Flightcom Magazine January 2024 by Flyer & Aviation Publications

FlightCm African Commercial Aviation

Edition 180 | January 2024 Cover: Grant Duncan-Smith

Helihack – Fixing Table Mountain

IATA – world airlines roundup

How the humble Impala beat the Hind 1

FlightCom: January 2024

SA AF’s continuing crisis

Ferr ying a Cherokee 6 across Africa

CONTENTS

TABLE OF

Publisher Flyer and Aviation Publications cc Managing Editor Guy Leitch guy@flightcommag.com Advertising Sales Howard Long sales@saflyermag.co.za 076 499 6358

DECEMBER 2023 EDITION 179

Layout & Design Patrick Tillman: Imagenuity cc Contributors

John Bassi Laura McDermid Darren Olivier Jeffery Kempson

ADMIN: +27 (0)83 607 2335

04 08 14 19 20 26 35 36 40 43 44 45 46 48

Hugh Pryor - Christmas Socks

TRAFFIC: +27 (0)81 039 0595

Laura McDermid - Iris Leaves Watamu

ACCOUNTS: +27 (0)15 793 0708

Darren Olivier Defence - Ongoing Collapse of SAAF AME Directory Jeffery Kempson - Unhappy Christmas Helihack - Helicopters: Photo-essay News - Fake Aircraft Parts News - IATA On Airline Recovery Airlines - The SAA Takatso sale – is it still on? News -COMAC C919 moves beyond China Alpi Aviation SA: Flight School Directory Merchant West Charter Directory Skysource AMO Listing Backpage Directory

© FlightCom 2023. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holders.

A NOTE FROM

THE EDITOR:

The South African Air Force (SAAF) is in a terrible state, having been reduced to a husk of its pre-1994 capability. This is largely due to its chronic underfunding, and is not a reflection on the competence of its leadership. IT HAS BECOME THE NORM for the aviation chatterati, and much of the media, to always assume the worst of the SAAF. This usually mindless criticism is a morale destroyer. In August our Defence columnist Darren Olivier bemoaned the endless ill-informed and graceless sniping on social media. “Photos and videos of entirely routine training activities are frequently taken out of context and reinterpreted in the most uncharitable, cynical, and negative ways. Accidents, which are an unfortunate reality in any air force, are elevated to apparently catastrophic evidence of an inability to operate safely. In other cases, claims about what’s happening are invented out of thin air, yet always with an underlying message of incompetence and somehow still widely believed.” Olivier argues that we are called upon to “self-reflect on our prejudices, lost empathy, and cynicism. We need to commit to be more empathetic, informed, understanding, patient, and respectful toward our armed forces personnel in future. “While not all of those in the SAAF and SANDF are deserving of it, there are so many who break their backs and burn themselves out trying to keep things running smoothly despite all the problems. Every time we call on the SAAF, whether for disaster response, or search and rescue, or anything else, those personnel

move heaven and earth to provide the air crew, aircraft, and other resources needed to get the job done. If we want those types of people to stay in the force and feel rewarded and appreciated, then we as the public need to start recognising them for it.” The latest tirade of criticism relates to the current Chief of the Air Force, General Wiseman Mbambo not being a pilot. It is apposite in this regard to turn to that cesspit of reactionary criticism, the FlyAfrica channel on Facebook. There the key moderator, Duncan Gillespie, has had the bravery to write, “Whilst traditionally, leaders of world Air Forces were pilots, we all recognise now, that we’re looking for an effective and capable leader, rather than a pilot, who is a leader.” Our view is that Mbambo is indeed a good man, albeit doing an impossible job. He would be no more effective if he wore a pilot’s wings. It is my fervent hope that in this year-end time of goodwill, the uncharitable, bigoted and ignorant attacks on Mbambo and the rest of the SAAF leadership be ended. But I fear this is a possibility as remote as the ending of the Israel Hamas war – or the end of corruption within  the ANC and EFF.

BUSH PILOT HUGH PRYOR

CHRISTMAS SOCKS There are two things I really object to about long distance air travel. The first is pre-dawn check-ins and the second is dirty washing. One particular trip around Christmas, a couple of years ago, included both.

T WAS QUITE A LONG TRIP.

ETD Mombasa, 19:10, local-----ETA Nairobi, 20:00, local. ETD Nairobi, 22:55, local-----ETA London Heathrow, 05:55, local. ETD London Gatwick, 11:20, local----ETA Hassi Messaoud, Algeria, 13:10, local.

aircraft and crews could contemplate landing at LGW that morning. The old Boeing 737-200 of Air Algerie which was assigned to our charter flight was not so equipped and so they didn’t even take off from Algiers. We sat around and waited. You know that feeling; ‘Maybe they won’t come at all! Maybe I won’t have to go back to work!... Maybe I’ll get to stay at home for the rest of my life and never have to go back to the desert ever again!’

Gatwick was And then you fall back to reality the announcer comes up with enveloped in when the news that “Air Algerie regrets to thick fog announce the late arrival of flight AH Everything went fine until London. I hate night flights. Sitting trapped in a window seat, with two people to climb over in order to get to the toilet, is not the best inducement I can think of for a comfortable night’s sleep. Luckily I got three seats to myself and managed to remain comatose for the odd hour or two during the leg from Nairobi to London. Heathrow to Gatwick went smoothly too, but Gatwick was enveloped in thick fog, so only Cat-3A equipped

FlightCom: January 2024

hours.”

bla-bla-bla. There will be a further announcement at thirteen hundred

And at thirteen hundred hours the fog is, if anything, even thicker and “... there will be a further announcement at fifteen hundred hours.”...and so on, until nineteen hundred hours when they finally decide to put everybody in the hotel for the night and pray for clear skies in the morning.

FlightCom: January 2024

A pair of airport handling ladies appeared and called for our attention. One or five of the company had already introduced themselves to the local brew and were reluctant to be peeled away from the bar, but eventually we all gathered round the two red uniformed girls to be told ‘The Plan’. Air Algerie were still in Algiers, we were told, but they were going to try and get here as soon as the forecast improved. If this happened during the night we would be woken and should proceed as quickly as possible to check-in and complete departure formalities so that the flight could leave with minimum delay. If Air Algerie didn’t make it during the night, we should anyway plan to leave the hotel by five o’clock in the morning as the next slot time for the flight was planned for sixthirty. Meanwhile, if we could reclaim our baggage, we would be taken to the Meridien Hotel where rooms had already been assigned to us. This looked like a pretty convincing demonstration of most of the major reasons why I do not enjoy longdistance air travel!

The hotel is built in the shape of an oval with the rooms constructed around the sides of an open hollow central hall which reaches up to the roof. Reception is on your right as you enter the hotel from the tube which brings you down past the multi-storey car parks. The reception area is fashionably divided into more intimate areas, bedecked with tastefully imprisoned flora. Here you find comfortable seating arrangements for groups to meet, spread laptops and documentation and interact. The bar is in the far left hand end of the open area and drinking is obviously not considered by the hotel management to be an activity worthy of comfortable seating. So it is also not a place conducive to interaction,

FlightCom: January 2024

I set my alarm clock for four o’clock in the morning, an obscene wake-up time for me, and backed it up with the automatic telephone wake-up call. I had a quick bath and shave, and, in order not to use more clothes than I needed, I climbed under the sheets wearing only a pair of green woolly socks. I tried to read myself to sleep, but that didn’t work, so I turned off the light and stared at the flickering bars of light and shadow on the ceiling, which marked the passing of vehicles in the night. Have you noticed how the shadows always move in the opposite sense to the direction in which the vehicles are travelling? It’s true, but contemplation of this interesting phenomenon does not lead to sleep. In fact I find my mind wandering out of the hermetically sealed window to the people driving the cars passing on the highway, wondering where they are all going, jealous of the fact that most of them will end up in a warm familiar bed, with a warm familiar being to talk to, cuddle, caress, even make love to.

the beer was screaming for release

Aeons later, we were all checked into the hotel and, having dumped my bags in my room, I went down to the bar for a quick beer before retiring to do battle with insomnia.

which is probably one of the reasons why we all slunk off to our rooms after a fitful couple of pints.

WHAT AM I DOING HERE?! Why do I drag myself away from where I want to be for ever and go to the desert. Why don’t I just say ‘No! I’ve had enough of this! I want to GO HOME!’ Then I pan to the reaction of my ‘Warm Familiar Being’, if I pitched up at home, unannounced, when she was expecting me to be away earning money in the Sahara for the next month!... and I chicken out! At some stage during these deliberations, I must have slipped over the edge into the land of Nod, because I was brought back to reality by three sharp knocks on the door.

