THIS YEAR’S AIR SHOW was held over the Friday and Saturday preceding the Easter weekend.
A unique first on the Friday featured a Flying Lions’ sunset show flown to live music from the whole tutti of the Stellenbosch Philharmonic Orchestra. They performed many well-known aviation movie themes, including Nini Rosso’s very moving - Il Silenzio. There was many a damp eye wiped on a sleeve. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=_s5-0cUCQOQ
The biggest drawback of hosting an airshow in the Cape is fickle weather. On the Saturday morning there was rain and low-lying mist. This lifted to become a solid cloud base at around 1000 ft, which meant all the aerobatic performances had to be ‘flat’. Other Cape air shows have had to contend with 30-knot winds, most notably the SAAF airshow at Langebaan a few years ago.
The Cape is increasingly blessed with great air show performers basing themselves away from the catastrophe that is Johannesburg and the “Big Smoke.” Notable is the Marksmen aerobatic team, led by Mark Hensman, with Johnie Smith on his wing, (who comes all the way from Hoedspruit), Gary Glasson and Eugene Du Preez. This team has achieved a world-class level of polish, despite the challenge of flying unmatched aircraft, being a mix of Extras, an XtremeAir XA42 and an MX2.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
MARK TIERNEY'S CAFE PROPOSAL
One of the many challenges faced by African airlines is access to cost effective finance.
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.
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.
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
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.
