December / January 2020 by Flyer & Aviation Publications

FlightCm African Commercial Aviation

Africa’s Biggest Aviation Magazine Edition 300 December 2020 | January 2021 Cover: Darren-Edward O'Neill

FEATURE: THE MIRAGE F1CZ AT WAR! FLIGHT TEST – THE MIRAGE F1!!! CAA DOSSIER – MORE LEGAL FROLICS DES BARKER – FLIES THE MIRAGE F1 WITH A MIG-29 ENGINE! JIM – CROOKED MAINTENANCE! RODGER FOSTER – DODGES COVID CAN PAX SUE AIRLINES IF THEY GET COVID? 1

Dec/Jan 2020

AV I AT I O N C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E S G U I D E 2 0 21

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POSITION REPORT WOW – THIS IS SA FLYER'S 300th EDITION! NORMALLY we would have had a rocking party, but this year is different. We have decided to give our hard pressed yet loyal advertisers a break and combine our December and January editions into one – a bumper 300th celebration issue. We are no longer printing the magazine and enduring the vicissitudes of trying to get it to subscribers, but the online readership is already

definitive article on the amazing Mirage F1 in

four times larger than our print circulation – and

SAAF service.

steadily growing. We may never go back to print. As usual we have done

Amazingly, South Africa continues to produce heroes. Too many, such as Elon Musk, leave for greener pastures, but others stay and build businesses – against all odds. The latest hero is

something special for readers to

Gidon Novick – who has the courage to launch a brand new airline when all around is despair. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my

immerse

loyal team, who have shown great dedication to

themselves

getting much expanded jobs done under the most

in for

impossibly trying conditions – and for less pay.

Christmas - the

I wish all our readers a happy and safe festive season and a prosperous new year.

Guy Leitch EDITOR & PUBLISHER guy@saflyermag.co.za

Dec/Jan 2020

© SA Flyer 2020 All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holders.

AV I AT I O N

P R O F L I G H T S E R I E S 2 AV I AT I O N H E A D S E T

AFRICA

H O L I DAY P R O M O T I O N

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COLUMNISTS SA FLYER

16 Guy Leitch - ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE 22 Peter Garrison - LEADING EDGE 28 Jim Davis - PLANE TALK 36 Dassie Persaud-van der Westhuizen 42 George Tonking - HELI OPS 50 Johan Walden - A SLIM LOGBOOK 54 Ray Watts - REGISTER REVIEW 88 Jim Davis - ACCIDENT REPORT

FLIGHTCOM

8 12

ZANDSPRUIT FLY-IN

Dec/Jan 2020

Bush Pilot - Hugh Pryor

FC 24

Edition 300

CONTENTS Airlines - Mike Gough

Dec/Jan 2020

Edition 300

CONTENTS FEATURES SA FLYER

58 Flight Test: MIRAGE F1CZ 76 Mirage F1AZ Missile flight clearance 90 The CAA Dossier 96 Letters 100 Krugersdorp Fly-in 106 Morningstarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hoedspruit Fly-in 110 Hoedspruit Fly-in - Zandspruit 112 Children's Flight 2020 118 Book Review: Punching Holes in the Sky 120 Out landings:: Mark Holliday

REGULARS 14

Opening Shot

57 Bona Bona Register Review 60 Aviation Direct Events Calender 74 SV Aviation Fuel Table

FLIGHTCOM

18 Defence - The F1 Engine Upgrade 24 Can Passengers sue Airlines if they get Covid-19?

32 Face to Face: Rodger Foster 40 The State of African Aviation 48 Boeing 737 Max Returns 10

Dec/Jan 2020

FLIGHTCOM

36 Alpi Flight School Listing 37 AME Directory 38 AEP AMO Listing 45 Atlas Oils Charter Directory 50 Aviation Directory

WISHING YOU A PEACEFUL HOLIDAY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

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OPENING SHOT

VIATION has been under crushing pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic so we selected this picture to celebrate the re-opening of South Africa to international tourism. This shot is a reminder to us that – “this too shall pass” and the sun will rise on another day – when aviation can once again fly free. Prolific Opening Shot contributor Richard Maier was on his way to his home base at Lanseria for an early start when he saw the sun rise above the ExecuJet hangar. He used his Canon 7D pushed to 1250 ISO, with a 300 mm lens at 400th second2020 at f7.1. Dec/Jan

Send your submissions to guy@saflyermag.co.za 15 Dec/Jan 2020

ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE: GUY LEITCH

2020 DISASTER REPORT

EACH YEAR I TRY HAND OUT LIGHT-HEARTED OSCAR AWARDS FOR THE BEST AND WORST ACTORS AND PERFOMANCES IN AVIATION OVER THE PAST YEAR. BUT FOR 2020, HUMOUR IS IN SHORT SUPPLY, AS MOST OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN ONE PROTRACTED DISASTER MOVIE AND SO THIS COLUMN IS MORE A BATTLE DAMAGE REPORT.

MOST of us in the aviation industry are shellshocked walking wounded. The culprit is the Covid-19 pandemic. Upfront let me nail my colours to the mast – and say that I am still open to being persuaded that the entire world over-reacted. I may even allow that there could be some diabolical conspiracy behind the pandemic to reset the global economy and the troublesome belief in the western mindset of the rights of the individual. It’s no laughing matter – but one of the few quips that resonates is that this year people are staying up to midnight on the 31 December, not

THE AVIATION INDUSTRY It is now a cliché to say that aviation is in the

to see the new year in, but to check that 2020 is

middle of the biggest crisis it has ever faced,

finally over.

but, if for no other reason than posterity’s sake,

Dec/Jan 2020

I need to briefly consider just how flattened our

Aircraft Maintenance Organisations also report

industry is. Airline revenues have collapsed and

good business. It would seem that aircraft

the always fragile general aviation industry has

owners took the opportunity to get longstanding

been brought to its knees.

maintenance snags addressed, or even new

Let’s get the bad news out of the way and start with the big disaster: The airline Industry in Africa:

interiors and paint jobs. But these are the exceptions – and it’s worth

revenue loses are expected to reach $8 billion.

restating what I have said before: the aviation

But as IATA points out - the impact is much

industry leads a recession and lags its recovery.

broader. The consequences of the breakdown

It will therefore take longer than the rest of the

in air connectivity are severe: five million African

economy to recover.

jobs are at risk and aviation-supported GDP could fall by as much as $37 billion, and that’s a 58% drop. Still, its not all doom and gloom. If you look hard enough you can always find a few silver linings. The air freight industry has done well, simply because, without passenger airliners flying there has been a chronic lack of belly space for cargo. This has meant that there has been more than enough demand to keep the pure cargo

The aviation industr y leads a recession and lags its recover y

The new 2020 Squawk.

For the operators in the Okavango Delta and other high-end game lodges, international tourism is not expected to recover much before the middle of next year. And a recovery in 2021 assumes that the major sources of overseas

operators happy – and indeed, making super

tourists can agree the elaborate two-step

profits. (Except SAA Cargo of course).

dance required to comply with both origin and

Similarly, the pure VIP biz-jet operators are doing pretty well. Those who can afford not

destination health protocols. Both Airbus and Boeing have taken great

to have to mix with the germ-infested lumpen

financial strain, but Boeing in particular has had

proletariat have used biz-jets to lord it above the

a torrid time. The stress ended its courtship with

hoi polloi.

Embraer. Other notable casualties have been the

Perhaps surprisingly, many of the better

death of A380 and 747-8 new builds and massive Dec/Jan 2020

BELOW: 2020 was worse than we dared think.

fleets of parked airliners – many of which will

all but unaffordable and orders dried up for OEM

never fly again. I know of SAA crews who shed a

agents. At the same time, owners have been

discrete tear when they left SAA’s pristine fault-

increasingly exporting their planes, and thus the

free A340-600s in the desert to be hacked by

fleet of GA aircraft within South Africa continues to

bulldozers.

both shrink and age.

Boeing’s much hoped

The splendid Sling

for certification of the

Aircraft company is one

777X has still not

of the few beneficiaries of

happened, however

the weakening Rand. The

small relief came in the

company rather belatedly

FAA approval of the 737

changed its name from

Max for return to flight.

the anodyne ‘The

Whether the airlines

Airplane Factory’ to

and passengers will be

just ‘Sling Aircraft’. This

keen on flying the Max

change recognises that

remains to be seen.

the Sling has become a worldwide success

GENERAL AVIATION

story as a brand. 85%

In general aviation (GA)

of all its new sales are

we saw evidence – if any was needed – that flying a light aircraft is actually not easy. Pilots who

with half to the USA – which is a notoriously tough market to crack.

had been law-abidingly flightless for six months

Also great to see from Sling Aircraft is a final

suddenly found that they were way behind their

push to get the high wing Sling 4 flying. I’m told

planes and there was an embarrassing spike in

that this will still happen this year, hopefully by the

aircraft accidents from pilots who had forgotten

time you read this, but as they’ve been promising

how to fly.

a high wing for more than ten years, I’m not

The lockdown obviously had the effect of reducing the overall accident count dramatically –

holding my breath. Good progress was made with electric planes,

yet the accident rate seems to have gone up – but

although personally I remain deeply sceptical

as usual we still don’t have definitive numbers as

about their real ability to compete with fossil fuel

the CAA still cannot provide accident stats based

burners. Nonetheless, the successful flying of the

on the number of hours flown.

electric MagniX Cessna C208 and Piper Meridian

The GA industry within South Africa was dealt

made outside South Africa,

is a huge step forward. Even Sling Aircraft have

a further blow by the continued impoverishment

an all-electric Sling 4 being developed by ETH

of South Africans through the weakening of the

University in Switzerland as well as a Hydrogen

Rand, thanks to a full tri-fecta of junk status

Fuel cell version being developed by Delft

ratings. Once again, new aircraft have become

University in Holland.

Dec/Jan 2020

SAA I would love not to have to say anything about the protracted death of South African Airways - as it is unspeakably tragic. But, like a slowly unfolding

with 1000 hours of command, who have a low cost of living and can therefore accept much lower salaries. We know that things will never be the same

horror movie, SAA holds a morbid fascination for

again, but what will the new normal be? Full

all South Africans.

service airlines have traditionally relied on the fat

The double-whammy of both Covid-19 and the

profit margin from business class, yet the number

maladministration of SAA has taken a huge toll

of business travellers may be reduced by as

on personal lives. I know of pilotsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wives working

much as half due to the widespread adoption of

nights as hotel receptionists and of 20,000 hour

webinars and online conferencing, instead of face-

Captains driving TLB back-actors and busses.

to-face meetings.

As a group, the greatest victims are Senior

SAA has been in Business Rescue for a

First Officers, aged around 40, who have 15 or

full year, yet the airline is in a worse position

more years of service, but who were stuck at First

than when it began the Business Rescue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and

Officer due to the lack of SAA growth. When the

carrying on as before is a hopeless dream. Yet

airline industry recovers, these SFOs, who have

this dream is nurtured by those who deceive

mortgages and children in expensive schools, will

themselves and others into believing that the

have to compete against 28-year-old Captains

airline is saveable. The big issue is once again

ABOVE: The Swiss are developing an electric Sling 4. Dec/Jan 2020

the ANC government’s insistence – at all costs – for racial transformation of the pilot body. This

proficiency standards. (I sense a book on this.) The entire business plan for SAA is a fairy tale.

appears to be an objective that has no limits when

It is predicated on absurd assumptions such as

it comes to spending the public’s hard-earned

the airline being profitable with 61% loads, despite

taxes on a vanity project.

the cost of having to transform and to operate

The SA government seems oblivious to the enormous resentment amongst voters and its supporters against its airline. And like it or

politically expedient, but otherwise unprofitable, routes. All this makes the airline un-investable. Minister

not, if pilots are promoted on the basis of race,

Pravin Gordhan wants us to believe that there is a

rather than on skill or experience, the faith

‘white knight’ strategic equity partner waiting in the

t h e CA A continues to get pounded in the cour ts

wings to bail it out, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

that passengers have in SAA’s safety will be

irreplaceable C130 Hercules in a runway excursion

irretrievably damaged. People will rather book on

in Goma.

THE SAAF In 2020 the South African Air Force Apparatchiks tried to pretend that it was 27 years old and not 100. It also saw the retirement of its first black chief, Lt. Gen. Zakes Msimang who threw a few parting punches against stupid politicians in his farewell speech. Meanwhile the SAAF continued to break its few remaining active assets, with the write-off of an

other airlines. The so-called Black Pilots Association at SAA argues vehemently that their standards are just

Pilots either hate the CAA, or just ruefully

as good as any others because they passed the

shrug their shoulders and say, “This is Africa”.

same proficiency checks. However, I am aware

Thus, some accepted that it takes 90 days to

of many examples where the airline “bent over

renew basic aircraft documentation. Others

blackwards” to accommodate struggling pilots.

remember the good old days when you could

The claim that all pilots are the same will simply

get documentation done while you had a cup of

not wash.

coffee.

The more the ANC government persists with

THE CAA

This year, thanks to Covid-19, CAA staff were

the money-is-no-object drive to racially transform

allowed to work from home. It seems that much

the pilot body, and at the same time, throw out

of the work was not done, perhaps because

the seniority system (that is accepted worldwide),

they did not have access to a working enterprise

and abolish the tyranny of Training Captains, the

management system, even though the CAA spent

greater will be the pressure for the true story to be

upwards of R90 million on one a few years ago.

told of the compromises that were made in pilot

So the endless checking and double checking of

Dec/Jan 2020

signatures and box ticking was not possible, and

From this low point, things can only get better. I

Certificates of Registration and Authorities to Fly

still believe that; “This too shall pass” and, “It’s

took months.

always darkest before the dawn”. With these

Nonetheless, to give the CAA it’s due, it seems

cliches, let me vacate this page and wish all

to have tried its best to sort out the backlog, and

our loyal advertisers and readers a much more

as we head into the end of the year, the situation

prosperous 2021.

has become tolerable for most users. Meanwhile the regulator continues to get pounded in the

guy@saflyermag.co.za

courts, where it loses legal battle after legal battle. A parting thought.

SPACEX Big happy news was achieved by SpaceX. Our Pretoria boykie, Elon Musk, really showed that he does have the right stuff in that they flew two astronauts to the space station and back in May and then a full crew in November. SpaceX is also pushing ahead with its Starlink project to provide widespread 5G coverage to the third world. This is obviously to be welcomed, however I fear the impact of all these little satellites as future space debris. CONCLUSION

W N E EW B S IT E

And thus ends an extraordinarily bleak year.

Dec/Jan 2020

LEADING EDGE - PETER GARRISON

A NI CE l i t t l e B OOK FROM TIME TO TIME I FIND MYSELF IN THE STUDY OF SOME AFICIONADO OF AVIATION – FORMER FLYING MAGAZINE EDITOR STEPHAN WILKINSON, FOR EXAMPLE – ADMIRING THE CARGO OF HIS BOOKSHELVES. MANY A VOLUME THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH ON A RAINY AFTERNOON; MANY THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF.

THE lavishly illustrated large-format ones you

dense Pynchon novel is doing here, nor St. Ex’s

find remaindered at booksellers aren’t likely to

perennially beloved and terminally tedious Little

be the most interesting; it’s rather the old cloth-

Prince; but you don’t have to buy the whole list,

bound volumes, mostly now out of print, that will

and probably couldn’t even if you wanted to.)

take you deeply into other worlds of flight. It is seldom convenient to note down titles

to Winged Victory, a novel about Camel pilots in

in those situations, but one pilot sent me a nice

World War One. Somehow, I had gotten this far

little book of his that might save one the trouble.

in life without ever having heard of it, although

Searching for the Epic of Flight / 107 Books

it is, according to its cover blurb, “the greatest

Briefly Noted is its title. The British-born author,

novel of war in the air.” The paperback, which

Robert J. Hing, intersperses his capsule reviews

stupidly has an SE-5, not a Camel, on the cover,

with his own reminiscences, and modesty does

arrived the day after I ordered it from Amazon;

not keep him from including a couple of his own

this “one click” stuff is like rubbing a lamp and

books among the aviation classics. The reader

having a genie see to your wishes – although,

may judge for himself whether they ascend to

like wishes, Amazon often does more harm than

the level of some of the others, like Sagittarius

good.

Rising, The Spirit of St. Louis, Night Flight or Gravity’s Rainbow. (I’m not sure what the rather

I’m indebted to Hing for calling my attention

Dec/Jan 2020

The author, V. M. Yeates, is not to be confused with the poet W. B. Yeats, whose

limpid sonnet on the death

attack. The novel is pretty

pages in what is basically a

of an Irish airman is, to my

clearly autobiographical; one

monotonous series of “jobs”

knowledge, his only work on

way you can tell is that, like

– sorties of an hour or two,

an aeronautical theme. Yeates

real life, it has no discernible

sometimes several in a day, a

L I K E R E A L L I F E , I T HA S NO DI S CER NI B L E P LOT

few miles into “Hunland,” looking for the odd hapless Pfalz or Albatros or reconnaissance twoseater to sneak up on and send

flew Camels on the Western

plot. It’s remarkable that

down in flames, or plunging

Front in 1918, dividing his efforts

Yeates manages to keep you

into a cauldron of machine-

between air combat and ground

engrossed for hundreds of

gun fire to drop a couple of 25-pound bombs or spray a trench with bullets. Movie-style mass dogfights are rare and brief; German pilots, whose equipment the protagonist, Tom Cundall, considers inferior to the British, are depicted as generally, and wisely, avoiding engagements with Camels. Most days end in a drunken haze, alcohol lubricating, as no doubt it always has, the wheels of war. Much of Winged Victory – the title alludes, I think ironically, to the Hellenistic statue, triumphant but headless, that greets visitors to the Louvre – deals with Cundall’s fluctuating feelings about his trade: exultation or relief over his victories and escapes, disgust with the mechanical slaughter of men just like himself – for what? For usury, explains a fellow pilot, who, persuasively enough, sees this mad war as redounding principally to the benefit of

Yeates's book is now acclaimed as one of the best about flying in World War 1.

Dec/Jan 2020

international industrialists and financiers. Woven through this tapestry of daring, terror and growing doubt are the shining threads of flight. Yeates evokes Turneresque skyscapes – the

many novices died within weeks of arriving. The longer a pilot survived, the longer he was likely to; learning mattered. Most pilots today can have little idea of the

tawny eruptions of evening cumulus, the pools

sensations of flying an aeroplane like a Sopwith

and filigrees of mist, the leaden overcasts and the

Camel. So-called because of the slightly humped

opalescent voids – that every pilot will recognize.

silhouette of its forward fuselage, the Camel was a

Weather has a leading role in the drama. “Dud” weather means safety – you can roll over and

tiny thing, its empty weight about that of a modern two-seat homebuilt.

The quirky and barely stable Sopwith Camel.

sleep, the morning job won’t go – but also the

It was armed with two forward-firing machine

boredom of empty hours. Good weather means

guns. You did not so much climb as slither into

danger – but also the fun of “contour chasing”

its well-like cockpit. Pug-nosed, it was quite

over the war-blasted landscape at 20 feet and

tail-heavy; aft CG caused a lack of longitudinal

diving to radiator-cap level to terrify the occupants

stability which, combined with minimal vertical

of British staff cars encountered by chance on

tail area and the concentration of mass at the

country roads. Pilots who joined their squadrons

centre of the aircraft, made it very agile. It was

during winter months were likely to survive longer,

virtually incapable of prolonged coordinated flight,

because they would fly less; but in any season

but Yeates considered that its willingness to fly

Dec/Jan 2020

somewhat sideways made it a harder target; an

by the skin of his teeth. Once pilots became

enemy could not be sure where it was going.

accustomed to the aeroplane, however, they found

Several engines were used, the most powerful

it congenial and pleasant to fly; Tom Cundall feels

a 160-hp Gnome swinging a 9-foot propeller at

that his helpful Camel flies itself when he takes

1,400 rpm; this gave an initial rate of climb of

it out on a sortie while staggering drunk. It has

1,200 fpm and a service ceiling near 20,000 feet,

always been so with pilots and aeroplanes: Pilots’

where neither aeroplanes nor pilots were at their

unconscious adaptations eventually make them

best. Cundall’s squadron flies the more common

and their machines one.

110-hp Le Rhône-engined variant. All Camel engines were rotaries – quaint

Winged Victory takes place in northern France a few months before the end of the

parodies of a radial engine, now extinct, in which

war. Although Yeates describes the Allies as

the crankshaft stayed still and the engine spun

enjoying air superiority, the Camel had by then

around it. The scheme was ingenious, with a

been surpassed by heavier, more powerful and

high ratio of power to weight and good ground

faster fighters, notably the Fokker D.VII. Cundall

cooling. There was no oil pump; centrifugal force

increasingly encounters those “new Fokker

carried castor oil outward to the rockers, whence

biplanes” and attaches an obsessive, sinister

it continued overboard. The Gnome engine lacked

significance to the “extensions” of their upper

even a throttle, the pilot controlling power stepwise

wings – just aileron horn balances, actually. It

by cutting ignition to various numbers of cylinders.

was the D.VII, half again as heavy as the Camel,

The main character trait of the rotary was its

with thick cantilever wings and a liquid-cooled

powerful gyroscopic couple, which caused an

Mercedes inline-six engine, that the Allies would

aeroplane to pitch when yawed and yaw when

single out for confiscation after the armistice, and

pitched. It was said – falsely – that the Camel

that would continue in military service in various

could make a 270-degree turn to the right faster

countries throughout the 1920s. It, and not the

than a 90-degree one to the left, but it seems to

agile Camel, pointed the way to the biplane

me more likely that it could enter an accelerating

fighters of the postwar decade.

evasive dive very rapidly to the right, when the

Victor Maslin Yeates flew 163 “jobs,” was shot

gyroscopic couple pulled the nose downward,

down twice, and himself shot down five enemy

whereas when turning to the left the aeroplane

planes in the spring and summer of 1918. He

tended to raise its nose and slow down.

wrote the novel the year before his death at 37,

Maintaining altitude, a Camel makes the same

in 1934, of tuberculosis. It was a great favour to

turn rate and radius in either direction as any other

posterity. Winged Victory is a vivid evocation of

aeroplane at the same bank angle and speed.

experiences that one longs to have had, but is

Between its marginal stability and the

not eager to undergo. One feels harrowed, mud-

peculiarities of its handling, the single-seat Camel

spattered and war-weary after reading it. Just a

presented novice pilots with a difficult transition.

touch of PTSD; it will pass.

Many crashed. Yeates gives a vivid account of his protagonist’s maiden flight, which he survives Dec/Jan 2020

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Dec/Jan 2020

PLANE TALK - JIM DAVIS

PA X A C T I V E OR

( PA R T 3)

PA S S I V E P E S T S ? THOSE WHO WERE PAYING ATTENTION WILL REMEMBER THAT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPRESSING MY OPINION OF PAX – AND IT’S NOT VERY HIGH.

I’VE been trying to figure out how the five

stories from long ago because they are boring

personality traits, recognised by psychology,

to everyone under 35, and fairly boring to those

affect the safety and harmony of a flight. Here

over 35. So all the following events happened in

they are again.

the past few weeks.

1. Conscientiousness 2. Agreeableness

awful place – I can’t even remember where it

3. Neuroticism

was, but it makes no difference – all military

4. Openness to experience

camps are identical because they are chosen

5. Extraversion

for the same attributes. The territory must be

And it’s not only the personalities of the pax

devoid of vegetation. It must be flat except for

that matters – the pilot’s personality obviously

a single stony koppie in the far distance. This is

has a big influence on things. Now I must

for troopies to run round when their boots aren’t

confess that I only did Psyc for one year at

sufficiently shiny, or the corporal discovers a

varsity and all I learned was to regard shrinks

dead fly under their locker.

with much suspicion. So what I say comes from

There must be dust or sand for miles in every

the flimsiest of backgrounds and has almost no

direction and a fair scattering of large stones

authority. It’s just my own biased observations.

that need to be painted white. It must never have

I want to tell you a few stories and see how

rained there, and the daily temperatures must

the characteristics of the participants play out in

vary between minus 8 deg C when one gets

the real world.

up in the morning, and plus 45 deg C at 2pm.

The Gleitch says I am not allowed to tell you

I was at an Air Force camp at some gawd-

Dec/Jan 2020

Whirlwinds are an added attraction.

Dec/Jan 2020

So we are at this place when I am summonsed

wrapping myself in a plastic, nutria (meaning the

to the Ops tent where Commandant Robertson

colour of warm nappy noodles) raincoat, holds little

greets me as follows, “Davis, go back to your tent

appeal. Even less appealing is Cmdt Robertson’s

and put on your raincoat.” This is an interesting

next order, “You are to take Sergeant de Lange

start – its relevance will become clear in a

flying in that Colt,” he points through the flap of the

moment.

tent, “and make him sick. Any questions?”

The lines of retribution between Air Force officers and Army NCO’s were somewhat blurred

So that explains the rain coat – it’s for selfprotection. It would seem that Sgt ‘Slang’ de Lange, the least popular person in the whole of the South African Defence Force, had got up Cdt. Robertson’s nose in no small way. The exact nature of this ingestion was not made clear to me. It would also appear that the lines of retribution between Air Force officers and Army NCO’s

For brunch we have all just uploaded some

were somewhat blurred. One could see that our

stuff which is best described as cow-cube stew.

commandant would love to have sent the hated

It consists of lumps of gristle and hoof in a murky

sergeant on a cross-country gallop around the

fluid that has islands of fur floating in it. I think

distant koppie, but this may have breached some

they walk the cattle through criss-cross band saw

rule of inter-service niceties.

blades and let the bits fall into luke-warm water before serving. We are soaked in sweat so the prospect off

The next best thing to the koppie run was obviously to cause the Sergeant to vomit his cowcube stew all over the inside of a little aeroplane.

The Pretoria Flying Club’s faithful Cubs grazing peacefully on the grass next to Schalk Barnard’s control tower at Wonderboom many years ago.

Dec/Jan 2020

A runaway Piper Cub will often spin around in ever-widening circles.

I have to break off the narrative for a moment to explain that an RAF instructor had once told me that one should always handle an aircraft as if one’s grannie was sitting in the back with a basket

To that heaving motion caused by the pilot fighting turbulence with ailerons alone

jettison his inner self did not sit well with me, but I had my orders. Now there are two things that are pretty much guaranteed to induce shooting the cat. One is having one’s head down while doing paperwork, and the other is being subjected to that heaving motion caused by the pilot fighting turbulence with ailerons alone. If you don’t use rudder even the strongest digestive system knows when it’s time to eject the last intake. Easing the stick back and forth helps to lift the floor of the stomach.

of eggs in her lap. My dad had given me similar instructions when teaching me to drive a car. Passengers must not feel configuration

I find the repellent sergeant waiting at the aircraft. He is a skinny bugger with a nasty little moustache. He stands ram-rod straight and

changes in an aircraft, nor gear changes in a

stamps his feet, producing little puffs of dust as he

car. So the thought of deliberately making Slang

salutes. Dec/Jan 2020

I explain to him that I require his assistance. I must do a test flight on the aircraft and need a reliable scribe to record important data as

the task. I took pity on the sickly sergeant and landed with seconds to spare. As we touched down, I leant across and

we fly. Every 30 seconds he has to write down

opened his door so he could decant his midday

our altitude, the oil pressure and temperature

meal politely on the runway.

as well as the engine revs and the outside air temperature. He pays careful attention as I hand him a pencil

Commandant Robertson was delighted when I reported that the mission was a success. However, I omitted to tell him that I had somehow

and clipboard in preparation for the task. I explain

become the Sergeant’s hero. While using the

that it will be bumpy, but the mission is of vital

back of his hand to wipe bits of carrot out of his

importance and he must not give up on me even if

moustache, he had begged me to call upon him if I ever need his assistance with any future test flights. I assured him it would be a great pleasure – and I really meant it. My astute psychological analysis of the participants in this drama is as follows.

