™ June 2018
Volume 17 No.6
R35.00 incl. VAT N$35.00 incl. VAT
EAA Lanseria International National Convention Airport
Two Competitions - Prizes worth R11 800 • Events Calendar dar Cover photography by Athol Franz
www.africanpilot.co.za
el ec 1 t 0 su ron an bs ic nu cr ma al ip g tio az ns in e
SAAF Museum and Lowveld airshows
Contents Airline Pilot 7 7 8 10
Ultra-long range A350 XWB Airbus and Rolls-Royce Major order for 47-787 Dreamliners The C919 - China’s Trump card
Commercial Pilot 18 22 23 24
AERO Friedrichshafen 2018 Aviation Development in Africa GO-AROUND-JOE Garmin introduces inReach® Mini
Drone Pilot 28
Airbus Aerial conducts mapping at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
56 57
Terrafugia partners with CEVT Fly-in to the Coves
38
Regulars 4 6 14 16 26 27 96 98 100 102 104 105 105 110
Competitions Letters Events Calendar Picture of the Month Fact File Names to Remember Accident Report Medical The Best of the Best Register Update Flying High Subscription Form Shop Window Aircraft Sales
42
Helicopter Pilot 36 36
Safran Ardiden 3C certification Schiebel and Airbus Helicopters
Military Pilot 46 46 47 48
Nigerian Air Force receives two Mi-35M Russian helicopters Team Eurofighter Bahrain AH-l Z attack helicopters Military Collectors & Re-enactment Society
Special Features 38 42 58
SAAF Museum Airshow 2018 Lowveld Airshow Lanseria International Airport 2018
Other 30 32
Enjoying the view The Katangese Air Force
50
distributed by
Sport Pilot 50 54
EAA’s Vryheid National Convention 2018 EAA’s Vryheid Adventure Rally
Contributors Athol Franz Divan Muller Charlie Hugo Dr Nicholas Lee
Karl Jensen Kevin Donnellan Fiona Hugo
Cornelis J. Vorster Aidan Owen Rob Jonkers
John Comley Christine Brits Charlie Marais
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copyright The views expressed in African Pilot are not necessary those of the editor, publisher, or staff writers. The editors and publishers cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. No part of this magazine may be reproduced including advertisements produced by Wavelengths 10 (Pty) Ltd in any form without permission from the publisher. – South African copyright laws apply. distribution African Pilot is distributed by On the Dot throughout southern African countries to approximately 1 000 retail stores:CNA, Exclusive Books, Pick ‘n Pay, PNA, selected Spar stores, garage convenience shops, Checkers Hypermarkets, 7/11 stores, selected bookshops, Fascination and Incredible Books as well as to neighbourhood convenience shops. Own distribution to specialist pilot shops at airports as well as to key decision makers within the aviation industry. Back editions are distributed free of charge to African countries, airport lounges, charter companies, the South African Air Force and selected flight schools. Altogether 6 500 copies of African Pilot are printed each month. The magazine also has online readers from all over the world. The first ten pages of African Pilot may be downloaded free of charge by visiting www.africanpilot.co.za
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Editorial Airshows in 2018 Unfortunately, several of the more popular airshows that were booked for this year have been cancelled due to a variety of reasons. The most common reason is the lack of a suitable sponsor with deep pockets. The other important problem concerns the rules to which airshow organisers are subjected by the authorities. However, this past month two of the annual airshows that took place; The SAAF Museum airshow at AFB Swartkop (page 38) and the Lowveld airshow at the Nelspruit airfield (page 42) were both excellent, but for very different reasons which you will understand when you have read the accompanying articles. What certain authoritarian individuals, who are in strategic positions, don’t understand is that it is the members of the media who provide airshow organisers with excellent coverage and if these people are treated poorly then they will withhold this coverage. In fact, African Pilot is the only monthly aviation magazine in South Africa that still covers nearly all aviation events in spite of its photographers being badly treated by certain ‘officials’ on some occasions. My resolve is to rise above the petty behaviour of these authoritarian individuals and find other ways to take pictures unhindered by those who make the rules that they don’t understand anyway. Fortunately, there are many airshow organisers who recognise the effort and I always find it a great pleasure to work with those people who fully understand the value of the publicity African Pilot provides to its considerable audience. Wonderful EAA convention in Vryheid Congratulations to the many organisers of this most successful aviation event that attracted EAA members from all over South Africa. The full report is published on page 50 in this edition of African Pilot. Sadly, we said goodbye to a dear friend of many years Claus Keuchel who accompanied by his
