SA Flyer Magazine January 2025

HAWKER HUNTER

JIM –LEARN SLOW FLYING!

• Guy: Best and the Worst of 2024

• Jannie Matthysen – Living in a Trailer Park

• Peter Garrison: Make Aviation Great Again!

• CC Pocock –FAA approves what the CAA would not!

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POSITION REPORT

WELCOME TO OUR JANUARY HOLIDAY

issue! As usual we have something for everyone and our special treat for Christmas is a detailed flight report and great photos of Ron Wheeldon’s spectacular Hawker Hunter.

How has the past year been?

A year ago I wrote, “For many [2023] has been a particularly tough year, what with war in the Ukraine and Israel, load shedding, a collapsing Rand and sky-high fuel and food prices.” And now a year has passed and, with the happy exception of load shedding, the rest of that litany of woes continues.

The general aviation industry is battling along, suffering under high fuel prices and maintenance costs due to the weaker Rand and the lack of appetite for fixed investment in our country – even for assets as movable as aircraft.

Of particular note is that the airline industry is taking a hammering.

ATNS dismally failed to renew more than 320 of its published procedures and so the airlines cannot use them when the weather requires IFR. ACSA is failing just as badly in not having provided an alternative fuel delivery system at OR Tambo as a back up to the inevitable failure of a single point system. My one wish for Christmas is that these incompetent CEOs, who were appointed by cronies, get replaced by those who can actually do the job.

Meanwhile parliament’s attention seeking politicians are calling for an investigation into the high airfare prices. And FlySafair is obdurately fighting its competitors over its illegal foreign ownership percentage.

During the year I alerted readers to ‘Crushem’s Law’ proposed by UCT academic David Benatar which holds that bad people drive out good ones.

This is nowhere more evident than ATNS, where a toxic work environment, coupled with the promotion of incompetents, has driven out what few experts there still were in IFR Procedure management.

Guy Leitch another parastatal dog show

So now tens of thousands of people’s travel plans have been smashed. Furthermore, the airlines efforts at on time performance has been rendered pointless. ATNS has revealed itself to be just another parastatal dog show.

So too has ACSA in not being able to provide just the basics – which is a reliable fuel supply, should its only fuel delivery system develop a fault.

As we come to the end of 2024, I take the opportunity to look back on what has been a difficult year for our small team at SA Flyer. In September, our Sales Manager Mr Howard Long left us and we welcome Ms Kerry Matthysen, who has stepped into Howard’s shoes.

It is darkest before the dawn. I hope and pray that 2025 will be better and wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

j

SALES MANAGER

Kerry Matthysen sales@saflyermag.co.za 082 572 9473

TRAFFIC

Kerry Matthysen traffic.admin@saflyermag.co.za

ACCOUNTS

Angelique Joubert accounts@saflyermag.co.za

EDITOR

Guy Leitch guy@saflyermag.co.za

PUBLISHER

Guy Leitch guy@saflyermag.co.za

PRODUCTION & LAYOUT

Patrick Tillman www.imagenuity.co.za design@saflyermag.co.za

CONTRIBUTORS

Jim Davis

Peter Garrison

Hugh Pryor

CONTRIBUTORS CONTINUED

John Bassi

Morne Booij-Liewes

Laura McDermid

Darren Olivier

Jeffrey Kempston

ILLUSTRATIONS

Darren Edward O'Neil

Joe Pieterse

WEB MASTER

Emily Kinnear

tailBeaconX panel display. With seamless integration, advanced features, and reliability at your fingertips, the destinations are uAvionix—your key to opening the skies.

CC POCOCK MAKES HISTORY

LETTERS

GRAHAM FIG: NYC

Hi Guy

Always a great mag - especially enjoyed the article on the PT6 which is terrifically reliable.

There is a fabulous Canadian folklore story as to how it was named. In the early years - when P&W were looking at various options, they chanced across the Trans Canadian pipeline used for pumping crude oil across the continent.

They came across a particular turbine engine that the engineers discovered had been running for over 30k hours nonstop! This was found on the 6th Pump station of the oil pipeline; hence Pump Turbine #6 or PT6.

(SACAA/ATO/1522)

I cannot find substantiation to this explanation but if even half true is a wonderful story!

Graham Fig New York

PROF JOHANN COETZEE

An absolute joy

Still an absolute joy receiving some quality aviation footage.

Do keep going!

Groete, Prof Johann Coetzee. j

STICK N THROTTLE AVIATION

STICK N THROTTLE AVIATION FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL is based in the picturesque Western Cape, at Morningstar airfield. Quietly tucked away in a well-equipped hangar with office facilities as the base of operations. Based at this airfield is the well-known Morningstar Flying Club, which has a traditional family environment with excellent typical flying facilities. The location is a perfect flight training airfield, quiet to allow training without too many distractions, yet the airfield is busy with aircraft movements. Morningstar is only five minutes flight time to the General Flying Area as well as Cape Town International Airport with all the facilities for advanced training. All of this with the silhouette view of Table Mountain as the key reference point for VFR operations.

Flight training is only as good as the experience, knowledge and passion of the instructors. Stick n Throttle prides itself by excelling in all these basic requirements with specialists in each area. Ground school as well as flight training instruction is delivered with the emphasis on quality, not quantity. Ground schooling for all licenses and ratings, NPL through CPL and Instrument ratings are offered. Courses are presented by specialists on each curriculum topic by specialists who ensure that all instruction material is understood and applied. This is not just ‘exam passing’ question practice preparation. Facilities include state of the art training aids with modern briefing equipment

and comfortable lecture facilities. These qualities are all tested and proven within the approved SACAA online examination center for PPL examinations. A new Redbird procedural single-engine simulator is on the premises. The simulator includes both the traditional six-pack instruments and the Garmin G1000 package with worldwide navigation database adds value to procedural and complex aircraft systems training. Simulation may be connected and displayed on the Jeppesen electronic maps and charts.

Comprehensive flight training offered, from the NPL through to ATPL with ratings such as night, instrument and instructor attached to the various licenses. A comprehensive aircraft fleet, from the basic Sling 2 up to and including a complex Piper Turbo Arrow are available, suited for the required training. Whether it is recency, conversion, renewals, or training for a rating or specific license, is what is offered to achieve your personal goal. Stick n Throttle is big enough to perform to the pilot’s specific needs, yet small enough to provide individual care. We make aviation training FUN!

This amazing photo of a SAAF Gripen blasting through the gloaming was taken by the pilot of another Gripen.

The subject aircraft engaged its afterburner and lit up the evening sky while the other pilot caught this amazing image with his iPhone 6.

Any further details are classified!

2024 - Winners and losers

In South Africa it’s been another bleak year. As I write this in early December, many people seem to be shaking their heads and wondering what the hell is going on. But in the rest of the world, things are literally going bananas.

Wars

Wars are big bad news – so I will start with those. In the powder-keg that is the Middle East, the war against Israel spread to Lebanon. Yet again, activists conflate the violent actions of a small group of people with entire nations and religions, sparking hate-filled rhetoric and yet more violence.

There seems to be no solution. So I guess the Israeli objective is to just wipe the whole problem off the face of the Levant. The big question is what happens then?

war, which I fear will only end with a rancorous stalemate with chunks of eastern Ukraine having been given to Russia as its reward for the invasion of a neighbouring state. When will Putin be hounded out? Can Trump complete the Abrahamic accords? If he did, would he deserve a Nobel Peace Prize? No wonder the humble banana has become a unit of measurement in the Starship.

You couldn’t make this stuff up.

The axis of evil appears to be the mad mullahs of Iran. It is now common knowledge that Iran gave the ANC the vast sum needed to wipe out its legacy debt and fund its 2024 election campaign. As a quid pro quo it required our government to use our muppet lawyers as useful idiots by reporting Israel to the International Court of Justice – and leading antiIsrael protests. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

The paroxysms of the Middle East eclipse the long-playing tragedy of the Russia-Ukraine

South African Aviation

That’s enough of big picture angst. Back home, in our own little general aviation (GA) cabbage patch, what’s been going on?

Well not much. Our local industry is battling along, burdened by high fuel and maintenance costs and destructive regulation. Once again, the SACAA is having its umpteenth attempt at creating the wholly unnecessary 12-year rule. This rule requires that perfectly good engines used for Part 135 operations be torn apart and overhauled every 12 years. Almost twenty years ago SA Flyer made Paul van Tellingen our Man

of the Year for his crusade against rule AIC 18-19. It looks like we will have to do it again in 2025.

Another perhaps even more absurd rule is that pilots are no longer allowed to do basic maintenance such as top up the oil or pump the tyres. Now an approved maintenance engineer will have to be flown to what may be a distant location to carry out these basic items of preventative maintenance. The cost of the travelling and engineer and the downtime for the aircraft make this another industry destroying example of bad rulemaking. Yet the CAA doggedly persists.

The CAA is fast becoming impossible. It typically takes 18 months to get an AOC and a further 6 months to get a new type added to an AOC. Inspectors seem hell-bent on increasing the number and severity of findings every year – to the extent that many small operators just shut up shop and go home. I know of businesses such as crop sprayers who have just closed down, rather than continue to struggle under unreasonable AOC inspections. And thus does not only the aviation industry slowly die, but there are knock-on effects, such as for food security.

Sling's 4-seaters cost more than R5m but are selling like hotcakes - especially in the USA.

My overriding sense of things is that the slide downhill is increasing speed. Yeats wrote; “Things fall apart; The centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world; … The best lack all conviction, While the worst are full of passionate intensity.” The net result is that, with a TIA shrug of the shoulders, social entropy is becoming an accepted norm.

But even in the midst of all the ongoing crapulation we still have:

anarchy is loosed upon the world

Winners and losers:

Winners – all professional pilots: The most immediate beneficiaries of the pilot shortage are those pilots at airlines that are already experiencing shortages. To retain their skilled pilots the airlines are offering joining bonuses and wage increases. SAA and FlySafair are struggling to retain pilots, especially newly minted Captains. At time of writing the SAA pilots from both unions (SAAPA and NTM) are out on strike. That’ll teach SAA management to mess with the SAAPA agreements which had non-strike clauses. So this is the first strike SAA pilots have ever undertaken.

Winners – Aircraft Owners: One of the hardest things to find in South Africa right now is a good used Cessna 172. The chronic shortage of the world’s most popular plane is due to the long-awaited pilot shortage, which has finally arrived. It’s now possible to sell a clapped-out 50 year-old Cessna 172 for R1.5 million. Sling 2s are also in huge demand. And even more depressing: I see that if I had kept our Saratoga for a few more years, it would be worth three times what I sold it for.

Biggest Loser: The airlines and their passengers trying to operate into airports that do not have approved approach and departure procedures (SIDs & STARS). The ATNS slide into abject failure continues. Skilled air traffic controllers are deserting in droves, and it will take at least a year to get the backlog of ATNS procedures cleared.

General Aviation Aircraft:

Winner: Sling: Sling Aircraft are once again big winners: they have now sold over 1300

complete aircraft or kits, with an estimated 800 flying. What is even more impressive is that 80% of sales are now outside South Africa and they are making major headway into the huge American market. The Sling High Wing with a Rotax 916iS is proving amazingly popular, despite its eye watering price tag of over R5 million.

Losers All: The War in the Air:

Ukraine and Russia: The Ukraine war continues to bleed both sides. Still, the Ukrainian pilots seem to be getting good results from their borrowed F-16s – especially shooting down cruise missiles.

Loser: The SAAF: Back home, the SAAF continues in dire straits. They have managed to cobble together a half-funded maintenance plan for the now 20 year old Gripens and their Volvo engines. But at least they are able to fly a Gripen and Hawk or two at airshows

Once again SpaceX pulled off an impossible feat.

The Airline Industry

Winner: Airlines worldwide: Globally, the airline industry is reporting seat sales above 100% of pre-Covid levels. Yet seat prices remain high – thanks to a shortage of planes, and high fuel and maintenance costs.

Loser: Southern African tourism. The South African airline industry is still just an emaciated shell of its former heydays. Covid cost us three key airlines: Comair with its two brands: British Airways and kulula.com plus Mango. The loss of these three airlines took 50% of the available seat capacity out of the market. Losers are the travel and tourism industry as hotels and guest houses are still frantically discounting to lure travellers put off by high ticket prices and crime levels. How Lanseria is surviving is a mystery.

Loser: African Airlines: Africa is once again the laggard in that its bounce back from Covid has been far slower than the rest of the world, partly due to yet more restrictions and taxes imposed by African governments to protect their own airlines.

Maybe a winner: SAA: Big News! – SAA declared a profit! Their first in almost 15 years!!! But while this is undoubted good news it would have been a failure of Zuma proportions if it had

SAA finally declared a profit!! - but the big test is still coming...

Lilium is just another eVTOL bankruptcy.

Boeing's latest CEO Kelly Ortberg faced an immediate labour strike.

made a loss. After all, it has had all its legacy debt wiped out by the taxpayer, it slashed its employee headcount by two thirds – and it is coming off an almost zero base from Business Rescue. Remember too that this result has not been audited – and they still have not released the result for the year to April 2024.

Also this year – the Takatso deal was finally accepted as being a proper dog with fleas and so was killed off by Pravin Gordhan shortly before he too died. This means that SAA has reached the limits of its postBusiness Rescue growth as it desperately needs mega-bucks to be able to get new planes –especially widebodies.

Shitshow of the year: The Safair non-resident ownership debacle. I have nothing more to say other than to wonder why this otherwise excellent airline keeps falling into this tar pit.

SAA declared a profit!

Winner: The other airlines in SA: Boom times continue with a flood of new used aircraft arriving: Embraers for Airlink, Bombardiers for CemAir and Boeings for FlySafair.

Congratulations: To Rodger Foster – who after nearly thirty years of building Airlink into a really great airline, sold 25% to Qatar and then announced his retirement.

Loser: Boeing: After the 737 Max and 777X, disasters, they finally showed CEO Dave Calhoun the door. New broom Kelly Ortberg immediately faced a ruinous strike which cost the plane maker billions which it could not afford. And then of course there was the monumental emabarrasment of the Starliner –and the ignominy of having SpaceX bring its stranded astronauts home – assuming the fast fading Sunita Williams lasts that long. And let’s not forget – in 2014, NASA awarded Boeing $4.2 billion to build the Starliner and SpaceX just $2.6 billion to develop the Crew Dragon. Yet SpaceX got its spaceships reliable and certified for humans in less than half the time it has taken Boeing so far.

