October 2021

FlightCm African Commercial Aviation

Edition 309 October 2021 Cover: Garth Calitz

Aeronautic Solutions – The World-Class Helicopter Operator!

King Air 360 test

– the bizjet with props!

Hugh Pryor – lost in Libya!

Guy:

The B-52 – finally gets 8 new engines

Jim tries Skywriting!

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Can you trust the AMO?

Garrison: Wood,

Aluminium or Composite?

SAAF:

Overstretched, underfunded and collapsing

CAPE TOWN, GRAND CENTRAL & LOWVELD AVIATION COMPANIES GUIDE October 2021

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POSITION REPORT JIM DAVIS SAYS YOU CAN JUDGE a landing by the way a student pilot takes off.

If the student doesn’t taxi on the centreline. If the ailerons move when he turns on the taxiway. If he takes power too quickly. If he doesn’t maintain the centreline on climb out. All of these are indicators that the final approach will be sloppy and probably unstable. And from that a bad landing will probably ensue.

On 23 September SAA took off for the first time in nearly 18 months. And the airline equivalent of Jim Davis’s warning signs are plain to see.

It doesn’t have – at least to the best of my knowledge – a business plan that makes any sense. In fact, the current plan is so unrealistic it is best described as a flight of fancy.

It doesn’t have a rational route network that feeds other routes or origin-destination pairs. It has the wrong fleet.

If it gets into bed – as it must – with the Takatso consortium, it will have two management teams.

The passenger experince will be bad – the aircraft have outdated inflight entertainment. The planes are obsolete, maintenance hungry, fuel guzzlers.

of R2.8 billion. But of this: R800 million was allocated for the payment of post-commencement creditors; provision was made for retrenchment costs of R2.2 billion, plus there was provision for un-flown tickets of R3 billion and payment to Other Creditors of R2.2 billion. That adds up to a negative R5.4 billion before they have even got going.

So SAA desperately needs the promised dowry of R3 billion from the Takatso consortium. Yet sensibly, Takatso are playing hard to get. SAA restarting operations means that it is fast heading towards a fiscal cliff and so will be increasingly desperate to finalise the agreement with Takatso – with progressively less power to negotiate. Takatso must be happy to wait it out.

THE SA GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE STOPPED BY COURT ORDER

But perhaps most startlingly, it doesn’t have any fuel in its tanks to takeoff. In this metaphor, fuel is the capital required to get the airline to sustainable operations at cruising altitude. The Business Rescue Plan called for an initial working capital injection

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October 2021

In the first year of operations the airline expects to carry 270,000 passengers – yet make a R3.2 billion loss. So even if it goes according to this optimistic plan, then we must add another R3.2 billion to the R5.4 billion shortfall. Perhaps this is why the airline’s business plan provides for an unconscionable cash burn of R60 billion in the first five years of operations. And that’s without even thinking about a new fleet – which, if it has to be paid for upfront, may cost upwards of another R30 billion. And after all, which banks would be prepared to lease planes to SAA after being so badly burned in business rescue?

The South African government needs to be stopped by court order from throwing money it does not have at what is nothing more than yet another face-saving vanity project.

j

Guy Leitch

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October 2021

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If you're waiting for a sign: here it is.

The new Macan. Dare forward.

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COLUMNISTS SA FLYER

16 Guy Leitch - ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE 24 George Tonking - HELI OPS 30 Peter Garrison - PRETTY FACE 34 Jim Davis - PLANE TALK 42 Johan Walden - MIDNIGHT PHANTOM 64 Jim Davis - ACCIDENT REPORT 72 Ray Watts - REGISTER REVIEW

FERRY FLYING: KING AIR B360

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October 2021

FLIGHTCOM

06 10

Bush Pilot - HUGH PRYOR Airlines Ops - MIKE GOUGH

FC 14

Edition 309

CONTENTS

A FLYING CAREER MAINTAINED

BY ENGINEERS

B52 -8 NEW ENGINES ACCIDENT REPORT

October 2021

Edition 309

CONTENTS FEATURES SA FLYER

28 GADGET OF THE MONTH: Wheel Spats 46 FERRY FLYING: King Air B360 82 AERONAUTIC SOLUTIONS SOUTH AFRICA 92 AVIATION ART 56 CAPE TOWN COMPANIES GUIDE 103 GRAND CENTRAL COMPANIES GUIDE 115 LOWVELD COMPANIES GUIDE FLIGHTCOM

14 Defence - Darren Olivier 20 Face to Face - Ms Wrenelle Stander 25 News 28 AG Aviation Africa

REGULARS 14 Opening Shot 76 AFS Register Review 80 SV Aviation Fuel Table 90 Aviation Direct Events Calender

FLIGHTCOM

18 AME Directory NOTICE: The CEO Profile Donations: We are finalising the donations to the worthy causes selected by our participating CEOs and will be announcing the final contributions in next month’s issue.

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October 2021

36 Starlite Flight School Listing 37 Atlas Oils Charter Directory 38 AEP AMO Listing 40 Aviation Directory

A WIDE RANGE OF AIRCRAFT

VIEW NEW AIRCRAFT LEAD TIMES AIRCRAFT SALES | INSURANCE | SERVICING | IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

Contact Klara Fouche: +27 (0) 83 324 8530 klaraf@starliteaviation.com Starlite Aero Sales

starlite_aero_sales

www.starliteaviation.com

The new Bentayga.

Follow your instincts.

Find your extraordinary at BentleyMotors.com/newBentayga Contact Bentley Johannesburg on 010 020 4000 or Bentley Cape Town on 021 000 2100.

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October 2021

The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2020 Bentley Motors Limited.

BENTLEY JOHANNESBURG • BENTLEY CAPE TOWN Power: 404 kW (550 hp); Torque: 770 Nm; 0-100 km/h: 4.5 seconds; Maximum speed: 290 km/h.

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OPENING SHOT

Cell phones have now achieved Opening Shot quality - even in low light conditions. This striking night image of a Twin Otter on floats was captured by Jakobus Strauss, a South African pilot flying in the idyllic Maldives.

Jakobus explains: “The Maldives has seen a big influx of South African pilots being trained to fly floatplanes. Most of those pilots are employed by TMA, the world's largest seaplane and Twin Otter operator. We are based at Velana International Airport, Malé, Maldives and refer to ourselves as the barefoot pilots as our standard uniform consists of a pilot shirt, black shorts and flip flops (which we kick off just after strapping the seatbelts on).

I found myself on this particular morning, after a rainy night, walking down the dock about to perform my preflight when this gorgeous scene filled my vision. It was captured using my Galaxy S10+ using an ISO of 250 and a long ¼ second exposure. This is the stock image as captured and edited in the camera app.”

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October 2021

Send your submissions to guy@saflyermag.co.za

October 2021

15

ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE: GUY LEITCH

Some aircraft just go on forever. The DC-3/C-47s in SAAF service are 80 years old and – as ‘Dakeltons’ – are still expected to meet South Africa’s huge maritime patrol requirement. This is especially because chronic underfunding has reduced South Africa’s ability to patrol from St Helena to the Antarctic to wishful thinking.

IN THE USA THE equivalent of our ‘Dakelton’, despite the massive defence budget, is the B-52 which after 60 years, is finally getting new engines – to keep it current to 2050, by when it will be 100 years old.

Now, after starring roles in the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, equipping the B-52 fleet with new engines is an idea whose time has finally come.

The big surprise, at least to me, is that they are keeping the eight small-engine configuration, rather than going for the presumably much cheaper four medium-sized engine option.

At least four formal proposals to re-engine the bomber and more than twice as many studies on the subject date back to the 1970s. Up to now the closest it came to happening was in 1996 when Rolls-Royce and Boeing jointly proposed fitting each B-52 with four leased Rolls-Royce RB211-535 engines. This would have involved replacing the eight Pratt TF33s with a total thrust 136,000 lb with four RB211 engines with a total thrust 148,000 lb. The extra thrust and reduction in fuel consumption would cost approximately US$2.56 billion for the whole fleet.

by 2030 the engines will be “unsustainable.”

Since the 1960s the U.S. Air Force and Boeing have been investigating ways to replace the engines. “The oldest suggestion of a potential re-engine for the B-52 that I’ve seen was from 1969,” says James Kroening, Boeing’s B-52 programme manager. That wasn’t long after U.S. Strategic Air Command began flying the B-52B in 1955, carrying nuclear bombs to deter the Soviet Union.

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October 2021

It was common knowledge that the B-52 would be rendered obsolete by the B-1 and B-2.

As a side note, it is amazing to note how far jet engines have come – the total of 136,000 lbs of thrust from the eight TF33s could be replaced with just one Boeing 777X GE9X engine which produces 134,300 lbs of thrust. It also makes me wonder why they don’t just convert a fleet of Boeing 747s or 777s into bombers. But I suppose the airlines might not be too happy with their airliners being the same as bombers.

Nonetheless, a workable solution to keep the B-52 going was needed, and that meant new engines. But each proposal failed, primarily because the USAF always believed the B-52 would be replaced by newer bombers, specifically the B-1 and B-2. The USAF views B-52s as more versatile than B-1Bs or B-2s, because the B-52s can carry a wide range of conventional munitions as well as the nuclearcapable Long Range Standoff cruise missile that could debut in 2030. Plus, B-52s are cheaper to fly and require fewer maintenance man hours than the 1970s-designed B-1B and 1980s-designed B-2.

Understanding the limitations of the B-1 and B-2, the Defense Science Board (DSB) had urged the Air Force to re-engine the aircraft without delay, saying doing so would not only create significant cost savings, but reduce

greenhouse gas emissions and increase aircraft range and endurance. An interesting aspect is the cost of aerial refuelling; the DSB estimated that refuelling in the air cost $17.50 per gallon, whereas the Air Force had only priced on the ground fuel at $1.20 per gallon.

The Air Force also suspects that the stealthy advantages of the B-2 will have waned by the 2030s, noting in its “Bomber Vector,” as it calls the bomber plan released along with the 2019 budget request, that the B-2 “will see its technological advantages diminish in the nottoo-distant future.”

The impasse remained however until in April last year when the USAF admitted that by 2030 the engines will be “unsustainable.” That was a problem, because the USAF announced that by the mid-2030s, it plans to fly just two kinds of bombers for conventional and nucleardeterrence missions: The Big Ugly Fat F – cker, or BUFFs, and a planned fleet of 100 B-21 Raiders, the Northrop Grumman stealth bombers.

And so here we are, sixty years later, with the ‘Buff’ still with its smokey old eight Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines. Now with the latest announcement, the Buff will live on – for another October 2021

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Consideration was given to replacing the eight TF-33s with 4 Boeing 737 sized CFM56s.

30 expected years, until 2050 no less, thanks to the long, long-awaited announcement that they will be getting new engines. And not good old American Pratt & Whitneys or General Electric engines – but Rolls Royce.

includes new combat network communications technology, a weapons bay improvement programme that will enable the B-52 to carry smart weapons internally, Link-16 tactical data link capability and upgraded GPS interface units.

The key to modern aircraft are the engines and massive electrical power generation – to run the demands of modern avionics and aircraft systems. “If you step back and look at this re-engine program, electrical power is probably the single biggest area of improved performance that is a requirement,” says Kroening, Boeing’s B-52 manager.

With the need to operate to 2050, more electrical power and greater fuel efficiency, early in 2020 the USAF released a request for proposals for 608 commercial engines plus spares and support equipment, with the plan to award the contract in May 2021. And as noted – the decision had been made to retain the eight-engine configuration. This Commercial Engine Re-engining Program (CERP) saw General Electric propose its CF34-10s and Passport turbofans, Pratt & Whitney its PW800, and Rolls Royce its F130. They are all engines currently used in bizjets: the Rolls Royce on the Gufstream G650.

The USAF is not saying how much extra electrical capacity the Air Force wants, but greater electric power is needed to run a host of future improvements to the B-52, from defensive directed energy weapons systems and hypersonic weapons to new sensors and avionics.

Much work has already been done to bring the analogue B-52 into the digital age. This

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October 2021

With hindsight, it now seems sensible to retain the eight-engine design. Large diameter high bypass turbofans would not have enough ground clearance on the outer pylons, especially

considering the lack of stability of the aircraft’s narrow tandem wheel undercarriage design.

Another less obvious challenge is the effect on the wing harmonics of having just four or even two engines. Furthermore, it would require large structural modifications, including to the empennage, to provide adequate control.

In late September 2021 it was announced that Rolls-Royce had won the competition with their F130 engine. Using a British/European engine was perhaps not such a big surprise as the F130 was already in use by the E-11 and C-37 so it's a known quantity and will reduce the support costs. Also, it is already actually built in the USA.

starts pneumatically. A ground crew wheels a cart-mounted auxiliary power unit, or APU, and attaches a hose to a fitting on the inboard pod on the left wing that houses the No. 3 and No. 4 TF33s. From the APU compressed air is supplied to rotate engine compressor spools.

With sufficient pressurised air in the combustion chamber, fuel is introduced to the engine, ignited and the turbofan starts. Once these engines are stabilised, bleed air is sent from them to start the others. In addition, the ground APUs supply electric and hydraulic power to the aircraft without the need to start the engines.

There are many other noteworthy benefits to the re-engining. The Air Force’s quick-start requirement for a nuclear mission is one.

Alternatively, explosive cartridges can provide quick engine starts for B-52s assigned to the nuclear alert mission. Gunpowder cartridges are inserted into breaches on the engines. Firing each cartridge ignites fuel supplied to each engine and starts all eight simultaneously.

The B-52 lacks onboard starting capability. The bomber’s original TF33 engines are started in two ways: for normal operations the B-52

While a large increase in power was readily available, aerodynamic and structural considerations made the USAF decide on

The B-52 is roughly the same size as the Airbus A330 -200 based MRTT.

October 2021

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ABOVE: To refuel the B-52 in the air cost eight times as much per gallon as on the ground.

BELOW: Pilots will still be able to grab a handfuil of 8 power levers - even if all the little round gauges go.

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October 2021

keeping the total power largely unchanged. The Air Force decided on the same 17,000-pound thrust class as the TF33 to produce “no change to current minimum control airspeed” of the B-52 while “maintaining the aircraft’s current combat ceiling and takeoff performance.”

The new engines had also to be compatible with the existing B-52 electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems and be capable of being changed quickly if necessary. External weapons carriage should be “unaffected” by the new engines. “Struts and nacelles will be replaced, but it is our intent that the size, weight, thrust capacity, etc., of the engines are such that handling characteristics that are impacted won’t be a significant actor,” explains Kroening.

electronic components resistant to radiation by using different manufacturing techniques and radiation-tolerant materials in the production of semiconductors.

They must also perform in circumstances commercial engines are not designed for, including aerial refuelling.

There are also issues to be solved with packaging commercial engines in a form that doesn’t deviate too much from the current pod configuration that houses two TF33 engines. The challenges are formidable.

the eight TF33s could be replaced with just one GE9X engine

Each of the three bidding engine makers were confident their commercial powerplants would meet the Air Force’s requirements. The challenge is to adapt them for military use. For example, military engines and control systems must be nuclear-hardened. The radiation associated with a nuclear blast can physically damage semiconductors in electronics causing a variety of aircraft systems, including engines, to malfunction. Nuclear hardening makes

Critics of these aging designs have often had to swallow their words. I am grateful to Martin Strümpfer of the SAAF WhatsApp group for reminding us that as far back as 1964 Gen. Curtis LeMay said “I am afraid the B-52 is going to fall apart on us before we can get a replacement for it."

As a final thought, the old joke about ‘Methuselah aircraft’ remains particularly true for the B-52: “The B52 may well be doing the flypast when the B2 withdrawal from service ceremony happens.”

j

guy@saflyermag.co.za

October 2021

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October 2021

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October 2021

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HELICOPTER OPS: GEORGE TONKING

A FLYING CAREER

MAINTAINED

BY ENGINEERS

As the youngest of four children (with a sister and two brothers) I grew up with hand-me-downs. Fortunately, the attraction of Dinky Toys and model planes was stronger than tea parties with my sister’s dress-up dollies. Because as hard as I try, I can’t imagine how dollies and tea parties in pink would have translated into half as interesting a career as the one I enjoy now as a helicopter pilot.

THE FACT THAT MY ELDEST brother (ten years my senior) flew fighters in the South African Airforce (SAAF) probably played a strong role in my passion for flying machines too. As a teen, I often begged him to drop me off at “Uncle Mike Spence” on Saturday mornings to help fabric dope Tiger Moths at his hangar at Krugersdorp Airfield.

other flying-besotted schoolboys to Fly-Inn to help service and fly in his 1943 Auster Mk V. Through these early experiences, I learned that the men who built and maintained these magical machines all had one thing in common: they were as passionate about flying machines as I.

I’ ve work ed alongside some incredibly gi fte d engineers

The fact that Mike would trust a laaitie to crank the inertia starter on his rare World War II-era Bf-108 Taifun also made a tremendous impact on me. Many a Saturday was spent around Uncle Mike’s skottel braaiing wors and being inspired by fancy flying tales. Later, John Illsley, one of my teachers at Pretoria Boys High, continued to nurture my fascination by taking me and

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October 2021

But back to the present. The enormity of a commercial helicopter operation is made possible only with the support of a large team of stakeholders. One of the most important departments within such an operation is aircraft maintenance. Like any vehicle, helicopters require constant upkeep.

Rotary winged aircraft are generally even more mechanically complex than their fixed-wing cousins, requiring super-specialised skills to keep them running.

A common joke in our community is that helicopters comprise a million parts rotating around an oil leak until metal fatigue sets in.

Helicopters are made of carefully designed components that are highly susceptible to wear and failure, and they really work hard. As a result, helicopters have stringent component time-management systems for flight duty and in terms of their functional lifetimes. And sticking to those systems is paramount if you want to stay safe … and alive.

Vaughan Powell 1969-2021.

Early in my career, as with other junior pilots, I had many quiet days waiting around the hangar for a flight to come in. Instead of wasting my time staring off into the sky, I took the opportunity to learn from some of the other hangar residents: a peculiar breed called the maintenance guys.

Unlike the machines on which they work, there is no operating manual for the maintenance guys. You just have to befriend them and learn what makes them tick. Besides, an engineer is only too eager to have another set of hands to assist with a cumbersome, tricky assembly. Having a background as a motorcycle mechanic, it was natural for me to slot in and get some grease on my hands.

Over the past thirteen years, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside some incredibly gifted engineers on types like the Airbus Squirrel, Bell 205 Huey, various Robinsons and the occasional Alouette. The majority of the older, more experienced engineers were from the SAAF, having cut their teeth on Alouettes and Pumas. This wealth of experience was

you get test pilots and t y re k ickers invaluable, as I was able to tap into it at will, as long as I made myself available and didn’t give my unwarranted opinions (too often).

Ultimately, this brought about a speciality in my career that I would never have imagined when I first started training: as a maintenance test pilot. What helped me to gain confidence in the challenging new role was the shaping of my mechanical brain. The ability to diagnose faults or even tweak a helicopter to give its all is a black art best left to the grease wizards, but as I delved into their knowledge, and as friendships grew, I soon learned some helpful tricks. From blade balancing and tracking, to engine performance checks, I was able to become not only a more competent flyer but also a safer one. And by understanding more of the mechanical goings-on, I could give more accurate feedback to the engineers after a flight, which, believe it or not, they seem to appreciate.

(I mean, they are engineers, but are also human).

One such engineer was Vaughan Powell, who possessed a particular tool that I could relate to: his sense of humour. It was possibly October 2021

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Lessons at the engine shop.

The habitat of the helicopter engineer.

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October 2021

the best tool at his disposal – which I learnt during a “challenging” Robbie rebuild test flight. An almost-mishap during an autorotation became something we could laugh about in retrospect only because of Vaughan’s lighthearted demeanour. Without that, I might still be traumatised by the experience. Over the past few years, we ended up spending many hot afternoons in the same hangar where I once enjoyed my youthful days with Mike Spence.

The post-rebuild test flight.

You may have heard it said that you get test pilots and tyre kickers. I have been both in my career. But as I look back, I realise my times with the maintenance guys, including Vaughan, were all priceless experiences that hopefully make me more test pilot than tyre kicker today.

On 11 August this year Vaughan Powell, age 52, passed away from Covid-19 complications. A family man, good friend to many and generous with his time and words, Vaughan will be missed. Rest in peace, big guy.

j

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GADGET OF THE MONTH

CARAVAN WHEEL SPATS CESSNA CARAVANS have huge drag inducing fixed undercarriage. Yet many are used only on tar runways – or well prepared gravel airstrips.

It therefore makes sense that a well-designed set of wheel spats (or ‘pants’) will soon pay for themselves in drag reduction.

It’s just surprising that it has taken so long.

Developed through 3D printing and advanced CNC machining and fabrication, the spats are designed for easy access with interchangeable, standardized parts. No jacking is required during installation.

an emission reduction “ approaching 4 p e r c e n t .”

A company called Whind has announced that it has developed wheel spats for Caravans that it claims give a seven-knot true airspeed improvement in cruise during flight testing.

And that’s not all. Whind said the addition of the spats has shown an emission reduction “approaching 4 percent.”

The spats are also tough.

“You won’t find a ‘No Step’ placard on these wheel pants,” said Whind CEO Randy Whitson.

Full STC approval is under way, and completion and first delivery are expected in the fourth quarter of 2021. Whind's staff includes former Cessna employees with technical, marketing, and operational expertise with a focus on improving products from Textron Aviation. j Whind wheel spats are claimed to proivide a 7-knot cruise improvement to Caravans.

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October 2021

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Propeller and Whirl Wind. Dynamic Propellers cc is also appointed as the sole McCauley Authorised Service Centre for the African continent.

We carry a large stock holding of fast moving propellers, hubs, parts, de-icing parts, overhaul kits etc. in our inventory to cater for Hartzell, McCauley, MT – Propeller, Hoffman, Dowty, Sensenich, Whirl Wind and Hamilton standard propellers. We do a huge amount of travelling to local, domestic and neighbouring countries as well as abroad to cater for customer’s propeller requirements.

Everything is performed in-house, including cold compression rolling on Hartzell propeller blades, as well as dynamic balancing of propellers in the field. Dynamic Propellers cc is an Authorised Service Centre for MT-

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QUOTE OF THE MONTH Sylvain Bosc

Q OM

The internationally respected former head of SAA route network planning, Sylvain Bosc, commenting about Cynthia Stimpel’s book Hijackers on Board, on her whistleblowing at SAA said:

“Democratic systems tend to be ineffective against people who have no respect for the law, no shame, no integrity, no limit and no fear, like Dudu Myeni.”

October 2021

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PETER GARRISON

WHAT THE Y ' RE MADE OF Plastic? Unattainium?

We haven’t quite decided yet.

DURING WORLD WAR II the British adopted the term "boffin" for scientists or engineers secretly developing novel weapons, inventing radar, breaking codes and so on.

Frank Whittle, one of the creators of the jet engine, was a notable boffin. Another, less well known than Whittle although, like him, later to be the subject of a motion picture, was Barnes Wallis.

His principal claim to fame was the dambuster bomb, which was dropped on Ruhr Valley reservoirs by very low-flying RAF Lancasters. Made to spin rapidly before release, the barrel-shaped bombs would roll along the water surface like skipping stones until they encountered the dam, sank and exploded.

bent up along their edges for stiffness and connected at their ends with riveted gussets to form a network resembling a loosely-woven basket. Wooden stringers and fabric cover were added for streamlining and to keep the rain out.

Vickers used this unusual style of construction on a couple of types of bombers, notably the Wellington.

b a tt l e i s n o t a cont r olle d ex pe r ime nt

Another Wallis innovation was a style of aircraft structure called geodetic. It consisted of a great many short pieces of sheet aluminium,

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Wikipedia waxes rhapsodic over the geodetic structure: “The metal lattice-work gave a light structure with tremendous strength; any one of the stringers could support some of the load from the opposite side of the aircraft. Blowing out the structure from one side would still leave the load-bearing structure as a whole intact. As a result, Wellingtons with huge areas of framework missing continued to return home when other types would not have survived.”