It's not enough to have a pax in the front when you hand prop - the pax must know what to do.

Sgt de Lange gets ten out of ten for Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, zero for Neuroticism, another ten for Openness to Experience and zero again for Extraversion. I would have to call him the ideal passenger.

he starts to feel unwell. He nods enthusiastically. I actually begin like him already and am starting to feel guilty about what lies ahead. I don’t wish to bore my audience with a description of how my unfortunate passenger

Commandant Robertson, on the other hand, would be awarded somewhere around zero for agreeableness. My own scores are not important in this context, so we can fast forward to The Story of The Spotty Youth.

dripped sweat onto his precious paperwork. Or how his features turned from a healthy tan to a ghastly grey that soon took on touches of duck shit

THE STORY OF THE SPOTTY YOUTH. Unfortunately I was not a witness to this

green while he laboured with his clerical duties.

fascinating study of the human psyche so I have

So I will skip lightly over that and simply mention

to rely on the testimony of my buddy Neville Austin

that my conscience wouldn’t allow me complete

who was on the scene and was able to extricate

Dec/Jan 2020

the SY from the wreckage of several aircraft.

get the show on the road.

The main character in this epistle has cycled

From what follows it may seem that the gods

from Pretoria to Wonderboom bearing a crumpled

had handing him a particularly dull witted pupil, but

and sweaty cutting from the Pretoria News. He

had Bossie been able to consult our useful list of

presents this certificate to Dirty Bossie, who is the

psychological characteristics it might have caused

duty instructor at the Pretoria Flying club.

him to put less faith his co-pilot’s fitness for the

Upon uncrumpling the document, Bossie discovers it’s an advertisement which briefly

task at hand. The regs encourage one to have a ‘responsible

states that the bearer, in this case a skinny, acne

person’ at the controls. The youngster’s distant

encrusted person of about 16, is entitled to a half-

gaze should have caused Bossie to put him the

price, 30 minute introductory flight in a Piper Cub.

boxes labelled: ‘Introverted’, possibly ‘Neurotic’

The stripling digs in the pocket of his shorts and

and ‘Not quick to catch on to new experiences’.

presents Bossie with a soggy, brown one Rand

Unfortunately, Bossie was not afforded these

note and a hefty 50c piece.

insights that the reader now has.

Looking at our psychological checklist, I

As we zoom in for a closer look at the scene

would have to classify Bossie as being low on

we find Bossie in front of the aircraft putting a

Conscientiousness and Agreeableness. He’s a hell

fair amount of muscle into some vigorous prop

of a nice guy, but he doesn’t mind cutting a couple

swinging.

of corners in order to get the job done, and he

Those who have been involved with this activity

sees no point on wasting time on pleasantries, or

will remember that there are certain protocols to

briefings.

be observed. The guy doing the swinging calls

It’s the work of a few moments to complete the

Neither of the participants is mentally prepared for such an eventuality pre-flight ritual on ZS-BNR and have the skinny teen strapped into the rear of the yellow Cub while

out when he wants the mags switched off and the throttle open for blowing out; or the throttle set, and the mag switch positioned on ‘L’ for starting. Anyhow, it seems this is all a bit much for our new enthusiast. His management of the switch and the throttle somehow gets out of sync with Bossie’s curt instructions. We, the onlookers, are unaware of this until, without warning, the engine stutters for a moment and then rapidly accelerates to full power. Neither of the participants is mentally prepared for such an eventuality. Bossie is the first to recover and get an

muttering instructions on the operation of the heel

intellectual grip on the situation. In fact he is the

brakes, the throttle and the mag switch. Bossie

only one to do so. The stripling finds himself in a

expects his passenger to take charge of these vital

situation outside the scope of his expertise. He

controls while he, Bossie, will swing the prop and

mentally retreats into a darkened corner where he Dec/Jan 2020

can, without participating, observe the world pass

his knees, sending him sprawling on the tarmac,

him by.

and the aircraft builds up speed.

A more adventurous pupil might consider the options open to him, such as closing the throttle,

possible degrees. It could take the frightened

turning off the mags, or use the brakes, but this

fledgling for a canter across the airfield, and

lad is reluctant to experiment with things beyond

conceivably even get airborne – it’s happened

his skills set. He adopts the role of a spectator

before. But it reverts to the natural behaviour of

and observes how the events unfold from his own

any distressed Cub – it heads straight for its lair

perspective inside the Cub. He does nothing which

– viz the open doors of the Pretoria Flying Club

might influence the unfolding chain of events.

hangar.

Bossie, on the other hand, takes a more

The scene of devastation is total. None of the

pragmatic view. He realises that the time for action

PFC’s fleet escapes unharmed. Another Cub, a

is upon him. He springs to his left to avoid being

Trike and a 140 Cherokee are all brutalised to

eaten by the prop. He then dives for the strut in

some extent before the wooden prop breaks up

an effort to restrain the aircraft before it gathers

and the engine thrashes itself to death.

too much speed and perhaps takes the terrified trainee on a premature first solo. The scene that usually followed such incidents was not uncommon. We see a man frantically tugging at the strut or wing-tip while an aircraft circles round him. The pupil maintains his bovine detachment.

Despite the pupil’s harrowing experience he is not one to give up on a special offer. In the appalling silence that follows he is heard to ask, “Can we try again next week then?” I still have time for another example of passengers’ psychological makeup. On this occasion I walked right into the passive

Bossie’s bellowed instructions might have been

pax problem. I rocked up at the Brummer’s Kraal

in Swahili for all the difference they make – he is

airfield at Knysna one afternoon to find a bunch

simply not getting involved.

of model flyers there. I had just started watching

If our clinical examination of Bossie were to

them when they all began running around and

include the physical aspects of his being, we

yelling in a desperate panic. The chilling words

would notice that he was not constructed for

“fan stop” were shouted several times by different

endurance. A beer belly and nicotine stained

devotees. It seems one of the models had suffered

fingers would hint at the fact that the fun was likely

an engine stoppage and everyone else had to get

to be short lived.

out of the way while the crippled aircraft glided in

One can see that Bossie’s energy is starting to wilt. It’s time for desperate measures. He has no

for a forced landing. Personally, I didn’t think it was a big event, but

option but to attempt a do-or-die manoeuvre which

perhaps if I had spent a lot of time and money

he must know has little chance of success.

on fashioning one of these noisy, an vaguely

He abandons the strut and dives for the cockpit. It’s a hopeless gesture. The Cub gets away from him. The trail clouts him on the back of

Now its playground becomes any one of 360

Dec/Jan 2020

annoying little buzzers I would have reacted with equal horror at the dreaded cry of “fan stop”. For a while I watched them doing all sorts of

interesting aerobatics. Gradually I began to notice

After a final couple of words to reassure my

that one manoeuvre was missing from everyone’s

passenger, I lowered the nose to get 105mph, then

repertoire – no one was doing a slow roll.

raised it very slightly above the horizon, checked it

I discussed this with one of the guys and he didn’t seem to understand what I was talking

there and rolled to the right. Now Tigers don’t have fancy fuel systems

about. He summoned a bunch of his cohorts

for inverted power – they are equipped with

and there was much urgent deliberation on the

extremely primitive, black carburettors with brass

subject of rolls. The merits of the straight roll, the

attachments. The sort of thing one would expect to

pansy roll, and the two types of barrel roll were

find under the bonnet of a vintage Lagonda.

all ventilated while the participants twisted their

This means that as you go through 90 degrees

hands through the air, but slow rolls were not on

of roll you must throttle fully back. And you mustn’t

the menu.

expect to have power until you are just past 270 degrees, at which point you smoothly ease the throttle forward and recover to straight and level. Every now and then this plan is foiled by general wear in the innards of the carburettor. More specifically the float sticks and the engine stops. Well it keeps windmilling but there is no power.

Even the most basic instrument panels can be overwhelming for a non-pilot.

And so it was on that particular flight. I explain the mechanics

I suggested that I take one of them up in my

of this problem to my passenger and say that

Tiger for a demo. At first there was a surprising

unfortunately we will have to land. There is a

lack of enthusiasm for this venture, but finally

stunned silence while he tries to absorb the

the chief punter exhibited what the shrinks call

significance of my words. I am about to ask

‘Openness to Experience’ and volunteered.

whether he heard what I said when he comes

In no time I had this vaguely reluctant passenger briefed and strapped into the front cockpit. As we climbed out over the lagoon in the calm evening air, I could hear by his voice that he

through with a trembling voice, “You don’t mean fan stop do you?” I still have a couple more recent pax stories for next month – the Gleitch permitting.

was starting to relax. We were soon at a happy altitude over the airfield. Dec/Jan 2020

DASSIE PERSAUD-VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Aviation is often seen as a bigger contributor to pollution than a belching smokestack.

GR EEN I S T HE NE W B L A CK ?

MY NASCENT AIRLINE CAREER MAY HAVE BEEN HALTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC – BUT IT WILL RESTART. A QUESTION THAT BOTHERS ME IN THE MEANWHILE IS WHETHER AIRLINES WILL BE ABLE SURVIVE THE PRESSURE BY THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS WHO LOVE TO USE AIR TRAVEL – AND ITS CONSPICUOUS

VAPOUR TRAILS – AS THE WHIPPING BOY FOR GLOBAL WARMING.

Dec/Jan 2020

PERHAPS it’s time to apologise to the greenies,

year from 2009 – 2015. Then CO2 emissions are

tree-huggers, climate-hawks and whatever other

capped at 2020 levels and, finally, net emissions

names you secretly called them. They were right;

should reduce by 50% by the year 2050 (based on

Global warming is real, and humans are on track

2005 levels). Domestic airlines are encouraged to

to messing up the earth for good.

participate as well, despite the name suggesting

With only a few years left to make unrecognisable changes in every industry around

that they are excluded. But what does all that really mean?

the world - to meet environmental targets laid out in global agreements, such as the Paris Agreement - the clock is ticking. And the aviation

CORSIA – IN A NUTSHELL Let’s start with the basics - burning JetA fuel

industry recently decided to stop twiddling its

creates CO2 emissions. So, airlines need to burn

thumbs and get involved, despite not having been

less of it for each person carried to become more

included in these arrangements originally.

efficient.

Maybe you’ve started to notice signs of the

Reduction strategies involve combinations of

impending extreme weather crisis - like the increasing wildfires abroad, droughts preventing refreshing showers in your beach house in Cape Town, and wilder weather in general. So, the goal of the Paris Agreement is to combat this trend and prevent irrecoverable damage by capping the global temperature increase at 1.5°C above preindustrial levels by the year 2050. The aviation industry accounts for at least 2% of global CO2 emissions. As the industry continues to grow (as it did in those ‘good-old-

AIRLINES NEED TO BURN LESS FUEL FOR EACH PERSON CARRIED

days’ before COVID-19), so will the industry’s contribution to total CO2 emissions by burning fossil fuels. The problem is that the CO2 emitted

various measures: Technology options include

into the atmosphere contributes to global warming,

retrofitting the existing fleet with winglets, for

which in turn leads to climate change.

example, or upgrading to new generation aircraft.

What is the aviation industry’s plan of action to tackle its CO2 emissions? It wasn’t easy to make one. How can CO2 emissions from a particular

(The Airbus A320Neo is approximately 17% more fuel-efficient than its predecessor). Improved air traffic management is essential

international flight, for example, be assigned to a

and helps to reduce the distance and holding

single country?

time flown to save fuel. Internal airline operational

In the end, ICAO created a Carbon Offsetting

strategies such as continuous descent procedures

and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation

and single-engine taxi also make a significant

(CORSIA). It’s a three-phase strategy: Firstly, fuel

difference.

efficiency should have improved by 1.5% each

Is it realistic to want to cap CO2 emissions at Dec/Jan 2020

2020 levels? Simply put, any amount of CO2 emitted

carbon-neutral airline in the US for domestic routes.

into the atmosphere above the 2020 CO2 total

In November 2011, Lufthansa used a blend of biofuel

should be offset by buying Market-Based Measures

to operate the first daily commercial passenger

(MBM) such as carbon credits, or offsets for every

flight.

extra tonne of CO2 emitted. Lastly, by 2050, net

SAA made history on our home soil in July 2015

emissions should reduce by 50% when compared to

by completing the first flight with a blend of biofuel

2005. This requires a rapid reduction in the amount

and normal JetA on the continent (on a flight from

of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere through the

Johannesburg to Cape Town). And more recently,

introduction of new technologies into the market.

a Qantas Dreamliner flight took centre stage as the

So, how is the industry coping with the transition

first blended biofuel flight from Australia to the US.

towards a greener future?

While airlines are increasingly utilising biofuels, only a handful of airports have it in regular supply. Partly because it costs far more than fossil-fuels and partly

Zoom meetings and Webinars are expected to cut airline business travel.

because it is not widely available. So maybe biofuels won’t save the day after all. THE REALITY BEHIND THE NICESOUNDING PLAN OF ACTION Some studies indicate that the industry’s projection to reach the 2050 CO2 emission targets is too conservative and that the CO2 emissions compound growth rate is 70% higher than that used by ICAO. Since the future of biofuels and new technology are uncertain, some regard it as highly improbable that environmental targets will be reached. So, why don’t we just rely on carbon-offsets and credits? The aviation industry acknowledges these measures are only an interim solution. Some claim that these measures create a false sense of security for passengers who purchase them - who incorrectly believe that their flight won’t contribute to global warming due to the purchased offsets. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. So, airlines are encouraged to be transparent about the carbon-

GREEN PLAYERS In November 2019, easyJet became the world’s

offset programmes they support and to carefully consider their choice of language when describing

first net-zero carbon airline. And while the world

offset initiatives to paint an honest picture to

focused on COVID-19, JetBlue became the first

passengers. After all, passengers want transparency

Dec/Jan 2020

and are placing increasing amounts of pressure on airlines to go green. For example, in Europe during 2018, a movement referred to as ‘flight shaming’ was popularised by the Swedish environmental activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Gretha Thunberg, and resulted in a 4% decrease in international flights from Swedish airports. THE FUTURE IS GREEN So, what are airlines supposed to do if it’s unlikely that biofuels will save the day? I have to admit that I don’t have the answer. But, I’d like to think that some of the greatest minds of my generation are working on it. In the meantime, everyone should do their part to become as environmentally friendly as possible to meet the goals of global agreements which will protect our planet. For airlines that haven’t yet aligned themselves with green initiatives, it could mean temporarily experiencing lower profit

“THE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR PLANET IS THE BELIEF THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL SAVE IT.”

Protecting the environment is everybody's responsibility.

emissions on short routes or by questioning whether a ‘face-to-face’ meeting is essential. As a passenger, perhaps the time has come to be more like the greenies, tree-huggers, climatehawks. Maybe choosing not to fly for leisure is responsible behaviour moving forward, or packing lighter when travel is unavoidable to reduce baggage weight on board. If 200 passengers can carry 10 kg of baggage each less the two ton load saving will have a small but significant reduction in fuel burn.

margins to retrofit existing aircraft and to train

If we don’t find ways to drastically change the

crew according to new fuel-efficient SOP’s. Or,

industry as it recovers from the global pandemic,

by following in KLM’s ‘fly responsibly’ campaign

we’re in for a rude awaking in very soon - disease,

that encourages passengers to fly less - by rather

droughts and extreme weather patterns will be a

choosing public transport that emits fewer CO2

part of our reality. Dec/Jan 2020

Instead of dealing with these problems in the long-run, already accepting that green is the new black could help prevent global warming and irreversible damage to our earth. Carbon emissions are just one part of aligning with the green trend. In what other ways should airlines change? Acknowledging that singleuse plastics onboard is old fashioned is a great starting point. Green airlines are already flying single-use plasticfree; Etihad Airways proved this is even possible on ultra-long-haul flights in 2019. Or, choosing to operate out of green airports is also a step in the right direction. Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport in Sweden turned carbon neutral in 2009 (the first European airport to achieve this) and incorporates other measures such as environmentally friendly de-icing chemicals into the mix to protect water sources near the airport. While it may not seem like there are many options, making the necessary changes to include as many environmentally friendly choices into daily operations adds up in the end. There isn’t a lot of time left to postpone taking action. So, let’s commend the airlines that have already accepted that green is the new black. Because, as If everyone packs less then significant fuel and emissions will be saved.

Dec/Jan 2020

Robert Swan has said: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” And we’ve

believed that for far too long.

absolute quality and integrity We independently manage your AIRWORTHINESS to the highest industry standards, control your maintenance & operational billing. CAMOSA represents your interests in our industry.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DO

info@camosa.co.za | +27 82 555 3555 or +27 83 655 5559 Dec/Jan 2020 1275 Willem Botha Avenue, Eldoraigne, Pretoria, 0157 ZAF

HELI OPS: GEORGE TONKING

P OP P Y DR OP

A LOUE T T E , GENT I L L E A LOUE T T E

DESPITE ENDURING A WORLD-CHANGING PANDEMIC IN 2020 AND FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE, I SUSPECT IT’S NOTHING COMPARED TO LIVING IN A COUNTRY AT WAR. WHICH IS WHAT I FOUND MYSELF CONTEMPLATING RECENTLY AS I FLEW WHAT IS NOW A CIVILIAN VERSION OF A SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY STALWART, THE AÉROSPATIALE ALOUETTE III.

of heightened stress and fear. This month, as alluded to already, I’ll be writing about the machine behind the sound. Picture the setting. The year is 1977 and South Africa is in the midst of the ‘border war’, a spin-off skirmish of the Cold War; a bitter battle in the bushland of the northern reaches of South West Africa (now Namibia) and into Angola. The Alouette III is still a remarkable performer.

It was no holiday for South African lads plucked, wet behind their ears, from their homes, barely old enough to drive their Ratel infantry

“MY favourite helicopter sound,” one friend

combat vehicles, living on rat-packs and in

remarked.

fear of the inexplicable ‘rooi-gevaar’. I didn’t

“That high pitched turbine whine and whack of the rotors takes me straight back to the border,”

be called up to national service. But I remember

said another. “Spine-chilling!”

one of my school teachers speaking of the utter

It’s amazing how sights, smells and sounds all

experience any of this myself, being too young to

terror of tracers zipping over his head, and of the

have that ability to awaken memories, especially

relief at hearing Puma and Alouette helicopters

when those memories were formed in times

roaring over them to engage a mostly-unseen

Dec/Jan 2020

Tricycle wheeled undercarriage makes ground handling and rolling take-offs easier.

out of a sticky situation. During the Korean War in the 1950s, Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals, or M. A. S. H. (immortalised by the 1970’s American TV show of the same name) were made possible largely thanks to Bell 47 (designated H-13 Sioux) helicopters, with their two medevac panniers fitted above the landing skids.

enemy from the air. The Border War has been chronicled in many books, including aviation books, which

were, unlike the high flying,

In addition, the Bell 47 was

more glamorous Mirage and

successful in its role as a

Impala Mk2 fighters.

medevac chopper because of

In the beginning of vertical-

its relatively light weight and

I had access to as a ‘laaitie’. It

lift aviation, small numbers

its turbo-charged, 6-cylinder

was easy to pick out the South

of helicopters made an

Lycoming engine, which had just

African Air Force aircraft of the

appearance towards the end of

enough power to take a pilot,

time. Most had similar bushveld

World War II, most notably as

nurse and two wounded men on

olive drab/khaki camouflage,

war-time aerial support vehicles,

stretchers. But ultimately, early

applied over the silver or blue

for observation, transport and

helicopter designers realised

schemes of the 1970s. One

medical evacuation. Unlike fixed

that hovering a helicopter and

aircraft, the Alouette III, seemed

wing planes, they were able to

making purely vertical take-offs

to be in more pictures than any

do without a runway to insert or,

and landings in a hot and high

other, a ‘troepies’ friend as it

more importantly, pluck a soldier

landing zone required more

Huge canopy provides visibility for days.

power than the available piston engines could offer. The answer to the problem came from Joseph Szydlowski, a Polish-Israeli aircraft engine designer who developed a small gas-turbine engine, the Turbomeca Artouste, in the mid1950s. At around the same time and place, French state-owned aircraft manufacturer Sud-Est Dec/Jan 2020

27 points on the main rotor require greasing every 15 flight-hours

rotor system to facilitate large-scale production, also made possible because of a lighter 260 Shaft Horse Power (SHP) Turbomeca Artouste turboshaft engine. The performance of the world’s first turbine-powered mass-produced commercial helicopter made the Alouette II an overnight success. By virtue of the success of the Alouette II, and

A small part of the 8000 paper poppy load.

after a merger between Sud-Est and Sud-Ouest to form Sud Aviation, Chief Engineer René Mouille set his sights on developing a more aerodynamic and more powerful turbine-powered helicopter with improved visibility. The design brief was for a military and civilian helicopter that could carry seven passengers or two stretchers internally. A tricycle undercarriage was selected to allow for running take-offs and landings, as well as for naval ship-borne operations. The Alouette III’s design genius lay in its intricate use of a chrome-moly space-frame centre-cradle and aluminium-skin tension monocoque tail structure combination to achieve strength and light-weight performance. Initially designated as the SE3160, The Alouette III had a lighter Turbomeca Astazou turboshaft engine, originally rated to 880 SHP output, but then derated to 550 SHP. Much thought went into field serviceability, with access to all maintenance

was developing its first commercial helicopter,

points. The Alouette III even has its own ladder

the Sud-Est SE3130. The SE3130 was based on

access built into the main frame, making the

the Sud-Est Alouette (1) prototype, which shared

dynamic components easily accessible for

many design ideas seen in the earlier Bell 47

servicing.

helicopter, the main difference being a 3-blade,

The Alouette was designed before Teflon

fully articulated, main rotor system, which was

anti-friction materials found in modern rotor-

far more complex than the teetering or see-saw

craft clevises were available, meaning that it is

type semi-rigid rotor on the Bell. The design

imperative to wear a flight suit when flying it,

then morphed into the Alouette II helicopter, with

what with all 27 points on the main rotor requiring

many further refinements and a simpler main

greasing every 15 flight-hours or so. A messy

Dec/Jan 2020

job indeed! It did, however,

these design elements helped to

which it set way back in 1972.

introduce composite material

create a helicopter with excellent

At the same time, it also set

structures to helicopter design

manoeuvrability and superb hot

an unintended record for the

and manufacture, like the light-

and high performance.

longest successful autorotation

So successful were both

in history, after its turbine shut

iterations of the Alouette, that

down because of the freezing

in 1968 Sud Aviation began

temperatures (measured at

a first for helicopters. With its

designing the SA315 ‘Lama’

-62° Celsius) at the peak of its

fully-articulated, hydraulic-servo

for use in extreme mountain

record-breaking feat.

assisted controls, the Alouette III

ranges, such as the Himalayas

needs the softest touch to dance

in Asia and the Andes in South

subject of this article,

through even complex g-loaded

America. By combining the

the Alouette III, which I

or negative-g manoeuvres.

II’s lightweight airframe with

was fortunate to fly at the

The flat floor cockpit layout is

the III’s superior dynamic

Remembrance Day Memorial

spacious and ergonomically

components, the company

Service at Pretoria Boys High

weight fiberglass engine and airframe panels. The control system was also

But back to the specific

designed with the commander’s station on the traditional righthand side. The co-pilot is

A built-in ladder for easy inspections.

positioned in the middle front station with dual controls, while an observer/passenger seat is aligned to the left. In the rear of the cabin is a bench-type seat for four passengers. Sliding doors, also a first for helicopters at the time, allow generous access to the rear cabin on both sides. Engine start and management is accomplished

created a rotorcraft that was

School on the 11th of November

by a complex electro-

the undisputed champion of

this year. The aircraft was

mechanical interface, enabling

mountain work – until the AS350

originally manufactured as

single button operation for start

B3 Squirrel arrived on the

an SE316B by Aérospatiale

and stop – amazing for a 1960’s

scene.

(the company created out of

turbine aircraft. The main rotor is

The first-ever Lama

the merger of several French

engaged after engine start via a

constructed still holds the

aviation companies, including

centrifugal clutch, with a specific

absolute altitude record for its

Sud Aviation) in 1970, with

spool-up timed procedure. All of

class of 40,814 ft (12,442m),

construction number 1746. Dec/Jan 2020

The (B) denotes the last production version of

daughter and father Hayley and Paul Cumming

the Alouette, which boasts a longer tail and main

from Helivate, keep her in immaculate condition

rotors, and added modifications for better hot and

while allowing her to do what she does best; fly.

high performance. C/N 1746 left the factory in Marignane, in

As part of the memorial service, we obtained permission from the South African Civil Aviation

the south of France, bound for the USA, where

Authority (SACAA) to do a fly by, before scattering

it was used primarily for firefighting and power

over 8,000 paper poppies from the air in

line inspections. The helicopter was then sold,

remembrance of the South African lives lost during

disassembled and shipped to South Africa to join

World War II, now 75 years on. After the sortie, we duly landed and joined the guests, including

THEY WILL NEVER FORGET THE UNIQUE SOUND OF THE ALO

representatives of all of the SANDF’s arms, as well as military attachés stationed in Pretoria, and “old boys” who had served in the military. The many people I have met who served in the South African armed forces, and specifically ‘on the border’, all tell me they will never forget the unique sound of the Alo. And on 11 November, old boys recounted stories interspersed with tears and laughter, tales dragged from their memories by the distinctive turbine whine of Aerospatiale Alouette

III, number 1746.

the South African Airforce as SAAF Alouette 617 in 1975. Not much is known about her active-duty history, except that she finished her service at 87 Helicopter Flying School at AFB Bloemspruit (Bloemfontein) in 1990. She then spent a number of years gathering dust at 10 Air Depot in Thaba Tshwane before being sold to the public as surplus by Denel. Her latest registration is ZSRNV, after being nut-and-bolt restored in 2009 at Wonderboom Airport by specialist Johan Lok. Rare for a 1970 Alouette, she boasts a Certificate of Airworthiness, rendering her type-certified for commercial operations. Her current owners,

Dec/Jan 2020

BELOW: Rotor head and blade greasing in a messy job.

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Dec/Jan 2020

A SLIM LOGBOOK - JOHAN WALDEN

S HR I NK M A CHI NE WITH 300 HORSES IN ITS THROATY ENGINE PULLING SIX SEATS UNDER WINGS THE SIZE OF BARN DOORS, CESSNA’S C206 IS A MIGHTY WORKHORSE THAT PACKS A PUNCH.

