CATEGORIES

A-10 demonstration team announces its final season

After more than four decades of performing around the world, the US Air Force A-10C demonstration team announced that 2024 will be its final season. The 355th Wing located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona said the decision was a part of the Air Force’s divestment of the A-10 Thunderbolt Il, affectionately known as the Warthog.

AVIC'S AC332 LIGHT TWIN HELICOPTER MAKES FIRST FLIGHT

China’s state-owned aircraft manufacturer Avic announced the first flight of its light-twin AC332 helicopter in Tianjin.

HILL HELICOPTER HX50

The arrival of Hill Helicopter’s HX50 is set to shake up the world of general aviation, with some of the most interesting technological developments seen in decades.

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. It has maintained a presence in South Africa since 1994. Airbus Southern Africa Pty) Ltd is a one-roof entity shared services), incorporating Airbus Commercial, Helicopters and Defence Space and has its South African headquarters at Grand Central Airport in Midrand, South Africa.

AERO CLUB of South Africa AIRWEEK 2024

Once again, the annual Aero Club of South Africa’s AeCSA) Airweek 2024 was hosted by the Middelburg Aero Club from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 March. AeCSA’s annual Airweek was staged earlier this year in anticipation of fine weather, which turned out to be the case throughout the weekend. Without doubt Airweek is the most important General Aviation event on the South African calendar because this event brings all the sections of the AeCSA together on one airfield over a two-day period, whilst the Experimental Aircraft Association EAA) South Africa hosts its national convention at the same time.

WHO IS TO BLAME FOR SAA'S FAILED PRIVATISATION?

Following the announcement on Wednesday 12 March 2024 by Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan that the Takatso transaction had been cancelled, several pertinent questions arise: Who is to blame? What does it mean for SAA? What does it mean for future privatisations?

PC-12 SILENT 7 PROPELLER Now with improv ved certified take off performance

Due to the smaller diameter the seven-bladed MT-Propeller for the Pilatus PC-12 has more ground clearance for less blade tip erosion and FODs.

KERMIT WEEKS

Kermit Weeks acquires unique Boeing Stratoliner houseboat

VEKTOR AVIATION'S insight into the SOUTH AFRICAN AVIATION industry

During the first week of March it was all engines firing for Vektor Aviation as the company hosted a team of Lockton and London-based underwriters. This was the first time that some of these brokers and London-based underwriters have been hosted by Vektor to geta better insight into the South African aviation industry. Their exposure to the South African aviation industry included visits to various clients in Gauteng and North West as well as to Lanseria and Wonderboom airports.

GLOBAL HELICOPTER SALES IN 2023

Deliveries in the rotorcraft segment rose by nearly 10 percent last year compared to 2022. The turbinepowered category showed even better performance with its 753 deliveries equating to a 10.4 percent boost.

LOCKHEED MARTIN 35A officially certified to carry nuclear bomb

The designation marks the first time that a stealth fighter can carry a nuclear weapon, in this case the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb.

ENSTROM Helicopter Corporation

With crisp handling, well-appointed features, incredibly smooth ride, beautiful style and roomy interior, Enstrom’s line of helicopters offers the attributes of the ultimate luxury sports car and for an unexpectedly affordable price.

POLIKARPOV I-16

Rare POLIKARPOV I-16 flies again in SPAIN

CABRI G2

Helicopteres Guimbal was founded late-2000, with the purpose of developing and certifying the two-seat helicopter Cabri G2.

HAI HELI-EXPO 20024 EXPERIENCES RECORD-BREAKIING ATTENDANCE

This year’s event staged between 26 and 29 February included the announcement that the show's producer, Helicopter Association International HAI), was rebranding as Vertical Aviation International VAI). VAI is the world’s leading membership association dedicated to the vertical aviation industry, which encompasses all aircraft capable of vertical or short take-off and landing.

EAA Young Aviators March meeting

On Saturday 2 March I witnessed firsthand the incredible rej Jyenation of General Aviation where younger people, mostly studying for their pilot's licences that has also brought considerable diversity to the membership of the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) and specifically Johannesburg Chapter 322.

Flying Cars A fool and his money...

There is a hoary old adage - that you can fool most of the people most of the time. And that's enough to raise lots of money for screwball ideas. The Pegasus, a VTOL business jet that is nothing more than a computer graphic comes to mind.

FEBRUARY 2023

February has shown steady growth in the number of aircraft registered. Four fixed wing and one helicopter were added while the non-type certified (NTCA) register grew by seven.

SAFETY FEATURE

General aviation hides behind the safety record of its big brother - the airline industry.

ASCA'S MPUMI MPOFU: READY FOR TAKE-OFF

Ms Mpumi Mpofu has occupied the hot seat as Chief Executive of ACSA, the Airports Company of South Africa for a tumultuous past four years.

HYDROGEN POWERED PLANE TESTED

WORLD’S LARGEST liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft, using a 1 MW fuel cell engine, has been tested.

CAMEROON - BLAMES BOEING

BOEING JUST CANNOT STAY out of trouble. It has become the whipping boy for endless absurd claims.

SAA TAKATSO SALE CALLED OFF

SOUTH AFRICA’S Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has announced that the sale of a 51% stake in South African Airways (SAA) to the Takatso Consortium has been cancelled.

EAA AIRWEEK 2024

Having attended Oshkosh in 2023, I was looking forward to our own, miniature version in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

RIGHT SEAT RULES NO. 16 FUEL SYSTEMS WHY SO COMPLICATED?

You know those aggranoying people who say, “Oh I wouldn't fly in one of those little things - you can't just pull over and fix it if something goes wrong\"? What makes this particularly irritating is that the bastards are right.

WHY CAN AEROPLANES FLY UPSIDE-DOWN¿

In 1945, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, precursor of NASA and source of much of our knowledge about practical aerodynamics, published a hefty compendium of aerofoil data, NACA Technical Report 824, which later appeared in book form under the title Theory of Wing Sections.

TRAVOLTA'S CROOKED PILOTS?

TWO PILOTS ARE CHARGED with embezzling close to $800,000 from John Travolta.

STELLENBOSCH AIR SHOW

The Western Cape does not get as many airshows as the Joburg area - which is a shame as it has great airshow performers and one of the best venues in the world for a flying club airshow.

PIPER'S COMANCHE 180 - IT TICKS ALL THE BOXES

The Comanche is a fabulous plane - that was frankly just too good to be a Piper.

TELEPORTATION

One of the best clients for whom I ever flew was BP, the British oil giant. I was with them in Algeria for about seven years, from the very start of their large gas projects, right in the heart of the Sahara Desert, near the small towns of In Amenas and In Salah.