This kind of mythmaking prose clings like a graveyard fog to all sorts of defunct schemes.

The Wellington's geodetic structure was claimed to be very good at surviving battle damage.

To start with, all aero structures are light and strong; the strength of geodetic structures was no more "tremendous" that that of other kinds of structures designed to the same requirements, and at any rate excess strength in an aeroplane is not something to brag about, since it means the structure is heavier than it needs to be.

Perhaps the writer meant that the geodetic structure had a very high strength-to-weight ratio; that may be so, although the non-loadbearing outer covering didn’t help.

As for damage tolerance, battle is not a controlled experiment. B-17s too came back with huge pieces shot away. Geodetic structures had, to be sure, the virtue of being made of lots of small pieces, so that local damage did not spread quite as far as cracks might in a sheet-metal structure. They also had the purely specious advantage that blowing or burning away the fabric skin created a visual impression

of enormous damage even if the underlying structure remained intact.

Whatever their merits may have been, Wallis’s geodetics remained a sidetrack. The history of airframe structures boils down to only two great threads: trusswork frame and stressed skin.

Most of the aeroplanes built before 1930, and decreasing numbers thereafter, incorporated a truss-like frame of wood or steel, sometimes braced by diagonal wires, which was covered by a non-structural fabric shell for streamlining.

Not all: even during the First World War the German firms of Roland, Pfalz and Albatros built elegantly streamlined hollow fuselages out of spiral-wound plywood, and as early as 1915 Hugo Junkers was skinning his aeroplanes with sheet metal.

Airframe design is theoretically dominated by lightness, strength and rigidity. From the

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beginning, however, where the strength-toweight ratios of different structural materials and systems were similar, choices were guided by secondary considerations like cost, availability of an appropriately skilled labour force, ease of fabrication and repair, resistance to damage, and so on. Some pretty weird stuff has found its way into aero structures; Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, for instance, developed a couple of aeroplanes made of rubber.

The familiar old truss of welded steel tubing, exemplified by Cubs and Champs and countless vintage and homebuilt biplanes, is attractive for many reasons. Its design and analysis are straightforward. It’s structurally efficient, easy to construct, modify, inspect and repair, and cheap and durable. It lends itself to "hard points" for concentrated loads, like wing and landing gear attachments. But it has disadvantages as well. The streamlined outer shape that must be added over it is so much deadweight, and it does not make the best use of all of the space

available inside that outer shape. Internal space is important not only for payload capacity but also structurally, because the farther apart loadcarrying members are, the greater the rigidity of the whole.

The long-prevalent stressed-skin metal structure is based on two principles. First, the skin, which is the largest component of the aeroplane, is going to be there anyway, so you might as well make it work for you; and second, the skins are as far apart as it's possible to be and therefore provide the most rigidity for the weight. Jack Northrop's 1930 Alpha is often credited with pioneering stressed-skin metal structures, but Northrop certainly didn’t invent them. Credit for that probably belongs to Junkers and Fokker, and to plywood- or metal-skinned cantilever wings in which twisting loads – and, in the case of Junkers’ remarkably prescient J.1, bending loads as well – were borne by the skin itself, not by internal members.

Jack Northrop's 1930 Alpha is often credited with pioneering stressed-skin metal structures.

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Stressed-skin airframes are sometimes called semi-monocoque because they are a hybrid of monocoque and framed structures. Pure monocoque, strictly speaking, means that all loads are borne by the skin and its local stiffeners; think of an eggshell, a famously strong and light structure. Unfortunately, the smaller an aeroplane is the thinner its skins, for reasons of weight, and the less useful they are for resisting stresses, particularly compressive ones.

Relatively massive and compact members, like wing spars and fuselage longerons, are needed to carry compressive loads without buckling.

The universal shift to stressed-skin structures in aviation was due to the rapidly increasing supply of metallic aluminium and its alloys in the early 20th century. The strongest modern alloys, originally developed by the Japanese during the Second World War, are comparable in tensile strength to common steels but weigh only a third as much. Aluminium has only a third of the stiffness of steel, however, and today it is gradually being displaced by carbon fibre composites, which have greater strength and stiffness than steel and half the weight of aluminium.

Twenty years ago, just as aluminium began to cede to composites in aeroplanes, it was being taken up by automobile manufacturers. The Jaguar XJ sedan and the Audi S8 were entirely aluminium-bodied, and feel and sounded funny if you rapped on them with a discrete knuckle. The Ford F-150 pickup, the biggest-selling car in America, is aluminiumbodied, and other makers, currently using the metal mainly for hoods and trunk lids, will no doubt follow suit. Hundreds of pounds are removed, with consequent reductions in fuel consumption to meet increasingly drastic federal and California fuel-economy mandates.

a couple of aeroplanes made of r u b b e r.

In the 1930s much ingenuity went into ways of making the light skin material of wings support compression without buckling, for instance by riveting bent-up or corrugated material to the inside of skins to form closed spanwise tubes. The seemingly indestructible wings of DC-3s are an example. Spar caps made from massive extrusions were an alternative approach. Eventually the two styles merged in larger aeroplanes in the form of one-piece skins machined out of huge slabs of metal; the wing skins of most jets, for example, are a single piece from root to tip, with stiffeners and attachment flanges milled into their inner surfaces.

Another method of stiffening skins is sandwich construction, in which thin sheets are bonded to both sides of a “core” of very light material, often a honeycomb of thin aluminium or composite foil. Sandwich structures have been made with all sorts of materials, from the surfboard-like fiberglass and plastic foam wings of composite homebuilts to the brazed stainless steel and titanium honeycombs of the tri-sonic SR-71.

Though composites are gradually overtaking aluminium as the default material for airframes, aluminium aeroplanes will still be around for a long while. For people who take an interest in craftsmanship, that’s a good thing: The pleasure given by a well-riveted wing skin, a precise buttjoint or a skilfully formed metal panel will always have a special value that composites, with their inhumanly perfect surfaces, will never provide. j

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PLANE TALK - JIM DAVIS

WING WALKING AND

SKY WRITING

Last month I was bitching that nothing interesting happened for a couple of years and then suddenly there was a string of engine failures. And immediately after that I had some really unusual flights – let me tell you about a couple of them.

IT MAY COME AS A SURPRISE to the Gleitch that wonderful aeroplanes and interesting people were around long before the cell phone and words ‘like’, ‘awesome’ and ‘cool’ became part of modern communication.

I’m going to be in much trouble for saying that.

But toughies.

Near the beginning of 1970 the tikkie-box in the Algoa Flying Club rang and an important British voice wanted to know if I could tow a banner.

Although I had no idea how to do this I told him it was well within the scope of my capabilities.

He turned out to be one of politician Helen Suzman’s yes men. His job was to wave the October 2021

I should mention that the internet hadn’t been born yet. It was a sort of embryo thing that the military and some universities poked at while it was floundering in its first trimester. This meant that my ignorance on how to tow a banner would remain profound until I had spoken to people who knew what they were doing. And as I couldn’t find anyone who had info on such matters, I had to start from first principles.

I s hould me ntion t hat t he inte r net hadn’ t be e n bor n yet

“Thank you so much, old boy,” he said. “We’ll be in touch.”

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Progressive Party’s flag and make sure the voters flocked in to scrawl their crosses in her box. The Progs were the forerunners of today’s DA.

To this end I recruited my tubby mate, Bernie Marriner, to help me scratch the turnip. Bernie worked for the Ford Motor Company as a rally driver and builder of rally cars. He was good

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Bernie Marriner had the busy job of squirting oil and giving me directions.

with his hands and we could sneak into the company’s workshops and make whatever was needed.

We suspected that if we tried to tow a banner from the Tiger’s tailwheel it would probably swizzle round in the prop’s slipstream, get

tangled in the rudder and cause a monstrous nonsense. What it needed, we decided, was a stake at the front of the banner that would be held vertically by being attached, top and bottom, to one of the lift struts. But this scheme needed the cautious approach that us aviators always strive for.

Jim's efforts deserved a cartoon.

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I must break this exciting narrative for a moment to remind you of a previous incident that involved too much drag in the lift strut area.

Eric Blomkamp, who was a sort of hippie-ish pupe of mine suggested it might be a good idea to do a bit of wing walking on my Tiger.

I remember him well, partly because he paid for some of his flying with a very fancy guitar – which I haven’t quite mastered yet. I instantly realised that wing walking was exactly the sort of thing we should be doing, but being the cautious pilot that I am, I was concerned about the asymmetric drag. What if I got airborne with him sitting on the wing, hanging on to the strut, and then realized that I didn’t have enough rudder to keep straight? Far better, I decided to find someone to sit on the other wing to balance things out.

I knew exactly the guy we needed - Trevor Jones. He was a sort of tie-wearing office bod who worked at Table Top and wore thick glasses. A quick silver-tongued phone call and we had our drag asymmetry problem roughly solved. I say roughly because Eric was of a longish spidery construction, while Trevor would have been described by his tailor, if he had one, as portly short.

The scheme seemed a solid one. There was little chance of my pax falling off as they had the struts to hang on to; the drag problem was sorted and the Tiger should handle the weight with ease. What could go wrong?

Half an hour later we were accelerating along the grass runway 20 at George’s old airport. The first hint of a problem presented itself when the aircraft seemed a bit reluctant to fly. No matter, 20 was an exceptionally long runway.

We were now at 50 and she really wasn’t interested.

Strange, I thought, certainly we might have been a bit on the heavy side, but the current aversion to flight was most un-Tigerlike.

I had the tail up and could see nicely ahead while I mused on the old lady’s lack of enthusiasm for A bug spray bottle flight. So I could see pumped oil into the that the runway fence exhaust for smoke. was starting to feature fairly prominently in our lives. We now had 60 mph and were light on the wheels – but still not really flying. Some of my audience who are not regular Tiger flyers might have forgotten that these aeroplanes are brakeless, meaning that by the time I woke up it was too late to abort.

I had two options, the first was to close the throttle and barge through the barbed wire fence – a course of action that my passengers would probably veto had I been able to consult them.

The second was to grit the teeth, try to make the bod light in the seat, and hope that Mr de Havilland would find that extra little nudge to hoik us over the fence.

The s che me s e e me d a s olid one .

Now, a Tiger will normally lift off at around 45 mph and climb away happily at 60 mph.

I glanced at my fellow travellers to see how they were bearing up. The fools were laughing and waving their silly hands, seemingly unaware of our peril. That fatuous saying ‘at least they died doing what they love’ passed through the mind as the fence slimed by just inches below their feet.

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I won’t bore you with details of the next few minutes, other than to mention that the aeroplane never gained more than 20 feet and the ailerons didn’t work at all. I sweated out about half a bucket of persp while my ignorant pax were deliriously happy, swinging their stupid legs and waving and shouting to passers by.

They obviously thought I was keeping it low for their enjoyment.

Fortunately Tigers have an excellent turn and slip indicator.

The more devout members of my congregation may be curious to know why the aeroplane behaved so badly. Imagine how a boat leaves a V shaped wake behind it, well that’s what my excursionists were doing to the airflow behind them. So large chunks of wing were simply not doing any lifting, and the ailerons, which occupy the area immediately behind my fellow travellers, floundered uselessly in turbulent air.

could tug on in order to release the whole damn thing.

Fragrant moments, as my mate, Bob Emmitt, would say.

Sadly, I have to report that our first, and only, trial run was a disaster.

And that brings us neatly back to the matter of banner towing. Those who were paying attention may remember that Bernie and I were planning to attach a banner to one of the wing struts.

We got airborne from 08 at Port Elizabeth – yep that’s what it was called then – Gqeberha indeed – and climbed out strongly towards the military base. I bellowed to Bernie, through the Gosport tube, that he could let rip. He hauled on the control lines and the VOTE PROG banner streamed happily out behind the wing.

There was a brief period of about half a second when our spirits soared. Success. Or so we thought. Then almost immediately I realized that I had full right rudder and we were not managing to keep straight.

There was nothing for it but to dump the load instantly before it dragged us into a deadly spiral.

Obviously we couldn’t take off with the banner trailing along the ground, so we did some cunning boy scoutery with ropes and toggles.

The banner was furled, I believe that’s the term, against the strut. The plan was that once we were safely airborne, Bernie, in the front cockpit, would yank on a couple of lanyards and the banner would stream out behind us.

s o we did s ome cunning boy s coute r y w it h r opes and toggles

I mentioned the wing walkers incident because it made me wary of too much unwanted drag on one side. With this in mind we had an emergency jettison system that consisted of a couple more sheets or halyards, which Bernie

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Now, I did mention that the country was heading into an election and this always causes the population to become bitchy and bad tempered.

Factions become polarized and make nasty faces at each other. It doesn’t take much time for tempers to flair. In fact it was no more

than ten minutes after landing that I had the commandant of the military base bellowing at me down the phone in Afrikaans. At first I was unable to make head or tail of this outburst but the words ‘vote prog’ were quite frequently mingled into the general racket. It slowly dawned on me that he thought I had inserted the message into his camp in order to recruit members of the Nationalist contingent of foot-stampers under his command to jump ship.

Eventually I just put the phone down – it had been a long day.

Banner-towing having defeated us, Bernie and I turned our great minds to the possibility of sky writing with smoke. I quickly realized that neither the Tiger nor I was up to flying the sort of aerobatics that would result in a squiggle that looked like VOTE PROG. I mean just the initial V would require about 100G at the bottom and how the hell you do an E…? You understand

the problem. And even if we could do it, can you imagine what it would look like to people on the other side?

Then it dawned on us that we could write it flat, rather than vertically, and that would look fine from anywhere below. Or would it? If I wrote it normally it would look fine from above, but as the majority of people in the Eastern Cape live at ground level, it would still be a mess – actually mirror writing, from below.

And another thing – once you start writing it’s impossible to see what you have written. Imagine you are commissioned to write an advert on the grass of a cricket pitch, could you do it using only one eye at ground level? Well, that’s what it’s like doing sky writing. All the smoke that chuffs out of the exhaust simply sits on the horizon – because it’s at your level. It has no form or meaning – it’s just a messy smudge and there’s no way to judge how to join the next stroke on to it.

If you get it right the people should see this.

But the people looking from the other side will see this.

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Happily the Prog party was very happy with the result.

While I worked on this problem Bernie’s job was to make smoke. He did this by welding a stub of thinnish pipe into the exhaust and then attached that to one of those hand pump things you use for spraying bugkilling muti on to cabbages. The idea was to touch the SAAF for some of their special smoke-making oil that they use in aerobatic displays. We practiced a bit with Bernie sitting in the front cockpit, pumping up pressure and then turning the tap on to squirt oil into the hot exhaust.

We drew it all on graph paper and turned the drawing into headings, distances (times) and four severities of turn:

Trying to work out how fast to turn to make the lettering.

Meanwhile I found the only way to lay down the smoke was to do the whole thing on instruments. If you cast your mind back to answering stupid exam questions about rate and radius of turns at different speeds and bank angles, you’ll see what I was up against. And I’m not good at sums so it took every ounce of brain beef to figure out how much territory a rate 3 turn would cover while trying to make the round bit of a ‘P’.

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We didn’t use Rate 1s. Rate 2s was for a full height letter like an ‘O’. Rate 3 gave us half a letter height like for the round bit of a ‘P’. And Rate 4 was pretty much max rate for yanking it round the tightest turns. Fortunately Tigers come with a very neat turn and slip indicator, compliment of Messers Reid and Siegrist, which tells you when you are doing each of these turns.

Planning how to do the sky-writing.

From the graph we made a sort of motor rally list of instructions which Bernie would shout out.

It read something like this: Steer 030. Smoke on for 22 secs. Smoke off Rate 3 left on to 150 smoke on for 22 secs.

Smoke off Rate 4 left on to 070 for 10 secs. Smoke on.

Rate 2 left for 55 secs. Smoke off.

And so on. That would complete the V and the O.

It was a busy time – particularly for Bernie. He had to keep pumping to maintain pressure in the tank, shout instructions to me, keep a stop watch running and remember to switch the smoke on and off at the right times. I guess his rally experience came in useful.

The whole thing turned out to be a roaring success. It stopped the traffic in PE, Dispatch and Uitenhage. The British Prog fellow was delighted and paid well for the job. He also took Bernie and me out for a slap-up dinner with champers.

It’s not easy being a pilot in Africa, you know. j

Jim Davis as a callow youth, but unexpectedly good sky-writer.

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JOHAN WALDEN

HOURS

- READY OR NOT! I was spending my afternoon bean-counting. All the ‘one-point-somethings’ in my logbook were steadily adding up towards the ‘Magic 200’ as I counted and test time was near.

THE PROSPECT OF SOMEHOW finding a way to accumulate 200 hours had often left my throat dry. But now that it was finally about to tick over, it felt almost surreal. Wanting to make extra sure I hadn’t made a terrible miscalculation somewhere, I cross-checked row with column on the spreadsheet... and breathed a sigh of relief.

The total came to an amusing 199,9 hours.

HI S LOR DS HI P WOUL DN’ T GE T S I L LY

The result of scrupulous tracking of progress and hours; my logbook held everything I needed for a CPL – minus the 0,1 hours (or six minutes) to the magic number. This left me with a convenient excuse to take one more training flight to get my eye in (in other words beat my miserable nerves into submission) before taking the dreaded check-ride. In this, I would have to woo a divinely appointed Examiner with my ‘expert knowledge’ and laser-sharp flying skills – if I had any.

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Just how laser-sharp I had to be was laid down in the seven page test form: airspeed within 10kt, altitude within 100ft and so on.

Unfortunately my racing mind pictured a sternfaced examiner laden with gold on his shoulders and a clipboard to strike off the lives I had left.

Just like the testing officer for my driver’s test, who even made a note when I removed one hand from the steering wheel to wind the window up.

As much as everyone tried to assure me this wasn’t the case, I couldn’t help feeling nervous. Fortunately my instructor was one who bolstered what little confidence I did have and was on my side.

With D-day set, we started off test-prep with a mock ground evaluation. The CPL test would be broken down into two parts: oral examination and flight test. While the forms had a detailed list of everything to be tested in the air, I had pretty

Know your AIPs! Add them to your arsenal.

much no idea what to expect in the ground evaluation. Would he ask me to flawlessly recite the Ten Commandments? Or would I be allowed to use resources and look up the answer? I learn nothing when my mind is on other things, so before we jumped into the plane, I wanted to get this bit sorted first.

So my instructor and I grabbed a pile of theory books, a briefing room, and ‘twee koppies koffie’ and got started.

In my arsenal I had The Pilot’s Radio Handbook (or ‘aviator’s bible’ as I like to call it), aircraft manual, access to the regs online, and a few maps along with the associated paraphernalia.

But dominating the pile were the Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) – big enough to kill someone with.

My instructor assured me His Lordship wouldn’t get silly and try to catch me out with details I couldn’t possibly hope to memorise. If I wasn’t sure of an answer, I should say so and then look it up. Of course there were many things I would be expected to know (and that I really should have known by then if I was serious about becoming a commercial pilot) like VFR minima.

But if he asked a very particular law question for example, the main thing he’d want to see is that I knew where to go find the answer.

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The test form gave the list of no-no's.

My instructor began by setting up a basic scenario flight from Cape Town to Bloemfontein and then asked me to break down the ETAs, fuel planning, and so on. Then he threw in at various times in the week scuba diving, blood donation, and a glass of wine the night before: when would I be legal to fly again? You get the picture.

A recurring ‘hot tip’ I got every time I picked an instructor’s brain for check-ride advice was “know your AIPs!” The AIPs are a giant set of books that contain info on airports, airspaces, radio frequencies, and the like. They’re the go-to for looking up official information when planning a cross-country flight but can be a pain in the butt if you’re not used to them. If you’re looking up a frequency for example, you can quickly find

Fumbling through a forced lob under the beady eye of an examiner can be nerve-wracking.

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Polishing off the forced landing was top of the to-do list.

yourself wading through endless pages, only to discover you’re in the wrong volume entirely.

They can be a real stumbling block if you don’t know them. That’s why it’s best to get them on your side so they work for you in the test. Luckily I had already finished fighting with the AIPs and knew them quite well after the cross-country flying I did while hour building, so that was covered.

me when I wasn’t looking. Rubbing his hands together he gave a chuckle as he watched me fumble through a forced landing, waiting to see if I’d screw it up.

MY P OOP S CA R ED I MAGI NAT I ON HA D R UN WI L D

As the questions continued, I got the flow of things and by the end both of us felt confident I’d be okay. So, feeling much more at ease, I jumped in next to my instructor for one last flight to polish things off. Unfortunately, my poop-scared imagination had run wild again and pictured the examiner with a ghastly smile on his face as he sprang an engine failure on

While these types might exist, I was assured my examiner wasn’t one of them. But sometimes I just don’t listen, so a simulated forced landing was top of the to-do list on this flight. As we taxied out to the runway 200,0 hours ticked over and the imaginary confetti and party whistles went off in the cockpit. By the time we landed there was nothing more I could do to prepare. And, although I was still nervous, I had total confidence in my instructors: If they said I was ready, I was ready. More on that next month. j

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FERRY FLYING: KING AIR B360 46

Text and pictures - Guido Warnecke This Image: Textron

October 2021

It may look the same – but the King Air B360 is a surprisingly big step up from the B350. Ferry pilot Guido Warnecke shares the experience of ferrying this state-of-the-art aircraft from the USA to South Africa.

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THE KING AIR 360 is the latest iteration of the very successful King Air range and its detailed features and handling have been well covered in this publication before, both for the standard King Air 200, and for one sporting the full panoply of Blackhawk upgrades. This review will therefore focus on just one aspect of the King Air 360 – what Textron calls its ‘IS&S ThrustSense’ auto-throttles.

I have had the pleasure of flying all the King Air models from the very beginning of my commercial flying career at Lanseria in 2004. The first King Air I learned to fly was an old, heavily used 1963 model King Air 90 that was almost as old as I am.

As my career and experience developed, I worked my way up to the biggest and most modern 300 Series King Airs as a charter pilot in the USA. Out of my 11,500 flying hours, more than 4,500 hours are on King Airs, both on my SACAA and FAA ATPL, which I always keep current.

The 300 series was first built in 1972 and the latest King Air 360 is the flagship of the King Air series, which covers the 90, F90, 100, 200, 250, 300, 350, and now the top of the range 360. I have had the opportunity to fly them all, many on very demanding ferry flights, from places as varied as Greenland to the South African Highveld, and have been able to gain a good understanding of all operational aspects of these aircraft.

t he auto t hr ott le pulls t he powe r leve r s ge nt l y back

Like me, I believe that many young pilots aspire to one day flying a King Air. Even the name has an aspirational element to it. It is a highly respected and much loved corporate turboprop.

It does the job of getting you where you want, into airstrips that would challenge single engine Cessnas. The King Air has created its own class in the market as a corporate transport that is reliable, safe and good value.

In 2015, Textron introduced Collins Fusion avionics to the King Air, featuring touch-based glass cockpit EFIS with high resolution screens.

It requires some training and practice and might not be as intuitive at the beginning for a pilot coming from Garmin avionics. However, once you get to understand and learn to navigate The King Air 360's airline quality Collins Pro-Line Fusion panel, here in the cruise off Greenland.

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October 2021

The Auto-throttle controller display screen.

the Collins Fusion system it’s a joy to fly. It surpasses the capabilities of many airliners and is on par with the avionics in the newest Gulfstream jets.

The great flying writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote: “Perfection is achieved, not when there

is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”. With this ideal in mind, I asked myself; is there anything more than cosmetic upgrades, being: a new interior, colour schemes and a few expensive avionics upgrades that a “new” King Air can offer?