WHILE the thought of taming the beast made

specs nervously, my inexperience with planes

my knees shake, it was easy to see why pilots

couldn’t comprehend how this brute was going to

love a C206 so much.

“feel the same” as a Jabi, or even a Cessna 172.

It was early morning and my instructor and I

An hour later we landed and parked next

were in a Jabiru 430 cruising to the airfield where

to the Cessna. The first thing I noticed was its

the 206 lived. Loved for charter and cargo flying

monstrously fat nose and windmill-sized propeller.

throughout southern Africa, I’m told a 206 rating

I was immediately worried that, being a shorty, I

will score you brownie points on a job application.

wouldn’t be able to see over the instrument panel,

I was fortunate to be flying one today. I’d done lots of hour building for my CPL in the Jabiru. It is very cost effective, has four seats, and buzzes along at a reasonable pace - and it has a decent range too. But the C206 is “double everything in the Jabi.” With a max take-off mass of 1633kg, it is twice the weight, and almost triple the power of the little ‘Jabbi’. According to the Pilots Operating

The power was visceral, and I couldn’t keep the huge grin on my face.

Handbook (POH) it doesn’t exactly rival the Concorde, but as a friend put it, “You can load

or reach the pedals. I wasn’t particularly keen on

the family, camping equipment, the ‘potjie’, and

instrument flying in a wholly intimidating new type,

granny, and it will still climb like a homesick angel.”

so I grabbed the spare cushion from the Jabi –

According to my friend, everything he’d flown

just in case.

from a Cessna 150 to a Boeing 747 shrank to the

This was a common humiliation I faced in the

same size once mastered. But eyeing the 206’s

Sling 2; with its laid back seats and rudder pedals

Dec/Jan 2020

miles away under the panel.

added importance of weight and

and has more cool stuff on it, but

One of my favourite things about

balance checks. I’d just passed

is still basically a 172’s. I took a

the C172 is that it has actual

CPL Flight Planning (just) so

moment to locate the main bits

chairs – on seat rails that are

the calculations were done in

and sussed out all the extra

adjustable. And that was my

a flash. And I realised that with

‘knoppies’. At the reins of a beefy

saving grace with the 206, no

only two butts in the seats, that

engine with a constant speed

matter how big or how heavy,

engine was really going to whip

propeller, engine management

it was still a Cessna – built on

us around like a kite in a gale on

was going to be a learning curve.

the same design principles and

a short string.

I found a tacho, fuel pressure and

ergonomics. Well, that’s what I told myself anyway.

With a thorough pre-flight

manifold pressure gauges, EGTs,

done I climbed into the hot

and a digital display showing the

seat… and to my amazement I

cylinder temps. It had high and low pressure fuel pumps, and cowl flaps to control cold airflow over the engine. And of course, the main three controls; throttle, pitch and mixture. Firing this one up was a little more complicated and involved monitoring the fuel pressure

A big step up - from a Jabi to a C172 to the intimidatingly big Cessna 206.

while the fuel pump primed the cylinders. Once the pressure was up, I killed the pump, fed in It has a huge nose to house 300 horses.

an inch of throttle, and turned the key. The prop heaved over several times… and then it fired. The impressively loud pop of each cylinder attacked my left ear through the open side window. The power was visceral, and I couldn’t help the huge grin on my face.

Another feature is its aft

was big enough. The seat was at

double doors on the right hand

its full height and most of the way

actions

side; allowing easy access for

forward, but I could see over the

pushed the black knob to the

passengers or cargo. And with

huge panel. Bliss for a shorty.

firewall.

such versatile utility comes the

The panel is wider and taller

Lined up, with takeoff vital complete, With

the

timidly

stampede

of 300 horses at full gallop I Dec/Jan 2020

was pressed back in my seat and watched in

on rails, it was moving in one direction and wasn’t

amazement as we accelerated hard down the

going to budge for anything except at the pilot’s

runway and thundered past the hangars.

command. It felt good.

Half expecting to be overpowered by the

Eventually it was time to think about getting

plane, I eased the wheel back at 60 knots and

down and tackling a landing. Going down wasn’t

asked it very nicely if it would fly. It left the ground

as simple as pulling the throttle out a finger or

and barrelled on in a straight line. The controls

two and pointing the nose down; with beer barrel

were heavy but responsive, and the rudder trim

sized cylinders and a highish airspeed, I had to

was doing a good job of saving my right leg. After the initial hectic climb-out I was relieved to throttle back and pulled the prop back to 2400 rpm. This 206 had the same digital fuel flow meter as the Jabiru. Every few seconds the display cycled between fuel flow, quantity, and endurance etc. During a quick instrument scan I saw the number “80” on the screen and mistakenly thought for a

..... and a windmill-sized propeller.

moment it was our fuel quantity – it was a typical number of litres to see in the Jabiru’s tanks. My jaw dropped when I looked again and realised we were burning an eye-watering 80 litres per hour. My instructor must’ve noticed the stunned look on my face, as he quickly reassured me these numbers were normal.

Lots more doors - for all the people.

With my mind still recalibrating from Jabiru to 206, we levelled off and started some basic manoeuvres. I rocked the wings, wiggled the tail, and pitched the nose up and down - the elevator was the heaviest control. The 206 is very stable. Shoving air out of the way like a steam train

Dec/Jan 2020

I was amazed to find I could still see over the instrument panel.

be careful not to shock-cool the engine. I closed

the throttle a nudge. And nothing happened. A

the cowl flaps, which restricted the air leaving the

finger more power - and still nothing. I could feel it

back of the cowl, reducing cold airflow over the

starting to sink – and the airspeed was still low, so I

engine. Then, with the help of the digital cylinder

gave the throttle a gutsy push and we powered out

head temperature gauge which flashed me if it was

of the slump.

Now I understand why pilots have a such soft spot for the C206

On the first couple of landings I flared too high, but soon got the hang of it. The position and softness of the main gear felt pleasantly familiar – the 172 again. After a few circuits we called it quits and turned off the runway to the hangars. Soon we were sitting in the Jabiru again while the autopilot flew us home. I now understood what my friend meant by his

cooling too fast, I throttled back a little at a time,

puzzling notion. The 206 doesn’t feel like a 172, but

allowing the temps to come down slowly.

it flies like one. Even though it felt heavy on the

I entered the circuit and ran the downwind

yoke, has bigger wings and more power, once in

checks. By the time I was finished we’d already

the air, the 206 has the same gentle manners and

flown the whole downwind leg. I turned onto final,

so its size no longer matters. It is still a plane –

lowered the last notch of flap, and slowed to 70

governed by the same four forces that govern the

knots. The 206 was ‘textbook’ in the way it flew.

172, or I suppose any aircraft for that matter – it just

In groundschool we learned about “falling behind

has more of each force.

the power curve” on final. That is; slowing down to

And now I understand why pilots have a such a

the point where the power required to overcome

soft spot for the C206; it’s an aircraft that behaves

the extra drag exceeds the power available and

like it should. There’s something deeply satisfying

you start to sink. I understood the concept, but it

when you see all the theory you’ve stuffed into your

was difficult to really see in a Sling or Jabiru, which

head finally come to life in a plane you’ll probably

are light and nimble. But in the 206 with its barn

spend hours flying for years to come.

door flaps it was easy to get a demo: I inadvertently allowed myself to get a little slow at 65kt and gave

In the end the C206 has gentle manners - and is indeed just a big C172.

Dec/Jan 2020

NOV EMB ER 2 0 2 0 One of the very few new type certified aircraft is ZS-FGE B737800 Taken by Stony Steenkamp in Alabama before delivery.

THE CAA HAVE FINALLY MANAGED TO GET REGISTER AMENDMENTS TO ME AFTER NEARLY EIGHT MONTHS. FOR SOME REASON, THE SA AIRCRAFT REGISTER IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE COVERED BY THE POPI ACT AND THE CAA REFUSES TO GIVE AIRCRAFT OWNERS’ NAMES. I ALSO HAD TO PAY TO GET REGISTERED SO THAT I COULD RECEIVE THE AMENDMENTS – ALL OF R35.00.

FLYSAFAIR is the low cost carrier passenger

on the grounds of that FlySafair would have

division of Safair, which started out in 1965

more than 25% of its shares held by holding

with a single Lockheed L100-382E (The civilian

company shareholder Hugh Flynn, who despite

version of the C130 Hercules) and grew from

having a Cape wine farm, was deemed a non-

there with the acquisition of a further sixteen

resident. This was resolved and they started

L382G aircraft. They were at one stage the

operating with just 2 aircraft in 2014 between

largest civilian operator of the L382 aircraft in the

Johannesburg (OR Tambo) and Cape Town.

world. Safair operated many flights for the SAAF

They gathered momentum quickly and became

to the Namibian border during the ‘Border War’

a major competitor in our market. The started

and I was lucky to go on a casevac flight out of

with Boeing 737-200 series aircraft and quickly

Jan Smuts to Rundu and back. The care given to

migrated to the 400 series as these are far more

the wounded troops by the medics on board was

economical and passenger friendly than the old

exemplary.

200 series was.

Safair has continued with cargo flights worldwide, and continue to operate their L382Gs in

which Safair had leased to SAA were returned

many countries.

to the FlySafair fleet and these became the first

In 2014 Safair branched into the domestic

In 2017, five Boeing 737-800 series aircraft

800 series on their fleet. They have subsequently

scheduled airline market. Their initial scheduled

acquired another five of these very successful

license was opposed by competitor Comair

aircraft, bringing their total fleet to ten. The

Dec/Jan 2020

The register continues to reflect the depletion of the SAA fleet - here is ZS-SDC an A350-900 taken by Ray Watts. It was returned to the lessor.

Comair's ZS-ZWR has also been returned to its lessor as OE-IPQ Austria.

latest one ZS-FGD was delivered on 1 October

looking at the regional market soon. Travel News

2020 and there is another one on its way soon

Weekly reports that “FlySafair is considering

(ZS-FGE). These last two have been leased from

introducing a number of regional routes and has

Avalon and are ex GOL airlines in Brazil.

applied for rights to fly between Johannesburg’s

On a personal note, I flew Joburg to Port

ORTIA and Mauritius, Zanzibar and Windhoek.

Elizabeth with SAA in early 2017 in ZS-SJT and

The airline has applied for three weekly flights

then again in Sept 2017 with FlySafair. It felt

for all of these destinations and will know if its

strange to fly in the same aircraft in the same year

applications have been approved within the next

on two different airlines and two very different

month.

cabin crews – but that’s progress – and the FlySafair cabin crew were far friendlier. FlySafair now covers all the major domestic

FlySafair’s chief marketing officer, Kirby Gordon, says the airline has been eyeing these routes for a while and decided that it may as well

routes from Johannesburg and Lanseria to Cape

get the ball rolling with the application process

Town, George, Port Elizabeth, East London and

sooner rather than later. Kirby explains that airline

Durban. I wouldn’t be surprised if they started

flight applications are publicly gazetted before

Agusta 109 ZS-BAX now exported to Cyprus. Image: Ray Watts

Dec/Jan 2020

expand our route network in this direction,” says Kirby. He adds that there would be a lot of work to do before FlySafair was in a position to launch any of these routes. Amongst other things, it would need ZS-LUH is a Cessna 210 now exported to the USA. Image: Ray Watts.

to correctly equip its aircraft for international trips, establish a presence in the various international departure halls, gear up its technology to be able to collect and process the necessary passport and visa information and put processes in place for the repatriation of international currency. “We will only be in a position to look at launching these routes in 2021 at the earliest, and even this is dependent on many factors, including the recovery of the domestic market,” says Kirby.”

ZS-AMC is a Robinson R44 now exported to Zimbabwe.

In South Africa they operate as a low cost carrier (LCC) and have scooped up a large section of the domestic market. They had, until the Covid-19 lockdown struck, been very active and judging from their flight frequency and reported

being reviewed by the Department of Transport’s International Air Services Council. This process usually takes about a month.

loads, they are recovering rapidly. As you can see from the fleet list, they still have four L382Gs which operate world-wide.

Kirby stresses that the airline has a lot to do before it would be in a position to launch any of these routes and says that, in many ways, the flight applications are a way for the airline to keep

TAIL PIECE: Now that summer is on its way, watch out for thunderstorms. Be careful and be safe.

its options open at a time when the domestic flight market (that it has traditionally played in) is very depressed. “During August, FlySafair operated at about 14% of our August 2019 seat capacity and we continue to suffer losses while so few of our aircraft are in the air. We urgently need to find new opportunities to deploy aircraft and, at a time when so many regional competitors are operating under conditions of business rescue, this may be a good time to

Dec/Jan 2020

731 now rebuilt as ZU-ISI.

A la Carte Restaurant

Luxury Accommodation

Weddings & Spa Conferences

Reg New Registrations ZS-

Manufacturer

Bush Picnics Game Drives

Type Name

Serial number

Previous Identity

ZS-FGD

BOEING 737-8EH

34268

N268WT, PR-GTT

ZS-FGE

BOEING 737-8EH

34269

N269WC, PR-GTU, N1786B

ZS-MRS

AIR TRACTOR INC

AT-402B

402B-1433

ZS-OTT

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

208B

208B-1045

ZS-TKD

PIPISTREL D.O.O

ALPHA ELECTRO

962 AE 60

ZS-XCP

AIR TRACTOR INC

AT-502A

502A-3241

ZS-XZD

ATR-GIE AVIONS DE TRANSPORT REGIONAL

ATR 72-212A

1047

5H-AAD, 5Y-LLO, N884AA, N575TC, N20BY

F-ORVI, 5H-FJJ, F-WNUA, PR-ATZ, F-WWEL

New Registrations ZT-R

ZT-REV

BELL HELICOPTER COMPANY

UH-1H

10585

N4085L, 68-15655

ZT-RFF

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

AS 350 B3

8754

N564AH

New Registrations ZU-

ZU-IRU

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0068

ZU-IRW

BEARHAWK

LSA

L215

ZU-IRX

VANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AIRCRAFT

RV-7A

73578

ZU-IRY

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0071

ZU-IRZ

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0072

ZU-ISA

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0074

ZU-ISB

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0077

ZU-ISD

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0078

ZU-ISE

VANS AIRCRAFT

RV 8

82244

ZU-ISF

JONATHAN PAUL WILLMENT

KFA SAFARI

053-01-20 SAF3

ZU-ISH

MICRO AVIATION SA

BATHAWK R

0073

ZU-ISI

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

C185A

185-00390

ZU-ISJ

MARK BURNNING

SLING 2

218

ZU-ISK

JABIRU AIRCRAFT

J400

0054

ZU-ISR

M.J TOMILSON

KITPLANES SAFARI

011-01-12 SAF LSA

ZU-IST

THE AIRPLANE FACTORY

SLING 4 Tsi

214s

ZU-ISU

ABRAHAM JACOBUS ELLIS

KITPLANES SAFARI

015-05-17 SAF2

ZU-ISV

ZLIN AIRCRAFT A.S

SAVAGE CUB-S

351

ZU-ISW

RANDALL GCW BROWN

SWIFTFURY

001

ZU-ISZ

NICO JOHAN WALTERS

KFA SAFARI

038-07-18 SAF3

ZU-ITA

PHILLIP HOWARD FOLLET BRISTON

TORNADO S

SO3912SOHK0462

ZU-ITC

REYNO COETZE

SUPER KUB

SK 01

ZU-ITD

ANDRE JURGENS MELLET

KFA SAFARI

028-05-16 SAF3

ZU-ORO

THE AIRPLANE FACTORY

SLING 4 Tsi

192s

ZU-PAH

MICRO AVIATION SA

BAT HAWK R

0079

ZU-PVW

THE AIRPLANE FACTORY

SLING 4 Tsi

213s

ZU-RPS

PAUL DAWID SMIT

SMIT FIRE 1

001

ZU-VCL

CAMPBELL J A

MIDIX

ZU-VEN

ICP SRL

VENTURA 4

18-07-64-0006K

SAAF 731, ZS-CWA, N4190Y

ZS-BCE, NC3277K

Aircraft Deleted ZT-

ZT-RCC

EUROCOPTER

AS 350 B2

7061

MADAGASCAR as 5R-MOO

ZT-REF

ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY

R22

3681

WRITTEN OFF WONDERBOOM 23/6/2020

ZT-RHC

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON

206B

ZT-RJC

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON

R505

65109

WRITTEN OFF CHRISTIANA 24/3/2020

ZT-ROX

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON

505

65049

RUSSIA as RA-01652

WRITTEN OFF GRAND CENTRAL 17/6/2020

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Dec/Jan 2020

A la Carte Restaurant

Luxury Accommodation

Weddings & Spa Conferences

Reg Aircraft Deleted ZS-

Manufacturer

Bush Picnics Game Drives

Type Name

Serial number

Previous Identity

ZS-AMC

ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY

R44 II

11812

ZS-BAX

AGUSTA S.P.A

A109S

22042

CYPRUS as 5B-CMA

ZS-BDR

RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY

A36

E-3539

PARAGUAY

ZS-EBC

PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

PA28-180B

28-1520

WRITTEN OFF WONDERBOOM 30/6/2020

ZS-GWK

AMS-FLIGHT D.O.O

DG-500 ELAN ORION

5E226X6

AUSTRALIA

ZS-HBY

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON

206B

4657

GERMANY as D-HEDD

ZS-HCZ

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON

206B

4110

WRITTEN OFF VISCHGAT VEREENIGING 19/3/2020

ZS-HJW

EUROCOPTER FRANCE

AS 365 N2

6469

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

ZS-HOS

EUROCOPTER FRANCE

AS 365 N2

6472

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

ZS-HRK

MBB BK-117

BK117-850D2

7184

MADAGASCAR as 5R-MOM

ZS-HTK

EUROCOPTER FRANCE

AS 350B2

4316

CANADA as C-FGAL

ZS-ISS

BEECHCRAFT CORPORATION

BE300 SUPER KING AIR

FL-276

CZECH REPUBLIC as OK-CTU

ZS-KIW

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

P210N

P21000252

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as N210TY

ZS-LEE

PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD

PC-12/47E

1239

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as N755PM

ZS-LUH

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

210M

210-61712

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as N69GN

ZS-LWA

CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

T210M

210-62683

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FLIGHT TEST: DES BARKER

MIRAGE F1CZ “THE GENTLEMAN’S FIGHTER” Ask any SAAF fighter pilot who has flown high performance jets what his favourite aircraft was and the answer will in all likelihood be the Mirage F1, whether the interceptor version, the Mirage F1CZ, or the ground attack version, the F1AZ.

HERE is no doubt that Dassault’s swept-wing Mirage F1 overcame

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Whereas the Mirage III was a first generation

most of the performance and

delta-winged design based on 1950’s

handling shortcomings for which

aerodynamics and propulsion knowledge, the

the early delta-wing designs were renowned.

swept-winged Mirage F1C was a major step forward in supersonic interceptor design.

BACKGROUND Designed as a single seat, all-weather, air-

Most importantly, the swept wing design retained the supersonic interceptor capabilities

superiority fighter as the successor of what had

originally designed into the delta-winged

become Dassault’s trademark; the Mirage III

aircraft to counter the Cold War threats posed

series of delta wing interceptors, the Mirage F1

by the Soviet bombers and fighters from the

found its way into the heart of many a fighter

Tupolev, Sukhoi and Mikoyan design bureaux

pilot, particularly those of 3 Squadron, South

while simultaneously improving the ‘dogfight’

African Air Force.

capability. This multi-purpose capability had a

Dec/Jan 2020

The F1CZ (in foreground with black radome), was a formidable air combat platform and the F1AZ (behind without black radome) a ground attack aircraft.

further spin off in that the Mirage F1 design could

F1C was equipped with Thompson-CSF Cyrano IV

also be used in the ground attack role, hence the

mono-pulse radar.

development of the Mirage F1AZ. Developed and financed at own risk by

The Mirage F1C eventually entered service with the French Air Force in May 1973 but strangely,

Dassault, the prototype Mirage F1 made its first

initially was armed only with two 30 mm internal

flight on 23 December 1966 and was accepted by

cannon, since missile development was behind

the French Air Force in May 1967. Besides the

schedule. It was only in 1976 that the Matra R530

wing planform change, the most significant design

medium-range semi-active air-to-air missile was

changes were the larger capacity Snecma Atar

released to service and was followed a year later

09K50 turbojet producing nearly 2,000 lbs more

by the short-range infra-red Matra R550 Magic. At

static thrust than the 13,700 lbs of the Mirage IIIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

the time, this armament combination provided the

Atar-09C and the introduction of more modern

F1C with a potent mixture of air defence ordnance

navigation, weapons and avionics systems.

to counter high speed enemy intruders. The later

In an effort to improve the handling qualities at

production Mirage F1C-200 with a fixed refuelling

high angles of attack, the swept wing was provided

probe served as the main interceptor of the French

with leading edge slats and automatic combat flaps

Air Force until the Mirage 2000 entered service in

to subsidise turning performance which enabled

1983.

the Mirage F1 to outclass most contemporary fighters in close combat. In order to comply with the French Air Forceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirement for an allweather interceptor, the first production Mirage

SAAF DELIVERY Realising the potential of the design, Dassaultâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subsequent Mirage F1 production was customized Dec/Jan 2020

ABOVE: The F1 has conventional flaps and ailerons which helps enormously with slow speed control and thus runway requirement. LEFT: A SAAF F1 CZ blends with the Angolan bush. BELOW: The SAAF F1's had air to air refuelling capability which greatly extended their combat radius and load carrying ability.

OPPOSITE PAGE

ABOVE: Johan Rankin's gun camera images of his first MiG21 shootdown.

BELOW: An F1 with 2 underwing V3B “Kukri”infra-red guided Missiles.

Dec/Jan 2020

for an additional two roles, ground attack and

aircraft of the 48 ordered were delivered on 5 April

tactical reconnaissance. Despite the arms

1975 under a blanket of security and the remainder

embargo imposed on South Africa by the United

(including 32 F1AZs) followed in July 1975.

Nations during the 70â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Dassault had no qualms about selling 48 Mirage F1s to South Africa to

AERODYNAMICS

complement the already large number of Mirage

Military fighter designs are traditionally

IIIs in SAAF service. In fact, the SAAF became

influenced by the existing aerodynamic and propulsion capabilities versus the prevailing threat. In the USA, third generation fighter design was originally signalled by the introduction of the delta-winged F-102 and F-104 to counter the threats posed by Cold

This shredded tail of Arthur Piercey's F1CZ

showed that the AA-8 Aphid missile had the upper hand in the Angolan border war.

War interception requirements. The call was for efficient supersonic flight that would enable the interceptor to be scrambled, accelerate and climb to a supersonic interception of Soviet bombers, launch the air-to-air missiles and return to base. Dogfighting was not really considered an essential capability for an interceptor and in those days, technology did not really allow for efficient multi-purpose designs. The aerodynamically stringent performance requirements demanded the low wave drag characteristics of the delta wing. However, the disadvantages at high angle of attack flight, and the low lift curve slope gradients, eventually forced designers to compromise by rather using swept wings to reduce the low airspeed, high induced drag characteristics of the delta while retaining the higher critical drag rise Mach Number of the swept wing. Sadly, by the late 1970s, it became

the launch customer for Dassaultâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mirage F1CZ

apparent to aerodynamicists that due to the

while the Mirage F1AZ was developed by Dassault

induced drag penalties of delta wings and

specifically for the SAAF as the ground attack

inadequate flight control technology, the utilisation

variant. Considering the international political

of such wing planforms would only be sustainable

pressure of such an acquisition, the first two

in future by the use of fly-by-wire and negative

Dec/Jan 2020

stability margins. Delta wing fighter design

A modern fire control radar, semi-active

therefore quietly faded into obscurity as designers

radar and latest generation IR missiles, flight

chased after swept wing planforms to meet their

refuelling, and an autopilot that was everything

interception requirements. The introduction of fly-

a fighter pilot ever wanted, were just some of the

by-wire systems by the 1980s enabled designers

technologies that in the 1970s allowed the SAAF,

to select practically any wing planform and life

technologically, to achieve parity with most first

was once again breathed into Dassault’s beloved

world air forces.

delta wing configurations such as the Mirage 2000 variants.

Referred to respectfully as ‘Sir Ponsonby’ by some of the F1 pilots due to its dynamic

Dassault, in keeping with a developing trend in

performance throughout the flight envelope, and in

Europe at the time, chose a swept wing mounted

contrast with the older generation transport aircraft

SAAF F1s were sold to the Ghanain Air Force - here former SAAF Kmdt

Koos Kiek gives ACM ground school.

high on the fuselage which gave the Mirage F1

autopilots, that were affectionately known as

its rather aggressive look when viewed from the

‘George’, this autopilot allowed automated flight in

front. Wing sweep generates an unusually high

all missions except dogfights and low-level tactical

roll response to sideslip and in an effort to provide

flying. It was the quick and predictable response

rolling agility and neutralise the dihedral effect, the

of the autopilot that flew the aircraft like a fighter,

wings were mounted with anhedral.

not a transport aircraft, that won it most of its accolades.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES Considering that SAAF fighter pilots were

Then of course, and most importantly, with a significant increase in internal fuel load, the F1CZ

flying Mirage III, Sabres and Impalas during the

could no longer be referred to in disparaging terms

1970s, the latest technological advances that were

by transport and helicopter pilots. Calls that: “The

introduced by the Mirage F1CZ had a significant

Mirage III is the only aircraft that can see its point

impact on SAAF operational capability.

of no return while on the runway threshold”, in Dec/Jan 2020

reference to the very limited fuel payload of the

coupled with significant adverse elevon yaw below

Mirage III, were common ‘chirps’. The fact that the

minimum drag speed, required a concerted and

Mirage III could reach its destination in a fraction

coordinated effort to use rudder to counter the

of the time was always quite conveniently forgotten

adverse yaw of the elevons. These factors all

by the critics.

made air combat manoeuvres challenging, not only

THE F1 WAS INVOLVED EXTENSIVELY IN AIR COMBAT WHERE IT CAME UP AGAINST BOTH WESTERN, AS WELL AS SOVIET FIGHTERS

to co-ordinated flying, but also in terms of physical workload. These factors cost many a Mirage III pilot the tactical advantage if the aircraft was not flown optimally. With hydraulically powered, full electromechanical controls, the F1CZ design engineers were able to produce harmony about all three axes utilising spoilers to counteract adverse aileron yaw with pitch and yaw dampers and automatic rudder trim to further reduce pilot workload to fly the aircraft accurately throughout the entire flight envelope, all the way out to Mach 2.2. Such delightfully balanced controls made it easy for the pilot to focus on weapons system operation and combat tactics instead of having to focus on aircraft handling. These relatively easy handling traits contributed to fighter pilots classifying the Mirage F1CZ as a ‘gentleman’s fighter’. Speed and weapons capability define an interceptor’s capabilities and as such, the F1CZ

The addition of a flight refuelling capability increased endurance to more than five hours

short-range Infra-red (IR) missiles fitted on wing-

which was ideal for combat fighter sweeps and

tip missile rails and the longer range radar guided

combat air patrols which in effect was a force

MATRA R530 which could be carried either

multiplier in the context of the limited numerical

under wing or under fuselage. However, the

assets of the SAAF.

