40 Tonga - Pago Pago

26  March 2007

Getting fuel and oil in Tonga proved to be an undertaking that would take me more than 3 days of hard work.
 

When I arrived I met a guy who knew someone working for BP. And yes they had 20W50 oil. So the next morning I walked to the BP depot, to get some – but it turned out, that the oil was for the use in cars, not in aviation. And BP was not the supplier of Avgas in the airport. Avgas was only used by one private company.
 

Several phone calls Wednesday failed to locate fuel or oil. I had to do the 40 minute drive to the airport to shift the plane, as the airport was due to be visited by 2 commercial airlines at the next day.

That did not leave room for me at the apron, so I shiftet to the domestic terminal. Here I was told of a guy by the name of Peter, who apparently works for a small airline owned by the king of Tonga. He also flies in a couple of small aircraft. I was however, not successful in getting his phone number. 
 

On the way back from the airport, I went to visit a lady by the name on Mossi, Whom the taxi driver knew; she referred me to an engineer who would know about the possibility of getting oil. He was not at home though and I did not get his phone number.
 

The next day, Thursday I set in motion, to get oil shipped out from New Zealand, and rang several companies about it. But that is not easy at all – oil is dangerous goods. The Cessna dealer in Auckland had W100 oil – but could not inform me if the oil was suited for my plane? He was more worried about getting sued, if something happened to the engine!
 
I had to spend time learning about oil, and figured out that oil to the SAE specification 1899, can be used. Why does a Cessna dealer not know about this?
 

After ringing around Friday, I finally got back to the lady Mossi. She could help me with fuel. 
 

Saturday I was off to the airport, to take on the fuel from a bowser, that was just next to where the plane was parked – and the a the guy helping me refuelling told me, that someone in a hangar 200 meters away, could provide oil. As it turned out, there was a whole barrel of W120 oil. (to SAE 1899 specification). Great - I could get going. 

But I cannot depart Sunday, as the airport is closed on Sundays. This is a very religious place. I will get going Monday. It means I will arrive in Samoa Sunday!! Yes, due to the Date Line, I will be in for a bit of time travelling.
  

Monday I was ready to depart after clearing emigration and customs. I was not unhappy to leave Tonga. At least Nuku’alofa the main town where I stayed, was a drag. A lot of the city center was burned down during riots in November last year. This place is a kingdom, where the king rules. Not to the satisfaction of a lot of people here. 
 

I climbed to 11000 feet a continued on airway B577. I managed to get my HF radio working again, and gave positions to Fiji Radio. The weather was good once I climbed up through a thick layer of clouds.
 

Only when I approached Pago Pago, did I have to fly though heavy rain before landing on runway 11.
 

Clearing customs and emigration was swift, and I was soon at the hotel.