I let out a yelp of acknowledgement and switched on the bedside light. My alarm clock said that it was 1:30, as if the batteries had failed at lunchtime yesterday, although the second hand was still twitching round. There was no answering yelp from the corridor, so I got out of bed and raced, in my green woolly socks, over to the door. I cracked the door open. Nobody there. No sound of other doors being knocked either. Maybe they were moving the furniture on the floor above? Maybe the wake-up-gentleperson was checking which room to attack next?

“I-I’m so sorry” I blurted, “I thought somebody knocked on my doorandIjustcreptouttocheckifitwasthewakeupcallfor... for the charter.....” The rest was lost in a confused mumble.

I sneaked out of the door just to check.

“Thank you... Thank you so much!” I gabbled as I skittered back, like a hermit crab who has lost his shell.

It was as I heard the soft thwump of my door closing, that I realised that my key-card was on my bedside table...and the beer which I had consumed earlier was now screaming for release Panic-time!

“Don’t worry, Mr. Pryor.” came the reassuring tones of my saviour, “You’re not the first one. Now, if you pop back up the Fire Escape, I’ll send someone up to jam your door open for you. I hope you get back to sleep again.”

True to her word, when I eased the fire escape door open on my floor, there was no cheering crowd to greet me. My door stood discretely ajar with a table napkin wedged to keep it that way.

checking which room to attack next?

Hide!... Evacuate! in more senses than one!... Fire Escape!...and there it was, almost opposite my door. I leapt across the deep-pile carpeting of the corridor and hurled myself into the quiet, unused shaft of the fire escape. Privacy! I relieved the beer-pressures as discretely as I could and then the next job was to gain access to my room again.

There was only one thing for it. I would have to go to reception and reveal my predicament. So I ran down the eight flights of concrete stairs and, adopting full stealth mode, I crept out of the fire door at the bottom. I emerged on the other side of the reception area from the desk and dodged from potted palm to sofa to easy chair, keeping low to avoid radar. I was just approaching the Aspidistra, which I had chosen as my IP for the final approach, when a lady stood up behind the reception desk, perching her glasses on top of her head as she rose. “Mr. Pryor?” she enquired brightly. “Have you lost your key?”

Having regained the sanctuary of my room, I put on a clean pair of underpants, having learned my lesson and once again, heart pumping like a marine engine, tried to get some sleep. What seemed like three minutes later my alarm clock screamed at me, followed by the telephone. I arose once again, performed my ablutions, packed my bag and descended to reception, this time using the more conventional elevator to get me there. My saviour was still on night duty and after I had checked out, my curiosity got the better of me. “Excuse me asking,” I muttered, “but, how did you know it was me, last night?” “Well, Mr. Pryor, I don’t know whether I should really let you in on this, but...Oh well, I might as well tell you. You see, we do have security cameras in the fire escapes.” 

FlightCom: January 2024

LAURA MCDERMID

PART 9

IRIS - HER EARLY YEARS.

Iris Leaves Watamu Laura McDermid continues her stories about Iris McCallum in Kenya. It was November 1978 and I had just flown John McCloy of JF McCloy Engineering, from Malindi to Nairobi. On my flight back to Malindi on the canary yellow Piper Cherokee, 5Y-AKS, a weariness crept over me, paired with an odd prickling sensation all over my body, as if an army of ants crawled beneath my skin.

ORTUNATELY, THE AIRPORT was not far off, and I requested an immediate landing. I locked my sights on the painted numbers at the threshold and watched as 35 grew larger until they filled my vision. My relief was profound when I felt the familiar bump as the wheels kissed the ground. I taxied to the Air Kenya hangar, summoning my last reserves of energy to pack the aircraft away.

FlightCom: January 2024

Fevered bouts brought forth vivid nightmares, accompanied by a temperature rollercoaster, leaving me shaking violently with a chill that seeped into my bones, rendering them achingly tender. I was in constant discomfort and in perpetual pain, which left me wrung out.

Fe v e r e d bouts br o ught v i v i d ni ght ma r e s

Sensing the impending arrival of malaria, I needed to get to bed urgently. Having been on this rodeo before, I had an ample supply of Nivaquinne tablets and took a

good dose as soon as I arrived home. The last thing I remember was placing a jug of water and the bottle of quinine next to my bed.

My absence from my usual haunt at Ocean Sports Resort prompted the owner Mary Nicholas to come looking for me.

‘Hodi Hodi, Iris may I come in? Mary used the Swahili words for ‘knock-knock’ as she entered. She discovered me in a sodden heap on the bed.

Jill Megson.

‘We missed you. Your chief pilot has been expecting you, and when you didn’t turn up, he became very concerned as it’s not like you to miss an opportunity to fly.’ Mary could tell that I was in bad shape. ‘You simply can’t stay here on your own; you are coming back with me, and we will look after you.’ I was too weak to argue and was secretly relieved, knowing what still lay ahead. Mary made me comfortable in the guest room in their own house and called Dr Zoltan Rosinger, a much loved and revered figure in Malindi. He had come to the minefields in Kenya from Vienna with his wife during the gold rush, where he worked as a Medical Officer, and later moved to the coast. Dr Rosinger emphasised the importance of drinking plenty of fluids to avoid contracting Blackwater fever, a rare, yet dangerous complication of malaria. Knowing that my grandmother lost her life to this condition, prompted me to take heed. Due to the risk of liver shock, it was agreed not to move me into the hospital, and so I stayed in the Nicholas residence. Food was the last thing on my mind and the mere clatter of cutlery made me queasy. I craved solitude, surviving on water, and the soothing elixir of coconut water, a lifeline during my slow and arduous recovery. Malaria’s toll was staggering - I shed 20kg in a relentless month-long battle. Emerging from the ravage of illness, I longed to return to the skies. I tackled this gradually by ferrying day trips to Lamu and Robinson’s Island.

Jill Megson, a friend of Chris and Mary Nicholas, arrived to spend the Christmas holidays at the coast with her three daughters. She had lost her husband to cancer a few years previously, and so she sold their farm in Kitale and moved to Nairobi. Although Jill and I shared the same room, I left very early in the morning and would be away for most of the day, which meant that I didn’t get to socialise much. My liver was still very tender, so there was no sitting around the bar for me just yet. After a few days of flying, I had a day off and I found myself stuck with Jill. Desperate to make small talk, Jill asked me if I knew Tony Kennaway, a celebrated figure in East African aviation and a solid drinking buddy of mine. In an odd twist of fate, it transpired that Tony was Jill’s brother! This revelation forged an unexpected bond, relegating the awkward silences between us to a thing of the past.

FlightCom: January 2024

PILOTS

Jill Megson’s stone house in Langata, Kenya

After regaining my strength, I bid farewell to my new home, returning to my cottage. My dog Gigis was confused, as he was quite happy with his mates at Ocean Sports, as was I, but we had to move on. At the close of 1979, I made the difficult decision to resign from my role as a commercial pilot at Air Kenya. It had been an incredible journey, yet I felt that I was stagnating, and needed to fulfil my dream of flying jets, so I accepted a job with Sunbird Aviation in Nairobi.

Unfortunately, that peace did not last as my cherished friend and mentor of many years, Isabel Rockefeller Lincoln, was terminally ill with cancer. Before starting my new job, I made the pilgrimage to Deer Park, Isabel’s estate in Greenwich, Connecticut to see her for the last time.

av o i d c o nt r ac t i ng Bl ac k wat e r fever

In February 1980 I bundled my possessions into my VW Beetle and made the trek to Nairobi where I stayed with Jill in her beautiful stone house in Langata, which bordered the Nairobi National Park. The serene sound of the ocean was replaced by the very vocal sounds of the African bush.

Each night my soul filled with a deep peace as I fell asleep to the roar of lions and the mournful yelping of silver-backed jackals.

10 FlightCom: January 2024

Isabel, or Memsaab as my brother and I fondly called her, was the reason that I was able to pursue my passion for flying; she was the reason why I became a pilot.

Memsaab’s nurse, Mary, would arrange suitable visitation times. When I wasn’t with Isabel, I’d spend time with her daughters, Cal and Percy; our joint experience offered a sense of solace during this trying time. My visits with Memsaab were precious, she loved to hear what was going on and despite her obvious discomfort, she never omitted to enquire after me. Eventually, the day came for my departure. Saying

Isabel Rockefeller Lincoln.

goodbye to such a profound friendship left an indelible mark on my heart. Knowing that I would never see Isabel again and that this rare and beautiful friendship would exist in my memory only, was bittersweet.

As I reclined in my seat on the commercial flight to Kenya, I reflected on how fortunate I was to meet such extraordinary people on my journey around this blue planet. Blessed indeed.

It was time for me to start a new chapter at Sunbird Aviation.

Deer Park Estate, Connecticut.

FlightCom: January 2024

PILOTS

12 FlightCom: January 2024



FlightCom: January 2024

DEFENCE DARREN OLIVIER

THE ONGOING COLLAPSE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE Armscor has imposed ever more severe Broad-Based Black Economic requirements for defence contracts.

