Character communicated in plane with Western authority getting to land (6,5)

I believe the answer is:

sierra leone

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'land' is the definition.
(I know that Sierra Leone is a African country)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for sierra leone that I've seen before include "West African nation" , "W. African republic" , "West African country, capital Freetown" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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