The Primary Flight Display in full screen mode. The AT ENG (autothrottle engaged) annunciatior is in direct view of the pilot.

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Auto-Throttles I first heard about the new King Air BE-360’s auto-throttle system a while back. It was new electronic gimmickry and to be honest I was a bit reluctant when I was asked to fly the BE-360 on the overwater ferry from the factory in Wichita to Lanseria. It’s a long way over the North Atlantic and south through East Africa, and not a place where you want to have trouble with a complex new system.

I am pleased to say I was totally wrong. The auto-throttle is great.

Up to now auto-throttles have been seen only in airliners and in top-end business jets. Although ironically the Eclipse 550 – that smallest of entry level jets – also sported an auto-throttle.

But now they have entered the mainstream turboprop market.

Many modern light jets have FADEC systems that enable the pilot to set takeoff and cruise power by just pushing the throttles into detents.

The FADEC keeps everything under control and will not let you exceed engine limitations. Autothrottles go a step further and are comparable to active cruise control in a car.

to the pre-computed take off power. Of course, you can manually pull back the power levers if needed and switch off the system at any time.

There is a switch located on the right side of the throttle to conveniently switch it off. An aural warning “Auto Throttle!” will make you aware that it is switched off. There is also a large A/T annunciator light in direct view of the pilot.

In a single pilot operation, your full attention is required during the takeoff run, and with one eye looking out the cockpit and the other looking inside, you constantly watch the engine gauges in order not to exceed any limits. While on a cold winter’s day you might exceed torque limits, the operation at hot and high airports in the Johannesburg area poses a much bigger risk: exceeding the ITT (turbine temperatures) limit. Only a couple seconds over the ITT limit is enough to ruin your day and disastrously damage the turbine, with a massive $$$ repair cost. This risk is all but removed as the auto-

With auto-throttles you not only set the engine power automatically, but you can also set a desired air speed to maintain. This is very handy when flying approaches in bad weather or at night, especially as a single pilot. However it is not without a caveat: As the auto-throttle takes control over a vital system, you had better check that it works properly before each flight: After power on, it runs through an automatic self-test and the throttles move magically forward and back. After 30 seconds it should check out as ready to go.

The joys of auto-throttles On takeoff the system computes the maximum power for the current conditions (pressure altitude and temperature). You push the TOGA switch on the left of the throttle T-handle and the system moves the throttles smoothly and evenly

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The Auto-throttle on-off switch on the right throttle, similar to a TOGA switch.

Aural warning “auto throttle” comes on if you switch off.

throttle advances the power smoothly and evenly and always keeps it below limits.

After takeoff you pull back the props to 1,600 rpm. This would normally require reducing power first to prevent an over-torque of the engine. This adds to the high workload for the pilot in a critical and busy phase of flight. You guessed it already: when the pilot reduces the prop rpm the auto-throttle pulls the power levers gently back, with all engine parameters remaining in the green.

With manual throttles, during the climb the engine ITT will rise due to the thinner air. The pilot must therefore constantly monitor the ITT and set a good safety buffer below the maximum to avoid any exceedances. The autothrottle is ‘set and forget’. It gives you maximum power and once the engine ITT limit is reached, it pulls the power levers back to keep the ITT at the exact temperature. This is better than any pilot can do it. Having the maximum power available ensures a faster climb into thin and

smooth air and enhances overall fuel economy.

AT annuciator in direct view of the pilot.

Once established in the cruise, you can set power for a speed and the system will nail the ITT at the exact limit. Or, if you want to fly for maximum range, you must regularly adjust the power according to the reduced weight in flight as fuel is burned off. For example, the long-range cruise (LRC) table might give you a torque value of 57% for optimum range.

However, it is easier said than done to set the power to that exact value manually. The autothrottle makes it easy. You turn the control wheel in 1% increments to the desired value and it will set the torque with great precision. This also enhances the overall fuel efficiency. On the

On takeoff - hands are off the throttle for demonstration only. The power levers move to the takeoff position.

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All the key engine instruments, prerssuriation and flap indicator in one place.

ferry flight to Lanseria I flew an unprecedented 1,800nm non-stop in 7:06 hours and had still 1:15 hours of fuel on board.

Another useful feature is the Vmc (minimum control speed) protection. If you lose one engine, the other engine tends to yaw the aircraft and only the pilot applying enough rudder allows you to keep it flying straight. Once the speed decreases, the available rudder force might not be strong enough to compensate and the aircraft rolls very abruptly and usually unrecoverably on its back. Many fatal accidents are attributed to this Vmc loss of control.

YouTube shows this King Air 350 at Addison Airport in Texas making this mistake - https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urr-AxPUc3c . The auto-throttle detects it and reduces the power on the good engine to always ensure controllability of the aircraft.

you can sw itch off t he s y s te m at any time

Another useful feature is automatic pressurisation. In older King Airs you must set the cruise flight level on the controller before takeoff and then during descent to the elevation of the landing airport. This ensures that the cabin is at the correct differential pressure in cruise and that it is de-pressurised before landing. With auto-pressurisation it is all automatic: the system takes the elevation of the origin and destination airports from the flight plan in the Flight Management System (FMS) and it does its thing automatically. As an added benefit in the King Air 360, the cabin is structurally beefed-up, which allows a higher differential pressure. This gives approximately a 600ft lower cabin altitude which makes a big difference on long flights. It is also a big advantage for medevac flights when patients must be flown in a sea level cabin.

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Conclusion With all the automation, the King Air B360 is still very much a hands-on aircraft. It is very easy to fly and a great joy for any pilot and passenger.

As a ferry pilot I always get emotionally attached to the aircraft I fly for many days and for the long hours on a delivery flight. This time this attachment was even more pronounced. I handed over the aircraft at Lanseria with a lot of jealousy. To the owner of this beautiful King Air BE-360 I wish a lot of fun and always happy landings!

Capt. Guido Follow Guido's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCKIERSbtj6SrJChnKPVUgWg Contact him through his website: https://www.guido-warnecke.com/ j

The King Air 360 is a long way from the F90 that taught Guido to fly King Airs.

j

Beechcraft King Air 360

Specifications & Performance Max Ramp Weight: Height: Wing Span: Length: Cabin Height: Cabin Width: Cabin Length: Passengers: Max T/O Weight: Max Landing Weight: Empty Weight: Fuel Capacity: Payload Useful: Payload W/Full Fuel: Max Payload: Avionics: Engines 2x: Propeller: Performance Max Range: Service Ceiling: Takeoff over 50 ft: Landing over 50 ft: Stall Speed: Rate of Climb: Max Speed:

15,100 lb 14 ft 4 in 57 ft 11 in 46 ft 8 in 57 in 54 in 19 ft 6 In 11 15,000 Lb 15,000 Lb 9,955 Lb 3,611 lbs Lb 5,145 Lb 1,534 Lb 2,545 Lb Pro Line Fusion PT6A-60A 4 blade, auto-feather, reverse 1,806 nm 35,000 ft 3,300 ft 2,692 ft 81 kcas 2,700 fpm 312 KTAS October 2021

53

OVERVIEW: KING AIR B360

OVERVIEWKING AIR B360

The King Air 360 tops off an incredibly successful 60 year product line with over 6000 King Airs still flying today.

TEXTRON HAVE BEEN LISTENING to their customers and have incorporated many features into the King Air 360 that are a direct response to customer feedback With more than 7,000 King Airs in service— including 1,300 of the 350 series made— the model was ripe for a facelift. The 360 represents a block point change, introducing new features and structural changes at a point on the 300-series production line, rather than requiring a new type certificate.

Some of the improvements were easy and simple – like higher fold-out tables in the cabin to give more knee space. Others were perhaps less intuitive – going back to manually adjustable shades for the cabin windows. But for pilots the big change is in the cockpit – with the switch to Collins Pro-

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October 2021

line avionics and auto-throttles.

Beechcraft says, “With auto-throttles, better pressurization, and increased cabin comfort, the latest King Air aims for easing pilot workload, and turning a 56-year-old workhorse into one that’s a bit more userfriendly and firmly in the modern age.

First among these upgrades is the IS&S ThrustSense Autothrottle, which support the pilot throughout the flight regimes, including takeoff, landing, and go-arounds, computing and controlling power settings. It provides envelope protection that adjusts the power output of the engine during engine-out operations, allowing for better pilot control and allowing the airplane to accelerate and climb on one engine.”

Another new feature much liked by pilots,

and probably not appreciated by passengers, is the new digital pressurization controller which, as described by Guido, automatically schedules cabin pressurization throughout the flight, taking this task from the pilot’s workload in both climb and descent—and improving passenger comfort in the process. The airframe went through structural updates to increase the maximum cabin pressure, resulting in a 10 percent decrease in cabin altitude compared to the King Air 350i. At 27,000 feet, for example, this translates into a cabin altitude of 5,960 feet.

digital displays on the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion MFD in the integrated flight deck.

The removal of the cabin pressurization controls from the instrument panel declutters it by replacing these—and the flap indicator—with

Base price remains the same for both models: $7.9 million for the 360 and $8.795 million for the 360ER. j

The cabin has seen great improvement as well, clearly informed by the materials and solutions found in Textron Aviation’s Citation line—but keeping the King Air’s more utilitarian style.

The popular ‘King Ranch’ interior upgrade remains available among the new options for the 360

back to manuall y adjus t able s hades

Along with a restyled interior, the manual window shades have returned, which are a whole lot easier to replace in service.

j

Spacious double club seating plus one on the potty is a stardard executive seating configuration.

October 2021

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AVIONICS: KING AIR B360

THE GARMIN G1000 VS. COLLINS PRO LINE FUSION

The Collins Proline Fusion with its 3 large equal-sized displays.

BOTH GARMIN’S G1000 AND ROCKWELL Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite are among the most advanced in the industry, and both are well suited to King Airs.

Despite years of owner/operators upgrading their King Airs with various Garmin products, in particular the industry standard G1000, Beechcraft recently announced the new Collins Fusion system will come as standard on new production King Air models. Each system offers its own advantages, so depending on the pilot’s needs and the aircraft owner’s budget, one may make more sense than the other.

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October 2021

So, what are the differences between switching to Garmin’s G1000 or the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion?

One of the major advantages that the Collins Fusion gives to King Air owners and operators is its leading-edge technology and ease of integration. Due to the fact that all King Air 350s were factory equipped with an older version of Rockwell Collins’ Pro Line avionics suite, the Fusion upgrade is fully compatible with, and continues to utilise, some of the existing Collins equipment.

Switching to the Garmin’s G1000 requires a

complete replacement of radios and autopilot.

However, the new radios and autopilot that come standard when retrofitting the G1000 improve the pilot’s experience and save close to 50 pounds of weight.

To some, replacing the legacy equipment with new Garmin equipment may be more important than upgrading the technology and displays with the Collins Fusion.

screens with 12800 x 800 HD resolution, compared to the G1000’s 1024 x 768 resolution.

The good news is that luddite pilots don’t need to worry – the Fusion also comes with the option to switch back to the cursor driven menu selection.

G1000 r e quir es a complete r e place me nt of radios and autopilot

An aspect of the Fusion system that has received a lot of attention is the highdefinition, touchscreen displays that come standard with synthetic vision. Synthetic vision is an option for the G1000, but it costs extra. While the G1000 has one 15-inch screen in the middle, and two 10.4-inch screens on each side (all without touchscreen), Fusion’s configurable touchscreen display spans the entire panel with three 14-inch

The bottom line is that both systems are impressive in their own way. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one may be more appropriate than the other. According to the publication; King Air Nation, “…the important thing to remember is that the G1000 is a complete new avionics suite and the Fusion is (for the most part) three new touchscreens.

The installation cost of the two units is similar.

With Garmin you pay for new equipment.

With Collins, you pay for new (and very good) technology.” j

The Garmin G1000 with its 3 different sized displays.

October 2021

57

PICTORAL: KING AIR B360

THE FERRY FLIGHT FROM USA TO SOUTH AFRICA Pilot - Guido Warnecke

ABOVE: Topping the tanks at Wichita for the 1800 nm non-stop sector to Goose Bay Newfoundland.

BELOW: The route - the long way round, as the 360 could have comfortably flown from St Johns Newfoundland to the Azores. However, the HF radio requirement for this route was impractical.

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October 2021

ABOVE: Final approach to Goose Bay after a 7-hour flight.

BELOW: Impressive numbers - at FL350 after just 32 minutes with just 410 lbs of fuel used.

October 2021

59

ABOVE: When your destination is a set of coordinates - flying in long range cruise over the Atlantic to 61N, 40W in full PFD mode.

BELOW: At Luxor Egypt it was the only aircraft on the normally busy ramp.

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October 2021

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JIM DAVIS

CE S S NA 337 ENGI NE FA I LUR E

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT • This report is to promote aviation safety and not to establish legal liability.

• The CAA’s report contains padding, repetition, poor English and incompetence.

So, in the interest of clarity and readability, I have had to correct and paraphrase extensively

A flight instructor, who held an Airline Transport Pilot licence, accompanied by another pilot, embarked to conduct her type conversion on the aircraft type, as well as two passengers took-off from Rand aerodrome (FAGM) with the intention to perform upper aerial work prior to returning to FAGM

gear cycled to the up position and an unfamiliar sound was heard. The crew decided to cycle the landing gear down again shortly thereafter the front engine failed. The pilot flying broadcasted a "Mayday" call on the FAGM tower frequency; indicating that they were unable to maintain altitude on the aft engine and that they were going to perform a forced landing in an open field they had identified from the air.

After take-off from Runway 29 the pilot flying (PF), selected the landing gear up. The landing

The flight instructor then took control of the aircraft and landed the aircraft on an open area

Synopsis

64

Aircraft Registration: ZS-EET Date of Incident: 14 August 2012 Time of Incident: 0821Z Type of Aircraft: Cessna 337 (shove-heave) Type of Operation: Training Pilot-in-command Licence Type: Airline Transport Age: 31 License Valid: Yes Pilot-in-command (male) Flying Experience: Total Flying Hours: 9779.2 Hours on Type: 21.4 Pilot under instruction (female) Flying Experience: Total Flying hours: 3300.0 Hours on Type: 21.4 Last point of departure: Rand Airport (FAGM) Johannesburg Next point of intended landing: Rand Airport (FAGM) Johannesburg Location of accident: Alberton area, south of N3 highway (GPS: South 26°17.090 East 028°08.985) Meteorological Information: temperature: 18°C, Visibility: CAVOK Number of people on board: 2 + 2 No. of people injured: 0 No. of people killed: 0

October 2021

The forcerd landing ripped the undercarriage and belly pod off.

with the landing gear in the down position.

Approximately 230 m after touchdown the nose landing gear collided with an anthill concealed in the dry grass. The nose and main gear collapsed. The cargo pod that was connected to the lower fuselage was ripped off before the aircraft skidded to a halt on its belly. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Nobody onboard the aircraft was injured.

Probable Cause Unsuccessful forced landing following an uncontained failure of the front engine in flight, with the aircraft being unable to maintain altitude on the aft engine.

Contributory factor/s: Aircraft being overweight on takeoff.

Unable to retract the landing gear following the failure of the engine causing additional drag.

Brief history of the aircraft.

Both engines: Hours since new unknown. Hours since overhaul 2.0?

Both propellers: Hours since new unknown.

Hours since overhaul: 2.0?

Only 2,0 hours (flying time) could be accounted for since these engines were overhauled and re-installed on this aircraft in 2003. (9 years previously) It was indeed possible that the aircraft might have been subjected to additional flights, however no documented evidence could be obtained to indicate such flights.

The propeller serial number 676541 was obtained from the Propeller Logbook (CA21-27).

The last CAA MPI dated 26 June 2012 reflects the propeller serial number to be 763925, for which no documented evidence could be found. Both the propellers that were fitted to the aircraft were subjected to a major overhaul as per the McCauley Manuals 710930. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorised release certificate was issued for propeller serial No. 643697 on 17 May 2011, and for propeller serial No. 676541 on 25 August 2011. Following fitment of these two propellers on the aircraft new logbooks were opened by the AMO during the MPI inspection on the aircraft and that was certified on 26 June 2012.

The Hobbs meter reading that was entered into the Airframe logbook following the MPI dated 26 June 2012 was 274,5. The Hobbs meter October 2021

65

reading was found to be the same during the on-site investigation, indicating that the unit was unserviceable even though the aircraft was released to service on 26 June 2012 following an MPI. Date 1972 1972 Dec 4 1994 Jul 19 1996 Jan 30 1999 Apr 22 2002 May 27 2002 Jun 3 2003 Mar 14 2003 Nov 10 2009 Jul 20 2009 Jul 30 2009 Aug 4 2009 Sep 21 2012 Mar 8 2012 Mar 26 2012 Jun 26 2012 Jun 26 2012 Jun 26 2012 Jun 26 2012 Jul 20 2012 Jul 25 2012 Jul 30 2012 Aug 1 2012 Aug 6 2012 Aug 12

(Jim’s comment: the next section of the report is filled with confusing information about the aircraft’s maintenance history - or lack thereof.

To untangle it I have made a timeline table of this sad aeroplane’s life story.)

Hours Occurrence Aircraft imported to SA C of R issued 2805 MPI 2819 MPI CAA routine inspection front prop found damaged beyond repair CAA issued special flight permit to fly to Springs A/C sold to the AMO that requested the special flight permit.

Rear engine overhauled by the same AMO Front engine overhauled by the same AMO CAA inspection at Springs - front engine no prop.

CAA issued a special permit to fly to Lanseria for maintenance.

Serviceable prop fitted to front engine.

CAA received another application for a change of ownership.

CAA issued a special permit to fly from Springs to Lanseria.

CAA received another application for a change of ownership. New MPI issued by Lanseria based AMO. New propeller logbooks opened New engine logbooks opened New airframe logbook opened 2859 New MPI carried out 2805 2 engines SNs 50189-5-C and 55217-5-D fitted 80 litres of fuel uplifted 92 litres of fuel uplifted Post maintenance acceptance flight conducted 1 hour. A/C found serviceable.

New C of A issued A/C flown from Lanseria to Rand and delivered to new owner (0.4 hr) ACCIDENT

Nuts missing from the con-rod big end bolts.

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October 2021

Debris from the engine sump.

Between 4 Dec 1972 and 14 Aug 2012 the aircraft had 13 different owners.

Note the decrease in airframe hours on June 26 2012.

On 26 June 2012 the aircraft had flown approx 50 hrs over the previous 17 years. No maintenance was recorded.

Loading Aircraft was found to be overloaded by 204 lbs or 93 kg, which also resulted in a centre of gravity (CG) being out of limits. It was further noted that the centre of gravity moment envelope graph used for the calculation was not the correct graph for this aircraft.

Density Altitude The calculated density altitude at the time of the flight was approximately 7 500 ft (pressure altitude 5 483 ft and temperature of 18°C).

Communications One of the crew members broadcast a “Mayday” call on the tower frequency, which ATC acknowledged. The aircraft was cleared to land runway 35, but did not make it back to the runway.

The engine teardown inspection revealed that most of the connecting rod bolts were not properly tightened/torqued during the engine overhaul. Some were found loose to such an extent that they could be turned by hand. The connecting rod on the number two cylinder would appear to be the first to have failed within the engine operational sequence, which resulted in an uncontained failure (penetration of the engine casing) resulting in engine stoppage.

collide d w it h an ant hill conceale d in t he dr y gras s

Following the forced landing the pilot contacted ATC at FAGM via his cell phone and informed them of the location of the aircraft.

Tests and Research The failed engine, a Continental IO-360-C, serial No. 50189-5-C was removed from the wreckage and was taken to an approved engine maintenance facility where a teardown inspection was carried out on 21 August 2012 in order to determine the most probable cause for the uncontained engine failure.

thread damage.

During the removal of the sump, the unit was found to be littered with debris from the engine, which consisted mainly of connecting rod bolts, nuts, bearings and engine casing material.

Several connecting rod nuts were also recovered, they displayed very little to no

One of the nuts securing the No. 4 connecting rod was missing from the bolt, without any thread damage to the bolt whatsoever. The presence of a nut, securing the connecting rod bolt on cylinder 5 but it was not properly secured.

Conclusion: The connecting rod bolts were not properly secured. The last documented evidence that maintenance was performed on the engine was during an overhaul inspection in 2003.

October 2021

67

Organizational and Management

The hole made in the crankcase by the failed con-rod.

The flight was conducted under the auspices of an aviation training organisation (ATO) that was based at Rand aerodrome. The training facility was in possession of a valid ATO certificate and the flight was accordingly authorized.

The last MPI prior to the accident flight was certified on 26 June 2012 at 2 859,5 airframe hours. The AMO was in possession of a valid Approval certificate number 1003, which was issued on 30 March 2012.

The AMO that overhauled both the engines in 2003 (nine years prior to the accident flight) was found to have closed down before the time of the accident flight.

The aft mounted engine was operating satisfactory according to the crew but the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude on the engine and the pilot-in-command opted to perform a forced landing in an open field.

The aircraft was standing for an extended period of time without being flown. No documented evidence could be obtained that the engines were subjected to any preservation treatment in accordance with Teledyne Continental Service Letter SIL99-1 (engine preservation for indefinite storage exceeding 90-days).

Jim’s Comments Wow, I didn’t see this one coming. Would I have happily sat in the back? Hmmm - almost - fine weather, a good airfield and a bright, young pilot with nearly ten thousand hours are all on the plus side. A brand new MPI is a bit of minus but not a deal breaker, and low engine hours since overhaul always give you a warm feeling.

How wrong could I be? I have bought dozens of aircraft over the years and have been happy to buy many of them without seeing them, but

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October 2021

I always went carefully through the logbooks before parting with the bank’s money. That was for buying an aeroplane, but I have never insisted on inspecting the logbooks before flying a strange aircraft.

All that has changed now. Peter, a mate of mine has just bought a 182 RG. Now, I am not a Cessna fan, but the 182 is a good aircraft, and when they put a Lycoming in it, it became a better aircraft, and when they pulled up the gear - well that made it a really good aircraft.

Peter has just got his PPL and is very keen for me to fly with him - partly to show off his new aerie, and partly to get a few tips - particularly on landing. It has the normal 182 problem of being very heavy on the elevator when you try to do nice, nose-high, full-flap landings, with two up and no luggage. Now, I’d love to fly Peter’s new aeroplane, but he doesn’t have the logbooks at the moment. So that’s not going to happen until I have sat quietly in a corner for a couple of hours with all three sets of logbooks.

This accident has added another layer of caution to my already suspicious nature.

So the 337 crash has taught me - at this late stage of life - that it’s unwise to fly a strange aircraft before delving into its life’s history. This is not the full CAA’s accident report - that was 29 pages which I have cut down to what you see.

So if you have skimmed it, let me just highlight the red flags - some very small and some massive.

• Both crew members had plenty of hours - but they are airline pilots, so their total hours are not a guide to their competence in light aircraft. A little red flag.

• They were more than 200 lbs over gross.

A much bigger flag when you look at single engine performance on the Reef. So much for law abiding airline pilots.

• Both engines - total hours: unknown. Nope – I wouldn’t fly that aeroplane.

• Both engines - hours since overhaul: no record - possibly only 2.0. Hmmm sounds suspicious.

• Hours reportedly flown in the 9 years between 1994 and 2003: 2.0. A huge red flag – something is very wrong.

• 2012 aircraft fitted with prop for which there is no documentation. Me no fly.

• Hobbs meter was unserviceable. This is not a problem in itself, but it often indicates suspicious activity.

• CAA routine inspection in 1999 finds front prop damaged beyond repair. No one can

explain this and there is no record of an accident. Some serious coverup. I would want to see a shock-load before flying.

• Ten years later, 2009, no front prop, and again no explanation. I am certainly not flying it.

