Tag Archives: Huey
Rand Airshow 2023
The Grand Rand Airshow one of the very few South African airshows that takes place on a Sunday shadowed by the Johannesburg central business district making a great background for photography with aircraft added in.
After a stern safety briefing from the Rand Airport new safety manager. All the known South African Aviation media that are on the airshow circuit made their way to acceptable advantage points to capture the days flying.
Brian Emmenis from Capital Sounds and his team once again provided commentary on the show progress. A busy weekend it was for Capital Sounds as they also attended the Children’s Flight at Orient Airfield on Friday the 1st September.
Rand Airshows Flight Display Director with Rikus Erasmus and Safety director former South African Airforce Colonel Francois “Hosepipe” Hanekom.
The airshow was opened by Grant Timms flying Chris Kambouris’s OneX. This was the first of its type flying in a South African airshow.
Grant also flew the de Haviland Tiger Moth display with Rodney Chinn.
Also making up of the contingent of the Classic Flying Collection was the de Haviland Chipmunk formation of three examples flown by Rodney Chinn, Ryan Briggs and Grant Timms. This was Ryan Briggs first airshow display.
The Puma Flying Lions led by Scully Levin and the Hired Gun Pitts Specials. Making up of most of the airshow performers based at Rand Airport. Scully also put on a solo display with a Cirrus S22.
Aerobatics galore was sure a favorite ar this years show, the South Africa Sports Aerobatic club (SAC) presented a Extra 330 flown by Barrie Eels, and a Extra 300L flown by Elton Bondi.
Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish in the Extra 330 Duo, which they also joined up with Menno Parsons in both his Bell407 and P51D “Mustang Sally”.Andrew Blackwood Murray flew his Nashua Extra 300 display despite windy flying conditions.
From the rotary airshow participants, Juba Jourbert flew the Alouette II, Andre van Zyl flew the Magni Gyrocopter, Henley Air Andre Coetzee flew the Bell 230, Both Menno Parsons in his Bell 407 and Buzz Bezuidenhout in the Tiger Bell UH1 Huey.
Mike Weingartz flew Master Power Technologies L39, Mike is still got the highest number of hours on the Aermacchi MB326K Impala in the world. Oscar Goudriaan in a Jonker JS3 Rapture Turbine Sailplane provided a glider display, something quite rare on the South African airshow circuit these days.
From the Classic businessliners of the day, the beech 18 flown by Springbok Classic Air Flippie Vermulen and his son Ben put on a spirited display of the radial.
The Goodyear Eagles, also having Rand Airport as their home base for many years, flew their four ship Pitts S2B routine. The Raptors Vans RVs also put on a tight aerobatic display of the kit built aircraft.
The highlight of the day was surely the Airlink Sky bucks E195 display flown by Airlinks chief pilot, Captain Jaco Henning.
A special word of thanks goes to Airshow South Africa including Louise Hofmeyr for allowing the media to cover the event and positioning us on the airport to capture the moments. Robyn from Aviation Hub for helping handle the media accreditation, we appreciate your assistance.
Please Browse through our gallery below:
SAAF Museum Airshow 2023- “Taking off to new frontiers”
The first airshow of the seeing started with a bang at the Mobile Deployment Wing Swartkop (MDW) previously Air force base Swartkop.
The show build at Swartkop is always exciting at military airshows in South Africa. The Wednesday morning with the Gautrain Alouette II race where Aviation Central was kindly invited to be in the Alouette III follow chopper to get air to air shots of the race where we joined News Room Africa. The show also included a youth development program for a number of learners who spent the day considering a career in aviation the Friday before the show.
Also catching all the arrivals of aircraft and seeing them validate surely get the people of Pretoria excited for the show! This years theme for the show was “Taking off to new frontiers” The South African Airforce Museum ,South African air force and a number of civilian teams had a number of aircraft on flying and static displays.
The reason for this airshow is to generate funds to keep the South African Airforce museum flying and static exhibits in order and to look after military aviation history in the country.
The show was big this year with a large program as follows below with Colonel Keith Fryer as air boss and putting together a awesome show with a different variety of aircraft in the mix. Colonel Keith Andrew’s (Retired) was ramp boss with Major Heinrich “Skippie” Scheepers. Taskings of aircraft and over flight clearance were under taken by Captain Ryan Mitton ,Captain Andre Roets and Lieutenant Richard Dixon.
Capital Sounds Brian Emmenis and his team provided excellent commentary on aircraft and aircrew.