sweetheart - Maxine Frisch crashed his Taylorcraft into the top of the mountain only seven nautical miles from Vryheid on the Sunday whilst flying home from the convention. Many of us attended the superb memorial wake arranged by Captain Karl Jensen at the EAA Auditorium on Thursday 10 May. Thank you to everyone from the EAA family for your generous words about a great person and a pilot of more than 50 years who was also a most active EAA member. Claus and Maxine’s joint funeral was held at a packed Methodist Church in Alberton the following afternoon. Lanseria International Airport Starting on page 58 within this edition, we have published our annual Lanseria International Airport feature. I wish to thank Mike Barns, owner of MCC Aviation for flying me in his Airbus B3 helicopter to photograph all the hangars and buildings at the airport. At the same time, I want to thank Lanseria’s ATC for accommodating this flight within its busy airspace. Thanks also go to all those aviation businesses which have supported this feature, which is probably the best Lanseria airport feature we have ever produced. There is no doubt that General Aviation at Lanseria has changed over the years, with the introduction of many domestic flights from the three operators; Kulula, Mango and Fly Safair. What was also interesting this year was my observation that several smaller businesses have either closed down or left the airport. The face of Lanseria has changed forever and when the new multi-storey parking garage opens later this year the present parking problems will be an issue of the past. Until next month please enjoy the crisp clear flying weather over most of our beautiful country. Athol Franz
Editor Athol Franz 082 552 2940 editor@africanpilot.co.za
Publisher / Production Wavelengths 10 (Pty) Ltd
Marketing Lara Bayliss 079 880 4359 marketing@africanpilot.co.za
Durban correspondent Pete van der Spek
Copy reader Gordon Dyne
gdyne@global.co.za
Designers Maria Leader Creshenda Maraba
Cape Town correspondent Irene McCullagh
maria@africanpilot.co.za creshenda@africanpilot.co.za
Printing Business Print
012 843 7600 / 0861 42 42 59
Website and digital Johan Botes
johan@africanpilot.co.za
Distribution On the Dot
011 401 5938
Accounts Manager Helena Kurland
admin@africanpilot.co.za
Admin / Subscriptions Paulinah Motlhabi
subscribe@africanpilot.co.za
African Pilot Local International Fax
0861 00 11 30 +27 11 466 8524 / 6 086 767 4333
Transport Ephraim Ndlovu
P.O. Box 30620, Kyalami, 1684, South Africa
African Pilot House
No. 6 Barbeque Heights, Dytchley Road, Barbeque Downs, Kyalami, South Africa
website: www.africanpilot.co.za June 2018
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Competitions Total value of the competitions in this edition is R11 800
Cover Gazelle helicopter racing the Jaguar F-Type sports car
June Cover Competition - Total value R1 800 This month African Pilot will be giving away 10 annual electronic magazine subscriptions to the first 10 correct entries received via e-mail to admin@africanpilot.co.za. Questions 1) How many years has African Pilot been publishing? 2) How do you receive your FREE copy of APAnews every week? 3) Do you prefer the digital edition of the paper edition of the monthly magazine? April Cover Competition Winner Congratulations to Bongani Radebe who has won a scenic flight for two people on a SkyClass aircraft This Month’s Cover Competition Entries to be submitted to the following e-mail only: info@africanpilot. co.za One entry per person please. Entries sent to other African Pilot e-mails will automatically be disqualified. Picture of the Month This month’s winning entry can be viewed on page 16 & 17. This month’s winner will receive two nights for two people at the Aviator Hotel including breakfast. The overall winner of this year’s competition will receive prizes to the value of up to R10 000. By submitting a photograph, you grant African Pilot permission to publish the image in the monthly magazine as well as within our annual executive wall calendar.
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This picture taken by Athol Franz at the Brilliant Lowveld airshow on Saturday 12 May shows helicopter pilot Juba Joubert racing the Jaguar F-Type sports car on the runway. Athol used his Canon EOS 1 Mk4 camera fitted with a 100 to 400 mm Canon lens.
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Obituary - Claus Alfons Keuchel By Karl Jensen
He mentioned to friends, the day before he died, at the Convention at Vryheid that he had so enjoyed his entire life and had few regrets. He was clearly smitten by his new companion of 14 months Maxine Frisch. Neither Claus nor Maxine, both octogenarians, were enjoying the best of health so perhaps there is merit in the way they died. Together in death as in life. I believe a far better passing than suffering the ailments to which most of us will be subjected in the twilight of our lives.