R530 proved to be ‘technically challenged’ by the

Pilot workload remains one of the major

demanding conditions of Africa and due to the

challenges in ‘dogfighting’. In the case of the

number of problems experienced, the MATRA

Mirage III, this was exacerbated by the high

R530 was withdrawn from service after the initial

induced drag of the delta wing and the consequent

testing phase.

high energy bleed rates. With a minimum drag

was provided with a mix of MATRA 550 ‘Magic’

The Mirage F1CZ retained the twin internal

airspeed of 280 to 300 KIAS, energy management

DEFA 30mm canons similar to the type used in

was a serious challenge to the pilot which,

the Mirage III. Quite surprisingly though, the only

Dec/Jan 2020

two kills achieved by the Mirage F1CZ in combat

used on Eurofighter Typhoon and Gripen. This

during a time in which missiles were regarded as

system offered the pilot the capability to achieve

the weapon of choice, were by the DEFA cannon,

off-boresight missile lock-on. The B model introduced a new improved rocket

not air-to-air missiles. The imposition of the UN Arms Embargo led

motor, a more sensitive IR seeker, better target

to the establishment of a local armament industry

discrimination and improved counter measures

within the RSA which had, as one of its objectives,

resistance. The V3B, which entered Service in

to increase the capabilities and survival indices

1982 as the standard missile available on the

of the SAAFs fighter aircraft through improved

Mirage F1CZ was, nonetheless, still effectively

air-to-air missile capabilities, active and passive

a tail aspect missile with a maximum range of

electronic warfare capabilities and even propulsion

between 2 - 4 kms. However, greater range and an all aspect

systems. It must be remembered that the F1 was

capability was urgently needed to counter the

essentially mid-1960s technology, at best early

Russian missile technology employed by the

1970s. By the time the F1CZ entered the Angolan

Angolan Air Force’s MiG-23s and Kentron set

conflict, the Mirage F1CZ technologies were

about developing the next generation air-to-air

already more than ten years old and modernisation

missile for the Mirage F1CZ, the V3C (U-Darter).

to compete against Soviet technology employed by

With increased maximum range, this was the first

Cuban Forces in Angola, was essential to maintain

air-to-air missile fitted to the Mirage F1CZ with an

the balance of power. As the SAAFs primary air defence fighter at that time, the focus was obviously on the development of a locally designed air-to-air missile. The V1, similar in appearance to the AIM-9B, was designed in 1969 by the National Institute of Defence Research which saw the establishment of a new local missile company

THE F1EQS ALSO, AMAZINGLY SHOT DOWN ONE GRUMMAN F-14 TOMCAT

Kentron (later Denel). Even though the V3A entered service in 1978, work was started almost

all-aspect capability but, due to developmental

immediately on the V3B “Kukri”.

time lag, it only entered service on the Mirage

Such was the success of Kentron’s development programme that a new air-cooled IR

F1CZ in the early 90s, too late for operational use. There is no doubt that the Mirage F1CZ was

seeker was developed which could be slaved to

a capable interceptor and ‘dogfighter’ in the air

an indigenously developed, helmet-mounted sight;

defence configuration of 825 litre belly tank, two

the forerunner to the helmet sight currently being

V3C IR missiles and two 30mm DEFA cannons. Dec/Jan 2020

But, in an effort to keep abreast with technologies

UN Arms Embargo enabled access to state-of-the-

being introduced to Soviet aircraft in Angola in the

art technology that could be purchased ‘off-the’

1980s, and to provide an increased combat thrust-

shelf’ and as such, the requirement to develop the

to-weight ratio, the SAAF had no other option but

Mirage F1CZ further could not be justified.

to upgrade the engine and the air-to-air missiles. [This engine upgrade is coved in the separate box

a potent air defence network comprised of anti-

after this article.]

aircraft systems, hand-held, mobile and fixed base

The missile on offer was the Russian AA-11

surface-to-air missiles (infra red and radar guided),

‘Archer’, which even by today’s standards, remains

extensive surveillance radar coverage, agile short

in service with several air forces in the world and is

range fire control radars and radar controlled anti-

considered a highly capable missile. It is no secret

aircraft guns. There was nowhere left to hide for

that Soviet missile technology was ahead of that in

SAAF fighters and the only way of increasing the

the West at that time. The missile was cleared for

survivability indices of the SAAF’s fighters, was to

carriage on the Mirage F1AZ and F1CZ and would

introduce radar warning devices. The combination

have provided a major improvement in IR missile

of radar warning systems and tactics enabled the

capability for the SAAF, bringing it back at least

SAAF to emerge as one of the most skilled forces

on par with the MiG-23s that were encountered

at negating the threat of electronically controlled

in the Angolan war. However, the cessation of the

air defence systems.

The Mirage F1 remains a supremely capable aircraft despite being in its sunset years. Image: Chris de Beer.

During the Angolan conflict, the SAAF faced

Dec/Jan 2020

First to be introduced on the Mirage F1CZ was the Radar Warning Receiver. Ongoing development of these systems eventually led to

in Iraqi Ilyushin Il-76 transports for the repair of extensive battle damage. The 1990 Gulf War was the culmination of the

South Africa becoming a leader in this field under

Mirage F1’s combat career, with the type being

Grintek which even today continues to provide

operated by both sides in the conflict. The Iraqi

electronic warfare systems, not only for the SAAF,

Mirage F1EQs saw a good deal of combat on the

but also for several foreign countries.

losing end of the battle. Three F1EQs were shot

But as the pilots flippantly pointed out, the early

down by US Air Force (USAF) F-15 Eagles using

variants of these systems were rather a device

AIM-7 Sparrow AAMs on 17 January 1991, with

that indicated how quickly you were about to die.

one more lost in an accident while mixing with a

The next step was the introduction of active and

USAF F-111 Aardvark on the same day. In fact,

passive counter measures coupled to the Threat

the Mirage F1EQ was the first Iraqi aircraft to be

Warning Receivers to automatically neutralise the

lost in air combat in the war.

electronic threats. On the F1CZ this was a high

Two more F1EQs were shot down by USAF

priority and the first chaff and flare systems were

F-15s on 19 January, with another two lost to a

installed inside the modified ventral fins.

single Saudi F-15 on 24 January. One final kill on an F1EQ was scored by a USAF F-15 on 27

COMBAT RESULTS The only true test of character for any

January which left the final score of F-15s versus F1EQ as 8 – 0 to the F-15s. The contest was

fighter aircraft is how it faired in actual combat.

clearly unequal, but Iraqi handling of air combat

Considering that the users of the Mirage F1

in the conflict was apparently unbelievably timid

were essentially in Africa and the Middle East

and the F1EQs might have done a bit better for

‘hotspots’, is it any wonder then that the F1 was

themselves with better pilots.

involved quite extensively in air combat where it

In the Mediterranean theatre, Mirage F1CGs

came up against both Western, as well as Soviet

have had occasional run-ins with Turkish fighters,

fighters.

with Greek F1CGs and Turkish F-4 Phantoms

The first combat deployment of the French Air

getting into bloodless engagements over the

Force Mirage F1s was in 1983 to Chad. Using

Aegean Sea. One F1CG was lost in an accident

F1C-200s for combat air patrol, one Jaguar was

in 1992 while trying to intercept two Turkish F-16s.

shot down while an F1C-200 was damaged in

(Greg Goebel -In the Public Domain: Sep 05)

early January 1984. Iraqi Mirage F1EQs were kept busy fighting the

In SAAF context, two dogfights that were well publicised involved SAAF Mirage F1CZ #204 and

Iranians during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s,

F1CZ #203. Interestingly enough, the pilot in both

with the F1EQs claiming destruction of at least 35

instances was 3 Squadron’s Major Johan Rankin.

Iranian aircraft, mostly McDonnell F-4 Phantoms

On 6 November 1981, two F1CZs were scrambled

and Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs and also, amazingly,

from AFB Ondangwa after two MiG-21s had been

one Grumman F-14 Tomcat, shot down on 22

detected on radar approaching South African

November 1982. Seven F1EQs were lost in

ground forces deployed in Angola. They flew

combat, and several were flown back to France

at low-level up the Cunene River staying below Dec/Jan 2020

Angolan radar cover and then pitched to 25,000ft.

selected afterburner and at the cross, started a

Undetected by the MiG-21s, they jettisoned their

hard right-hand turn in pursuit. The MiG-21s had

drop tanks as they entered a hard left turn that

fired their missiles just before the cross but without

brought them directly behind the unsuspecting

success. Closing in on the MiGs, Rankin fired

MiGs flying 1,000 metres apart. Closing from the

a missile but the range was excessive and the

rear, Rankin fired a short 30mm cannon burst

missile went ballistic. He fired the second missile

striking the wingman’s aircraft. The bandit’s

at the lead MiG from 1,500 metres and it exploded

attempted evasive action brought the MiG into the

close to the MiG, damaging it. Rankin closed on

sights of Rankin who fired a further burst of 30mm

the wingman and fired the 30mm cannon which

cannon. The MiG exploded as the pilot ejected

struck the MiG, causing it to explode. Subsequent

to safety and Rankin had to take evasive action to

reports received indicated that lead MiG’s aircraft

avoid flying into the debris.

was unable to lower its undercarriage which

A DEVICE THAT INDICATED HOW QUICKLY YOU WERE ABOUT TO DIE. In another dogfight on 5 October 1982, two

a belly landing, causing substantial damage. (SAAF FAPA Dogfights, Winston Brent, 9 Jan 2006) Up to that stage, the balance of power had been relatively equal within Angola. With the introduction of the MiG-23ML “Flogger G” by the Angolan Air Force, however, the whole scenario in Angola changed.

Designed for air defence tasks, they were

Mirage F1CZs were escorting two 12 Squadron

equipped with frontal aspect air-to-air missiles,

Canberras that were carrying out photographic

which brought a whole new twist to counter air

reconnaissance overhead the Angolan town

missions. Without frontal aspect missiles, the

of Cahama. Mission controllers detected two

Mirage F1CZ could no longer afford to engage in

unidentified ‘bandits’ approaching the Canberras

air combat; a bit like taking a knife to a gunfight;

and instructed the Canberras to egress southward

the probability of success is extremely limited and

to safety and directed the F1CZs towards the

the employment philosophy was forced to change

bandits which were identified as MiG-21s.

which in effect, severely restricted Mirage F1CZ

The two F1CZ pilots pitched to 30,000ft and found they were approaching the MiGs head-

required the pilot to conduct

operations during daylight hours. Total avoidance of combat within an operational

on at a closing velocity approaching twice the

environment cannot be guaranteed. The only

speed of sound. They jettisoned their drop tanks,

Mirage F1CZ lost in the Angolan conflict to a

Dec/Jan 2020

Dassault DassaultMirage Mirage F1CZ F1CZ Specifications Wingspan

8,40 m

27 ft 7 in

15 m

49 ft 3 in

7,400 kg

16,314 lbs

Max. Takeoff Weight

15,200 kg

33,510 lbs

Engine Power: dry & afterburner (PC)

49,1 / 70,6 kN

11,038 / 15,872 lbf

Length Empty Weight

Maximum Speed Service Ceiling Range

Performance 2,350 km/h 19,995 m 850 km

1,269 kts 65,600 ft 459 NM

counter air mission was #206. On 27 September

the SAAF, wisely chose not to challenge the

1988, Captain Arthur Piercy flew his damaged

Angolan MiG-23s in air-to-air combat. Piercy’s

aircraft back to AFB Rundu after it had been struck

aircraft was also the last aircraft to be involved in

by an AA-8 (Aphid) air-to-air missile fired from an

air combat.

Angolan Mig-23 – exactly the scenario the SAAF were trying to avoid. After a successful landing but without wheel

CONCLUSION There is no doubt the acquisition of the

brakes or drag chute due to missile fragmentation

Mirage F1CZ was a quantum leap in air defence

hits, landing the Mirage F1CZ on a very short

capability for the SAAF. The introduction of the

runway was always going to be challenging. The

next generation of aerodynamics and navigation

result was that his aircraft overshot off the end

weapon’s systems provided a significant increase

of the runway, struck a ditch, the force of which

in dogfight capability for the SAAF in the 1970s.

caused his seat to eject him from the aircraft

Although the Mirage F1CZ was prematurely retired

and since there was insufficient height for the

from service in 1992, there is no doubt that in the

parachute to open fully, Piercy impacted the

minds of the pilots that flew her, she was one of

ground in his seat, seriously injuring his lower

the great fighters of the time, in fact, a gentleman’s

back and spinal cord. Today, he is restricted to

fighter!

a wheelchair as a paraplegic. Fred Bridgeland’s book “War for Africa” details this combat mission comprehensively. Following this tragic accident, Dec/Jan 2020

FUEL TABLE www.sv1.co.za

SA Flyer 2020|12

FuelFuel Prices Prices as atas01/10/2020 at 01/10/2020 Pri ces Pri ices nclude i nclude VATVAT but but exclude exclude any any serviservi ce fees ce fees Ai rfiAield rfi eld Avgas Avgas Jet A1 Jet A1 Baragwanath Baragwanath R 18,50 R 18,50 Beaufort Beaufort West West R 18,85 R 18,85R 14,85 R 14,85 Bethlehem Bethlehem R 21,97 R 21,97R 15,62 R 15,62 Bloemfontei Bloemfontei n n R 14,01 R 14,01R 6,88 R 6,88 Brakpan Brakpan R 19,50 R 19,50 BritsBrits R 16,65 R 16,65 Cape Cape Town Town R 22,77 R 22,77R 7,13 R 7,13 Eagles Eagles Creek Creek R 19,55 R 19,55 EastEast London London R 18,69 R 18,69R 8,51 R 8,51 Ermelo Ermelo R 18,75 R 18,75 Fi santekraal Fi santekraal R 21,50 R 21,50 Fly-In Fly-In R 17,75 R 17,75 GariGari ep Dam ep Dam R 20,10 R 20,10R 13,00 R 13,00 George George R19,79 R19,79R9,48 R9,48 Grand Grand Central Central R 19,32 R 19,32R 12,42 R 12,42 Hei delberg Hei delberg R 18,00 R 18,00 Ki mberley Ki mberley R 14,21 R 14,21R 7,08 R 7,08 KittyKitty Hawk Hawk R 18,10 R 18,10 Klerksdorp Klerksdorp R21,64 R21,64R14,80 R14,80 Kroonstad Kroonstad R 16,27 R 16,27R 9,98 R 9,98 Kruger Kruger Intl Intl Nelspruit Nelspruit R 20,00 R 20,00R 13,90 R 13,90 Krugersdorp Krugersdorp R 18,50 R 18,50 Lanseri Lanseri a a R 18,29 R 18,29R 13,32 R 13,32 Margate Margate R 20,20 R 20,20 Morningstar Morningstar R 18,25 R 18,25 Mosselbay Mosselbay R 19,52 R 19,52R 11,25 R 11,25 Nelspruit Nelspruit R 18,86 R 18,86R 12,94 R 12,94 Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn R 17,10 R 17,10R 10,66 R 10,66 Parys Parys R 16,40 R 16,40R 10,20 R 10,20 Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg R 18,00 R 18,00 Pi etersburg Pi etersburg Ci vi Ci l vi l R 17,10 R 17,10R 11,00 R 11,00 PortPort Alfred Alfred R 23,17 R 23,17 PortPort Elizabeth Elizabeth R 17,83 R 17,83R 12,98 R 12,98 Potchefstroom Potchefstroom R 16,40 R 16,40R 10,20 R 10,20 Rand Rand R 19,91 R 19,91R 11,98 R 11,98 Robertson Robertson R17,45 R17,45 Rustenberg Rustenberg R 16,35 R 16,35R 11,20 R 11,20 Secunda Secunda R 18,96 R 18,96R 12,19 R 12,19 Skeerpoort Skeerpoort *** *** Customer Customer to collect to collect R 14,20 R 14,20R7,90 R7,90 Springbok Springbok R 19,80 R 19,80 Springs Springs R 18,60 R 18,60R 12,79 R 12,79 Stellenbosch Stellenbosch R 18,50 R 18,50 Swellendam Swellendam R 16,50 R 16,50R 8,56 R 8,56 Tempe Tempe R 16,22 R 16,22R 11,16 R 11,16 Thabazimbe Thabazimbe R 16,90 R 16,90R 10,90 R 10,90 Ultimate Ultimate HeliHeli (Midrand) (Midrand) *** *** R 17,60 R 17,60R 11,40 R 11,40 Upington Upington R 14,71 R 14,71R 7,58 R 7,58 Vereeni Vereeni gi nggi ng No Fuel No Fuel AvblAvbl Vi rgiVinirgi a ni a R 18,18 R 18,18R 10,35 R 10,35 Welkom Welkom R 16,27 R 16,27R 9,98 R 9,98 Wi ngs Wi ngs ParkPark EL EL R 18,75 R 18,75 Witbank Witbank R 16,75 R 16,75 R 14,70 R 14,70R 8,40 R 8,40 Wonderboom Wonderboom Worcester Worcester R 18,10 R 18,10 *** *** HeliHeli copters copters onlyonly

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FuelFuel Prices Prices as atas02/11/2020 at 02/11/2020 Pri ces Pri ices nclude i nclude VATVAT but but exclude exclude any any serviservi ce fees ce fees Ai rfiAield rfi eld Avgas Avgas Jet A1 Jet A1 Baragwanath Baragwanath R 18,50 R 18,50 Beaufort Beaufort West West R 21,35 R 21,35 R 14,35 R 14,35 Bethlehem Bethlehem R 21,97 R 21,97 R 15,62 R 15,62 Bloemfontei Bloemfontei n n R 15,91 R 15,91 R 8,20 R 8,20 Brakpan Brakpan R 19,50 R 19,50 BritsBrits R 16,65 R 16,65 Cape Cape Town Town R 22,77 R 22,77 R 7,46 R 7,46 Eagles Eagles Creek Creek R 19,55 R 19,55 EastEast London London R 18,09 R 18,09 R 7,90 R 7,90 Ermelo Ermelo R 18,75 R 18,75 Fi santekraal Fi santekraal R 21,50 R 21,50 Fly-In Fly-In R 17,75 R 17,75 GariGari ep Dam ep Dam R 20,10 R 20,10 R 13,00 R 13,00 George George R19,19 R19,19 R8,88 R8,88 Grand Grand Central Central R 19,32 R 19,32 R 12,42 R 12,42 Hei delberg Hei delberg R 17,80 R 17,80 Ki mberley Ki mberley R 16,15 R 16,15 R 8,43 R 8,43 KittyKitty Hawk Hawk R 18,10 R 18,10 Klerksdorp Klerksdorp R21,64 R21,64 R14,80 R14,80 Kroonstad Kroonstad R 16,27 R 16,27 R 9,98 R 9,98 Kruger Kruger Intl Intl Nelspruit Nelspruit R 20,00 R 20,00 R 13,90 R 13,90 Krugersdorp Krugersdorp R 18,50 R 18,50 Lanseri Lanseri a a R 18,29 R 18,29 R 11,44 R 11,44 Margate Margate R 20,20 R 20,20 Morningstar Morningstar R 17,95 R 17,95 Mosselbay Mosselbay R 18,70 R 18,70 R 11,25 R 11,25 Nelspruit Nelspruit R 18,86 R 18,86 R 12,94 R 12,94 Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn R 17,10 R 17,10 R 10,66 R 10,66 Parys Parys R 16,40 R 16,40 R 10,20 R 10,20 Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg R 18,00 R 18,00 Pi etersburg Pi etersburg Ci vi Ci l vi l R 17,20 R 17,20 R 11,10 R 11,10 PortPort Alfred Alfred R 21,40 R 21,40 PortPort Elizabeth Elizabeth R 17,83 R 17,83 R 13,67 R 13,67 Potchefstroom Potchefstroom R 16,40 R 16,40 R 10,20 R 10,20 Rand Rand R 19,32 R 19,32 R 11,27 R 11,27 Robertson Robertson R17,45 R17,45 Rustenberg Rustenberg R 16,20 R 16,20 R 11,20 R 11,20 Secunda Secunda R 18,96 R 18,96 R 12,19 R 12,19 Skeerpoort Skeerpoort *** *** Customer Customer to collect to collect R 14,20 R 14,20 R7,90 R7,90 Springbok Springbok R 19,80 R 19,80 Springs Springs R 18,60 R 18,60 R 12,79 R 12,79 Stellenbosch Stellenbosch R 18,00 R 18,00 Swellendam Swellendam R 16,50 R 16,50 R 9,00 R 9,00 Tempe Tempe R 16,22 R 16,22 R 11,16 R 11,16 Thabazimbe Thabazimbe R 16,90 R 16,90 R 10,90 R 10,90 Ultimate Ultimate HeliHeli (Midrand) (Midrand) *** *** R 17,60 R 17,60 R 11,40 R 11,40 Upington Upington R 16,72 R 16,72 R 9,00 R 9,00 Vereeni Vereeni gi nggi ng No Fuel No Fuel AvblAvbl Vi rgiVinirgi a ni a R 18,18 R 18,18 R 10,35 R 10,35 Welkom Welkom R 16,27 R 16,27 R 9,98 R 9,98 Wi ngs Wi ngs ParkPark EL EL R 18,75 R 18,75 Witbank Witbank R 16,25 R 16,25 R 14,70 R 14,70 R 8,40 R 8,40 Wonderboom Wonderboom Worcester Worcester R 18,10 R 18,10 *** *** HeliHeli copters copters onlyonly

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SA Flyer 2016|11

• • • • •

MILITARY TEST FLYING:

Missile flight clearance on the Mirage F1AZ

In an extract from his book, Recollections From a Test Pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Logbooks, Des Barker describes the flight test clearance of the V3C on the Mirage F1.

ABOVE: A Mirage F1 with a test V3C missile mounted on its wing.

Dec/Jan 2020

NDER the international arms

airframe. All of these have their own unique ground

embargo the South African defence

and air system checks before the pilot can accept

industry was forced to design and

the aircraft for flight.

develop its own weapons for the

SAAF’s fighter force.

With the aircraft signed off by the various technical specialists, and accepted and signed for

These locally developed weapons had to be

by the test pilot, the pre-flight commences with the

extensively flight test before they could be released

walk-out to the aircraft where technical specialists

for service into the SAAF’s operational fighter

await the pilot. But before the normal aircraft pre-

squadrons. The weapons clearance programmes

flight inspection can commence, the pilot must

were the ‘bread and butter’ of the South African

first check the basic safety of the aircraft; there is

Air Force’s Test Flight and Development Centre

equipment on the fighter that can cause significant

(TFDC) during the UN embargo years in the

harm if incorrectly handled.

1970s.

FUEL IS SO CRITICAL THAT IT CANNOT AFFORD TO BE WASTED BY DOING A 180° TURN IF THE RECIPROCAL RUNWAY IS USED

A key weapon in the SAAF arsenal was the much improved V3C air to air missile developed locally by Kentron. This required extensive testing before it could be cleared for the Mirage F1. INTRODUCTION During the V3C missile launch envelope clearance programme on the Mirage F1AZ in August 1986, TFDC had successfully fired eleven missiles from the F1AZ. All that still remained from this particular phase of the flight test programme was the final launch at maximum Mach number. PRE-FLIGHT The military control and safety oversight of an

Besides the air-to-air missile, the ejection seat

aircraft is very strictly regulated and before any

presents a potential ‘loaded gun’ hazard so it is

flight, the aircraft is required to be signed off by a

imperative to check that all five of the ejection seat

number of senior technicians before the aircraft

pins are in place and that the Armament Master

can be accepted for flight by the test pilot. This is

is off, the gun trigger is folded and the normal and

not only because the aircraft is a State asset and

emergency oxygen, hydraulics and fuel systems

that the State stands guarantor for its serviceability

are checked to confirm replenishment. Only after

and insurance, but because of the complexity and

ticking off all the sub-system elements as safe, can

the hazardous nature of some of the systems.

the walk-around commence.

The matrix of systems includes: ejection seats, armament, radar and avionics, engine and

With the aircraft accelerating to 650+ KIAS/ M2.0 up to an altitude of 50,000 feet for the missile Dec/Jan 2020

ABOVE: F1 with a V3C missile plus a V3S missile.

launch, it is obviously imperative that all panels,

negative-g and lap straps, survival pack and

flaps, slats and spoilers and canopy seals are

shoulder harnesses are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tight and lockedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. With the

serviceable and secure.

quick-release box locked, the anti-g suit plugged in

On a sophisticated fighter with many complex

and the helmet donned, the first series of cockpit

systems, besides the standard airframe checks

checks can continue. This includes the normal

and inspections on wheels and wings, the pilot

and emergency oxygen system and the anti-g suit

will check the angle of attack and temperature

inflation system and if the pilot is satisfied that all

sensor probes; check the air intake shock cones

the systems check out serviceable, the ejection

(mice), that the static and dynamic pressure vents

seat pins are removed by the marshaller.

on the balanced nose probe are unobstructed and that the air intake auxiliary doors are free to open during certain high power settings to prevent intake choking. Climbing into the cockpit via the external ladder,

ENGINE START Starting the Atar 09K50 is a relatively simple task with most of the starting cycle functions, automated; Low Pressure main cock open, switch

the Martin Baker Mk.04 leg garters to retract the

on both right- and left-hand fuel pumps as well

legs during ejection are fastened, seat straps,

as the Starting Fuel Pump, which lifts the safety

Dec/Jan 2020

guard, exposing the Start pushbutton. With the

Alternators having come on line between 2600

fuel low pressure warning light out, simultaneously

and 2800 RPM, the engine idles at approximately

depressing the stopwatch and the starter for

2900 RPM, allowing the pilot to continue with the

approximately one second, the starting sequence

after-start cabin, airframe, avionics and weapons

is initiated.

systems checks.

With a sharp audible whine, the starter motor

Starting on the right-hand console and moving

accelerates the compressor and at between 300

across to the left-hand console, the pilot follows

and 600 RPM, the throttle is moved to the Idle

a flow through for each system’s checks. First,

position. The pilot’s focus now is to monitor the

the Air Conditioning is switched on and the

engine starting procedure by checking that several

temperature settings made, Identification Friend or

warning lights extinguish as the various engine

Foe (IFF - military jargon for the Transponder) is

and auxiliary services come on line. Importantly,

switched on STBY and the navigation computer’s

the compressor Blow Off Valve warning light

heading modes selected, A/A/ missile plunger

extinguishes timeously, fuel and oil pressure

on the weapons control panel is off, VOR/ILS on,

warning lights flicker and extinguish and the

standby artificial horizon on and uncaged, Radar

engine spools up to at least 2000 RPM within

Warning Receiver on, Moving Map Display on

15 secs. HYD 1, HYD 2 and EMG Hyd warning

and importantly, the shock cone (mice) plunger

lights extinguish in turn while simultaneously

and nosewheel steering plunger is engaged in the

the pilot monitors that the Jet Pipe Temperature

High Sensitivity position. Flying supersonically at

(JPT) does not exceed 850°C. Now with both

Mach 2.0 on this sortie, if the ‘mice’ don’t move

F1 Mirage wing has complex flap settings which delta winged Mirage III could not have.

