CATEGORIES

SLING AIRCRAFT

Sling Aircraft is a South African success story. 100% South African designed and manufactured, these aircraft are selling out faster than they can be manufactured. Based in Johannesburg, Sling Aircraft isa Manufacturing Organisation which designs, manufactures and markets the highly acclaimed Sling range of light aircraft and light aircraft construction kits.

PIPISTREL PANTHERA

My first encounter with the Pipistrel Panthera was when visited AERO Friedrichshafen about four years ago where the first prototype was on display. Whilst admiring the sleek shape of the Panthera, my thoughts were that this aircraft is fast very fast, even whilst it was standing on its undercarriage legs on display.

PIPER PISTON AIRCRAFT 2024

About Piper Aircraft With its headquarters in Vero Beach, Florida, Piper Aircraft Inc. offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable singleand twin-engine aircraft and was the first General Aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin Autoland.

JABIRU J430 STANDARD

Due to its unrivalled entry level pricing, low maintenance and excellent flying performance for a four-seat aircraft when compared with the equivalent available aircraft in its class, the composite Jabiru J430 four-seat aircraft has been steadily growing in popularity. The J430 is now powered by the fourth generation reputable Jabiru 3300cc 120hp air-cooled six-cylinder piston engine.

EXTRA AIRCRAFT INTRODUCES NEW EXTRA 330SX

The Extra Aircraft company was established in 1980 as Extra Flugzeugbau in Germany by Walter Extra, an aerobatic pilot, to design and develop his own aerobatic aircraft. The company is located at Dinslaken airfield in Hiinxe, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Worldwide production of aircraft is about three units per month with a six-month backlog.

DIAMOND DA40 SERIES

The DA40 NG comes standard with a choice of stylish and hard-wearing interior materials. For luxurious comfort and style, available features include premium leather interiors in several designs and colours, adjustable pilot seatbacks and lumbar support, electrically adjustable rudder pedals, electric air conditioning and much more.

CIRRUS UNVEILS NEW SR SERIES G7 AIRCRAFT

On Thursday 11 January Cirrus Aircraft unveiled the new SR Series G7 aircraft. With the latest in technology and a sleek design, the G7 will redefine personal aviation.

TEXTRON AVIATION

Textron Aviation is committed to designing and delivering the best aviation experience for its customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops and high-performance pistons to special mission, military trainer and defence products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all General Aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on the legendary performance, reliability and versatility of the brands, along with the company’s trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight.

TEXTRON AVIATION

Textron Aviation is committed to designing and delivering the best aviation experience for its customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops and high-performance pistons to special mission, military trainer and defence products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all General Aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on the legendary performance, reliability and versatility of the brands, along with the company’s trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight.

AVIAT AIRCRAFT

Get behind the stick in an Aviat Aircraft and you will experience the difference. When you own an Aviat Aircraft, you will notice the superior quality and the pride of craftsmanship that is built into every part of the plane and you will feel it every time you take to the air. Made in the USA handcrafted in beautiful wild Wyoming, the Equality State, Aviat Aircraft are exceptional.

INTRODUCTION to PISTON AIRCRAFT TYPES 2024

Piston performers from singles to twins, there is an airplane for everyone

SINGASPORE AIRSHOW 2024

Bounces back to full strength

AIRBUS RACER

On 20 June 2017 at the Paris air show, Airbus Helicopters revealed a high-speed demonstrator configuration based on the X3 developed within the Clean Sky 2 research programme. Its aerodynamic configuration was validated in 2017.

CAASA AGM and AWARDS

The Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa (CAASA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) and awards ceremony took place at CAASA House at Lanseria International Airport on Friday 9 February.

IS FLIGHT TRAINING BECOMING SAFER?

One of the first questions people ask before they begin flight training is 'how safe is this career?\" If a study recently compiled by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute and Liberty University School of Aeronautics is any indication, flight training is becoming safer.

Test flying the new CIRRUS SR22T G7

In January 2024 Cirrus Aircraft, the company that brought you the personal aircraft with the parachute and the Vision Jet that lands itself with the touch of a button, announced the newest generation of the world’s best-selling, high-performance, single-engine piston aircraft, the SR Series G7.

