The first thing you notice when arriving in American Samoa , not surprisingly, is the tremendous American influence on this island. Immediately. upon leaving the Airport you see McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut and many other fast food restaurants. When you turn on the television you only receive American TV from Hawaii . The local currency is US$ but the people have retained their culture and seem very happy to be closely tied to the USA .
When planning a flight to American Samoa you are required to obtain landing permission. We went through the process of completing this and when we landed were asked by three different officials if we had landing permission. I replied that “yes we did” but none actually asked to see a copy.
US Coast Guard flying out of Pago Pago…..
Pago Pago does not have a control tower. You speak with Faleolo approach at Western Samoa until they clear you out of their controlled airspace for arrival at Pago Pago . At that point you broadcast to the local frequency and continue with your approach. There is a warning published on the Jeppesen charts that the first 3000' of runway 05 can be hazardous to your tires. True – land long on this 10,000' runway as the surface is very rough, tarmac & coral initially; turning to smooth blacktop part way down.
Tire “easting” runway at Pago Pago……
We had booked accommodation over the Internet at the Pago Airport Inn which boasted great reviews on the Internet. It was anything but great when we checked in and after a sleepless night listening to the refrigerator, the air conditioner and some animal in the ceiling we checked out. We settled in the Tradewinds for the remainder of our stay.
The sea and coastline are spectacular here. Huge waves form just offshore and smash against the rugged rock coastline. The turquoise water and the white foaming waves rolling up against the black lava rock seem so powerful! We rented a car and traveled the entire island in one day spending hours enjoying the coastline.
Another interesting characteristic of the island is the custom of burying family members in the front yard or randomly along the coast. These small family cemeteries are everywhere; obviously the spirit of loved ones is important in this culture.
Wild surf…….but beautiful
Seaside cemetery……..
It was also very noticeable that the Samoan people are serious about educating their children about many of life's dangers. Billboards are scattered around the island warning about AIDS, drinking and driving, teenage pregnancy, and other health related issues.
We enjoyed our time in American Samoa it is a simple and convenient island abounding with nature and marine life. However, after three days it was time to move on to Christmas Island . Flight plan and clearance is with Faleolo by fax and then VHF radio on the ground.
Next would be three very long legs crossing the final part of the Pacific Ocean back to the mainland USA . Today would be nearly 1300 nautical miles north to Christmas Island , Kiribati .
Again we were fortunate with the weather enjoying clear skies and virtually no winds. The Airport at Christmas Island is manned 24 hours a day by flight service personnel as this is an emergency Airport for aircraft crossing the Pacific. (staff is not always standing by the radio but they are present on the airport property) We were greeted by a happy island voice as we tuned the local VHF frequency 150 miles out. Although it was a beautiful cleared day, we flew the RNAV approach to Cassidy Airport just for practice.
Arriving Christmas Island…………..
Again we were fortunate with the weather enjoying clear skies and virtually no winds. The Airport at Christmas Island is manned 24 hours a day by flight service personnel as this is an emergency Airport for aircraft crossing the Pacific. (staff is not always standing by the radio but they are present on the airport property) We were greeted by a happy island voice as we tuned the local VHF frequency 150 miles out. Although it was a beautiful cleared day, we flew the RNAV approach to Cassidy Airport just for practice.
Customs and immigration were waiting for us as we taxied to the simple terminal. In a few minutes we had cleared into the country and the driver from the Captain Cook Hotel was waiting to take us there.
Don't expect much from Captain Cook. The facilities are extremely basic and used mainly by pilots, scientists and researchers working on various projects on the island. Over time this island has been used by the British and Americans for H bomb testing and the Japanese in a futile manned flight space program.
Our fellow hotel guests were an interesting group of individuals. They were all working on environmental projects and economic development issues. We met together for breakfast and dinner each day and enjoyed many laughs. It seemed everyone had humorous stories to tell of their years and in remote Pacific assignments.
Nang Fah – sitting alone at PLCH…….
The “rogues” dinner…..
Dominic – cleaning up the island……
From the hotel you have to find transportation for the 30 minute ride into the main town of London . There is not much to do or see there but there is a bank which will exchange your U.S. dollars to Australian currency used on the island. Be prepared to lose significantly on the exchange rate so get your money in Australia on the way up.
We did enjoy a day snorkelling with Kim Anderson who runs the dive shop in London . The sea is clear and there are plenty of fish, coral and shipwrecks for whatever activities you want to undertake.
Kim’s Dive Boat…super stable in rough seas
The main reason for anyone stopping at Christmas Island is to get fuel. You must arrange this in advance. Avgas and Jet A is normally stocked by the Kiribati Oil company but you need to reserve in advance. There is no guarantee that fuel will be on hand when you arrive unless you make prior arrangements. This is the only “gas station” within a thousand miles so better call ahead!.
Refueling with “black gold” in Kiribati…….
You can only pay for the fuel in cash –Australian dollars. Cost is $4.65 per litre. They sell only full drums of 200 l each. In our case and needed two drums which cost $1900. I could only put 350 l into the tanks, however!!! I was very lucky to find a local businessman, John, who was kind enough to buy the remaining fuel from us. John stores some avgas for regular ferry pilots who pass through Kiribati who don't rely only on local supplies.
Like the other Pacific islands Kiribati has its own personality and culture. The people are extremely friendly, helpful and innocent. On our last night at the hotel they put on a special local dance performed by the hotel staff. They are not ready for Broadway but the pride they exhibit in their traditions is worth the price of admission.
When it was time to leave we said goodbye to the environmentalists, business consultants as well as hotel staff. Ueata Tetabo, who runs the airport filed the flight plan and got our IFR clearance from San Francisco . The Customs official stamped our general declaration form and made our departure official. The immigration officer never did show up so we left without a stamp in our passport.
Kiribati cultural experience…….
Next was Hawaii with unexpected complications in arrival procedures.
Fiji to Christmas Island, Kiribati
Tire “easting” runway at Pago Pago…… 