Dec/Jan 2020

out at M1.27, the risk exists that a compressor stall

and will be able to operate satisfactorily out to the

will occur or even worse, the engine could cut. At

maximum Mach Number.

a cost of approximately R100,000 for this sortie,

With the canopy now closed, the marshaller

nothing ‘can go wrong’ – we have to get it right first

signals the pilot to test the elevator and aileron

time. V/UHF radio’s on, it is now time for the final

flight controls for full and free movement and the

airframe checks.

nosewheel steering through the rudder pedals.

Using the neumonic TAFFIOHC, Trims are set

All the various control selections are confirmed

at zero for the takeoff, Airbrakes are opened and

externally by the marshaller who appears to be

closed on command of the marshaller and the high

performing some weird double-jointed arm flailing

lift devices tested; the flaps, slats and combat flaps

and hand signals that to an outsider, look strange.

tested through the various combinations of high

With the sight set, hydraulic pressures

lift device options. While the pilot continues with

normal and ‘nothing to consider’ on the failure

the various fuel checks, the fuel Detote (contents)

warning panel, final checks are carried out on

AN ENGINE FAILURE AT 50,000 FT WOULD IMMEDIATELY CUT THE CABIN PRESSURISATION

the oxygen system, the ejection seat connections, particularly the maritime survival pack, and harnesses are tight and locked in the event of having to eject. Since the missile will be launched in the air-to-air missile range off the Cape west coast at Jacobs Bay, the maritime survival equipment

and Cross Feed Cock off, the particular fuel

is of critical importance. The SA Navy’s crash

transfer sequence for this air-to-air configuration is

rescue boats stationed at nearby Langebaan are

selected. Due to the criticality of mass distribution

on standby in the event of an emergency requiring

and aeroelastic considerations, the pilot is required

ejection.

to select one of two fuel transfer options – one

Checks complete, taxi instructions received

for the air-to-ground bombing role to deal with

from ATC, the engine power is opened against

the mass distribution of bombs and external fuel

the wheel brakes to 6000 RPM. Brakes released

tanks hanging on the wings and fuselage weapons

the aircraft is allowed to taxi forward to check

stations, and one for non-bomb or fuel tanks

the brakes which requires a sharp application

carriage roles.

on the brake pedals to enable the marshaller to

The Integrated Flight Control Test (IFCT) is

confirm that the pitch dampers responded to the

run while the built-in test equipment runs through

deceleration forces and the subsequent nose-

the 35 different mode tests. After Auto-Pilot is

down pitch force. The F1 is provided with both

selected, it runs through to mode 88, satisfying the

pitch and yaw dampers which are essentially

pilot that the flight control systems are functional

an active feedback control system generated

Dec/Jan 2020

through an air data computer/gyro control of the

reached, Max AB is selected. Several lights in the

aircraft in pitch and yaw to damp any oscillations,

cockpit illuminate, the SRL light and then the red

modifying the aircraft’s response to perturbations

coloured INJ (injection) light indicating that the

and preventing pilot induced oscillations – critical

afterburner hot streak injector fuel is feeding fuel

elements of the flight control system required for

into the afterburner section. A steady green light

stability and control, particularly in supersonic

replaces the red INJ light indicating that the A/B

flight.

activation has been successful and it’s a ‘go’ for

But we’re not yet ready. ‘Last chance’ checks

takeoff.

are done by another marshaller to verify that there are no loose panels, or fuel or oil leaks, a final

Airbrake is not speed limited and so is used to slow from Mach 2. Image: Charlie Hugo

salute from the marshaller is acknowledged and the aircraft taxied to the holding point of runway 02 at Langebaanweg. TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO 48,000 FT The planned heading after takeoff is northwards, and the fuel is so critical that fuel cannot afford to be wasted by first completing a 180° turn if the reciprocal runway 20 was used. Fortunately, the northerly wind favours runway 02. With no time to spend on the runway, the aim is a non-standard takeoff procedure by completing the pre- takeoff vital actions: CHAFL during taxying and only stopping at the holding point to have the missile safety pins removed by the armourers. Then takeoff is with full afterburner. Canopy is closed and the CAB P warning light is out, Harnesses are tight and locked,

With only a single 96 kg missile on the wingtip,

Airbrakes are in and Auto Arthur, which manages

the aircraft mass at takeoff is 11,350 kgs and

the sensitivity of the control stick as a function

with the maximum afterburner producing 15,355

of airspeed, is selected, Flaps and Slats are

lbs of static thrust, the F1 in this relatively light

extended and all failure warning lights are

weight configuration (thrust to weight ratio of

extinguished as the F1 enters the runway.

approximately 0.62), accelerates at 10 kts/second

Mini-afterburner (A/B) (French terminology ‘PC’ for ‘Post Combustion’) is selected for takeoff, the

at sea-level. Nosewheel steering is used via the rudder

pilot monitoring JPT and AB light-up sequence.

pedals to maintain centreline and after a very rapid

Once a jet pipe temperature (JPT) of 750°C is

12 seconds acceleration, rotation at 120 KIAS Dec/Jan 2020

allows the F1 to fly off at 150 KIAS and with the

airspace from which we could Bingo (minimum

acceleration rate increasing, the undercarriage

fuel state to terminate the mission) and land

must be selected up and nearly simultaneously,

safely. Fuel consumption graphs indicated that

the flaps must be retracted to half-flap before 225

the start, taxy, takeoff, climb and acceleration to

KIAS. By 300 KIAS the flaps are fully retracted

M2.0 would require at least 2,500 litres, leaving

and the afterburner is cut to MIL power for the dry

us with 1,800 litres, 600 of which were mandated

climb to 30,000 ft. The takeoff from standstill to

to be the minimum fuel state to enter the landing

300 KIAS was completed within 25 seconds and

pattern. Despite 1,200 litres contingency fuel, this

the F1 accelerated in the climb to 470 KIAS/M0.92

was insufficient to reposition for another pass

in a 10° pitch attitude.

should we not achieve launch parameters at the designated launch point. To this end, ATC provided

The launch of the Kentron V3C missile - which soon accelerates to Mach 4. Image: Overberg Test Range.

flight clearance with no restrictions and under radar control, moved all other traffic out of the flight path. No safety/chase plane was included in the plan that could hinder achievement of the Rutowski energy climb schedule. (In 1953 E.S. Rutowski published a seminal paper: Energy Approach to the General Aircraft Performance Problem.) The profile options were a subsonic max A/B climb at 500 KIAS/M0.95 to 50,000 ft in 2 min 40 secs and then accelerate to M2.0, but a level acceleration to M2.0 at 50,000 ft from M0.95 would use significantly more fuel than using the Rutowski optimum specific excess energy climb schedule. The specific energy climb profile selected was

We had never launched a V3C missile at that Mach number or height before but knew that to

level off, select max A/B and accelerate to 610

achieve the test point of maximum Mach number

KIAS before entering a cruise climb at 610 KIAS/

of at least M2.0, we would have to fly the most fuel/

M1.8 through the Tropopause which in the late

energy efficient profile possible. We had to have

winter of August, was at 37,000 feet.

the Rutowski energy profile flown accurately. This

Before accelerating supersonically, the shock

implied that we would only carry one missile, but

cone plunger was confirmed depressed and the

it could actually increase the trim drag due to the

High Lift Device switch, OFF. The last thing that

asymmetric carriage. How much? We didn’t know.

any pilot would want is for the high lift devices to

The F1AZ internal fuel load is only 4,300 litres.

activate during supersonic flight – the ensuing

It may sound like lots of fuel, but for the intended

structural chaos would be too dastardly to

flight profile, is barely sufficient. We knew that

consider.

we would have to accelerate to a point in the

flown at MIL power at M0.9 to 30,000 ft, and then

Dec/Jan 2020

At top of climb, the F1 was overhead Van

Rhynsdorp, 80 nautical miles to the north

the cockpit which was an indication of how close

of Langebaanweg and in a very shallow left

the missile cut across the nose of the F1 and that

hand turn, max A/B was selected and the F1

missile motor gasses were ingested by the engine.

accelerated south-westwards off the Cape west

The aero modelling and simulation tools and

coast to 610 KIAS cruise climbing to 37,000 ft

numerical methods available at that time were

and further accelerating to M1.8, thereafter cruise

not accurate enough to provide useful trajectory

climbing at M1.8 to 48,000 ft where M2.0 was

predictions. The only way to validate the launch

achieved. Levelling off to accelerate further, the

envelope was through actual flight testing.

plan was obviously a one chance, single pass,

Was there a possibility of the missile cutting in

there would not be fuel for a second pass - if a

sufficiently to impact the nose of the aircraft? Highly improbable, but not impossible! Was it

Mirage F1 V3C missile launch clearly illustrating the unguided missile cutting across the nose of the F1.

possible for the missile exhaust plume to be ingested by the engine and the engine suffer a compressor stall – which we had encountered during an earlier missile launch? We did not know. Although the F1 was fitted with a fuel dipper which effectively reduced fuel flow to the engine to prevent a rich mixture combustion chamber flameout when the missile was launched, the test plan called for the fuel dipper to be left off so as to test the missile launch under ‘worst case’ conditions. An engine failure at 50,000 ft would immediately cut the cabin pressurisation and without a pressure suit, there would not be much time to resolve the impending catastrophe which would place the

minimum Mach number of M2.0 was not achieved

pilot at major risk – but this was, and will always

at the designated missile launch point, the sortie

be, the role of the test pilot - go out there and

would be terminated.

after engineering analyses, prove the safe missile

We were unsure how Mach effects would

launch envelope. Of course this question passed

affect the trajectory. The trajectories of all the

through the test pilot’s mind and he would be in his

missiles launched during the missile development

full rights to wonder “what the hell am I doing up

testing programme cleared the aircraft safely

here?”

and satisfactorily although a concern was a

During the inbound run for the missile launch,

tendency for the missile to cut in front of the

engine performance was continually monitored,

nose immediately after launch, particularly in the

particularly the mice movement starting at

unknown region of M2.0+.

M1.27 and the automatic activation of the engine

After launch, the acrid smell of the solid fuels from the missile motor was often ingested into

overspeed indicated by the engine RPM suddenly increasing to 8,900 RPM on passing M1.4 (and Dec/Jan 2020

THE LAST THING THE PILOT NEEDS IS FOR THE SUPERSONIC SHOCKWAVE TO HIT THE CITY OF CAPE TOWN

JPT drop to 735°C). It was important for the pilot to monitor the mice moving out in synchronisation

MISSILE LAUNCH What maximum Mach number will be achieved

with the Machmeter, only 0.01 Mach difference

by launch time? As the speed reaches M2.02, the

between the mice Mach meter and aircraft’s Mach

aircraft is adjacent to Langebaanweg which from

meter was permitted; any greater deviation would

48,000 feet, appears as if the runway is directly

result in termination of the sortie.

below. Following a countdown from three seconds

With the launch area rapidly approaching and

to the ground engineers, at 1 second, the on-board

the fuel Detote winding down at four litres/second

high-speed cameras are activated, and at the

as the Atar 09k50 guzzled the fuel, the weapons

count of zero, the missile ‘pickle’ is depressed.

checklist was completed, AIR-AIR guns selected

To the engineering staff on the ground at

on the throttle, the A/A MISS pushbutton on the

Langebaanweg watching the launch, they witness

weapons panel depressed to arm the missile

the contrail of Mirage F1AZ No. 216 against a

firing circuit, the flight test onboard cameras

perfectly blue sky background and at t=0, the V3C

selected to standby, the missile safety cover on

launches from the wingtip of the F1 and rapidly

the control column lifted to enable depressing the

accelerates to an effective speed of close to M4.0.

missile launch pushbutton on the stick and finally,

In the cockpit, there is a moderate lateral

the Armament Master is selected ON. All that

‘bump’ as the missile leaves the rails and the

remained was activating the onboard cameras

missile initially drops two or three feet before

(running at 1000 frames per second) one second

cutting in ahead of the F1, last seen heading into

before launch and then depressing the missile

the Atlantic Ocean leaving behind a white plume

launch ‘pickle’, providing of course that the launch

and a few seconds later, a slight smell of missile

parameters have been achieved. There is no room

motor exhaust gasses in the cockpit. According to

for failure. Get it right first time – or else.

engineering calculations, the missile will decelerate

The F1 is accelerating at M0.1 every few

rapidly after rocket motor burn-out and then adopt

seconds while covering the ground at up to 20

a ballistic trajectory to impact at the southern

nms per minute (1,157 KTAS) by the time we reach

end of the air-to-air range. In test pilot terms, “the

M2.0. The cockpit walls, canopy and airframe

missile launch was safe and satisfactory”.

heating from the adiabatic temperature increase due to ram pressure rise is such that by Mach 2.1, the impact temperature on the airframe would be approximately 135°C. The F1s acceleration coincides well with

RECOVERY AND LANDING At 48,000 feet/M2.02, Cape Town and Table Mountain lie below the F1s nose, only three minutes away at the current speed – the last thing

the desired track and distance to go as M2.0 is

the pilot needs is for the supersonic shockwave

reached at the northern border of the air-to-air

to hit the city of Cape Town. The drama and

range; there are still a few seconds to go before

pandemonium in the city would cause chaos and

reaching the planned launch point.

reputational damage to the SAAF which would

Dec/Jan 2020

The Mirage F1 cockpit is extremely busy and a very tight fit. Dec/Jan 2020

surely earn the pilot a personal interview with

The F1 is a delight to fly, particularly the final

the Chief of the Air Force. It is possible for the

approach and landing and with fuel contents down

shockwave to sweep across the city from the north

to 700 litres, at a landing mass of 8,600 kgs, the

and then for certain portions of the pressure wave

aircraft is stable in the landing configuration with a

to reflect backwards off Table Mountain – this

good, unobstructed view of the runway. The pilot’s

apparently happened many years ago.

primary task is to fly a 10° angle of incidence

With the missile gone, while still at Mach

approach, equivalent to approximately 150 KIAS

numbers greater than M1.4, power reduction

with a Vref of 135 KIAS/ incidence of 13°. The

below MIL is prohibited and as such the

throttle is retarded a few feet above the runway

throttle is reduced to mini A/B, then MIL

and the pitch attitude maintained as the main

while simultaneously applying airbrakes. The

wheels touchdown.

deceleration forces at 650+ KIAS are significant,

The drag chute is deployed holding a nose

the restrained pilot’s body bearing the brunt of

high pitch attitude for aerodynamic braking until

the deceleration forces and emphasising the

120 KIAS, the nose is then lowered to the runway.

importance of being strapped in tightly to the

The decelerating tug of the drag chute opening is

ejection seat. The pitch dampers are working

always welcome on a short runway – failure of the

overtime to prevent pilot induced oscillations by

drag chute could require a go-around followed by

damping any short period oscillations generated

a drag chute out landing. The rapid deceleration

by pitch and yaw perturbations during and after the

enables the pilot to reduce the landing run

missile launch.

considerably and jettison the drag chute alongside

With the airbrakes extended and power reduced to MIL, the F1 decelerates rapidly to subsonic flight and a spiralling descent at 6,500RPM/M0.92/450 KIAS. Radar vectors to final approach on runway

the runway where it will be collected by the ground crew. The engine was shut down with approximately 500 litres remaining.

02 at Langebaanweg relieves some of the pilot workload in managing the energy levels prior to entering the circuit. Allowing the airspeed to decrease to below

It’s been thirty minutes from engine start to engine shut down and we have successfully

250 KIAS, the standard jet pneumonic of BAUFF

and safely demonstrated the launch envelope

is carried out, Brake and Hydraulic pressures

clearance of the V3C air-to-air missile on the

checked, High Lift device switch back to NORMAL

Mirage F1AZ. Thanks to detailed, accurate

and now, with the airspeed down to 200 KIAS,

engineering planning and flying, the V3C missile

Airbrakes in, U/C down and locked, Flaps selected

was launched at M2.02 and cleared the aircraft

fully down. Fuel contents are down to 800 litres,

flow field satisfactorily. The V3C air-to-air missile

sight set to approach mode, anti-skid system

was cleared for operational test and evaluation on

tested, brakes tested, nosewheel steering light out,

the Mirage F1AZ and likewise for the Mirage F1CZ.

Nose-wheel Steering plunger out, and landing light selected on.

CONCLUSION

Dec/Jan 2020

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Dec/Jan 2020

STORY : GUY LEITCH

The CAA Dossier More ill-advised legal frolics from the CAA.

Around two years ago I ran a series of 12 articles I called ‘The CAA Dossier’ which articulated the frustrations of the aviation community at the manifold failures of the SACAA. However, I became increasingly uncomfortable with that series as it was too often one-sided. The nature of publishing deadlines meant that the CAA could claim that it did not have a fair opportunity to reply to the accusations. THE problem is: the CAA just doesn’t learn

aircraft that weighed anything less than exactly

from its mistakes. It’s deeply worrying that the

600 kg was not acceptable. The regulator

old patterns persist, despite the CAA having

persisted in this dogged absurdity, despite

been roundly smacked down by the Department

increasingly clamorous demands from the

of Transport’s Civil Aviation Appeal Committee.

frustrated aircraft owner and perplexed appeals

The only explanation for this failure by the CAA to learn would seem to be that this

The CAA implacably closed ranks

is the symptom of an endemic or structural

until a number of aviation bodies patiently

dysfunctionality within the regulator. The latest

managed to convince them of the absurdity

manifestation of this dysfunctionality is yet

of this bureaucrat’s decree. Then there was

another inexplicable episode of what can only

much face-saving obfuscation to justify the

be described as stupid rule interpretation and

indefensible, in a weak attempt to rescue the

ill-advised legal adventurism.

tarnished image of the CAA as a reasonable

About a year ago the CAA emerged with mud on its face when one of its esteemed

from the recreational aviation administrators.

regulator. This publication let that embarrassing

bureaucrats decreed that the 600 kg maximum

incident go largely unremarked upon because,

weight limit for light sport aircraft meant that the

like many, we simply shrugged our shoulders

aircraft had to actually weigh 600 kg. Thus, an

and, in a sense, said that this is Africa. Now

Dec/Jan 2020

t if the Sim instructor Does the CA A think tha al the sim may crash. does not have a medic

however an incident of equal absurdity has come

forty years of dedicated instructional experience,

to the fore and unfortunately the regulator chose

was thus unable to earn a living and the small

to drag it all the way through the appeals process

airline where he was working became deprived of

before the Civil Aviation Appeals Committee (CAAC). The well thought-out and eloquent judgment of the CAAC in this matter has recently been released. The attitude and antics of the Regulator make appalling reading. It is hard not to conclude that the CAA is incapable of learning from its past foolishness. The current case arose when a senior and

THE REGULATOR DECIDED THAT A FLIGHT SIMULATOR INSTRUCTOR HAD TO HAVE A VALID MEDICAL

highly respected former Chief Training Captain at SAA temporarily lost his medical. CAA officialdom

his wealth of knowledge and expertise.

used this as a pretext to stop him from training on

I cannot imagine what the regulator was

flight simulators. The Training Captain, with some

thinking when it decided that a flight simulator Dec/Jan 2020

BELOW: Jobsworth's everywhere

instructor had to have a valid medical. Did the

should be applied for the purpose it is intended.”

Director of the CAA, Ms Poppy Khoza, whose

The judgment specifically found that the CAA

responsibility it was to sign off the application,

had failed to consider the application in terms of

genuinely think that the DFE instructor would

the provisions of its own regulations. This is the

endanger lives by crashing a simulator because of

core of the problem. The CAA seems unable to

an underlying medical condition?

apply basic standards of common sense to its

CAA BUREAUCRATS COMMITTED TO RACIAL TRANSFORMATION AT ANY COST

Regulations and instead persists in doltishly applying the letter of the rules as they choose to interpret them (tea-time rulemaking), often causing grave damage to the already delicate fabric of the aviation industry. This was the case in particular with the vindictive ‘lawfare campaign’ the Regulator waged

The judgment makes it clear that the Director was badly informed by her subordinates in that she managed to leap to the unjustifiable

against CemAir as described in the earlier series. This latest attack on a Designated Flight Examiner (DFE) once again raises the question as

conclusion that one may not instruct in a flight simulator in the absence of holding a valid licence and medical. The Director’s decision is all the more inexplicable in that it flies in the face of the clear provisions of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) and worldwide practice where pilots who have lost their medicals have been able to continue to contribute to aviation development by instructing and testing in simulators. The CAAC was uncharacteristically blunt in its comment about the CAA’s decision making process. The judgement says, “It is not open for the Respondent [the CAA] to read and apply regulations

interchangeable to suite a particular outcome.

to whether the CAA is hell-bent on attacking DFEs

Each regulation in the CARs exists to provide for

– who are the key custodians of aviation standards

certain processes, eventualities, etc and therefore

and safety. In a particularly scathing comment, the

Dec/Jan 2020

CAAC judgment referred to an earlier judgment which said; “…the doctrine of legality requires

was returned to the appellant. It is a tribute to the solidarity of the aviation

that the power conferred on a functionary to make

industry that the victim’s former colleague, Captain

decisions in the public interest should be exercised

John Campbell, who also happens to be an

properly i.e. on the basis of the true facts.” This

attorney, was willing to take up the case and fight

use of the words ‘true facts’ must suggest that the

for justice. He has been a determined litigator

CAA was manufacturing its own version of the

against the unreasonable and heavy-handed

truth.

actions of the CAA.

It is noteworthy that the CAAC went on to

This publication also notes with relief the quality

effectively lecture the CAA Director by reminding

of the judicial process provided by the CAAC

us of the basics of a constitutional democracy,

in terms of its ability, impartiality and diligence

where; “the furnishing of adequate reasons for

to rein-in the more ill-advised (and quite frankly

a decision forms the cornerstone of a person’s

idiotic) legal frolics of the CAA.

constitutional right to fair administration action.” This is of great comfort to all South African aviation users. Many of us often feel that we have been the victim of either absurd or unjustified regulatory action by the regulator. The judgment quoted from Australian case law which states that it is required, “for a decision maker to explain his decision in a way which will enable a person aggrieved to say in effect; “Even though I may not agree with that, I now understand why the decision went against me. I am now in a position to decide whether that decision has involved an unwarranted finding of fact or an error of law which is worth challenging.” The CAAC judgment concluded that; “It is incumbent on the respondent as the regulator to provide guidance to the industry on compliance matters and as such the respondent should have advised the appellant to provide information/ documents which were acquired in terms of the CARs for it to make a decision on the application.” The order was therefore granted that the appeal

The CAA was given the right of reply to this article and replied as follows: The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has received the judgment of the Civil Aviation Appeal Committee (CAAC). The SACAA is studying the judgment, and once the full understanding and appreciation of the legal implications of the judgment has been established, the Regulator will then, in due course, make a determination on how to proceed with this matter.

be upheld and to further censure the regulator, possibly against further legal frolics, the appeal fee Dec/Jan 2020

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bluechipflightschool.co.za ATO CAA 056 Part 61(A)

Dec/Jan 2020

ACCIDENT REPORT: JIM DAVIS

CR OOK ED

M A I NT ENA NCE A ND A ‘ V I R T UA L’ OV ER HA UL . HISTORY OF FLIGHT: The aircraft took off from Kitty Hawk Aerodrome on Runway 01 at 1500Z. Prior to takeoff the pilot performed the engine run which indicated that the magnetos were

A C CI DENT R EP OR T S UMM A R Y :

within the required limits as. After

Date of Accident: 22 December 2010

two circuits and landings the pilot

Time of Accident: 15.20Z

flew towards the South-South-East

Registration: ZS-JXE

of the Aerodrome.

Type of Aircraft: Cessna 172 K

After seven minutes, at

Type of Operation: Private

approximately 400 feet AGL, the

Pilot-in-command Licence Type: Private

engine started running rough. The

Age: 65

mixture was rich, the pitch full

Licence Valid: Yes

fine and manifold pressure was

Pilot-in-command: Total Flying Hours

22”. The pilot switched on the fuel

503.3 Hours on Type 459.2

pump but it had no effect.

Last point of departure: Kitty Hawk,

The pilot selected a field to his

Next point of intended landing Kitty Hawk

right that was planted with maize

Location of the accident: Welbekend East

approximately 250 mm high. The

of Pretoria in a corn field.

ground was wet as the area had

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

had more than 100 mm of rain

Surface wind: 340/20kts.

over the previous three days. The

Temperature: 28C.

wheels sank into the ground and

Number of people on board: 1 + 0

the nose gear broke off. The plane

No. of people injured: 1

flipped onto its back.

No. of people killed: 0

Dec/Jan 2020

THIS REPORT WAS COMPILED IN THE INTEREST OF THE PROMOTION SAFETY AND NOT TO ESTABLISH LEGAL LIABILITY.

Was this accident from crooked maintenance or from the owner cutting corners and using Mogas?

PROBABLE CAUSE:

ENGINE:

Unsuccessful forced landing due to engine

Type Continental IO360K Serial Number

failure because both magnetos were earthed via

355844 Hours since New 1920.1 Hours since

bad condenser leads.

Overhaul 89.8

Aircraft Information: Type Cessna R172K Serial Number R172-2764 Year of Manufacture

TESTS AND RESEARCH: The magnetos were sent to an approved AMO

1977. Total Airframe Hours (At time of Accident)

for further investigation. The report states:

Right

1920.1 Last MPI (Date & Hours) 28 July 2010

hand magneto S/N A189372 Checked timing

1919.2 Hours since Last MPI 0.9. C of A issued

and rotation of Magneto and found satisfactory.

28 February 1978 C of R issued Date 13 May

Inspected condition, found one tower spring

2008.

missing on harness. Found arcing on same lead Dec/Jan 2020

pin. Found the condenser lead in bad condition,

found that pistons no.2 and no.4 showed a signs

wire touching magneto frame and braid giving

of detonation. Melted aluminium piston heads

“dead magneto.”

grinded metal pieces caused the oil filter to block,

Left hand magneto S/N A189374 Checked

causing the by-pass to open, which in turn sent

timing and found satisfactory. Condition inspected

unfiltered oil to the bearings, which in turn caused

and found condenser lead in a bad condition, wire

the seizure. Teledyne Continental Motors,

A tower spring in the mag was missing.

the manufacturer of the engine, issued a service bulletin M773 which states: TCM does not recommend or authorize the use of automotive fuels in any of their aircraft engines. The engine warranty and pro rata policy will be voided if such fuels are utilised. Fuels must conform to ASTM-D910 or MIL-G-5572E, if satisfactory engine service life is anticipated. Automotive fuels can contain additives that act

The accident report blamed the frayed earth leads on the mag - but this is ludicrous.

as corrosive agents, formulate gum deposits and therefore increase combustion chamber deposits. Continued operation on automotive fuel can lead to detonation, pre-ignition and sticking or eroded valves. The vapour pressure of automotive fuels exceeds that allowable for aviation fuels. The increased vapour pressure increases the tendency to vapour lock at higher altitudes. A vapour lock

touching frame giving a “dead magneto”. Harness

condition can cause complete power loss. The

found to be satisfactory. The engine was taken to

use of any fuel that does not conform to the above

an approved maintenance facility for dismantling

specification may cause cylinder assembly, valve,

and inspection. During the investigation it was

piston and/or piston ring damage/failure.

