Flightcom Magazine September 2023

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EDITION 176 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Publisher Flyer and Aviation Publications cc

Managing Editor Guy Leitch guy@flightcommag.com

Advertising Sales Wayne Wilson wayne@saflyermag.co.za

Layout & Design Patrick Tillman: Imagenuity cc

SEPTEMBER 2023

ADMIN:

+27 (0)83 607 2335

TRAFFIC:

+27 (0)81 039 0595

ACCOUNTS:

+27 (0)15 793 0708

Bush Pilot - Hugh Pryor

Pilots - Laura McDermid

John Bassi - Taming Tailwheels

News - Boeing 777X- sales

Defence - Darren Olivier

AME Directory

Jeffrey Kempson - Okavango Disconnect

Laura McDermid - Universal Air Evac

News - Boeing’s 737 MAX split

News - Benin’s Super Pumas break cover

Alpi Aviation SA: Flight School Directory

Merchant West Charter Directory

Skysource AMO Listing

Backpage Directory

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

THE LATEST

EFFORT IS CALLED the Focus

Africa initiative. An IATA press release says it aims to maximize the contribution of aviation to development across Africa by better serving passengers and shippers.

Under Focus Africa, private and public stakeholders are committed to delivering measurable improvements in six key result areas: Safety, infrastructure, connectivity, finance and distribution, sustainability, and skills development. It reads like a shopping list of fixes for the beleaguered African airline industry.

IATA and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) have agreed a joint work programme which includes five key objectives: Promoting air connectivity by working together with governments to support the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). The objective is to get the 23 countries which have committed to SAATM to actually do something to enable it. And also to encourage more countries to join SAATM.

The second objective is to unblock airline funds held by governments. Since 2018, a significant amount of blocked funds have been repatriated from Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe through working with the respective governments. However, $1.5 billion in airline funds are still blocked across the continent.

IATA has been spectacularly successful in improving the once disastrous African aviation safety record by creating the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). A third objective is now to improve operational safety

through a data-driven, collaborative programme to reduce safety incidents and accidents. This includes improving data sharing and promoting IATA safety auditing programmes including IOSA and IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA).

The fourth objective is to achieve reasonable levels of taxes and charges by focusing governments on the long-term social and economic benefits of aviation. User charges in Africa are 8% higher than the global average. IATA argues that Infrastructure charges must be set at levels that are fair, justified, and reflective of a value service proposition for airlines and passengers. Efforts in this area have resulted in charges reductions in Chad, the Ivory Coast and Zambia over the past five years.

The fifth objective is to support compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). CORSIA is a key element of the commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 agreed to by the industry and governments. It bears noting though that the CORSIA objective is probably the least likely to succeed as the African airline industry and governments have so far tended to take the view that environmental concerns are a rest of the world problem, as Africa cannot afford to pay these taxes. Further as African airlines contribute a minuscule less than one hundredth of a percent of carbon pollution to European skies, it is irrelevant anyway.

Thus will African aviation remain a special case.

African aviation will remain a special case

The seemingly unremitting challenge of trying to get Africa to transcend government interference and exploitation of the African airline industry has seen a fresh initiative of combined forces.

BASICALLY

WHAT THE

engineers do is to tell you what you’ve found. So, you spend enormous amounts of money digging a hole thousands of metres into the ground and then, for an extra half million bucks or so, the wireline people will come along, armed with lashings of spaceage equipment and unintelligible jargon and tell you there’s nothing down it.....nine tenths of the time. Only about one exploration well in ten actually produces any significant oil or gas.

To find out what’s down the hole, the wireline people have an extensive array of highly sophisticated tools available to tell you if there’s oil, or gas, or water, down there. They can tell you exactly where the product is, how fast it will flow out of the storage rock, how deep the production zone is, and where you are in the geological formation.

make extensive use of expensive metals like titanium and gold and some of the instruments involve the use of nuclear sources.

An oil rig costs upwards of thirty thousand dollars a day to hire, so you won’t want it to sit idle for long. When you want the wireline team, you want them NOW and you want them to complete the job yesterday.

very undemanding runway requirements

That’s where I come in. I fly the aeroplane, a Pilatus Porter, an extraordinary little ten-passenger (if they like each other as it has rather intimate seating arrangements!) single-engined turboprop which has very undemanding runway requirements. In fact, you can normally find somewhere to land right next to the rig to deliver an urgently needed tool, spare part or operator.

And when they’ve done all that, they can puncture the well-casing at the precise spot where the oil or gas is so that it can flow into the well and thence to the surface. All at a cost, you understand. Even some wireline people have wives and families to look after.

The tools they use have to be very rugged because they must be able to operate normally in temperatures of up to three hundred degrees Celsius and under pressures of up to ten thousand pounds per square inch. They

All these toys must be kept working by someone. He’s the Electronics Technician and he lives in a world of test equipment and computers.

The one we had on the particular project I’m writing about was an English nerd called Richard. He didn’t enjoy the job much, possibly because we lived a celibate existence in the middle of the Libyan desert, and he had a quite exceptionally attractive wife at home in England. This could also have accounted for a habit which annoyed his colleagues.

“Wireline” is on the cutting edge of oilfield technology and that’s probably why it’s so extraordinarily expensive.

Frequently, two or three days before he was due to come back from leave, his wife would call up the office and tell them that Richard was too sick to come back to work. She would fax the doctor’s certificate through as proof of Richard’s incapacitation. What was not generally known was that the doctor was in fact her brother. We jealously suspected that Richard must have had some pretty impressive hidden talents to earn such loyalty from so delightful-looking a young lady.

About the fourth occasion that the fax came through, the team was very busy indeed. Several wells had come up for final logging at the same time and the demand for logging tools outstripped the ability to service them.....because Richard was at home, too sick to come to work.

It looked like there would be an emergency unless a replacement could be found for the ailing nerd. So Jean Charot, the Technical Services Manager, screamed for help. His call was answered by the German branch of the company who had an Electronics Technician who was taking his annual leave. They would have to call him back so that he could fill in for Richard until his obliging brother-in-law said it was OK for him to resume his duties.

And that’s how I met Ralph Steak

He came down to Zella with Libyan Arab Airlines and I flew down there to pick him up and take him back to One-Oh-Three Alpha where we were based. Ralph turned out to be something of a star. A very amiable and hardworking character, he had one outstanding quality. He was an excellent and experienced brewer of beer and he had brought his own hops essence with him from Germany.

