Monthly Archives: June 2022
The Middelburg Speed Navigation Rally – 26th June 2022
by Rob Jonkers
This is the 2nd Speed Rally in Season 4 for 2022, which has been fraught with challenges to get going, what with a venue change, skyrocketing fuel price and unseasonal weather. This is the 6th SAPFA event in as many months that has been affected by weather, seems that this year is jinxed in some way, what with following on of the two Covid years as well. So, now it seems a common term that everybody has now heard of “Cut off low” again made its appearance over SA, exactly a month later where the PTAR was also disrupted.
Strange that in mid winter having significant summer type rainfall in June. The initial weather prediction earlier in the week only showed cloudy conditions for Wednesday and Thursday, and as the week started to unfold, did the prediction see poorer conditions for Friday and Saturday, with all indictions that there would still be good enough conditions. Friday saw many arrivals after midday atter the morning low cloud had lifted, and test flights could be carried out of 5 new aircraft entries, four being new types not having flown in Speed Rallies before, an Ercoupe, a Maule, a Pioneer 300 and a Sequoia Falco.
The first Friday afternoon briefing was done at 6 PM, with a weather prognosis not very favourable but still showed promise of a window of clear enough weather in the early afternoon – shown on the spot graph for the local area.
Saturday morning dawned with rain, which although drying up a short while later with the cloud base rising, only two of the remaining competitors flew in, with five others still stuck at their fields. After holding three weather briefings at 9, 10 & 11 am, the event was scrubbed with an agreement to reconvene to Sunday where the weather was predicted to be clear and pristine. With everybody securing an additional night stay over, most of the teams and officials found their way to Ginelli’s for an excellent dinner and company, with a good fly-off finish before retiring for some good sleep…..
Sunday morning proved to start off in pristine cloudless and windless conditions, but icy cold with a high pressure system now dominating over the Highveld. However as the early morning unfolded the wind started picking up from the south east.
After having 16 entries, the field was reduced to 11, 5 having had to withdraw not being available for the Sunday. After an 8h30 briefing by Iaan Myburgh, we got everybody ready for a 10h30 first take-off, with scrutineering actions and releasing papers 25 minutes prior take-off. Having had to change the take-off runway to 14 due to the 10+ kt wind, groups of 3 aircraft had to backtrack the runway to get into position. This worked out well, everybody got off onto their route, with the exception of Race 6 ZS-FMH who developed a flat tyre.
After all teams having returned and safe on the ground, the scoring team got to work to analyse the results, with the tracks for a number being quite accurate, although some had wobbles, two had got significantly lost. The scores were released fairly quickly, and prize giving could be held at 13h15 before everybody would pack up for home.
For the Navigation Accuracy category, third place went to Lex and Christo Erasmus in their first time flight of their Ercoupe ZS-VCE, in 2nd place Apie Kotzee and Hendrik Loots in their Robinson R66 ZS-HRS, and in 1st place Quintin Kruger & Johan Whiteman in their Cherokee 235 ZS-FVV.
For the Handicap/Speed category, third place went to Lex and Christo Erasmus in their Ercoupe ZS-VCE, in 2nd place Gareth Pollock & Marcus Nouwens in the Maule ZS-MNW, and in 1st place Quintin Kruger & Johan Whiteman in their Cherokee 235 ZS-FVV.
Overall Winners in third place went to Gareth Pollock & Marcus Nouwens in the Maule ZS-MNW, in 2nd place Lex and Christo Erasmus in their Ercoupe ZS-VCE, and in 1st place Quintin Kruger & Johan Whiteman in their Cherokee 235 ZS-FVV.
Many thanks to the Middelburg Aero Club for hosting this fantastic event, supporting with logistics and great meals available throughout the day, Nigel Musgrave as the Safety Officer, Iaan Myburgh doing the scoring, as well as taking up the Deputy Event Director role, Marc Robinson with his team from Century Avionics for technical scrutineering, Chareen Atherton & Anthea Cronin for aircraft scrutineering, and Moira Wakeley for handling the Papers. Race Master David le Roux did some double duty also being the race starter, and arranged for a number of live video pod casts.
Also thanks to our headline sponsors Holborn Assets, Pilot Insure, Flying Eyes and our sponsored teams, Prompt Roofing, Beagle Tracking, Gem Air and Mnandi Signs.