Claus departed to that ‘big hangar in the sky’ on 29 April 2018 in his immaculate 1947 Taylorcraft BC-12D ZS-BLD.
We will miss Claus and remember him with great fondness. The combined funeral for Claus and Maxine was held at a packed Methodist Church in Alberton on Friday 11 May.
Claus was flying home to Vereeniging with his companion Maxine Frisch after the very successful 2018 EAA of SA Convention which was held at Vryheid. Claus appears to have entered cloud seven nautical miles west of Vryheid on track to Vereeniging and flew into a mountain just metres from the crest. Claus and Maxine both died almost instantly. A comprehensive weather briefing was provided around midday before Claus’ departure.
Dear Athol, On Saturday 14 April, my wife Kate and I were fortunate to experience a flight in Safomar’s Enstrom 480B ZS-HDO helicopter. What a magnificent machine! The cherry on the top for us was that our pilot was Shai Shalem, the CEO of the company. What a great guy and an excellent pilot. Our route was from Grand Central towards Hartbeespoort Dam, then Sandton CBD back to Grand Central.
Claus was born in in 1934 and grew up in wartime Germany. He professed that his family was spared the horrors of the war by the remoteness of his home from the main centres where heavy bombing caused much damage. He said he had a normal childhood before becoming an apprentice at the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg. As a qualified mechanic, Claus was sent to train technicians at the VW dealership in Tanga, Tanganyika, a large town on the Indian Ocean coast.
Unfortunately, the cloud base was very low and visibility poor, but none the less we enjoyed every moment of our flight. After the flight we were given a tour of the offices and hangars of Safomar, finishing up with breakfast at the Harvard Café. A big thank you Shai Shalem, Fiona Hall, Henrique Da Silva and Chris Behrans who arranged the trip and made us very welcome at Safomar.
Here Claus met his ‘English Rose’ in the form of school teacher Edna whom he married in 1960. When they met, Claus did not speak much English and Edna did not speak any German. However, they somehow managed and Edna soon taught Claus proper English. They were very happily married until Edna’s ‘passing’ three years ago. Sadly, their union was not blessed with children which both would have liked.
As the great Leonardo Da Vinci said: “When once you have tasted flight you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward for there you have been and there you will always long to return” Kind regards, Clive Godfrey
Claus learned to fly at the local Tanga Flying Club and purchased a Piper J3 which he later swapped for a Cessna 150 when he attained his Instructor’s Rating. Claus instructed in Tanga for more than 700 hours. Claus then bought a new Cessna 182 which he flew regularly until moving to South Africa in the 1970s to open his own garage and service station in Alberton. Claus operated the service station until he decided to specialise in fuel injector repairs and servicing. With Claus’ mechanical knowledge and typical German meticulous precision, he owned and restored several classic motor cars and always ensured that his cars and aircraft were in concourse condition. Claus was always willing to give advice and help to anyone who asked. He flew regularly to many EAA events and often visited Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and many other distant destinations in his Beechcraft Bonanza (Bonnie) usually in the company of other aircraft and friends. Claus built a hangar at Vereeniging, conveniently close to his home in Alberton to house his ‘Bonnie’. He acquired the Taylorcraft in 1980 and restored it to better than new condition modified with approved joystick controls and a brand-new Rolls Royce Continental engine. This little aircraft was a sheer delight to fly. Claus was no slouch when it came to enjoyment of life. He regularly visited the Oshkosh Airweek in the USA and will be remembered fondly by many people in the aviation community around the world. Claus was known for his generosity and lived life to the full.
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Dear Clive, Thank you for your e-mail. I too, have been most fortunate to have flown with Shai Shalem on several occasions in an Enstrom helicopter and every time the flight has been a unique experience. I am very pleased that you and Kate enjoyed the flight as well as the splendid hospitality of Safomar and its amazing team. Best regards, Athol.