We could supply him with virtually unlimited quantities of Baby Malt, yeast and sugar and Ralph did the rest. And so started a tradition which rapidly made Ralph an essential part of the team’s social life in this Alcoholfree desert paradise.

One evening, towards the end of Ralph’s tour, as we were settling into the first relaxing bottle of Ralph’s Special Tripple-X, after a long and exhausting day

in the desert sun, the Selcall siren went off. It was mounted on the roof of the office and let out an earsplitting wail when somebody was trying to contact us on the radio. We had the same system installed in the aeroplane so that we could call people up and tell them what time we were going to land at their destinations. We didn’t have a siren fitted in the plane, so people couldn’t call us, but all we had to do was to stab the appropriate numbers into the box and press the “SEND” button and we could raise any of the companies stations anywhere in Libya.

This time it was Jean Charot and he wanted to speak to Ralph, so Marvyn, our team Manager went and called Ralph away from his beer to the radio.

“Hello”, said Ralph into the microphone, “Who’s calling please?”

“Bon soir Ralph”, came the reply from the ether, “’ere ees Jean Charot at Tripoli” The French accent was very strong, even over the crackle of static which came from the speaker. “We ‘ave a terrible problem weeth Richar’. ‘ee ees steel very seek een Angleterre and zee Docteur say ees no good ee come to work. Ees possible you make extra two week?”

Ralph was obviously not too happy to have his leave curtailed like this, but seeing as how the company was in a jam and he was, after all, receiving the “Libya Coefficient” which effectively about doubled his salary, he agreed. Ursula, his wife, would not be too happy, but he’d be able to smooth things over, no doubt.

Twelve days later, at almost the same time in the evening, the Selcall siren sounded, and once again it was Jean Charot from Tripoli, wanting to talk to Ralph.

“Pardonnez-moi Ralph,” he blurted out, “’ere ees Jean Charot speaking. Ralph...I ‘ave to keep you one more week. Zees Richar’ ees steel very seek. Zee Docteur ‘ee send me a fax jus’now. Ees beeg problem for me. OK you stay on?”

Ralph didn’t like this at all and neither would Ursula. What was to say that “zees Richard” would be better

I was going to tart up the plane a bit

in a week anyway? It would also mean that he would miss Ursula’s brother’s wedding. She wouldn’t like that, particularly since he was supposed to be the Best Man.

On the other hand, what was Jean Charot going to do without an Electronics guy? There was no doubt about it, the workshop was flat out with work. Ralph had only just managed to keep ahead on the “Q” checks and things would come to a grinding halt in a couple of days if he left them without a Technician. He didn’t like it, but there seemed little alternative.

“Listen Jean.” he told the radio, “This is most inconvenient. Isn’t there anybody else who can fill in?”

Pardonnez-moi, Ralph,” Jean sounded almost close to tears, “Je suis desolé, I am desolated, but I cannot find nobody to replace you. I am so sorry Ralph, please believe me, I need your help. I increase your Coefficient weeth twenty percent, yes? Eees OK?, no?”

“OK, Jean,” came Ralph’s reluctant reply, “I’ll stay on, but please make sure it’s no more than a week. And don’t forget about the coefficient!” he added as an indication of his annoyance.

“Sank you Ralph. You save my life. I make eet worth eet for you! Don’t worry!” The radio sputtered back into background static again.

During the course of the coming week, Ralph decided to brew a bumper edition of his Special Tripple-X, to celebrate his belated departure.

The day before he was due out was a Thursday and for the first time in weeks there was a lull in the frantic work schedule. Everyone was in camp on the Friday and we were anticipating a day of rest. There were no flights planned either and I was going to tart up the aeroplane a bit if I suddenly got the urge. Thursday night promised plenty of potential, judging by the bottles stashed away in the locked recreation room toilet.

We started at sixish in the evening and at around seven I had a brilliant idea. I wandered over to Marvin and

had a quiet word in his ear. “What do you think?”

“Too good to miss!” he said.

So I went out to the plane, which was parked just the other side of the camp fence. I unlocked the cockpit door, climbed in, found the Master Switch and turned it on. I then selected the Radio Master, Dialled up the company frequency on the HF and stabbed in the Selcall code for One-Oh-Three Alpha. I pushed the “SEND” button and instantly heard the wail of the siren coming from the roof of the office. As previously arranged, Marvin answered the Selcall and went to get Ralph to the radio.

“Bon soir Ralph!” I said in my best Franglais accent, “Zees ees Jean Charot at Tripoli. Ralph I do not know ‘ow to say zees, but zee Richard ees steel not betteur. Zee docteur ‘ee say zat zee Richard need one month ‘oliday after zee seeckness, so I ask you to make jus’ one more month.....Please Ralph.....I make more twenty percent coefficient for you.....’allo Ralph.....’allo..... you steel there Ralph?”

Ralph, who had already absorbed a few Special Tripple-X’s, was in orbit.

Then it came.....A torrent of German filled my head-set like lava and judging by the tone and volume, it was not all polite.

I couldn’t carry on, I was laughing so much, so I closed down the plane and ran back to the office. Marvin was doubled up outside the office door, crying with laughter, while Ralph continued to shovel pure vitriol into the microphone. It took me a full half hour to convince Ralph that it was only a joke and that it was our way of telling him that we didn’t want to lose him.

After that the party really sizzled and nobody got to bed until after midnight. Ralph obviously got the taste in a big way, because he didn’t wake up until about ten o’clock the next morning. His flight to Tripoli had left unusually promptly for Libyan Arab Airlines, at seven!

A torrent of German filled my head-set

LAURA MCDERMID

IRIS - HER EARLY YEARS. PART 5 KIGALI 1994

Laura McDermid continues her stories of Iris McCallum’s flying exploits.

The Rwanda bloodshed began in April 1994. Also known as 'Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda', the racial murders spread throughout the country with shocking speed and brutality, as ordinary citizens were incited by local officials and the Hutu Power Government to take up arms against their neighbours.

IT ALL STARTED ON 6 APRIL, when the Dassault Falcon 50 carrying the leader of the Rwanda government, Juvénal Habyarimana, and Burundi’s president Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down over the capital of Kigali, killing all on board.