Winner: Elon Musk and SpaceX: Apart from the success of its Crew Dragon, using those ‘chopsticks’ to successfully grab the

humongous Starship booster in mid-flight is beyond amazing. And don’t forget that SpaceX is launching a Falcon 9 every four days. Some boosters have now been reused more than 21 times. And even more WOW! is watching Starlink satellites fly overhead. Try imagine how complex the telemetry must be to beam mega fast broadband data from satellite to satellite and then down to earth – except of course to shithole South Africa.

Still waiting – Air taxis: The development of the dream of the passenger carrying drone continues apace. But in reality, nothing happens other than companies going broke – the latest is Lilium, possibly soon to be followed by Velocopter. They are still a light year away from ever being approved for no-pilot manned flight, especially in VFR airspace. Oh, and someone flew a Cessna Caravan with no pilot. Jim Davis says that they did this with a Tiger Moth 90 years ago.

Winner: It’s a boy! – well okay, it’s a MALE: For me a surprising announcement is the MALE

– a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, designed and built in SA. The Milkor 380 is a private sector initiative and the performance is impressive. It is of similar size to the now infamous MQ-9 Reaper and is designed for long endurance operations. There is even talk of it being used for South Africa’s currently non-existent maritime patrol and search and rescue operations – but probably without the rescue part.

Wrap-up

From this very mixed bag of winners and losers it will be fascinating to see how 2025 unfolds. Let’s not forget it is darkest before the dawn. I hope and pray that 2025 will be better and wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year. j

– IT’S TIME TO TURN BACK.

How wonderful it is to have an incoming president who is, by his own admission, a leading, if not the leading, world authority on most subjects.

THE GUIDANCE HE ONCE TWEETED regarding the excessive complexity of aeroplanes should be taken to heart by every pilot, passenger, and engine or airframe manufacturer.

As former President Trump noted, “airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT. I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better. Split second decisions are needed, and the complexity creates danger. All of this for great cost yet very little gain. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Albert Einstein to be my pilot. I want great flying professionals that are allowed to easily and quickly take control of a plane!”

a dense network of roads used by pilots for guidance MAKE AVIATION GREAT AGAIN

The purpose of all this unnecessary complexity is merely to make life easier for pilots, who, unlike their great predecessors of the olden days, today just want to sit in air-conditioned cockpits talking about their investments.

If you have real human intelligence available, why bring in artificial intelligence to fly the aeroplane? Take, for example, the flight management systems that have caused Boeing so much grief. For many decades, pilots – very great, skilled pilots, I might add – flew aeroplanes by holding on to the controls and moving them as necessary to stay on course. Why was this system abandoned? Surely only to line the pockets of those who pretend to improve aviation safety by adding expensive complications.

It is certainly true that any airliner is a fearfully complicated thing, not only so complicated that an MIT degree is required, as the former (and he says still) president said, to understand it, but also so complicated that something in it is just about certain to go wrong at any moment. Examples of things that have gone wrong in aeroplanes are so numerous that I will not even attempt to list them here.

Regardless of what Mr. and Mrs. Boeing may say, it is not necessary to add electronic systems to determine that an aeroplane is about to stall. As is well known within aviation circles, a stall is easily recognisable by a loss of lateral control and lift, and the pilot has only to shove the control yoke forward, and, if in a spin, to apply opposite rudder to recover. No fancy MCAS needed here!

The methods of navigation now in use are so complicated as to defy belief. For example, GPS involves messages being sent back and forth between computers in aeroplanes, satellites and ground stations, all of them performing calculations with such large numbers of digits that some of them are bound to be wrong. All of this is unnecessary. As any Rand McNally map book, used by thousands of vacationing Americans, makes clear, our great nation is crisscrossed by a dense network of roads which can be used by pilots for guidance.

Pressurisation is another of those useless innovations that merely add weight and complexity, not to mention danger. Who wants to be carried around higher than Mount Everest in a bottle full of compressed air? No one lives up there. By flying at the lower altitudes where people and their cattle have traditionally lived, aeroplanes would gain the benefit of thicker air and a clearer view of the road network below.

Intoxicated by unreadable technical reports produced by pencil-necked aerodynamicists in wind tunnels who have not seen the light of day in years, airliner manufacturers – Boeing has been particularly flagrant in this regard – have

made wings, which as we see in the case of birds don’t need to consist of anything more than a bone with a few feathers on it, into incredibly complicated things full of hinges, tracks, levers and screws. If some passenger accidentally leaves a window shade up when you are landing, you will see pieces of the wing move apart, even though this obviously allows the lift to leak through. And all this serves no purpose other than to make the plane slow down, while as everyone knows the whole reason we have planes in the first place is to go fast.

In the heyday of aviation, the safety and lift benefits of having two wings, one above the other, were universally acknowledged. But the one-wing school of design, which was the result of strategic materials shortages during World War II, still prevails today, even though we now have available almost unlimited amounts of aluminium, wood, steel tubing and fabric.

Engine manufacturers too have succumbed to the craze for complexity. The sight of a modern jet engine, covered with hoses, pipes and strange looking fittings, is enough to strike fear into the heart of any wrench-wielding American. Inside it, dangerously high temperatures are

reached despite the enormous cooling fan on the front. Some parts of a jet engine get far hotter than your family stove, and it is well known that stovetop temperatures can burn meat and even potholders.

Speaking of stoves, just the other day a repairman told me that my 1954 O’Keefe and Merritt is superior to anything on the market today.

For decades aeroplanes were content to rely on proven engines like those in cars, and on powerful whirling propellers that gave passengers confidence that something was actually happening out there. The present style in engines serves no purpose other than to ensure lifetime employment for metallurgists and quality control inspectors, and to support unnecessary and costly government programmes for spreading chemicals. It is not even clear why all the hot gas comes out the back, when there is such a big hole in the front.

The current infatuation with so-called “glass cockpits” is similarly misguided. As is well known, glass breaks easily, whereas the old steam-powered gauges were practically indestructible. Pilots like glass cockpits for the same reason they like 55-inch TVs: the intoxication induced by flickering coloured lights. The addiction to LED screens is just another sign that electronic aids have made our pilots effete. It’s time to return to real dials that are actually connected to real things with real metal tubes.

Only when we put into our cockpits large men and women with graying crew-cuts and the kind of biceps that can wrestle a thunderstorm into submission, men and women with their eyes on the windows and their hands on the wheel, will we feel certain that we, and not complicated mysterious microchips possibly made in other countries, are in charge. Only then will aviation be great again, and only then will we again enjoy the unblemished safety record of long ago. j

The Boeing 747-200 didn't need newfangled glass-cockpit displays.

RIGHT SEAT RULES NO. 25

SLOW FLIGHT

Most of us feel a bit edgy when the ASI creeps down within 10 KIAS of the stall. Jim Davis has some hints on how to be comfortable and in control – even when the airspeed is 20 KIAS below the stall.

THE NOSE OF OUR Twin Comanche points straight down towards the Cape Recief lighthouse, which is rotating in the windscreen. I advise my student to throttle both engines fully back and recover. He tries. There is a shudder and we are spinning the other way.

“OK, I’ve got her,” I say, and confidently do all the right things to restore sanity to our revolving world. Again she shudders and the lighthouse reverses its rotation once more.

Only it’s getting bigger now.

I am more puzzled than alarmed. Then I remember Mike Van Ginkle telling me that he had suffered an identical disappointment in another Twin Comanche –also with full tip tanks. He recovered by chucking out the gear and flaps – and then doing everything v-e-r-y g-e-n-t-l-y.

The only thing we did right was to start our stall at 5,500ft above the sea. Mr Piper, in his excellent handbook, urges you to allow 5,000ft for stall recovery. He knows what he is talking about.

We were practicing full stalls – a thing that seems to be avoided in twins now. I warned the pupe that if we drop a wing – which the Twin Com does willingly – he should use opposite rudder and help it up with a little power on the side of the dropped wing.

it’s time you learned about it.

Perhaps my explanation isn’t clear, or maybe he is too nervous to listen. Anyway at about 15 knots before the stall the twin goes through its own normal little paroxysm, which has nothing to do with the stall, and the right wing drops slightly in the turbulence. Quick as a flash our hero has the stick in his stomach, full left rudder and full power on the right motor.

Mike’s solution proves effective and we ease out of the dive, still on the edge of a shudder, and with the water barely 50ft below us.

The cause of this idiocy is an instructor who is too relaxed, [me], and a jittery pupe, who is terrified of low speeds.

This is like prodding a racehorse in the arse with a red hot poker – the results are instantaneous and dramatic.

The twin hurls itself through the inverted and spins vigorously.

Our attempts to recover are thwarted by our failure to fully unstall the wings. Although we are pointing at the ground we hold enough back pressure to keep the wings stalled. Opposite rudder simply changes the direction of rotation.

Anyone who has flown a Beagle Pup, with the weights on the tail, will know what I’m talking about – you can do exactly the same thing. You can have the aeroplane shuddering in a stall while the nose points almost vertically down, and it will keep doing this until you smite the planet; or release the back pressure.

The point of the story is that time taken getting comfortable in the region around the stall allows you to avoid this sort of embarrassment.

To be a safe pilot you need two things. Sensible thinking, and the ability to handle the aircraft at low speed. The first is called airmanship and it takes time to accumulate – that’s why we have rules. The second, which should form a big chunk of the PPL training, mostly doesn’t.

We should be relaxed flying the aeroplane in the range that spans 20kts either side of stall speed. If you haven’t flown below stall speed it’s time you learned about it.

First you need to understand what stall speed means. If your POH says the clean stall speed is 6O KIAS, that means it will stall at this speed when the aeroplane:

• Is at gross weight, with the gear and flaps up

• Flying straight, with the wings level and the ball in the middle

• Has the engine idling

• And is being maintained at a constant altitude. So you throttle fully back and prevent the aircraft from losing height by steadily easing back to compensate for the lift being stolen by the decreasing speed.

If you are at less than gross, or flying at less than 1G you will stall at less than the published speed; and if you are pulling more than 1G the stall speed will be greater than the book figure. This means you can stall it at any speed. But in practice you are not likely to stall at more than about 15kts either side of the POH figure –unless you are doing aerobatics.

In a steep turn, or pulling out of a dive, you might get a stall shudder at around 75kts. And if you climb and then move the stick forward so that you feel light in your seat, you may see 45kts without any sign of a stall.

However, in day to day flying, low-G and lowspeed flight is not common because most pilots don’t venture there, and it’s uncomfortable –particularly for your pax.

But the range between the published stall speed (we’ll stick with 60kts) and your approach speed (Vref) of 1.3 x the stall speed (making it 80kts) is the bit that really counts.

This is where you find yourself near the ground, just before landing, or just after takeoff. It’s when you need to fly most accurately, but it’s also when the aircraft is behaving at its sloppiest. And it is a time when you are most vulnerable to the wind.

But worst of all, it’s the bit at which you have the least practice, and the only time you are close to something hard.

So let me give you a couple of exercises that can make a huge difference, not only in your handling when you are low and slow, but also in making you feel comfortable there.

Once you have got them right, you will be able to get back onto centreline when the wind drifts you off. You will be happy to sort it out when the aircraft balloons in a gust. And you will have it all under control when you do a go-around.

Next, you need to understand a bit more about the stall speed. In this case the handbook says it will stall at 60 KIAS. It’s the indicated bit that’s important. Most aircraft that have the standard L shaped pitot – with a pipe pointing forward, will not indicate correctly. When a 152 tells you it is doing 40 mph it is actually doing 58! So the ASI is telling a massive porkie.

the aircraft is at its sloppiest

Pipers, with their stubby little matchbox pitots, have no significant errors throughout their speed range.

So a similarly loaded Cessna 152 and a Cherokee 140 probably touch town at about the same speed regardless what the ASIs say.

First, read through these exercises and decide whether you are relaxed about doing them alone. If not, take a good instructor with you. One who is comfortable with spins and incipients. You are not planning to do them, but if the instructor is a bundle of nerves around the stall you are wasting your money.

From a handling point of view it makes little difference what the needle shows at the stall – it’s just a reference point, not necessarily an accurate indication of your progress through the air.

Right, let’s get on with the flying. Find yourself a quiet bit of sky and some altitude, and slow down to your flapless approach speed – 80kts. Use enough power to maintain that altitude, and enough right rudder to keep the ball near the middle. Trim.

Now imagine you are following a gently winding river. Follow the turns left and right. Do it for a few minutes. Feel OK? Sure it does. Notice how you do need a bit of rudder to keep the ball in the middle as you go from one turn to the next.

Now make the turns a little sharper and you will see quite a serious need for rudder with aileron as you roll from the left to the right, and back again.

The next step is to do the whole thing again but 10kts slower – at 70, which is 10kts better than the published stall speed. OK it feels a bit soggy, and it needs plenty of rudder, and the stall warning bleats – particularly as the wing with the sensor moves down. But you are still in control.

Maintaining 70, do your HASELLL checks, pull the power right off and try to hold altitude by easing the nose up. The stall shudder comes almost immediately. Note the speed, it will probably be below the published 60kts, unless you are at gross.

For the recovery we don’t want any of this wild SPL stuff of cramming the stick forward and flinging everyone against the roof. Simply e-a-

s-e the stick gently forward until the shuddering stops. Don’t use power. The aeroplane is flying again. Savour the moment. Now, gently ease back again until you feel the first signs of the shudder. Now, gently forward again.

Do this several times until you are comfortable with easily drifting between the stall and normal flight.

If you have always been scared of stalls, it’s not your fault – your instructor was scared, and his instructor before him. So they all passed on this business of hauling the nose up, staring at the sky until your world disintegrates and then heaving the pole forward and cramming on full power.

It was a nonsense and it taught you nothing but fear.

You want to caress the aircraft past the edge of its flying ability and into a stall; control it with confidence and gently return it to flight. In the same way that a good driver controls his car through a skid and back to normal.

Ignore those who tell you to pick up a dropped wing with rudder – that’s rubbish. I have flown

The Tiger teaches you what the rudder is there for.

around 150 types of light aircraft and haven’t found one that demands this treatment. You should use aileron and rudder together – all the time.