PIPER CHIEFTAIN AVIONICS UPGRADE

The avionics refurbishment industry is presently experiencing a significant trend back to piston twin engine market where aircraft owners require the installation of 21st century avionics, especially as many of these aircraft are being used for single pilot IFR operations.

Why the past few years have been turbulent for SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

South African Airways (SAA) faced turbulence due to the pandemic, going into business rescue halting operations and struggling to resume flights. Increased competition from low-cost carriers and other airlines resuming flights during the pandemic has also affected the carrier. SAA underwent internal changes, including business rescue, leadership transitions and plans for semi-privatisation to ensure its relaunch and stability.

How and why has premium economy become such an airline success story?

Although a concept that many people still regard as relatively 'new' in terms of passenger air travel, the phenomenon of premium economy has actually been with us for more than thirty years. In this article, we examine the origins of premium economy cabins, how the concept came about, who the early adopters were, how offering premium economy works for airlines and how it has flourished into the enormous success story it is today.

ETIHAD to enable pilots to fly both A350 and A380 aircraft

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has achieved another key milestone in pilot training and flight operations. After rigorous regulatory approval and extensive training at Etihad Airways, highly qualified Etihad flight crews are now authorised to fly both aircraft types interchangeably.

AMADEUS acquires Vision-Box for biometrics

Amadeus announced the company would be acquiring Vision-Box, a provider of biometric solutions for airports, airlines and border control customers. The acquisition of Vision-Box will bring new capabilities around biometrics hardware and software, adding border control solutions to the Amadeus portfolio.

US AIR FORCE SELECTS STARTUP JETZERO

TO BUILD BLENDED WING BODY DEMONSTRATOR

Universal Air Evac 10th ANNIVERSARY

Choosing the correct air ambulance provider is critical to the patient, as well as everyone close to the patient due to the fact that they are being affected by the medical emergency.

FOURTH SAPFA SPEED RALLY STAGED AT GROBLERSDAL

Christine and I drove to Groblersdal on Saturday morning 19 August to report on the final SAPFA Speed Rally for this year that attracted 20 entries. The day was sunny with fine weather and only a slight breeze from the north-west, but rather hazy due to the many veld fires that are burning at this time of the year.

TITANIUM HOW WAR HAS RESHUFFLED SUPPLY OF A KEY AEROSPACE MATERIAL

An essential component of modern aircraft manufacture is the element Titanium, chemical symbol Ti. From sections of the fuselage frame and engine blades to landing gear and the numerous bolts and fasteners that hold sections of the aircraft together, the list of aircraft components containing titanium alloys is extensive.

B-25 RESTORATION SPANS 40 YEARS

On 06 June 1944, a date that ought mean a great deal to all the world's free-ish people some 150,000 US, British and Canadian troops stormed the beaches of Normandy as Operation Overlord roared into action and the great Allied campaign to retake Western Europe from the Nazi aggressor got underway.

NORTH-WEST REGIONAL AEROBATIC CHAMPIONSHIP KLERKSDORP

The most recent aerobatic competition on the Sport Aerobatic Club calendar took place in Klerksdorp on 18 and 19 August was the north-west regional aerobatic championship.

US NAVY CONTRACTS SIKORSKY TO BUILD 35 CH-53K HELICOPTERS

The US Navy has awarded Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, a US$2.7 billion contract to build and deliver 35 additional CH-53K helicopters, the largest procurement to date for this multi-mission aircraft.

IS ACCIDENT REPORTING MAKING US ALL CRAZY?

If an aviation accident happens, say, 1000 times a year or about three times a day, is it worth reporting as news? This is the calculus on aviation accidents, which we report on within AFRICAN PILOT.

CASSIE DE LA ROCHE FLIES AT 99

It is not every day in life that someone calls me to with a proposal to undertake a really good news story and this happened in August when Andreas Siebold contacted me to record the flight of Cassie La Rouche (born 15 October 1923) and who at 99 years of age was an amazing person to meet.