Within an hour of the plane crash, the Presidential Guard, together with members of the Rwanda Armed Forces (FAR) and the Hutu militia groups set up roadblocks and barricades and began slaughtering the Tutsis.

The mass killings quickly spread to the rest of Rwanda, and within three months the Hutu ethnic majority in Rwanda murdered as many as 800,000 people, mostly Tutsi minority.

The Rwandese Patriotic Front gained control of the country in early July, forcing 2 million refugees to flee their homes, exacerbating what had already become a full-blown humanitarian crisis.

Eight days after the Falcon was shot down, I flew the Reuters news team in a Cessna Caravan 5Y-TAS from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport via Mwanza in Malawi (for immigration and customs purposes) to the Ngara district in Tanzania, where one of many refugee camps was established to accommodate the masses who had fled Rwanda.

My passengers were unusually quiet; we were all shell-shocked and utterly horrified by the atrocities that were unfolding in Rwanda.

we were all shellshocked and utterly horrified

The United Nations had peacekeepers in Rwanda, the UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), and 450 of them came from Belgium.

Rwanda had been one of the biggest recipients of Belgian development aid. From 1990 - 1994 the Belgians did all they could to promote dialogue. As the regime started getting more oppressive, they encouraged the Hutu opposition parties, denouncing human rights violations, political assassinations, and localized ethnic massacres. Everything suggests that they never really believed that a people who had been their protégés for so long, were capable of genocide.

On 14 April, foreign minister Willy Claes told UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali that Brussels intended to withdraw its peacekeepers. There was no objection in Belgium to effectively abandoning Rwanda to the executioners.

Rwanda’s airspace had been closed in April following the exit of the Belgians. The first time I flew into Kigali following the eruption of violence was on 21 July 1994. We were one of the first civilian aircraft to do so.

I was flying with friend and fellow colleague, Peter Polhill (affectionately dubbed Pothole), in Aircraft

Leasing Service’s King Air, 5Y-BJM, call sign Red Cross 435 (or just Red 435).

To establish peace and implement some form of normalcy, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was to meet members of the UN in Kigali to discuss the way forward.

As I announed my intention to land at Kanombe International Airport, I received chirps from fellow pilots: ‘Hey Cuddles, you do know that Kigali is closed’.

My standard answer was yes, I did, but I had obtained special permission. In fact, we had only received clearance late that day, and the ICRC had asked to be taken right away.

I can’t recall anyone being in the tower, although it is likely that it was manned by someone from the UN.

The one thing that I will never forget, is flying over the city of Kigali. The town was devoid of life. Not a donkey, cow, or person stirred. Cars, carts, and bicycles had been abandoned exactly where their owners had left them. No clothes flapped on washing lines; no smoke rose into the air.

Iris taking off out of Goma in the DRC.

There were no signs of life, it was a ghost town.

‘Kigali Tower, Romeo-Echo-Delta-four-three-five, final approach for runway two eight’ I relayed our position on the tower frequency of 124.3.

No one knew what to expect as we taxied to the parking area. Pothole opened the door and had a good look around before getting out.

There was not a soul in sight. Eventually, we saw two people waving at us from the terminal door, they held up a big sign on which were written two letters: U.N. Once we were sure the area was secure, we allowed our passengers to disembark.

Whilst our passengers had their meeting next to the aeroplane, Pothole and I decided to look inside the deserted airport building.

It was like standing inside a Jackson Pollock painting where someone had splashed a tin of burgundy paint over everything. Pieces of ceiling board hung in tatters

whilst dust and chunks of plaster covered the floor. I felt like an interloper in a nightmare and told Pothole that I needed to get some air, so we headed to the tower.

A myriad of empty bullet casings littered the ground around us. I pointed out some odd-looking gouges in the tarmac to Pothole.

He explained that the explosion from hand grenades was responsible for the craters and pockmarks on the tarmac surface. These gruesome scenes were stark reminders of the innocent people that were butchered in cold blood.

I couldn’t wait to leave Kigali and its horrors behind.

Two weeks later, I ferried ICRC staff in Red 435 to Kilimanjaro to attend a convention on ‘The Rules of War’. I couldn’t help but ponder on the irony of there being rules for war.

That early ICRC and UN flight paved the way for further flights into Kigali. Aircraft Leasing Services

Peter Polhill (aka Pothole) in a bunker.

had a contract with ICRC, and Kigali had become a regular route.

The UN managed to secure Jet A1 fuel at the airport, and we would either route Wilson-Kigali-Bujumbura (Burundi)Wilson or Wilson-Ngara-Wilson.

European countries, under the UN umbrella, were assisting with the provision of armed troops. It was on one of these flights that I met the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, who was there to see if and how Ireland could provide aid.

On 13 October, I ferried President Robinson and her entourage from Wilson to Kigali. ALS’s planes were all occupied, so I flew C404 5Y-MCK, a private aircraft owned by my friend Kim Mackenzie.

I helped the passengers disembark. The press had tons of camera equipment that needed to be unpacked carefully, a laborious task that took ages.

I was only able to carry out the post-flight checks once everyone had gone. Fuel...check; chocks…. check; pitot cover…. check. I filed my flight plan for the following morning as my passengers wanted to be airborne by 07h00. By the time I got to the terminal building, it was completely empty.

They had forgotten about me.

There were no phones and most certainly no taxis in Kigali, so I returned to the aircraft. This was not the first time I had to sleep in an aeroplane. All things considered, the C404 could be made comfortable.

I had access to the VIP lounge in the terminal building. The airport had been restored since my first visit all those months ago, and there was running water and clean ablutions. I had bought my overnight kit with me and always travelled with thermos flasks of hot water, coffee, and tea. I even had a small bottle of Tabasco which I poured on everything, not only for the taste but to kill seen and unseen bugs.

Following a dinner of instant noodles, I cleaned up and brushed my teeth. Using the windscreen cover as a blanket, together with a silver ‘space’ blanket that

I found in the medical supply box, I made myself comfortable and settled in to read. With UN troops all around, Kigali airport was probably the safest place to be, and I spent a very peaceful night in the C404.

The next morning whilst I waited for my passengers, I used the last bit of lukewarm water in my flask to fix myself a cup of coffee.

They arrived back looking haggard. President Robinson was bleary-eyed, and the men all sported five ‘clock shadows. I did my best to look sympathetic as I listened to their stories about the gigantic bedbugs, the constant noise, and the lack of water and sanitation in the hotel.