Comrades Piper, Cessna and Beech put rudders on their aeroplanes simply to counteract two design flaws:

1. P effect: This is the aeroplane’s tendency to yaw left when you increase power.

2. Aileron drag: This is the aeroplane’s tendency to yaw towards the down-going aileron. So when you move the stick to the left, the right aileron goes down and causes drag which pulls the nose to the right. In other words the nose yaws the wrong way. Left stick and the nose yaws right.

Right, we have got you controlling direction nicely at low speed; now let’s work on height. Get her straight and level at 70 KIAS, nicely trimmed and with the ball in the middle. Now

maintain 70 and climb 500ft at climb power. Now level off, still maintaining 70. Now go into a glide at 70. When you have lost 500ft go straight to full power and climb 500ft again. Then go straight into a glide. Do this several times – it’s brilliant practice for speed control and for doing a go-around.

you can stall it at any speed

To deal with these two problems they fitted the rudder. So every time you use the ailerons, be it for entering a turn, correcting turbulence, or picking up a dropped wing, you should move the rudder, at the same time, and in the same direction, to counteract the aileron drag.

This becomes very noticeable at low speed –the slower you go, the more rudder you need.

So to get back to the point. If you drop a wing, either near the stall, or in the stall, fly normally –use aileron and rudder together.

It is a difficult exercise – you won’t get it right first time. If you are battling to get it smooth and accurate, level off between each climb and glide. Keep at it until you can do it smoothly, with the ball in the middle, and nail the numbers.

Now pat yourself on the back, apply full flap and do everything again. This time, of course, your airspeed will be around 10kts slower.

Say your full flap stall speed is 48 KIAS, 1.3 will give you an approach speed of 64 – call it 65. So first do your river following at 65 and when you are happy with that, then do it at 55. Then do your HASELLL checks, throttle back, prevent the nose from dropping and she will stall almost immediately. Recover as before by easing gently forward until there is no judder. Don’t use power. Now ease her into and out of the stall judder.

Cessna

She may drop a wing, but so what? You handle it with aileron and rudder and ease the stick forward to stop the shudder – no problem.

Now do the climbing and gliding thing with full flap and the airspeed at 55. You will find this is very hard work. And when you think you have got it right, have a look at the ball during your power changes. Horrible.

When you have really got it sorted – land. Now have a self-congratulatory beer and think about tomorrow’s exercise – the lazy eight.

A lazy eight is a precision exercise which takes you well below stall speed without stalling.

It consists of two gentle wing-overs, one left and one right, forming a figure eight. There are no set speeds or angles of bank – you decide on your own targets and then try to stick to them. Here’s how it goes:

Pick a line feature and do your HASELLL checks.

Head about 20° right of the feature and either dive slightly, or increase power to achieve twice your clean stall speed. So we will make it 120kts.

Note your altitude. Now do a climbing turn to the left so that when you are at 90° to the line feature you are at maximum bank (make it

45° initially), maximum altitude, and minimum speed (50kts initially).

Gradually roll out of the turn and lower the nose so that your wings are level when the nose is about 20° left of the line feature and your airspeed increases to 120 as you cross the line, at your starting height – if you have got it right

Now do the same in the other direction.

You will notice the need for rudder during the speed changes.

When you can do it accurately then try with 60° of bank and the airspeed down to 40kts (20 below the stall). It doesn’t stall because you are pulling considerably less than 1G.

When you can do it well at the lower speed and 60°, retire to the club in the knowledge that you are on the way to becoming an extremely competent pilot.

Sip an icy and allow yourself a miniscule smile as you listen to the club hero, who has no knowledge of slow flight or lazy eights, but is something of an authority on doing beat-ups in his Baron.

Do not use him as a role model – he is an idiot.

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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

QOM

For the first time in the history of SAA, the pilots have gone on strike. Their picket was however notably subdued and it was suggested that they learned to Toyi

Toyi.

SAAPA Chairman, Captain Graham Botes, admitted;

“Even the cops told us that we should get a little rowdy so that they have something to do.”

BOOKS

by Peter Garrison

FLYING HAWKER HUNTER THE

The Hunter is one of the most beautiful and iconic supersonic jets to own. Image Justin de Reuck.

Flying a Hunter starts hours before actually walking out to the aircraft. This machine is a legend, but it is first of all about the highest performance machine that it is feasible for a civilian to fly. Flying it is not to be taken lightly.

IT GOES PLACES QUICKLY , between 4 and 10 miles a minute, it has a prodigious thirst, great sensitivity and, in the single seat version at least, it is cramped.

So you plan the fuel, the route and the frequencies even more carefully than you would in a normal flight because it is extremely difficult to revise them once airborne. There is no autopilot, no heads-up display, no GPS. To remain ahead of the aircraft, you need to know where you are going and retain a high level of situational awareness.

If it’s the two-seat aircraft and there’s someone going with you, you need to start preparing them well in advance.

The cockpit of a Hunter is intimidating to those who are not familiar with it, doubly so for non-pilots. It is cluttered and claustrophobic and there are ejection seats and strapping procedures to cope with. Unlike most aircraft, ex-military jets like the Hunter have an escape system which means that, if there is some catastrophic failure and the aircraft is going down, your options are greater than sneaking a cell phone goodbye or reciting your rosary – you can have an enormous kick in the backside and an excellent view of the accident. The trouble is that the seat rewards casual mishandling with death. That may sound melodramatic, but it is the simple truth.

On its delivery flight to SA it flew an air display with Zimbabwe Hawks.

Cockpit is an ergonomic disaster that takes some getting used to.

It is absolutely essential that anyone who is going to sit in a live ejection seat understands its potential lethality in chilling detail. With the amazing reliability of the Hunter, the greatest actual threat to all involved is a casual approach to the seat. If the aircraft does go wrong, though, it is comforting to know that 93% of the 197 recorded ejections with the Martin-Baker Mk 3H seat were successful, and 96% of the 54 recorded with Mk 4H seat fitted to the two seat Hunter. In recent years, 3 out of 3 ejections using the Mk 3 seat were successful.

Walk Around

As with all aircraft, the pre-flight inspection or walk around is essential. With the Hunter the pre-flight will have started at least two hours before the first flight of the day. Tyre pressures are crucial and must be correct. The inspection starts in the cockpit. Uppermost in mind must be the seat – check that the safety pins on the ejection seat are “safe for parking” – this means that the face screen and seat pan pins are in place, and the main gun and canopy pins have been removed.

BASH THE HELMET

The final walk round starts at the nose, checking in the gun camera aperture that the hole for the cockpit ram air feed is clear.

Next is the nose gear front door and latches for security and freedom of movement, the creep mark on the nosewheel tyre, the condition of the tyre and that it looks about right for inflation (8.0-8.2 bar). When operating without ground crew pre-flights, I check this with a gauge.

THE AIRCRAFT

“TALKING” TO ME THROUGH MY FINGERS.

Next is the nose gear strut where the shock extension must be a minimum of 100mm.

Further aft check that the rear nose gear door is free from cracks, particularly where the struts connect. In the nose gear well the checks are that the oxygen charging cap is on and locked, that the microswitches appear to be in good condition and that the bag for the oxygen fittings is properly zipped up.

Next is the starboard intake –check that the auxiliary air blow in doors operate freely, top and bottom, that the spring tension is correct, that the intake and boundary layer duct are both free of obstructions or debris.

Further aft, check the main wheel well for security of all fittings, ground locks removed, door linkages and locks, absence of leaks and aileron accumulator pressure minimum 900 psi. The oleo is then checked for security and cleanliness and absence of leaks from the walking joints which carry the brake hydraulics down to the callipers. The tyre is checked for cracks and creep and pressure (min 13.0 bar) and the brake discs for free movement and condition of braking faces and pads.

Fuel leaks are most likely to manifest under the wings, as are hydraulic leaks, so the whole underside of the wing is checked carefully. Moving outboard, check the drop tanks for security and for sound, that they sound right for the amount of fuel alleged to be in them. Normally there is just one drop tank

On top of the wing, the jettison unit cover is checked for security. Next is the navigation light and cover before moving back to the aileron which is checked for free and full movement and for the absence of lateral movement. Now at the back of the wing the flap is checked along its hinge line and for security of the

under each wing, the inboard “150” which holds 675 lit, but for a ferry flight the outboard “100” of 455 lit capacity will have been fitted and is also checked for security and removal of the safety pin from the jettison apparatus.

jack fittings. The hydraulic sight glass is at the rear of the wing and is checked for the filler being wire locked and hydraulic fluid being visible just under the mesh. Although an accurate engine oil reading is not possible pre-start, you check that the oil is visible in the sump sight glass.

Leading edge intakes feed the fuel guzzling Rolls Royce Avon.

Moving under the aircraft, you check the oil levels in the main and auxiliary gearboxes, that the starter bay door is open and locked with the flame shield in place and that there are no oil, fuel or hydraulic leaks. There are six fuel drains, two of which should be dry, all of which are checked before buttoning up the belly panels apart from the starter door.

Moving aft it is just a general inspection for distortion or cracking and that the tailplane indicates neutral trim. Moving to the tail, the check is to see that the rudder lock has been removed, that the jet pipe is free from obstruction, that the EGT probes appear undamaged and that the jet pipe moves, also that the brake parachute doors are closed and latched fore and aft.

YOU NEED TO BE 4000 FEET ON DOWNWIND

Half way there! Coming up the port side, check the elevator accumulator pressure gauge before approaching the rear of the wing with its flap. Flap, aileron, drop tank, navigation light and underwing checks are same as the starboard, but on the port side you check the pitot and in the port wheel well check the filler cap for security and the tank selector switch to see that it tallies with the advertised fuel configuration. Check the port intake, blow in doors and Sabrina and we’re back at the base of the ladder.

Wide track undercarriage helps ground handling.

When you own an ex-Swiss Hunter it helps to understand French.

Into the Cockpit

Strapping in is quickly accomplished if you are used to it. In the single seater, it involves putting on the parachute and then the seat. You wear leg restraint garters (if you’re a western fan, you adjust them to clink together when you walk) and these are connected to the leg restraint cords – in an ejection these pull your legs back into the seat, which prevents them from flying around or getting nipped off by parts of the structure (which, apparently, hurts a bit).

The drill is to adjust the straps until they seem excessively tight, and then tighten them some more – you need to be very firmly in the seat. Once you are in and

strapped, a ground crew member will remove the face screen pin while you will remove the seat pan pin and place both in the block on the cockpit coaming that holds these. The seat is now “live”.

The pre-start scan starts on the left cockpit shelf with the Low pressure valve opened, High pressure valve/throttle moved to the “on” position and cracked open about half an inch, checks that everything in the cockpit is as it should be and ends, in the two seater, with the passenger, to see that he is secure, his oxygen supply is on and working, all the pins are out of his seat, the intercom is working, and there are no visible signs of distress.

Brakes are expensive so a parachute is used on shorter runways.

This aircraft uses AVPIN to start. This is a monofuel which blasts the starter turbine up to 45,000 rpm in 0.3 sec which spins the main turbine up to 2500 rpm for 30 seconds, more than enough for the Avon to cough into life and settle into its 25002750 rpm idle.

It’s a busy time in the cockpit as you monitor the rpm and JPT during the start and check the oil pressure, hydraulic

pressure and generators through the process. The after-start mnemonic is TTAAFFIIOOHH – tailplane, trim, airbrake, anti-ice, flaps (set flaps 4, engage hydraulic controls during travel), fuel, inverters, instruments, oil pressure, oxygen, hydraulics (check overall and brake pressure), hatch. The last is normally left open until the holding point because otherwise the cockpit temperature, on a summers’ day, can quickly be extreme.

Taxiing is straightforward if you are used to the British system of differential braking on the main wheels with the brakes controlled by a lever on the joystick, the nosewheel being free castoring. The technique is to go from one full rudder deflection to the other so only the wheel on the side you want to brake is braked, otherwise both are braked and heat build-up is rapid.

The first check after the aircraft starts rolling is to check that the brakes are working and then, on the taxi, another

abbreviated TAFFIIO and, if it’s the two seater, take the passenger through the take-off briefing again.

At the holding point the engine is run up to 4500 rpm for the control check, checking full deflection in all directions and that the hydraulic boosters remain engaged. Close the canopy, check that it locks, trim set, flaps set, fuel pressure indicators in line, anti-ice off, oil pressure good, generator lights out, hydraulic pressure min 2800psi and we are “ready”.

Lining up is straightforward allowing the aircraft to run straight a few metres to ensure the nose wheel is straight.

“Clear take-off” and the engine is accelerated to 6800 rpm against the brakes, check brakes holding, check JPT minimum 560 degrees and at between 7000 and 7200, depending on temperature, the aircraft should start to overpower the brakes. Release the brakes, full power, 7850 rpm and

Unmistakable cruciform tail and high tail pipe.

670 degrees JPT, and acceleration is swift, keeping straight on the brakes until about 70 knots when the rudder becomes effective.

At 110 knots you positively lift the nosewheel and then check forward with the stick to about 7-degree AoA and, at about 145 knots she flies off the runway.

Brakes on, gear up (at full throttle the retract button is reached with the finger without taking the hand off the throttle), watching the trim change as it retracts, switching the pressurization on, then as the gear completes its travel, red lights out, select flaps up, trimming forward as they go, throttle back to max continuous 7600 rpm to save the engine and try to rein in the surging acceleration as we climb away.

The Hunter can climb to 45,000 feet

within 7 minutes of takeoff, but the highest I am allowed to go is FL 195 and, typically, on a local flight, there’s a TMA to remain below. This means coming back very quickly on the power to about 6800 rpm once the aircraft is cleaned up and even leaving a notch of flap out to keep the speed down, wallowing out of the airspace. Once clear and allowed up to 250 knots, the flap can be retracted, but you have to watch the airspeed like a hawk because she is very slippery and accelerates for nothing.

The Hunter is at its best in the 400 – 480 knot range and, at FL195 at its most economical power setting (6900 rpm) in its draggiest configuration (4 drop tanks). The still air ground speed hovers around 440 knots, or 7.4 nm a minute and about 55lb/min fuel burn (that’s a mere 32.5 litres a minute).

Dog tooth leading edge moved the centre of pressure forward.