Our next Speed Rally event will be in Groblersdal on the 27th August 2022.
SAAF Mach Plus Reunion 2022
The first time a SAAF pilot hit transonic speed was way back in September 1956 when an unauthorised Sabre flight at the then home of the SAAF’s jet squadrons – AFB Waterkloof – with now retired Colonel John Inglesby at the controls broke the sound barrier.
On Friday 10th June 2022,it was the gathering of many current and ex fighter jocks of the South African Airforce. Many that have broken the sound barrier in various types from the Mirage III up to the the fourth generation Gripen gathered at Airforce Base Swartkop for the SAAF Mach Plus Reunion.
The evening started with a sunset display 85 Combat Flying School Hawk MK120 flown by Major Rehan “Kaine” Venter. The sound of freedom was echoed into the display halls around the museum housing some of the former frontline fighter jets the South African Airforce once flew.
Major Venter ended his display with spectacular flare drop before landing. A proud moment for his father former Mirage F1CZ display pilot Johann “Jeronkie” Venter watching his son display a fast jet.
Invited guests continued the festivities into the evening, bringing back memories from over the years of flying. As well as welcoming new members into the Mach Plus Club.
Pictures by Gerrit Mynardt & Jarryd Sinovich
Please brose through our Gallery below!
Air Côte d’Ivoire opens new route to South Africa
Air Côte d’Ivoire will be launching the quickest route between Johannesburg and Abidjan, in Côte d’Ivoire, in June.
The Johannesburg-Abidjan via Kinshasa route will launch on 29 June 2022 and will be the fastest route between South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire offered by any airline in Africa. The airline will be introducing four flights per week between Johannesburg and Abidjan. Bookings opened on 1 June 2022.
Air Côte d’Ivoire’s vision is to be the leading airline in West and Central Africa. The new route also offers ease of access to 16 West and Central African countries: Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, Liberia, Benin, Senegal, Cameroon, Togo, DRC, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau.
Côte d’Ivoire is seen as a strategic partner for South Africa – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa last year signed nine cooperation agreements with his Ivorian counterpart, Alassane Ouattara.
During the Ivorian-South Africa economic forum in December 2021, Ramaphosa said the West African nation is an attractive investment and trade destination for South African companies, and that African countries can fully reap the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) if they work together.
“Côte d’Ivoire is a strategic trading partner for South Africa, and there is tremendous potential to further increase trade in value-added products between our two countries. Having greater and direct access to each other’s markets is a catalyst for investment,” Ramaphosa said at the forum, held at the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan.
Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP in 2021 stood at $70.99-billion and statistics from the African Development Bank shows that the country’s GDP could grow by 6.5% in 2022, with the transport, construction, agriculture and petroleum sectors expected to drive much of that growth.
Côte d’Ivoire will host the 2023 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023), the continent’s key event for trade, which actualises the vision of the AfCFTA.
The organisers of the fair, the African Export-Import Bank in collaboration with the African Union and the AfCFTA Secretariat, are expecting deals to well exceed the $36-billion in business deals signed at last year’s event.
Air Côte d’Ivoire CEO Laurent Loukou believes the new route between Abidjan and Johannesburg will be key to opening up opportunities for investment and improving bilateral trade between the two countries.
“Of course, the timing of the new route has been strategic as we lead up to IATF2023. Africa is gearing up to become a strong economic bloc and Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa have a massive role to play in that growth. Intra-Africa trade is key to unlocking industrial opportunities for many African countries, including between Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa,” he says.
“We believe in the future of Africa just as we believe in the future of our airline. We are making bold new plans for our future and that includes this new route to connect South Africa with Côte d’Ivoire. Africa is open for business and we want to make it easier for business to happen.”
“Côte d’Ivoire is one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa and offers great investment opportunities in West Africa. It makes sense to do business with us. Air Côte d’Ivoire wants to be part of this economic growth in our country.
“We are excited about this opportunity to drive new business between Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa. The possibilities for cooperation and business are endless,” says Loukou.
Newcastle Airshow KZN 2022
What now is the longest running airshow in South Africa, for the last 10 years the KwaZulu-Natal town of Newcastle has managed to have a decade of successful airshow. Obviously with the pandemic the show would be on its twelve year but got interrupted by hard lock downs and other reasons delaying the show in 2020 and 2021.