The morning show started with the arrival of Paramotors from the near Grasslands airfield with a brief display by helicopter formation fly-pasts by Rob Osner in his Alouette III “Rudi”, Charles Fuller in his Alouette II and Juba Jourbert in the Aerospatiale Gazelle.
The emergency vehicles made up of the ECC with a cavalcade and three helicopter types showing their presence in case of an emergency on the day which was luckily not needed. A 15 Squadron Agusta A109,17 Squadron Oryx and a Netcare Bell 430 helicopter. The flying display started with a lonesome Museum Harvard “7111” flown by Martin Louw. Followed by civilian aerobatic competitor Andrew Blackwood Murray in his Extra 300L.
Grant Timms in Richard Lovetts L29 flew a graceful display with a beautiful paint scheme added to this particular Middelburg based former jet trainer. The Museum Helicopter display of two Alouette IIs, Alouette IIIs and Puma as well as a solo Cessna C185 flown by Colonel Gerrie “Smokey” Pretorius.
Andre van Zyl flew his Magni Gyrocopter Display, one of the best Gyrocopter displays you can see in the world. Ivan and Jeandre van der Schaar flew the father and son team, Boeing Stearman and RC Extra 330 demo. The only of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
15 Squadron “Charlie” Flight brought one of their BK-117 Helicopters to the show flown by display pilot Major Corrie Oberholzer and Flight Sargent Coert Steynberg.85 Combat Flying School Hawk MK120 flown by Major Rehan “Kaine” Venter was the first of the fast jet displays of the day. Captain JP “Nitro” Poisat provided commentary during his display.
Steve Brown flew a rare display in the Classic Flying Collection Auster, a display tribute to his late father Gavin Brown. Central Flying School provided a solo Pilatus PC7MKII display flown by Rooivalk pilot Major Ronald Moroole. The Raptor RVs were next flown by Nigel Hopkins, Dion Raath, Ryan Beaton, Trevor Warner and Johan von Solms.
Juba Jourbert flew a Aerospatiale Gazelle display showing off the lines of the aircraft. The hired gun pitts specials were next led by Scullly Levin. Scullly also led the Puma flying lions Harvard’s in their display and during their sunset display before returning to Rand Airport.
The ever favorite 2 Squadron Gripen flown by Musa “Midnite” Mbhokota had the crowds on their feet to see South Africa’s front line fighter. Rodney Chinn, Grant Timms and Steve Brown were up next in the Classic Flying Collection De Haviland Chipmunks.
The SAAF Museum put most of their assets in the air with Combat Search and rescue as well as many formations displays including their Aerospatiale Puma in formation with two Harvard’s. The Cessna C185 with two Alouette IIIs. Team Extra 330 flown by Jason Beamish and Nigel Hopkins flew a high energy aerobatic display. Nigel also led the Goodyear Eagles Pitts Specials.
Menno Parsons flew both his beautifully bright Tiger Huey and the only flying P51D Mustang in Africa. The Tiger Moth Duo flown again by Grant Timms and Steve Brown making up the contingent of aircraft from the Classic Flying Collection based at Springs Airfield.
The Boeing 737-300 flown by Captain Dennis Spence and First Officer Melissa with the compliments of Africa Air Charter. A great sight to see a airliner display at Swartkop once again.
16 Squadron provided a mighty Rooivalk display flown by Major Paul “Raccoon” Kempthorn. With a spectacular flare drop at the end of his show.Midnite flew the last display of the day with the Gripen also ending his spectacular loud show with a flare drop.
A huge well done to Lieutenant Colonel Stefan van Zyl, acting officer commanding of Mobile Deployment Wing Swartkop and his team for making this show happen. Lieutenant Colonel Gaelejwe. Also a word of thanks to many of the sponsors and stakeholders in their effort to the Museum Airshow. The show was also dedicated to the former acting OC of The SAAF Museum Major Ntshangase who unfortunately lost his life a few weeks ago. We look forward to seeing more Museum aircraft coming back online and more static exhibits getting their finishing touches. A word of thanks to Captain Mpama for looking after the media and getting them to the designate photography spots on the day.
Till then, “Keep the up where they belong”!
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ICAD Heidelberg Airshow 2022
The International Civil Aviation Day was celebrated with an airshow at Heidelberg Airfield just to the south of Johannesburg on the 3rd December 2022.
The airshow was supported by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, Department of Transport, Airshow South Africa, South African Police Airwing, South African Airforce and Civilian Airshow Participants.