I smiled to myself; Karma is a bitch.

I herded them onto the C404 and flew to Goma, in the DRC, which was half an hour away. From there I dropped my passengers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

As I headed back to Wilson, I switched my Walkman on and hummed along to Simon & Garfunkel: “God bless you please Mrs. Robinson, Heaven holds a place for those who pray, Hey, Hey, Hey”.

I sincerely hoped that her prayers for peace would be answered. 

UN contingent in discussion with locals.

JOHN BASSI

TAMING TAILWHEELS PART 3

Learning to fly tailwheel aircraft has opened me

planes.

Flying used to be – and should still be – about feeling stoked. About having real fun, whilst maintaining standards appropriate to our profession.

For me – and perhaps for many – those pleasures seem to have diminished. Undermined by the endless mindless SACAA bullshit, the competitive greed of operators undercutting prices, politics, unqualified operators stealing clients and constantly fighting for permits and clearances to just get work.

For the first time in my career, I’m aware of a kind of “brotherhood” among tailwheel aviators. This does not happen with commercial helicopter operators, as in my experience, most helicopter pilots suck. They have too much attitude, ego, greed and competition and work in a hard commercial environment. And so the basic joy and pleasure of flight has been killed by the demands of operating commercially.

The privilege of experiencing Oshkosh this year drove home some realities. Firstly, I need a LOT more

up to a world of fun

And so old war birds have much more meaning for me - and as for their pilots, huge respect.

The Wilderness foundation Bushcat in its zebra livery. We use this aircraft to assist helicopter operations, locating rhino.

money to play (that’s not going to happen), coupled with such a huge variety of aircraft available (reluctant acceptance that I will probably never be able to fly them all, but I will try) and a realisation that less is so often, more.

So back to my grappling with tailwheels. The Cheetah was my first taildragger, and as mentioned, the first few hours of tailwheel instruction chronicled in my logbook made the score pretty clear—Cheetah: 2. Me: 0.

Andy Kasperson always managed to add colourful comments to illustrate the at-times-agonizing progress, ”If you don’t catch it you’re going to become a passenger behind the aircraft,” he reminded me during many of our sessions.

telling me through the vibrations and the noises was a skill that did not come easily.

I came to appreciate the simplicity of the Cheetah, especially in an era of general aviation cockpits chockfull of labour-saving automation. By the time I had logged around 10 hours in the Cat, I felt confident handling the rudder dance the taildragger demanded, even in relatively strong winds.

The score: Cheetah: 2. Me: 0.

Eventually by hour five, my grasp on runway dancing improved once I realized I’d been letting the little Cat lead me around on the ground rather than the other way around.

Those repetitive sessions eventually taught me the value of subtle inputs to an aeroplane’s flight controls. Being able to understand what the plane, any plane, is

I later tried my hand flying the locally manufactured KFA Bushbaby, which looks nice from far, but was for me, extremely disappointing. I was then fortunate to fly in the new Bushcat and this understated plane left me in awe. She infused me with a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of flying, seamlessly managing: attitude, balance, fixed airspeeds and a flight path; habits that I had developed in helicopters 35 years ago.

The new Bushcat with the sturdier main gear, larger tires and larger vertical stabilizer, differential toe brakes and a wider cabin is simply incredible, especially considering its value for money. I have since tried out a couple of other local LSA tail draggers and personally feel that the Bushcat ticks all my boxes.

In taildraggers the centre of gravity is behind the mainwheels and so is inherently unstable.

“Why bother with the extra efforts of a taildragger?”

This question is one I used to ask myself and now I laugh at my nosewheel- only trained friends. Even during my early training, as wildly zigzaggy as it became at times, I never thought of my efforts as work, but really more of a challenge. It was one I willingly accepted because it seemed a natural progression to my role in life as a professional pilot. In a tricycle-gear plane, you’re in trouble when your feet start moving. In a taildragger, you’re in trouble when your feet stop moving. In a helicopter you’re in trouble if you don’t set your feet in a fixed position for a particular power setting.

letting the little Cat lead me around

But the desire to understand the plane beyond minimum standards is not the only reason to spend some time with a taildragger. They hone your finesse as a pilot. The huge variety of tail wheel aircraft available today demand these skills.

Each type has its quirks, but all have one thing in common, the in-built desire to ground loop. I initially took it for granted that I knew how to move my feet on the rudder pedals when necessary, whist co-ordinating aileron inputs. These subtle control movements are so responsive on a Bushcat. Many aircraft builders have added links between the rudder and ailerons to help counteract adverse yaw, but these modifications have not helped improve a pilot’s understanding of the messages their planes are trying to send them.

Flying taildraggers gives you instant street credibility, a presumption of competence that opens up new opportunities. However, let there be no doubt, learning to fly a taildragger — even when you’re able to practice regularly, can easily become a humbling experience for the complacent pilot.

Spacious Bushcat cabin with excellent visability.

BOEING 777X - SALES

BOEING HAS AMASSED a total of 363 net orders for the entire 777X family, split between just eight for the 777-8X, 55 for the 777-8F and 300 for the 777-9X.

Boeing has disclosed that Emirates ordered 16 777Xs, despite the airline already having a backlog of 150 aircraft since its order for the type in November 2013. The order was firmed up in July 2014.

Remarkably, according to ch-aviation.com data, Etihad remains the only airline with orders for the 777-8X, having placed eight orders for the aircraft type.

These paltry eight orders for the 777-8X are unchanged despite Boeing having recently ‘stretched’ the 777-8X

on its product page. The American plane maker has quietly just edited the specifications of the aircraft with more capacity, range and additional length.

Boeing’s latest product page shows that the 777X-8 seats 395 passengers in a typical two-class configuration, flying up to 8,745 nautical miles. The length of the aircraft is 232 feet and 6 inches. Previously, the page showed that the 777X-8 typically seated 384 passengers, flying up to 8,730 NM, with the length of the aircraft being 229 ft.

Boeing still has just 8 sales for the 777-8X.

THE SAAF’S C-130BZ HERCULES UPGRADE CONTROVERSY

In August one of the South African Air Force’s C-130BZ Hercules transporters, serial 409, arrived at Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge, UK, to begin an 18 month major servicing and rectification process.