• 26 June 2912, airframe logbook LOSES 54.0 hours. An honest mistake or some gyppoing?

• In the 40 years preceding this accident the aircraft had 13 different owners. Sounds like a bit of a dog.

• In the previous 17 years the logbooks show a total of 50 hours flown with no record of any maintenance at all. I wouldn’t even taxi the thing.

Take home message I’d love to give you a list of helpful tips - but there is really only one: be very careful what you fly. j

The crash site south of Rand Airport.

October 2021

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71

REGISTER REVIEW: RAY WATTS The end of an era - ZS-RSF Safair L100-30 Hercules has been exported to the USA as N424LC.

AUGUS T 2 0 2 1 IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST there were two new Air Tractor 502A aircraft added. This crop sprayer is becoming more and more popular locally with a total of eight AT-402 and seven AT-502 aircraft on the register. The specs on the AT-502 are quite impressive. Even though it is the baby sister to the Air Tractor 802 firebomber it still hauls a hefty load:

registration of ZS-CME. This local airline is going from strength to strength. However, they’ve just had their route to Plettenberg Bay cut as the CAA have downgraded the airfield due to the municipality not complying with the CAA requirements.

Good news for the South African fleet is that there has been another new Beechcraft King Air B300 added to the register. This one came off the production line in June this year. She takes the registration ZS-MPT which used to be a Cessna Citation which was sold in the USA as N54DD in June 1998.

There are also two new helicopters registered this month being an Airbus EC155 and an Agusta 109E.

Cemair have repatriated one of their Bombardier CL600-2B19 aircraft that was sent to Canada a couple of years ago and now takes up its old

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October 2021

The NTCA register has had another nine aircraft added including the fourth Vans RV14 and two more RV9As. Morne Nortier has added a modified Cessna 150 but I’ve not been able to get hold of him to find out what mods he’s done.

There are two aircraft that I can’t identify, and these are a CJ-1 – the only CJ-1 aircraft that I

ABOVE: A new arrival - ZT-RSL is an Agusta 109. Newly registered in August 2021.

BELOW MIDDLE: ZS-MPI is a Beechcraft King Air B300, now exported to the Isle of Mann as M-TYRL. Photo Omer Mees.

ELOW BOTTOM: SAA's fleet continues to leave - ZS-SBB is a Boeing 737-300 Freighter, now B exported to the USA as N335CK. Photo Ray Watts.

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ABOVE: Going places - ZS-MTT is a Cessna T210L that was exported to Bolivia.

BELOW MIDDLE: The decline of Comair's fleet - ZS-ZWW is a Boeing 737-800, now exported to Czech Republic. Photo Ray Watts.

BELOW BOTTOM: ZS-XCM is an ATR72 registered here in June 2017 but now exported to Bangladesh. Photographed by Michael Combrink.

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October 2021

ZS-SAC is a Cessna 208B Caravan, now exported to Kenya. Photo Omer Mees.

know is the Cessna Citation CJ-1 and I doubt it’s one of these. The other one is a Reesie Ex. I have no idea what this is.

One of Comair’s Boeing 737-800s ZS-ZWW has returned to its owner and been re-registered in the Czech Republic.

The export market continues to claim our aircraft and we see nine fixed wing and one helicopter as well as three NTCA aircraft leaving our shores. One of the fixed wing aircraft bound for the USA is the venerable Lockheed L100-30 ZS-RSF (aka a civilian Hercules). This old bird was part of the Safair fleet way back in 1974.

She’s been all over the world working for the UN.

Two of the NTCA aircraft ZU-IRT and ZU-IRU have gone to the DRC and I believe will be used in the game conservation arena.

all over the world work ing for t h e UN

One of our Boeing 737-3YO freighters ZS-SBB has gone to the USA as well. This one used to operate for SAA Cargo.

The rest have gone to diverse places all around the world. Noteworthy are two of the locally made Bathawks which have been exported to the DRC.

Tail Piece With all the horrible things happening in Afghanistan I pray that all the South African crews and staff as well as their aircraft will escape safely. j

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African Fuel Services are the sponsors for our Register Review Page

AUGUST 2021 REG

MANUFACTURER

TYPE NAME

SERIAL NUMBER

PREVIOUS IDENTITY / EXPORT COUNTRY

New Registrations ZSZS-AVL

AIR TRACTOR INC

AT-502A

502A-3302

ZS-BJC

AIR TRACTOR INC

AT-502A

502A-3292

N8517Q

ZS-CME

BOMBADIER INC

CL-600-2B19

7293

C-GIER, ZS-CME, N597SW, N776CA, C-FMLV

ZS-MPT

BEECHCRAFT CORPORATION

B300

FL-1259

N8803E

New Registrations ZTZT-RMT

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

EC 155 B

6563

N155WH, N155NY, N155WH, JA-155B, F-WQDG

ZT-RSL

AGUSTA SPA

A109E

11625

I-AWTZ, CS-HHE, I-HDPR

New Registrations ZUZU-IUZ

ANTHONY VAN DEN HEUVEL

CJ-1

904

ZU-IVA

RICHARD SMIT NEWTON

RV-14

140248

ZU-IVB

ICP ITALY & SAVANNAH AFRICA

SAVANNAH S

14-06-54-0341

ZU-IVC

JABIRU

J430

970

ZU-IVD

HECHTER ABRAHAM JOHANNES

WAGTAIL TROJAN

WA1901

ZU-IVF

KEVIN REES

REESIE EX

001

ZU-IVG

MORNE NORTIER

NORTIER C150

R1 500 002

ZU-KRV

VAN'S AIRCRAFT

RV-9A

91831

ZU-SRV

J.A & C.J SHAW

RV-9A

92113

Aircraft Deleted ZSZS-JAY

RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY

1900D

UE-427

ZAMBIA

ZS-MPI

BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

B300

FL-784

ISLE OF MAN as M-TYRL

ZS-MTT

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

T210L

210-59747

BOLIVIA

ZS-OYC

BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

1900D

UE-117

ALGERIA

ZS-RSF

LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

382G

4562

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as N424LC

ZS-SAC

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

208B

208B5046

KENYA

ZS-SBB

THE BOEING COMPANY

737-3YO

26072

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as N335CK

ZS-XCM

ATR-GIE AVIONS DE TRANSPORT REGIONAL

ATR 72-212

395

BANGLADESH

ZS-ZWW

THE BOEING COMPANY

737-800

40721

CZECH REPUBLIC

Aircraft Deleted ZUZU-IID

SHADOW LITE CC

JABIRU J230

894

ZIMBABWE

ZU-IRT

MICRO AVIATION SA

BAT HAWK R

0069

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

ZU-IRU

MICRO AVIATION SA

BAT HAWK R

0068

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

BELL 505

65291

ETHIOPIA

Aircraft Deleted ZTZT-REW

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON

African Fuel Services is based at Groutville Airfield just North of Ballito.

AFS has Avgas and Jet-A1 available as well as offering a range of services.

For any information please call Willie Erasmus on 084 623 4879 or email to willie@africanfuels.co.za / accounts@africanfuels.co.za

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October 2021

African Fuel Services AFS is based at Groutville Airfield just North of Ballito.

AFS has Avgas and Jet-A1 available as well as offering a range of services.

Services: • • • • •

Night Flying operations Radio Work Sling operations Hoist operations Berg flying operations and training • Fly in • Hot refueling

Deliveries areas: • Passenger handling and briefings for (hoisting, slinging, off shore and many more) • Cleaning of aircraft • Topping up lubricants and preflight’s on a number of aircraft • Any other assistance you need.

• • • • • • • • •

Margate Airport Ulundi Airport Hluhluwe Airport Vryheid Airport Ladysmith Airport Newcastle Airport Bergville Area Umtata Airport Port St Johns

For any information please call Willie Erasmus on 084 623 4879 or email to willie@africanfuels.co.za / accounts@africanfuels.co.za

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October 2021

77

78

October 2021

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THANK YOU TO OUR CUSTOMERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

October 2021

79

FUEL TABLE www.sv1.co.za

SA Flyer 2021|10

Fuel Prices Fuel Prices as at 02/08/2021 as at 02/08/2021 Pri cesPri i nclude ces i nclude VAT but VAT exclude but exclude any servi anyceservi feesce fees Ai rfi eldAi rfi eld Avgas AvgasJet A1 Jet A1 Baragwanath Baragwanath R21,50R21,50 Beaufort Beaufort West West R22,65R22,65 R15,00R15,00 Bethlehem Bethlehem R 23,99 R 23,99 R 15,96 R 15,96 Bloemfontei Bloemfontei n n R19,40R19,40 R11,60R11,60 Brakpan Brakpan R22,40R22,40 Brits Brits R20,00R20,00 Cape Town Cape Town R23,67R23,67 R10,42R10,42 EaglesEagles Creek Creek R20,95R20,95 East London East London R19,46R19,46 R11,30R11,30 ErmeloErmelo R21,33R21,33 Fi santekraal Fi santekraal R23,49R23,49 Fly-In Fly-In R20,20R20,20 Gari epGari Dam ep Dam R21,50R21,50 R14,85R14,85 GeorgeGeorge R20,26R20,26 R12,02R12,02 GrandGrand CentralCentral R20,24R20,24 R14,03R14,03 Hei delberg Hei delberg R22,00R22,00 Hoedspruit Hoedspruit R14,31R14,31 Ki mberley Ki mberley R19,62R19,62 R11,83R11,83 Kitty Hawk Kitty Hawk R22,00R22,00 Klerksdorp Klerksdorp R21,50R21,50 R13,43R13,43 Kroonstad Kroonstad R19,55R19,55 R12,08R12,08 KrugerKruger Intl Nelspruit Intl Nelspruit R20,00R20,00 R13,35R13,35 Krugersdorp Krugersdorp R20,90R20,90 LanseriLanseri a a R21,05R21,05 R14,03R14,03 Margate Margate R23,13R23,13 R13,74R13,74 Middelburg Middelburg R21,85R21,85 R14,95R14,95 Morningstar Morningstar R21,95R21,95 Mosselbay Mosselbay R23,70R23,70 R11,65R11,65 Nelspruit Nelspruit R20,24R20,24 R11,71R11,71 Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn R19,61R19,61 R11,82R11,82 Parys Parys R21,50R21,50 R13,43R13,43 Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg R22,00R22,00 R14,60R14,60 Pi etersburg Pi etersburg Ci vi l Ci vi l R21,05R21,05 R13,35R13,35 Port Alfred Port Alfred R21,40R21,40 Port Elizabeth Port Elizabeth R22,86R22,86 R13,40R13,40 Potchefstroom Potchefstroom R21,50R21,50 R13,43R13,43 Rand Rand R20,31R20,31 R14,33R14,33 Robertson Robertson R21,85R21,85 Rustenberg Rustenberg R20,85R20,85 R14,10R14,10 Secunda Secunda R19,55R19,55 R12,19R12,19 Skeerpoort Skeerpoort *** Customer *** Customer to collect to collect R19,25R19,25 R11,19R11,19 Springbok Springbok R21,50R21,50 R13,60R13,60 Springs Springs R21,50R21,50 Not avbl Not avbl Stellenbosch Stellenbosch R22,50R22,50 Swellendam Swellendam R20,50R20,50 R12,50R12,50 TempeTempe R20,13R20,13 R12,50R12,50 Thabazimbe Thabazimbe R22,00R22,00 R13,93R13,93 Upington Upington R20,31R20,31 R12,52R12,52 VereeniVereeni gi ng gi ng R20,98R20,98 R12,00R12,00 Vi rgi niVia rgi ni a R23,44R23,44 R13,69R13,69 Vryburg Vryburg R22,70R22,70 R14,19R14,19 Welkom Welkom R19,55R19,55 R12,08R12,08 Wi ngsWi Park ngsELPark EL R21,25R21,25 Witbank Witbank R20,80R20,80 R19,75R19,75 R11,19R11,19 Wonderboom Wonderboom Worcester Worcester R23,04R23,04 *** Heli *** copters Heli copters only only

Tel: +27 10 446 9666 Danielle: +27 82 553 9611 Email: aviation@sv1.co.za Marina: +27 82 924 3015 Co-ordinates: S25°50’37 E27°41’28 80 GPS October 2021 Import/Export no. 21343829

Fuel Prices Fuel Prices as at 02/09/2021 as at 02/09/2021 Pri cesPri i nclude ces i nclude VAT but VAT exclude but exclude any servi anyceservi feesce fees Ai rfi eldAi rfi eld Avgas Avgas Jet A1 Jet A1 Baragwanath Baragwanath R21,50R21,50 Beaufort Beaufort West West R23,85R23,85R15,00R15,00 Bethlehem Bethlehem R 23,99 R 23,99 R 15,96 R 15,96 Bloemfontei Bloemfontei n n R19,61R19,61R11,56R11,56 Brakpan Brakpan R22,40R22,40 Brits Brits R20,25R20,25 Cape Town Cape Town R23,67R23,67R9,95 R9,95 EaglesEagles Creek Creek R20,90R20,90 East London East London R20,04R20,04R11,32R11,32 ErmeloErmelo R21,33R21,33 Fi santekraal Fi santekraal R24,50R24,50 Fly-In Fly-In R20,20R20,20 Gari epGari Dam ep Dam R22,50R22,50R15,00R15,00 GeorgeGeorge R20,34R20,34R12,24R12,24 GrandGrand CentralCentral R21,85R21,85R10,61R10,61 Hei delberg Hei delberg R22,00R22,00 Hoedspruit Hoedspruit R15,21R15,21 Ki mberley Ki mberley R19,84R19,84R11,78R11,78 Kitty Hawk Kitty Hawk R23,40R23,40 Klerksdorp Klerksdorp R21,77R21,77R13,95R13,95 Kroonstad Kroonstad R20,24R20,24R12,65R12,65 KrugerKruger Intl Nelspruit Intl Nelspruit R22,20R22,20R14,00R14,00 Krugersdorp Krugersdorp R21,10R21,10 LanseriLanseri a a R22,20R22,20R14,61R14,61 Margate Margate R25,20R25,20R14,74R14,74 Middelburg Middelburg R21,85R21,85R14,95R14,95 Morningstar Morningstar R22,50R22,50 Mosselbay Mosselbay R23,70R23,70R14,40R14,40 Nelspruit Nelspruit R20,24R20,24R11,71R11,71 Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn R19,96R19,96R13,01R13,01 Parys Parys R21,77R21,77R13,95R13,95 Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg R22,70R22,70R15,10R15,10 Pi etersburg Pi etersburg Ci vi l Ci vi l R21,60R21,60R14,00R14,00 Port Alfred Port Alfred R21,40R21,40 Port Elizabeth Port Elizabeth R23,17R23,17R14,67R14,67 Potchefstroom Potchefstroom R21,77R21,77R13,45R13,45 Rand Rand R20,39R20,39R14,85R14,85 Robertson Robertson R21,90R21,90 Rustenberg Rustenberg R20,98R20,98R14,10R14,10 Secunda Secunda R19,55R19,55R12,19R12,19 Skeerpoort Skeerpoort *** Customer *** Customer to collect to collect R19,53R19,53R11,19R11,19 Springbok Springbok R21,50R21,50R13,80R13,80 Springs Springs R21,50R21,50 Not avbl Not avbl Stellenbosch Stellenbosch R23,50R23,50 Swellendam Swellendam R21,30R21,30R12,50R12,50 TempeTempe R21,10R21,10R13,13R13,13 Thabazimbe Thabazimbe R22,27R22,27R14,45R14,45 Upington Upington R20,53R20,53R12,48R12,48 VereeniVereeni gi ng gi ng R21,34R21,34R12,73R12,73 Vi rgi niVia rgi ni a R24,47R24,47R14,26R14,26 Vryburg Vryburg R22,79R22,79R14,71R14,71 Welkom Welkom R20,24R20,24R12,65R12,65 Wi ngsWi Park ngsELPark EL R22,25R22,25 Witbank Witbank R21,30R21,30 R20,03R20,03R11,71R11,71 Wonderboom Wonderboom Worcester Worcester No No Contact Contact *** Heli *** copters Heli copters only only

SA Flyer 2016|11

• HOEDSPRUIT • KLERKSDORP • PARYS AIRFIELD • POTCHEFSTROOM AIRPORT • SKEERPOORT • THABAZIMBI • WONDERBOOM

Tel: +27 10 446 9666 Danielle: +27 82 553 9611 Email: aviation@sv1.co.za Marina: +27 82 924 3015

WE ALSO HAVE AN ON-SITE HELI-PAD FOR CONVENIENT REFUELING. CALL US FOR A QUOTE OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

SEALED 200L AVGAS DRUMS • SEALED 200L JET A1 DRUMS • AVGAS 100LL • JET A1 • PETROL • ILLUMINATING PARAFFIN • DIESEL • LUBRICANTS

October 2021

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Aeronautic Solutions South Africa is the new leader in helicopter fixed based operations in the industrial hub north-west of Johannesburg.

82

October 2021

A ER ONAUT I C S OLUT I ONS

– R A I S I NG T HE B A R A ND S E T T I NG NE W S TA NDA R DS

October 2021

83

The imposing new front entrance welcomes visitors to Aeronautic Solutions brand-new state-of-the-art facility.

AERONAUTIC SOLUTIONS IS RIDING a wave of new investment in new top-end helicopter facilities in Johannesburg South Africa.

The business, which was launched in 2002 in a small hangar with a container as offices, has today developed into a major Fixed Base Operator (FBO) in northern Johannesburg. The launch of its state-of-the art new fixed base facility north of Johannesburg is the culmination of a dream.

earned full helistop registration and is expected to be registered as a heliport in the near future.

The vastly impressive new facility features full conference facilities that are available to clients for conveniently hosting meetings in a dynamic and exciting aviation environment.

riding a wave of new invest ment

Today Aeronautic Solutions has grown into a helicopter specialist which provides its clients with the latest in world-class support and service at their recently completed facility in Limeroc Business Park to the west of Eagles Creek Aviation Estate. Situated just beyond the edge of the Lanseria CTR, the new facility has already

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October 2021

Aeronautic Solutions – the Business Model

As a focused business, Aeronautic Solutions, with their variety of single and multiengine helicopters, endeavour to meet the diverse helicopter requirements of all their clients.

A key strength of Aeronautic Solutions is that it is a well-established, family-owned and managed helicopter operator that has provided safe and reliable helicopter-related services to South

Africa and the broader African markets for over 19 years.

Aeronautic Solutions have worked in almost every African country, including Madagascar, and as far afield as Gough Island and off the SA Agulhas II Antarctic research vessel.

The company specialises in the transport of valuable assets, utility work, transport and VVIP passengers. But that is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of their capabilities and service.

Aeronautic Solutions have experience in carrying out utility operations across the length and breadth of the continent. They have over the years worked extensively with general contractors and builders, assisting them to erect towers, position components, lay fencing, repair infrastructure and shift massive structures with great precision and efficiency. All of these are carried out with minimum possible environmental impact.

Aeronautic Solutions Charter Aeronautic Solutions Charter is fully capable of customising a solution to fit anyone’s specifications, whether it be a scenic flight, executive charter or a corporate day trip with their well-equipped and diverse fleet, with an ability to source aircraft to suit any requirements.

The professional team will ensure that customers receive safe and efficient service with contact support persons available 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week.

As a corporate citizen committed to South Africa, the Aeronautic Solutions’ team take pride in their social responsibility programmes and have in the past worked closely with MSF (Doctors without Borders) as well as assisting with humanitarian and environmental aid to RSPB and Rhino 911.

Aeronautic Solutions South Africa operates its own spotless and fully equipped Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO).

October 2021

85

The spotless new hangar provides plenty of room for a mixed helicopter fleet.

The AMO

Helicopter Fleet

Aeronautic Solutions Maintenance is a South African Civil Aviation approved Aviation Maintenance Organisation (AMO). The team have a highly professional and spotlessly clean in-house maintenance facility, which ensures that their helicopter fleet receives the best care and OEM parts.

Pride of the Aeronautic Solutions fleet is an MBB BK-117, a powerful twin-engined medium utilitytransport helicopter ideally suited for the hot and high operations of the South African Highveld. It is best suited for a diverse range of operations, such as aerial crane and sling work, operations in the security sector, and charter, and is exceptional as an air ambulance and search and rescue platform.

Aeronautic Solutions Maintenance is fully approved and licensed to provide third party maintenance on most common Airbus helicopter products.

Aviation Training Organisation Aeronautic Solutions are a SACAA approved Aviation Training Organisation (ATO) which specialises solely in advanced operational training for the commercial sector and can tailor a training programme to suit their client's specific operational requirements.

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October 2021

The BK-117 makes Aeronautic Solutions the only company in Gauteng to have a full CAT A Performance helicopter for high altitude heavy lift out-of-ground effect operations.

As the backbone of their fleet, Aeronautic Solutions use Airbus AS350/H125 Squirrels which outclass all other single-engine helicopters for performance, versatility, low maintenance, and low acquisition costs while also excelling in hot and high conditions and extreme environments.

The MD-500 gets airborne with an Airbus AS350 Squirrel on the apron.

The iconic McDonnell Douglas MD500E helicopter delivers the highest speed, payload and productivity in its class. With a five-bladed main rotor, the MD 500E offers unparalleled versatility for the broadest range of customerdefined missions.

The Eurocopter EC130 (now Airbus Helicopters H130), is a single-engine light utility helicopter developed from the earlier Eurocopter AS 350

Ecureuil, one of the primary changes from which was the adoption of a passenger and noisefriendly Fenestron anti-torque tail rotor.

To find out more about this leading-edge helicopter service provider contact: Aeronautic Solutions, Limeroc Business Park, Knoppieslaagte 385, Centurion Eagles Creeks Aerodrome South Africa j

The fully -equipped lounge welcomes operators, passegers and guests.

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Company Vision Aeronautic Solutions is dedicated to bring the customer a SAFE and Professional helicopter service in the aviation industry. We constantly strive to grow our business while being innovative in looking for new ways to operate more safely, more efficiently and more competitively.

88

Charter We have a well-equipped and diverse fleet offering, and can source aircraft to suit any requirement. We will ensure that customers receive safe and efficient service and contact persons available 24 hours of the day

AMO South African Civil Aviation approved Aviation Maintenance Organisation. We ensure our helicopters get the best care and OEM parts. We also offer third party maintenance on the Aribus helicopters.

Contract Aeronautic Solutions have experience in carrying out utility operations across length and breadth of the continent We have worked extensively with general contractors and builders in helping erect towers, position materials, lay fencing, repair infrastructure and shift massive structures with great precision and efficiency.

ATO Aeronautic Solutions a South African Civil Aviation Authority approved Aviation Training Organisation. We specialise solely in Advanced Operational Training for the commercial sector and can tailor a training program to suit your operation’s specific needs.

October 2021

SPECIALISED SERVICES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Personal, Private & Executive Charter Airport Transfers Scenic Flights Photographic Flights Cargo and Precious Goods Transfer Event Promotion and Team Building Security and Surveillance Services External Cargo Operations FBO Services Conservation work Powerline inspection Agricultural Wildlife darting and capturing Aircraft Management and Storage Humanitarian aid

Contact: info@aeronauticsolutions.com www.aeronauticsolutions.com Instagram Icon: @aeronautic_solutions Tel: +27 (0)11 312 1443 Aeronautic Solutions (PTY) LTD Limeroc Business Park Knoppieslaagte 385, Centurion Eagles Creek Aerodrome South Africa

FLEET:

• • • •

BK117 - 850D2 AS 350/ H125 MD 500E EC130

October 2021

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Events by SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL GLIDING COMPETITION 2 – 9 October 2021

WARMBATH FLY-IN 8 – 11 October

NBAA BUSINESS AVIATION CONVENTION & EXHIBITION 12th – 14th October

FAWA Warmbath (Bela Bela) Contact: Richard Nicholson / Karl Jensen. Cell: 082 490 6227 / 082 331 4652

https://nbaa.org/events/2021-nbaa-business-aviationconvention-exhibition-nbaa-bace/

KRUGERSDORP FLYING CLUB SPOT LANDING COMPETITION

LYDENBURG – ANNUAL FLY-IN FESTIVAL

EAA SUN ‘N FUN FLY-IN

16th October 2021

Lydenburg Airfield

ctc Tel. 079 213 9059

Coenraad De Beer Tel. 076 466 9999

Potchefstroom

30th October 2021

Las Vegas, Nevada

5th – 7th November 2021 Neil Tel. 084 674 5674

DUBAI AIRSHOW 4th – 18th November 2021 https://www.dubaiairshow.aero/

Flying in Africa – that’s what we love

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October 2021

Flying in Africa that’s what we love!