With the powered ailerons and elevator, the controls are very light. The main problem most people have with converting to the Hunter is avoiding over controlling, but you soon get used to it. I find accurate height holding in the cruise a challenge and it has to be watched very carefully. The machine will gain or lose 1000 feet in the blink of an eye.

If you are on your way to an aerobatic “box” for an aerobatic flight with a large chunk of airspace to yourself, it is much more fun – the aircraft seems to come alive as it passes 300 knots and, in keeping with the Swiss SOP, I select the follow up tailplane “on”.

The Hunter has a species of all flying tail where the tailplane and elevator work together. The RAF procedure was to use it only at speeds in excess of Mach 0.9- it is essential for transonic flightbut the Swiss used it all the time. My compromise is to use it for aerobatics, one less thing to think about. The easiest aerobatic manoeuvre in the Hunter is the roll which requires a pitch up of about 12 degrees AoA at the lower speeds and which is accomplished smoothly and easily with little tendency to drop the nose – without outboard drop tanks.

The experience WITH outboard drops is quite spectacularly different – unlike the inboards these do have a significant effect on the performance of the aircraft – speed is restricted to M0.88 and the pilot notes restrict the aircraft to no more than one roll at a time with these fitted. I find it produces quite a serious “scoop”. At first I thought this was just me, but I take comfort from footage of the 1958 SBAC airshow at Farnborough where a Hunter with outboard tanks just about scoops into the ground!

The maximum rate of roll is at 420 knots when full aileron deflection produces a roll rate of around 420 degrees a second – exciting with a tendency to bash the helmet on the side of the canopy. Inverted flight is a breeze too, although very firm forward pressure is necessary to maintain level flight and inverted flight must not exceed 45 seconds as the fuel, when inverted, is supplied by two recuperators with limited capacity. Barrel rolls are effortless and strangely satisfying while a steep turn, with one notch of flap and full power will sustain 4G while any fixed point below remains fixed, it seems, to the wingtip.

THE CONTROLS ARE VERY LIGHT

There is no audible stall warning as such, but three distinct stages of buffet, only one of which, the first, is ordinarily encountered. This manifests as a slight tremor through the airframe – almost like a rumble strip on the road – and the cure is to release the back pressure ever so slightly. In a turn, if you are continually touching the rumble and releasing it slightly to where you know it is just a whisker away, the aircraft is generating its best rate of turn. It is also a reliable indicator in any manoeuvre that you are on the edge of the most efficient flight, but still far from provoking a departure from controlled flight – I find it exquisite, the aircraft “talking” to me through the tips of my fingers.

The third stage of buffet, by the way, which precedes a stall, is a very violent

shudder that you would have to be unconscious to miss. I enjoy looping the Hunter and have been working on entering and exiting the loop at precisely the same height, speed and heading, typically starting at 12,000 feet at 350 knots and using 3G which makes for a thoroughly comfortable manoeuvre with a diameter of around 3000 feet. I fly without a G-suit (cannot get my middle aged spread into the one I was given!) which helps with our selfimposed G limit of +5. The published limit is +7.8, and – 3.5, but that, in flying an historic aircraft for fun, is unnecessary and hard on the structure, consuming fatigue life at a much accelerated pace for no good reason.

Monitoring the fuel position is important because the rates of consumption vary widely depending on height and throttle setting and the fuel in the drop tanks is not gauged (except for the large British 230 gallon tanks where the gauging is not particularly accurate), you either have fuel remaining (doll’s eyes black) or no fuel remaining (doll’s eyes white). When the drop tanks are empty, you have 2700lbs remaining, and that is gauged.

side although, in service, that was when the recovery home was initiated.

Flying from when Thunder City operated, we regularly practice flight in “manual” and simulated forced landings, although the latter are not recommended unless an airfield is nearby. The combination of loss of engine power and manual flight, with the latter the inevitable consequence of the former, is about the most challenging thing you can do in a Hunter.

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE AIRSPEED LIKE A HAWK

As the power controls are selected off, the sensitive stick becomes the sword in the stone – all but immovable. The rudder, which has a powerful rolling effect, remains fully effective and becomes an important control, although the others, for all their apparent immovability are still effectiveone of the qualifying tests for flying a Hunter is being able to produce 3G in manual – doable, but a workout.

Flying in the Cape, either near Langebaan or Agulhas, I used to head for FACT when indicating 1200 a side, to allow a good margin for a diversion to Langebaanweg or Overberg. Ideally you want to be on downwind when the “bingo” lights come on at 750-800 lbs a

To simulate an engine failure, power is reduced to 5500rpm and 2 notches of flap (23 degrees) and this produces a rate of descent of 2000 fpm at the best glide speed of 210 knots. To make a successful dead stick landing you need to be 4000 feet above the selected touchdown point on downwind and fly a curved approach, dropping the undercarriage on final and the flaps only when you are sure the runway is made, without hydraulic power both actions are irreversible as they are blown down on the emergency systems. The brake

accumulator holds sufficient hydraulic reserve pressure for a normal full stop landing, but one would stream the brake chute and brake in one continuous application only after the aircraft has slowed to the point of the rudder losing effectiveness.

On a normal return to the circuit, you join downwind with speed around 200 knots (having two or even four notches of flap down helps with this as engine rpm must not drop below 5500 rpm for the sake of reliable hydraulic operation and a speedy engine response if necessary).

Downwind procedure is to lower the undercarriage, check three greens and check the brake pressure with brakes on and off, no more complicated than that. Speed is monitored carefully in the base and final turns. It should be decaying slowly, so that you start final with 160 knots, selecting full flap (8 notches, 80 degrees) once established on final and try to peg the power at about 6600 rpm which should produce a stable approach at about 135-140 knots, depending on weight.

The weakest part of the Hunter design and where it truly shows its age (75 and counting) is its brakes, which went unchanged from the Mk 1, some 6 tonnes fully loaded, to the late Mks which typically land at about 8.2 tonnes. Replacing them is horribly expensive, so I, who have to pay for them, use them as little as possible. I aim for a gentle touchdown and keep the nose up as long as possible with full nose up trim for a measure of aerodynamic braking. This results in the aircraft running out of energy towards the end of the runway without using the brakes at all.

THE TAXPAYER IS PAYING FOR THE BRAKES.

Stall, in this configuration, is at about 125 knots and some of the real exponents would fly much slower than I, but the biggest danger on the landing is exceeding 14 degrees AoA which scrapes the tail (the tail skid provides no protection and seems carefully designed to puncture the jet pipe). Carrying a few extra knots makes that virtually impossible and with 3.4 kilometres of runway to stop on, it seems a silly risk to take.

Landing at Wonderboom or Swartkop AFB, about 1.8 km, where the runway is much shorter, requires getting the weight down as much as possible, using as much tarmac as possible, landing firmly, streaming the brake ‘chute and then –critically – leaving the braking until 90 knots or below. As a Swiss squadron commander explained to me, he had seen plenty of Hunters with burnt out brakes that had then run off the runway, but none where the pilot left the brakes alone until 90 knots! Some of their “war emergency” runways were only 1000m long, which shows what can be done when the taxpayer is paying for the brakes.

After landing procedures are to retract the flaps, turn off the pressurization, turn off the power controls, retract the landing light (only Swiss Hunters had these) and crack the canopy open a bit for fresh air. If you have a passenger aboard, remind them about the dangers inherent in the

“bang” seat until made safe and taxi back to the hangar.

On parking, the aircraft should be trimmed back to neutral and, in the two seater with its hydraulic canopy, the canopy opened fully while the engine is driving the hydraulics. There is an accumulator and it should open on that, but it has been known to stick. The engine is allowed to stabilize for a full minute at idle, noting the idle rpm (2500 -2750) and fuel remaining on the gauges. The engine is cut by moving the throttle back through the spring loaded high pressure gate and closing it completely, immediately turning off the electrics and caging the artificial horizons.

The next priority is refitting the pins to the ejection seat or seats to make them “safe for parking”, whereafter the unstrap can begin. The engine rundown is timed and should be a minimum of 70 seconds with a swing back of the turbine as it stops of 1-3 blades as viewed from the port intake through the guide vanes.

Once the turbine is stopped, the LP valve is shut (if you see a Hunter with a puddle of fuel near its port rear wing root, it’s a safe bet the pilot forgot!) and the oil level on the engine is checked ten minutes after shut down when the sight gauge is accurate.

The big problem after this is the grin. It’s an embarrassing aberration of the facial features which is impossible to avoid and fades only slowly, no matter what’s going on around you.

Somehow the mundane becomes strangely dim and distant for a time and there’s that vague feeling of being on a higher plane. Of joy that it happened. Joy tinged with sorrow that it has ended with the encouragement of knowing it could happen again. j

The prototype Hunter shows its vintage styling.

SPECIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE

HAWKER HUNTER T.7

DIMENSIONS

LENGTH 14.91m 48ft 10in HEIGHT 4.26m 13ft 2in

WINGSPAN 10.26m 33ft 8in

WING AREA 32.4m2 349sq ft

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS EMPTY WEIGHT 6,500kg 14,329lb MAUW- ZU-HUN 9900 kg 21700 lb

3.12lb/lb st FUEL CAPACITY (Internal fuel) 1,832kg 4,038lb With external tanks 4,232kg 9,329lb

ENGINE

Rolls-Royce Avon Mk. 207 axial flow turbofan, producing 10,150lbs st

PERFORMANCE VNE (IAS) 729kts 1,350km/h

RON WHEELDON is a Johannesburg based trademark and IP attorney. He writes, “My love affair with Hawker Hunter jet fighters started in approximately 1963 when the Rhodesian parliament opening was marked by a fly-by of nine recently acquired Hawker Hunters in diamond formation. The Wheeldon family was late as usual, my mother’s fault of course, so the formation was seen through the windows of the parental Vauxhall Victor and the jacaranda trees of Salisbury’s avenues. But it was enough – the bug had bitten.”

As a true aircraft (and car) enthusiast and with the wherewithal to indulge many of his dreams, Ron has owned a vast variety of aircraft, from a Piper Cub to the Hunter. And he owns not one, but two, Hunters. A single seat J-4059, and the subject of this review, his two-seater, ZU-HUN, an exSwiss Air Force T.68, number J-4202.

J-4202 was originally built as an F.4 for the RAF and served with 3 and 111 Squadrons plus 229 OCU before being placed into storage and sold back to Hawker-Siddeley. They converted it to a T.68 specification and sold it to the Swiss Air Force, who took delivery in 1975, flying her until retirement in 1994.

The aircraft was registered as ZU-HUN and was based at Thunder City for some time. While based at Thunder City, the airframe was given an overall yellow scheme, promoting 'Yello Summer'.

Today, ZU-HUN is back wearing its Swiss Air Force colours, although she no longer carries her old serial, J-4202. Ron explains, “In 2000, I qualified as a Hunter display pilot and flew both the aircraft (not simultaneously) at various air shows myself

and had a fantastic time with them – the single seat fighter is the most fun to fly, but the T.68 is a close second. Generally I aim to fly the single seater at air shows and reserve the two seater for flying friends – it really is a delight to be able to share the quite exhilarating experience with others. I now have over 200 flying hours in the Hunter, but we do not fly as much as once we did due to the lack of a fuel sponsorship. I would also like to mention the great JP Fourie and the unstinting support from NAC in getting the wee beastie flying.

RON WHEELDON'S HUNTERS j

Ron Wheeldon

TWINCO FUEL

Date of Accident: 29 January 2004

Time of Accident: 1230Z

Type of Aircraft: Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche

Registration: ZS-NRV

Type of Operation: Private

Pilot-in-command License Type: Airline Transport

Age: 59

License Valid: Yes

PIC: Total Flying Hours, 25500 Hours on Type 60

• This discussion is to promote safety and not to establish liability.

• CAA’s report contains padding and repetition, so in the interest of clarity, I have paraphrased extensively.

Last point of departure: FAWB (Wonderboom)

Point of intended landing: FARG (Rustenburg)

Accident site: Short of Runway 11 Wonderboom .

Meteorological: CAVOK, Wind: 090°/15kt, Temp +30°C.

POB: 1+1

Injured: 0

Killed: 0

Synopsis:

THE PILOT WHO IS ALSO THE OWNER of the aircraft was on a systems acceptance flight on the day of the accident and should the flight have been successful, he would have flown to Rustenburg.

According to the pilot, shortly after take-off from Runway 11 the aircraft experienced a power loss on the right hand engine. The pilot advised the ATC of the condition and intention to return to the aerodrome.

On downwind the left-hand engine also started losing power. The left-hand engine continued losing power. The speed on downwind was about 100 mph decreasing to a minimum of about 85 mph when turning base. Altitude decreased to about 100 ft AGL to maintain speed on short finals.

The aircraft required more and more right rudder on final approach. The aircraft hit the power lines at 30 ft AGL at about 450m from the threshold of Runway 11, this resulted in a loss of speed and the aircraft stalled

The result of a quick conversion.

The pilot and passenger sustained no injuries, however, the aircraft was substantially damaged. The last MPI was certified on 29 January 2004 at 2396.8 flying hours. The aircraft had accumulated a further 0.35 flying hours since the last MPI.

Probable Cause

The probable cause of the power loss on both engines was attributed to blocked fuel injector nozzles. The cause for the blockage could not be determined. Some water was found in the fuel filter but was regarded as not being sufficient to cause engine failure.

IT’S OBVIOUS – too much air in the tanks –we all know that. Or maybe he had the fuel switched off. Or perhaps he was selected to empty tanks.

Or, wait a minute, the CAA doesn’t even bother to look for the cause and start pointing fingers. After all he was a very experienced airline pilot and one doesn’t want to get involved in an expensive legal argument with insurance companies. And no one was killed. Let’s just wrap it up tidily and hope it all goes away. In fact let’s put an investigator on the case who has never seen a Twin Comanche.

This is actually a very interesting case – let me give you a bit of background on Twin Comanches.

Peter Anderson and the much-decorated WW2 hero Bob Kershaw bought a Twin Comanche ZS-FAW from Placo. It was all clean and shiny and had just had a brand new Annual Inspection.

They both needed multi-engine ratings. I was based in Knysna and so were they. I told them what was involved, that I wanted to give them each ten hours of dual. Peter was happy, but

JIM’S COMMENTS

Image- G. Sykes

Even though the Twinco hit powerlines it reamained remarkably intact. (This is not the ZS-NVB accident.)