THIS WILL KICK OFF a six year upgrade and major servicing programme, enabled by an initial R1 billion allocation from Treasury, but which should eventually cost around R4 billion, to improve the fleet’s availability and make it compliant with current airspace regulations.

By FY2028/29 the programme should result in average fleet availability going up to three or four aircraft on a sustainable basis, versus the one to two possible now.

Not all of the initial R1 billion will go to Marshall; about half the amount has been allocated for long

The SAAF Hercules are 60 years old, but will be kept flying rather than replaced.

overdue engine overhauls, spares acquisitions, and support contract elements. The programme will include an upgrade to a new ADS-B Out compatible transponder and a replacement of the Secondary Flight Display (SFD).

Marshall will use 409 as the test aircraft for the transponder upgrade and new SFD so as to obtain certification for the new baseline. The SAAF C-130BZs are on a custom baseline after the fleet’s avionics upgrades in the 2000s and are certified by the Directorate System Integrity, so Marshall will need to both certify the updated baseline with them while verifying that the updated transponder is compliant with ADS-B Out requirements once installed.

putting ongoing projects in jeopardy

It has not been without controversy, however. An MP from the opposition Democratic Alliance whose portfolio includes Denel which traditionally performs major servicing on the SAAF’s C-130BZs, issued a blistering press release demanding that the contract be cancelled. It’s unclear what he based his information on, but it was riddled with basic errors and failed to understand that Denel would be performing the upgrade and major servicing on four of the six aircraft.

While it’s always debatable whether work should be done locally or offshore for things like this, there are two major factors that must be taken into account:

Once 409 is complete, 405 will make the journey north for its own upgrade and major servicing and Marshall will ship modification kits to Denel, which will install them on the other four aircraft during major servicing carried out locally at their facilities.

First, Denel only has a single major servicing bay available, limiting the rate at which aircraft can be serviced until that capacity can be upgraded.

Second, Marshall has design and certification expertise that Denel does not have, and of course Marshall was the original prime integrator of the upgraded avionics

The upgraded cockpit of SAAF C130s needs an urgent further upgrade. Photo Dean Wingrin.

system installed under Project Ebb in the early 2000s. On top of that, Denel is clearly still struggling to recover from the effects of state capture.

Most importantly however, is that the tender appears to have been issued by Armscor as part of a regular procurement process. In November 2021 Armscor issued a Request For Information (RFI) titled “SAAF

C-130BZ ADS-B OUT Implementation, SFD Obsolescence Replacement and Aircraft Servicing”, which covered the upgrades and major servicing being partially done by Marshall now. It’s unclear exactly when the contract was awarded, but it was presumably part of the same RFI and then request for proposals (RFP).

So, why the need for the ADS-B Out upgrade, SFD replacement, and major servicing, and the relative urgency with which the SANDF is approaching this? The first reason is that an increasing number of countries, including at some point soon South Africa, are enforcing ADS-B Out mandates for aircraft operating in controlled airspace. The SAAF’s planners have been warning about this as a needed upgrade for the C-130BZ fleet for years, and now there really isn’t much time left.

The second reason is that the SFDs have obsolescence issues and replacing them should improve ease of

maintenance and availability. That’s likely less urgent though.

The third reason, perhaps as important and urgent as the first, is that the SAAF has finally after many years managed to convince Cabinet and thus National Treasury to invest in a substantial effort to improve C-130BZ fleet availability and readiness, and past experience suggests that when that sort of opportunity arises you need to take advantage of it as fast as possible before the promised future funds disappear.

Time after time the SANDF has been promised that its acquisition budget would remain untouched for long enough to support a major acquisition, only to have future budgets slashed just as the opportunity arose to issue RFPs. Or, worse, sometimes budgets have been cut even after the contract has been awarded, putting already ongoing projects in jeopardy and raising the risk of penalties.

On top of that, using both Marshall and Denel maximises available servicing bays, as at present Denel has only a single bay that can accommodate a C-130BZ major service, although there’s a plan to increase that to two. Under current plans, 409 will still be undergoing its major service at Marshall when both 401 and 402 kick off their own major services at Denel in FY2025/26.

The USA offered the SAAF retired C-130Hs - which are much newer. Image - mhtplanes.

One immediate question that springs to mind is why the SAAF has opted to upgrade its aged C-130BZs, which are all around 60 years old, rather than acquiring newer aircraft. For instance, the US has reportedly offered the SAAF a number of ex-United States Air Force C-130Hs under the Excess Defence Articles process which might involve a reduced cost via a grant.

With the ex-USAF C-130Hs, it could still make sense to acquire two or more of them if the pricing is right and the budget can be made to match. However, apparently all were retired by the USAF before receiving the most recent digital cockpit upgrades meaning that they’d require a costly upgrade process before they could be brought into service. This process might be more expensive in the end than the cost of keeping the SAAF’s current C-130BZs flying for a few more years.

ex-United States Air Force C-130Hs

Of course that can’t last forever. At some point it will become impossible to keep the C-130BZs flying for any reasonable amount of money and then another big decision will have to made. But acquiring new aircraft is for now out of the question. New C-130Js, the most suitable direct replacements, are not available for less than around $180 million (R3.4 billion) to $200 million (R3.7 billion) apiece when acquired as part of a package including support, spares, and training.

It’s to be hoped, therefore, that this process gets many more years of life out of the SAAF’s C-130BZs. Because when they finally do have to retire, it’s not at all certain that the force can afford to replace them under current budget levels and trends. 

OKAVANGO DISCONNECT

In the mid-eighties I felt like a break from the unrelenting dog eats dog lifestyle that beset the Johannesburg based freelance charter pilot’s life. So, for four months, I rekindled my former aviation romance with the beautiful Okavango Delta of northern Botswana.

A Britten Norman Islander in the Okavango Delta.

IMOVED TO MAUN and joined the largest charter outfit located there. They operated several Cessna 206s, two Britten Norman Islanders, a Beechcraft 58 Baron and a Pressurised Baron.

The C206 sported large bush tires and a cargo pod beneath the fuselage. These machines together with the twin engine Islander operated as many as ten legs a day, mostly into fairly primitive dirt airstrips, when conveying affluent tourists to a variety of luxury game lodges.

Interestingly, this air charter company had developed a practical visual rule of thumb to determine the ballpark weight and centre of gravity of a busy aircraft in the field.

Aircraft departing from Maun often carried a lot of fuel to enable continued client and freight transfers between distant locations where refuelling was not available.