With the theme “I Can Dream” Champ Group Johan Pieters, Christo van Zyl and Romano Raghoo organisers of the last ten shows did it again. The only airshow in the entire KwaZulu-Natal, attracted many aviation enthusiasts and first timers at an airshow on 4th June 2022.
Airshow South Africa put together a great programme with a variety of display aircraft including the South African Airforce, a major contributor to a number of previous shows in the past as well.
Rikus Erasmus, who is Airshow South Africa Chairperson, was Flight Director. Louise Hofmeyr handled the media accreditation and placed the photographers in a great area for getting the shot of the day!
Keith Fryer former South African Airforce Cheetah pilot was safety director. Lieutenant Colonel Levi Mogosti former 22 Squadron Lynx flight engineer was the South African Airforce safety Liaison officer. Brent Waren was ramp controller who is a familiar face at Stellenbosch Airfield.
ATNS Ricardo Alfonso and his team of ATCs were kept busy from the Friday with arrivals through to the last departure on Saturday after the show.
Capital Sounds Brian Emmenis arrived the Friday before the show to set up sound equipment. Brian recently worked with Hollywood actor Tom Cruise in various South African provinces on a new movie that will be out in the near future. Brian himself, Leon Du Plessis provided excellent commentary on all aircraft and letting the crowd hear radio chatter between pilots.
The Chief of the South African Airforce Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo flew in late Friday afternoon in a 17 Squadron Agusta A109LUH.Lieutenant General Mbambo grew up in Northern KwaZulu-Natal in a small village called Louwsburg (e-Ngoje).
The show started at 11am by then the crowds had arrived. A Cessna 206 was the jump ship for the massive South African Flag flown by Ralph Ridge and others including members from the South African National Defence.
It was then time for the fast movers in the form of Hawk MK120s from 85 Combat Flying School two-ship capability demonstration led by Major Kgosimang “Cipher” Seeco flanked on the wing by newly qualified wingmen at 85 Combat Flying School. The morning display was Captain Tiisetso “Lego” Legodi and then Major Mikhail “Spectre” Petersen in the afternoon.
The South African Airforce also had a 19 Squadron A109LUH on static display for the public to view as well as information for the youth to join the air force.
The Amajuba district municipality invited learners from a number of schools to listen to key addresses including the Chief of the South African Airforce and many others. The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs of KwaZulu-Natal and KwaZulu- Natal Tourism are part of the driving force of the show.
Next was the Goodyear Eagle Pitts S2Bs owned by Aerobatics Unlimited and retired SAA Captain Dennis Spence. The two ship was flown by Flysafair pilot Johan von Solms also a former Cheetah pilot. His lead was Trevor Warner, the new member of the team!
The Magni Gyrocopter was excellently flown by Andre van Zyl, who provided two displays for the day after flying in from Gauteng. Henley Air’s Andre Coetzee flew the Bell 222 helicopter display. Henley Air is the biggest operator of the Bell 222 in Africa and if not the world.
Juba Joubert flew a Alouette II display, probably the best helicopter display pilot flying the older generation of helicopters in the world.
The Puma Flying Lions flew a three-ship display flown by Scully Levin, Arnie Meneghelli and Sean Thackeray. The Harvard’s also did a missing man formation for the late Mark “Sammy” Sampson who tragically lost his life in a airshow accident in Zimbabwe a few days before the show.
A rare visitor to Newcastle was Dave Mandel in his Aero L39 ZU-Jet which is based in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) . Was great to see the camouflage of this particular L39 and very photogenic.
Unfortunately the L39 had a tyre blow out on landing and Dave did a great job handling the aircraft, as well as both flight director and safety officer brining it to a complete stop on the opposite side of the runway. Emergency services were dispatched as a precaution and were at the scene in seconds.
The show carried on at lunch with Ivan van Der Schaar in his Boeing Stearman, being the only other radial aircraft at the show. It’s a real classic to the public eye.
The Raptor RV two ship flown again by Trevor Warner and Johan von Solms provided close formation aerobatics.
The airshow closed with the pair of Hawk MK120s. Some the visiting aircraft departed back to their home bases. And another safe and successful airshow in Newcastle was done and dusted. And we now start the count down to next year’s show once again.
Please Browse through our gallery below!