Dec/Jan 2020

The engine was in shocking condition - and there was no sign of a recent overhaul.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: According to the pilot, for the 23 hours before

JIM’S COMMENTS This is the most extraordinary accident I have

the accident, the aircraft was using automotive

seen in a long time. Behind the CAA’s usual stuff-

fuel. The aircraft did not have a supplemental

ups it hides some interesting and complex safety

type certificate (STC) to use the automotive

issues which I am battling to come to terms with.

fuel. The investigation revealed that the engine

Bear with me, we will run through the facts first

power loss and the subsequent engine failure

and then look at the implications for the average

were as the result of a wire touching the magneto

pilot.

frame and braiding, with the result that no spark

First, this was the initial flight after an MPI –

was produced. Although further investigation

statistically the most likely time for mechanical

revealed that pistons no.2 and no.4. were worn

failures.

out/ damaged, this was not a factor in the engine failure. The aircraft was flown approximately 0.9 hours

What I see here is the owner’s attempt to save money at every turn. The most obvious example is using automotive fuel instead of Avgas without

since the previous MPI. It was revealed that both

the STC. I have a feeling that this may have been

magnetos were earthed, therefore it appeared that

the direct cause of the accident. With a density

the AMO did not install the magnetos properly,

altitude of around 8000’ on that day, I am inclined

resulting in chafing of earth wires, which led to an

to suspect that a vapour lock may have caused the

engine failure. It is recommended that the AMO

engine to lose power.

should be addressed in this regard. ---------------------------------------------

The CAA’s conclusion that earth wires (or ‘P’ leads) on both magnetos just happened to short Dec/Jan 2020

out at exactly the same time is ludicrous. The

from them had completely blocked the oil filter

photos show that these leads suffered years of

and then circulated through the bypass so that it

wear and abuse.

caused the bearings to seize. For those who are

The logbooks tell us that when the engine

not mechanically minded this means the engine

failed, it had only done only 89.9 hours since

was about to disintegrate, and that it was in need

a complete overhaul, and less than one hour

of another complete overhaul.

since MPI. Frankly, I don’t believe a word of it –

The fact that the filter was totally blocked

and neither should the CAA. The engine was in

means that it had not been changed at the MPI,

shocking condition both internally and externally.

which should have happened. In other words the

Internally, detonation had caused two pistons to be ‘worn out/damaged’ so badly that the debris

AMO was not doing its job. A tower spring in the distributor section of one magneto was missing. It’s just possible that this

A clean engine is a sign that it has been well looked after.

could have been forgotten during overhaul – but a glance at the condition of the condenser leads tells us that the magnetos were overhauled only in the logbook – but not in the real world. In short, the AMO was operated by a bunch of crooks. Further, I would suggest that the owner was complicit in the fraud. Any pilot with half a brain cell would have seen from its condition that it had not been overhauled. Methinks (to use a lovely Shakespearian word that’s coming back into Being able to remove the cowl for the pre-flight inspection is vital to your peace of mind.

Dec/Jan 2020

After a recent overhaul the oil should be a honey-brown colour.

fashion) that the owner and the AMO agreed to

wired shut. I made a fuss about it until the owner

simply overhaul the logbooks, without touching the

agreed to let me undo the wiring and remove the

engine. Or to use another term that is in vogue at

cowl. That’s one of the things I really like about the

the moment – they opted for a ‘virtual’ overhaul.

Piper range – it’s easy to inspect the engines. It

But it gets worse. There is something very fishy about the history of this aircraft. The logbooks say that it is a ‘K’ model built in 1977 – but that

turned out that this engine was in great condition and I was very happy to fly it. But this is rather a silly story because I have to

can’t be true because Cessna stopped fitting

ask myself whether I would have done the same

Continental engines to their 172s nine years

on a Cessna or a Mooney? Obviously no. It’s

earlier in 1968. So this aircraft should have had a

simply not possible to inspect the engine properly

Lycoming engine. The CAA could have obtained

on most light aircraft. The best one can do is shine

this information from Google, as I did.

a torch in through the oil filler hatch and try to get

Deep waters.

a general feeling for the engine’s condition. So, inspecting the most mechanically suspect

WHAT CAN WE LEARN? This is where I normally give you some pithy bullet points of dos and don’ts, but with this

part of any aircraft – the engine – turns out to be the most difficult. All I can do, is suggest that you become a

accident I am left scratching the pip – and I’ll tell

mechanical detective. This is easy if it’s an aircraft

you why.

that you fly regularly. First, have a critical look at

I recently refused to fly a Piper Arrow because the quick release cowling fasteners had been

the logbooks. If the owner doesn’t want to show them to you, then take your business elsewhere. Dec/Jan 2020

Once you’re satisfied that everything is legal and

way you will get some info about its inner workings

up to date then a general look around will tell you

is to have a look at the oil. That is the life blood of

a lot.

the engine. If it is changed regularly then it should

Oil leaks are the first sign that things are not

have a pretty honey colour. Black, or dirty grey oil

great – unless you are flying behind a radial

is not necessarily a don’t fly flag, but it calls for the

engine or a Gypsy, in which case a lack of oil

raising of an eyebrow. The owner should be able

leaks probably means a lack of oil. Just feel under

to explain that it’s the type of oil being used, or

the belly of the aircraft – that’s where the oil winds

have some other good reason for its appearance.

up if it’s leaking. If your hand gets oily, go and fly another aeroplane.

Finally, the history of the oil level is important. Is the engine’s consumption in line with the expected

Strangely, the outside of the cowling can sometimes give you useful information. Blistered

use shown in the POH? Excessive consumption is a big red flag.

or scorched paintwork may indicate leaking exhaust pipes, blown gaskets or troublesome turbochargers.

In a nutshell, if it’s a one-off flight you had better be a damn good mechanical detective. If

If you use a torch you should be able to spot

it’s an aircraft you fly regularly, you can take some

any obvious faults like frayed wires, torn elephant

comfort from its history. And if it’s a Piper – well

trunk hoses or fluid leaks.

there you go. Not that I am biased at all.

If the outside of the engine looks good, the only

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Dec/Jan 2020

Break away to the sights and sounds of the bushveld, ﬂy to Kunkuru Safari Lodge. Six well positioned thatched chalets with en-suite bathrooms and air-con sleeps 2/4 people. Most plains species are found at Kunkuru Safaris and also includes Buffalo, Lion and Hippo. Fly-in packages start at R500.00 per person. Includes brunch and use of the lodge facilities. The lodge includes a pool and lounge areas with a cash bar. Game drives can also be arranged at an additional cost.

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Dec/Jan 2020

LETTER TO THE EDITOR IN PRAISE OF ATNS My name is Dapper Dan and I fly aeroplanes...

‘bout the J.O.B. Short, curt commands are issued at a pace that

like a boss. I’m known to regularly recall the time I

would make an LSD imbued auctioneer jealous.

landed a 19 seater in 53... wait for it: STEPS!!! “If

My little steed and I are cleared direct AVAGO for

you think that’s impossible, you should have seen

the 2A arrival.

the chap from the UN!” I am a man at the height of his professional

Now let it not be said that Dapper Dan is easily shaken from his high horse. It will take more than

prowess, and you know I know it! So I recently

a highly competent and professional lady to shake

find myself merrily chucking along over Botswana.

my self-belief. One has to keep appearances

Homeward bound, song in heart and with high

up and all that. One has to believe in oneself,

opinions of myself and the mighty little steed that I

otherwise who else will believe in you?

am ferrying home for a client. Harare Info gave me the cold shoulder, but the lady at Gabs was super friendly and bade me

So, with the tiniest crack in my voice, I read back my clearance and then; well then lads, I made a mistake!

“bon voyage” and call her at ETMIT. At ETMIT I

“A what?” you say.

bring my particular brand of “la vie est belle” to the

I say: “Well ,yes, erhm, I made a mistake.”

chaps at INFO north: Boet, do I suddenly realize

You say: “A mistake? A cauliflower inspired

Even Dapper Dan can make a mistake in single pilot IFR ops.

that these peeps ain’t ‘bouts the party, they bee all

Dec/Jan 2020

finger painted interpretation of secularism in

lady said was... “change frequency to INFO

society?”

NORTHWEST.” No snide remark, no -albeit, well

No lads, Dapper Dan read back the clearance

deserved- chastising, just a simple and efficient:

and then promptly made like a Nationwide MEL

“change frequency.” I was descending out of

item and descended. (Just between us, I have

her airspace and into lower airspace which is

never seen an engine on the 737’s MEL but

governed by a different frequency.

seeing as items not listed, must be present and

Promptly I change and am greeted by one

working for all flights, I take the an engine is

of my own kin. A Dutchman whose accent,

crucial for flight... just saying).

like my own, can cut wood at a standard mile.

Well, a rather flustered INFO NORTH called

Immediately, I feel infinitely more safe in the

me about a minute later and asked: “Dan old boy,

arms of familiarity. In between explaining to a

confirm that in your infinite and well know wisdom,

student pilot that Polokwane is actually not to the

you are descending?”

southeast of Pretoria and that he advises a left

Now here I must admit to maybe just a little

turn onto heading 350, he clears me to level 080.

A Du t c h m a n whos e accent , lik e my own, can cut wood

A little later, I ask the good man if I am still cleared for the AVAGO 2A... he just laughs at me and says: “Dan, mate, those lovely people up there in INFO NORTH know that you can fly the bum of a mosquito, but they can also hear when a chap might need a little help, so they have cleared you direct JSV for radar vectors onto 03R.” Now, I do not need to regale you with the

self-doubt starting to creep up the old spine. I answered in the affirmative, I was indeed descending. At this point I knew with a spectacular

story of my landing or the chat with APRON and GROUND. What I do want to say is this: I do not regularly fly in such highly controlled

clarity that my life would positively end if the lady

airspace, nor in places where there are two

at INFO asked why I was descending. You see,

runways or so many procedures. All of this is

what had happened, is that thing that happens

daunting, even to Dapper Dan types. The smooth,

to other people, never to Dapper Dan. I made

efficient and professional way in which I was

a mistake. My autopilot was off due to heavy

handled by the people from ORT ATNS was

turbulence (on those little steeds the magic that

comforting and reassuring.

makes the autopilot work, ironically does not like

To the people of ORT ATNS, I salute and thank

to be worked like a cart horse) and I had been so

you guys for a brilliant effort and wish you all

busy trying to figure out how in the name of all that

many happy hours of bringing us home.

is good you make it from WKV Radial 218 to 03R that I... well, I think you get the idea. But bless that angel of the airwaves. All the

Dec/Jan 2020

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STORY & IMAGES: GARTH CALITZ

Early arrivals at Krugersdorp's Jack Taylor Airfield.

KRUGERSDORP FLY-IN The Krugersdorp fly-in was commendably well attended.

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Dec/Jan 2020

Flying clubs are doing a great job keeping up the esprit de corps of the beleaguered flying community. For years SA Flyer supported the Krugersdorp Flying Club (KFC) annual spot landing competition but this publication has been forced to reduce its involvement and the KFC has shown that despite the odds the club can still produce a memorable fly-in.

Brian Appleton taxies out with Ricardo De Bonis in pursuit on his bike. Image: Andre Venter.

NOT only has aviation been hard hit by the

The music and interviews of prominent aviation

Covid-19 pandemic, but the weather was not

personalities kept everyone entertained

cooperating either. The hard working members

throughout the morning and hopefully a few of

of KFC must have woken with heavy hearts on

their listeners were inspired to join the wonderful

Saturday morning when they saw the weather

world of aviation.

which covered Gauteng. Visiting pilots had to navigate past low cloud and then deal with the notorious Krugersdorp winds, fortunately straight down runway 08 so it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pose too much of a problem to anyone flying in for the day. Members of EAA chapter 322 were at the ready with welcome pancakes, Marie Reddy and her assistant Gladys keep a steady flow of pancakes

CA A o f f i c i a l s came along to keep an eye on proceedings

throughout the morning. The good folk from Krugersdorp Flying Club made sure that there

The excitement levels kicked up a notch

was a delicious cup of coffee available. Later the

when the Puma Energy Flying Lions arrived and

pancakes and coffee gave way to biltong and beer

flew a flat display due to the low clouds. Puma

for those who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to fly home again.

pilots Scully, Sean, Arnie and Ellis then landed

A local radio station, Vibez Live, broadcast their Morning Show from Krugersdorp Airfield.

and joined the crowd for a cup of coffee and a pancake. Dec/Jan 2020

101

Dieter Bock made a welcome appearance in his Lancair Legacy.

With major thunder-showers predicted for the afternoon, the visitors couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stick around too long, which must have come as a relief to CAA officials, Piet Fourie and Mothiba Kanyane who had come along to keep an eye on

proceedings.

RIGHT: The Coffee Station was well supported.

102

Dec/Jan 2020

The Bearhawk Patrol from the tragically deceased estate of Wayne Giles is flying in the hands of Jeremy 'Moose' Woods Image: Andre Venter.

Dec/Jan 2020

103

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ATLAS AVIATION VIDEO

PETER GARRISON’S NEW BOOK! Acclaimed SA Flyer (and Flying magazine) columnist Peter Garrison has just released a book of noteworthy accident analyses, and lessons to be learned, from his ‘Aftermath’ series. He writes: “I’ve put a bunch of slightly used but still serviceable Aftermaths into a book called “Why? Thinking About Plane Crashes”, which is for sale on Amazon Books as both a Kindle ebook and a paperback.” Guy Leitch highly recommends it; “I downloaded it for just US$5.75 on kindle and the profound insights to be gained from these accidents will make us all better pilots. From the risks of ‘taking a look’ at dubious VFR conditions, to showing-off in front of our friends, there are 32 invaluable lessons. This book should be part of every pilot’s prescribed reading list.”

Dec/Jan 2020

105

MORNINGSTARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOEDSPRUIT

Fly-in

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Dec/Jan 2020

STORY & IMAGES: GUY LEITCH

The Morningstar Flying Club (MFC) is known for launching an annual long-distance fly-in. 2020 was no exception and the Club’s intrepid pilots flew from the Cape all the way across South Africa to Hoedspruit, in Limpopo Province. IN past years the MFC has

owner Evette was happy to fetch and carry the crews from the

flown to Namibia, Botswana and

airport.

Zimbabwe. This year they were

Leaving early the next day, they all made it to Hoedspruit

constrained within the borders

Civil by lunchtime. Initially it had been hoped that the nearby

of South Africa by Covid-19 so

Zandspruit Aero Park would provide secure aircraft parking, but

MFC Chairman Ross Leighton

they were not feeling hospitable, so Hoedspruit Civil based AMO

took the opportunity to catch

Ian Greenwood prevailed upon local members to make hangar

up with Guy and Nicola Leitch

space available to the visitors.

to sample the delights of Nicola

The group spent four days savouring the delights of the

Leitch’s upmarket new Safari

Hoedspruit safari hub – including a day in the Kruger Park

Moon Luxury Bush Lodge in

fortified by a delicious Safari Moon picnic breakfast. Other

Hoedspruit.

excursions involved visits to local animal rehabilitation centres

Hoedspruit had an unseasonal two weeks of wet weather, but as the day of departure dawned, the clouds covering the interior of the

and the flesh-pots of the booming Hoedspruit dorp, the sybaritic delights of massages and laid back G&Ts around the pool. A trip into the Kruger Park rewarded with this sighting of a rare elephant tusker.

country magically parted to give the MFC pilots a clear VFR routing from one corner of the country to the other. Three Slings, two RVs and a Sting RG left Cape Town for the two-day journey. First stop was Beaufort West for fuel. Unfortunately Cindy Simpson and her father elected to overnight at Gariep Dam where she contracted food poisoning which stopped her from flying further. The other five aircraft overnighted in Bethlehem – at Lavender Hill lodge, whose Dec/Jan 2020

107

After weeks of bad weather across the country the skies miraculously cleared and gave our intrepid aviators a clear run from the Cape to Bethlehem for Day 1.

Morningstar Club Chairman Ross Leighton on arrival with a stiff crosswind at Hoedspruit Civil.

Lazy days catching up around the pool at Safari Moon Luxury Lodge.

108

Dec/Jan 2020

The Hoedspruit stay ended with a braai at the airfield against the backdrop of the magnificent Drakensberg and sunset over Mariepskop’s radar station. On the Sunday morning everyone made an early start to avoid the turbulence, which was forecast to be hot and convective over the central land mass. The two RVs, keen to use their speed to push on to Cape Town, arrived at Bloemfontein’s Tempe at 8.00 am and discovered there was no fuel pump attendant. His presence would require a R450 call-out fee. The slower aircraft began arriving

Dolly Ferguson at Bethlehem. Mark Becker flew his Sling 2 all the way from The Cape.

in Bloemfontein from around 10.00 am, so they shared the callout fee. The RVs took off again into the heat of the day – and a 40 knot headwind. Ross Leighton and Mike Marshall’s usual 170-180 knot ground speed was reduced to 140 and they began wondering if they would have sufficient fuel reserves for the normally

Jonathan and Andrea Stake in their Sling 2.

comfortable 2 hour 45 minute sector. In the end the wind relented, and they were safe on the ground at 14.00B. The slower aircraft decided to again make it an easy two-day journey and after an early start on the Monday morning, had an uneventful flight back,

Heading back - a hefty call-out fee on a Sunday morning a Bloemfontein's New Tempe.

arriving mid-morning at Morningstar. If you would like to arrange a fly-in to Safari Moon Luxury Lodge please contact Nicola on 083

449 5868.

Mark Becker early morning over the Gariep Dam.

A pre-dawn start from New Tempe for the Starkes and Fergusons.

Dec/Jan 2020

109

HOEDSPRUIT FLY-IN

- ZANDSPRUIT

Making their first appearance together - the two Blue Mountain Harvards.

Popeye taxies in after its 25 year restoration.

Johnnie Smith demonstrates his Cessna Agwagon's aerial application of smoke down the runway.

As the Covid-19 lockdown lifted, a number of flying clubs seized the

Martin den Dunnen's amazing new Aerotel is now open for business at Zandpsruit.

opportunity to get their members back in the air by organising fly-ins.

MEMBERS of the informal Zandspruit Flying Club in Hoedspruit managed to arrange a small but particularly noteworthy fly-in. Stars of the fly-in were the two Harvards from the well-known Balding Eagles collection in Hekpoort. Of particular note was the first appearance of the Harvard called Popeye. This Harvard has benefitted from a twenty five year restoration – with parts sourced from around the world. Popeye joins its stablemate Mighty Mouse which was restored thirty years ago. Both Popeye and Mighty Mouse have

Linda Warner (centre) won the prize of a bush break at Zandspruit from Tredea Smith and Mandy Ord (R).

remarkably similar histories. They were part of a lend-lease exchange deal from America to the Luftwaffe in 1954. Then they were sold to Portugal and later shipped out with the Portuguese Air Force to Mozambique. After Mozambican independence, the new Frelimo government was unable to keep them airworthy and Popeye ended up on a plinth in Maputo – while Mighty Mouse was recovered and shipped back by train to South Africa by Brain

Shuttles were kept busy bringing in guests from the Zandspruit Estate gate.

Zeederberg, along with many other notable aircraft. After an extremely thorough and lengthy

by the fly-in’s host Johnie Smith, who has joined

restoration it was a thrill to see Popeye join Mighty

the retired pilot influx to Hoedspruit, and has

Mouse in the air. They have both been repainted

brought his beautifully restored and re-engined

in their Luftwaffe squadron colours – and unlike ex

Cessna 188 Agwagon. Johnie demonstrated a

SAAF Harvards, are noteworthy for their low total

smoke run down the runway – which enables

time of around just 3,000 hours.

the pilot to judge the wind and thus spray with

Another notable feature of the Hoedspruit flyin was the impromptu aerial application display

greater accuracy. He then sprayed with water to demonstrate his precision aerial application.

Dec/Jan 2020

s ’ n e r d l i h C

STORY: GARTH CALITZ | IMAGES: TREVOR COHEN AND GARTH CALITZ

Flight 2020 BUILDING THE FUTURE

Very few people in the aviation community would have dared imagine that even the indomitable Felix Gosher could pull off his extraordinary Children’s Flight in 2020. Nonetheless, Felix inspired his team to once again share the joy and thrill of flight with under-privileged children.

Jumping for joy - the 2020 slogan was 'More Gs - less cheese'. Image: Trevor Cohen

112

Dec/Jan 2020

National pride was supplied by the huge flag flown by the skydive. Image: Trevor Cohen

THE Children’s Flight for 2020 may have been

an inspiration to all that spent time getting to know

smaller than previous years but what it lacked in

their circumstances.

numbers it more than made up for in spirit and love. The day began at dawn early for the children and the pilots repositioning to Orient Airfield. Some of the pilots were delayed slightly due to a large mist bank that covered a major part of Gauteng. Fortunately, the mist burned off pretty quickly, leaving a beautiful day to share the wonders of flight with the children. Orient Airfield became a field of dreams for the day, a day that will hopefully inspire the children to believe in and more importantly, follow their dreams. Most of the children chosen for flights had

The Children’s Flight Motto is “Fly Feed Love Inspire” and this year I believe the majority of the inspiration and love was supplied by the kids,

A n o n -e x i s t e n t wind blew dust in the eyes of the pilots causing a few tears

been through horrors that we cannot comprehend. Some were victims of abuse and others had been burnt in shack fires that left them permanently scarred. The resilience of these young souls was

rather than the other way around. After a welcome from Felix to everyone and a briefing for all the pilots by Safety Director Dec/Jan 2020

113

Organiser Felix Gosher with a happy child after his first taste of flight. Image: Garth Calitz

pilots continued for most of the morning, some of the pilots performed rolls with the more daring children. The joy on these young faces when they landed was so humbling that some of the pilots could be seen swallowing the massive lump in their throats. It seems a non-existent wind blew dust in the eyes of the pilots causing a few tears. The flying programme was paused for a special treat at 11:30, The Puma Energy Flying Lions joined from Rand to thrill the young ones with their polished display of graceful Harvard aerobatics. Once all the fixed-wing flights were done the

Francois “Hosepipe” Hannekom it was time to get

kids were treated to a helicopter flight as well,

the flying under-way. The first aircraft to take to the

Charles Fuller and Rob Osner made their ex

skies was an Atlas Angel carrying the skydivers

SAAF Alouette II and III available for yet another

to altitude. Ralph Ridge and his team exited the

unforgettable flying experience.

aircraft and displayed the flags of key sponsors

The younger children were encouraged to take

and of course the massive South African flag – to

part in a colouring competition while the older

the sound of the national anthem.

children built balsa wood gliders. The winners

Once the skydivers were safely on the ground

of each competition were taken for a flight in a

it was time to give the children their first taste of

glider by members of the Orient Gliding Club. It is

flight. But before they could take to the skies they

believed that a world record may have been set

had to undergo a quick medical at the ER24 tent.

by these children having flown in a fixed-wing, a

Each child received a medical certificate then

helicopter and a glider on the first day they had

it was off to the waiting aircraft for a flight of a

ever flown.

lifetime. A continuous stream of children meeting The astounding 'Flying flea' made a welcome appearance. Image: Trevor Cohen.

The line-up of pilots that stepped up to the plate for this year’s Children’s Flight read like a who’s who of the aviation world: ranging from Red Bull Air Race pilots to National Aerobatics Champions as well as a number of international airshow pilots. The effort from all of these pilots was amazing. Patrick Davidson travelled all the way from Port Elizabeth just to be a part of the event, then flew all the way back the same afternoon. After the flying, all the pilots were individually called to the stage to receive their commemorative wings, something I’m sure will find a place of honour in their homes or hangars. To try and

114

Dec/Jan 2020

RVs were kept busy with flips. Derek Hopkins follows Trevor Warner into the air. Image: Trevor Cohen.

single out anyone at an event like this is almost

given me a new perspective of my own situation.

impossible but Felix’s right-hand lady, Laurien

To bring joy into their lives was an experience of

Kemp, deserves a special mention, here is a note

serene fulfilment that I will carry in my heart for a

to her from Felix. “I want to thank Laurien before

long time.” - Johan von Solms Vans RV7 Airline

you all.... she was the difference between good

Captain and Goodyear Eagles Display Pilot.

and outstanding.... never known a person who

Wh e n y o u meet these children and hear about their lives , it mak es 2020 look like a picnic

wears responsibility and creativity all in one.... never known an organizer who cares more for the event than what the event can do for them.... Laurien is a person who climbed from three decor challenges to Organizer of Children’s Flight... she has earned it, without a cent paid to her... she gives from the heart” SOME NOTES FROM THE PILOTS: “What a fantastic day it was and to be a part of bringing so much joy to the little ones that would not ever get the chance to experience the aviation we take for granted. Felix and his team have done wonders to put the day together.” -Derek Hopkins Vans RV7 Veteran pilot and mentor to many. “I had the honour to be part of the Children’s Flight. We are all going through turmoil in our lives due to the Covid-19 epidemic and it is easy to let

“We have all had challenges in 2020, with what

despair into our hearts. To experience the love and

the Civil pandemic dished up to us. When you

happiness of these beautiful people in need has

meet these children and hear about their lives, it Dec/Jan 2020

115

makes 2020 look like a picnic. What a privilege it was to be involved and fly 8 children who touched my life profoundly. Our challenges are tiny compared to what these children have endured and it made me more grateful for all I have. Great to be a part of it.” - Ryan Beeton Vans RV7 Raptors Display Pilot. “The Children’s flight is an event I been looking forward to since 2019. The big difference between 2019 and 2020 is that this year I was able to not only show the kids what flight and aerobatics is all about but actually let them experience it with me, which was amazing! The enthusiasm and

Patrick Davidson flew his RV-7 all the way from Port Elizabeth and back in the same day for the event. The Puma Flying Lions filled the air with the sound of radials - and a cheery wave. Image: Trevor Cohen

energy from these young kids really inspire me and reminds me just how lucky I am to do what I do and to have the ability to give something back! Here’s hoping that I have inspired them as they have done me” - Patrick Davidson National Aerobatic Champion and Red Bull Air Race competitor. “Chatting to ‘parents’ of some of the safe

Children were kept entertained when they were not flying Image: Garth Calitz

homes quickly helps one to see life through a different lens. It was wonderful to share our passion for things aeronautical with children of a variety of ages. The smile of a child is a great tonic. Watching children delighting in the freedom of flight is a real privilege. Thanks to all involved for a great event.” - Trevor Warner Vans RV7 Raptors Display Pilot. “I was really moved by the day. Most of the children were understandably a little apprehensive before experiencing their first-ever flight, but once we got up into the air, their reactions were all pure joy! Several kids even started laughing with total delight, this was touching to experience first-hand. It is a gift to be able to take another person into the air for their first time ever. Well done to Felix and his superb team”. - Elton Bondi Cessna 140 and National Aerobatic Champion.