Their weight and balance determination method was novel, and never let me down. In the case of the C206, once loaded with fuel, baggage and five passengers, the pilot then walked to the front of the aircraft. He placed his hand under the propeller spinner, and tried to lift the nose. During this exertion the nose oleo would extend a bit, but as long as the nose wheel tyre did not leave the ground, the aircraft was good to fly.

Also, once the pilot took his seat the centre of gravity situation improved.

With the Islander, once the passengers and baggage had been loaded, the pilot walked behind the wing then turned to face the leading edge of the horizontal stabiliser. If the pilot was of average height, and the aircraft not excessively loaded, the leading edge of the tail plane should be at a height about level with the centre of the pilot’s forehead.

Knowledgeable passengers will easily notice a discrepancy in the promient manifold pressure gauge.

could not maintain altitude on one engine

This constituted the pilot’s ‘E’ for enough determination of weight and balance.

A heavily loaded Islander, suitably leaned out, was happy to fly on both engines at high density altitudes. However, in the conditions encountered during Okavango summer afternoons, an Islander at or near gross weight could not maintain altitude on one engine. Particularly, as the aircraft also had a high drag non-retractable undercarriage. I reckon the name Islander implies that these aircraft were happiest operating at sea level.

If an engine failed while the aircraft was at gross weight in typical Botswana summer temperatures, with the powerless propeller promptly feathered, and maximum power applied on the working engine, the aircraft would generally drift down at about three or four hundred feet per minute. So, the best available landing site had to be selected quickly.

I had one particularly memorable flight in a heavily laden Okavango Islander.

That hot, bumpy afternoon I took off from Maun with eight hefty male passengers and their baggage, and turned north towards Delta Camp, at the edge of the Okavango river system.

Established on track, I completed the after takeoff vital actions. But, when I switched off the left engine’s electric fuel pump, the Lycoming died. So I switched the pump back on, and the engine resumed normal operation.

Now Delta Camp is only about a fifteen-minute flight away, and the prevailing wind generally permitted an almost straight in approach to its dirt runway. With this in mind, and knowing that I was to return to Maun empty, I elected to complete the flight and land at Delta and deliver the passengers, rather than turn back to Maun.

necessary to assess the situation quickly, and if possible, go the proverbial extra mile to get the job done.

Anyway, my re-selection of the auxiliary electric fuel pump had been noticed by the front seat passenger, who then turned to his seven rear seated companions, and with a little hand waving, appeared to be remarking on the obviously deficient left engine mechanical fuel pump. His loud complaint was animatedly expressed in a guttural foreign language, unknown to me. However, as the Islander is a particularly noisy aircraft, I feigned ignorance of his concern.

A few minutes later with the destination runway in sight I reduced engine power and began our short decent.

A bit of a crosswind became evident, and I crabbed the aircraft to the right to maintain the runway centre line, then I reduced power to 18 inches and selected the first notch of flaps. Then I selected the remaining flap and slowed to 65 knots.

At about a hundred feet I further reduced the power but noticed a swing of asymmetric yaw. Glancing down at the manifold pressure I noticed we now held 13 inches of manifold on the left engine, but the right engine still indicated 16 inches, although the throttle levers were level.

I moved the right throttle further back with no effect, then I moved it forward. No additional power was forthcoming.

So I tapped the gauge, with no effect. The right throttle mechanism had somehow become disconnected.

This situation was also noted by my right seat companion and relayed to his colleagues with incomprehensible gusto.

Bush pilots do not have the luxury of airline operational protocols, and when things change, it is invariably

Holding the asymmetric yaw with right rudder we crossed a few feet above the threshold, and I pulled both mixture levers into idle cut off.

No additional power was forthcoming

Moments later the dead stick Islander, feeling more controllable, permitted me to dip the right wing with some degree of finesse to neutralise the right crosswind. We touched down gently about a quarter of the way down the runway as the passengers, who had become unnaturally quiet, erupted into a spontaneous cacophony of clapping and cheering.

I raised the flaps, and we coasted into the empty aircraft parking area and stopped. As I pulled the handbrake on and shut down the aircraft, the man sitting on my right said in heavily accented English; “You did very good job getting us safely onto the ground. But we don’t want to go any more in this plane.”

I replied, “Neither do I. By the way, are you a private pilot?”

“No”, he said. “We are all Israeli Air Force pilots, here on holiday. I have been telling my colleagues about all the bad things going wrong with the aeroplane on our short flight.”

Then he said; ‘I am instructor, and you pass.”

I was bemused enough to forget to ask him to write a commendation for my logbook.

When we had deplaned and unloaded the baggage one of the Israeli pilots said that flying military missions gave him the advantage of being able to eject, which he felt was safer than flying over Africa in an unserviceable Islander.

I felt his remark to be a little catty but declined to debate the issue.

Delta camp radioed our company in Maun to advise them of the now unserviceable aircraft on their airstrip. A C206 was dispatched with an engineer and toolbox. A lock nut had unlocked on the throttle linkage. This was replaced and the engine tested satisfactorily.

Then, mindful of the necessity for the left engine’s hard working auxiliary electric fuel pump to keep working for a little longer, I flew the empty aircraft back to Maun without further incident – and blissfully free of passenger commentary in Hebrew. 

You did very good job

You can tell if an Islander is overloaded by the height of the tail plane.

MILESTONE FOR UNIVERSAL AIR EVAC

On18 August 2023, Universal Air Evac celebrated its ten-year anniversary since its inaugural flight to Togo in West Africa. That first flight evacuated an American volunteer who had sustained serious injuries from being knocked off her scooter.

LAURA MCDERMID

Celebrating 10 successful years - the Universal Air Evac team with Learjet 35 ZS-TOW.

THE PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED to South Africa aboard one of the two Lear 35 air ambulances owned by the company. She received the necessary treatment in a Johannesburg hospital until she was fit enough to be flown to Tenerife in the Canary Islands, where a wing-to-wing transfer had been arranged to ensure her safe journey home.

Universal Air Evac conducts an average of 15 flights per month, with 95% of these being international trips crossing South Africa’s borders. A joint venture with National Airways Corporation (NAC), Universal Air Evac has grown to become one of the world’s most prominent and reputable fixed-wing medical evacuation services. They hold certification from EURAMI, a globally recognized accreditation agency for exceptional air medical transport services.