Ultra-long range A350 XWB completes its first flight The Ultra long-range version of the A350 XWB, MSN 216, has successfully completed its first flight. The latest variant of the best-selling A350 XWB Family will be able to fly further than any other commercial airliner and will enter service with launch operator Singapore Airlines in the second half of 2018. The aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines has embarked on a short flight test programme to certify the changes over the standard A350-900 that will extend its range capability to 9,700 nautical miles. These changes include a modified fuel system that increases fuel carrying capacity by 24,000 litres, without the need for additional fuel tanks. The test phase will also measure enhanced performance from aerodynamic improvements, including extended winglets. With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 280 tons, the Ultra Long Range A350 XWB is capable of flying over 20 hours non-stop, combining the highest levels of passenger and crew comfort with unbeatable economics for such distances. Singapore Airlines has ordered seven A350-900 ULR aircraft, which it will use on non-stop flights between Singapore and the US, including the world’s longest commercial service between Singapore and New York.
A350-900 ULR takes off
The A350 XWB is an all new family of widebody long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions and significantly lower maintenance costs. The A350 XWB features an Airspace by Airbus cabin offering absolute well-being on board with the quietest twin-aisle cabin and new air systems. At the end of March 2018, Airbus had recorded firm orders for 854 of the A350 XWB from 45 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.
Airbus and Rolls-Royce sign UltraFan engine integration collaboration agreement
At the Berlin airshow, Airbus and Rolls-Royce signed a collaboration agreement for the integration of Rolls-Royce’s UltraFan® demonstrator for flight testing. The integration solutions’ demonstration will be co-funded by Clean Sky 2, the European Union research programme focused on developing technology to reduce emissions. UltraFan is a scalable jet engine design suitable for widebody or single-aisle aircraft and offers a 25 percent fuel efficiency improvement over the first-generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines. One element of the UltraFan programme is planning for ground and flight tests and to support this Rolls-Royce has signed an agreement with Airbus to provide both nacelle and engine/aircraft integration architecture and technology enablers. Airbus’ integration solutions will play an important part in achieving the overall fuel efficiency
improvement of higher bypass ratio engines such as UltraFan, through innovative architecture and associated technologies. UltraFan features a new engine core architecture and lean-burn combustion system which will contribute to improved fuel burn efficiency and lower emissions, along with a carbon titanium fan blade system and composite casing which reduce weight. The engine also introduces a geared design to deliver efficient power at high-bypass ratios. For Airbus, the project will enable it to fully integrate the overall powerplant system; composed of engine, pylon and nacelle onto future long-range aircraft products, as well as facilitating scalability for future short-range aircraft. It will also build on Airbus’ expertise in advanced manufacturing technologies, such as high-deposition-rate additive manufacture, welded assembly and high production rate thermoplastics. June 2018
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Boeing and American Airlines sign major order for 47 - 787 Dreamliners Last month Boeing and American Airlines announced that the world’s largest airline will more than double its 787 Dreamliner fleet with a new order for 47 of the super-efficient airplane plus 28 options. The 47 - 787s are valued at more than $12 billion at list prices and makes American Airlines the largest 787 customer in the Western Hemisphere. American originally ordered 42 - 787 Dreamliners and has been using the airplane’s tremendous fuel efficiency and superior passenger amenities to open new routes around the world, including Asia Pacific and Europe, as well as to boost its network efficiency. Whilst American still has more airplanes on the way from its initial order, the airline is buying the additional Dreamliners; 22 -787-8s and 25 - 787-9s to further modernise and expand its fleet. Built with lightweight composite materials and powered by advanced engines, the Dreamliner family lowers operating costs by more than 20 percent compared with previous airplanes and nearly 10 percent compared with today’s competing jets. American becomes the latest airline to place a repeat order for the
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner
787 Dreamliner. More than half of the programme’s 71 customers have done so, which has helped the 787 programme achieve orders for more than 1,350 aircraft to date. Boeing’s Global Services division provides American Airlines with efficiency tools such as Airplane Health Management and Toolbox, which help the airline improve operational performance and improve despatch reliability. The 787-8 Dreamliner can fly 242 passengers up to 7,355 nautical miles (13,620 km) in a typical two-class configuration. The 787-9, a stretch version of the 787-8, can fly 290 passengers up to 7,635 nautical miles.