©

Klein Pella

Comprehensive airfield information, up-to-date aeronautical data, friendly and efficient customer support, easy Flight Planning, electronic logbook, Inflight Navigation with EasyCockpit, real-time Weather overlays, Weather cams, Events notification, location link to Maps ... you have it all. www.aviationdirect.co.za • info@aviationdirect.co.za • +27 11 465 2669October • 0722021 340 9943 91

ART

THE CROSS – by Ryno Cilliers

ON THE 5TH OF OCTOBER 1982 two Mirage F1CZs from 3 Sqn were escorting two Canberras from 12 Sqn on a photo recce mission from AFB Ondangwa to south-southeast of Cahama.

Two MiG 21 MFs from the Angolan Air Force approached to intercept the Canberras, which immediately turned for home while dropping down to low level.

The two Mirages turned to intercept the MiGs. They jettisoned their belly fuel tanks, went into full afterburner and accelerated to supersonic.

At about 5nm the leader called that he had the MiGs visual. He turned right to engage, giving him an advantage at the cross. When his wingman had the MiGs visual he realised that he was going to cross the two MiG's on the same level. They crossed so close that he could clearly see the white helmets of the MiG pilots.

This striking painting of the moment the Mirage and the two MiGs crossed was done by aviation artist Ryno Cilliers. His work is surprisingly affordable. To commission him to do your favourite aircraft contact him on 073-195-5734 j SA Flyer artist Ryno Cilliers can do formal and cartoon artwork to the highest standard. He is happy to take on commissions of any aircraft you want.

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October 2021

CAPE TOWN – AVIATION COMPANIES GUIDE

Still waiting for post-COVID recovery October 2021

93

Introduction

CA P E T OWN

I NT ER NAT I ONA L A I R P OR T

– STILL HELD BACK BY COVID-19 In 2020 Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) was finally ready to start its huge runway re-alignment and expansion when the Covid-19 pandemic stopped all travel and the plans had to once again be put on hold. The current inclusion of South Africa on the UK ‘Red list’ is indicative of the problems the airport faces.

IN 2018 ACSA announced the launch of its long awaited R7 Billion capex project. This included upgrades to the international and domestic terminal buildings. Under the Covid-19 pandemic the project has been suspended, as has the R3.8 Billion construction of a new 3200-metre runway.

The Lockdown

The groundwork was laid by Maclean’s predecessor Deon Cloete, who had developed “new end-to-end procedures in close collaboration with key industry players i.e. nonACSA airports such as Lanseria, local and international airlines, government and regulatory bodies. Suffice to say there has been a lot of learning with regular updates and tweaking happening along the way. We also leaned heavily on best practices recommended by the likes of IATA, ICAO and ACI.”

The lockdown had a calamitous effect on the airport’s revenue. However, Mr Mark Maclean,

“We are confident that the new procedures and systems have created the right spaces

In pre-Covid days, Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) was the third largest airport in Africa, with almost eleven million passengers a year. The recovery in passenger numbers is expected to take until at the earliest mid-2023, so the pressing need for the planned CTIA expansion has waned – for now.

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Cape Town International Airport’s Acting General Manager says CTIA has used the lockdown for developing and implementing new procedures and protocols to minimise the risk to passengers in anticipation of a slow return of international tourists.

October 2021

In terms of the vaccine roll-out, the key requirements for an airport to be operate successfully under Covid-19 is that it must ‘do an elaborate dance with the airports on the other end of the route.” This means that protocols and procedures must be agreed. This applies particularly in regard to social distancing and pre-screening requirements. Compliance monitoring i.e. health screening by Port Health, the wearing of masks and adhering to social distancing signage and announcements are monitored by way of the full-time deployment of Covid Monitor staff easy recognisable by clearly branded jackets.

Information technology (I.T.) will play a key role.

“Specialised I.T. teams at ACSA are exploring the upgrade of current CCTV systems and technology that potentially can further scan

Introduction

for safe passenger processing and facilitation. We will keep a beady eye on innovation and new technologies that will further improve the effectiveness of passenger health screening, and we will remain current with similar systems being implemented in many airports around the world.

Mark Maclean is the new Acting General Manager of CTIA. These enable us to build our own best practice solutions that passengers moving through the airport for any will maintain safety standards whilst gradually sign of fever or high body temperature. This rebuilding passenger volumes,” Cloete said will be in addition to the current cameras and temperature screening equipment already deployed at all access point into the terminal,” he says.

Tourism Cape Town is one of the best tourist destinations in the world, and so CTIA’s role has had to grow to match the demand.

Ten years ago the airport was planning for a 90/10 split between international travellers and 90% local travellers. Due to the Cape’s success as a tourist destination, and in attracting new airlines, this mix is now nearer 25% international and 75% domestic. This is largely due to the airport’s ability to attract new airlines and expand the routes it serves. The world renowned Cape Air Access Initiative has been instrumental in this success.

The recent appointment of Ms Wrenelle Stander as CEO of Wesgro should further air CTIA’s recovery.

General Aviation

Morningstar Airfield's well managed growth shows that GA is alive and well in the Western Cape.

Cape Town International has a dedicated general aviation area on the airport’s south-western border. This section is home to October 2021

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Introduction

the airport's commercial nonscheduled operators, flight schools and the Cape Town Flying Club, as well as various GA maintenance facilities. It has its own refuelling facilities as well as hangarage for small aircraft and training establishments, but lacks a dedicated GA customs and immigration facility.

Fisantekraal Airport is being redeveloped as the Cape Winelands Airport.

A number of helicopter charter companies, such as Cape Town Helicopters and NAC, use the V&A Waterfront, near the city centre, as a base for flips around the peninsula and to wine estates and surrounds.

General Aviation Airfields Since the glory days of general aviation some forty years ago flying clubs have seen a decline.

So it’s great to be able to report that Cape Town has not one but two thriving flying clubs – and the exciting possibility of a third at the Cape Winelands Airport.

The best known flying club in the Cape has to be the venerable Stellenbosch club in its sylvan

setting below the Hottentots Holland mountains.

Despite the encroachment of housing developments and golf course estates, this club is thriving.

But the big action is now to the north, at Morningstar Airfield, about 25 km north of the city on the N7 to Malmsbury.

The club was founded over 30 years ago by a bunch of flying enthusiasts and has grown to over 250 members with almost 100 aircraft based at Morningstar. The club is showing the fruits of dynamic management in that it is finalising its lease with the Cape Town City Council for another ten years with a further ten years notice, effectively giving the members twenty years further title.

Stellenbosh Airfield is consistently rated the most beautiful in South Africa.

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This security of tenure and solid management has enabled the club to sell off hangar stands and so raise funds for the key infrastructure. They have a tarred 700m runway and taxiways and pride of place is a large clubhouse with modern kitchens and two flying schools. j

AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTS CAPE TOWN specializes in the supply and installation of Garmin equipment. We also carry out repairs to general instrumentation including airspeed indicators, altimeters, gyros and autopilots as well as carry out MPIs. We are based at Cape Town International airport and support the entire Western Cape region as far afield as Springbok in the North and Oudtshoorn in the South.

The engineers at Aircraft Instruments Cape Town have installed into various aircraft G5s, GI275s, PFDs, MFDs, transponders, radios, autopilots and GPS/NAV/COMs to name but a few. We also carry out NAVDATA updates.

Our latest install on a Piper PA-32R-301T Turbo Saratoga includes a panel revamp and replacing most of the instrumentation including fitment of a Stormscope. We have recently been introduced to the FLARM avoidance anti collision system which we are installing into a fleet for a local Flight School. All FLARM devices can be connected to FLARM displays or compatible avionics (EFIS, moving map, etc.) to give visual and aural warnings and to show the intruder's position on the map.

CAPE TOWN

AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTS CAPE TOWN

The technical side is managed by Petrus van der Linde whilst the admin and accounts is managed by Marti Goncalves.

For more information about our products and services please contact Petrus on 083 279 7548 or Marti Goncalves on 083 447 6693. j

CAPE TOWN FLYING CLUB CAPE TOWN FLYING CLUB Cape Town Flying Club’s origins date back to the pre-World War II era and is currently based at Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town, South Africa. This allows our students to gain valuable experience flying from an International Airport. Cape Town is also one of the most picturesque cities in the world with a Mediterranean style climate, making it the perfect place to enjoy flying.

Cape Town Flying Club is a registered NonProfit Company with SACAA approval as a Training Organisation. The club offers Aircraft Hire and all forms of pilot training through its dedicated Aviation Academy. Cape Town Flying Club offers a wide variety of memberships catering for General Aviation enthusiasts to Professional Pilots.

Flight Training at our International Aviation Academy starts off at the Private Pilot level, but

we also over training for Commercial License, Instrument Rating and ATPL. In addition to formalised training, with highly qualified instructors, the social nature of Cape Town Flying Club allows for flying events where pilots can hone their skills in a friendly, yet competitive environment. Safety is paramount and our pilots are encouraged to participate in regular safety briefings.

If you are passionate about flying then this is the school for you.

Contact Details 2 Douglas Road General Aviation Area Cape Town International Airport South Africa 7550 Tel: +27 21 934 0257 www.capetownflyingclub.co.za j October 2021

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FLY WITH AN ATTITUDE THAT INSPIRES TRUST INSTRUMENT CONSOLIDATION As your primary flight reference instrument, GI 275 features an integrated display to support all the essential readouts — attitude, altitude, airspeed and heading.

ADI AUTOPILOT INTEGRATION With optionally available built-in autopilot interface, GI 275 can provide precise attitude information to drive select autopilots (including the GFC™ 500 autopilot) and display flight director command bar cues.

(Registered aircraft require at least one external approved GNSS sensor source to be connected to GI 275 for VFR night and IFR operations)

EGT/CHT MONITORING Graphical display of cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures allows you to pinpoint the optimal fuel/air mixture for efficient power management.

ENGINE INFORMATION SYSTEM With optional interface module and sensors, GI 275 can serve as a primary EIS display for piston engine, fuel, electrical and other data. Display space is optimized with bar graphs, bar gauge indications and numerical readouts.

Use dual GI 275 displays to monitor twin-engine aircraft.

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Aircraft Instruments Cape Town Signature Flight Support Building West Hangar, Beechcraft Road General Aviation Area Cape Town International Airport Office : 021 935 1702 Mobile : 083 279 7548 E-mail : capetown@aircraftinstruments.co.za

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aircraftinstrumentscapetown

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CAPE TOWN

CAPE AIRCRAFT INTERIORS CAPE AIRCRAFT INTERIORS SJ Aviation offers expertise and specialized fixed wing and helicopter maintenance and repairs, spares, refurbishing and rebuilds.

With 29 years of qualified experience we offer professional maintenance on a wide range of aircraft.

Our CAA certified workshop includes Cape Aircraft Interiors with interior refurbishment, interiors and exterior spray paint, custom maid aircraft covers, including intake covers. Our services include the refurbishment, testing and sales of safety belt harnesses. We also provide rental and refurbishment of safety equipment including life rafts, escape slides, floatation gear, life vests, helicopter floats, hydro and filling of cylinders.

Contact Information: Travis Roland/ Lindsay Cupido Tel: +27 (21) 934 Fax: +27 (21) 934 2022 Email: travis@zs-cai.co.za Michael@wcaeromarine.co.za Cape Aircraft Interiors General Aviation Area Cape Town International Airport j

Authorized Service Centre for Robinson Helicopters

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SOUTHERN ROTORCRAFT USA Engine Repair and Overhaul FAA Repair Station # D57R025X Rotorcraft, Turbine, Engine & Component Services Southern Rotorcraft USA, is an FAA certified repair station specialising in Rolls Royce 250 Series engine repair and overhaul, as well as Bell component repair and overhaul.

Southern Rotorcraft USA also offers engine and component exchange pool services, prepurchase inspections, USA export Certificate of Airworthiness, helicopter rebuilds and refurbishment, and disassembly, packing and shipping.

Southern Rotorcraft USA occupies a 25,000 sq. ft facility, which has a state-of-the-art NDT department – additional equipment to its

machining department, bleed valve and fuel nozzle overhaul, helicopter spray paint booth and engine test cell.

CAPE TOWN

SOUTHERN ROTORCRAFT USA Our inventory for the Rolls Royce 250 Series engines and the Bell 206B and L helicopters are available to the industry via our website: www.rotors-r-us.com.

Southern Rotorcraft CC, based at Cape Town International Airport, sources and supplies spare parts for Rolls Royce 250 engines and Bell 206 helicopters, and we are also stockists of Avid Air carbon fibre lined compressor cases for the Rolls Royce 250-C20B compressors.

Contact Southern Rotorcraft cc on: Tel no: +27 (0) 219350980 Email: sasales@rotors-r-us.com Website: www.rotors-r-us.com j

SA Flyer 2021|10

FOR ALL YOUR HELICOPTER NEEDS - HELICOPTER SALES – SPARE PARTS SALES - ENGINE OVERHAULS - COMPONENT REPAIR & OVERHAULS – PRE BUYS-SHIPPING-EXPORTS-ROLLS ROYCE 250 & BELL SPECIALIST

Southern Rotorcraft USA, founded in 2001 by Regenald Denysschen of Southern Rotorcraft cc SA, is an FAA Repair Station specializing in Rolls Royce M250 Series engines and Bell components.

Southern Rotorcraft occupies a 25000 sq ft. facility and has a state-of-the-art NDT Department, Paint Booth as well as added equipment to it’s Machining Department. These additions have allowed an increase in capabilities as well as decreased turn around times thereby enabling advanced engineering and state of the art repair techniques. Southern Rotorcraft is a stockist of Avid Air Carbon Fibre lined Compressor Cases for the Rolls Royce 250-C20B Compressors.

Southern Rotorcraft USA Inc. E-mail: info@rotorsrus.com 1410 Industrial Drive, Royse City, Texas 75189 Phone: (972)635-7922 Toll Free: (866)4ROTORS Cell: (469)585-2781

Southern Rotorcraft cc - SA Email: sasales@rotors-r-us.com / regdee@intekom.co.za Tel: 021-935-0980 Cell: 0827770805 www.rotors-r-us.com FAA Approved Repair Station Certificate #D57R025X

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LOCATIONS CLICK LOCATION TO LINK TO INTERACTIVE MAP

CAPE TOWN FLYING CLUB

AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTS CAPE TOWN

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CAPE AIRCRAFT INTERIORS

SOUTHERN ROTORCRAFT

GRAND CENTRAL

– AVIATION COMPANIES GUIDE

Can Grand Central survive COVID? October 2021

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Introduction

GR A ND

CENT R A L A I R P OR T

There is a sense that 2021 is the make-or-break year for Grand Central. The Covid-19 pandemic may be the death blow to the airport – or alternatively it may survive, perhaps due to the glut of office space constraining further development and thus inhibiting any immediate plans for the development of the airport as offices and light factories.

GRAND CENTRAL WAS ONCE one of the busiest General aviation airports in South Africa.

Unfortunately, neglect and poor management in the past few years has meant that many of its tenants are leaving. The large terminal building is now looking worryingly deserted.

For an ideally located general aviation airport, the potential should be huge. Recognising this the owners made a significant investment in August 2014 when the runway was redone. But unlike Rand Airport, in terms of future development, Grand Central can’t expand because the surrounding land is owned and managed by Old Mutual Properties.

reportedly looking quite seriously at using the land for the development of their multi-billion Rand Zonk’izizwe project. Pre-Covid-19 they were however, still in serious discussions with airport management to find out how best to use the land for offices, taking into consideration the aircraft movements.

Like all other GA facilities Grand Central has been hard hit by Covid-19. Part of the 2020 ‘master plan’ was to build hangars and do renovations on the southern end of the airport where aircraft currently park in the open. However, this idea will only see fruition once there is a recognised demand from enough charter companies to support a complete large scale building plan in order to prevent having to redo work at a later stage. The plan also has to be

an airpor t is ultimately a business

The running down of the airport plays into the hands of Old Mutual Properties which is

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approved by the shareholders of the airport, a consortium of companies mainly with a property and investment background. In the current constrained environment this has to be considered unlikely.

Introduction

Grand Central is ideally located and should be doing better.

Tenant Relations A challenge for any airport is balancing relationships with tenants while remembering that an airport is ultimately a business. One of the biggest issues for the tenants has been the

The terminal building - architecture reminiscent of Lenin's tomb

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Introduction

Under Covid-19 pressures and the loss of tenants the main building is worringly empty.

rentals that Grand Central charges. But for the convenience of having a 1850 m tarred runway, air traffic control, fuel available seven days a week and maintenance staff on hand five days a week, the airport maintains that the rates are market related.

Fo r an ide all y located general aviation airpor t , the potential should be huge Grand Central currently has a generator that powers the runway lights and control tower in the event of a power failure, but is looking at getting enough generators to power the entire airport.

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Security is another challenge. The airport is guarded 24/7 – but there is a crime problem outside the gates. There have reportedly been a number of incidents where cars parked outside the premises have been broken into or stolen, to the extent that there are now signs warning people who park their cars on the side of Grand Central Boulevard of the risk. This is largely due to the open land being used as a thoroughfare and the police refusing to enter into any joint venture patrols. Old Mutual has erected fences around some of the open land, and the airport has engaged with them about putting up more fencing.

International status Grand Central has long hoped to regain its international status, which its lost in 1998, but the security requirements are considered too cumbersome for the diminished airport. j

FLIGHT TRAINING SERVICES Flight Training Services (FTS) is a longestablished flight school conveniently based at Grand Central Airport. Being based at Grand Central gives FTS the ability to provide costeffective training which does not require lengthy holds on the ground, as is the case at large and busy airports – and yet Grand Central is still busy enough to make sure that the students learn to cope with a pressurised and demanding air space environment which lays for the foundation for the move up to commercial flying at busy airports.

As a measure of the school’s excellence, it has attracted students from all over the world, from places as diverse as Nepal and Egypt. To accommodate international students, FTS has arranged excellent accommodation with full support services, including a bus to transport

students to and from the airport – which is just 10 minutes away.

The school’s fleet consists of the universally popular Cessna C172, with fixed and retractable undercarriage, Piper Cherokees and a Twin Comanche for multi-engine training. All these aircraft are excellently maintained, as is evidenced by their high availability rate for training.

GRAND CENTRAL

FLIGHT TRAINING SERVICES

The school’s owner and manager has established a solid reputation for excellent client service to her students – and this has meant that word of mouth and the power of personal recommendation have been the biggest drivers for the school’s steady growth.

Contact the school at: 011 805-9015/6.

Email: amanda@fts.co.za or visit: www.fts.co.za

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LANSERIA FLIGHT CENTRE LANSERIA FLIGHT CENTRE, established in 1989 offers professional flight training now located at Grand Central Airport. Our aim is to provide our clients with the highest standard of comprehensive training available and experience that you can draw on to plan your training and future in aviation. LFC is internationally recognised as a first-class flight school and aviation training organisation. We specialise in providing professional pilot training and private pilot training for domestic and international aviation students.

LFC is the first choice among aspiring pilots for professional flight training; we cater for domestic & international students, and offer full-time or part-time training.

With his team and over 35 years’ experience, Ian Dyson looks forward to continuing a rich tradition of professional pilot training and flight services to the aviation industry.

We have successfully trained both domestic and international airline pilots, hobby aviators, hourbuilding programs and supported advanced pilot training.

Many of our students now fly for the world’s top airlines including British Airways, Qantas and Emirates.

Contact: Grand Central Airport, Midrand +27 11 312 5166 www.flylfc.com j October 2021

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THE NEXT GENERATION OF PILOT & FLIGHT CREW TRAINING

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Comm ercia Grou l nd Sc h oo Indiv idual l subje c welco ts me.

zen ow o r F Ln P T A A e S EA vailabl a

• PROFESSIONAL TRAINING • PPL, CPL • AIRLINE PILOT’S LICENCE • JET RATING • SIMULATOR • GLASS COCKPIT • SUPERB FLEET

EASA Conve rsion

s

SA Flyer 2013|02

ENROL NOW! LANSERIA FLIGHT CENTRE PILOT TRAINING • AIR CHARTER info@flylfc.com www.flylfc.com GRAND CENTRAL AIRPORT TEL: 011 3125166; 011 6592810 October 2021 CAA0040

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AT AVCON JET AFRICA we focus on our extreme professionalism and corporate culture.

We are proud to be part of the Avcon Jet Group, allowing us to serve not only the national markets, but beyond; bringing an even higher, more diverse level of expertise.

We offer Air Charters, In-House Simulators, Glass Cockpit Aircraft training, Aircraft Sales and Accounts Management, and advance flight training.

Our Self Fly Safari’s are truly one of a kind, priceless experiences. Embark on an adventure touring our countryside with a birds-eye-view, in a way only aviators can.

See the world like never before, by booking your introductory flight. We strive to offer you the best with our modern facilities, passionate experienced instructors and our well-maintained private fleet.

Adventure is at your fingertips with Avcon Jet Africa by your side.

Avcon Jet Africa, Main Terminal, Grand Central Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Tel: 011 312 5676 | Email: office@avconjet. co.za | Find us on: Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn j

Central Aerospace Medicine

D

r Kenneth Anthony Ingham is a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner with rooms situated in the immediate vicinity of Grand Central Airport, Midrand. Dr Ingham is an experienced Aviation Medical Examiner with a career beginning in 1969 as a Flight Surgeon at Langebaan air Force Base. As a registered Senior SA CAA Aviation Medical Examiner, Dr Ingham’s practice (Central Aerospace Medicine) is suitably equipped to carry out the full range of medical examinations necessary for aviation relevant to pilots, air traffic controllers and cabin crew operating under licences issued in South Africa, Australia and Canada.

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He is in possession of a Certificate in Travel Medicine, a Diploma in Public Health and BSc (Hons) Aerospace Medicine and is registered with the Department of Labour for professional divers. He is also registered with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) for medical examinations of Seafarers.

For more information contact Dr Ingham on: Tel: (011) 315-5817 Email: kaingham@hotmail.com Website: www.aerospace-medicine-sa.co.za Consulting rooms: Block A, First Floor, 49 New Road, Opposite Grand Central Airport, Randjiespark, Midrand.

Registration Details: HPCSA: MP0123684 Practice No: 1559257 SA CAA: MS015

Canada: A-277 CASA: 587648 Dive Med: DM 041

SA Flyer 2021|10

GRAND CENTRAL

AVCON JET AFRICA

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LOCATIONS

CLICK LOCATION TO LINK TO INTERACTIVE MAP

FTS: PILOT FLIGHT TRAINING SERVICES

LANSERIA FLIGHT CENTRE

SOUTHERN MAPPING

AVCON JET AFRICA

DR K A INGHAM

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Where romance meets nature

Located in South Africa’s Safari hub of Hoedspruit, Safari Moon is a boutique base from which to discover the wonders of South Africa’s Lowveld region. Explore a range of nearby attractions from the famed Kruger National park to the scenic Panorama Route, or simply chose to relax and unwind in nature, making the most of 114 October 2021 your private piece of Wildlife Estate wilderness.