This ensures patients receive proper care

While their primary operations cover Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe, they can also handle evacuations from more distant locations through partnerships with trusted industry peers.

An onboard doctor and a nurse (or paramedic) provide top-tier medical assistance from a fully equipped ICU unit. This ensures patients receive proper care, both on the ground and during the flight.

A dedicated team manages all aspects of repatriation, including pre-flight assessments, flight arrangements, ground transportation, airport clinics, and airline medical clearances.

When asked what sets them apart from their global competitors, Medical Director Dr Glenn Staples maintained that South Africa’s healthcare system stands superior to that of the rest of the continent. It remains the preferred choice for international insurance brokers. General Manager of Operations, Shaun Starke, added that they are better equipped for emergencies compared to their European counterparts.

Dr Staples summarized their ethos by stating, “We have combined our love for aviation with our love of saving lives.”

The company’s global operations are coordinated from their 24/7 call centre based at Lanseria Airport. They can be reached at +27(11) 430-1777.

Each flight is operated by an experienced airline Captain and First Officer. They adhere to rigorous international protocols as specified in the Part 138 Aerial Work Certificate.

First Officer Phelile Mdletshe.

BOEING’S 737 MAX SPLIT

THE 737 MAX IS THE KEY to Boeing’s success over the next ten years. It has ramped up production to an unprecedented 45 aircraft deliveries per month.

Boeing has revealed the order split for the 737 MAX aircraft family, which is comprised of the 737 MAX7, MAX-8, as well as the MAX-8-200, MAX-9 and MAX-10.

The 737 MAX-8 is by far the most popular model with more than 5,000 gross orders. Its higher-density derivative, the MAX-8-200, has 469 gross orders.

The second-most popular variant is the yet-to-becertified 737 MAX-10, with 918 gross orders. The 737

MAX-9 has 420 gross orders, while the smallest, and still uncertified variant, the 737 MAX-7, has 325 gross orders. Net orders for the 737 MAX-7 and MAX-10 stand at 297 and 810, respectively.

Boeing has already delivered 965 737 MAX-8, 124 MAX-8-200 and 187 MAX-9, with 2,751, 344, and 137 unfilled orders, respectively.

Boeing's 737-MAX-10 is still pending certification.

BENIN’S SUPER PUMAS BREAK COVER

IN AUGUST, BENIN’S ARMED FORCES

displayed three newly acquired H215 Super Puma and two H125M helicopters.

The H215s will join the two H125Ms in counterterrorism operations in the northwest of Benin, where 3,000 soldiers are deployed to counter Islamist extremists as part of Operation Mirador, which has been ongoing since last year. Government troops, aircraft and armoured vehicles have been deployed on the border with Burkina Faso and the border with Niger.

In 2020, Benin’s military received two AS550 Fennec helicopters. In terms of serviceable aircraft, the Benin air force has just one Mi-8 helicopter, a single DHC-6

and MA600 transports, two Humbert Tétras CSM light aircraft and a BAe 748 transport.

The donation of the Puma helicopters is a significant boost to the Benin Air Force’s capabilities. The helicopters will be used to support the country’s counter-terrorism operations in the north, where there has been an increase in attacks by terrorist groups.

In a December 2022 speech, Beninese President Patrice Talon said the military response in 2022 included more than $130 million to recruit nearly 4,000 security personnel, modernise equipment and begin fortifying bases, while building 10 operating bases and ‘several dozen’ fortified positions.

The Benin Air Force has been given Super Puma helicopters.

South Africa

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208 Aviation

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Aircraft Finance Corporation & Leasing

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Aircraft Maintenance International Pine Pienaar 083 305 0605 gm@aminternational.co.za

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Air Line Pilots’ Association

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Ascend Aviation Marlo Kruyswijk 079 511 0080 marlo@ascendaviation.co.za www.ascendaviation.co.za

Atlas Aviation Lubricants

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AVDEX (Pty) Ltd

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Aviatech Flight Academy

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Aviation Direct Andrea Antel 011 465 2669 info@aviationdirect.co.za www.aviationdirect.co.za

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BAC Aviation AMO 115 Micky Joss 035 797 3610 monicad@bacmaintenance.co.za

Blackhawk Africa Cisca de Lange 083 514 8532 cisca@blackhawk.aero www.blackhawk.aero

Blue Chip Flight School

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Bona Bona Game Lodge MJ Ernst 082 075 3541 mj@bonabona.co.za www.bonabona.co.za

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Celeste Sani Pak & Inflight Products

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Chem-Line Aviation & Celeste Products

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Comair Flight Services (Pty) Ltd Reception +27 11 540 7640/FAX: +27 11 252 9334 info@flycfs.co.za www.flycfs.co.za

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Mike Helm 082 442 6239 corporate-aviators@iafrica.com www.corporate-aviators.com

CSA Aviation – Cirrus South Africa

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C. W. Price & Co Kelvin L. Price 011 805 4720 cwp@cwprice.co.za www.cwprice.co.za

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Diepkloof Aircraft Maintenance cc Nick Kleinhans 083 454 6366 diepkloofamo@gmail.com

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Dynamic Propellers Andries Visser 011 824 5057 082 445 4496 andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za www.dynamicpropellers.co.za

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Hover Dynamics Phillip Cope 074 231 2964 info@hover.co.za www.hover.co.za

Indigo Helicopters Gerhard Kleynhans 082 927 4031 / 086 528 4234 veroeschka@indigohelicopters.co.za www.indigohelicopters.co.za

IndigoSat South Africa - Aircraft Tracking Gareth Willers 08600 22 121 sales@indigosat.co.za www.indigosat.co.za

International Flight Clearances Steve Wright 076 983 1089 (24 Hrs) flightops@flyifc.co.za www.flyifc.co.za

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Jabiru Aircraft

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Jim Davis Books

Jim Davis 072 188 6484 jim@border.co.za www.jimdavis.co.za

Joc Air T/A The Propeller Shop Aiden O’Mahony 011 701 3114 jocprop@iafrica.com

Johannesburg Flying Academy

Alan Stewart 083 702 3680 info@jhbflying.co.za www.jhbflying.co.za

Kishugu Aviation +27 13 741 6400 comms@kishugu.com www.kishugu.com/kishugu-aviation