Bob had an old war-time buddy in East London who would do it in half the time.

So off he went and came back a couple of days later with his quick conversion. Then it was our turn to get on with it.

The first few hours were magic – we were flying off Brummer’s Kaal – a soggy little strip next to the concrete road that runs to the Heads. Magic weather, beautiful scenery and a bright pupe –what more could I want? Well, just one more thing actually – a reliable aeroplane.

The first hint of a problem came one day when we had a ‘what-was-that?’ moment. You know, one of those times when you are not sure if anything happened at all. Perhaps there was the slightest hint of a momentary yaw. Peter and I looked at each other – then at the gauges and then shrugged. We must have imagined it. But both imagining the same thing? A bit odd.

The next day it happened again – but this time it definitely happened. The aircraft yawed to the right, but only for half a second. Hmmm. Very odd. And for the rest of the flight she purred like a kitten.

The following day was even more puzzling. The left engine stopped for second or two and then continued as if nothing had happened.

This was more of a puzzle than a worry. We both agreed that at first it had seemed to yaw to the right, but this was definitely to the left. And there was not the slightest flicker of anything interesting on the gauges.

Again, it was no big deal. We had been practicing single engine work so were both up to speed on the procedures. Besides we were at the coast and the aircraft was light. But to be on the safe side we were doing all the upper air training overhead the field.

However the next time it happened one engine stopped properly so we feathered it and returned for a landing. But once we were on the ground both engines ran perfectly.

The final betrayal came the following day. We were at 3000ft above the field and had shut down and feathered the right engine. The beautiful little twin behaved perfectly and we climbed away happily at three or four hundred feet per minute. Then sudden silence.

The left engine had died completely.

I told Peter to fiddle with the knobs and switches while I flew the forced landing. After landing the fiddling paid off and we were able to taxi in on both engine. This time however we decided that

it was not a good idea to keep flying Foxtrot Alpha Whisky.

I phoned Placo and they phoned Air Cape, who caused a little Pom with a tool-box to get into a Cessna 150 and come to our rescue.

He quickly diagnosed the problem to be the electric fuel pump for the right engine. He was much contemptuous of my explanation that the gremlins had also attacked the left engine; and bid me keep my nose out of things I don’t understand.

The grubby little man fitted a new pump and started packing his tools into the 150.

I asked him what his plan was, and he told me he was going back to Cape Town and that I should get out of his way because he was in a hurry. I told him I would phone his boss to explain that he, the engineer, was an idiot. And that before he returned to Cape Town he was going to come flying with me in the aircraft he had seemingly fixed.

He explained that he was running out of daylight and that I was being obstructive.

Finally, he flung his little Pommy flat-hat on the ground and told me he would fly with me.

We did three runups on the ground. One at the hangar, one at the holding point and one when we were lined up. On the last one I did something I never do. I took both engines smoothly up to full power and held them there for twenty seconds.

I released the brakes and we shot forward a couple of meters before both engines quit simultaneously.

The little man turned white and the last we saw of him was the 150 wobbling towards the western horizon. His hat was still on the ground.

Placo then sent down their own man who found the problem within minutes. On the outsides of the air-cleaner boxes there were red notices saying “Dry Air Cleaner – Do NOT Oil”. Someone had put a lovely coating of oil on both air cleaner elements – which may be great for trapping dust but there’s a sensitive diaphragm inside the fuel control unit that reacts badly to oil.

A few days later, Bob and Peter were in holiday mood on their way to Cape Town with their

ZS-FAW at Heathrow on her delivery flight from the factory to SA in 1967 (photo Paul Seymour).

wives in the back cooing about the luxury of the red leather upholstery, when Foxtrot Alpha Whisky repeated its now familiar silence.

Both engines stopped and Bob landed her on her guts at Caledon. A long story but basically his quick conversion hadn’t familiarised him with the use of the blue alternator switches, and the tiny silver switches which actuated the solenoids for the tip tanks. There was stacks of fuel on board.

And so ZS-FAW became known as Fuk All Wheels

Briefly, Foxtrot Alpha Whisky had a number of dual engine stoppages with plenty of fuel on board.

I said earlier that the investigator for this particular accident didn’t know what he was

failure in a Twin Comanche just after takeoff caused by exactly that. And our ‘investigator’ didn’t seem to know that there is another fuel filter for the other engine but it is very difficult to see, and almost impossible to drain.

This pilot had obviously not read astronaut Frank Borman’s saying “A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require him to use his superior skill.”

Take home stuff

If you want a long and peaceful life:

• Make your pre-flights thorough (particularly after an MPI).

• Please read the POH and understand the

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With highly trained and qualified instructors and a fleet of Cessna 172s, a Cessna 182, Sling 2, Piper Arrow, Piper Twin Comanche and R44 helicopter, the school has the know-how and experience to prepare the best pilots in the industry. Making use of a state-of-the-art ALSIM Flight Training Simulator, the Superior Aviation Academy offers unmatched facilities that ensure students’ social needs are catered for and that the training offered is at the forefront of international training standards. The Alsim ALX flight simulator model provided by Superior Pilot Services is EASA and FAA approved and has proven itself worldwide. It provides up to four classes of aircraft and six flight models that cater from ab-initio all the way to jet orientation programmes in one single unit available 24/7.

The school offers a range of advanced courses, including IF Refresher Courses, Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS), GNSS/RNAV, CRM and Multi Crew Coordination (MCC) conducted by its qualified instructors. The school also offers PPL and CPL Ground School and Restricted and General Radio Courses. Superior Pilot Services has accommodation available. The lodge is conveniently located just six kilometres from the airport. All rooms are based on a bachelor’s unit which includes laundry and room cleaning services as well as breakfast. Students have access to the communal lounge, gym and entertainment room, pool and ‘braai’ area.

(ATO

TTAF: 7195 hrs: In excellent condition. Has

Engines/Props

• LH engine 659 hrs SMOH

• RH engine 1235 hrs SMOH

• Props overhauled 2024

• New rubber fuel cells in wings

• GAMI fuel nozzles

Key avionics:

• Dual Garmin G5 primary flight instruments

• Genesys (STEC) 3100 digital autopilot

• GTN 625

• GNS 430 Nav/Com

• GNC 225 Nav/Com.

• G500TXi as primary engine instrument with CiES digital fuel senders

Global Express 6500 RA-73575 at Lanseria. This aircraft was briefly registered ZS-BPG before its sale to Russia.

NOVEMBER 2024

November sees strong growth in aircraft registrations with 16 additions, but 10 aircraft are cancelled as exported. The Type Certified additions are a mixed bag.

NEW REGISTRATIONS

First off is a 37-year old first-generation Bombardier (or should that be Canadair) Challenger 600S, ZS-FAA (1030). It is rather odd that it is only now shown in this month’s updates as it was noted at Wonderboom Airport in November 2022 with this registration applied and where it remained until flown to Lanseria Airport in November – probably for some maintenance as it had not flown during the past two years.

This jet was delivered new to the Royal Canadian Air Force in February 1987 where it was given the type designation CC-144. It was initially configured as an electronic support trainer and operated by 414 Squadron at CFB North Bay. It was withdrawn from RCAF service in 2000 and in February 2001 sold to a new American owner and registered N60S, It would later also take up the registrations N630BB and N721ST before it was imported to South Africa in 2015 and registered ZS-SKC. It was operated by the Angolan construction company Crisgunza

and then took up Angolan registry as D2-SKC. It did not stay there long and eventually returned to South Africa. It would seem there is some life yet in this old lady and I await with interest to see what the next chapter in her life brings. Incidentally the ‘S’ designation indicates the addition of winglets to the base model 600.

The next addition is a 2016 model King Air 350i – Fusion ZS-DYA (FL-1072). This formerly British registered plane (G-SRMB) was imported by Ascend Aviation. It arrived on delivery at Lanseria International Airport on 14 October having ferried from Bournemouth routing via Kefalonia, Luxor, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam and Harare.

Third up is an Air Tractor AT402B ZS-MFE. This registration was previously allocated to a Beechcraft F330A Bonanza.

The last fixed wing registered this month is a brand new Cirrus SR22 GTS G6, ZS-KME. This plane departed Duluth in the USA on 4 October with the ferry registration N70SA, on

ABOVE: ZS-MYN has been exported, presumably with its owner, to New Zealand.

BELOW: Cessna Mustang 510 ZS-KPM has been exported to Brazil - via the North Atlantic route.

a 15-stop ferry flight via North America, Canada, Europe and down the east coast of Africa, arriving at Lanseria on 23 October It was noted doing its first flight with its ZS registration at Lanseria on 13 November.

Five helicopters are registered this month. Two Robinson R44 Raven IIs show that

this type remains a firm favourite with local owners while another Airbus Helicopters H125 is registered. The local market seems to love the Bell 222 and derivative family of helicopters with another Bell 222U (the skidequipped utility variant popular with HEMS operators in South Africa) and a smart Bell 430 both being registered in November.

ABOVE: ZS-INW is an early Beech Baron 58 exported to Brazil.

BELOW: Cirrus SR22 ZS-DEV at Lanseria - Pic Omer Mees.

Seven NTCA types are registered this month. The popularity of the four-seat Sling TSi continues with two more being registered. One more four seat Jabiru J430 and a Micro Aviation Bat Hawk R also find new homes.

A Kitplanes for Africa (KFA) Safari is also added and the homebuilder, Aubrey de Wet, is shown as the manufacturer – a rather confusing practice by the SACAA for homebuilt NTCA types.

The final addition this month is a Zlin Aviation Norden Savage, ZU-LIS. Zlin is better known for their aerobatic and trainer aircraft but this is an LSA and is, according to the manufacturer,

designed for “Adventouring”. It is a high wing two-seat tail dragger LSA type with tandem seating much like the Piper Cub.

Looking at deletions, we see 10 aircraft leave our shores. The sole helicopter to be deleted is a Robinson R44 Raven II that is exported to Mozambique. It is not just South Africans that are emigrating to New Zealand but their aircraft too. A well-known Beechcraft V35A Bonanza, ZS-MYN has moved to the land of the long white cloud.

Two planes have been cancelled as sold in Brazil, being a Citation Mustang ZS-KPM which has taken up the registration PS-LVE

ABOVE: Beech 1900D - formerly of Solenta, has been exported to Thailand- Pic Aviastar.

BELOW: ZS-SGT, an early Cessna Citation, seen a long way from home in Estonia - Pic Jevgeni Ivanov.

and departed Lanseria on 26 November on a long delivery flight to Brazil via the east coast of Africa, Europe, North America./ Flight tracking apps show it arriving at Curitiba in Brazil on 29 October.

The second Brazilian departure is a Beechcraft Baron 58, ZS-INW. A Pilatus PC-12 ZS-DER has found a new home in Kenya and was deleted from the local registry in November.

Two more aircraft are exported to America –A Cirrus SR22 ZS-DEV and an elderly 1974 model year Citation I ZS-SGT. The Citation has taken up the new registration N552GT according to my sources, but it is not clear when it departed South Africa.

The last cancellation is a Beech 1900D ZS-SGH that is cancelled to Thailand. This plane left Lanseria on 26 October on its delivery flight to its new home in southeast Asia. Perhaps some of our readers know who the new owners are?

ABOVE: Aermacchi Bosbok ZU-ADK has been exported to the USA. Pic Malcom Reid.

BELOW: ZS-FAA is an early Bombardier Challenger 600S, now exported to the USA - Image Austin-lee.

Two NTC aircraft also leave our shores. A homebuilt type – a Johan van Rooyen Explorer – has most likely followed its builder owner to his new home down-under.

The last export is sadly a former SAAF

Aermacchi AM-3C Bosbok that has been exported to the USA. Several of these aircraft are still operated by their enthusiastic owners in South Africa so it’s sad to see one leave our shores. It was flown in SAAF service with the serial 955. Forty of these Italian built aircraft were delivered to the SAAF where they were given the name Bosbok. They were used for forward air control, radio relay, target marking, reconnaissance/observation duties as well as on casevac and liaison flights. The Bobok was retired from active duty in 1992 due to budget cuts and many were sold into private ownership.

In closing this month… A topic that has been discussed a few times in this column is the South African connection with corporate jets being registered locally to facilitate their onward sale to Russia. As a rule these have never come to South Africa, but this changed on 29 November when a Global Express 6500 RA-73575 (60014) landed at Lanseria. As was reported in this column previously, this aircraft was briefly registered ZS-BPG before its sale to Russia via Turkey. The plane operated a direct return flight to Antarctica that is believed to be linked to the opening of the new Russian wintering and research station at Vostok in east Antarctica.

In an article published by the South African news site Daily Maverick, its reported that this research station was built and funded by the Russian billionaire and gas magnate Leonid Mikhelson.