CONTACT: bookings@safarimoon.co.za 083 449 5868

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LOWVELD

– AVIATION COMPANIES GUIDE

Hoedspruit’s amazing Aerotel -­ An unforgettable experience

Zandspruit - Move to a Better Place October 2021

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Introduction

AV I AT I ON I N T HE

LOWV EL D With the decline in mining and primary production, the tourism sector has become one of the most important to the South African economy. After the Western Cape the Lowveld is the most important region for this tourism growth. Until the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lowveld aviation industry was growing strongly as the key supplier for air connectivity to international tourism.

Kruger Mpumalanga Pre-Covid-19 the number of scheduled flights operating out of Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) near Nelspruit and White River was steadily increasing.

on the airport property and the abundance of small antelope and monkeys adds to the safari experience at KMIA. KMIA’S location provides an excellent base for international visitors to the Kruger National Park, the Blyde River National Park, upmarket lodges in the Hazyview area as well as the tourist attractions and waterfalls that the towns of Sabie, Pilgrims Rest and Graskop have to offer.

an abundance of general aviation operations across the Lowveld

The KMIA terminal building has its unique charm as one of the largest thatch structures in the country.

Making a memorable first impression, tourist cameras capture their first African safari experience before even leaving the terminal for the many world-class game lodges in the region.

An authentic bonus is the wildlife that is kept

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Nelspruit Airfield Before KMIA, Nelspruit Airfield was the hub for regional flights to the Lowveld operated

by Airlink. Nelspruit Airfield is also home to a

Introduction

Aviation in the Lowveld is a key enabler of tourism and scenic flights.

number of Part 135 private transfer operators, helicopter operators and scenic flight services.

With the move of scheduled carriers to KMIA, Nelspruit Airfield management needed to rethink their approach to business and the sustainability of the airport.

The airfield established itself as the first choice for general aviation maintenance, the base for

a number of Approved Training Organisations (ATO) and home to the Kishugu (Working on Fire) group with a large fleet of Bell 205 helicopter and Cessna fixed wing aircraft.

Nelspruit Airfield is home to a number of Approved Maintenance Organisations (AMOs) that deliver world class service in both the avionics as well as maintenance services.

Kruger Mpumalanga Airport before Covid-19.

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Introduction

Nelspruit Airfield is home to a number of essential service operators such as Working on Fire.

Nelspruit is an airport with a strong sense of community and a visit normally ends with convivial drinks at Lowveld Aero Club. Catching up with old friends and meeting new people is the essence of a flying community.

General Aviation

expansion under the guidance of Ms Lente Roode of nearby Kapama Game Lodge. Airlink and CemAir are providing scheduled flights across Southern Africa. The terminal drop-off and parking areas have been substantially enlarged and the passenger numbers are already putting the small facility leased from the military base under strain.

Apart from KMIA and Nelspruit Airfields, there is an abundance of general aviation operations across the Lowveld. Micro Aviation has built an excellent track record building and supporting the large number of Bat Hawk microlights.

A further characteristic of the Lowveld GA environment is the plethora of private airfields that service the game lodges, again testimony to how strongly the aviation industry is thriving in the Lowveld.

Hoedspruit Further north, Hoedspruit is growing fast.

Almost all the available space on the east side of the Hoedspruit Civil runway has now been developed for large hangars. This growth has been particularly evident since the Hoedspruit Flying Club tarred the Hoedspruit Civil runway a few years ago. Also, well-known AMO Ian Greenwood has now established himself at Hoedspruit Civil.

Despite a lack of certainty in dealing with the Department of Public Works and the SAAF, Eastgate Airport has been enjoying steady

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j In Hoedspruit the landmark Aerotel is growing with the addition of a Boeing 727-200.

Aerotel

Lowveld

The

– the Iconic New Landmark

Specialist destination accommodation is the new wave in tourism for those seeking an unforgettable travel experience.

HOEDSPRUIT’S AEROTEL is a wonderfully innovative new venture that rides the wave of specialist experiences. Its success is a symbol of how well the Lowveld is growing as a tourist destination.

the beautifully finished lux ur y inter ior is being fully preser ved

transport and the beautifully finished luxury interior is being fully preserved. This retains the presidential cabin in the rear, a lounge and two additional suites. All suites still have the original bathrooms, with just a shower having been added.

Martin and Tracy den Dunnen have gone to great lengths to preserve the aircraft’s original For aviation enthusiasts the complexities of the B727 is a must-see.

Launched less than a year ago – at 10.00 am on 10 October 2020, with a Boeing 737-200, the owner, Martin den Dunnen, has already taken delivery of a second Boeing – this time a B727 ‘3-holer’.

The new B727 is the perfect complement to the six rooms currently available in the B737. The key difference is that the new B727 will have just three rooms with a large private lounge and so will be let out as a whole unit – for families and friends.

A unique attraction is that the B727 will provide guests with a genuine presidential experience as it was the State President of Djibouti’s executive October 2021

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systems. Even the electrical power will still be from the Boeing’s 115v 400 HZ power – ingeniously supplied by an electric motor that drives the aircraft’s original APU generator.

Visionary Martin den Dunnen with the second Boeing (a B727) for the Aerotel.

The B727 comes with its own airstair door at the rear, and for access to the front cabins Martin den Dunnen has a set of airliner stairs. In addition, there will be ground handling equipment to further authenticate the experience of boarding your own presidential jet.

For any aviation buff the new B727 is fascinating in its completeness and is in excellent condition. This is due to the fact that it had completed its C-check at OR Tambo when the decision was made to dispose of the aircraft as its noisy JT-8D engines were banned from European airspace.

The flight deck looks as though the crew has stepped out for a moment.

The complexity is fascinating. In the tail the enormous S-duct that feeds the middle engine has been left out so you can see the engine buried in the tailcone and look up into the huge vertical fin. Even though it was a regional airliner, the size and design are a thrill.

The new VIP Aerotel should be open in time for the festive season – although Martin den Dunnen has not committed to a formal opening date at time of writing. A visit is highly recommended.

Aerotel: Call - 087 6556 737 or visit: https://www.aerotel.co.za/

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For an authentic experience, all the original VVIP Presidential jet fittings are being preserved.

The Aerotel has lessons for SAA!

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Lowveld

ZANDSPRUIT AERO ESTATE

– Final Stands now available!

The Zandspruit Bush and Aero Estate in Hoedspruit is a pioneering air park estate – where you can live in a game reserve and have a hangar as part of your house with direct access to the Estate’s private runway.

THIS IS A DREAM LIFESTYLE that has appealed to many pilots and aircraft owners and there has been a steady demand for stands.

Already 90 houses have been completed so the estate is well established.

An informal flying club is already growing community spirit with regular social events and well-attended annual fly-ins. Unfortunately, the crowd line requirements in the new air show regulations make it unlikely that we will see another Zandspruit Air Show.

Idyllic Zandspruit with Mariepskop behind.

Zandspruit Estate is in Hoedspruit, with a convenience of a full range of shops and restaurants just 1.2km away. The estate carries the full complement of plains game, so it is safe

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to walk or cycle – yet there is the potential thrill of seeing the shy leopards that frequent the area. Hyaena calls can be regularly heard filling the night air. The estate is sustainably managed with an effective Board of Directors.

Good news is that there is still just one hangar stand available. In addition, there are the last 14 released stands available from developer, Martin den Dunnen.

For those looking to retire to the warm sunny climate of the lowveld the launch of the Zandspruit retirement village is expected to happen soon.

This retirement community will have 200 units – available either under full or sectional title. A Care Hub, with the emphasis on Home Care,

Lowveld

will be available, and a game viewer vehicle will allow residents to enjoy the Estate’s plains’ game.

The last home/hangar stand is available.

Demand for the retirement village has been strong. To reserve your stand, register your interest by contacting Zandspruit on 015 793 0081 For those starting out on a tighter budget, the affordable Zandspruit Valley housing development is making steady progress. There are a total of 137 stands with 41 already having been built. Prices range from a very affordable entry level R995,000 for a 1 bed 1 bath unit, to R1.5m for a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom unit.

For sales, contact Campfire Properties on 015-793-0081 j

Zandpruit has a wonderful and highly qualified aviation community - L to R: Koos and Linda Kieck, (ex SAAF) Debbie and Glenn Wheeldon (ex SAA).

Zandspruit Valley is an affordable housing development with complete houses from less than a R1 million.

October 2021

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Estate Size 1 000 hectares Only 200 Full Title stands Over 90% sold out House styles are Pavilion, Farmhouse and Thatch An untouched wilderness area of 650ha for Game viewing Breathtaking mountain views Sundowner locations and waterholes within the wilderness area Hard surfaced internal roads 1 000m paved, private runway Magnificent trees along the 4km riverfront Bird hide, view points and walking trails Close to all retailers, doctors, restaurants and recreational facilities of Hoedspruit (2km)

FLY TO A BETTER PLACE martin@zandspruit.co.za www.zandspruit.co.za

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0October 1 5 7 2021 9 3 0 0 8 1

Die Ryshuis, R527, Hoedspruit

Lowveld

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Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMI Airport), the gateway to the iconic Kruger National Park, located in Nelspruit Mpumalanga is an ICAO approved International Airport with a runway of 3.1km which can accommodate Boeing 737,747,767 and Airbus series.

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October 2021

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Lowveld

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Leading Edge Aviation (LEA) caters to numerous fields including firefighting, external lift operations, wildlife conservation and refurbishing and restoring of aircraft interiors and exteriors, including fitment of SACAA approved windows.

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BUMPPPFFF:

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October 2021

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October 2021

127

BUMPPPFFF: DRONES DISGUISED AS BIRDS

Our editor Guy is chuffed that the huge Plane and Pilot Magazine considered our Sling High Wing Flight Test good enough to republish. Pic by Bruce Perkins.

The Verge reports that there have been more efforts to make drones harder to see from the ground.

The picture shows a drone that was recently downed in Mogadishu, Somalia which looks like a large bird.

Local reports associate this drone with Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).

It's unclear exactly how it was downed, or if similar drones have been used in the country before.

What’s most interesting about this particular drone are its wings: in addition to looking like a bird, the wings can flap, although it looks like it’s actually powered by two sets of propellers. A quick glance at it flying overhead probably won’t attract a lot of attention, which is exactly what you’d want for a surveillance robot.

The US Army Special Operations Command has used a similar drone that can be fired out of a canon or deployed by hand. Like this drone discovered in Somalia, it has wings that can flap, making it appear like a regular bird flying overhead.

Atlas Obscura points out that there have been concerted efforts for companies to mimic bird behaviour in drones both for appearance and for the obvious reason that birds are after all the experts at flying. Learning just how they fly is a good step in adapting their mechanical counterparts to accomplish the same tasks.

A drone disguised as a bird that was brought down in Somalia.

The US is also developing drones disguised as birds.

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October 2021

FlightCm African Commercial Aviation Edition 155 | October 2021

Darren Olivier

– SAAF: Overstretched, underfunded and collapsing

Mike Gough

– When Things go Wrong

Wrenelle Stander: Bounces from AASA to Wesgro 1

FlightCom: October 2021

Hugh Pryor

– lost in Libya

AMO 227

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CONTENTS

TABLE OF

Publisher Flyer and Aviation Publications cc Managing Editor Guy Leitch guy@flightcommag.com Advertising Sales Wayne Wilson wayne@saflyermag.co.za Layout & Design Emily-Jane Kinnear Patrick Tillman

OCTOBER 2021 EDITION 155

ADMIN: +27 (0)83 607 2335 TRAFFIC: +27 (0)81 039 0595 ACCOUNTS: +27 (0)15 793 0708

06 10 14 18 20 25 28 35 36 37 38 40

Bush Pilot - Hugh Pryor Airline Ops - Mike Gough Defence - Darren Olivier AME Doctors Listing Face to Face - Ms Wrenelle Stander News AG Aviation Africa Letters to the Editor Starlite Directory Atlas Oil Charter Directory AEP AMO Listing Backpage Directory

© FlightCom 2021. 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: A MOZAMBIQUE COURT has sentenced 66-yearold former Mozambiquan Transport Minister Paulo Zucula to ten years imprisonment for his part in the purchase of two E190s from Embraer in 2009.

Three senior government and LAM airline officials were accused of receiving $800,000 in bribes from Embraer between 2008 and 2010, in addition to being indicted for over-invoicing in the amount of $400,000.

"There was damage in the increase in the price of aircraft, which unduly impacted the State's finances and there is obviously a direct and necessary relationship between the defendant's illegal conduct and the damage suffered by the Mozambican State, which is the causal link", said the magistrate.

The Court found that the convictions of Zucula and Zimba proved that there was money laundering.

There was however no finding from the court or censure of Embraer’s corrupt marketing tactics – which could reasonably be assumed would by association have been knowledgeable about the corrupt deal.

Of further concern is that Jose Viegas, the Chairperson of LAM at the time, was acquitted. It is claimed that Viegas was involved extensively in corruption in that he had received $900,000 in bribes from a Brazilian company who were awarded the contract for the refurbishment of Nacala Airport.

he received $900,000 in bribes from a Brazilian company

Dércio Alfazema, from the Institute for Multiparty Democracy, says that this sentence means that justice is for everyone, regardless of the positions that people occupy. "It is a positive signal that the country is sending out. It shows that people, regardless of their position and position, if they commit crimes, will be duly held accountable," he said.

"It is now necessary to ensure that these benefits they have had from corrupt practices are collected and handed over to the State," he added.

"There is a whole need to review the legislation and the anti-corruption strategy so that these processes are speedy, but also that they are dealt with in their own forums so that the corrupt cannot benefit from subterfuges," Dércio Alfazema said.

Those convicted have 20 days to appeal the sentence.

Many have become sceptical of African governments’ ability to bring those guilty of corruption to justice. There are claims that Viegas escaped justice purely on a technicality, in that too much time had elapsed and the case had prescribed.

In an echo of the so-called Stalingrad Strategy has been so successfully used to evade corruption charges by the Zuma faction in South African courts, the slowness of the processes in the courts benefits some defendants, as was the case of José Viegas.

Nonetheless the conviction of Zucula and Zimba is seen as a victory against the high level of corruption that has plagued many African governments.

Attorney Adbul Gani said, "The matter we were fighting for today was reflected in the sentence. This is my satisfaction, even for the sake of justice, so that people can believe in the courts.” 

BUSH PILOT HUGH PRYOR

PART 2 In last month’s story, Hugh recounts how he came to be flying far out into the Libyan desert to set up a Magnavox, the forerunner of the GPS receiver.

Now he had to get back to their remote camp – and a fearsome Gibli wind was beginning to raise a massive dust storm.

T

HE TRIP BACK FROM the Ubar Hills was one of those flights from which pilots' nightmares are generated. I could see that it was going to be a bit of a challenge, but at the back of my mind I always had the way out of going to Sebha, where the Instrument Landing System would always get us in, unless, for some impossible reason, it went unserviceable...and it wasn't until we were well past the Braspetro Rig that the big Russian cargo plane failed to get airborne from Sebha.

Not only did he fail to get airborne. He went right off the end of the runway in his desperate efforts to abort the take-off, removing the wheels of his left undercarriage and smashing the antennae of the Instrument Landing System.

FlightCom: October 2021

I could not climb up through the fury of the storm, otherwise I would lose sight of the ground and we would never find the camp. Our only hope was to keep going until we found some recognisable landmark.

He had kept a diary. You don't want to read it.

My 'Way out' had thus been neatly eliminated and we were by this time right in the thick of it. Visibility was down to about two hundred metres and we were being thrown around all over the place as the wind howled over the crests of the big dunes. Paul was, thankfully, speechless as we thrashed on southwards.

6

Above the sandstorm the sun still shone and by its dimmed light it was just possible to make out the hunched shoulders of red sand, braced like vast stationary waves in a raging red sea. Sand-spume spattered against the windscreen like dry spray.

Already we had been going for twenty eight minutes from the rig and I had not even seen the 'Double Ess', a white gypsum formation in the shape of two esses and they were still eight minutes north of the camp.

Maybe I had missed them in this mad maelstrom of screaming sand. Maybe we had been blown miles off course. I called on the long-range radio to try and find out the weather at Sebha, only to receive the disturbing information that Sebha Airport was closed due to the accident. Our windows of opportunity were closing

FlightCom: October 2021

7

Sebha Airport is right in the centre of Libya.

one by one. Paul, however, unaware of the significance of this information and by now totally resigned to his fate, had started to take a hesitant interest in what was going on.

I had to make a decision. If we just kept going until the fuel ran out, no-one would ever find us because we would not know our position ourselves, even if the radio did continue to function after our arrival on terra firma. My mind was haunted by the story of the "Lady Be Good", a B-24 Liberator bomber that returned to Northern Libya from a bombing raid on Italy. I think it was in 1943. They missed their home base at Benghazi because it was blacked out and covered with cloud.

They flew on, talking to Benghazi control the while, requesting QDMs, until their transmissions faded and they ran out of fuel about three hundred miles south west of Benghazi. The crew bailed out and the aircraft carried on, landing itself on auto-pilot, damaged, but very survivable. I've seen it.

Only the mid-upper gunner's parachute failed to open and he was killed on impact. The others survived to die an excruciating death from thirst. All the bodies were found about fifteen years later by seismic teams working for BP. The Captain's body was 122 kilometres from the aircraft, about fifteen short of a road frequented, at the time, by the British Eighth Army. He had kept a diary. You don't want to read it.

8

FlightCom: October 2021

No, we would definitely have to land as soon as possible, before we got too far away from the camp.

By this time the radio was swamped by static interference from the storm and we could not raise anyone to tell them of our plans. I just hoped they didn't try and send out a search party in these conditions otherwise we would have two parties to search for. I told Paul what I planned to do and with a shaky smile he appeared to accept that it was our only option.

And then, out of the corner of my eye I caught a fleeting glimpse of what I took to be a track. Definitely wheel ruts marked the hard sand of the old lake floor.

They led off into the red gloom to our right.

My mind was instantly made up. No time for an inspection run as we would lose the track. I hauled off the power and as the speed bled off I ran through the landing checks and wound down full flap. We touched down and stopped in a matter of yards with that wind.

We were right beside a Seismic Survey Line. I could see the wooden pegs sticking up out of the sand.

The surveyors wrote the station numbers on the bit of the peg which was buried under the sand and the writing stayed legible for years hidden from the effects of the sun and wind.

Paul turned to me, a weary smile creasing his eyes, "And now?"

"And now, Paul," I said, relief obviously showing all over my face, "You're the surveyor, so you have to pop over to that peg there, pull it out of the ground and tell us where we are." So saying, I feathered the propeller so that Paul could open his door without being blasted.

The wind was anyway doing its best to blow us away.

"Keep away from the prop! I shouted as he scrambled down the steps onto the ground And Paul, when you come back, get in the back door...it's easier."

Three Forty like tracker dogs, about twenty feet above the line. Around five minutes later we crossed Four Ninety and I cranked the aircraft round to the left, keeping my eyes glued on Four Ninety in case it tried to escape from us into the red fog.

Minutes later the rigid wind sock appeared out of the dust a hundred and fifty yards ahead of us, right on the nose. Tents and trailers also emerged from the red mist and we saw a pickup detach itself from the office trailer and hurry over towards the indistinct runway. We landed, parked the plane and I closed down the engine.

the rigid wind sock appeared out of the dust

Paul nodded and pulled his bush jacket over his head in a vain attempt to keep the sand out of his eyes as he struggled over to the peg. When he got to the line he pulled the peg out of the ground and huddled it inside the flapping folds of his jacket. Then he stabbed the peg back into the sand and made his way back to the plane. He slid open the back door and climbed in, slamming the door shut behind him.

"So, Professor," I said brightly. "Where are we?" " Line three forty, station eighty eight."

"And the camp?"

"Oh I couldn't tell you that without a map," said Paul, shaking his head.

"OK, Paul. Listen, line three forty crosses line four ninety somewhere to the west of the camp, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does." Paul replied, a gleam of an idea creeping into his eyes. "Seven point two miles to the north west, to be precise...and four ninety goes straight through the middle of the camp!"

So that's what we did. I unfeathered the propeller, glanced through the checks and we took off, following

I looked at Paul and said, "Thank you very much, Paul, you were a great help."

"Do you know, I think I almost enjoyed that!" said Paul.

"OK then Paul. As payment for the entertainment, could you give me a hand tying the old girl down before she goes off on her own?"

"My pleasure," he said, giving the plane an almost proprietary tap.

Heini, the Crew Chief greeted us as he got out of the pickup. "Thought you guys would never make it in this!" he said, scratching the sand in his hair.

"Joint effort," I said and left it at that.

When we got to the surveyors’ trailer, we went straight to the map on the wall at the far end. Station eightyeight on line Three Forty was a little less than four hundred metres due north of the camp. If we had kept going for another thirty seconds we would have flown right over it.

That's Giblis for you! 

FlightCom: October 2021

9

AIRLINE OPS MIKE GOUGH

LETTING THE

CAT OUT

For those who have been in the sharp end of anything that flies, you would be aware of those moments when things didn’t exactly go according to plan, whether it be by act, omission or just plain bad luck.

I

THINK I KICKED THINGS off in this regard at the very beginning of my flight training, on my first solo in 1989 in Pietermaritzburg. My extremely seasoned instructor and I had done around four circuits in the Cessna C150, when he abruptly announced ‘Stop! - I’m getting out’.

I claim I never heard the exact instruction, however as I was meant to do one circuit as sole occupant, I caused the instructor to grumpily climb the stairs to the (then) unmanned control tower to tell me on the radio to make it a full stop, as I had cheerfully done a touch and go and was intending to make it a whole session of solo circuits.

The VOR approach consisted of a procedure turn which usually resulted in us breaking cloud over the town of White River, and then turning inbound towards the airport. We would sometimes cancel our FlightCom: October 2021

Our escape plan, if required, was an immediate left turn, over the town and back down the valley. I only had to do this once, with a subsequent visual routing down the Crocodile Gorge to Malelane. I did however, have to spend half an hour explaining to the passengers why they could see their destination, but then ended up following the Crocodile River below the cloud and ending up somewhere else.

I was having immense fun flying the fantastic Boeing 737200

Fast forward to my first airline job, which was flying Let 410s out of Nelspruit airport – a place that is legend in terms of high terrain and significant weather. As the airport is somewhat elevated from the valley where the town is situated, it frequently would be shrouded in cloud while the valley would be clear.

10

instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and fly up the escarpment to squeeze in under the cloud and land visually.

My first ‘real’ airliner was the Queen of the Skies, the majestic Boeing 747 Classic.

What a shock to the system that type rating turned out to be – even as a third pilot. An epic three years on this aircraft literally flew past, with much fun and adventure involved.

A routine flight from Johannesburg to Bangkok turned not-so-routine as all three autopilots refused to engage after take-off. In true Cockpit Resource Management (CRM or trying to be nice to each other on the flight deck), as I was the most junior, I was immediately nominated to be the autopilot, and as this was prior to that oceanic airspace being nominated as

The 737-200 has lots of overhead switching and bleed selectors to get wrong.

RVSM (reduced vertical separation, which required an autopilot for altitude accuracy), I spent the next six hours getting pretty good at maintaining heading and altitude at thirty-five thousand feet.

At this time, with the First Officer fast asleep in the bunk, I was instructed by Paris ATC to commence our stepped descent to the Biggin Hill holding VOR beacon.

Not as easy as it sounds, and those who have ‘poled’ a large aircraft at high altitude know the careful touch it requires.

The FE decided he needed a quick chat to his wife who was accompanying us, so I duly descended and entered the holding pattern at Biggin, solo on the flight deck.

As Heathrow ATC required a slower speed, I found myself configuring the aircraft and slowing the huge 747-300 to 180 knots in the craziest of busy airspace.