Khubenker Energy (Pty) Ltd T/A Benveroy

Vernon Bartlett 086 484 4296 vernon@khubenker.co.za www.khubenker.co.za

Kit Planes for Africa

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Kzn Aviation (Pty) Ltd

Melanie Jordaan 031 564 6215 mel@kznaviation.co.za www.kznaviation.co.za

Lanseria Aircraft Interiors

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Lanseria Flight Centre

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Leading Edge Aviation cc

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Legend Sky 083 860 5225 / 086 600 7285 info@legendssky.co.za www.legendsky.co.za

Litson & Associates (Pty) Ltd

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Lowveld Aero Club Pugs Steyn 013 741 3636 Flynow@lac.co.za

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M and N Acoustic Services cc Martin de Beer 012 689 2007/8 calservice@mweb.co.za

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North East Avionics Keith Robertson +27 13 741 2986 keith@northeastavionics.co.za deborah@northeastavionics.co.za www.northeastavionics.co.za

Orsmond Aviation 058 303 5261 info@orsmondaviation.co.za www.orsmondaviation.co.za

Owenair (Pty) Ltd Clive Skinner 082 923 9580 clive.skinner@owenair.co.za www.owenwair.co.za

Par-Avion Exclusive Catering Jakkie Vorster 011 701 2600 accounts@par-avion.co.za www.par-avion.co.za

PFERD-South Africa (Pty) Ltd Hannes Nortman 011 230 4000 hannes.nortman@pferd.co.za www.pferd.com

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Precision Aviation Services Marnix Hulleman 012 543 0371 marnix@pasaviation.co.za www.pasaviation.co.za

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Rainbow SkyReach (Pty) Ltd

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Rand Airport Kevin van Zyl Kevin@horizonrisk.co.za +27 76 801 5639 www.randairport.co.za

Dr Rudi Britz Aviation Medical Clinic

Megan 066 177 7194 rudiavmed@gmail.com Wonderboom Airport

SAA Technical (SOC) Ltd

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SABRE Aircraft

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Savannah Helicopters De 082Jager 444 1138 / 044 873 3288 dejager@savannahhelicopters.co.za www.savannahhelicopters.co.za

Scenic Air

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Sheltam Aviation Durban

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Sheltam Aviation PE

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Signature Flight Support Cape Town

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Signco (Pty Ltd)

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Skytrim Rico Kruger +27 11 827 6638 rico@skytrim.co.za www.skytrim.co.za

SleepOver

Michael Richardson 010 110 9900 michael.richardson@sleepover-za.com www.sleepover-za.com

Sling Aircraft Kim Bell-Cross 011 948 9898 sales@airplanefactory.co.za www.airplanefactory.co.za

Solenta Aviation (Pty Ltd)

Paul Hurst 011 707 4000 info@solenta.com www.solenta.com

Southern Energy Company (Pty) Ltd

Elke Bertram +264 8114 29958 johnnym@sec.com.na www.sec.com.na

Southern Rotorcraft cc Mr Reg Denysschen Tel no: 0219350980 sasales@rotors-r-us.com www.rotors-r-us.com

Starlite Aero Sales

Klara Fouché +27 83 324 8530 / +27 31 571 6600 klaraf@starliteaviation.com www.starliteaviation.com

Starlite Aviation Operations

Trisha Andhee +27 82 660 3018/ +27 31 571 6600 trishaa@starliteaviation.com www.starliteaviation.com

Starlite Aviation Training Academy

Durban: +27 31 571 6600 Mossel Bay: +27 44 692 0006 train@starliteaviation.com www.starliteaviation.com

Status Aviation (Pty) Ltd

Richard Donian 074 587 5978 / 086 673 5266 info@statusaviation.co.za www.statusaviation.co.za

Superior Pilot Services Liana Jansen van 0118050605/2247Rensburg info@superiorair.co.za www.superiorair.co.za

Swift Flite Linda Naidoo Tel 011 701 3298 Fax 011 701 3297 info@swiftflite.com / linda@swiftflite.com www.swiftflite.co.za

The Aviation Shop

Karel Zaayman 010 020 1618 info@aviationshop.co.za www.aviationshop.co.za

The Copter Shop Bill Olmsted 082 454 8555 execheli@iafrica.com www.execheli.wixsite.com/the-copter-shop-sa

The Pilot Shop Helen Bosland 082 556 3729 helen@pilotshop.co.za www.pilotshop.co.za

Titan Helicopter Group 044 878 0453 info@titanhelicopters.com www.titanhelicopters.com

Top Flight Academy Nico Smith 082 303 1124 topflightklerksdorp@gmail.com

Turbo Prop Service Centre 011 701 3210 info@tpscsa.co.za www.tpscsa.co.za

Ultimax Aviation (Pty) Ltd Aristide Loumouamou +27 72 878 8786 aristide@ultimax-aviation.com www.ultimax-aviation.com

United Charter cc Jonathan Wolpe 083 270 8886 jonathan.wolpe@unitedcharter.co.za www.unitedcharter.co.za

United Flight Support Clinton Moodley/Jonathan Wolpe 076 813 7754 / 011 788 0813 ops@unitedflightsupported.com www.unitedflightsupport.com

Velocity Aviation Collin Pearson 011 659 2306 / 011 659 2334 collin@velocityaviation.co.za www.velocityaviation.co.za

Villa San Giovanni Luca Maiorana 012 111 8888 info@vsg.co.za www.vsg.co.za

Vortx Aviation Bredell Roux 072 480 0359 info@vortx.co.za www.vortxaviation.com

Wanafly Adrian Barry 082 493 9101 adrian@wanafly.net www.wanafly.co.za

Windhoek Flight Training Centre Thinus Dreyer 0026 40 811284 180 pilots@flywftc.com www.flywftc.com

Wings n Things Wendy Thatcher 011 701 3209 wendy@wingsnthings.co.za www.wingsnthings.co.za

Witbank Flight School Andre De Villiers 083 604 1718 andredv@lantic.net www.waaflyingclub.co.za

Wonderboom Airport Peet van Rensburg 012 567 1188/9 peet@wonderboomairport.co.za www.wonderboomairport.co.za

Zandspruit Bush & Aero Estate Martin Den Dunnen 082 449 8895 martin@zandspruit.co.za www.zandspruit.co.za

Zebula Golf Estate & SPA Reservations 014 734 7700 reception@zebula.co.za www.zebula.co.za