ZS-SGT

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AERONAV ACADEMY FUEL TABLE

Airspan / Kroondal

Baragwanath - FASY

Beaufort West - FABW

R29,00

R30,20 R 23,30

Bloemfontein - FABL R33,04 R18,74

Brakpan - FABB R33,80

Brits - FABS R27,60

Baragwanath - FASY

Beaufort West - FABW

Bloemfontein - FABL

Brakpan - FABB

Brits - FABS

R29,00

R29,70 R 21,40

R33,04 R18,74

Cape Town - FACT R33,93 R19,96 Cape Town - FACT R33,93 R19,96

Cape Winelands - FAWN R32,00

Eagle's Creek R29,50

Cape Winelands - FAWN

East London - FAEL R34,74 R18,05 East London - FAEL

Ermelo - FAEO R29,79 R24,73 Ermelo - FAEO R29,79 R23,57

Gariep Dam - FAHV R29,50 R20,00 Gariep Dam - FAHV R29,50 R20,00

George - FAGG R35,77 R18,94 George - FAGG

Grand Central - FAGC R32,49 R20,99

Heidelberg - FAHG R28,90 R20,30

Grand Central - FAGC

Kitty Hawk - FAKT R28,90 Kitty Hawk - FAKT

Klerksdorp - FAKD R32,00 R22,42 Klerksdorp - FAKD

R34,57 R19,00

R31,68 R20,47

R22,42 Kroonstad - FAKS R31,63

Kroonstad - FAKS R27,50 Kruger Mpumalanga Intl -FAKN R35,15 R26,30 Kruger Mpumalanga Intl -FAKN R35,15 R26,30

Krugersdorp - FAKR R29,00 Krugersdorp - FAKR R28,00

Lanseria - FALA R31,17 R20,36 Lanseria - FALA R31,17 R20,36

Margate - FAMG NO FUEL NO FUEL Margate - FAMG NO FUEL NO FUEL

Middelburg - FAMB R29,50 R20,50 Middelburg - FAMB R29,50 R20,49 Morningstar R29,95 Morningstar R29,50 Mosselbay - FAMO R34,50 R27,00

Nelspruit - FANS R32,26 R23,00 Nelspruit - FANS

R23,00 Oudtshoorn - FAOH R33,10 R23,05

Parys - FAPY R25,92 R19,04

Oudtshoorn - FAOH

Parys - FAPY

Pietermaritzburg - FAPM R29,00 R22,00 Pietermaritzburg - FAPM

R33,10 R23,05

R26,38 R19,22

Pietersburg Civil - FAPI R29,85 R21,85 Pietersburg Civil - FAPI R29,45 R22,15

Plettenberg Bay - FAPG NO FUEL NO FUEL

Port Alfred - FAPA R33,50

Port Elizabeth - FAPE R32,09 R20,64

Potchefstroom - FAPS R25,34 R18,47

Rand - FAGM R33,50 R23,50

Robertson - FARS R31,90

Rustenburg - FARG R29,50 R22,65

Secunda - FASC

R29,33 R21,28

Skeerpoort *Customer to collect R23,10 R16,22

Springbok - FASB R29,50 R23,50

Springs - FASI R37,25

Stellenbosch - FASH R33,00

Swellendam - FASX R30,70 R23,00

Tempe - FATP R29,16 R19,86

Thabazimbi - FATI R25,84 R18,97

Upington - FAUP R36,62 R24,76

Virginia - FAVG R30,94 R20,64

Plettenberg Bay - FAPG NO FUEL NO FUEL

Port Alfred - FAPA

Port Elizabeth - FAPE

Potchefstroom - FAPS

Rand - FAGM

Robertson - FARS

Rustenburg - FARG

Secunda - FASC

R33,50

R30,94 R20,64

R25,80 R18,64

R33,50 R23,50

R31,90

R29,50 R21,95

R29,33 R21,28

Skeerpoort *Customer to collect R23,56 R16,40

Springbok - FASB

Springs - FASI

Stellenbosch - FASH

Swellendam - FASX

Tempe - FATP

Thabazimbi - FATI

Upington - FAUP

Virginia - FAVG

R29,50 R23,50

R37,25

R33,00

R29,50 R20,00

R26,86 R18,71

R26,30 R19,14

R36,62 R24,76

R30,94

Guy Leitch

CC POCOCK MAKES HISTORY – IN THE USA

In strong contrast to the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s obstructionism, aviation history was made when veteran South African airshow performer Milne “CC” Pocock received FAA-approval for the first-ever laser show from an aircraft.

CC Pocock and Christi Masi with their Cessna 'C170x'.

CC POCOCK WAS DRIVEN OUT of South Africa by overzealous and overreaching CAA inspectors who even called the Hawks in to shut down his bush flying school at Barberton. This school taught life saving skills to pilots – so much so that SA Flyer attended it twice, first with our C182 and then with our PA32-301T Saratoga.

Using his highly modified Cessna 170X, CC combined four aircraft-mounted lasers with synchronized wing-mounted pyrotechnics and lighting effects, creating an unprecedented aerial display at the USA Burning Man 2024 in the Nevada desert.

“This wasn’t just another light show in the desert,” explains Pocock, who brings over 25 years of aviation experience specialising in advanced flight instruction and bush pilot training through his company, Bush Air. “Meeting FAA requirements for an aerial laser performance required months of meticulous safety planning, technical documentation, and innovative solutions to demonstrate compliance with existing aviation regulations.”

With more than 8,000 flight hours and extensive experience as a professional laser

and pyrotechnics technician, Pocock uniquely bridges the worlds of aviation and entertainment.

The historic performance showcased Pocock’s unique ability to transform his air show expertise into the demonstration, piloting what the team dubbed their “mutant aircraft” - complete with mounted rockets and missiles (all for show) - through the night sky while orchestrating a precisely choreographed laser light and fireworks display.

With 1,000 hours of night operations under his belt, CC demonstrated why he was the ideal pilot to pioneer this revolutionary fusion of aviation and laser artistry.

Essential to the project’s success was Christi Masi, an accomplished pilot whose decade of experience operating at Black Rock City Municipal Airport proved invaluable. Since 2013, she has flown into the challenging desert environment annually, including serving as airport manager in 2022. Her intimate knowledge of the unique conditions and regulatory requirements of Black Rock City aviation helped navigate the complex approval process.

The complex controls for the lasers and pyrotechnics.

“Successfully demonstrating how aerial laser displays can operate within existing aviation safety frameworks required unprecedented attention to detail,” Masi reflected after the event. “Working with the FAA to understand and meet all safety requirements has established a blueprint for future aerial laser performances.”

“The 2024 performance proved that safe, compliant aerial laser shows are possible within existing regulations,” notes Pocock. “With community support, we can expand this new form of aerial artistry in 2025, creating an even more spectacular display while maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.”

Building on this historic achievement, plans are already underway for an enhanced performance at Burning Man 2025. The team aims to push the boundaries of artistic expression while maintaining their exemplary safety record and regulatory compliance.

Individuals and organizations interested in supporting the next chapter of this revolutionary aerial art form can contribute to the 2025 project through Spot Fund. Contributors will receive regular updates

The complex pyro and laser assembly on the wing - the missile is not real!

on the project’s development and special recognition during the 2025 event. Additionally, this groundbreaking aerial laser show is available for select sporting events, air shows, and special venues throughout 2025.

An image from a drone of the Pyro-laser show from the C170X overhead Burning Man.

HELICOPTER SERVICES

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EVENTS CALENDAR

7 - 9 March 2025 EAA Airweek Middleburg Contact Laura: lauramc321@gmail.com

10 - 13 March 2025 Verticon (HAI) Heli Expo Dallas, United States https://verticon.org/

15 March 2025 Great Train Race Stellenbosch

25 - 30 March 2025 Avalon Airshow Geelong Airport Australia https://airshow.com.au/

29 March 2025 Potchefstroom Airshow Potchefstroom

1 - 4 April 2025 Aviation Week Zambia Zambia

1 - 6 April 2025 Sun n Fun Lakeland Florida https://flysnf.org/

21 April 2025 Pretoria Air Show Rhino Park

26 April 2025 Wonderboom Airshow Wonderboom

03 May 2025 SAAF Museaum Air Show Swartkop Pretoria

10 May 2025 Nelspruit Aiurshow Old Nelsruit Airport

17 May 2025 New Tempe Airport AirShow New Tempe Bloemfontein

20 - 22 May 2025 EBACE Pal Expo Geneva https://ebace.aero/

22 - 24 May 2025 Presidents Trophy Air Race: Bona Bona david@pilotinsure.co.za cell: 073 338 5200

31 May 2025 Shuttleworth Military airshow Old Warden UK https://www.shuttleworth.org/product/military-air-show-2025/

31 May 2025 Newcastle Airshiow Newcastle KZN

16 - 22 June 2025 Paris Air Show Paris-Le Bourget https://www.siae.fr/en/

25 - 27 June 2025 AERO South Africa Wonderboom https://aerosouthafrica.za.messefrankfurt.com/pretoria/en.html

28 June 2025 Virginia Air Show Virginia Airport Durban

18 - 22 July Royal International Air Tattoo Fairford UK https://www.airtattoo.com/

25 July 2025 Polokwane Airshow Polokwane Limpopo

21 - 27 July 2025 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Contact Neil Bowden: 084 674 5674 info@airadventure.co.za

20 September 2025 Rand Airshow Rand Airport Germiston

17 - 21 November 2025 Dubai Airshow UAE https://www.dubaiairshow.aero/

Do Helicopter Pilots Need a Union?

Kempston –Stranded on an Ice Floe

Editorial - IATA on Africa’s problems

Iris – her big engine fire

Cover: Jeff Brady

Hugh Pryor - You have Control

AME Doctors Listing

News - Largest ever rhino relocation

Laura Mcdermid - Aftermath of the Engine Fire

Helicopter Pilots Should Unionise

Queen Air Tales

Aviation Consultants Directory

Jannie Matthysen - Living the Dream Part 2

Superior Pilot Services: Flight School Directory

Merchant West Charter Directory

Skysource AMO Listing

Backpage Directory

Flyer and Aviation Publications cc

Managing Editor Guy Leitch guy@flightcommag.com

Advertising Sales

Howard Long sales@saflyermag.co.za 076 499 6358

Layout & Design

Patrick Tillman: Imagenuity cc

Contributors

John Bassi

Laura McDermid

Darren Olivier

Jeffery Kempson

+27 (0)83 607 2335

+27 (0)81 039 0595

+27 (0)15 793 0708

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

With few exceptions, Africa’s airlines continue to fail at the basic tasks of providing sustainable air connectivity.

THE DECEMBER 2024 IATA outlook for the airline industry states that “African carriers will achieve a USD0.2bn profit in 2025 with a net USD1.00 profit per passenger.”

But this statement is misleading as almost all this profit will come from less than five airlines. Other than Ethiopian and possibly SAA V2.0, every other stateowned airline can be expected to report the usual losses that come from bad management and political interference.

IATA points out that a significant issue is a shortage of US dollars in some economies which, along with infrastructure and connectivity challenges, hinder the airline industry’s expansion and performance. Despite these obstacles, there is sustained demand for air travel, which is expected to improve the region’s profitability marginally in 2025.”

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and IATA have agreed a joint work programme which includes five key objectives:

Promoting air connectivity by working with governments to support the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). The big idea is to get the 23 countries which have committed to SAATM to actually do something to enable it. And also, to encourage more countries to join SAATM.

a shopping list of fixes for African airlines

IATA cannot be accused of ignoring what globally is the almost irrelevant African airline industry, which amounts to just 2% of the world’s airline flights. IATA’s latest efforts to assist with Africa’s manifold failures is its Focus Africa initiative, which somewhat abstractly aims to “maximize the contribution of aviation to development across Africa by better serving passengers and shippers.” Focus Africa aims to do this by getting private and public stakeholders committed to delivering measurable improvements in six key result areas: safety, infrastructure, connectivity, finance and distribution, sustainability, and skills development.

It reads like a shopping list of fixes for the beleaguered African airline industry.

The second objective is to unblock airline funds held by governments. In December IATA reported about $1 billion of airline money blocked from repatriation is in African countries. That is 59% of the global amount.

Where IATA has been spectacularly successful is in improving the once disastrous African aviation safety record by creating the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

The fourth objective is to achieve reasonable levels of taxes and charges by focusing governments on the long-term social and economic benefits of aviation. User charges in Africa are 8% higher than the global average.

The fifth objective is to support compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). It bears noting though that the CORSIA objective is probably the least likely to succeed as Africa has little will or capacity to pay these taxes.

And thus will African aviation remain a special case requiring constant remediation. 

YOU HAVE CONTROL

I had to hire a car the other day. It was a brand new Ford Fiesta Ghia with a six speed manual gear box. It has keyless ignition and the engine stops automatically if the driver doesn’t touch the accelerator for more than three seconds. Then it starts immediately the driver touches the pedal again.

MY NORMAL CAR is a 32-year-old Tornado Red 5-door VW Golf GTi with a sunroof and a five-speed manual gearbox box. It is a little rocket and we have had it from brand new out of the showroom. But I was understandably interested to see if I could handle this cutting-edge new technology Ford Fiesta, after thirty-two-years of driving the previous generation.

In actual fact, once I had worked out how to open the door, I was pleasantly surprised. The gear lever and the pedals were all in the right places. The steering wheel did as it was told and the seat was comfortably supportive. Once I had got used to the engine stopping and starting all the time, the only things to watch out for were the brakes... just think about touching the brake pedal and the car would screech to a halt in one car-length.

It didn’t matter that one car was built in Germany, thirty-two years previously and the other one was state-of-the-art, built in England, the driving position was virtually identical and that brought me round to thinking about aeroplanes.

jokingly suggested they stick them on the ceiling

Hardly any aircraft share familiar flight deck arrangements. Even similar types, made by the same manufacturer have very different lay-outs. For example, the Twin Otter, built in Canada by de Havilland, basically shares the wings and the fuselage of the Single Otter but it seems that when they got to the cockpit they suddenly said,

“Where are we going to put the engine controls?”

The brakes on the old Golf are good, don’t get me wrong, but you do have to stamp on the pedal to get the feeling that there is a definite connection between foot and brake disc.

And the Chief Engineer, without looking up from his drawing board, jokingly suggested that they just stick them up somewhere on the ceiling.

So they shrugged their shoulders and did as they were told...and the funny thing was that it worked!

All the control cables could be much shorter and did not go round half as many corners. The throttle and propeller levers operated smoothly and were easy to adjust and synchronise and even the pilots seemed to enjoy hanging from the roof like their primate ancestors.

In fact it works so well that they decided just to copy the layout of the Buffalo, which is the Twin Otter’s elder brother.

Now that sounds like a sensible way to lay out the flight controls. But you might be mistaken for disagreeing if you had spent your previous years flying a Piper Cub.

they turned all the switches round the wrong way

One company for whom I was flying actually imported four Twin Otters from Australia. They say that Australians are all upside-down, but you can’t really build a Twin Otter upside-down. So, as if to prove a point, they just turned all the Australian switches round the wrong way. The ones on the flight deck ceiling were all ‘Forwards’ for ‘Off’ and the panel switches were anybody’s guess...up...down...sideways...just give it a try and see what happens.

Which reminds me about my adventures Flying a Luscombe Silvaire with the crossed ailerons.

The Cub is about as different from the Buffalo as it is from a Space Shuttle. The only things which are similarly placed are the rudder pedals. Even the brakes are the wrong end of the feet, unless you have either had your brakes or your feet modified.

