The Big 5 Fly-in 2019

Many house-hold-name festivals and events started small and are now annual calendar entries in people’s diaries. We have identified a specific need to small aircraft pilots and aim to provide them with an annual event to exceed all expectation and which is positioned to be uniquely different. Our dream is to grow the Big 5 Fly-in to a national event reaching pilots and enthusiasts across South Africa.

We did not have any money when we set out to host this event in lieu of raising funds, and all marketing was done through social media and word-of-mouth only.

On Saturday 15 June 2019, 19 small aircraft touched down on the airstrip at Legend Golf and Safari Resort, 17 more than our first attempt when bad weather in August 2017 prohibited planes from flying.

Our venue sponsor Legend Golf and Safari Resort went out of their way in helping with the day’s logistics and we couldn’t have asked for a more enthusiastic team.

The skydiving and tandem jumps were a huge draw card for both participants and spectators – thank you so much Johannesburg Skydiving Club. You came as a club but left as very good friends!

Altus Theart’s unplugged concert ended off the day on a high note as the sun set behind the Waterberg escarpment. Both Nadia and Altus were great sports, and their support in our effort is greatly appreciated…. Thank you both for your love, enthusiasm and great ideas for 2020!

Despite a few things we will do differently, our activity and participating sponsors congratulated the Big 5 Fly-in team for a day well organised and we already started planning the 2020 Fly-in around a cosy fire on Saturday night.

Without the financial and product contributions from our sponsors we could not have hosted the Big 5 Fly-in:

Airport Refueling Services, Altus Theart, (NvR Management), Air Traffic Control, Authentic African Adventures, CdP Auctioneers, Chillersonwheels, ER24, Johannesburg Skydiving Club, KH – all things creative, Lanzerac, Legend Golf & Safari Resort, Lex and Christo Erasmus, Nkwe Security Services, The Pallet Kraft, Postnet, Restonic, Sanlam, Rhino Beetle Gin, Televonic, Vleis Sentraal, Wappoint and Working on Fire.

“Opportunity favours the bold – this is a lesson that I learned early on, and have used to guide the Virgin story. If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!” – Sir Richard Branson

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