Nobody was prepared to lose out on a Bangkok trip by returning for ‘just’ an autopilot issue…

I endured the ribbing and teasing from the crew for the first few hours as I warbled around 300 feet from the assigned altitude, and when I fixated on that, got called out for deviating half a mile from the Inertial Navigation System (INS) defined track.

With the Captain out of the flight deck, the Flight Engineer (FE) also decided he needed the loo, and finding myself alone I decided to try once again to attempt an autopilot engagement. Autopilot A immediately engaged in Command, and the flight path became somewhat more stable. On return to the flight deck, I was quizzed somewhat suspiciously by both Captain and FE as to what I had done to achieve that…

Another 747 ‘solo’ moment occurred during a descent into London Heathrow. This particular Captain fancied himself as quite the ladies’ man, and frequently spent a bit of time in First Class, chatting to the passengers.

At this stage, I started feeling very alone and was considering calling the missing crew members back over the Public Address system. I was pretty sure this would result in an admonishment from the boss, but he thankfully breezed in without me making the call, as we were cleared to leave the hold for the approach.

After filling him in as to our imminent approach, I was duly dispatched to find everyone.

A few years later, I had graduated to domestic First Officer, and was having immense fun flying the fantastic Boeing 737-200. Being fairly archaic, and in true Boeing Classic style, there was a fair amount of switching of electrics and bleed (pneumatic system) after engine start.

The electrical system required manual engagement of both engine-driven generators, to take over from the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that powers the system

FlightCom: October 2021

11

on the ground. This is the Captain’s task, as that panel is located immediately above his head. The FO (me in this case) is meant to monitor this while re-configuring the bleed system (above my head).

Mike was having so much fun on his first solo that he kept doing touch and goes.

This is then checked again while reading the After Start Checklist, so how we missed the generators being off is probably a classic human factor failure scenario.

Our standard procedure at the time was to take off with the APU on, to power the air conditioning pneumatically, and on this particular dark and stormy night, powering the electrical system by default.

After take-off, with immediate weather avoidance and associated distractions, I completed the required actions, and selected the APU off. The entire aircraft was plunged immediately into darkness, with just essential instruments on the Captain’s side powered temporarily by the battery.

This also meant loss of the weather radar, and illumination in the cabin of the emergency lighting system. We both knew exactly what we had screwed up, and while the Captain had his hands full with manual flying, I meekly reached over and engaged the engine generators.

It took several long seconds for all the systems to restore themselves, followed by a discussion between the two of us as to what excuse we could fabricate to the passengers.

The Airbus transition provided its unique set of surprises, to say the least.

As the A340-600 was new to everyone in the airline, we had a steep learning curve in terms of its various quirks.

One very dark (but pleasant) night saw me on the way back from Hong Kong, with the Captain in the bunk and the third pilot fast asleep in the Captain’s seat. This is referred to as ‘Controlled Rest on the Flight Deck’ and is officially approved in certain circumstances.

We were over the ocean, about 200 miles from the American Airforce base of Diego Garcia. The Airbus has an array of sounds to indicate a variety of happy or unhappy states that it finds itself in. One such sound is referred to as the Triple Click, which is exactly that.

This happens when the automatics have a degradation of an input, to alert the crew that something has changed.

Flying Let 410s into Nelspruit meant doing a cloud break over White River.

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FlightCom: October 2021

When the other pilot is sleeping it can be lonely in the cockpit.

Click click click. Not quite loud enough to wake up the slumbering third pilot, but certainly enough to capture my full attention. The autopilot remained engaged, although reading the Flight Mode Annunciator (FMA), which is a quick assessment of what mode the aircraft is in, indicated a significant degradation.

In this case, it had reverted from automatic navigation and altitude hold, to the most basic of autopilot modes, being heading and vertical speed. Much like being on a navigation exercise in a Cessna 172.

to the operation. A quick glance at the departure loadsheet gave our Zero Fuel Weight, to which I added our current Fuel on board, to give the FMS our gross weight.

I had no idea what our current centre of gravity was in terms of Mean Aerodynamic Chord. From experience at this phase of flight, I guessed around 37%, and tentatively inserted this value, not sure if I was going to ‘freak’ any system out – specifically the highly complex fuel system, as the aircraft pumps fuel around at lib to optimise the C of G.

I started feeling very alone

The Flight Management System (FMS) had dumped all data pertaining to this flight that is carefully and sequentially inputted on the ground, including the navigation flight plan, aircraft gross weight and centre of gravity information. Without this information, the highly computerised Airbus is a truly lost soul.

As the initialisation process (used on the ground) is cunningly not available with engines running, I had a bit of a head scratching moment. I only had around six months of experience on the aircraft (and the rest of the crew a bit less), and I had not seen this before.

The immediate concern was drifting off course. The Direct To function was available so it was direct to NKW (the VOR beacon at Diego Garcia) that I inserted, which was a short term patch to the problem.

As this super long aircraft was prone to centre of gravity issues, the weight and C of G was essential

My thumbsuck figure was accepted, and peace reigned momentarily. I learned later that once the aircraft knew its actual weight, it would do a quick mass and balance and work out where the C of G was with fuel distribution and trim position, altitude and Mach number. Too clever.

As I contemplated rebuilding the entire flight plan, I woke up my colleague, filled him in and got him typing. It only occurred to me as he finished twenty minutes later that I could have re-initialised through the secondary flight plan function. Oh well.

It happens all the time. I could probably write several more pages of issues that sometimes we got away with but other times everybody knew about. But then that would be letting the cat out of the bag… 

FlightCom: October 2021

13

DEFENCE DARREN OLIVIER

If solid evidence is required as to just how desperately underfunded the South African Air Force (SAAF) is, when one of its Oryx helicopters was recently hit by ground fire during the SADC mission in Mozambique there were no spare aircraft readily available to replace it.

Y

ET AT THE SAME TIME two Oryxes, serials 1234 and 1237, were being sent back to the Air Force from Denel, unserviced, because they had stood waiting and gathering dust at Denel's facilities for so many months that they were becoming a liability. There were even discussions within the SAAF about decommissioning both airframes, given how unlikely it is now that they could be returned to service, and handing one over to the Air Force Museum and using another as a training aid.

The removal process was temporarily halted, after 1234 had already returned to 17 Squadron at AFB Swartkop, with a new order from the Air Force changing their minds. They later issued an official statement saying that they intend to return the aircraft to service after major maintenance is complete, but despite that it seems certain that the decommissioning will still go ahead regardless in a few weeks or months, because there simply isn't enough funding and they're at the back of a long queue of other Oryxes & Rooivalks awaiting servicing.

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FlightCom: October 2021

What makes this unusual, and frustrating, is that these Oryxes weren’t waiting for so long, or planned for withdrawal, because they’re at the end of their service life, damaged beyond economic repair, or excess to needs. On the contrary, both helicopters have years of flying left in their airframes and main components, are in excellent condition, and the SAAF desperately needs more Oryxes to meet Joint Operations & training requirements.

As it is, there are only a pair of Oryxes in Mozambique for the SADC mission, despite a need for far more, because with five committed to the DRC and standby requirements in South Africa, there simply aren’t enough available.

So why were they being removed from Denel, and even potentially decommissioned? In short, because they flew to Denel for a scheduled major service many months ago and have since stood gathering dust, while most of their components were stripped off to keep other Oryxes flying. This is because of Denel’s

The SAAFs Gripens and Hawks are already being cannablised for spares.

ongoing crises of cash flow and lost expertise, coupled to declines in the South African Air Force’s budget, meant it had become effectively impossible to service them and return them to flight.

There isn’t sufficient money available to service or replace major components and other parts, so the ever-shrinking set of usable components and parts are rotated in a desperate effort to keep an ever-smaller fleet of aircraft flying.

1234 and 1237 are two of at least six Oryxes in a similar state at Denel, all waiting for major services and the reinstallation of major components and spares for which there simply is no longer sufficient money in the SAAF budget.

To some extent cannibalising is a normal process for any air force, especially toward the end of financial years, but it’s when it reaches the tipping point now evident in the SAAF that it becomes a problem and a self-reinforcing negative cycle with no end.

At this stage at least 25% of all the SAAF’s aircraft have been cannibalised beyond economic restoration, at least under current funding.

More will soon follow unless the SAAF is given a budget increase to match its size, mission, and mandate and to allow it to catch up on the backlog. Or unless the SAAF’s size, structure, units, capabilities, missions and mandates are shrunk to match the available budget, which would mean closing many squadrons and retiring many aircraft types. Even then a few years of increased funding would be required to restore the remaining fleets to full operational capability.

Already a number of Gripens and Hawks have been cannibalised

Worse, this affects all of the SAAF’s fleets, including its C-130BZs, Rooivalks, Gripens, Hawks, and A109s.

As the budget has been successively slashed each year far below what’s reasonable or sustainable for a force the size of the SAAF, and with the mandate it has for both internal and external missions, an increasing number of aircraft have been cannibalised for parts once reaching their major service intervals and never returned to the air.

Denel’s ongoing crisis has been another problem, causing higher costs, slow maintenance, missed supplier payments, and other blockers. If it collapses, as may very well happen, the impact on the SAAF will be swift and severe.

FlightCom: October 2021

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The SAAF BBJ is facing a potentially unaffordable C check.

So a decision must be made soon, because if the status quo continues the SAAF will become a hollow force unable to effectively use or deploy its assets. In some ways it already is, as recent exercises and operations have highlighted. But I fear worse is yet to come: National Treasury has indicated that it will cut the SAAF’s budget even further over the next three to five years, regardless of what the 2015 Defence Review or national policy states. And some political parties are demanding that the SAAF relocate from AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town at its own expense — despite the massive and unaffordable cost of doing so — in order to free up the land for low-cost housing.

If that goes ahead the hit on the SAAF’s operational budget will be disastrous.

on maintenance and component repair or replacement costs. Larger and more expensive maintenance events, such as major services, are postponed and slowed down to save costs, resulting in aircraft reaching their hour limits and then standing and waiting for months in most cases for their maintenance slot.

For a while that worked well enough, with the rotation remaining sustainable and fairly stable, while still providing for surge capability in the event of an emergency, new security threat, or major operation. But then National Treasury hit the SAAF with a further round of successive annual budget cuts, even as the missions the SAAF was required to undertake grew. The result has been a huge reduction in maintenance and spares budgets, and the rapid depletion of the pool of available and serviceable components, grounding more and more aircraft each year as the cycle takes hold.

It’s difficult to not be pessimistic about the future of the SA Air Force

For years the SAAF has been in full-blown austerity mode, intentionally keeping the number of serviceable aircraft at each squadron to the barest minimum to save

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FlightCom: October 2021

Already, the operational impact has been massive.

35 Squadron, in Cape Town, is able to operate only a single C-47TP for maritime surveillance at any given time, largely as a result of the cost of replacing engine cradles & control cables affected by a service advisory.

28 Squadron can simultaneously operate only two C-130BZs on a sustained basis, going up to three as a surge capability when maintenance periods, commitments, and luck all combine. Three of its aircraft, 404, 407, and 408 require so much money to return to service that they are considered nonoperational, and one (403) was lost in an accident at Goma, DRC last year.

2 Squadron and 85 Combat Flying School are in desperate straits, as the cost of just maintaining their support contracts with Saab and BAE Systems respectively swallow up virtually all of their allocation, and Line Replaceable Units and other spares still need to be procured separately and individually. Already a number of Gripens and Hawks have been cannibalised and would need hundreds of millions, if not billions, of Rand to return to service.

Central Flying School is struggling with aircraft availability as a result of new corrosion issues, always a problem with aircraft operating so close to the sea.

In normal times this would be fairly easy to resolve, but under current constraints it has been severely damaging to pupil pilot courses. Even the Silver Falcons were unable to fly as scheduled for some time.

The transport helicopter squadrons (15, 17, 19, 22, and 87 HFS) are all struggling with Oryx availability in particular, sometimes even being unable to keep sufficient aircraft available for base standby requirements. Denel’s issues have been a huge problem here especially, and the requirement to have five Oryxes in the DRC and two in Mozambique has limited the available number of aircraft available within South Africa. By some unofficial estimates, the actual number of operational Oryx helicopters may be down to 25 or 30 from the 51 originally procured.

16 Squadron is also badly affected by Denel’s issues and an insufficient budget, along with the need to keep three aircraft serviceable in the DRC for the UN mission there. At least one Rooivalk has been sitting at Denel for ages waiting for parts, for a maintenance Even the Rooivalk is becoming unsustainable.

FlightCom: October 2021

17

The SAAF Citations have long been grounded for years due to non-renewed maintenance contracts.

procedure that itself would take no more than a few days at most.

21 Squadron is facing a looming C-Check for Inkwazi, its VIP BBJ, and is struggling to bring its Falcon 50s back into service with the latest mandated avionics upgrades like ADS-B Out. Its two Citation 550s have been grounded indefinitely for over half a decade now and will never return to service. Its sole Falcon 900 has not flown in some time.

The situation is a little better for 41 Squadron, which are seeing decent availability from their Cessna C208 and Beech King Air fleets, both of which have been involved in supporting the SADC mission in Mozambique. 44 Squadron however is struggling to keep up enough flying to support all the requirements placed on it, which has a knock-on effect on currencies for Army units like 1 Parachute Battalion, 101 Air Supply Unit, and others who relied on them for ongoing training.

Worse, this is all just what it takes to keep the SAAF’s current aircraft operational. It does not take into

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FlightCom: October 2021

account the urgent need to replace many of the types in service, especially the C-130BZs and C-47TPs, or perform mid-life upgrades on others, like the Rooivalks. There is an acquisition project for each of the SAAF’s current aircraft listed on the Strategic Capital Acquisition Master Plan (SCAMP), its longterm planning document, but every single one has been halted indefinitely as a result of National Treasury taking away the Air Force’s allocation for the Special Defence Account. So increasingly tired aircraft in shrinking fleets are being pushed to the breaking point, with no relief in sight.

It’s difficult to not be cynical and pessimistic about the future of the SA Air Force given all these obstacles though, especially seeing as though the same warnings have been given many times over the past few years without any serious changes or improvement. We can only hope that the combination of new leadership at the top of the Air Force, the SANDF, the Defence Ministry, and the Finance Ministry brings a fresh mindset and new approaches to stave off disaster. 

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FlightCom: October 2021

19

FACE TO FACE

Wrenelle Stander left AASA after just 6 weeks to take up the CEO position at Wesgro.

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FlightCom: October 2021

In a surprise announcement, Ms Wrenelle Stander announced she is leaving her job as CEO of AASA – just 6 weeks after her arrival. Guy Leitch gets the inside story of this unexpected move.

M

S WRENELLE STANDER’S sudden and unexpected departure from the CEO position at the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) is the culmination of a tumultuous few years.

Her job before accepting the position of CEO at AASA was as the CEO of Comair, the operator of the British Airways’ franchise in South Africa and low cost carrier, kulula.com. She had joined Comair in October 2018, with perfectly bad timing - shortly before the arrival of a perfect storm. The airline’s fleet expansion was based on the Boeing 737 Max and then, within a year after the Max’s grounding, Covid hit.

Under those pressures it was inevitable that, in May 2020, the airline was forced into Business Rescue. Wrenelle had the unhappy task of steering the mortally wounded airline into its first loss – and finally an ownership takeover.

But, less than two months after getting her feet under her desk at AASA, Wrenelle unexpectedly announced that she was leaving – to take up a job at Wesgro in Cape Town. Wesgro has been an extraordinary success story as the agency tasked to mobilise investment in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. In particular, Wesgro’s Cape Air Access Initiative has been – up until the Covid-19 lockdown – a fantastic example of how important air connectivity is to a region’s growth.

Having operated at the top level in government, the aviation regulator and the private sector, Wrenelle has a unique set of skills. She began her career in the Department of Transport where she rose to become Chief Director of aviation and maritime regulation and also served as Deputy CEO of the SA Civil Aviation Authority.

She then became the Managing Director of South Africa’s Air Traffic Navigation Service (ATNS) and followed that in the multinational Sasol Gas business.

She has held executive and nonexecutive directorships on many boards.

The industry’s recovery is likely to be protracted.

Wrenelle left Comair at the end of December 2020 and soon a number of suitors were beating a path to her door with job offers. She accepted the position of CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) to replace the long-serving Chris Zweigenthal, who has retired to join his family in the USA.

Wrenelle’s experience as the CEO of a Southern African airline made her well-qualified to be CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).

In addition to being CEO of Comair, she has had a stellar career in aviation and corporate management. It was therefore a coup for AASA when they managed to recruit her, starting as CEO in July 2021.

Wrenelle has a BA (Hons) from the University of Cape Town, followed by an MBA from Oxford Brookes University in the UK. As a natural leader with a foundation of solid academic qualifications and CEO experience in the airline industry, she has a unique skills’ set. Asked what her particular talents are that make her a good candidate for the Wesgro CEO position, she says, "Finding the sweet spot in the nexus between government and industry is the thread that has strung together my various roles in the energy and aviation industries and is crucial to the vital role that the air transport industry fulfils.”

FlightCom: October 2021

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Wesgro has brought together an effective public-private sector partnership.

It is her appreciation of the key role of the airline industry in enabling broad economic growth that enticed Wrenelle to move across to Wesgro. “The prospect of joining Wesgro and taking overall accountability for positioning the Western Cape as one of the world’s leading regional economies is very stimulating. Joining Wesgro will allow me a challenging, yet exciting opportunity to plough back into the economy of the city where I was born,” she says.

Wrenelle has deep roots in the Western Cape. “I was born in Diep River in Cape Town and completed primary, secondary, as well as my tertiary education there. After 28 years of studying and working in Oxford, Pretoria and Johannesburg, I will be returning back home, to where my family still lives.”

She says, “I will certainly be able to leverage these skills to the full extent. Wesgro is uniquely positioned to provide a link between the public and private

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FlightCom: October 2021

sector to collaborate and ensure that the Western Cape economy is one of the world’s leading regional economies.”

When asked what attracted her enough to make the jump to Wesgro she says, “One of the biggest attractions for me is the platform Wesgro provides to make a difference to the lives of people who live and work in the Western Cape. Wesgro has a great reputation and has done really great work in attracting and retaining direct investment in the Western Cape; facilitating the growth of exports; as well as positioning and marketing the province as a competitive and sustainable tourism and film destination globally.”

Perhaps the biggest casualty in the sudden maelstrom has been AASA. The AASA CEO position was also one that would enable Wrenelle to make best use of her skill set. But she is fully aware that she is starting at a most difficult time. When she took the job she said, “Most analysts agree that the global industry

will emerge from the Covid-19 crisis with smaller and fewer airlines. However, in Africa, the drivers for air travel and air freight are more fundamental and remain undiminished by the crisis, for example: population growth and large distances between markets, which are often characterised by hostile terrain, with few navigable rivers, no long-distance rapid rail network and bottlenecks at land frontiers. We want to work with governments and industry to address those needs in a way that is economically, socially, commercially and environmentally sustainable.”

good value-for-money services for the benefit of their respective customers.”

When asked about the future role of AASA she said, “Aviation enables growth and drives socioeconomic integration. To maximise these benefits we need to accelerate the industry’s liberalisation and open up markets to increased competitive air connectivity.

Wesgro contributed R6 billion in direct tourism spend

Her vision for AASA has a remarkable congruence for her move to Wesgro. She says, “My vision is for an airline industry which connects as many customers with as many markets as possible; where publicly and privately owned airlines compete with clear rules, where regulators hold service providers accountable for safety and efficiency and where airlines, airports and air navigation providers deliver excellent and

“Africa is a large, diverse region, with economies all moving at different speeds.

As a result, the outcomes for African carriers will be heavily dependent on economic policies.

“Our industry’s recovery is likely to be protracted.

IATA forecasts a return to 2019 international traffic levels in 2024 and it is unlikely that Africa’s market will recover to its pre-pandemic levels of 115 million passengers (74 million international & 41 million domestic) overnight.

The Cape Air Access Initiative has opened up routes from around the world to bring people to Cape Town

FlightCom: October 2021

23

She readily acknowledges that; “Leaving AASA was never going to be easy. I will miss AASA’s wonderful team of people. Fortunately, I will still be working very closely with them, as well as colleagues in the aviation industry.”

Since its launch in 2015 the CAAI has launched 19 new air routes direct to Cape Town and facilitated 23 route expansions. This more than doubled seat capacity at Cape Town International Airport, adding almost 1.5 million two-way seats to the Cape Town network and contributing and estimated R6 billion in direct tourism spend.

One of Wesgro’s biggest success stories has been the Cape Air Access Initiative (CAAI). This is expected to be the project where she will be able to add most value. Wrenelle will join Wesgro after handing over to her She says, “The Cape Air Access Initiative focuses on successor at AASA.  broadening the Western Cape’s international air access and growing the tourism sector, which is largely built on visiting international tourists.”

Wesgros Cape Air Access Iinititaive has been a remarkable success.

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FlightCom: October 2021

Any RPG's please advise.....

NEWS

SAA TO CO-OPERATE

WITH KQ

South African Airways (SAA) has announced it is signing a memorandum of co-operation with Kenya Airways (KQ) “with a longer-term view to co-starting a PanAfrican Airline Group that in time will enhance mutual growth potential by taking advantage of strengths of the two airlines’ busy hubs.”

S

AA INTERIM CEO Thomas Kgokolo, said; “Part of SAA’s core remit is to be a significant enabler of business and trade in Africa and it’s through a strategic understanding like this that real progress will be made in advancing South Africa and the continent’s growth.”

Mr. Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways’ CEO, highlighted the partnership’s significance in turning around the fortunes of both KQ and SAA. “The future of aviation and its long-term sustenance is hinged on partnership and collaboration. Kenya Airways and South African Airways collaboration will enhance customer benefits by availing a larger combined passenger and cargo network, fostering the exchange of expertise, innovation, best practices, and adopting home-grown organic solutions to technical and operational challenges.”

Kgokolo says the partnership will help improve customer experience by offering a wider range of choices and destinations. The cooperation will also help in the standardisation of product and service offering that is in line with current global aviation trends.

Working with Kenya Airways he says will also harness internal resources and capacities leading to sustainable and cost-effective growth. This includes shared services in the areas of route networks, fleet, and capacity deployment; exploring economic, technical as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul opportunities to achieve economies of scale.

KQ and SAA have announced a co-operation agreement.

Kgokolo says collaboration will also assist both airlines in the current and post-pandemic business and travel environment. This he says involves joint recovery strategies and other cost containment strategies that will aid recovery of both carriers in an increasing competitive African airline environment. This agreement does not offer an exclusivity that precludes either of the airlines from pursuing commercial co-operation with other carriers within the current route network strategy.

Kgokolo believes the memorandum will also help the tourism sectors in both countries in time creating the most formidable airline in Africa, benefiting from at least two attractive hubs in Johannesburg, Nairobi and possibly Cape Town.

Kgokolo says the next step is for both parties to set up a joint working group to further discuss the memorandum and to put in place systems to achieve their joint stated objectives. 

FlightCom: October 2021

25

NEWS

MUNETSI BECOMES

AASA CEO

Former SAA Acting CCO Aaron Munetsi has been appointed as CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), with effect from 27 September 2021.

M

R AARON MUNETSI replaces Ms Wrenelle Stander who, in a surprise move, left AASA after just a few months, to take up a position with Wesgro, promoting and developing in tourism and economic development in the Western Cape.

“Aaron is reputed for his industry knowledge and formidable network of relationships that he has built over his more than 30 years of commercial and aeropolitical experience in the airline industry. He has worked in Southern, Eastern and West Africa as well as the Middle East for airlines in the public and private sector, with industry bodies and as a consultant on aeropolitical affairs, all of which make him a natural fit and a great asset for AASA as its new CEO,” explained AASA Chairperson, Elmar Conradie.

