68 Athens - Rhodes

14. Feb 2010

In the morning I had time for a tour of the Acropolis, before getting a taxi to the Israeli Embassy. It took about half an hour just to get inside the embassy, because I brought my luggage with me, and everything had to be searched and scanned.

But being allowed in, and had a meeting with a security officer – and after telling him about my plans about visiting Israel and the story of my life, I could leave for the airport.

Taking the Metro again, I had to call Olympic in order to get from the main terminal to the general aviation terminal. After a security check, I got in the Audi once more to be taken to the main terminal to file a flight plan and to pay for landing fees and handling.

I had feared, that I had to pay a considerable amount, but showing my IAOPA ID card got me a substantial discount, and the grand total came to about €125.

On the ride back to the plane, I could enjoy the ride in the Audi 8 a lot more!!

After doing the walkaround, I got the clearance for the start up, and was ready to go, when the engine failed to start! Turning the starter just resultet in a “Clonk” kind of sound. I got out, and turned the propeller a bit and tried again – another ”Clonk”!

And now the propeller was stuck! Worried, that the problem was more than just the starter, Olympic got hold of a mechanic, and I arranged to meet him the next morning.

In the morning, the mechanic removed the starter and it was obviously broken, as all the teeth in the cog-wheel had come off.  Now I had to get a new starter – and it was not  possible to get one in Greece!

Through my good friend in Denmark, Mads, I got on to Karsten, who works for a company called G.A. service in Roskilde, Denmark. He found a new starter for me, and the next morning he had it on a SAS flight to Athens. So at 3 PM Sunday I could get in the Audi and collect the starter. The mechanic, George had it installed a couple of hours later, and I could depart for a night flight to Rhodes Island.