14 FlightCom: January 2024

In an era of growing instability and broad reinvestment in military capabilities, driven by the re-emergence of great power competition, separatist movements, and increased pressure for resource competition as a result of climate change, the ongoing destruction of the South African Air Force (SAAF) and its capabilities is both inexplicable and extremely dangerous. The implications of this decline will be felt for decades.

HAT THE SAAF IS STRUGGLING is not news: I have often covered the falling availability of the SAAF’s fleet and the sharp reduction in flying hours, largely as a result of large budget cuts and problems at Denel, and there have been many similar reports in both mainstream and specialist media. However, a recent Parliamentary answer, by Defence Minister Thandi Modise, shows that what was once a crisis is now a full-blown disaster, with the SAAF

achieving a readiness rate of just 20% at the time the question was asked. This is not just a fleeting setback but a manifestation of deep-rooted structural issues that compromise national security in an era of complex global threats. What makes this situation particularly alarming is the intersection of multiple factors contributing to this decline. It’s not just a story of ageing fleets, but rather a narrative of chronic underfunding, strategic mismanagement, and a lack of political will that

Climate change and rescource competition increases the need for an effective SAAF.

FlightCom: January 2024

DEFENCE has been simmering beneath the surface for years. I have consistently highlighted the need for robust and adaptive military, yet affordable, capabilities in the face of evolving security challenges. In this light, the current state of the SAAF is more than a tactical deficiency; it is a strategic miscalculation with farreaching implications. As we delve into the issue, it’s crucial to look not only at the immediate operational impacts, but also the broader strategic consequences for South Africa’s defence posture. The grounding of such a significant portion of the air fleet raises serious questions about the country’s ability to respond to regional conflicts, participate in peacekeeping operations, and even secure its own airspace.

First, it’s important to note that availability figures are a point in time measurement and will vary somewhat from day to day as aircraft enter and leave maintenance. It’s not, as commonly understood by many of the general public, that only 20% of the SAAF’s aircraft will ever be able to fly again. As an example, while only two Gripens were available at the time the data was compiled, a few weeks later three flew down to Overberg Air Force Base for a weapons camp. So it should be understood that there will always be some variance in these numbers.

a narrative of chronic However, there is sufficient underfunding, evidence that these are persistent

This column aims to dissect these issues, drawing on a range of insights and data, to understand how one of Africa’s most significant air forces finds itself in this precarious position and what steps can be taken to navigate out of this turbulence.

problems, as the average level of availability has steadily decreased every year since the late 2000s. In hindsight a high point for the peacetime SAAF, and the number of allocated flying hours budgeted for the force, has declined from more than 40,000 a year to a paltry 12,000, which it may not even able to meet as it has flown just 3,462 in the first half of the year.

The SAAF cannot keep more than 3 Gripens and 3 Hawks airworthy.

16 FlightCom: January 2024

Food security and climate change may become key drivers of the defence requirement.

Worse, the trend is accelerating and unless something is done urgently to correct the course, either by providing additional funding or by intentionally cutting capabilities to save other capabilities, it’s quite likely that availability will drop to 10% or lower before long. Only 1 out of 6 remaining C-130BZ Hercules aircraft, crucial for transport and logistical support, is serviceable. This situation might be helped somewhat by a R1 billion injection of funding from the Treasury to allow for minor upgrades by Marshall Aerospace, an accelerated maintenance programme, and engine overhauls, but more is needed.

The entire fleet of 8 C-47TP, 8 Cessna Caravan, and 4 King Air aircraft, integral for various utility roles, is grounded. Moreover, the Oryx helicopters, the backbone of the SAAF, have an availability rate of just 12% with only 5 serviceable helicopters available. They have been severely affected by the ongoing collapse of Denel, which has all but lost its ability to support the SAAF’s aircraft as a result of mismanagement and corruption. At least 12 aircraft currently awaiting rebuilds and other major maintenance.

only 3 of 24 currently serviceable

The situation is even more dire for the Gripen jet fighters, the backbone of SAAF’s air defence, with only 3 out of 26 serviceable as ongoing administrative and funding issues hinder their return to service after a year long grounding caused by the inability of Armscor and the SAAF to conclude a service agreement with Saab and GKN. The Hawks of 85 Combat Flying School that provide training for prospective fighter pilots are not doing any better, with only 3 of 24 currently serviceable.

Only 6 A109s are available, and while 3 Rooivalks were available at the time of the report, the availability of that fleet has been so badly affected by Denel’s issues that there is a dire shortage of qualified crews. And just 1 C-212, 1 Bk117, 2 SuperLynx 300s, and 6 of the crucial PC-7 MkIIs used for basic flying training are available. Only the VIP fleet is relatively unaffected. This situation not only limits the SAAF’s tactical and strategic capabilities, but also raises serious concerns about its ability to fulfil its national and regional obligations, especially crucial with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) involved in a crucial mission against Islamist insurgents in Mozambique and soon likely to be a part of a Southern

FlightCom: January 2024

DEFENCE African Development Community (SADC) mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The lack of serviceability affects a broad spectrum of operations, from routine surveillance and patrol missions to critical training and readiness exercises. So how did we get here? In short, from years of non-serious government policy on defence, starting from treating the SANDF as a barely necessary department whose budget should be raided for other needs while continually increasing the burden of missions placed upon it, and continuing with a halfhearted and ineffective approach to defence policy and management and a complete lack of urgency when dealing with what was a crisis years in the making. The complete lack of any serious interest in halting the decline, beyond commissioning, agreeing to, and then ignoring a defence review in 2015 from successive administrations has been bewildering to say the least.

contracts, even in cases where no local supplier could reasonably perform the work. While there is widespread agreement on the need for redress, it should not come at the expense of national security and it should be used to develop actual indigenous industrial and technological capabilities, rather than enriching middlemen and brokers who do little more than act as intermediaries between the SAAF and the foreign OEM. The best time to act to save the SAAF was ten years ago, but if urgent action is taken now, the bulk of its capabilities can still be preserved. It won’t be an easy road, though, and it won’t be cheap. It’s simply not possible to run a force of more than 200 aircraft and 9 bases on the current allocation, no matter how efficient or lean you can make the SAAF. So either the budget needs to increase or some squadrons and/or bases need to be closed. And unless funding is provided for crucial capital acquisitions, the ageing fleet will become increasingly difficult to maintain. However, with South Africa’s economic crisis it’s unlikely there can be any such substantial increase in funding.

need for robust and adaptive military

The SAAF’s budget has been cut dramatically in real times over the decades, even as the cost of many of its inputs, such as fuel and spare parts, have skyrocketed as a result of exchange rate changes and inflation. It’s at the point where the total amount allocated to the force is now less than that allocated to a single fighter squadron in the USAF. Of course, USAF fighter squadrons are uniquely expensive for a variety of reasons, and South Africa has cheaper labour costs, but that’s still an astounding statistic. It’s not only about the money though, and there are other factors that are also just as severely affecting the force. For instance Denel, which was the primary maintainer of many SAAF aircraft, was effectively destroyed first by the corruption of state capture and then the incompetent indifference of the Department of Public Enterprise which starved it of funds, guidance, leadership, and even timely approvals for restructurings and other requests. Armscor has in turn reportedly imposed ever more severe Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) requirements on aircraft support and spares

18 FlightCom: January 2024

I believe the time has therefore come for a new defence review, one with a bold, uncomfortable, and uncompromising mission to critically re-examine the role of the South African Air Force over the next 20-30 years, to agree with National Treasury on some minimum level of funding for the next decade, to focus on retaining and rebuilding its key capabilities, and to completely overhaul the force and its structures to make it as efficient and lean as possible and oriented toward operational effectiveness as its primary metric. It’s not going to be a pleasant process, because it will require making difficult choices about which capabilities and bases to keep and which to cut, but it’s better to do that intentionally when it can be done with the least disruption than by letting it happen through unmanaged decay and decline. 

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JEFFERY KEMPSON

UNHAPPY CHRISTMAS One warm December, evening I overheard a story in the Lanseria Airport bar. A private pilot from Salisbury, Rhodesia, had bought a new Cherokee Six from the factory and entrusted its delivery to a US airline pilot friend.