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The C919 - China’s Trump card C919
China has long been recognised as an engine for growth in the aviation industry. Its airlines are rapidly expanding and demand for air travel continues to skyrocket, for both domestic and international trips. Not wanting to cede the entirety of the increased demand for aircraft to Airbus and Boeing, the Chinese Government launched The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) in 2008. COMAC has since launched the C919, a 168-seat aircraft which could break the Airbus and Boeing duopoly. Whilst the C919 is not likely to reach the heights of the A320, the aircraft has the potential to be carried to moderate success by the domestic Chinese market. Operating characteristics Although the C919 has the performance capabilities to meet the needs of virtually all of China’s domestic carriers, it cannot match its western counterparts particularly with regard to range. The C919 has a maximum payload range of only 1,350 nautical miles (nm), which is 1,200 nm less than the 737 MAX 8 and 650 nm less than the 737-800. When both aircraft are configured to hold 168 passengers, the C919 can travel 2,430nm, whilst the 737-800 can travel 3,100 nautical miles, assuming an average passenger weight of 190 pounds (lbs). This range differential is accounted by the C919 having an MTOW of 165,565 lbs, nearly 10,000 lbs lighter than the 737-800, but having an empty weight that is 2,000 lbs heavier than the 737-800. Whilst the Boeing 737 aircraft may have the range advantage over the C919, an analysis of the schedule of Chinese operators reveals that the C919 is well suited to domestic Chinese operations. In a performance analysis of all Chinese domestic routes currently operated by the 737-800 or A320-200 and flown at least weekly, the results showed that the C919 would likely be able to serve all of these routes, assuming the aircraft is operated in its standard 168 seat configuration. Depending on the C919’s take-off performance, the aircraft would likely take a seat penalty at some of China’s higher elevation airports such as Ürümqi. In addition, the C919 as well as the 737-800 and A320-200 cannot operate in cities such as Lhasa, which has an elevation of over 11,000 feet. Due to these observations, Chinese operators would most likely not be concerned
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about the C919’s range limitations. COMAC official literature states that the company will launch a C919ER, which will bring the aircraft’s performance closer to that of the 737-800 and increase COMAC’s presence in the market. However, no information has been released regarding the variant’s launch date or how COMAC will achieve the performance upgrade. The C919’s suitability for Chinese operations is further explained by China’s unique geography for a country of its size. Nearly all of China’s population centres are on the east coast, whilst the western part of the country is sparsely populated, save for a few large cities in the Xinjiang province in the northwest of the country. There are also several other countries whose geographies are similar to that of China in this regard, which would allow the C919 to operate successfully. Brazil, India and most countries in South East Asia would all be suitable markets for the aircraft, but major airlines in these regions have substantial orders for A320neos or 737 MAX 8s. This market saturation for narrowbody aircraft makes it unlikely that carriers in these regions will place C919 orders. Another disadvantage the C919 has versus its western counterparts is that it has a maximum seating capacity of only 174 seats. The 737-800 and A320-200 currently have a maximum seating capacity of 189 seats. This seating limitation will be less attractive to low-cost carriers that operate narrowbody aircraft at maximum capacity. The ideal customer profile for the C919 is a Chinese full-service carrier, which is reflected in the type’s order book, from which Chinese low cost carriers Spring Airlines and Lucky Air are notably absent. Certification COMAC faces an arduous road attaining type certification for the C919. It took twelve years for COMAC’s first aircraft, the ARJ21, to attain type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The C919 is expected to attain type certification from CAAC in 2020, which like the ARJ21, will be twelve years after the programme’s launch. Another hurdle facing the C919 is type certification by western regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in the EU. COMAC has applied to EASA for type certification for the C919 and in November 2017,
the Chinese aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) signed an agreement with the FAA which grants CAAC ‘comprehensive peer recognition’ as an aerospace supplier. All Chinese aircraft would still be subject to certification review with the FAA, but the agreement does open the door to further cooperation between the FAA and CAAC in the future. These developments show that western certification of the C919 is not as far-fetched as believed when the programme was launched. However, even if western type certification is received, it does not necessarily mean the aircraft will be purchased by western operators or lessors.
by the manufacturer although it is believed to be around $68.4 million. If the same discount that manufacturers typically give to the A320-200 and 737-800 list prices is applied, the purchase price of a new C919 would be somewhere between $28.7 million and $32.1 million, placing the aircraft at around the same price as a new Embraer E-190. This pricing is a bargain for an aircraft of the C919’s size and the aircraft may win a few customers on price alone. The Chinese Government is also likely to subsidise the purchase of the C919 for Chinese operators, increasing the likelihood that Chinese airlines would select the aircraft over its western competitors.
