Irene Radio Flyers SAMAA Fly-In Festival 2024: A Thrilling Day for
Aviation Enthusiasts

It’s been a while since we at Aviation Central attended a truly
exciting aviation event on the radio-controlled side, commonly known
as RC. The South African Model Aircraft Association (SAMAA) hosted the
highly anticipated Fly-In Festival 2024 at Irene Radio Flyers, located
on the southern outskirts of Pretoria, South Africa. Since its
establishment in 2007, Irene Radio Flyers has continued to grow, and
this event was a testament to their dedication.

SAMAA members, along with the passionate team from Irene Radio Flyers,
worked tirelessly to bring this event to life. They set up a Joint
Operations Centre (JOC) and coordinated with all the necessary
authorities to ensure the event ran smoothly. This included
coordinating with medical teams, the South African Civil Aviation
Authority (SACAA), the South African Police Service, and ensuring that
ATNS Notams were properly issued. Safety was the top priority, and the
event concluded without any major incidents, much to the satisfaction
of the designated safety officer.

The festival featured a variety of vendors offering everything from
delicious food and refreshing drinks to toys and novelties. Some of
South Africa’s top hobby shops also set up stalls, adding to the
excitement of the day.

The event was brought to life with engaging commentary from two
enthusiastic announcers who kept the crowd entertained throughout.

The flying displays were nothing short of spectacular, showcasing a
wide range of aircraft. From high-speed pylon racers to graceful
gliders, powerful jets to pre-World War I replicas, and everything in
between. There were scale models, the quirky “ugly sticks,” and even
super slow, vintage aircraft. The crowd was treated to an impressive
array of RC skydivers, thrilling FPV micro drone races, and 3D
helicopter displays that left everyone in awe. One of the standout
moments was a controlled aircraft that appeared to be flown by someone
who couldn’t fly, creating some heart-stopping close calls as part of
the show. It was a cleverly executed stunt that had everyone on edge.

Seth Martins, I youngster Living on a farm from the MPUMALANGA province who is a self-taught RC pilot and is from a poorer background was a special guest for the day. The story of Seth spread like wildfire and on that day he got some special gifts that included several RC Aircraft, Transmeters, and other accessories. He truly has a passion for Aviation.

For myself, the highlight of the day was the Jets, Pylon racers, and the Old timeers. Waiman Chan flow and mazing F-18 and PC-21. He flew the two aircraft to perfection.
The fast Jet was flown by Dean Grobbelaar and his Ultra Lightning. Daniel Ralefeta flew his Airobatic T1 Sport Jet and Steve Joubert flew his EX BAE Hawk.
Ivan van der Schaar, well-known Airshow pilot son, Jeandre van der Schaar gave a stunning display in his Extra. The Day had so many good displays by amazing Aircraft and experienced pilots. Just too much to name them all.

Unfortunately, many aviation lovers are unaware of just how incredible
these events are, often dismissing RC aircraft as mere “toys.” But
those who attended the Fly-In Festival were treated to an
unforgettable experience. For the younger attendees, there were two
exciting “sweety drops,” where kids and their moms eagerly scrambled
to catch the falling treats. Another crowd favorite was the egg drop
contest, where participants placed paper plates on the runway, and RC
aircraft dropped eggs from above. The person whose plate was closest
to the egg won a cash prize of R1000. Drones and other prizes were
also up for grabs in this fun-filled competition.

The festival was packed with talented pilots and stunning aircraft,
each display more impressive than the last. There were simply too many
highlights to mention, but we’ll let the photos tell the rest of the
story.

Aviation fans, mark your calendars for next year—this is one event you
won’t want to miss!

Click on a photo below to enlarge