116

Dec/Jan 2020

Indefatigable organsier Felix Gosher with his star assistant Laurien Kemp. Image: Trevor Cohen

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SA Flyer 2020 | 12

EASY ACCESS & HUGE CABIN AREA

Speciﬁcations: -Engine Type: Rotax 912 ULS (100HP) -Fuel Burn: 17 litres/hour -Tank Capacity: 114 litres -Range: 450 – 500 Nm -Cruise Endurance: 5.5Hrs Performance: - VNE: 120 KTS - Stall Speed: 25 KTS - Take Off Roll: Under 100m The A22-LS combines a good cruising speed as well as a very low stall speed and perfectly suited to operations including surveying, air photography, anti-poaching patrols and wildlife monitoring.

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BOOK REVIEW:

Punching Holes in the Sky SCULLY LEVIN A long-awaited book that has been released in time for Christmas reading and as a treasured gift is Scully Levin’s: Punching Holes in the Sky. Scully is a living legend in South African aviation. His achievements would fill a book – and so he has.

AS a bright-eyed kid from Pietersburg with the

winner thus far of SA Flyer Magazine’s ‘Lifetime

sky in eyes, Scully joined the SAAF at a scrawny

Aviation Achievement Award’. Last year, Scully

55kg boy aged just 17. He excelled as a pupil pilot,

was recognised by The Honourable Company

wining the trophy for the best on his course. He

of Air Pilots, an international Guild founded in

earned his wings before his driver’s licence, and

1929, for his long service and consistently high

then instructed for two years before heading to

standards in professional flying. The certificate,

Wits University to study engineering. Before he

approved and signed by a member of the British

graduated he was accepted into SAA as a boy

Royal Family, honours the esteemed few who

pilot. Scully has gone on to log 29,770 hours on

have consistently displayed qualities of pilotage,

over 180 different types of aircraft.

air navigation, airmanship and character, bringing

Punching Holes in the Sky is more a series of anecdotes and a memoir than an autobiography.

118

honour and respect to the profession. In this book – an industry first – Captain

In his foreword to the book, Airlink CEO Rodger

Scully Levin brings to life some of his most

Foster writes, “Scully’s achievements in aviation

memorable aviation moments. Part memoir and

have long been recognised in South Africa. In

part autobiography, this essential collector’s

2012 he was awarded The Order of the Baobab

item shares some of the highlights of his notable

in Bronze by the Presidency for his contribution to

career, spectacular stunts and exploits that have

aviation as a pilot and trainer. He is also the sole

made him a living aviation legend.”

Dec/Jan 2020

An inspirational account, Punching Holes in

for anyone even slightly interested in flying. As a

the Sky features anecdotal commentary and

collector’s item, Punching Holes in the Sky is only

technical insights into the many aircraft that Scully

available in print. Scully will sign your copy and

has flown throughout his distinguished career.

provide a personalised message – so it is ideal as

His autobiography is packed with wonderful

a gift.

insights and anecdotes – from flying the Spitfire,

To order your copy click on this link: https://

to demonstrating an SAA Boeing 747-400 at an

form.jotform.com/202162654759056. The cost

English Air show – to pioneering truck top landings

for a signed copy is a very reasonable R300,

in a Piper Cub.

including postage to the nearest Postnet.

The book is packed with excellent pictures from the many photographers who have captured Scully’s achievements. It is written in clear accessible language which avoids jargon and successfully navigates the path between excessive modesty and braggadocio. Scully’s rich repository of experiences and his love for flying make this book a must-have

Dec/Jan 2020

119

OUT LANDINGS: DR MARK HOLLIDAY

Across the furrows The Mafikeng pre-World Cup Competition in 2000 served both as a pre-World Cup dress-rehearsal and the South African National Champs, in order to select the South African team for the 2001 World Champs.

and two of them balanced the fuselage on its main wheel for the 2 hours it took my crew to arrive after negotiating treacherous roads for 80km. The road back was very slow and when we reached the tar road we stopped for supper and my first beer in 3 months. I realised at this point that after four out-landings my competition dream was pretty

had logged several hundred practise hours

much over, so I relaxed and had a party with my

over the preceding months and spent a lot

crew that evening. Lying in bed that night I reflected

of time involved in other disciplines such

that my meticulous preparations had removed any

as sport psychology, visual exercises,

room for flair and enjoyment. I launched the next

weight reducing diet, and physical fitness in my

day slightly hungover yet in a refreshingly different

endeavour to make the SA team.

frame of mind, and to my surprise scored 1000

Things hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been going my way. I had landed out three times in the first four competition days and Day 5 proved no better.

120

de-rigged glider about 400 metres to his front lawn

points for the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win. Lessons: If remote, there will not be a cell phone signal, so be sure to land near a farm house.

After a long day, the sky died early with a strong

Stick to your training and fly wide circuits. In my

surface wind and I barely made the final turn point

early out-landings I tended to fly narrow circuits. If I

about 100 km west of Mafikeng, at a remote place

had been too tight in this situation I would not have

called Mansfield. I was faced with a single ploughed

been able to go for the into-wind landing which

field with the furrows pointing 90 degrees to a

clearly was the right decision here. The 40km/h

40km/h wind. On downwind I noticed that the heavy

wind resulted in a 25 km/h touch down speed.

rains the day before had washed away a 100m

Gliding is meant to be fun. Taking competitions

section of the furrows so at the last minute I elected

too seriously is going to ruin it for you and for the

to land into wind across the furrows and trust the

other competitors.

landing flap and strong ASW20B undercarriage. It

Ours is not a professional sport and unlike many

fortunately worked out fine, but there was more to

other sports, we all need and rely on our fellow

come: no cell phone signal. Happily, the farmer had

competitors to rig, retrieve, run wings, score, tug,

a land line.

find thermals and be safe. The real challenge in

The access road to the field could not

competitions I find is to find out what potential the

accommodate a trailer, so the farmer, who went

day had and whether you matched up to it or not.

by the delightfully Dickensian name of Celester

You never see a competition where one competitor

Crafford, volunteered his labourers who carried the

wins every day.

Dec/Jan 2020

121

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Dec/Jan 2020

FlightCm African Aviation

Edition 146 | DEC 2020/JAN 2021

Real HELICOPTERS HAVE HOISTS

Rodger Foster – Dodges Covid Des Barker: Mirage F1 with MiG-29 engine CAN PAX SUE AIRLINES IF THEY GET COVID?

STATE OF THE AFRICAN AIRLINE INDUSTRY United States Dollars $3.50 | South African Rands R39.50 | Kenyan Shillings KES 300.00 | Nigerian Naira NGN600.00 1 PRICE:FlightCom Magazine

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SA Flyer 2019|12

Overhaul Engine Components Overhaul and supply of Hartzell / McCauley and Fix pitch Propellers

CONTENTS

TABLE OF 08 12 18 24 32 36 37 38 40 45 48 50 51

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

DEC/JAN 2020 EDITION 146

Bush Pilot - Hugh Pryor

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

Airlines - Mike Gough Defence - The F1 Engine Upgrade Can Passengers sue Airlines if they get Covid-19? Face to Face: Rodger Foster Alpi Flight School Listing AME Directory AEP AMO Listing The State of African Aviation Atlas Oil Charter Directory Back Page Directory Boeing 737 Max Returns Aviation Company Profiles Guide 2021

Â© FlightCom 2020. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holders.

A NOTE FROM

THE EDITOR: It is now trite to say that aviation businesses have been particularly hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. But many aviation companies are struggling, so we have decided to give our hard pressed yet loyal advertisers a break and combine our December and January editions into one.

advertising revenues are down, so we accelerated the natural move away from print and into the digital-only space. This has had tremendous and unexpected benefits – most notably the circulation of FlightCom has increased almost ten times as people around the world are accessing our unique UR

and original content via our website, through search engine optimisation. Many readers and advertisers seem to struggle to understand the role of FlightCom. By way of explanation, I am fond of quoting Jonathan Livingstone Seagull author Richard Bach, who differentiates between flying and aviation. He maintains that flying is a passion, a sport and a great way to live in three dimensions, whereas aviation is the industry behind flying. Aviation is about airlines and air forces and maintenance. It’s about the flying training industry and pilots’ futures. So FlightCom is about aviation in Africa. Thanks to a partnership with Robin Rabec, we are also able to add benefit from the swing to a digital publication platform by including specifically commissioned interviews on the website and to market these via our market leading Facebook page. Thanks to Google and other search engines, and the reach of our Facebook page, we are driving new readers to FlightCom. But we haven’t forgotten our loyal core of longtime followers and subscribers. We are still reaching our long-standing readership base through ‘pushing’ a downloadable pdf version of the magazine to them by email. Furthermore, we have teamed with key industry organisations such as the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and the Commercial Aviation Association of South Africa (CAASA) to email the magazine to all their members. The digital version of the magazine has had other great spin-offs, especially for advertisers. Most notably – we are able to include links to their

marketing video material and have live website links to take readers directly to the advertiser’s website. In this way the reach and effectiveness of the clients’ adspend is vastly more efficient. But no matter how much better we have become at delivering value to our advertisers, the heart of any publication is always its content. Despite the sea change in the publishing industry, we remain true to our foundational value - of making sure we produce a publication people want to read – that fulfils our key objective of entertaining and informing our readers. Fortunately, we have been blessed to have developed a core of contributors that make FlightCom unique. I am most grateful to Hugh Pryor, who 14 years ago, after meeting me for just a quick cup of coffee, gave me a memory stick with hundreds of his priceless stories of bush flying in North Africa. Shortly thereafter, Mike Gough, then a Senior First Officer with SAA, and the owner of a nascent flight school at Lanseria, came on board to write about airline operations and pilot training. For the past four years we have been privileged to have Darren Olivier’s expert analysis on African defence. And I now have a PhD on the challenges faced by African airlines in providing essential air connectivity. The spin-offs from this study, and in particular with the CEOs I interviewed as part of the primary research, have provided many fascinating industry insights. I am honoured too to have excellent access to the key leaders and decision makers in the aviation industry. I am grateful to all airline CEOs who always take my calls at any time of the day, no matter how busy they are. I find the insights provided by these industry leaders fascinating and wonderfully informative. And I trust our readers do too. Which makes FlightCom a key source of reliable industry intelligence. In this issue we feature Airlink CEO Rodger Foster – who has used the strength and quality of 6

FlightCom Magazine

his business to take full advantage of the dire straits his competitors find themselves in. As I write, he is adding yet another Embraer 190 to his fleet – and he discusses his exciting expansion plans across Southern Africa – and perhaps further. Our regular contributors form the core of FlightCom, and I am grateful for their commitment to quality writing and fresh insights. With them, and the topical articles we provide, I am confident that we have indeed fulfilled our mandate to entertain and inform our readers and provide the best channel for our advertisers to reach their market. So what can we expect for 2021? From where we are now, things can only getter better. This is not just a hope – there are real signs. Domestic and foreign travel is reopening, and tourists and business travellers are returning. Airlines will start rehiring and yes, there will indeed be a massive pilot shortage, caused both by those who have left the industry due to Covid, and from the current wave of retirees. The world economy will come back with the impetus to make up for the year of lost growth – and it will take the South African economy with it as resource prices rebound. A Covid-19 vaccine is coming – sooner than hoped, and a massive airlift will be needed to distribute it. With their long and successful track record with UN relief agencies such as the World Food Programme and the WHO, South African contract flying companies are the best placed to handle the distribution of the vaccines across Africa. Within a year it will almost be back to business as usual. There is a lot to be hopeful about and so I wish all our readers and loyal advertisers a wonderful festive season and a happy and prosperous new year. 

A LEADING AIRCRAFT SALES COMPANY IN AFRICA

ASCEND VIDEO

FlightCom Magazine

BUSH PILOT HUGH PRYOR

CORRUPTION Did you buy your licence? Or did you earn it by working hard, gaining appropriate

experience

and

then

qualifying before an impartial board of examiners?

HAT’S one of the

problems we’ve got in Africa today. During recent decades, the civil aviation authorities of many Third World countries have been run on the graft system. Not ‘Hard Graft’, as in hard work, but ‘graft’, as in; “How much money do you need to renew my Instrument Rating, without us having to actually fly a plane?” You must have heard of P-51 time. That’s Parker 51, the people who make the pen. Not the ones who built the World War winning fighter. Not heard of it? Well, let’s put it like this. I do know 8

FlightCom Magazine

of certain persons who could be open to accusations of, shall we just call it ‘Creative Logging’, possibly written with a Parker 51. It has been going on for years and years, of course, since the time that log books were invented. I remember one particular person, for example, during my infant and impressionable years in aviation, who decided to transfer all his flying hours from civilian flying log books to Royal Air Force log books. The Air Force log books looked so much tidier, we were told. It took him quite some time to complete the task and maybe that was partly because he ended up with

fifteen hundred hours more, after completing the exercise, than he had before he started it. And,

guess what! That extra fifteen hundred gave him exactly the right number of hours to apply for a job with a certain large middle eastern airline. I think he must have only retired last year. Of course his cheating barred him from returning to Kenya, because everybody and his dog in Kenya knew what he had done, and would have spilt the beans if he had looked for employment in our neck of the woods. The horrified board of inquiry into a recent major accident in Africa found that the captain of the aircraft, who sadly did not survive the disaster to defend himself, was found to have gained hundreds of hours each time he carried over the totals from the bottom of one page to the top of the next, in his log book. The copilot logged his time in a similar fashion, but this could not hide the fact that he had only one

BUSH PILOT HUGH PRYOR hour of formal training on the aircraft before the accident which took his life. The hours recorded in the aircraft technical logs bore no relation at all to those claimed by either of the pilots. So how did they manage to get away with it? Administrative slip up? Administrative incompetence? Why don’t we just try straight ‘Administrative corruption’? To get to the bottom of this problem it is important to examine the root causes. So let’s have a look at some of them, and see why this insidious and corrosive disease is so contagious and difficult to control.

The hours recorded in the aircraft logs bore no relation to those claimed by the pilots MOTIVATION Let’s start right at the bottom, financially

speaking. Do you think that you would feel motivated to run the licensing office of a civil aviation authority, if your salary was twenty (yes…20) times less than those of the people whom you were responsible for regulating? Probably not. Would you feel motivated if your salary had not been reviewed for over twenty (Yes… I did say 20) years? Probably not. Would you feel motivated if you noticed that, in spite of the above, your bosses, who seldom graced the offices whose doors bore their names, suddenly 10

FlightCom Magazine

became the proud owners of Seven Series BMWs, while you still took a jam-packed little minibus taxi to work every morning? I’ll bet you wouldn’t. How about if the international community started muttering about your total incompetence and how they would like to beat the living daylights out of you and then see you in jail? Would that motivate you? I doubt it. In fact I think the opposite might be true. Okay. Suppose I came to your office at around eleven o’clock one morning and suggested lunch at a discrete local pub for discussions about something which might be very much to your financial

advantage. Then I took you out, filled you with beer, introduced you to a stunningly nubile and seemingly willing young lady or two and offered you a straight ten thousand dollars to licence the crew of an A310 that I wanted to operate to Europe, and, yes, of course the pilots are all well experienced. Well? Would you be interested? NOW we’re talking! The problem is that if you agree to my proposition, then I’ve got you on a string. So next time I’ll only have to give you five hundred dollars, for the renewal, because you’re not going to go blabbing your mouth off to all and sundry about how I bought you, are you? No you are not. I’ll just deny it anyway, and where are your witnesses? Anyway, you could do with the extra five hundred, couldn’t you? And so could your new girlfriends. You are certainly not going to blow the whistle. This gravy train is going so fast now that you would probably be badly hurt, or even worse, if you tried to get off. REPERCUSSIONS Right. It’s all downhill from now on. Nice and easy. Freewheeling. No need for paperwork. No need for any work. Who’s interested anyway? Just sit back, enjoy the ride and wait for the big boys to admit

who really runs the show. And they have made the pay much better now, of course. Not Seven-SeriesBMW-much better yet, but the day will come when they really need something. That will be the time to turn the screws and find out how much the market will stand. Then suddenly, one day, the past starts to catch up. Two pilots, terrified by the fact that their qualifications are based on a financial transaction, not on hard work and experience, are forced into a corner by commercial and peer pressure, a deep dark corner with no way out. They are tasked for a flight which can realistically only end one way and they are not given the option of declining.

It takes them five attempts to get their large aircraft into the short primitive airstrip at their destination, but they have to get in, because they have a very senior government minister on board and he needs to talk to the people on the ground and the chief pilot has flattered them by telling them that they are the right guys for the job. Forget the fact that they have never ever tried to land an aeroplane this size in 800 metres. Forget the fact that the book says it cannot be done. Forget the fact that these two pilots have never landed this aircraft on an unpaved surface before. Forget the fact that one of the aircraft’s engines did not belong to that particular type. In fact, just sit back and watch the Gravy Train, containing the ‘Financially Enhanced’ (we’re not allowed to say BRIBED nowadays) aviation authorities, thunder comfortably and unwittingly down the last bit of the hill and fall, together with the two frightened ‘pilots’ and everybody else in the plane, over the edge, into the gaping abyss. That actual accident happened in early 2003, on take-off. The laws of aerodynamics ruthlessly swept aside the laws of the graft system and declared the inevitable verdict imposed by the laws of physics. You won’t believe it, but quite a number of people

got out of the wreck, in spite of the fact that the plane cart wheeled obscenely, before ending, upside-down, on top of some unfortunate person’s house. The Minister and the two frightened pilots did not survive.

If you agree to my corrupt proposition, then I’ve got you on a string SOLUTIONS

The next problem is… how to get the survivors out of the abyss. And how do you stop the next gravy train of bribery and corruption tumbling into the chasm? Well, the first thing you have to do is to prevent other gravy trains getting started down the slope. As you know, stopping runaway trains normally involves quite a lot of wreckage. Wreckage very often comes blood-stained and the blood comes from wounds. Wounds have to be excised in order to expose clean flesh where the healing can take hold. The people who carry out the surgery must themselves be free of infection and in small close-knit communities, these people are sometimes almost impossible to lay hands on. If you can’t find the person locally, then the only option is to look elsewhere. The other very important thing to remember is that controlling runaway gravy trains is not a job for the fainthearted. Skill, determination, enormous strength and, above all, courage are prerequisites for the job. Gravy trains kill. Ask any anti-Mafia judge in Italy. Vast quantities of fortitude are necessary and endless patience. There is no other way Another thing to bear in mind. If you are looking for that hero and you walk into an office and find me sitting behind the desk, you’re in the wrong office! 

FlightCom Magazine

AIRLINES MIKE GOUGH

LEGISLATING COMMON SENSE In certain situations that appear to be devoid of rationality, we may discover a chunk of rules and regulations that attempt to try do the thinking for us – or at least speak to the lowest common denominator among us.

VIATION

intrinsically a regulation intensive industry, and some regulations must of necessity be complex. Its is then perhaps inevitable that the competence of the regulators may not quite be up to the task, with a resultant overflow of verbose and tedious rules. As I find myself spending most of my time back in the General Aviation environment, the ‘real’ environment of operations and regulations reminded me how cocooned we can sometimes 14

FlightCom Magazine

become in the airline world. Several of my ex-colleagues have spent a lot of time with me at Lanseria doing initial ratings or reviving long-expired instructor ratings, and the discussions we have had has highlighted the relationship between practicality, reality and the figments of some bureaucratic imaginations. While conducting an initial instructor rating, I do my best to test for understanding of the various concepts associated with aerodynamics and procedural aspects. I certainly do not claim to be any form of guru in either department, but I have been

around the patch a few times in this regard. Having said that, I have a confession to make, and I am going to open the Lift Theory can of worms yet again. We do teach the Equal Transit or Longer Flow theory, which is by far the easiest lie to perpetuate in this regard. This is the much-maligned explanation that the upper surface flow of an aerofoil has to travel faster so the air molecules, traumatised by being separated at the leading edge of the aerofoil into upper and lower surface flow, are hell-bent on getting to the trailing edge simultaneously, thus forcing the longer flow to accelerate, with the attendant pressure drop, a la Bernoulli. Anyone who has had to wash dishes in their lives has witnessed the turning or displacement force as a practical experiment when holding a serving spoon’s curved surface in a laminar water flow from the kitchen tap. In this case there is no lower surface flow at

Briefings are often reduced to a short chat while walking out to the aircraft.

all, and the resultant force as a result of the deflected flow is noticeably strong and visually revealing. This can be clearly broken up into the upwash at the leading edge of the spoon, and the marked downwash at the trailing edge. Thus, once the Bernouilli discussion is done, everyone goes off to the kitchen in our hangar. As this aspect is firmly in the CAA syllabus, we are stuck with it. I don’t, however, think anyone is a poorer pilot as a result, after decades of technically inaccurate information. Getting back to the instructor evaluation – a discussion on certification criteria is relevant. Why specifically? Well, there’s a definite method to the madness when an aircraft, large or small is designed, tested and certified. These sets of rules are referred to as Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 23 and FAR 25, for little ones and big ones respectively. FAR 23 pertains to light aircraft, up to 5,700kgs, or in the commuter category, up to 19 seats. Beyond

this is the transport category, and everyone needs to sit up and pay more attention as things get a little more stringent. A primary difference between the two categories

legislating a major safety hazard into the regulations is the G Load limit. Part 23 requires 3.8G positive limit, while Part 25 only requires 2.5G limit, as the rest of the package that goes with it is highly regulated and building in unnecessary structural strength adds weight.

FlightCom Magazine

AIRLINES MIKE GOUGH

Students need to understand why the static port is on the left side of the fuselage.

For those who may be familiar with Airbus and its various control laws, there is a very definite and nonnegotiable maximum bank angle of 67 degrees. Full and sustained side stick deflection while in Normal Law will not produce any bank angle greater than this. This brings us around to certification limits, as ‘n’ or G load, is calculated by 1 over Cosine of Bank angle and using 67 degrees in this formula results in a ‘n’ factor of 2.5G. My favourite Air Exercise briefing is the littlevisited exercise of Side Slipping. This is now incorporated into the Descending exercise. An Air Exercise briefing is meant to be completed after the talk-and-chalk part of the briefing and outlines what will be accomplished in the General Flying area to complete the exercise. These ‘little’ briefings are often reduced to a short chat while walking out to the aircraft prior to the flight, often animated by swooping hands, which is not the idea at all. How many of us remember, during our PPL 16

FlightCom Magazine

training, how one determines when the side slip limit of an aircraft has been reached? I thought so… your instructor did not consult the Instructor Training Procedures manual (formerly AIC 14.3), which has in depth air exercise material. This brings me around to another certification question for that nervous instructor candidate. Why is the static port on single-static source aircraft (such as the Cessna 172) on the left side of the fuselage? It didn’t end up there by accident. Slipping to the left results in an elevated static value for the same given pitot value. This results in an under read on Indicated Air Speed (IAS). The distracted pilot glances back inside and sees a speed lower than planned and the natural reaction is to push the nose down, which is a safe tendency – especially with crossed controls and reduced airspeed. Should the port be on the right, the opposite would occur, with the tendency to pull back on the control column. This could well result in a stall / spin scenario, which would end badly if close to the ground.

All of these certification rules come together to allow a Type Certificate to be issued, which indicates a particular design conforms to its Type Design. The regulating authority (for example the Federal Aviation Administration – FAA, or the European equivalent, EASA) issues this certificate. When each example of a particular type is rolled off the production line, it is issued with a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A), which is valid for the entire life of the aircraft, provided it complies with its Type Certificate – in other words, no unapproved modifications or damage occurs. Unless of course you are in South Africa. Our Civil Aviation Authority feels that a fee to maintain the airworthiness certificate is required, and as a result has decided that an absolute mountain of paperwork is required to be submitted to them every year. Every single maintenance aspect must be re-submitted annually, even if it is a once-off item that is required by the manufacturer to be accomplished, to the extent that they require the actual Type Certificate number to be declared each time – in case we have wickedly re-designed the aircraft between submissions.

On top of a massively tedious process, there is also a highly likely possibility that more than sixty days will elapse after submission, with no sign of the new certificate, which grounds the aircraft. Thus, the addition of a date to the C of A renders the aircraft to

exclusive domain of the Director of Civil Aviation to decide if this person is allowed to continue flying. Without doubt, forty hours with no solo is a significant amount of flying without a ‘normal’ progression rate. What is completely lacking with this

a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) is valid for the entire life of the aircraft be non-conforming to its original Type Design. Another uniquely local requirement, contained in our regulations, pertains to how quickly the all-knowing authority expects a candidate to be ready for his or her first solo flight. For some reason, there is a restriction that is in place which requires a solo recommendation in the training file prior to completing thirty hours. Passing this arbitrary total requires an entire intervention which involves the Chief Flight Instructor and then a Designated Flight Examiner. If forty hours total now elapse, it becomes the

regulation, is context. If one did twenty-five hours, ten years ago, and now want to re-start (probably from the beginning), one has to be kicked out of the nest within five hours. Talk about legislating a major safety hazard into the regulations. Similarly, many years ago in Nelspruit I had an elderly candidate, whose retirement mission was to attain his PPL. To say we spent quality time together would be an understatement. I finally sent him on his first solo with a total of 74 hours in his logbook. He was so delighted with his first landing as pilot-incommand that he stopped on the

FlightCom Magazine

AIRLINES MIKE GOUGH

runway, with the engine idling, and did not move. I eventually walked up the runway to see what was happening, and he was sitting there, with an ear-to-ear grin, while being a thousand miles away, utterly caught up in the moment. He went on to complete his PPL, and flew for many years, accident and incident free. I have subsequently learned that this piece of legislation will be reviewed or removed, but it should not have been there in the first place. It is impossible to regulate human performance and ability through the statutes – but that doesn’t prevent ‘authorities’ from trying. By the way – the side slip limit is reached when one has full rudder applied to the stop, and further application of aileron will cause the aircraft to turn into the direction of the side slip – also a certification requirement. But you knew that. 

Airbus has an absolute bank limit of 67 degrees as that is the 2.5G maximum load.

FlightCom Magazine

BELOW; Once the Bernouilli discussion is done, everyone goes off to the kitchen to try the spoon trick.

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Defence - Des Barker The 'Crystal' F1 built for a French expo shows the layout well.

THE F1

ENGINE UPGRADE Des Barker writes - It is now history (and thus no longer classified) that local aerospace company, Aerosud successfully managed to reengine the Mirage F1 with the MiG-29’s Klimov RD-33 engine (dubbed the SMR-95) – a feat originally thought impossible by Dassault. 20

FlightCom Magazine

modification was not only aimed at improving the aircraft’s thrust-toweight ratio and specific excess power, both parameters critical to the combat capabilities of a fighter, but also to provide the Mirage F1CZ with improved sustained turn performance and acceleration. With the engine package, a new all-aspect missile was also included in the deal, the combination of which would have produced a significant increase in fighting capability for the Mirage F1CZ. HIS

FLYING THE SMR-95 F1

The flight test programme for the engine integration programme was conducted on Mirage F1AZ No. 216. As a demonstration of increased performance with the SMR-95 fitted, a comparative demonstration was flown at TFDC, AFB Overberg. F1AZ No. 216 lined up on runway 35 next to No. 239, both aircraft spooled up to Mini PC (afterburner) against the brakes and on the countdown to zero, released the brakes simultaneously, selected maximum afterburner and the challenge was on. No. 216 (18,285 lbs static thrust) versus No. 239’s (15,888 lbs static thrust) pulled away from No. 239 and had lifted-off by the time 239’s nosewheel was rotating; 216 then pitched up to 25°, climbed away in a steep climb, with 239 trailing embarrassingly far behind. The formation was then set up for a comparative acceleration, both aircraft at 1,000 ft agl, approached the airfield from the south over runway 35 at 200 KIAS; both pilots selected maximum afterburner and once again, 216 just leaped ahead and left 239 ingesting 216’s exhaust.