HIS GENTLEMAN HAD WISHED to buy a new 300 hp version of the aircraft, but as none were immediately available he bought a 260 model, so as not to have to join a waiting list for the more powerful machine. Well, this ferry tank equipped Cherokee Six, in capable hands, left the US and headed for Africa. Sadly, in those pre-GPS days, after much dodging of fearsome thunderstorms in the Gulf of Guinea in an aircraft not equipped with weather radar or a storm scope, he diverted to Douala, the nearest available airport in an African coastal city a few degrees north of the Equator. The next morning the pilot paid the landing fees, but when trying to file an onward flight plan was told that it could not be accepted, as the aircraft had no diplomatic flight clearance to land in that country. He explained that he had diverted there due to a weather emergency, and he now wished to continue his lawful flight to Southern Africa. This was refused. After several fruitless days of unproductive meetings with government officials, he ran out of time, and had

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to fly back to the US by commercial airlines. He left the Cherokee Six in what he assumed were the reputable hands of a local Aircraft Maintenance Organization. As a freelance pilot, with the possibility of an aviation adventure in prospect, I learned the name of the aircraft owner, and after a telephone conversation I coincidentally got a lift to Salisbury in a Cherokee Six from a returning farmer. There I spent a couple of days with the the Cherokee 6 owner and his artistic wife in their upmarket homestead. It was arranged that I should collect the aircraft and armed with appropriate letters of introduction and other relevant documents, together with a wad of US dollar American Express traveller’s cheques, I was ready for the adventure. He paid my airfare back to Johannesburg, and a few days later I flew out by commercial airline to Nairobi, and then boarded a Nigerian Airways Boeing 727 which stopped in Douala, prior to proceeding on to Lagos.

On final approach to the runway, I was surprised that though flying in mid-afternoon daylight, we were enveloped in a dense haze. Looking almost straight down, I only glimpsed the runway moments before touch down. A fellow passenger then explained to me that this was the dreaded ‘Harmattan’ of blowing sand from the Sahara, which blurred the landscape from the end of November to the middle of March.

He took a step back. ‘You must pay for hangar.’ ‘No. The aircraft is not in a hangar, and has not been for many months.’ ‘You pay,’ he said more loudly. ‘And also, I have done work on plane, so is extra money,’ he added. I put my bags down. ‘Be kind enough to mind these for a few minutes, I’m going to have a look at the aircraft.’

The he at As I walked away from his office, a nd I saw him sit down heavily, and humi di t y reach for the telephone. The heat and humidity were fierce. A Cherokee hadn’t seen the w e r e f i e r c e That large, disagreeable looking, unshaven inside of a hangar for months as Once free of customs and irritation, I took an airport taxi to the hangar at a distant corner of the airfield, where I was directed to the owner’s office.

middle aged European man opened the door, and gave me an inquiring look.

He asked in poor English; ‘What you want?’ ‘I’ve come to collect that Cherokee Six. The one standing over there under the palm tree, with flat tyres, covered in bird droppings.

it was covered in fine Harmattan desert sand. Looking inside, some of the ferry tank system had been removed, I turned the prop over several times, gratified that it moved normally, though I doubted the engine had been run for months.

A still pristine Cherokee 6 260.

FlightCom: January 2024

The proprietor came out and beckoned me back to his office. He said, “You cannot leave before next week. Paper work must be done, and now everything is closed.’

He mentioned the name of the local aircraft AMO that I’d met, then said he’s in league with a greedy politician, and also some other unsavoury, politically connected characters.

To mollify him, I handed over a one hundred US dollar traveller cheque.

‘What do you suggest I do?’

It was a Friday afternoon, approaching Christmas, and I learnt a statutory lesson right then. ‘Never start a potentially problematic venture in a foreign country on a Friday, in case things go wrong. You cannot do normal business over the weekend. Nor can you contact a lawyer. ‘Where you stay?’ the man asked,

He looked me in the eye and replied; ‘Just leave it here. They will try and extract money from you for spurious fees, such as a compass swing, which hasn’t been done, and whatever else they think they can charge you for, possibly even suggest a new aircraft service bulletin needs complying with, or similar. Then when they’ve pretty much bled you dry, arrest you on some spurious charge. Or, if you’re lucky, kick you out of the country, without the aircraft. I suggest you let the insurance company sort it out and leave here on an airliner. By the way, please keep our conversation to yourself. ‘Then he added, ‘I am flying back to Europe tomorrow evening,’

k ick you o u t o f t he ‘You stay Nova Hotel. I call taxi.’ c o unt r y, I nodded agreement. Walking out This revelation rather spoiled my to the taxi I noticed a slim forty- w i t ho u t t he appetite. But I thanked the gent for something white man in the hangar. advice, had a few more drinks He gave me a friendly nod, and then a i r c r a ft . his and considered my options. It seemed ‘I haven’t decided,’ I replied.

resumed reading an aircraft logbook.

In the comfortable but expensive hotel, I had a welcome shower and headed for the bar. Relaxing with a beer, the man I had seen in the hangar approached me. I think he was a central European. He spoke excellent English. ‘So, you’ve come to take that abandoned Cherokee Six to rebel Rhodesia? ‘No,’ I lied. ‘I’m taking it to Botswana.’ He smiled and took a swig of his beer. ‘Well you’ve caused quite a stir here. I’m the Piper Aircraft Rep. for the Middle East and Africa. I’m here on a brief visit. I can’t be seen to be helping you, but they want to steal that aircraft.’ ‘Who?’ I asked.

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that somehow ‘liberating’ the aircraft would be the only method to accomplish my mission and get paid.

On the Monday, expecting a lengthy delay, I moved to a less expensive hotel. I frequented the airport each day, awaiting the arrival of the liberating paperwork. This was not forthcoming. I became friendly with one of the young French speaking charter pilots who worked for the aircraft sales and maintenance facility where the Cherokee Six had now been pulled into the hangar. The charter pilot disliked the AMO owner intensely and echoed the warning that the proprietor would keep trying to milk funds from me for as long as he could. The AMO owner then suggested that the aircraft needed an oil and filter change at the least, after its long flight from America. I agreed, and we negotiated a price.

Jeff's supply of travellers cheques was rapidly running out.

Later when the charter pilot arrived back from his daily Piper Aztec flight to Point Gentile in Gabon, he suggested he drive me to the airport restaurant for a coffee.

‘Well, I can always refuel.’

I asked him if he had any suggestions for me.

‘I see. I have flown aircraft with that type of fuel imbalance before. It’s not a problem unless we encounter turbulence’.

He replied; ‘Do you speak French?’ ‘No.’ ‘Are you happy to fly in this very low visibility harmattan weather?’ he asked. ‘Yes, as long as there aren’t any embedded thunderstorms in it.’ He said; ‘I heard you got a ground power start and ran the engine this morning to check the magnetos and propeller. Did you notice that the left wing is full of fuel, and the right wing almost empty?’ ‘Yes, why is that?’ ‘The right wing has been drained a little at a time over the months, and used for cleaning, and one of the staff has occasionally siphoned off a few litres to run his Peugeot.’

‘Perhaps not. I heard that he has already told the staff not to refuel you without his permission.’

The French pilot stroked his chin. ‘Thursday is my day off, and the boss is going to the capital for the day. I have a plan. It may be risky, but as long as the Harmattan is blowing, and if your plane is fully serviceable, it should work. Of course, I would expect to be well rewarded as this could cost me my job. Although I’m putting in my notice at the end of the month anyway.’ He told me his plan, and my heartbeat quickened at the brazen ingenuity he proposed. ‘Let me buy you lunch,’ I said. “I think we may be able to resolve this tricky situation.’ We discussed the possibilities. I haggled about his fee and we came to an expensive compromise. The fee was to be paid in full once the aircraft was free and clear on the ground in a different country. We shook hands on the deal.

FlightCom: January 2024

The Cherokee had the oil and filter changes, the tyres were pumped, the seats that had been removed were stowed in the back of the aircraft, and I requested the right front seat be refitted. However, some of the ferry system plumbing had been misplaced, together with a ferry tank. I peeled off a few hundred dollar American Express travellers’ cheques from the thinning cheque book for the proprietor, who then told me that permission from the Government had still not arrived, but should be forthcoming in writing, in a few days. Perhaps next week. I indicated my displeasure, then he said he would act as my agent to achieve this for a fee. I demurred and told him I would pay him upon receipt of that documentation. Then I mentioned to him that I was running short of funds, which I would need for the forthcoming trip, and that they should arrive in a few days’ time. This seemed to please him. However, I was buying time until Thursday.

started the engine, and turned on the avionics. The charter pilot in the right seat communicated with ATC in French, and we were given taxi instructions. Then he said, ‘Let me taxi the plane, I know the way, then you do the take-off.’ The harmattan was in full force, with visibility so poor that we were concerned that the airport may go below minimums, and close. However, air traffic was still moving, albeit IFR. My companion still speaking French, used a local aircraft registration and mentioned our destination as being a small unmanned airfield in the south east of the country, about a fifty minute flight away, My new friend received and read back our flight clearance in French.

my he a r t b e at qui c k e ne d at I asked him what aircraft carried t he br aze n the registration he was using. belongs to a Cherokee Six in a i ng e nui t y he ‘Itprivate hangar. The propeller has pr o po s e d been removed for overhaul.’

