PRESIDENT'S TROPHY AIR RACE 2024
SA Flyer Magazine|June 2024
The annual Presidents Trophy Air Race (PTAR) is the highlight of the year for many competitive general aviation pilots.
Guy Leitch
PRESIDENT'S TROPHY AIR RACE 2024

THIS CALENDAR HIGHLIGHT has been hosted from one end of South Africa to the other by enthusiastic flying clubs. In 2023 it was hosted by Middleburg in Mpumalanga and in 2022 by the Saldanha Flying Club in the south western Cape. This year it moved all the way the other extreme end of the country - to Louis Trichardt in the far north of Limpopo.

Floris and Bianca Prinsloo of the Soutpansberg Vliegklub rolled out the red carpet for the race competitors and organisers.

The opportunity was taken to give the civil airport a full makeover and competitors and the race organisers and marshals were welcomed with wonderful hospitality. Interestingly, the entrants were limited to just 40 - a long way down from the races of around ten years ago, which attracted over 100 entries. On the day, of the 39 aircraft that entered, three did not arrive, leaving 36 participants.

The excitement generated by the race was evident in the number of entries from the region where many farmers have their own aircraft. Three flying clubs - the Tzaneen based Letaba Club, Soutpansberg and even Sandton's Eagles Creek Flying Club contributed newbie entrants. Newbies Edri Vorster and Johan Pieterse from Tzaneen's Letaba Club took third place in their Cessna 172.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2024 من SA Flyer Magazine.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2024 من SA Flyer Magazine.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من SA FLYER MAGAZINE مشاهدة الكل
EXERCISE VUK'UHLOME 2024
SA Flyer Magazine

EXERCISE VUK'UHLOME 2024

The South African Army's Exercise Vuk'uhlome 2024 Distinguished Visitors (DV) Day took place on 21 November at its Lohatlha Combat Training Centre. Although an Army exercise, the event combines SAAF squadrons for ground support.

time-read
1 min  |
December 2024
LANSERIA AIRPORT implements E-Gates
SA Flyer Magazine

LANSERIA AIRPORT implements E-Gates

As air travel continues to grow, pressure mounts on the check-in process, resulting in frustration and often leading to missed flights.

time-read
1 min  |
December 2024
LIVING THE DREAM - Part 1: Life in the Trailer Park
SA Flyer Magazine

LIVING THE DREAM - Part 1: Life in the Trailer Park

A harsh, piercing sound jolts me out of a restful, deep sleep. My alarm clock. Where am I? The ceiling is not familiar, the bed is hard, and the room smells. Well, I know I'm not home. My mind is racing to identify my location on this planet. Oh yes, I'm at work. Houma, Louisiana.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
OKAVANGO ECHOES
SA Flyer Magazine

OKAVANGO ECHOES

One Okavango evening, at the luxury Khwai River lodge, a young well-bred English pilot of good character and eloquent public-school accent and I had too much to drink.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
RODGER FOSTER STEPS OUT THE COCKPIT
SA Flyer Magazine

RODGER FOSTER STEPS OUT THE COCKPIT

At the end of November 2024 Airlink announced a change of leadership following the decision by current CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster, to step down at the end of March 2025. Rodger Foster founded the airline almost 33 years ago.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024
MARK TIERNEY'S CAFE PROPOSAL
SA Flyer Magazine

MARK TIERNEY'S CAFE PROPOSAL

One of the many challenges faced by African airlines is access to cost effective finance.

time-read
6 mins  |
December 2024
ENGINE FIRE!
SA Flyer Magazine

ENGINE FIRE!

Iris McCallum's continues her stories about her early years with Air Kenya, and we get to revisit one of her more dramatic moments.

time-read
6 mins  |
December 2024
GOING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
SA Flyer Magazine

GOING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

I'm sure you are familiar with the 'Leave Bug'. It's a little worm which lives in calendars. It hatches in cycles of two. Just before you are due to go on leave it grabs the last five days of duty and makes each one last for 48 hours.

time-read
9 mins  |
December 2024
AVIATION'S GOT THE CAREERS - BUT ARE YOU READY?
SA Flyer Magazine

AVIATION'S GOT THE CAREERS - BUT ARE YOU READY?

Now that Covid is receding into being a bad dream and the aviation industry is bouncing back strongly, the aviation press, blogs and websites are abuzz with predictions that we're facing a massive skills shortage. The only way to address this is by dramatically ramping up training to ensure an ongoing flow of new professionals into the industry

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024
FLYING AROUND THE KZN AIRFIELDS
SA Flyer Magazine

FLYING AROUND THE KZN AIRFIELDS

In less time than it takes to drive from one side of Johannesburg to the other, you can fly to beautiful KZN to experience amazing scenery and some fantastic airfields and hospitality.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024