Anyway, in some ways that was easier not knowing what any of the switches were going to do in the Australian Twin Otters. Which makes me wonder how they ‘drive’ something like a SpaceX capsule once it is out of the Earth’s atmosphere. I mean, you can’t just give it a nudge of left aileron or a couple of degrees of rudder to the west...presumably that doesn’t work in space, so I think that I will just stick with what I know, even if the switches aren’t sure.

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NEWS LARGEST EVER RHINO RELOCATION

Specialist air cargo operator ACS mobilised all its skills to successfully complete a very challenging project

– the translocation of 39 White Rhino from Namibia to the USA.

IN NOVEMBER Air Charter Service (ACS) helped in the transportation of 39 white rhinoceroses from Namibia to Dallas, USA, for three specific breeding programmes to aid the conservation of the unique genetics of the country’s species. This was not just a feat of logistics, but also of compliance with treaties such as CITES.

Lyndee du Toit, CEO of ACS Africa, commented: “The purpose of this project is to responsibly and ethically conserve the endangered white rhino population and preserve the Namibian rhinos’ unique genetics against poaching. It is the largest translocation of rhino ever undertaken and required many months of careful planning, working in close collaboration with the conservation and relocation company and the airline.

“Over the past few years we have been involved in several flights transporting these magnificent creatures, so are wellversed in what is required from our side.

In 2021 we arranged a charter to move 30 rhinos from a South African reserve to their new home in Rwanda, in what was then the largest single translocation project. This latest flight, with 39, becomes the most rhinos ever to have flown on one aircraft.

“There was an intricate load plan to fit all the oversize containers on board the

Boeing 747, but once aboard, the team of veterinarians were able to personally look after the creatures for the duration of the flight to the United States.

A fuel stop in Sal, Cape Verde, was necessary due to the rhinos combined weight of 80 tons, before landing at Dallas Fort Worth Airport, where they were unloaded under the full supervision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, before their onward journeys.”

The rhinos have all now been released from their quarantine bomas and are doing well in their new environments.

Rhinos ready to load in Windhoek.

AFTERMATH of the Engine Fire

Iris McCallum continues her stories about her early years with Air Kenya. This month she tells us about the immediate aftermath of her dramatic engine fire and crash, and her subsequent ‘getting back onto the saddle’.

MY PASSENGERS AND I got safely out and away from the burning aircraft, and we only stopped running when we thought we would be safe from any explosions. Maybe we had watched too many movies.

As I looked back at the burning aircraft, I noticed that the people from Miseleni village were swarming towards the wreck, attracted by all the noise and strangers ‘dropping in’. We were a safe distance away, but they wouldn’t be if they got too close. I shouted to them in Kiswahili “Rudi nyuma! Rudi nyuma!” (Get back. Get back)!

With the fire almost under control, I crawled back into the aircraft and took out the fire extinguisher which I used on the still-smouldering wing leading edge. I also removed our cool box of drinks together with my flight bag, medical box and the passengers’ personal articles.

I looked as if I had been in a fist fight

I asked one of the young men to collect buckets, or karais (big dishes) so that we could attempt to use sand to put out the fire around the aircraft. Being February, it was the dry season and the bushes were very dry and flammable.

In no time at all the villagers arrived with buckets and greatly assisted in putting the fire out. Fortunately the burning fuel and oil had gone downhill, away from the aircraft.

I did not know how long we would have to wait to be rescued. We were in the rural countryside and not much traffic would be coming along this road.

My last radio contact had been with Nairobi Approach, but I had made no further calls once we had crashed on the road. I had switched everything electrical off and was loathe to switch anything on again in case of a spark.

My passengers were great. They all shook my hand and thanked me. I asked my passengers if they were okay, and I saw that one of the men had a deep scratch on his left shoulder. He allowed me to clean it with Dettol and put a gauze covering on the wound. It was starting to sink in how lucky we all were.

We set up camp on the side of the road and waited. After a while an aircraft arrived and circled us. We all waved madly, as did all the friendly Miseleni Villagers. It flew around us approximately three or four times and then headed back to Nairobi.

After four hours of waiting, I heard a vehicle approaching and decided to beg a lift. I ran out into the road and the driver stopped. He was a friendly man called Musyoki and he had no passengers. His vehicle was a pickup with a weatherproof cover on the back and a passenger seat.

I asked him if he was heading for Nairobi and could he give us all a lift? He agreed and so I put one passenger in the front and the rest of us climbed into the back. I asked him to take us to the nearest police post as I needed to let the authorities know so that the aircraft could be guarded for the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to inspect, and hopefully determine what had caused our engine fire.

The nearest police post was Ol Donyo Sabuk. It was very small with just a constable manning the desk. I told him that I had come to report an accident. He

looked at me querulously as my right cheek had started to swell and my right hand knuckles were raw. I guess I must have looked as if I had been in a fist fight. When we crashed one of the radios had popped out the avionics stack and hit me on the cheek, and my right hand on the throttle had been forced violently forward.

The constable asked me about my vehicle and I explained it was an aeroplane. The policeman said that he had received a message via VHF that we had all been killed. He added that a police Land Rover had been despatched to the crash with body bags, but it had overturned and two of its passengers had been killed.

At any rate he was very happy to see that we were alive. We made short work of a statement and continued our journey back to Wilson Airport, with Musyoki as our Captain.

We had got airborne that morning from Wilson at 0530Z (0830 local). When we walked back through the doors of Air Kenya it was 1630 local. A long day for all of us.

Iris inspecting the C401 wreckage.

PILOTS

The Operations staff, Valerie Ellis and Lynnette, couldn’t believe that we were real. “You must be ghosts. They told us you were all dead,” they said.

They were really happy to see us and organised a first-class payment to Musyoki, the van driver, for his fantastic help.

One of our other pilots, Paul de Voest was in the Pilots Room and came out the moment he heard us. I got the biggest and best hug ever from him.

Paul organised us much needed sustenance and provided calmness. He took care of the passengers. He tasked Val Ellis to ask them for Statements, which they were happy to give. Tea, coffee and sandwiches, whatever was needed, was laid on. The passengers were naturally also keen to get back to their family and friends.

When I was ready to explain what had happened, Paul sat me down and wrote my CAA report out for me. All I had to do was sign it. But this took time – and a toll on my nerves.

There was no talk of counselling for post traumatic stress.

Iris in the Mara with Piper Navajo 5Y-IHC.

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 your private piece of Wildlife Estate wilderness.

HELICOPTER PILOTS SHOULD UNIONISE

Helicopter pilots are stuck in a 12-month flying cycle. While they will have periods of rest and active rest (performing ground-based tasks and planning ventures) within their work source campaigns, it’s not a good situation. They need programmed periods to catch their breath.

IPROPOSE THAT AN ALIGNED national helicopter pilots flying calendar is essential for helicopter pilots to be able to meet their long-term physiological rest needs.

In the short term, say weekly or daily, the SACAA regulations prescribe flying time and on-duty time. This however does not take into consideration the outside work often taken on by pilots to enhance their income.

There have been concerted efforts by individual helicopter pilots to manage their workloads. This is an imperfect system because there is no obvious off-season window. The challenge comes in with our South African helicopter pilots. They need time to mentally and physically “switch off.”

A Helicopter Pilots’ Union

recommended as an opportunity to prevent pilot exploitation. Further, it can offer numerous benefits to the aviation industry.

These advantages extend beyond the direct interests of pilots and can positively impact safety, operational efficiency, and workforce stability.

keeping pilots’ skills current and aligned

The establishment of a helicopter pilots’ union is

Here are the key benefits:

1. Enhanced Safety Standards

• Advocacy for Training and Standards: A union can advocate for rigorous training programmes and standardisation of procedures, ensuring that all pilots are well-equipped to handle diverse scenarios, including emergency situations.

• Improved Reporting Systems: With collective representation, pilots may feel more secure reporting safety concerns without fear of retaliation, fostering a culture of transparency and proactive problem-solving.

• Workload and Fatigue Management: Unions can negotiate work schedules that prioritize rest and reduce fatigue, a critical factor in aviation safety.

2. Fair Compensation and Benefits

• Wage Negotiation: A union provides collective bargaining power, ensuring that pilots receive fair pay commensurate with their skills, experience, and the demands of the job.

• Benefits and Protections: Pilots can secure essential benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and job security, which can attract and retain skilled professionals in the industry.

3. Workforce Stability

• Retention of talent: By addressing pilots’ concerns and improving their working conditions, a union can reduce turnover rates, which is especially beneficial in an industry that requires specialized skills and training.

• Career Development: A union can push for ongoing professional development opportunities, keeping pilots’ skills current and aligned with technological advancements.

4. Industry Advocacy and Collaboration:

• Policy Influence: A union can act as a unified voice for pilots in discussions with regulatory bodies, helping shape policies that reflect the realities of helicopter operations.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: By fostering communication between pilots, employers, and regulators, unions can help resolve industry-wide issues such as pilot shortages or regulatory updates.

5. Operational Efficiency:

• Standardised Agreements: Union-negotiated contracts can streamline employment terms across operators, reducing disputes and administrative burdens.

• Stability in Operations: A satisfied workforce is less likely to engage in disruptions such as strikes, ensuring consistent service delivery for operators and clients.

6. Public Perception and Trust

• Professional Image: A union demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and high standards within the industry, enhancing public confidence in helicopter services.

• Accountability: By advocating for ethical practices, unions help ensure operators prioritize safety and employee well-being, which can positively influence the industry’s reputation.

7. Support During Crises

• Collective Resilience: In events such as economic downturns or pandemics, unions can work with employers to find balanced solutions, protecting pilots’ livelihoods while maintaining operational viability.

• Legal and Professional Representation: A union provides a safety net for pilots facing disputes or challenges, ensuring fair treatment and resolution.

• In summary, a helicopter pilots’ union contributes to a healthier aviation ecosystem by advocating for safety, fair labour practices, and industry-wide improvements. This collective approach not only benefits pilots but also strengthens the overall stability, efficiency, and reputation of the aviation industry. Helicopter

QUEEN AIR TALES

In the early seventies Esquire Airways acquired a pre-owned Beechcraft Queen Air. This top of the range 8,800 lb MAUW model had nine forward facing commuter seats and

I flew it as a single

pilot operation for several months.

ONE NIGHT A NERVOUS passenger remarked that flames were being emitted from the augmenter tube exhausts, so I nicknamed the aircraft the Beech Belch-Fire.

This was appropriate, as the aircraft also had very small ashtrays, and being a chain smoker at the time I had several mini-in-flight cockpit emergencies sparked by ashtray fires.

The aircraft was easy to fly, but the 380 hp supercharged Lycoming engines could be temperamental. We had no cowl flaps for cooling on these engines, while the same engines fitted to the stretched Grand Aero Commanders had cowl flaps that made the engines less unpredictable.

One morning I was taking off from Gaborone without passengers. At about 70 knots the left engine started running rough, so I aborted the takeoff. Then the engine stopped and puffs of smoke came out of the top of the cowling.

I asked the control tower to advise the airport fire station of the situation. I turned around on the runway and managed to taxi back to the parking area near the fire station, shut down, and turned off the fuel selectors.

Grabbing my flight bag, I exited the aircraft, while shouting to the scurrying fireman to hurry. Thicker smoke was floating out of the left nacelle.

The firemen marched onto the apron carrying sections of thick fire hose. Once the sections had been joined the valve was opened. However, the extreme pressure generated by the gushing hose overcame the strength of the fireman holding it. He was lifted off his feet as thick white foam sprayed over the car park and terminal building, all well away from the aircraft.

A second firemen arrived and tried to redirect the hose toward the smoking engine nacelle.

Then the fire hose became disconnected behind the fireman and the sudden release of nozzle pressure caused the men holding it to fall over. Unrestrained, the fire hose took on a life of its own, flailing left and right, spraying ever more foam over the parking apron. I hurried into the aircraft, collected the small portable CO2 fire extinguisher from the cockpit, rushed out, pulled myself up onto the wing, crawled to the engine nacelle, and discharged the small extinguisher into the cowling’s cooling slit. A few seconds later the smouldering fire went out. I jumped down and shouted to the fireman to switch off the pressure valve instead of dashing around the apron trying to catch the still flailing fire hose.

The apron and car park had become a slippery white mess, reminiscent of a scene from a European Christmas card.

I called the AMO at Rand Airport as the aircraft fuel hose had sprung a leak. New ones were fitted, and I flew the aircraft to Rand and asked them to check the right engine fuel hoses as well. These were put on a test rig and failed the pressure test, so new hoses were fitted there too. I asked Tim Biggs, the Chief Engineer, why the engine fuel hoses had not been checked and replaced when the Queen Air underwent its initial South African C of A certification inspection but received no acceptable answer.

After that, the Queen Air served us well and for the first few months I was its sole pilot.

Then, sometime in 1973 there was a palace revolution. We pilots were all paid on a cents per statute mile basis, plus a small amount for the inconvenience of having to night stop. The Pretoria owners then put us all on salaries, mine being a token R10 per month more than the other pilots.

This reduced our income considerably as we normally did a lot of comparatively long distance flying. Now, when the phone rang in our communal rented Gaborone pilots’ house no-one rushed to answer it. There was suddenly little incentive to fly if someone else could answer the phone and fly the requested trip.

Things were changing in our company’s distant Pretoria head office, possibly due to our rapidly

The Queen Air that Martin Oosthuizen didn't make it to Canada in.

JEFFERY KEMPSON

increasing aircraft maintenance costs. I also heard that Esquire Botswana Airways was now up for sale.

A month or so later I was replaced as Chief Pilot by an ex-SAAF ace who had shot down a MiG in Korea while flying a P51 Mustang. Syd de la Harpe was the former CO of the Sabre squadron based at Waterkloof Air Force base.

Syd had also flown an F86 Sabre out of a wet runway at Mahalapye in Botswana when one of the squadron pilots had become lost and low on fuel and spotted the runway just prior to deciding to bail out. This avoided a major diplomatic incident.

Syd was a charming man, and now also acted as the liaison guy with our principal client, Air Botswana. At this time, I also noticed that my name as a director on the company letterhead had been removed. Well, I was 32 years old and had never actually been asked to attend a board meeting, so I had simply been a director in name. Frankly I felt rather sanguine about the situation and had begun longing to return to the social amenities of big city life.

En route we would swap seats, fly some semi-aerobatic manoeuvres under the hood, and recover from Syd’s imposed awkward attitudes while flying on limited panel.

