my wife to come along. We flew from Lahore to Islamabad and boarded there the military flight to Gilgit. Due to this connection with the Air Force, we were also invited to stay with the Emir of Gilgit and Kashmir in his palace in Gilgit. I have plenty of photos to show this, but of course not here on avsim.

As you already said, all of this would not be possible today anymore and that is why both my wife and I cherish the memories.