After breakfast on Thursday, the charter pilot arrived at my hotel. I handed him my passport and bags plus three hundred dollars in travellers cheques as part of our plan. I then took a taxi to the airport. When I arrived at the hangar I told one of the office staff that I was going to taxi the Cherokee Six to an avionics workshop which was several hundred metres away, well out of sight of the AMO location. Once there I performed a pre-flight without arousing attention and shortly after that the young off-duty charter pilot parked his car nearby, handed me my passport, complete with today’s departure stamp in it, then we transferred my suitcase into the aircraft nose locker. and I placed my flight bag in the cabin. He extracted 5 ten litre plastic containers of Avgas and a funnel from the boot of his car. We poured them all into the right main fuel tank. I took the left seat,

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I smiled. The other Cherokee was blue and white, while ours was yellow and white, but, the chance of anyone being able to determine what colour we were from the tower in the prevailing harmattan conditions was negligible. A plus was that our aircraft was one of the first of its era to use the small American registration letters. A few minutes later we received takeoff clearance, and I entered the runway and applied full power. Being at sea level the aircraft accelerated enthusiastically, and I could see straight ahead with marginally acceptable runway visual range. Glancing towards the terminal building, it was an almost invisible shadow in the enveloping haze. Mindful of the heavier left wing I rotated into the murk. A susurrus hissing sound ensued, which I suspected was generated by air laden sand flowing over the windscreen, though curiously this abated after a few moments.

The French pilot laughed and clapped me on the back. I grinned and felt a surge of adrenalin replace my days of apprehension.

Onc e t he r e I pe r f o r me d a pr e f l i ght w i t ho u t a r o us i ng att e nt i o n We had about 50 US gallons of fuel available, which at normal power using about 15 US gals an hour should afford us a little over three hours endurance at around 125 Knots. Adequate for the distance we needed to fly, with a reasonable reserve.

might expect if we were forced down, or otherwise needed to land in the small country whose air space we would be entering. A while later, we cleared Equatorial Guinea. The harmattan lessened and visibility improved. I asked my co-pilot if the ATC we had left behind would recognise his voice, and cause trouble for him. He laughed and said, ’No, nothing is recorded, and all was fixed with a bottle of good wine and some dollars.’

to be continued.....



A little later I moved east to fly about 500 metres offshore to minimise warm air ground induced turbulence, and my co-pilot explained the horrors we

An Affretair Douglas DC-8.

FlightCom: January 2024

HELICOPTERS: PHOTO-ESSAY

Text and Pictures - Grant Duncan-Smith

HELIHACK Helicopters have been very successfully used in a massive environmental preservation operation in the Western Cape.

HIS YEAR, a ‘Helihack’ alien vegetation clearing operation was conducted on Table Mountain.

in summer fire season. The focus of this operation was the upper slopes of the mountain that ground crews can’t access.

The challenges facing those who seek to rid the Cape of alien vegetation were formidable. Helicopters have proven excellent to transport chain saws and people to the steep and slippery mountain cliffs. It’s an environment where helicopters come into their element, using their specialist ability to play a major role in tackling invasive alien trees in the inaccessible mountainous areas of the Western Cape.

The alien trees use a lot of water, taking a substantial amount of run-off water from the catchments areas, and this fuels wildfires.

have assembled and trained an enthusiastic team of volunteers, working under tough and often hazardous conditions.

The pilot, Le Roux Malan, has extensive experience in flying very demanding and skills-intensive fire-fighting and electricity long-line operations. A spotter in the helicopter assists Le Roux with the positioning of the crew in the mountains.

Various helicopters have been used in past Helihacks, from the UH-1H Huey to the Airbus H125. MCC Aviation’s Bell 407 was used for this Helihack. The 407 is expensive to run and maintain, with a typical weekend operational cost estimated at U$22,000.

ar e as gr o und c r e w s c a n’ t The highly skilled pair of Aleck and Chris McKirdy organise ac c e s s and manage the operation. They The volunteers’ day jobs range from being pilots, tree fellers and landscapers, photographers, students and surgeons. On a recreational level their interests include rock climbing, paragliding, and generally being in nature and the mountains. This year’s Helihack was the first to be conducted on Table Mountain, operating from the Newlands Forest Helipad, where the fire-fighting helicopters were based

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The challenges are formidable and include variable and heavy mountain winds, birds, difficult light with the helicopter being in the sun, but the crew being in the shade, and all the work being done on unstable and slippery slopes.

Jill Megson.

ABOVE: The Bell 407 operated out of picturesque Newlands Forest helibase. BELOW: Volunteers come from all walks of life.

FlightCom: January 2024

HELICOPTERS

ABOVE: Many of the areas were extremely hard to reach. BELOW: Checking the short-haul strop used for human cargo

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ABOVE: Le Roux Malan has extensive fire-fighting experience.

It may be a short time from lift-off to the workers being placed on the mountain, but there’s always the risk of engine failure. With the crew being shorthauled underneath the helicopter, being quick and efficient without hurrying, is key. For the first three days the helicopter was grounded because of low cloud and high winds. A 12-15 knot wind is the maximum permissible. Le Roux was frustrated by the weather delays, as was the team, but he swiftly made the correct call not to fly. He knows from experience and training the risk to the helicopter and team of pushing the limits.

The area of operation was closed off to the public for safety reasons. Teams were dropped off and equipped with VHF and Airband radios for communication with the helicopter and other teams. Chain saws were secured to each person, typically hanging underneath them during the short haul helicopter flight.

The c hal l e ng e s are f o r mi da bl e

On the final day the conditions were ideal. It started with the crew briefing and planning, gear checks, and a quick recce flight to assess the wind on the slopes and final target areas.

Teams of two or three were attached by their harnesses to the strop beneath the helicopter (as Human External Cargo), then transported to various areas by the pilot and positioned at each location using the Vertical Reference Long Line technique.

Some crews remained on a specific mountain section the whole day because of the number of trees, whereas on the steeper, more technical areas, the crew were moved a number of times during the day.

FlightCom: January 2024

HELICOPTERS Positioning using the Airmobile Life-line operation technique.

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Lighting conditions add to the challenges.

FlightCom: January 2024

HELICOPTERS Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes.

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Skilled flying is required to get volunteers off inaccessible places.

FlightCom: January 2024

HELICOPTERS Soaring eagles and vultures are an ever present threat.

Other helihack areas of operation since 2017 include Greyton, Milner Peak, Tsitsikamma, Hex River and Limietberg. The result of the Table Mountain exercise was 2000 invasive pine trees felled over two days.

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I have personally joined the helihack teams over the past few years on various operations and it’s hugely rewarding to see what a professional and effective team they have evolved into. 

NEWS

FAKE AIRCRAFT PARTS FAKE AIRCRAFT PARTS HAVE AGAIN made headlines with many airlines reporting finding them already installed in flying airliners. A new criminal investigation into fraud has been launched and in the UK a man has now been arrested in connection with the discovery of counterfeit aircraft parts worldwide. The British Serious Fraud Office (SFO) raided the home of AOG Technics founder and director on 6 December, arresting him and announcing a large-scale investigation into the company’s fraudulent activities. SFO investigators, with officers from the National Crime Agency, seized material from a site in the area

and AOG founder and director, Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala is being held in custody. The SFO is working closely with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and other regulators to examine whatever information is found to advance the criminal investigation into suspected fraud at AOG and determine the grounds, if any, for prosecution. “This investigation deals with very serious allegations of fraud involving the supply of aircraft parts, the consequences of which are potentially far-reaching,” SFO Director Nick Ephgrave QPM said. “The SFO is best placed to take this investigation forward vigorously and we are determined to establish the facts as swiftly as possible.” 

José Alejandro Zamora Yrala has been arrested for fake aircraft parts. FlightCom: January 2024

NEWS

IATA ON AIRLINE

RECOVERY

THE INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT Association (IATA) announced strengthened profitability projections for airlines in 2023, which will then largely stabilize in 2024. However, net profitability at the global level is expected to be well below the cost of capital in both years. Very significant regional variations in financial performance remain. Key points in IATAs annual global media briefing are that: •

Airline industry net profits are expected to reach $25.7 billion in 2024 (2.7% net profit margin). That will be a slight improvement over 2023 which is expected to show a $23.3 billion net profit (2.6% net profit margin).

•

Some 4.7 billion people are expected to travel in 2024, an historic high that exceeds the prepandemic level of 4.5 billion recorded in 2019.