During one of these manoeuvres, he casually mentioned that, “An aircraft does not stall at a speed. An aircraft can stall at any speed, an aircraft stalls at an angle of attack.” Then he took control and demonstrated this truism with memorable effect.

After one excellent Cumberland lunch I took the left seat back to Gaborone, and after being talked through some intense one G actual aerobatic manoeuvres, when I landed back at Gaborone, during the landing roll out, Syd turned to the other pilots, and said, “This little bugger can fly.” In my forty-year aviation career, that remains the only flying compliment of sufficient weight to be memorable. Praise from Caesar indeed.

try and ease this vibration

To be fair, my paperwork had also become a little tardy over the years, and I had heard that this had been reported. More importantly, the new Air Botswana MD and I did not get on well. He was an accountant, the natural enemy of aviation practitioners. Our relationship was not enhanced by my referring to him as “simply ground staff.”

I was mildly pleased that Syd would now have to deal with the aviation experience deficient bean counter.

Esquire Airways had previously acquired an almost new C210 Centurion, which we based in Gaborone, to compete with a new charter outfit which had opened there with a C206.

Syd de la Harpe instituted a monthly Sunday lunch routine involving all our available pilots boarding the company C210 then flying to nearby Lobatse for lunch at the Cumberland Hotel near the airport. Their cuisine was unmatched in Botswana.

A few days later a flight was required for the Botswana President to fly to Lusaka for a meeting with Kenneth Kaunda. Hitherto I had always flown the President as a single pilot, but Syd sensibly decreed that we should operate this trip with two pilots. One of our senior pilots was then converted onto the Queen Air.

The day arrived, and Sir Seretse Khama and his retinue filled the nine cabin seats. As Lusaka was at the very edge of our range, we stopped at Francistown to refuel. The newly converted pilot was at the helm, and competent.

Landing at Lusaka, President Kenneth Kaunda and other dignitaries emerged from a convoy of 10 black Mercedes Benz limousines parked on the apron.

I opened the air-stair door, and Sir Seretse Khama’s tall bodyguard moved to the doorway to check the immediate vicinity. He was about to step down to the apron when something happened that I saw almost replicated in a movie twenty years later. The bodyguard started clutching at one of his long trouser legs, then moving his hand downwards he exclaimed, “Oh! Oh! I’m having an accident.” Then, as though demonstrating a conjuring trick, a large chromium-

plated automatic pistol emerged from the bottom of his trouser leg, then fell out the aircraft and bounced off every step below the open door. Every person watching cringed, some even putting their hands over their ears and turning away, fearing the worst. The firearm hit the ground, spun around, and came to rest without discharging.

Sir Seretse, witnessing this whole farrago said to his bodyguard, “If you do that again, I’ll put you in jail”. Then he winked at me, deplaned and apologised to Kaunda while shaking his hand.

The weapon was retrieved and holstered. Customs and Irritation waived, and we two pilots boarded the rearmost black Mercedes to be whisked off to the Intercontinental hotel for a couple of nights.

Two days later I flew the leg back to Gaborone via Francistown. At one stage a passenger came up to the cockpit and asked me what the radar had to say about the weather ahead. Stymied for the moment, I pretended to look at a non-existent radar screen, and said; “Pretty good. But we do have a bit of a headwind.”

Radar? We didn’t even have an autopilot in that elderly aircraft. Mollified, the passenger returned to his seat.

Then, some distance past Palapye I said to the co-pilot; “I can feel a vibration.” 20 minutes out of Gaborone the vibration increased, and the indicated airspeed dropped by 15 knots. Pressures and temperatures seemed almost normal, though the left manifold pressure gauge was fluctuating.

Then I noticed the silver spinner on the left engine had started wobbling. I said to the other pilot; “I’m going to reduce the power a little to try and ease this vibration”.

That seemed to help temporarily, and I said, “I’m reluctant to feather at the moment and strain the other engine with all our VVIPs on board”.

A few minutes later the spinner started oscillating in earnest, and a crack appeared on it. I said, “If that spinner breaks off and ricochets off the fuselage, tell the pax we’ve been hit by a short-sighted vulture”.

I delayed the descent, then as the spinner’s crack began enlarging I asked Gaborone for a straight in approach, and a few minutes later landed without further complications. I taxied to the apron and shut down near the group of welcoming dignitaries.

I said to the other pilot, “That spinner is now very obviously broken and tilted at an unnatural angle. Open the door, let them out, then stand in front of the spinner while I open the nose compartment hatch and pass the baggage out”.

We did this without the damage being noticed, even though the inquisitive senior DCA man had put in an appearance to welcome the President.

I shook the President’s hand, and the gracious man thanked me for the flight. He really had a wicked sense of humour.

Syd de la Harpe was also on the apron. When the dignitaries had left, I explained our situation, and he said; “I’ll buy the first round at the Holiday Inn.”

Martin Oosthuizen in his army greatcoat.

Next day the other pilot was advised by the Germiston AMO to remove the spinner and fly the empty aircraft to Rand Airport. Syd concurred. He was a consummate gentleman and flying ace of note. At Rand it was found that the left engine had dropped a valve during our leg into Gaborone.

I was glad not to have to write copious official reports about the unnoticed incident.

Several years later, after Esquire Airways had been sold twice - first to Rossair at Rand Airport, then to Vern McWilliams of NAC at Virginia in Durban, I was freelancing out of Lanseria Airport enjoying the amenities of northern Johannesburg, when that Queen Air came back into my life.

The aircraft then belonged to a short lived Lanseria charter outfit. The plane looked tired and unloved and, as I found out, grievously undermaintained.

I flew it a few times. At that stage I had given up smoking, so the ashtrays were no longer a combustible factor in the cockpit.

Then one dark and stormy night I was returning from a day trip to Messina flying as single pilot (with a pax in the copilot cockpit seat). On-board were ten adults, a baby, and a nervous dachshund.

Some months later Pat Hewartson bought that Queen Air, and arranged for an acquaintance of mine, an ex Grand Central instructor, to ferry the Queen Air to a buyer in America.

Martin Oosthuizen was a highly experienced pilot and a very pleasant and gentle fellow. In his very early flying days, he’d lost the engine on a Tiger Moth, over ran an insufficient landing area and trundled into an orchard, then turned upside down. Martin, unscathed, hanging head down from his straps, extended his hand to the rescuing farm owner and said, “Oosthuizen, goeie more Meneer.”

I’d had no contact with Martin for several years, and while tippling at the Lanseria pub one night I heard he had set out on a ferry flight to the US in that Queen Air. I expressed the hope that the right engine alternate air system had been rectified. Then I bet a fellow drinking pilot R10 that the aircraft would probably not get out of the Joburg FIR.

I bet a fellow drinking pilot R10

Several days later I learned that Martin had been forced to land on an ice floe off Labrador. He had been on the ice sheet for several days, surviving on a couple of tins of peaches, and wearing his old ex SAAF overcoat. The Queen Air was spotted through a gap in the clouds during the last apportioned rescue flight by a Canadian Air Force S&R team. Martin was subsequently rescued and flown to Goose Bay.

The weather deteriorated as I passed Pietersburg, and not being radar equipped I had a busy time avoiding the worst of a developing line squall. At one stage, with the dachshund barking under my feet we started picking up icing. The Queen Air had no de-icing boots, and the right engine lost power and would not respond to selection of the alternate air system. Consequently, ATC gave me a descent to below the icing level and we landed at Lanseria unscathed. But even now, I remember that flight being one of my “What the hell am I doing here?” trips.

The next day I told the Queen Air owners that I would not fly that aircraft again until the right engine alternate air heating system had been fixed. I doubt that it ever was, and I never flew it again.

A few days after this I bumped into Pat Hewartson who told me that Martin was okay, and on his way home. Also, that a couple of days later, the ice supporting the Queen Air had thawed, dropping the aircraft irretrievably into the Arctic Ocean. Pat gleefully mentioned that the Queen Air’s insurance company had agreed to pay out.

Several months later Martin and I crossed paths on the Grand Central apron, but I didn’t get a chance to hear the first hand details of his Ice-perience.

I wondered if they had ever fixed that right engine alternate air system …

This is the last edition of this column. I will no longer be writing for this publication. 

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LIVING THE DREAM

Part 2: Planning and Pax

This might be a problem. I just gulped my second cup of coffee for the morning and I realised with a shock that I’m going to spend the next four hours in the cockpit! Rookie mistake. There’s still an hour or two before our 06:30 departure time to make amends – so here’s hoping for the best.

MY SCHEDULED FLIGHT for the day is to the furthest offshore vessel that we serve in the Gulf of Mexico – perfect profile for the lumbering S-92. It’s a straight-line 225NM flight, followed by about 20 minutes on deck, and then the seemingly longer flight back. We’re often assigned another stop or two along the way, but today is just straight out and back.

It should be easy. Unless things change, and there’s always a good chance of that.

Our company policy stipulates that all S-92s carry return fuel. This means that we must be able to fly 225NM to our destination, execute a missed approach, and then return to base and land with a 30-minute reserve. This seems like a great plan in good weather, but when flying IFR, we depart on a SID (Standard Instrument Departure), plan for an offshore IFR approach / missed approach, and return to base while allowing for yet another approach procedure. All these fuel requirements quickly add up,

leaving our standard fuel capacity of around 5,100lbs a little marginal on these longer flights. Fortunately, we have the option of installing internal auxiliary tanks – for our flight today, we have one 210 USG tank installed in the passenger cabin, but it does require three of our 19 passenger seats to be sacrificed.

a totally hands-off automated approach

Our destination drillship has been anchored in the same spot for the past few months and this mission has been flown successfully many times by simply extracting our route from one of the two FMSs (Flight Management Systems).

Even with all the information available from the previous flight to this ship, we still verify the coordinates, local weather, deck conditions, fuel availability, and vessel heading prior to every flight. All this information is sent to us in the form of a deck report. With up-to-date information right from the vessel, we’re able to complete our initial planning.

The current and forecast weather looks good along our route and at the destination, so it should be an uneventful flight, although we will be filing an IFR flight plan with the intention of cancelling that before we reach our destination.

We have several options for offshore IFR approaches, the most remarkable allowing us to descend to 200ft AGL (or above water) with ¾ SM visibility, using the S92’s Rig Approach feature. This is a totally hands-off automated approach, which I still find terrifying. The automation does an amazing job, but 200 feet above the water, may very well be the same height as the helideck on bigger platforms, or in our case today, leaving us 70 feet above the 130 feet helideck – not much space to manoeuvre the beast that is the S-92 in low-visibility conditions.

Effect) hover taxi at 200 feet once we’re visual to reach the final landing location on the helideck. This feels painfully slow, and very unnatural. The whole offshore IFR approach requires very dedicated crew involvement, and our CRM skills need to be honed to perfection to be ready for a missed-approach or any other anomaly. When operating so close to the water, there is no time to troubleshoot or discuss options.

This feels painfully slow

With Rig Approach allowing such a low minimum height, we offset the approach, so we don’t fly directly to the rig or vessel in IMC conditions. The result is that the offset track requires an OGE (Out of Ground

For today’s flight, however, we won’t be requiring Rig Approach as the weather promises blue skies with a sprightly 25kt wind offshore. Should be fun!

Now that our planning is complete and the dispatch team knows how much weight we’re able to carry on the flight, the passengers are being confirmed and processed. Security is strict and passengers are managed in much the same way as for commercial flights at any large airport in the USA.

Most of our passengers live in the southern USA as they work either 7 or 14-day rotations offshore. They

An easy VFR day. Short final to a 150 ft helideck. Image Jeff Brady.

drive to our base and our parking lot is typically filled with hundreds of large trucks, mainly black with a large exhaust, massive wheels, and a lift kit. These are characteristically salt-of-the-earth southern boys (or gals) who hunt, fish, and diligently carry their guns with them wherever they go. Quite predictably, our security teams have their hands full scanning for firearms or ammunition in check-in luggage. They often see a handgun “forgotten” in a backpack after the previous week’s hunting and shooting activities during their time off duty. I’d hazard a guess that you won’t see this anywhere else in the world!

Every passenger, including their personal luggage, is weighed separately. Once security, checkin, and verification formalities have been completed, passengers are directed to a briefing room for a safety video. This covers all aspects of the flight, from movement on the ramp / apron, to procedures inside the aircraft, to emergency and ditching procedures, and finally to disembarkation on the helideck. Each S-92 is equipped with emergency floats, so the theory is that the helicopter should

be able to remain afloat. In addition, there are two emergency life rafts that could be deployed. All these procedures are addressed in detail before passengers are transported to the helicopter. Every passenger also receives an emergency life jacket equipped with a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) and EBS (Emergency Breathing System).

about 20 minutes to complete systems checks

While passengers are being processed, the daily symphony of getting hundreds of people to their offshore destinations continues in the planning room, various hangars, and on the apron. Several fuel trucks manoeuvre between a maze of parked and running helicopters to get the correct fuel orders to the right aircraft on time. Our crew, like many others, head over to the parked helicopters to contribute to the symphony of activity. One of the perks is that pilots don’t do pre-flight inspections on the S-92s. Our activities are focussed on reviewing paperwork and maintenance records, followed by a simple, uninterrupted walk-around inspection, and then detailed systems checks in the cockpit.

Pax and bags being loaded on the flight line.

A complex machine such as the S-92 requires about 20 minutes to complete systems checks. This is done to verify that every system on board functions correctly before passengers are loaded on the helicopter. One of my favourite things about the S-92 is the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit). This is a small turbine engine, used to provide electrical and hydraulic power, and is also used to start the two General Electric CT7-8A engines. Most importantly, though, it enables the use of the air-conditioning unit. With the APU running, virtually everything on board functions the way it would in flight, with the obvious caveat that we don’t have to spin the rotors, nor start either of the two engines.

back to the crew room while we wait for the passenger briefings to be completed, the baggage to be loaded on board, and the helicopter to be refuelled. I still have those two cups of coffee to contend with…

Our systems checks are uneventful today, and we call our dispatch team to confirm that we are officially “operational”. Now we have a few minutes to head

In the next issue we’ll finally get airborne and head offshore!

The pax and their baggage are weighed before each flight.

Aero Engineering and Powerplant AMO

BACKPAGE DIR ECT ORY

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