After market support Potentially limited aftermarket support is another issue that may cause many non-Chinese operators to balk at purchasing the C919. It is unlikely that COMAC will be able to develop an efficient maintenance and spare parts distribution network for the aircraft. Interjet, the sole North American operator of the Russian built Sukhoi Superjet, has had operational difficulties caused by Sukhoi’s similar supply chain issues. Engine maintenance delays have forced the grounding of several of Interjet’s Superjet aircraft and some of the grounded aircraft are being cannibalised to keep the rest of the fleet flying.
Effect of tariffs On 4 April 2018, the Chinese government announced a 25% tariff on aircraft imported from the United States of America with an empty weight between 15,000 and 45,000 kilograms. It is unknown how the Chinese will define empty weight, which is key to assessing the impact of the proposed tariff. The 737 MAX 8 has an operating empty weight of 45,070 kilograms, which would put it just above the tariff cut-off weight. However, if the Chinese government defines empty weight as ‘manufacturer’s empty weight’ which is the weight of solely the aircraft structure, the 737 MAX 8 will undoubtedly be subject to the proposed tariff. It is important to note that the tariff on aircraft is not likely to be implemented in the immediate future, but should it go into effect there would be significant consequences for both the Chinese and American aviation industries.
Even though the Superjet’s sole engine option is a western built engine (the French built Safran PowerJet SaM146) the engine’s only application is the Superjet, limiting the number of spares available. Should non-Chinese operators adopt the C919 they would likely face similar challenges as Interjet. The C919’s saving grace in this area is that a large portion of the C919’s components are western built. The APU is a Honeywell HGT750, and its engines, CFM LEAP-1C will likely have significant parts commonality with other CFM LEAP engines. However, this will probably not be enough to convince operators that maintenance can be completed on C919 aircraft in a timely and affordable manner. New entrant competition and pricing Even if the C919 had performance figures equivalent to current generation Boeing and Airbus aircraft, it would still have a hard time securing any orders outside of its home market. Operators are often unwilling to be early adopters of an unproven manufacturer’s aircraft as seen in the order book for Russian built Irkut MC-21 and the Sukhoi Superjet. The MC-21 has performance figures much closer to the 737 MAX 8 than does the C919, but it has only managed to secure orders for 205 aircraft, with Egyptian operator Cairo Aviation being the only customer outside of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Sukhoi has had similar challenges marketing the Superjet, with only two commercial operators of the aircraft (Mexico’s Interjet and Ireland’s CityJet) located outside of the CIS. Commercial challenges experienced by Russian manufacturers show that there is an uphill battle ahead for COMAC’s marketing team when they attempt to sell the C919 to non-Chinese operators. Granted, once all the orders for the 205 MC-21are filled, the aircraft will make up roughly 40% of all narrowbody aircraft operating for Russian airlines. Should the C919 achieve similar home market penetration, COMAC will receive orders for around 1000 of the aircraft. Pricing of the C919 is difficult to pinpoint as no commercial terms have been agreed upon as of December 2017. All orders currently consist of a ‘customer agreement’ in which pricing and delivery schedules have not been discussed. The list price of the C919 has not been announced
The C919 would undoubtedly become more attractive to Chinese operators as the pricing versus the 737 MAX 8 would only become more competitive. At this time there are only orders on hand for 138 of the 737 MAX 8 from Chinese operators, but there are 1,079 737-800s currently operating in China that will need to be replaced at some point in the future. As Boeing would no longer be able to compete in this segment, COMAC and Airbus would undoubtedly look to fill this demand. However, the 737-800 fleet in China is very young, with an average age of just under five years, so the tariffs would most likely be repealed once the fleet needs replacing in significant numbers. The tariffs would also make it difficult in the short term for American operators to move used 737NGs, as the Chinese secondary market would effectively be blocked. Should the tariff go into effect, both COMAC and Airbus could be winners and the C919 programme may receive a much-needed boost. Looking ahead The C919 is a noble effort by the fledgling Chinese aviation industry. The aircraft is more than capable of serving Chinese airlines in their domestic operations, which is a sizeable and growing market. This combined with bargain pricing and Chinese government assistance may drive Chinese operators to the C919, cutting into a small yet noteworthy portion of both Boeing’s and Airbus’ Chinese businesses. Outside of China, the performance limitations of the aircraft will hinder the sale of the C919 and therefore COMAC does not currently pose a threat to the Boeing-Airbus duopoly. However, COMAC will certainly learn from its experience producing the C919 and will certainly produce more capable aircraft in the future. As a result, both Boeing and Airbus should take the Chinese aerospace industry seriously and implement strategies to counter this new competition. June 2018