•

Cargo volumes are expected to be 58 and 61 million tonnes in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

“Considering the major losses of recent years, the $25.7 billion net profit expected in 2024 is a tribute to aviation’s resilience. People love to travel and that has helped airlines to come roaring back to pre-pandemic levels of connectivity. The speed of the recovery has been extraordinary; yet it also appears that the pandemic has cost aviation about four years of growth. From 2024 the outlook indicates that we can expect more normal growth patterns for both passenger and cargo,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Ai r l i ne s w i l l a l way s c o mpe t e “Industry profits must be put into f e r o c i o us l y proper perspective. While the • In both 2023 and 2024 return on invested capital will lag the cost of capital by 4 percentage points (PP), as interest rates around the world have risen in response to the sharp inflationary impulse.

•

Airline industry operating profits are expected to reach $49.3 billion in 2024 from $40.7 billion in 2023.

•

Total revenues in 2024 are expected to grow 7.6% year over year to a record $964 billion.

•

Expense growth is expected to be slightly lower at 6.9% for a total of $914 billion.

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recovery is impressive, a net profit margin of 2.7% is far below what investors in almost any other industry would accept. Of course, many airlines are doing better than that average, and many are struggling. But there is something to be learned from the fact that, on average airlines will retain just $5.45 for every passenger carried. That’s about enough to buy a basic ‘grande latte’ at a London Starbucks. But it is far too little to build a future that is resilient to shocks for a critical global industry on which 3.5% of GDP depends and from which 3.05 million people directly earn their livelihoods. Airlines will always compete ferociously for their customers, but they remain far too burdened by onerous regulation, fragmentation, high infrastructure costs and a supply chain populated with oligopolies,” said Walsh.

IATA's Willie Walsh on the state of the airline industry.

Passenger revenues are expected to reach $717 billion in 2024, up 12% from $642 billion in 2023. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) growth is expected to be 9.8% year on year. While that is more than double the pre-pandemic growth trend, 2024 is expected to mark the end of the dramatic year-on-year increases that have been characteristic of the recovery in 2021-2023. The high demand for travel coupled with limited capacity due to persistent supply chain issues continues to create supply and demand conditions supporting yield growth. Passenger yields in 2024 are expected to improve by 1.8% compared to 2023. Reflecting the tight supply and demand conditions, efficiency levels are high with the load factor expected to be 82.6% in 2024, slightly better than 2023 (82%) and the same as in 2019. IATA’s November 2023 passenger polling data supports the optimistic outlook: • A third of travellers polled say they are traveling more than they did pre-pandemic. Some 49% indicate that their travel habits are now similar to pre-pandemic. Only 18% said that they were traveling less. • Looking ahead, 44% say that they will travel more

in the next 12 months than in the previous 12 months. Only 7% say they will travel less and 48% expect to maintain similar levels of travel in the coming 12 months as in the previous 12 months. • Cargo revenues are expected to fall to $111 billion in 2024. That is down sharply from an extraordinary peak of $210 billion in 2021, but it is above 2019 revenues which were $101 billion. Yields will continue to be negatively impacted by the continued growth of belly capacity (related to strong growth on the passenger side of the business) while international trade stagnates. Yields are expected to further correct towards pre-pandemic levels with a -32.2% decline in 2023 followed by a -20.9% decline expected in 2024. They will remain high by historical standards, however. Note that yield progression has been extraordinary in these last years (-8.2% in 2019, +54.7% in 2020, +25.9% in 2021, +7% in 2022, -32.2% in 2023). •

Fuel price is expected to average $113.8/barrel (jet) in 2024 translating into total fuel bill of $281 billion, accounting for 31% of all operating costs. Airlines are expected to consume 99 billion gallons of fuel in 2024.

High crude oil prices are expected to continue to be further exaggerated for airlines as the crack spread

FlightCom: January 2024

NEWS The fuel price 'crack' is a significant problem.

(premium paid to refine crude oil into jet fuel) is expected to average 30% in 2024. Industry CO2 emissions in 2024 are expected to be 939 million tonnes from consumption of 99 billion gallons of fuel. The aviation industry will increase its use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and carbon credits to reduce its carbon footprint. We estimate that SAF production could rise to 0.53% of airlines’ total fuel consumption in 2024, adding USD 2.4 billion to next year’s fuel bill. In addition, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is a global market-based carbon offsetting mechanism designed to stabilize international aviation emissions. The CORSIA-related costs are estimated at $1 billion in 2024. •

Non-fuel expenses have been controlled relatively well by airlines despite inflationary pressures. With fixed costs being distributed over a larger scale of activity as the industry recovered from the pandemic, non-fuel unit costs are falling in line with pre-pandemic level. In 2024 we expect non-fuel unit costs of 39.2 cents per available tonne kilometer (ATK) in 2024 which is 1.6% above 2023 levels and matches 2019 levels. Total non-fuel costs are expected to reach $633 billion in 2024.

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Risks Industry profitability is fragile and could be affected (positively or negatively) by many factors: •

Global Economic developments: Easing inflation, low unemployment rates, and strong demand for travel are all positive developments. Nonetheless, economic strains could arise. In China, for example, slow growth, high youth unemployment and disarray in property markets if not managed properly, could impact global business cycles. Similarly, should tolerance of high interest rates weaken, and unemployment rise significantly, the strong consumer demand that has supported the recovery could weaken.

•

War: The operational impacts of the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war have been largely limited to re-routings due to airspace closures. On the cost side, the conflicts have pushed up oil prices which is impacting airlines globally. An unexpected peace in either or both cases would bring benefits to the industry, but any escalation could produce a radically different global economic scenario to which aviation would not be immune.

•

Supply Chains: Supply chain issues continue to impact global trade and business. Airlines have been directly impacted by unforeseen maintenance issues on some aircraft/engine types as well as

NEWS Africa's passenger loads are back to pre-Covid levels.

delays in the delivery of aircraft parts and of aircraft, limiting capacity expansion and fleet renewal. •

Regulatory Risk: On the regulatory front, airlines could face rising costs of compliance, and additional costs pertaining to passenger rights regimes, regional environment initiatives, and accessibility requirements.

Globally the regions have recovered from the pandemic at different speeds. North America, Europe and the Middle East are expected to post net profits in 2023. Asia Pacific will join the group in 2024, but we still expect Latin America and Africa to be in the red in 2024.

Africa African carriers are expected to generate losses in both 2023 and 2024. The continent remains a difficult market in which to operate an airline, with economic, infrastructure, and connectivity challenges impacting the industry performance. Despite these challenges, there is robust demand for air travel. Underpinned by this demand, the industry continues to reduce losses. 

IATA says that African airlines are still loss-making after COVID.

FlightCom: January 2024

AIRLINES Guy Leitch

THE SAA TAKATSO

SALE – IS IT STILL ON? In May 2021 the South African government announced that it had selected a preferred private sector ‘strategic equity partner’ to acquire a majority state in the then moribund state-owned South African Airways. That partner is the Takatso Consortium.

HE PARTIAL PRIVATISATION of SAA is significant as it is set to serve as the blueprint and litmus test for privatisation in other state-owned enterprises (SOE). If privatisation is successful at SAA, then the same ownership model could be introduced at other SOEs, including Eskom and Transnet.

The Takatso consortium comprised Harith General Partners (an infrastructure company that owns Lanseria Airport), Global Aviation and Syranix, who are co-owners of South Africa’s newest domestic airline, Lift. The Takatso deal was commended as it combined Harith Capital Partners access to capital with the



Pravin Gordhan insists the Takatso deal is still on - albeit moving very slowly. 40 FlightCom: January 2024

How much is Gidon Novick's share of the Takatso deal worth now?

airline operational know-how of Global Aviation and Lift, which was founded by Gidon Novick, who had proven his ability as the founder of kulula.com Airline. The deal is to sell 51% of SAA for a notional R51,00 in return for Takatso providing the airline with a capital injection of R3 billion over two years. The SA government’s Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), retains 49%. Even through it would be a minority shareholder, the SA government would continue to have a ‘golden share’ veto on certain key decisions, such as selling the airline.

Then two years after its announcement, Gidon Novick unexpectedly resigned from the Takatso board, saying he was being kept in the dark by Harith about, among other things, the R3-billion capital injection that the company promised SAA. A key unresolved question is when Takatso will actually have to pay the R3 billion – and where will they get it from? There is a fear that, as Takatso partners with Harith Fund Managers, which also administers the Public Investment Fund, they will use state pensions for this capital injection. This has however been repudiated by Takatso and the Department of Public enterprises.

veto on selling the airline

Progress in concluding the sale has been far slower than anticipated and the delay raised increasing criticism. The terms and conditions around Takatso’s involvement in SAA have largely been kept secret, with the government and Harith arguing that the details are ‘commercially sensitive’.