Capital sounds provided sound equipment and utilized Keith Fryer as commentator during the duration of the displays as the show started at 1pm and around 4pm the show came to a close with a Highveld afternoon thunderstorm.
There were over 500 learners from the surrounding Sedibeng communities, alongside the Deputy Minister of Transport Hon Sindisiwe Chikunga, the Gauteng Premier Honourable Panyaza Lesufi, Director of Civil Ms Poppy Khoza as well as other key aviation dignitaries that were present at the show.
Before some of the dignitaries commenced with their speeches. The South African Police Airwing Airbus Helicopters H125 “Squirrel” dropped a handful of Police task force skydivers.
The airshow started with a Bell UH-1 Huey in its striking colour scheme known as the “Tiger Huey” flown by Menno Parsons. Menno also flew South Africa’s only flying P51D “Mustang Sally”.
The Puma Flying Lions were next flying a three ship Harvard display led by Scully Levine. Scully also led the Hired Gun Pitts Specials flying their three ship Pitts S2Bs and a single S2C.
Dennis Spence, Gareth Gill and Jason Beamish flew the high energy aerobatic display sequence with the Goodyear Eagles Pitts Specials S2Bs. This was Gareth Gills first airshow display as a new member to the team!
The Police Squirrel once again dropped skydivers during two more slots on the day. They also provided a small task force demonstration during their display.
Jeandre van der Schaar flew his RC Extra 300 aerobatic display. The young man is definitely following his fathers footsteps as his father Ivan van der Schaar now flies Boeings in the middle east.
Andre van Zyl flew his Magni Gyrocopter display. One of the best Gyrocopter displays one can see in the world.
Dave Mandel brought his Plettenberg bay based Aero L39 ZU-JET to Heidelberg. Unfortunately he didn’t get to fly in the show due to the weather at the end of the program. We did see him give a pass or two before overnighting at Rand Airport on Saturday before departing back to his home base on Sunday.
The South African Airforce was present with a number of static displays including a Fire truck asset, a 44 Squadron Casa 212 and a Agusta A109LUH from AFB Bloemspruit.
Once again Rikus Erasmus as the display director and Francois Hanekom as safety director made the show a safe and successful ending of ICAD 2022.
Thank you to Louise Hofmeyr for handling the media accreditation. This was the final South African Air Show for 2022.What a great airshow season it was!
The Childrens Flight 2022
Dawn broke on the foot hills of the Magaliesburg mountains, as is it was time for the 2022 edition of the Children’s Flight that was held at Orient Airfield this past Friday. This being the field of dreams for many aspiring and current aviators!
The Children’s Flight’s origins lie in a music video called ‘Paper Plane’, which is essentially about a child with a Dream to fly, but on a deeper level it’s about anyone with a dream.
Aviation is traditionally about defying great odds and overcoming the laws of nature, the politics of man, the limitations of economy, and technological development…..for so long aviation was an exclusive privilege to supreme military, selected individuals or the super wealthy…
We wanted to bring home aviation to the children, to promote the idea that anyone can be what ever they dream of being… That you can literally ‘take that paper plane to your destiny’…. one day if even one of these kids goes for their dream, then this day may have played a role in that.
500 kids from underprivileged backgrounds got to fly in a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft for the first time in their lives. They were treated to a splendid day out where they were spoilt in the aviation fraternity.
Skydivers opened the Children’s flight from their jump ship an Antonov An2 ZU-FOO, once landed a rather large Van’s RV formation flew over the field.
It was then time for the rotary types to take children up in a Bell Huey, Bell 407, Alouette II and Alouette III just to name a few.
The fixed with aircraft comprised of a Bat Hawk to a Cessna 208 Caravan. Hot 102.7 Radio Station were also present on the day doing a live radio broadcast of the days proceedings. Brian Emmenis provided commentary of the afternoons airshow as he was also scheduled to be at the Grand Rand Airshow in a few days after the Children’s Flight.
An airshow display was then provided by Airshow South Africa, with the Puma Flying Lions led by Scully Levin, Menno Parsons in his Tiger Bell UH-1 Huey.
Andre van Zyl in his Magni Gyrocopter, Ivan and Jeandre van der Schaar debuting the Boeing Stearman and RC Extra 300 display. As well as the Goodyear Eagles Pitts Specials and Iveco Extra 330s flown by Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish.
Pictures by Anton Wannenburg,Lettie van Emmenis & Jarryd Sinovich
We’ll done to Felix Gosher, all major role players and Sponsors for giving the children the time of their life.