"I am looking forward to leading AASA and building on the solid base that has been prepared by my predecessors and their team. I intend to apply my broad industry experience to finding common ground with policy makers, legislators, regulators and our industry partners in developing solutions to the key issues facing airlines throughout the Southern Africa Development Community,” said Mr Munetsi.

Aaron Munetsi holds diplomas and certificates in marketing, strategic management and leadership from the University of Zimbabwe, University of Witwatersrand Graduate Business School and the Gordon Institute for Business Studies.

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FlightCom: October 2021

He held several commercial management positions at South African Airways, including Regional Manager for Africa and the Middle East and as its Acting Chief Commercial Officer. For 10 years, Mr Munetsi served on the board of Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Business and after leaving SAA in 2018 he joined the African Airlines Association as Director: Government, Legal and Industry Affairs. For the past year he has been working as an aeropolitical and business strategy advisor to airlines. 

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Many have the goal of starting an aviation venture with the purpose of moving people and freight but lack the specific knowledge, insights and connections on how best to implement the structure and administration of the business, as well as safety and quality standards.

Each of these areas must be organised and guided by written reference, and when structured correctly, the documents become the operating life blood of the company.

For investors in Zimbabwean aviation, both local or regional – whether providing transport for mining staff, holiday resorts or private corporate individuals,

applying for the necessary licences and permits and establishing the required manuals for Aircraft Operating Companies, Air Service Permits, or aircraft maintenance agreements, may be a daunting task.

A frequently asked question is whether you can modify an aircraft for specific needs, such as passenger entertainment. Without a guide through the complex regulatory environment this can be a difficult questions to answer.

In addition, selecting staff and fulfilling the mandatory legal requirements for effective long-term activity is a process which requires local knowledge.

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FlightCom: October 2021

27

AA-Aviation hosted their 2021 conference and demostrated this new Air Tractor AT 502XP.

AG AVIATION AFRICA AIR TRACTOR CONFERENCE

–

Garth Calitz

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FlightCom: October 2021

The agricultural sector in South Africa has been enjoying boom years on the back of strong market prices, good rainfall in some areas and strong product demand. This has spurred capital investment in the latest agricultural aircraft.

FlightCom: October 2021

29

A

KEY BENEFICIARY of investment in agri-aircraft has been AG Aviation Africa, the agents for Air Tractor. To further build their position in this specialised market, AG Aviation laid on a conference of Air Tractor operators.

The 2021 AG Aviation Africa conference was held at Bona Bona Game Lodge in the heart of the African Bushveld, between Klerksdorp and Wolmaransstad.

Bona Bona features a new tarred 1300 metre long, 11.2 meters wide runway (17/35), making it ample for the conference delegates and demo flights.

the arable land in the world but contributes just 1% of global agricultural production. “Africa has great potential but no one can eat potential,” he said. It was not all doom and gloom though as South Africa is fulfilling some of that potential and has become the largest citrus supplier in the world. He said that this proves that agriculture, with the right management, has a bright future which in turn, translates to a strong future for agricultural aviation.

digitalisation drive-by AG Aviation Africa

AG Aviation Africa Managing Director Matt Kritzinger and Graham Wells, Chief Operating Officer welcomed delegates, who were treated to a sunset water bombing and spraying display by two newly delivered Air Tractor 502XPs.

At dinner Mr Omri van Zyl the CEO of Agri Enterprises painted a bleak picture of African agriculture. He pointed out that Africa possesses roughly 67% of all

Tuesday morning the conference began with a very well attended workshop hosted by Pratt and Whitney. The full range of Air Tractors is fitted with Pratt and Whitney power-plants, raging from the AT-402B, delivering 680 shaft hp to the AT-802A’s 1295 shaft HP.

Kaval Shah, Regional Sales Manager for Sub-Sahara Africa was joined by Roberto Galant, Field Service manager for East and Southern Africa and Herman Strating Field Service Manager for Southern and Western Africa. The interaction with the field operators

Ag-Aviation's Graham Wells and Matt Kritzinger hosted the conference.

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FlightCom: October 2021

Pratt & Whitney's Herman Strating, Kaval Shah and Norberto Galant.

prompted lively discussion and many ideas were explored on how Pratt and Whitney may improve their offering to the agricultural aviation sector.

At lunch, served on the deck overlooking a waterhole, three White Rhinos and a herd of Kudu Bulls enthralled the foreign visitors and a rare Sable Antelope could be seen grazing in the distance.

After lunch speaker, Dr Peter Johnston, a Climate Impact Researcher from the University of Cape Town, painted an alarming picture of the position the agricultural sector will be in if drastic intervention is not implemented as soon as possible. While his insights were not of the total apocalypse scenarios sketched by alarmists, there were clear warnings for the agricultural sector.

to complement this. The consensus of opinion was that operators of Air Tractors throughout Africa stand to benefit greatly from the forward-thinking of the AG Aviation Africa team.

The four hours of intense interaction with the field operators prompted lively discussion. Many fresh ideas were explored on how Pratt & Whitney may enhance their offering to agricultural aviation, plus there were many other fascinating proposals that will be fed back to Pratt & Whitney for global development.

Dr Peter Johnston delivered an eye-opening presentation on climate change.

Matt Kritzinger and Graham Wells took to the floor and laid out their plans for AG Aviation Africa. This included their vision to standardise the operation of Air Tractors throughout Africa, whether it be for crop maximization, vector control (as with the current locust problem in North Africa) or wild-fire control.

AG Aviation is establishing a world-class training academy in Stellenbosch which will further assist operators to standardise the industry for maximum efficiency at an operational level, A full Air Tractor procedural simulator is expected to arrive in October

FlightCom: October 2021

31

And example of this forward thinking is the move into the fourth Industrial Revolution and AG Aviation Africa showed they are not being left behind. Mr Edward Whitton has taken on the challenge of creating a comprehensive mobile App aptly named AG4 to manage all aspects of Air Tractor operations. Whitton has successfully created a similar application for the management of Toyota services in Saudi Arabia, which is the largest Toyota market in the world. The app will pre-empt what parts and services will be needed in the future, based on the operator's specific conditions and operation frequency. The app will have the ability to inform the factory what parts will be needed in future, greatly limiting downtime due to parts availability. AG4 will create maintenance scheduling and assist in the management process of their entire Air Tractor fleet.

a strong future for agricultural aviation.

Next up was Scott Smith from Lloyds Aviation brokerage. Smith currently heads up the Aviation Department of Lloyds in London concentrating on South Africa, Africa, Mexico, Eastern European and Central Asian business. Scott highlighted the daily battles he wages with the insurance industry in an attempt to get them to understand that AG aircraft are essential services for the sustainability of the human race and should be treated uniquely whether they are performing crop spraying, vector control or fighting fires.

Final speaker Dr Anthon Botha is a physicist, strategist and future thinker. He reviewed the future of crop spraying and other aerial technologies supported by the Air Tractor platform. Although Anthon accepts that the future cannot be predicted, he explained how stakeholders can create the future for the collective businesses by creating models of future landscapes and using mindtime travel to generate a preferred space in that future. “The digital world of the 4th Industrial

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FlightCom: October 2021

ABOVE: Anthon Botha announced a new App for Air Tractor operators.

BELOW: Edward Whitton spoke on the impact of the 4th IR.

Omri van Zyl, CEO of Agri Enterprises, painted a bleak picture of African agriculture's wasted potential.

Revolution will be brought to us by embracing data, building digital twins to create a ubiquitous companion for support, and to ensure that cyber and physical aspects get held close together as humans and machines co-work in intelligent environments. This digitalisation drive by AG Aviation Africa will further build the AG community, introducing their culture of market support and extend existing trust. The future has arrived and jointly everyone should enter it with an excitement that will shape all our tomorrows” Anthon concluded.

After the conference sessions the delegates made their way to the airfield where they were once again treated to a sunset display flown by veteran ag-pilot Hennie Viviers in a new AT-502XP. It was widely agreed that this was an exceptionally successful conference. A common comment was that the future of agricultural aerial applications and in particular AG Aviation, although facing challenges, is on a solid footing. 

Another freshly delivered AT 502XP at Bona Bona.

FlightCom: October 2021

33

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FlightCom: October 2021

LETTERS

SAA BRUSSELS VACCINE FLIGHT As a born and bred Capetonian I remember the high esteem we held SAA in and the excellent service it provided. The last time I flew SAA was in 2003 or 2004 but found the service very poor so never used them again.

I seem to remember around this time there were complaints from the government that the requirements for training pilots were too strict and biased and they were going to change the application procedure. Which brings me to my point. What has been the outcome of the "well trained" pilots and crew of an Airbus A340 who miss-calculated their take-off weight on jolly to Belgium (to collect Covid vaccines)? They (I think) tried to hide this incident or at least didn't report it. The incident was picked up by Rolls Royce and Airbus.

I notice another flight was prevented from take-off recently over safety concerns. An aircraft and crew capable of carrying 50 odd tons of cargo to fetch less than one and a half tons? No wonder they went bust.

Finally, I had an uncle who flew the last two years of the war for Mosquito Bomber Command doing daylight raids into Germany. His youngest son was desperate to join SAAF but failed the entrance qualifications.

My uncle pulled some strings and eventually his son was accepted. He was later lost at sea in an aircraft. That's why it is vitally important for the strict examination of ability, especially for a commercial airline pilot. Another uncle, the late Ralph Aitchison, flew a Marauder during the war.

John Parkes East Sussex

Dear Mr Parkes I formally asked the SACAA about whether the so-called alpha floor exceedance for the Brussels vaccine flight was treated as an investigable incident by the CAA. They replied that as it was a flight procedures incident it was investigated internally by the SAA flight ops division and no findings had to be made public. It should be noted that there was a known glitch in the flight planning software that led to the incorrect weights being entered and thus an excessively reduced thrust applied for take-off.

Guy



GETTING AN ACCIDENT REPORT REVISED I was a pilot involved in an aircraft crash February 2021. The SACAA accident investigation report came out with a lot of BS statements in the report.

The SACAA makes me out to be the idiot pilot in this accident. Maybe you could direct me, how to go about re-evaluating this accident report.

Thank you.

Denis Howe

Dear Denis Has the final accident report already been issued? Or just the preliminary? If the final has been issued you will have to build a case of compelling evidence as to why the initial report was wrong. But it has been done - have a look at Jim Davis’s revised analysis in the October 2020 issue of SA Flyer about the Cessna 185 crash at Syferfontein about 20 years ago, where the original accident report was completely overturned by the very determined father of the pilot.

Guy



FlightCom: October 2021

35

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FLIGHT SAFETY THROUGH MAINTENANCE

FlightCom: October 2021

39

BACKPAGE DIR DIRECT ECTORY ORY A1A Flight Examiner (Loutzavia) Jannie Loutzis 012 567 6775 / 082 416 4069 jannie@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Adventure Air Lande Milne 012 543 3196 / Cell: 066 4727 848 l.milne@venture-sa.co.za www.ventureglobal.biz 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

Algoa Flying Club Sharon Mugridge 041 581 3274 info@algoafc.co.za www.algoafc.co.za Alpha One Aviation Opelo 082 301 9977 on@alphaoneaviation.co.za www.alphaoneaviation.co.za

Alpi Aviation SA Dale De Klerk 082 556 3592 dale@alpiaviation.co.za www.alpiaviation.co.za Aref Avionics Hannes Roodt 082 462 2724 arefavionics@border.co.za

Comporob Composite Repair & Manufacture Felix Robertson 072 940 4447 083 265 3602 comporob@lantic.net www.comporob.co.za Corporate-Aviators/Affordable Jet Sales Mike Helm 082 442 6239 corporate-aviators@iafrica.com www.corporate-aviators.com C. W. Price & Co Kelvin L. Price 011 805 4720 cwp@cwprice.co.za www.cwprice.co.za

Dart Aeronautical Jaco Kelly 011 827 8204 dartaero@mweb.co.za

Dart Aircraft Electrical Aerocore Atlas Aviation Lubricants Mathew Joubert Jacques Podde Steve Cloete 011 827 0371 082 565 2330 011 917 4220 Dartaircraftelectrical@gmail.com jacques@aerocore.co.za Fax: 011 917 2100 www.dartaero.co.za www.aerocore.co.za Sales.aviation@atlasoil.co.za

DJA Aviation Insurance Aero Engineering & PowerPlant www.atlasoil.africa 011 463 5550 Andre Labuschagne ATNS 0800Flying 012 543 0948 Percy Morokane mail@dja-aviation.co.za aeroeng@iafrica.com 011 607 1234 www.dja-aviation.co.za

percymo@atns.co.za Aero Services (Pty) Ltd www.atns.com Dynamic Propellers Chris Scott Andries Visser 011 395 3587 Aviation Direct 011 824 5057 chris@aeroservices.co.za Andrea Antel 082 445 4496 www.aeroservices.co.za 011 465 2669 andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za

www.dynamicpropellers.co.za Aeronav Academy info@aviationdirect.co.za www.aviationdirect.co.za Donald O’Connor Eagle Aviation Helicopter Division 011 701 3862 BAC Aviation AMO 115 Tamryn van Staden info@aeronav.co.za Micky Joss 082 657 6414 www.aeronav.co.za 035 797 3610 tamryn@eaglehelicopter.co.za monicad@bacmaintenance.co.za www.eaglehelicopter.co.za Aeronautical Aviation

Clinton Carroll Blackhawk Africa Eagle Flight Academy 011 659 1033 / 083 459 6279 Cisca de Lange Mr D. J. Lubbe clinton@aeronautical.co.za 083 514 8532 082 557 6429 www.aeronautical.co.za cisca@blackhawk.aero training@eagleflight.co.za www.blackhawk.aero www.eagleflight.co.za Aerotric (Pty) Ltd Richard Small Blue Chip Flight School Elite Aviation Academy 083 488 4535 Henk Kraaij Jacques Podde aerotric@aol.com 012 543 3050 082 565 2330 bluechip@bluechip-avia.co.za info@eliteaa.co.za Aircraft Assembly and Upholstery Centre www.bluechipflightschool.co.za www.eliteaa.co.za Tony/Siggi Bailes

082 552 6467 Border Aviation Club & Flight School Enstrom/MD Helicopters anthony@rvaircraft.co.za Liz Gous Andrew Widdall www.rvaircraft.co.za 043 736 6181 011 397 6260

admin@borderaviation.co.za aerosa@safomar.co.za Aircraft Finance Corporation & Leasing www.borderaviation.co.za www.safomar.co.za Jaco Pietersen

+27 [0]82 672 2262 Breytech Aviation cc Era Flug Flight Training jaco@airfincorp.co.za 012 567 3139 Pierre Le Riche Jason Seymour Willie Breytenbach 021 934 7431 +27 [0]82 326 0147 admin@breytech.co.za info@era-flug.com jason@airfincorp.co.za www.era-flug.com www.airfincorp.co.za Bundu Aviation Phillip Cronje Execujet Africa Aircraft General Spares 083 485 2427 011 516 2300 Eric or Hayley info@bunduaviation.co.za enquiries@execujet.co.za 084 587 6414 or 067 154 2147 www.bunduaviation.co.za www.execujet.com eric@acgs.co.za or hayley@acgs.co.za www.acgs.co.za Celeste Sani Pak & Inflight Products Federal Air Steve Harris Rachel Muir Aircraft Maintenance @ Work 011 452 2456 011 395 9000 Opelo / Frik admin@chemline.co.za shuttle@fedair.com 012 567 3443 www.chemline.co.za www.fedair.com frik@aviationatwork.co.za_ opelonke@aviationatwork.co.za Cape Aircraft Interiors Ferry Flights int.inc.

Sarel Schutte Michael (Mick) Schittenhelm Aircraft Maintenance International 021 934 9499 082 442 6239 Pine Pienaar michael@wcaeromarine.co.za ferryflights@ferry-flights.com 083 305 0605 www.zscai.co.za www.ferry-flights.com gm@aminternational.co.za Aircraft Maintenance International Wonderboom Thomas Nel 082 444 7996 admin@aminternational.co.za Air Line Pilots’ Association Sonia Ferreira 011 394 5310 alpagm@iafrica.com www.alpa.co.za

Airshift Aircraft Sales Eugene du Plessis 082 800 3094 eugene@airshift.co.za www.airshift.co.za Airvan Africa Patrick Hanly 082 565 8864 airvan@border.co.za www.airvan.co.za

40

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

Fireblade Aviation 010 595 3920 info@firebladeaviation.com www.firebladeaviation.com

Flight Training College Cornell Morton 044 876 9055 ftc@flighttrainning.co.za www.flighttraining.co.za

Flight Training Services Amanda Pearce Chemetall 011 805 9015/6 Wayne Claassens amanda@fts.co.za 011 914 2500 www.fts.co.za wayne.claassens@basf.com

www.chemetall.com Fly Jetstream Aviation Henk Kraaij Chem-Line Aviation & Celeste Products 083 279 7853 Steve Harris charter@flyjetstream.co.za 011 452 2456 www.flyjetstream.co.za sales@chemline.co.za www.chemline.co.za Century Avionics cc Carin van Zyl 011 701 3244 sales@centuryavionics.co.za www.centuryavionics.co.za

FlightCom: October 2021

Flying Frontiers Craig Lang 082 459 0760 CraigL@fairfield.co.za www.flyingfrontiers.com Flying Unlimited Flight School (Pty) Ltd Riaan Struwig 082 653 7504 / 086 770 8376 riaan@ppg.co.za www.ppg.co.za Foster Aero International Dudley Foster 011 659 2533 info@fosteraero.co.za www.fosteraero.co.za

Gemair Andries Venter 011 701 2653 / 082 905 5760 andries@gemair.co.za GIB Aviation Insurance Brokers Richard Turner 011 483 1212 aviation@gib.co.za www.gib.co.za Gryphon Flight Academy Jeffrey Von Holdt 011 701 2600 info@gryphonflight.co.za www.gryphonflight.co.za

Guardian Air 011 701 3011 082 521 2394 ops@guardianair.co.za www.guardianair.co.za

Heli-Afrique cc Tino Conceicao 083 458 2172 tino.conceicao@heli-afrique.co.za

Henley Air Andre Coetzee 011 827 5503 andre@henleyair.co.za www.henleyair.co.za 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

Integrated Avionic Solutions Gert van Niekerk 082 831 5032 gert@iasafrica.co.za www.iasafrica.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 Kishugu Aviation +27 13 741 6400 comms@kishugu.com www.kishugu.com/kishugu-aviation

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

MS Aviation Gary Templeton 082 563 9639 gary.templeton@msaviation.co.za www.msaviation.co.za

North East Avionics Keith Robertson +27 13 741 2986 keith@northeastavionics.co.za deborah@northeastavionics.co.za www.northeastavionics.co.za Landing Eyes Orsmond Aviation Gavin Brown 058 303 5261 031 202 5703 info@orsmondaviation.co.za info@landingeyes.co.za www.orsmondaviation.co.za www.landingeyes.com

Owenair (Pty) Ltd Lanseria Aircraft Interiors Clive Skinner Francois Denton 082 923 9580 011 659 1962 / 076 810 9751 clive.skinner@owenair.co.za francois@aircraftcompletions.co.za www.owenwair.co.za Lanseria International Airport Pacair Mike Christoph Wayne Bond 011 367 0300 033 386 6027 mikec@lanseria.co.za pacair@telkomsa.net www.lanseria.co.za Kzn Aviation (Pty) Ltd Melanie Jordaan 031 564 6215 mel@kznaviation.co.za www.kznaviation.co.za

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

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

Litson & Associates (Pty) Ltd OGP, BARS, Resources Auditing & Aviation Training karen.litson@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 21 8517187 www.litson.co.za

Pipistrel Kobus Nel 083 231 4296 kobus@pipistrelsa.co.za www.pipistrelsa.co.za

Litson & Associates Risk Management Services (Pty) Ltd. eSMS-S/eTENDER/ eREPORT/Advisory Services karen.litson@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 Lowveld Aero Club Pugs Steyn 013 741 3636 Flynow@lac.co.za Marshall Eagle Les Lebenon 011 958 1567 les@marshalleagle.co.za www.marshalleagle.co.za Maverick Air Charters Chad Clark 083 292 2270 Charters@maverickair.co.za www.maverickair.co.za MCC Aviation Pty Ltd Claude Oberholzer 011 701 2332 info@flymcc.co.za www.flymcc.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 Money Aviation Angus Money 083 263 2934 angus@moneyaviation.co.za www.moneyaviation.co.za

Plane Maintenance Facility Johan 083 300 3619 pmf@myconnection.co.za Precision Aviation Services Marnix Hulleman 012 543 0371 marnix@pasaviation.co.za www.pasaviation.co.za

PSG Aviation Reon Wiese 0861 284 284 reon.wiese@psg.co.za www.psg aviation.co.za Rainbow SkyReach (Pty) Ltd Mike Gill 011 817 2298 Mike@fly-skyreach.com www.fly-skyreach.com

Rand Airport Stuart Coetzee 011 827 8884 stuart@randairport.co.za www.randairport.co.za

Robin Coss Aviation Robin Coss 021 934 7498 info@cossaviation.com www.cossaviation.co.za SAA Technical (SOC) Ltd SAAT Marketing 011 978 9993 satmarketing@flysaa.com www.flysaa.com/technical SABRE Aircraft Richard Stubbs 083 655 0355 richardstubbs@mweb.co.za www.aircraftafrica.co.za SA Mooney Patrick Hanly 082 565 8864 samooney@border.co.za www.samooney.co.za Savannah Helicopters De Jager 082 444 1138 / 044 873 3288 dejager@savannahhelicopters.co.za www.savannahhelicopters.co.za Scenic Air Christa van Wyk +264 612 492 68 windhoek@scenic-air.com www.scenic-air.com Sheltam Aviation Durban Susan Ryan 083 505 4882 susanryan@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com Sheltam Aviation PE Brendan Booker 082 497 6565 brendanb@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com

Sky-Tech Heinz Van Staden 082 720 5210 sky-tech@telkomsa.net www.sky-tech.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

Unique Air Charter Nico Pienaar 082 444 7994 nico@uniqueair.co.za www.uniqueair.co.za

Unique Flight Academy Nico Pienaar 082 444 7994 nico@uniqueair.co.za www.uniqueair.co.za

Van Zyl Aviation Services Colette van Zyl 012 997 6714 admin@vanzylaviationco.za www.vanzylaviation.co.za

Vector Aerospace Jeff Poirier +902 888 1808 jeff.poirier@vectoraerospace.com www.vectoraerospace.com Velocity Aviation Collin Pearson 011 659 2306 / 011 659 2334 collin@velocityaviation.co.za www.velocityaviation.co.za

Southern Rotorcraft cc Mr Reg Denysschen Tel no: 0219350980 sasales@rotors-r-us.com www.rotors-r-us.com Sport Plane Builders Pierre Van Der Walt 083 361 3181 pmvdwalt@mweb.co.za

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Status Aviation (Pty) Ltd Richard Donian 074 587 5978 / 086 673 5266 info@statusaviation.co.za www.statusaviation.co.za

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

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

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

The Copter Shop Bill Olmsted 082 454 8555 execheli@iafrica.com www.execheli.wixsite.com/the-coptershop-sa Titan Helicopter Group 044 878 0453 info@titanhelicopters.com www.titanhelicopters.com TPSC Dennis Byrne 011 701 3210 turboprop@wol.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

Trio Helicopters & Aviation cc CR Botha or FJ Grobbelaar 011 659 1022

stoffel@trioavi.co.za/frans@trioavi.co.za

www.trioavi.co.za

Tshukudu Trailers Pieter Visser 083 512 2342 deb@tshukudutrailers.co.za www.tshukudutrailers.co.za U Fly Training Academy Nikola Puhaca 011 824 0680 ufly@telkomsa.net www.uflyacademy.co.za

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

FlightCom: October 2021

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