Liberian pilot Abner Yonly, who became the first African to successfully fly a single-engine aircraft from America to Liberia, has described his record as a great spotlight on Liberia and the African continent.
He said, “Undertaking such an initiative sets a great spotlight on Liberia and the African continent, and flying across the North Atlantic has always been a lifelong dream for me as a Liberian.”
“In March/April this year, I visited Spriggs Airport and it just hit me in the sense that, this is Liberia where I was born. I graduated kindergarten from Barnes Foundation in Lakpazee, about a stone throw from the airport; therefore, I’m no stranger to this neighborhood.
So, coming to the airport and realizing that we don’t really get to see Liberian pilots was the motivation. My wife and I fly everywhere, so how can I inspire a child growing up in Liberia?” Yonly wondered.
Yonpy is a Liberian born and has become the first African to successfully complete a flight in a single-engine aircraft from Maryland, United States of America, to Liberia.
Born and raised in Liberia, Yonly, 37, fled to refugee camps in Ivory Coast and later moved on to Ghana during the Liberian civil war and later moved to the U.S. where he pursued his aviation studies.
Additionally, Liberia and the African continent’s best pilot embarked on his journey from Maryland, America and flew to Canada, navigating through a remarkable trip that took him through Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, the United Kingdom, France, and subsequently landed in Spain.
Furthermore, Morocco was his first stop on the African continent. He later travelled to Mauritania, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, before touching down at the James Spriggs Payne Airport on the Airfield.
In an interview with a team of journalists at the James Spriggs Payne Airport over the weekend, Yonly recounted that his journey was not a simple feat, as the logistical and financial planning came at a great cost to him personally and to his family.
He said, with nearly 600 hours of flying experience under his belt, he could not have anticipated the setbacks and uncertainties he encountered along the way, ranging from navigating weather conditions and not being able to find the specific kind of fuel for the aircraft, coupled with other aviation logistics, describing it an eye-opener for him.
“Every major airline has an operational office and a dispatch. So, I’m that guy. I had to do my flight plan. Most African countries don’t have numbers that you can call, for example, and I have to find out if they have fuel. So, you’re doing it blindly. But I came across a company in Dubai called Jetex, and they were handling everything for me,” he said.
Yonly further indicated leaving America and Canada was simple, on grounds that you can see the airport and go there, disclosing, “But I spent a week in Canada alone, due to weather. When it’s freezing, all the bigger jets have ice protection — I don’t have it, so I have to watch what I’m doing.”
“I can’t just go up there into the ice. I flew in different situations I’ve never been in before; I’m not a professional and I don’t do this for a living. I have less than 600 hours of flying, so this is a big feat,” he narrated.
According to him, the alternative fuel he managed to obtain was not allowed into Lungi airport, a situation he had to work his way through to be able to finally fly into Liberia, adding, “It is not a cheap journey to embark on. It is very expensive. I had to sell my car just so I could make this inspirational journey to inspire a kid in Liberia.”