The government minister responsible for the Takatso transaction, Pravin Gordhan, has made numerous promises about a completion date for the deal. But these have proven to be wildly optimistic. A key reason for the delay was that the deal was subject to

FlightCom: January 2024

AIRLINES Competition Commission approval. This approval was conditionally granted in 2023, however the Commission required Global Aviation and Syranix to exit the deal by divesting their shareholding in the Takatso Consortium. This is because the involvement of Lift Airlines was seen to be anti-competitive. It said the Lift co-owners, being part of the consortium, could result in “the exchange of competitively sensitive information between SAA and Lift, through Global Aviation and Syranix having shareholding and the ability to appoint directors to Takatso’s board of directors”.

There are still substantial obstacles in the way of the sale being finalised - notably the Act of Parliament which creates SAA has to be redone. And then, eventually, in December 2023, it was announced that the whole SAA Act is being repealed. A further key obstacle is that the airline’s Aircraft Operating Certificate (AOC) and Air Service Licencing Council licences will have to be amended. These normally require 18 months to accomplish, yet government appears determined to tackle then consecutively, rather than simultaneously.

the whole SAA Act is being repealed

Syranix and Global have agreed to withdraw, leaving unresolved the vexed question of what their combined 20% shareholding of Takatso’s 51% is now worth. The airline declared assets of R13 billion in 2019, and so 10% would in theory be worth R1.3 billion, which would be an extraordinary return on the notional R20.00 invested. Gidon Novick and Syranix have said they will use business consultants to determine an appropriate value.

Nonetheless, the deal is slowly progressing, and government assures beleaguered taxpayers that it will be completed and that SAA will thus be effectively privatised. 

The long delay in the sale has raised questions as to whether the SA government is indeed committed to the sale. SAA claims that it is trading cash positive, which means the Takatso deal is now far less pressing. However, the airline is still in urgent need of the additional R3 billion funding and capital injection to increase its fleet for long haul operations. The scepticism as to the government’s real intention was not helped by the DPE expressing interest in buying the shares of the departing minority shareholders (Global Aviation and Syranix). In a recent appearance before Parliament, Deputy Public Enterprises Minister Obed Bapela stated that government was interested in becoming a majority shareholder in the airline, and thus holding more than 49%. If the government has an undeclared intent to still be a majority shareholder in SAA, it means that the taxpayer would still be on the hook for bailouts for the airline, to keep its operations going.

42 FlightCom: January 2024

Is the SA government still committed to the sale?

NEWS

COMAC C919 MOVES BEYOND CHINA CHINA’S DOMESTICALLY MANUFACTURED COMAC C919 will make its first flight outside mainland China. GlobalData’s Kandlikar Venkatesh says, “The development of the COMAC C919 represents a significant achievement for China in the narrowbody aircraft segment. Comparable to industry giants such as the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX, the C919 signifies China’s prowess in the aircraft manufacturing sector. While its immediate impact on Boeing and Airbus remains uncertain, the C919’s substantial orders within China have the potential to challenge the market share of established passenger aircraft manufacturers and reshape the industry dynamics.”

Marking a step-change in the advancement of China’s aviation capabilities, the C919 has booked a remarkable 1,191 total orders. With plans to ramp up production capacity in the coming years, COMAC is positioned to strengthen its foothold in the Chinese narrowbody market. According to GlobalData, Chinese airlines and private entities are projected to spend approximately $280 billion on commercial fixed-wing aircraft over the next ten years to meet the country’s commercial fixed-wing fleet demand. 

China's COMAC C919 has over 1000 orders.

FlightCom: January 2024

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with Us

BEAUFORT WEST AIFA

(044)

272 5547

info@aifa.co.za

(011)

914-5810

083-292-0978

(031)

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(043)

736-6181

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(044)

272 5547

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(044)

876-0096

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(011)

805-0605

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(016)

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701 3298

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Companies in the Group are licensed and authorized FSPs FlightCom: January 2024

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934 5373

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(072)

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Skysource International SA, Hangar 203, Lanseria International Airport 46 FlightCom: January 2024

+27 10 900 4300 • +27 72 036 3433 CALL US NOW FOR ALL OF YOUR AVIATION NEEDS!

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(011)

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FlightCom: January 2024

BACKPAGE DIR DIRECT ECTORY ORY 208 Aviation Ben Esterhuizen +27 83 744 3412 ben@208aviation.co.za www.208aviation.com A1A Flight Examiner (Loutzavia) Jannie Loutzis 012 567 6775 / 082 416 4069 jannie@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za AES (Cape Town) Erwin Erasmus 082 494 3722 erwin@aeroelectrical.co.za www.aeroelectrical.co.za AES (Johannesburg) Danie van Wyk 011 701 3200 office@aeroelectrical.co.za www.aeroelectrical.co.za Aerocolour cc Alfred Maraun 082 775 9720 aeroeng@iafrica.com Aero Engineering & PowerPlant Andre Labuschagne 012 543 0948 aerocolour@telkomsa.net Aerokits Jean Crous 072 6716 240 aerokits99@gmail.com Aeronav Academy Donald O’Connor 011 701 3862 info@aeronav.co.za www.aeronav.co.za Aeronautical Aviation Clinton Carroll 011 659 1033 / 083 459 6279 clinton@aeronautical.co.za www.aeronautical.co.za Aerospace Electroplating Oliver Trollope 011 827 7535 petasus@mweb.co.za Aerotel Martin den Dunnen 087 6556 737 reservations@aerotel.co.za www.aerotel.co.za Aerotric Richard Small 083 488 4535 aerotric@aol.com Aviation Rebuilders cc Lyn Jones 011 827 2491 / 082 872 4117 lyn@aviationrebuilders.com www.aviationrebuilders.com AVIC International Flight Academy (AIFA) Theo Erasmus 082 776 8883 rassie@aifa.co.za Air 2000 (Pty) Ltd Anne Gaines-Burrill 011 659 2449 - AH 082 770 2480 Fax 086 460 5501 air2000@global.co.za www.hunterssupport.com Aircraft Finance Corporation & Leasing Jaco Pietersen +27 [0]82 672 2262 jaco@airfincorp.co.za Jason Seymour +27 [0]82 326 0147 jason@airfincorp.co.za www.airfincorp.co.za Aircraft General Spares Eric or Hayley 084 587 6414 or 067 154 2147 eric@acgs.co.za or hayley@acgs.co.za www.acgs.co.za Aircraft Maintenance International Pine Pienaar 083 305 0605 gm@aminternational.co.za Aircraft Maintenance International Wonderboom Thomas Nel 082 444 7996 admin@aminternational.co.za

48 FlightCom: January 2024

Air Line Pilots’ Association Sonia Ferreira 011 394 5310 alpagm@iafrica.com www.alpa.co.za

Breytech Aviation cc 012 567 3139 Willie Breytenbach admin@breytech.co.za

Airshift Aircraft Sales Eugene du Plessis 082 800 3094 eugene@airshift.co.za www.airshift.co.za

Celeste Sani Pak & Inflight Products Steve Harris 011 452 2456 admin@chemline.co.za www.chemline.co.za

Alclad Sheetmetal Services Ed Knibbs 083 251 4601 ed@alclad.co.za www.alclad.co.za

Cape Town Flying Club Beverley Combrink 021 934 0257 / 082 821 9013 info@capetownflyingclub.co.za www.@capetownflyingclub.co.za

Algoa Flying Club Sharon Mugridge 041 581 3274 info@algoafc.co.za www.algoafc.co.za

Century Avionics cc Carin van Zyl 011 701 3244 sales@centuryavionics.co.za www.centuryavionics.co.za

Border Aviation Club & Flight School Liz Gous 043 736 6181 admin@borderaviation.co.za www.borderaviation.co.za

Eagle Flight Academy Mr D. J. Lubbe 082 557 6429 training@eagleflight.co.za www.eagleflight.co.za

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

Execujet Africa 011 516 2300 enquiries@execujet.co.za www.execujet.com

Federal Air Rachel Muir 011 395 9000 shuttle@fedair.com www.fedair.com Ferry Flights int.inc. Michael (Mick) Schittenhelm 082 442 6239 ferryflights@ferry-flights.com www.ferry-flights.com F Gomes Upholsters Carla de Lima 083 602 5658 delimaCarla92@gmail.com Fireblade Aviation 010 595 3920 info@firebladeaviation.com www.firebladeaviation.com