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2018
Event
Venue
Contact
2 June
Newcastle Airshow
Newcastle
Johan Pieters 082 923 0078 johan@champ.co.za
6 - 10 June
Zim Navex Prince Charles Airport
Harare Zimbabwe
Marion Kalweit +26 37 725 7009 zimairrally@gmail.com
9 June
SAPFA Bethlehem Fun Rally
Bethlehem Airfield
Rob Jonkers 082 804 7032 rob@aerosud.co.za
23 June
Reef Steamers Train vs Vintage Planes, Cars and Bikes
Krugersdorp to Magaliesburg
Ian Morrison 082 903 9463 imorison@worldonline.co.za
South African Hot Air Balloon Skeerpoort Championships North West Province
24 - 28 June
Drones Conference and workshop Emperors Palace 2018 convention centre
28 - 29 June
Richard Bovell richard@bovellross.com
Jerry Davidson jerry@vukanicomms.co.za
28 June - 1 July
Race for Rhinos
Sua Pan, Botswana
Chris Briers 082 568 7988 chris@briersgroup.com
13 July - 15 July
Taildraggers Fly-in to Nylstroom
Nylstroom
Richard Nicholson 082 490 6227 Richard.nicholson1963@gmail.com
14 July
SAPFA Hoedspruit Fun Rally
Hoedspruit Civil Airfield
Frank Eckard 083 269 1516 frank.eckard@mweb.co.za
14 July - 15 July
SAC Nationals
Coastal venue TBA
Annie Boon chunge@mweb.co.za
16 July - 22 July
Farnborough International Airshow
Farnborough
Michelle Clover michelle.clover@farnborough.com www.farnboroughairshow.com
20 July
73rd CAASA Annual General Meeting
CAASA House Lanseria International Airport
011 659 2345 Office@caasa.co.za
23 July - 29 July
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Wisconsin, USA
Neil Bowden neil1@telkomsa.net Calvin Fabig calvin@designer.co.za
1 August - 5 August SAC National Championships Tempe Bloemfontein
Annie Boon chunge@mweb.co.za
Airshow organisers: African Pilot annual airshow award details on our website: www.africanpilot.co.za Local 0861 001130 International +27 11 466 8524 Pre & post publicity: E-mail: editor@africanpilot.co.za Website: www.africanpilot.co.za Details are published in the magazine, the African Pilot weekly Newsletter and the African Pilot Website. They serve to remind aviation enthusiasts of forthcoming events during the week running up to the event. Capital Sounds for sound and broadcast: Brian Emmenis 057 388 2351 E-mail: capital@icon.co.za ASSA - Air Show South Africa Website: www.airshowsa.org.za. To reserve an airshow or fly-in please book on-line: www.airshowsa.org.za Louise Hofmeyer 083 454 1104 E-mail: louise@airshowsa.org.za Management & Airshow Authorisation: Tania van den Berg RAASA 011 082 1000 E-mail: tania@raasa.co.za Website: www.raasa.co.za
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How to submit a photograph Should you wish to see your photograph published as a ‘Picture of the Month’, please send your image in its original size to africanpilotmag@gmail.com. All well-composed, high quality photographs with an aviation theme will be considered. This month’s winner will receive two nights for two people at the Aviator Hotel including breakfast. By submitting a photograph, you grant us permission to publish the image in African Pilot magazine, as well as our annual executive wall calendar. The photographer who takes the best photograph of the year will receive prizes to the value of up to R10 000.
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HARVARD AT6 Flying Lions aerobatic display by Cornelis J. Vorster
the broadcasting stand, near the centre of the show. The four Harvards completed a loop and flew in formation towards the crowd line.
Cornelis took this picture at the SAAF Museum Swartkops Airshow last month. The Flying Lions performed a breath-taking synchronised aerial display with the team’s Harvard AT6 aircraft, branded in the colours of Puma Energy.
Just before turning away I took several pictures of the Harvards approaching and gave special attention to the two Harvards in the centre. I used a relatively slow shutter speed in order not to freeze the propellers.
The flying Lions are a four-pilot aerobatic team that is a regular feature at South African airshows. The afternoon sky was clear with no clouds and the light was softening, ideal for picture taking. I was also lucky to stand close to
This picture was taken with my Canon 70D camera set at 1/500sec, f8, fitted with a Sigma 120-400mm at focal length 323mm and ISO speed 100. The original image has been cropped.
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June 2018
African Pilot
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