Tag Archives: R44
The Kittyhawk Van’s RV fly-in 2021
After lasts years event was cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic, this past weekend saw the return of the almost now annual Kitty Hawk RV Fly-in with a number of Vans RVs flying in as well as other aircraft fixed wing and rotary.
Kitty Hawk Aerodrome was established as an Aero-Estate in 1995. This project has developed to its exciting status as an Aerodrome. The Kitty Hawk Aerodrome is completely divorced from all other developments and consists of hangar facilities, a small residential flat, clubhouse and a fuel bay.
The Van’s Aircraft, Inc. is an American kit aircraft manufacturer, founded by Richard “Van” VanGrunsven in 1973. Van’s RV series of aircraft, from the single-seat RV-3 to the latest RV-14, are all-aluminum, low-wing monoplanes of monocoque construction.
September 11th as you know was the 20th anniversary of terror attacks in the United States of America. Kitty Hawk held their event with all Covid 19 Regulations in place. Delicious breakfasts and lunches were served at the Kitty Hawk Aerodrome Club house, as well as a total of 79 RVs flying in for the day not counting other aircraft!
We look forward to next years event and hope that where the country stands with Covid 19 numbers the event will allow more victors and aircraft to fly-inn. To end of the day was a spectacular mass formation of RVs. Now this formation is getting bigger by the events that come by. What a treat!
Thanks to Pieter Cronje for the Awesome pictures of the day!
COVID Aviation Trips – Grand Central
By now most of us have been absolutely deprived of aviation. Unfortunately all airshows for 2020 have been either postponed or cancelled. This leaves us with almost no aviation action, or does it?
In the coming weeks, we will be looking at different smaller aviation spots that can help scratch that aviation itch that has been annoying us all during this lockdown.
The first spot we’ll be visiting is Grand Central Airport. Sporting a Harvard Café with a lovely view of the apron, this makes for a good spot to get your dose of Vitamin A(viation).
The Harvard Café offers a wide selection of drinks and food ranging from cool drinks to beer and burgers to sushi.
The children’s play area at the Harvard Café makes this a great place to bring the whole family.
Grand Central Airport is a smaller regional airport with no commercial airlines operating out of the airport. This does not mean that there isn’t much to see though.
Many pilots based at the airport take to the skies here over the weekends. Here there is no shortage of Cessna’s, Robinson Heli’s and even the occasional King Air and Aero Commander 500B as seen below.
As the name suggests, Grand Central is very centrally located, making it not a very long drive from most locations in Gauteng.
Photos taken at Grand Central recently:
The Elders Flight 2019-Rand Airport
The second edition of The Elders Flight ,saw 120 elders took to the skies above Johannesburg on the 30th November.
Some of the elders have flown in a commercial aircraft before while some that have never before even stood close to an aircraft at all, but this event gave the incredible chance to tick off their bucket list at Rand Airport on a hot early morning to join many others that would all experience a day to remember.
The brain child of the event Felix Gosher a contract Pilot from Zambia,gathered the aviation community and other business to put together a day for our precious eldery South African Citizens.
A pilots briefing was held in Rands former customs hall by Lieutenant Colonel Francois ‘Hose’ Hanekom from the South African Airforce who was Safety Director for the day.Both Netcare 911 and Rand Airports Emergency Services were on Standby for the event if any situation had to occur.
The excited passengers who met up at Harvard Café in Rand Airports Terminal building for breakfast before heading out for a flight, were firstly treated to gift bags and entertained by the Trinity House High School music department while not to be outdone by the Abrue Band.
Former Mirage F1CZ pilot Arthur Douglas Piercy was also present as well as Tony Smith former Officer Commanding of the South African Airforce Museum.
The Fleet
Both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters provided short circuits ,from the likes of an Alouette II and III ,flown by Rob Osner and Charles Fuller.
Two Robinson R44s flown by Ross McTaggart and Mischel Frlijack. The striking Colour Scheme of Menno Parsons Huey was also part of the helicopter contingency.
The fixed wing aircraft consisted of a Piaggio Albatross,Cessna C172,Cessna210,Cessna 140,De Havilland Tiger Moth, Mooney M20J,MF17 Mushak, Bush Baby and much more!
Flying Display by the Puma Flying Lions
Once all elders had their flights for the days proceedings, the guests were treated to a short display by the Puma Flying Lions flown by Scully Levin and Arnie Meneghelli.
The final flight of the day was to see Menno Parsons Mustang Sally take to the skies with Retired Captain Alister Sinclair Rae who was a former P51D pilot who served the South African Airforce in the Korean War.
As the Jeppe High School for Boys and Girls Pipe band created an arch as the former 2 Squadron Pilot walked out to fly in a Mustang once again!
A big well done to Felix Gosher,Menno Parsons all sponsors and helping hands in a safe and great event.
Thanks to all on giving back to the community, to all the pilots and behind the scenes personnel in making dreams a reality and pilots making their aircraft available for the day at this year’s Elders Fight.
Launch of Ultimate Heli-port Midrand
Ultimate HELI, a well respected operator that flies fixed wing aircraft and helicopters out of Grand Central Airport. Grand Central Airport which is just up the road from the heli- port, located near the Alan dale off ramp in Midrand.
Sunday the 9th December 2018 saw the official opening of the heli port with conjunction with National Airways Corporation (NAC).The gloomy Sunday morning saw invited guests and media being shown around the world class facility.
Agusta A109 Grand ZS-BAX (Photo by Vincent Nagel)
A number of helicopters visited the facility during the course of the day, while others have now taken up as residents at the heli port. Some of the helicopters that one could see was a number of Robinson R44s,Bell206 Jet Ranger, a Airbus H125, an Agusta A109,A119,Bell 430 and a Huey belonging to airshow performer Menno Parsons.
Photo by Camry De Lorme
Photo by Vincent Nagel 
Bell 430 (Photo by Vincent Nagel)
The heliport will have space for about 30 choppers and, since Ultimate HELI currently has 12 of its own, that leaves plenty of room for those that are corporately or privately owned. Roseveare knows that at least six or seven property owners within Waterfall own a helicopter, so they can now negotiate convenient storage space with the company.
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