Tag Archives: Wonderboom
Aero Africa Expo 2023
Aero Expo South Africa known as the leading civilian aviation trade show, took place once again at Wonderboom National Airport in Pretoria north during 6th-8th July 2023. AERO South Africa is organised by Messe Frankfurt South Africa in partnership with fairnamic GmbH – the new joint venture of Messe Frankfurt and Messe Friedrichshafen who organise Europe’s largest General Aviation Show – AERO Friedrichshafen.
Some of the features of this years event included an aviation exhibition, park and sell, demonstration flights, fly-inn, work shops and much more on all three days of the trade show. The 2022 event welcomed over 3500 visitors with 72 exhibiting companies across 5106sqm.
AERO South Africa also featured an engaging workshop programme that covered amongst other tropics, careers for women in aviation, skills development, General Aviation Safety Strategies, and various product launches. In a first for the event, a successful personalised B2B Matchmaking Programme was launched where businesses were profiled and matched to specific trade visitors that secured and hosted over 100 confirmed B2B meetings at the event.
During the event, visitors had the incredible opportunity to engage in stimulating conversations with renowned experts in the General Aviation industry. The daily schedule was packed with insightful sessions from our exhibitors that delved into the latest innovations and explored various captivating topics.
The AERO South Africa Youth Development programme was a resounding success! Students with a
passion for aviation had the privilege of hearing from esteemed speakers from organisations such as the
Aviation Development Foundation, Blue-Chip Flight School and the Mega Training Academy. Inspiring and informative, this session ignited the dreams of future aviators and provided invaluable insights into
pursuing careers in the aviation industry.
In the three days, a total of 2981 trade visitors made their way through the airport,14 International exhibitors attended , 116 fly-in movements,21 different countries visited and a total of 60 exhibitors over 6123 square meters.
Aero Expo South Africa 2022
Aero Africa was passionately welcomed back to Wonderboom National Airport in the city of Tshwane, South Africa, this past week and adding Saturday for some of the public to attend the now 2nd edition of the general aviation trade show.
This being Africa’s largest general aviation trade show, covers the full spectrum of services and products for the aviation industry. Discover what direction developments in the General Aviation industry are going.
This years expo was a bit smaller as the previous Aero Africa that took place for the first time back in 2019.
Due to the fact that planned returns of the expo were to take place in 2020/2021, got cancelled due to the all now well known covid-pandemic.
As that being said, we can now appreciate the event is back and we and the industry can only grow stronger going forward.
Visitors were welcome to fly-in to AERO South Africa in their own aircraft for the proceedings of each of the three days.
That including free landing, approach and ground handling fees for fly-ins to the event.
Potential buyers had the opportunity to experience aircraft features first hand as aircraft manufacturers and distributors having the opportunity to host demonstration flights during the event.
A workshop area hosted reputable speakers covering relevant topics were available during the course of the days of all different products, companies ect.
Aero South Africa attracts a broad and international exhibitor base with innovative products new to South Africa by incentivising product launches and global imports.
An interactive platform offering exhibitors and visitor the perfect environment to build and foster relationships with current and future business partners.
Features at AERO South Africa 2022
A private workshop area is available to host seminars and talks at AERO South Africa 2022.
As well as a medium size static park with a number of fixed wing and rotary aircraft on display.
Some of the big aviation companies that were exhibiting such as Absolute Aviation, National Airways Corporation, Cirrus South Africa, Airbus Helicopters, Excujet, DJA Aviation, Flight Schools, Air Ambulances just to name a few.
The airport itself was still busy with charter flights, flight training schools, test flights from the airports local maintenance facilities.
This made up for some as many of the general public thought the event was an airshow but in fact and expo.
Aero South Africa 2019
The General Aviation Global show of the world which has been taking place in Lake Constance in Germany for the last 40 years and now the show has made its way to South Africa. This is due to the close partnership between Messe Friedrichshafen and Messe Frankfurt.
The much anticipated Aero South Africa finally arrived on South African shores at the Wonderboom National Airport in the city of Tshwane. This was the first of its kind in South Africa to introduce this type of expo to the General Aviation Industry. The purpose of the event was to see an interactive trade show with demonstration flights of the different aircraft, aviation exhibitors, flight schools and other products in the industry that were showcased, a fly-inn was also part of the proceedings during the entire duration of the event.
4000 square meters of space was provided for exhibition space, consisting of indoor, outdoor, park and sell plus and aircraft display area. This included general aviation most of all types seen in South Africa, a couple of warbird aircraft that also flew in for the event, such as the P51D Mustang, De Havilland Tiger Moth and also part of the De Havilland family the Wonderboom based De Havilland T55 Vampire, a number of helicopters were on static display and in the park and sell area.
The Saturday saw the entire apron full of aircraft both that flew in and that of who were present from day 1.Lieutenant Colonel Keith Andrews from the South African Airforce was Ramp Controller and made sure he could accommodate any type of aircraft for parking purposes for all three days of the event.
The Park and Sell area was pointed out as a new attraction to any aviation event in South Africa sponsored by the well know Auto Trader which made a perfect opportunity to sell previously owned aircraft. A total of 80+ exhibitor’s were present. The new Cirrus vision jet of CDC aviation was a favourite for us to see south Africa’s first of its type face to face for the first time. Absolute’s Aviation Citation XLS+ was also one of the bizjets on static display shadowed by a Cessna Grand Caravan EX.
Team Extreme’s Jason Beamish and Nigel Hopkins in their Extra 330 Aerobatic Aircraft closed day 1 of Aero South Africa with a short aerobatic display, while day 2 and 3 were closed off with Jason in his Extra 330 and Mark Sampson in his Sbach 341.They also met up with Menno Parsons on the final day of Aero in his P51D ‘Mustang Sally’ with some formation flying before the day concluded.
Century Avionics was many of the many exhibitors of the event, their products were put to show were the static display of both Team Extremes MX2 owned and flown by Mark Hensman’s and Mark Sampson’s Sbach 341 with GPSs and other avionics the aircraft are fitted with.
Villa San Giovanni’s Restaurant made sure pure business visitors and the general public didn’t go hungry with excellent Italian cuisine during the three days of the show, as well as accommodation on the airports premises.
Little Annie the well known Airshow Antonov 2 owned by the Hill Family, was on static display and visitors were able to look and interact with. They also had a raffle for a new set of Bose Headsets with R20 000 which is available with Wings n Things from Lanseria International Airpor.Wings ‘n Things is a pilot supplies store established in 1990. We are authorised dealers of the world’s leading aviation brands such as Jeppesen, David Clark and Bose, as well as a reseller of many other aviation products.
A huge well done to all the organisers of the event both local and overseas officials. Lets hope this becomes and annual event with the next Aero South Africa even bigger.
“Saturday was the busiest day of the AERO SA trade show weekend. The morning started out quiet but picked up speed after 10h00. The fly-in was a great success. Anything and everything that flies was seen at Wonderboom. Vans RVs, Cessna, Bat hawks and many Robinson Helicopters. Absolute Aviation Group with Jason Beamish took photos with fans and they printed them on customized frames. The day played out beautifully and there was entertainment for the whole family. Definitely one for the 2020 calendar!“-Dian Townsend SAAFMPC Member
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