Flight Training College Cornell Morton 044 876 9055 Alpi Aviation SA Chemetall ftc@flighttrainning.co.za Wayne Claassens Dale De Klerk www.flighttraining.co.za 011 914 2500 082 556 3592 wayne.claassens@basf.com dale@alpiaviation.co.za www.chemetall.com www.alpiaviation.co.za Flight Training Services Amanda Pearce 011 805 9015/6 Chem-Line Aviation & Celeste Products Apco (Ptyd) Ltd amanda@fts.co.za Steve Harris Tony/Henk www.fts.co.za 011 452 2456 + 27 12 543 0775 sales@chemline.co.za apcosupport@mweb.co.za www.chemline.co.za www.apcosa.co.za Fly Jetstream Aviation Henk Kraaij 083 279 7853 Clifton Electronics cc Ardent Aviation Consultants charter@flyjetstream.co.za CJ Clifton / Irene Clifton Yolanda Vermeulen www.flyjetstream.co.za 079 568 7205 / 082 926 8482 082 784 0510 clive.iclifton@gmail.com yolanda@ardentaviation.co.za www.ardentaviation.co.za Flying Unlimited Flight School (Pty) Ltd Riaan Struwig Comair Flight Services (Pty) Ltd 082 653 7504 / 086 770 8376 Reception Ascend Aviation riaan@ppg.co.za +27 11 540 7640/FAX: +27 11 252 9334 Marlo Kruyswijk www.ppg.co.za info@flycfs.co.za 079 511 0080 www.flycfs.co.za marlo@ascendaviation.co.za www.ascendaviation.co.za Flyonics (Pty) Ltd Corporate-Aviators/Affordable Jet Sales Michael Karaolis Mike Helm 010 109 9405 082 442 6239 Atlas Aviation Lubricants michael@flyonics.co.za corporate-aviators@iafrica.com Steve Cloete www.flyonics.co.za www.corporate-aviators.com 011 917 4220 Fax: 011 917 2100 CSA Aviation – Cirrus South Africa sales.aviation@atlasoil.co.za Gemair Alex Smith www.atlasaviation.co.za Andries Venter 011 701 3835 011 701 2653 / 082 905 5760 alexs@cirrussa.co.za andries@gemair.co.za AVDEX (Pty) Ltd www.cirrussa.co.za Tania Botes C. W. Price & Co 011 954 15364 GIB Aviation Insurance Brokers Kelvin L. Price info@avdex.co.za Richard Turner 011 805 4720 www.avdex.co.za 011 483 1212 cwp@cwprice.co.za aviation@gib.co.za www.cwprice.co.za www.gib.co.za Aviatech Flight Academy Nico Smith Dart Aeronautical 082 303 1124 Guardian Air Pieter Viljoen viatechfakr@gmail.com 011 701 3011 011 827 8204 www.aviatech.co.za 082 521 2394 pieterviljoen@dartaero.co.za ops@guardianair.co.za Aviation Direct www.dartaero.co.za www.guardianair.co.za Andrea Antel 011 465 2669 Dart Aircraft Electrical info@aviationdirect.co.za Heli-Afrique cc Mathew Joubert www.aviationdirect.co.za Tino Conceicao 011 827 0371 083 458 2172 Dartaircraftelectrical@gmail.com Avtech tino.conceicao@heli-afrique.co.za www.dartaero.co.za Riekert Stroh 082 749 9256 avtech1208@gmail.com Henley Air Diepkloof Aircraft Maintenance cc Andre Coetzee Nick Kleinhans 011 827 5503 083 454 6366 BAC Aviation AMO 115 andre@henleyair.co.za diepkloofamo@gmail.com Micky Joss www.henleyair.co.za 035 797 3610 monicad@bacmaintenance.co.za DJA Aviation Insurance Hover Dynamics 011 463 5550 Phillip Cope 0800Flying Blackhawk Africa 074 231 2964 mail@dja-aviation.co.za Cisca de Lange info@hover.co.za www.dja-aviation.co.za 083 514 8532 www.hover.co.za cisca@blackhawk.aero www.blackhawk.aero Dynamic Propellers Indigo Helicopters Andries Visser Blue Chip Flight School Gerhard Kleynhans 011 824 5057 Henk Kraaij 082 927 4031 / 086 528 4234 082 445 4496 012 543 3050 veroeschka@indigohelicopters.co.za andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za bluechip@bluechip-avia.co.za www.indigohelicopters.co.za www.dynamicpropellers.co.za www.bluechipflightschool.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

Investment Aircraft Quinton Warne 082 806 5193 aviation@lantic.net www.investmentaircraft.com Jabiru Aircraft Len Alford 044 876 9991 / 044 876 9993 info@jabiru.co.za www.jabiru.co.za 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

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

Dr Rudi Britz Aviation Medical Clinic Megan 066 177 7194 rudiavmed@gmail.com Wonderboom Airport

Maverick Air Charters Lourens Human 082 570 2743 ops@maverickair.co.za www.maverickair.co.za

SAA Technical (SOC) Ltd SAAT Marketing 011 978 9993 satmarketing@flysaa.com www.flysaa.com/technical

MCC Aviation Pty Ltd Claude Oberholzer 011 701 2332 info@flymcc.co.za www.flymcc.co.za Mistral Aviation Services Peter de Beer 083 208 7249 peter@mistral.co.za

SABRE Aircraft Richard Stubbs 083 655 0355 richardstubbs@mweb.co.za www.aircraftafrica.co.za

MH Aviation Services (Pty) Ltd Marc Pienaar 011 609 0123 / 082 940 5437 customerrelations@mhaviation.co.za www.mhaviation.co.za M and N Acoustic Services cc Martin de Beer 012 689 2007/8 calservice@mweb.co.za Metropolitan Aviation (Pty) Ltd Gert Mouton 082 458 3736 herenbus@gmail.com

Kit Planes for Africa Stefan Coetzee 013 793 7013 info@saplanes.co.za www.saplanes.co.za

Money Aviation Angus Money 083 263 2934 angus@moneyaviation.co.za www.moneyaviation.co.za

Kzn Aviation (Pty) Ltd Melanie Jordaan 031 564 6215 mel@kznaviation.co.za www.kznaviation.co.za

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

Lanseria Aircraft Interiors Francois Denton 011 659 1962 / 076 810 9751 francois@aircraftcompletions.co.za Lanseria Flight Centre Ian Dyson Tel: +27 11 312 5166, F: +27 11 312 5166 ian@flylfc.com www.flylfc.com Lanseria International Airport Mike Christoph 011 367 0300 mikec@lanseria.co.za www.lanseria.co.za Leading Edge Aviation cc Peter Jackson Tel 013 741 3654 Fax 013 741 1303 office@leaviation.co.za www.leadingedgeaviation.co.za Legend Sky 083 860 5225 / 086 600 7285 info@legendssky.co.za www.legendsky.co.za Litson & Associates (Pty) Ltd OGP/BARS Auditing & Advisory Services & Aviation Safety Training Email: enquiries@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 8517187 www.litson.co.za Litson & Associates Risk Management Services (Pty) Ltd eSMS-S™/ eTENDER/ e-REPORT / Aviation Software Systems Email: enquiries@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 8517187 www.litson.co.za Loutzavia Aircraft Sales Henry Miles 082 966 0911 henry@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Loutzavia Flight Training Gerhardt Botha 012 567 6775 ops@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Loutzavia-Pilots and Planes Maria Loutzis 012 567 6775 maria@loutzavia.co.za www.pilotsnplanes.co.za Loutzavia Rand Frans Pretorius 011 824 3804 rand@loutzavia.co.za www@loutzavia.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 Plane Maintenance Facility Johan 083 300 3619 pmf@myconnection.co.za Powered Flight Charters Johanita Jacobs Tel 012 007 0244/Fax 0866 66 2077 info@poweredflight.co.za www.poweredflight.co.za Powered Flight Training Centre Johanita Jacobs Tel 012 007 0244/Fax 0866 66 2077 info@poweredflight.co.za www.poweredflight.co.za Precision Aviation Services Marnix Hulleman 012 543 0371 marnix@pasaviation.co.za www.pasaviation.co.za Propeller Centre Theuns du Toit +27 12 567 1689 / +27 71 362 5152 theuns@propcentre.co.za www.propcentre.com Rainbow SkyReach (Pty) Ltd Mike Gill 011 817 2298 Mike@fly-skyreach.com www.fly-skyreach.com Rand Airport Kevin van Zyl Kevin@horizonrisk.co.za +27 76 801 5639 www.randairport.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

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

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

Scenic Air Christa van Wyk +264 612 492 68 windhoek@scenic-air.com www.scenic-air.com

Titan Helicopter Group 044 878 0453 info@titanhelicopters.com www.titanhelicopters.com Top Flight Academy Nico Smith 082 303 1124 topflightklerksdorp@gmail.com

Sheltam Aviation Durban Susan Ryan 083 505 4882 susanryan@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com

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

Sheltam Aviation PE Brendan Booker 082 497 6565 brendanb@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com Signature Flight Support Cape Town Alan Olivier 021 934 0350 cpt@signatureflight.co.za www.signatureaviation.com/locations/CPT Signco (Pty Ltd) Archie Kemp Tel 011 452 6857 Fax 086 504 5239 info@signco.zo.za www.signco.co.za 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 Rensburg 0118050605/2247 info@superiorair.co.za www.superiorair.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 Colin Blanchard 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

FlightCom: January 2024