It was an impressive comparative demonstration for the Air Force’s Command Council, leaving many former F1 pilots impressed and secretly wishing to have an opportunity to ‘have a go’. Further tests included climb performance, level accelerations to M1.8 at 25,000 ft pressure altitude and even shutting down the engine intentionally at 50,000 ft to verify the engine’s ability to relight

216 just leaped ahead and left 239 ingesting 216’s exhaust. automatically at heights up to 50,000 ft. An added bonus was the engine’s ability to be slammed open and accelerate in 3 seconds versus the 8 seconds of the F1s Atar 09K50; an important consideration in third generation air-combat tactics. Typically Russian, robust and effective, it would have significantly increased the combat performance of the Mirage F1.

BELOW: The F1's Atar 09k50 engine had 3000 lbs more thrust than the Mirage 111 and the Klimov SMR-95 further dramatically improved on the Atar 09k50.

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FITTING THE ENGINE

Writing on Russian News site NARKIVE, David E. Powell, provided the following information: “[Installing the MiG-29’s Klimov RD-33 engine (the SMR-95)] wasn’t as simple as making a few changes to MiG engines. The project was started while South Africa still had an arms embargo against it, which

As I said, the mods were major and included “straightening” the engine, as there is a “kink” in the engine as installed in the MiG. The [Russian] RD-33 was specifically designed for installation in a twin-engined fighter, which meant it did not comply with the requirements for a single engined fighter. For this reason, a fairly extensive range of more subtle changes were needed, but the most major one was probably repositioning of the gearbox. There were also attempts to reduce the amount of smoke produced by the engine (not quite achieved on the SMR-95) and a substantial increase in time between overhaul (TBO). The installation in Mirage F1AZ #216

The [Russian] RD-33 did not comply with the requirements for a single engined fighter really limited the number of possible candidates. The main reason the upgrade program was initiated was to get some improvement in specific fuel consumption (SFC) by going to a turbofan instead of a pure turbojet (the ATAR-09K50 is a pure turbojet), and the RD-33 also offered additional thrust when in afterburner.

The Snecma Atar 09K50 engine was replaced by the lighter and more powerful Russian SMR-95. Image: Martin Pole

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was very mature, and if it wasn’t for the end of the arms embargo allowing us to purchase new aircraft, the mod would probably have been done on the whole fleet. 216 Is still occasionally flown for demo purposes and there are still some hours left on the engine. The Cheetah installation, on the other hand, was far from mature and a lot of work was still needed at the time when the project was cancelled. It also seemed that the Cheetah installation was not going to be of as much benefit as it was for the Mirage F1. 

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Airlines N orton R ose F ulbright

Can airlines navigate the legal minefield of Covid-19 risks to passengers?

Can Passengers SUE Airlines if they get Covid-19? A DEEP DIVE INTO INTERNATIONAL AVIATION LAW AND PRECEDENT SHOWS THAT AIRLINES MAY BE LIABLE IF A PASSENGER GETS INFECTED BY COVID-19 ON A FLIGHT. 24

FlightCom Magazine

his article explores the extent to which carriers may be considered guarantors of the safety of their passengers and how the law classifies contamination that is proven to have occurred on board an aircraft. The article will further delve into whether the law classifies COVID 19 as an “accident” in terms of Article 17 of the Warsaw Conventions and the Montreal Agreement and whether air carriers may be held liable for contamination associated with a flight. First, some background definitions:

ARTICLE 17 Article 17 of the Warsaw Conventions and the Montreal Agreement impose strict liability on carriers for damage sustained in the event of the death or wounding of a passenger or any other bodily injury suffered by a passenger that is caused by an accident and the injury so sustained took place on board the aircraft or in the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking. ARTICLE 14 OF THE CHICAGO CONVENTION The 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention), recognises plague and other communicable diseases such as cholera, typhus (epidemic), smallpox, yellow fever, and ratifying States must specifically take steps to prevent these diseases from spreading by means of air transportation. The Chicago Convention makes it mandatory for air carriers to comply with the pertinent provisions of the International Health Regulations (2005) of the WHO.

Under Article 14 of the Chicago Convention each contracting state is required to take effective measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and to keep in close consultation with those international agencies concerned with international regulations relating to sanitary measures applicable to aircrafts. ACCIDENT Both conventions require an “accident” to have caused the illness and to have taken place on board the aircraft or in the course of the operation of embarking and disembarking. An “accident” has been defined as an unusual or unexpected event that is external to the passenger, and which results in physical injury to the passenger. Bodily injury includes the “physical infliction of physical injury during the flight even though not already manifested at the time of the conclusion of the flight, for example a disease or illness contracted upon the aircraft (resulting from) food (contamination)” as defined in Air France v. Saks,

Is it an accident if a passenger gets infected with Covid-19 on a flight ?

FlightCom Magazine

470 U.S. 392 (1985). In In re Crash at Little Rock, Arkansas 231 E.D. Ark. (2002), the court broadened the scope of the interpretation of the Convention and confirmed that a party can claim for mental and psychological injuries to the extent that they are caused by and approximately flow from the physical injury caused by the accident. Thus a claimant must prove that an “accident”

A party can claim for mental and psychological injuries occurred within the meaning of Article 17 in order to succeed with a claim for liability against a carrier. DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS A form of injury that has been associated with air carriage is the deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is a serious condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein located deep inside the body. The aviation industry has seen a number of claims associated with DVT. However, current medical studies have not proven that air transportation increases the risk of developing DVT and this is a topic currently being researched by the World Health Organisation. The point of contention facing air carries concerned with DVT litigation is whether the condition can be classified as an “accident” in terms of Article 17 of the Warsaw Convention. A claimant must provide any admissible evidence that he developed DVT as a result of an unexpected or 26

FlightCom Magazine

unusual event or happening external to the passenger. In Blanset v. Continental Airlines 204 S.D. Tex. (2002) a passenger developed DVT and instituted proceedings against Continental Airline for alleged injuries sustained while on board the carrier. The claimants alleged that the carrier failed to warn them of the risk of developing DVT during air transportation and failed to take adequate precaution to inform the claimants of the risk of developing DVT. The claimants alleged that the defendant violated a custom or procedure amongst international air carriers by failing to warn passengers of contracting DVT on board an aircraft and that this could lead to an “accident” within the meaning of Article 17 of the Warsaw Convention. Continental Airlines then moved to dismiss this claim on the basis that developing DVT was not an “accident” under Article 17. Continental was unsuccessful in its attempt. The court held that a failure to carry out established routine procedures can be an “accident”. However, the court left open the question of whether warning passengers about the risk of DVT specifically is an established custom or procedure within the aviation industry. In Air France v. Saks, 470 U.S. 392 (1985) the court held: “If… nothing happens during an ordinary or unremarkable flight that involves the actions of anyone except for the passenger himself or herself and his or her atypical reaction to a normal and unremarkable flight, there had been no unexpected or unusual event or happening. The only basis upon which liability could arise in such circumstances would be for a court to hold that a culpable act or omission is always an unusual or unexpected event or happening, so that wherever negligence is established, or known risks are ignored, an “accident” must have occurred. But that ignores the fact that the culpable

act or omission cannot necessarily be described as an unusual event or happening in itself.” The questions to ask are: • Is there an accident as required by the Conventions; • Is there admissible evidence of the occurrence of the accident; • Is there an awareness of a risk; and • Did the carrier warn passengers of established routine procedures or provide necessary information relating to the risk. Case law reveals that while not advising passengers of the risk associated with DVT a carrier may be held as negligent, this negligence is not in itself an accident within the meaning of Article 17 in that DVT sustained by a passenger is not linked to an unusual and unexpected event external to them as a passenger. SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness that has been the subject of litigation for air carriers. In May 2003, the WHO issued an Emergency Travel Advisory to passengers and airlines advising that, while there was a low in-flight transmission rate of passengers, parties should be alert to the symptoms associated with SARS. Recommendations were set-out to restrict travel and minimise in-flight transmissions. A Scottish decision, King v Bristow Helicopters 2001 SLT 126, confirmed that the bodily injury induced by an accident in terms of the Convention does not have to manifest during or at the conclusion of the flight as it is sufficient for the injury, illness or disease to have been contracted upon the aircraft through the contamination of the aircraft’s air supply. Similar to DVT liability claims, the Conventions require an “accident” to have caused the damage to

take place on board the aircraft or in the course of operation of embarking or disembarking. The current litigation on DVT will further assist in determining whether an airline’s failure to warn passengers of SARS and/or to take steps to isolate a passenger with SARS symptoms or honour requests by other passengers for alternative seating might possibly amount to an accident as an unexpected or unusual event or happening. COVID-19 Locating or tracing of passengers after flights to enable airlines to ascertain those likely exposed to risk is complicated as passengers on disembarkation would have dispersed widely. In the projected two to fourteen days’ incubation period before the COVID-19 may fully manifest, the airline should ensure that they have sufficient and correct data of passengers to give to airline medical staff and health authorities. In the 21st century, however, technology has played a major role in enhancing contact tracing of

The Conventions require an “accident” to have caused the damage communicable virus such as COVID 19, presenting individualised tracking as a reliable way to trace the movement of individuals who are infected and to identify individuals with whom the former came into contact during the period in which they were contagious. Mobile location data has been proposed as a helpful method to identify potentially exposed individuals as some governments and the

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private sector have heavily relied on data-driven technologies to help contain the novel COVID 19. Thus technological measures have become a critical solution for contact tracing, quarantine enforcement, tracking the spread of the virus, and allocating medical resources. However, these practices raise significant human rights concerns as measures taken that limit people’s rights and freedoms must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate. The airlines’ legal duty thus appears to be limited to collaborating with contracting states to determine whether any passenger’s condition poses a direct threat to public safety relying on directives issued by public health authorities. Carriers must comply with international health regulations and the laws of the countries to and from which they operate services. If they ignore passengers who look unwell or present symptoms, they may be exposed to penalties. In Dias v. Transbrasil Airlines, Inc., 26 Av. Cas. (CCH) 16,048 (S.D.N.Y. 1998). the court ruled that the poor cabin air quality due to the aircraft’s air filtration system not working properly which resulted in an injury to the passenger constituted an “accident”. Thus emphasising the strict obligation that air carries owe to passengers and their safety. When determining whether a carrier may be held liable for the possible transmission of COVID 19 onboard, WHO examines the following risk factors: Did the carrier deny a passenger check-in boarding who has COVID 19 symptoms or take any precautionary steps to check that the passenger is medically fit to fly? • Did the carrier isolate a passenger who exhibited COVID 19 symptoms during the flight or await on medical authorities at destination before disembarking passengers? • Did the carrier trace fellow passengers where it was notified that a passenger on one of its flights had COVID 19?

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• Was there a failure in the cabin ventilation system? or • Was there a failure to follow prescribed regulatory protocols to screen passengers when boarding or other precautions required?

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) works closely with WHO and other international health and aviation bodies to assist in containing the spread of communicable disease in aviation. The ICAO has developed Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) to ensure a coordinated response. The aviation sector’s primary role is to minimise travel of individuals who have contracted a communicable disease to other jurisdictions through passenger screening procedures. These procedures are performed at airports and through the presentation of health certificates or the famous ‘yellow card’ indicating vaccinations against certain communicable diseases where mandated. BURDEN OF PROOF The burden of proof rests with the claimant to prove that they suffered an illness as a result of contamination on the carrier. Since the source of contamination of COVID 19 has been proven to be nearly impossible to trace, more so that such manifestation of the contamination occurred during a flight, it will be difficult for a claimant to prove that the occurrence of an accident within the definition of Article 17. It is both a legal and factual question whether passengers will be successful in claims for the contamination of COVID-19 aboard a flight and whether, as with DVT, issues will arise as to what is an accident – as the event itself must be the cause of the accident rather than the illness. Article 20(1) of the Warsaw Convention states

that the carrier is not liable if they can prove that they and their agents have taken all necessary measures to avoid the damage or that it was impossible for either party to take such measures. The Montreal Convention adopted this defence but changed the wording. Article 21(2) of the Montreal Convention states that the carrier is not liable for damages arising under Article 17 to the extent that: • such damage was not due to the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the carrier or its servants or agents; or • such damage was solely due to the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of a third party. Notably, even in circumstances where a passenger is able to prove that they contracted COVID-19 on board an aircraft or while embarking or disembarking, the passenger’s claim may be limited by the limits often highlighted in the contract of carriage, and terms contained on the air ticket. Is it up to passengers to clean their own area?

VOLUNTARY ASSUMPTION OF RISK Where an air carrier has taken all necessary precautionary measure to mitigate infections, Article 20 of the Montreal Convention provides a defence, where the Air Carrier proves that the damage was caused or contributed to by the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the person claiming compensation. The defence of voluntary assumption of risk is based on the concept that no wrong can be done to

one who consents. Consequently, where a passenger is deemed to have agreed to assume all the inherent risks involved with flying aboard an aircraft during a pandemic, the air carrier may be absolved of the responsibility for injuries arising from flying in an aircraft that did not result in an accident from the act or omission of the carrier. Where a passenger decides not to heed the advice against traveling and by so doing, contracts the COVID-19 on board an aircraft, either before or during embarking or disembarking the aircraft, the express or implied agreement by the passenger to assume both the physical and legal risk may absolve the airline from all future liability claims that may be made by the passenger provided the carrier is not

negligent. It must be noted that the principle of “voluntary assumption of risk” falls solely under the Montreal Convention and not the Warsaw Convention. The Warsaw Convention does not limit liability for passengers against air carriers. CONCLUSION In conclusion, a passenger may be successful in pursuing a claim for liability against an air carrier for contracting Covid-19 on board the aircraft if they can prove negligence (“accident”) on the part of the carrier or their agents or sub-contractors. However, where the air carriers have taken all reasonable measures by complying with all the prescribed health procedures and where a passenger is infected by a fellow passenger who has Covid-19 but is asymptomatic, the passenger would not be able to sustain a claim that the air carrier is liable for the transmission of Covid-19 to the claimant. The air carrier may also be absolved from all liability on the basis that passengers, who contracted Covid-19 on board an aircraft, voluntarily assumed the physical and legal risks, whether expressly or impliedly, in boarding a flight during the wellpublicised risks of the pandemic. 

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We now provide not just the magazine, but 3 different ways for you to reach your market: 1. Our all new digital pdf magazine – available for free on our website www.saflyer.com 2. Our brand-new state of the art website – visit www.saflyer.com 3. Our Facebook page – with by far the biggest aviation following in Africa And best of all! – We provide these 3 platforms for just the price of the old print magazine!!

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Rodger Foster FACE TO FACE WITH

AIRLINK THE WAY AHEAD

It is said that in times of crisis, only the fittest survive. Airlink has demonstrated that it is indeed one of the fittest by emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic in a better position than it was before the crisis began. Guy Leitch asks Rodger Foster how Airlink did it and what its future plans are. 32

FlightCom Magazine

GL: IN THE PAST YOU SPECIALISED IN FEEDER ROUTES. BUT NOW YOU HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY OPERATING THE HIGH DENSITY AND FREQUENCY JOBURG - CAPE TOWN ROUTE SINCE THE DOMESTIC LOCKDOWN ENDED. YET YOU USE SMALL GAUGE 98 SEAT EMBRAERS WHILE YOUR COMPETITORS OPERATE MORE ECONOMICAL 185 SEAT BOEING 737800S?

While loads are recovering the smaller gauge aircraft present lower economic risk as their trip cost is significantly lower than the Boeing or Airbus trip cost. And it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter much if our seat cost is slightly higher as we are not trying to compete in the low-cost carrier market. Airlink has a competitive advantage in that it has a comprehensive airline network system where our customers can connect to myriad destinations within our network and they have access to the global networks of our commercial partner airlines. Our Economy Class fares include a 20kg free checked-in luggage allowance RF:

Airlink CEO Rodger Foster - now decoupled from the SAA franchise and pushing upwards strongly.

plus a 15kg sporting equipment allowance. Onboard, we provide a light meal, refreshments, generous leg room and a choice of aisle or window seat, as our flights do not have middle seats. Our “Intracontinental Business Class” service is available on selected flights operated by our Embraer E-jets, and includes complimentary meals and beverages, a 30kg check-in luggage allowance and priority boarding, as well as access to business class lounges at select airports.

NONETHELESS, THERE IS TALK THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO OPPOSE THE EMERGENCE OF GIDON NOVICK’S

NEW

AIRLINE

LIFT

THROUGH

APPLICATION TO THE AIR SERVICES LICENSING COUNCIL?

No, that is not the case. I understand that Lift is essentially a marketing operation on the back of the Global Airways AOC and Air Services licenses. I have every confidence that Global has their house in order and that the arrangement with Lift is above board. So we have no objection.

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WITH THE RETURN TO FLYING OF KULULA.COM AND

MANGO

PRESUMABLY

CONTINUING

to get from an International destination to one of the many regional destinations we serve.

THE SO-CALLED GOLDEN TRIANGLE OF JOBURG -

CAPE

TOWN,

AND

POSSIBLY

DURBAN,

HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE LOSS OF THE SAA

BECOMES EVEN MORE HEAVILY TRADED AND

FRANCHISE TO YOUR BUSINESS?

THUS COMPETITIVE. DO YOU IMAGINE THAT

SAA only carried about 15% of the international market to SA before going into business rescue, so it is not critical. But replacing the SAA franchise agreements is just a first step and we will continue to expand our interlining agreements with many other airlines. We are especially looking forward to the increase in long haul connectivity being provided by other players. For instance, United has already announced that it will be providing flights from New York’s Newark to Johannesburg from March

YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE AGAINST THE LOW COST CARRIERS? OR WILL YOU WITHDRAW FROM THIS ROUTE?

Not at all. We have every intention of continuing with the trunk routes as they are very much part of our broader network strategy. Since we no longer have our franchise agreement with SAA we have to build our own wide connectivity network, and that includes Cape Town. HAS

YOUR

ROUTE

NETWORK

PHILOSOPHY

and we have heard of a number of other airlines also planning new direct flights into South Africa.

THEREFORE CHANGED SINCE YOU UNCOUPLED FROM SAA?

Yes, to some extent in that we now need to have our own wide network. We have already expanded to over 60 routes across the sub-region and we are adding destinations such as Lubumbashi in the DRC and Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. However, our core values are unchanged, and that is to be the best that we can in terms of our own network system. WITH

THE

LOSS

THE

SAA

FRANCHISE

AGREEMENTS HAVE YOU HAD TO GO OUT AND AGGRESSIVELY

REPLACE

YOUR

INTERLINING

AND CODESHARE AGREEMENTS?

Our commercial partners have recognised the allure of Airlink’s expansive network of destinations and have worked closely with us to speedily emplace these new relationships, because they’re the ones who most benefit from our ability to feed our network into their long haul routes. We are also expecting that our current interlining contracts will gradually be upgraded to codesharing, which will provide a completely seamless interface for travellers wanting

FlightCom Magazine

ONE

THE

CONSEQUENCES

THE

DECOUPLING FROM SAA HAS BEEN THE NEED TO REBRAND YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR FLEET. I SEE THAT THE FIRST AIRCRAFT HAS NOW BEEN REBRANDED.

Yes, we are doing the repainting as the aircraft come in for major maintenance, so it will be a protracted process. We have made the new brand distinctive and yet we have kept our key emblem; the sunbird, which we like because it is both endemic to our region and fulfils many of our own ideals in being nimble, agile and small. We have also changed our corporate name to Airlink (Pty) Ltd. ARE YOU PLANNING TO FURTHER EXPAND YOUR ROUTE NETWORK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SPACE CREATED BY THE DEMISE OF SA EXPRESS?

Yes. We have however had to battle for designation or traffic rights on some routes such as for instance Windhoek. However, we have resolved the legacy issues and are making steady progress as regards procurement of foreign operator’s permits.

WILL

YOU

EXPANDING

YOUR

FLEET

ACCOMMODATE THE ROUTE GROWTH?

Not at the moment as the lack of international travellers means that we are still not operating at a 100% of capacity. But yes, once international travellers start returning then we will have to look at expanding our fleet.

IF YOU EVER DID DECIDE TO SWITCH TO BOEING OR

AIRBUS,

WOULD

YOU

OUTSOURCE

YOUR

MAINTENANCE ON THOSE?

No. We believe that it is absolutely vital to our success that we manage our own maintenance, that we have it under our control if our standards are to be maintained.

IF YOU CONTINUE TO OPERATE ON THE LOW

AND THESE STANDARDS PRESUMABLY INCLUDE

COST CARRIERS’ ROUTES WOULD YOU CONSIDER

ON TIME PERFORMANCE (OTP) – A CRITICAL

MOVING TO AIRBUS OR BOEING PRODUCTS WITH

PERFORMANCE AREA FOR A FEEDER AIRLINE.

HIGH DENSITY SEATING?

Probably not. We find our Embraer relationship extremely good and it is difficult and quite costly to change to another fleet or type, as we discovered with the change from the RJ-85 to the Embraer EJet fleet a few years ago.

Yes, I am, very proud that our On Time Performance is still the best with year to date at 96.06%. In October it improved to a fantastic 97% which is significantly better than FlySafair’s still very creditable 95.25% for the year to date and 96.48% for October. So I am comfortable that we will soon be growing again, and that we are still doing the key things best. 

Airlink is steadily expanding its route network - and moving into space left by the demise of SA Express.

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FLIGHT SAFETY THROUGH MAINTENANCE

FlightCom Magazine

SERIES: Views on: THE STATE OF AFRICAN AVIATION

IATA: Alexandre de Juniac on Africa's Aviation Crisis IATAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Director general Alexandre de Juniac provided an online address to the AFRAA 52 annual assembly. His address provides a concise assessment of the challenges facing the African air transport industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the way forward. This summary of the key points of his presentation provides a useful marker for the future as to where the industry found itself at the end of 2020.

IATA's Alexandre de Juniac says that the airline industry will take years to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. 40 FlightCom Magazine

E are in the middle of the

biggest crisis our industry has ever faced. Airline revenues have collapsed. Fleets are grounded. And you are taking extreme actions just to survive. We all support efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our duty and we will prevail. But policymakers must know that this has come at a great cost to jobs, individual freedoms and entire economies. ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR AFRICA

For aviation in Africa the numbers are staggering: • Traffic is down 89% • Revenue loses are expected to reach $8 billion. But the impact is much broader. The consequences of the breakdown in connectivity are severe: • Five million African livelihoods are at risk • And aviation-supported GDP could fall by as much as $37 billion. That’s a 58% fall. We have a health crisis and it is evolving into a jobs and economic disaster. Fixing it is beyond the scope of what the industry can do by itself. We need governments to act. And act fast to prevent a calamity. IATA calls on governments to address two top priorities: 1. The first is unblocking committed financial relief. Airlines will go bust without it. Already four African carriers have ceased operations and two are in administration. Without financial relief, many others will follow. Over US$31 billion in financial support has been pledged by African governments, international finance bodies

and other institutions, including the African Development Bank, the African Union and the International Monetary Fund. Unfortunately, pledges do not pay the bills. And little of this funding has materialised. And let me emphasize that, while we are calling for relief for aviation, this is an investment in the future of the continent. It will need financially viable airlines to support the economic recovery from COVID-19. 2. The second priority is to safely reopen borders using testing and without quarantines. People have not lost their

desire to travel. Border closures and travel restrictions make it effectively impossible. Forty-four countries in Africa have opened their borders to regional and international air travel. In 20 of these countries, passengers are still subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Who would travel under such conditions? Systematic testing before departure provides a safe alternative to quarantine and a solution to stop the economic and social devastation being caused by COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

Our customers need to do international business that aviation facilitates. And they long to reunite with family and loved ones. Our industry will, no doubt, be changed by this crisis. But flying will return. Airlines will be back in the skies. The resilience of our industry has been proven many times. We will rise again. We are the business of freedom. For Africa that is the freedom to develop and thrive. And that is not something people on this continent will forget or lose their desire for. 

FlightCom Magazine

SERIES: Views on: THE STATE OF AFRICAN AVIATION

AASA: Chris Zweigenthal Addressing the AfRAA AGM and in an interview with African Aerospace, Chris Zweigenthal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa discusses what airlines need to do to return to their previous growth trajectory.

Chris Zweigenthal of AASA says African states have propped up their own airlines - but not the private ones.

FlightCom Magazine

OUTH Africa’s state president Cyril

Ramaphosa opened South Africa to all international tourists in October. Zweigenthal notes that “The decision marks the culmination of an intensive effort by industry, led by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, AASA and partner bodies, to persuade the South African government it could safely resume international air travel without compromising its efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Under the relaxed restrictions, tourists from all nations may visit South Africa as long as they present valid COVID-19 test certificates. AASA welcomes this positive step forward and urges all other SADC countries that have also reopened their borders to harmonise the implementation of the ICAO Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force’s (CART) guidance for the safe resumption of air travel and tourism. These measures and standards were prepared in conjunction with the World Health Organisation. They are designed to be adopted systematically worldwide in order to eliminate inconsistencies and the need for arbitrary measures such as quarantines and the discrimination of travellers according to meaningless lists of countries classified by risk. States that still classify countries into risk profiled lists should scrap them. Tourists will be reluctant to travel with the risk that their country of origin may suddenly be placed on a restrictive or banning list. All that is required is for testing and screening prior to departure and the diligent application of layered biosecurity and basic hygiene measures including wearing masks, sanitising and social distancing. Crucially, their harmonised implementation will also avert confusion which deter travel and will hamper economic recovery.

THE CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE

More than ever, consistency and certainty are needed to restore confidence in air transport. This crisis of confidence is the biggest challenge facing our industry’s survival and the region’s entire air transport and tourism eco-system, including public and private airlines, airports, air navigation services, ground handlers, safety regulators and allied businesses. Not a single aviation industry stakeholder has been spared. Every organisation relying on revenue for airline operations and passengers is affected, with traumatic social and financial consequences. Saving the industry – and securing its vital socio-economic contribution - requires close cooperation and ongoing short-term emergency relief by governments. Emergency relief could be provided to both public and private organizations through cash infusions, government-backed loans and through relief mechanisms such as waivers and reductions on taxes and charges. If State owned enterprises are provided support, some of this should be filtered through into relief on taxes and charges which airlines and passengers have to pay. Governments could also safely prevent prolonging the economic harm and distress by adopting clear and consistent measures for the safe resumption of regional and international travel in all categories. The crisis calls for direct engagement between industry and government Directors-Generals and Ministers, on an open door and open mind basis. We are pleased that such engagements are now taking place in South Africa. This is essential if we are to address strategic, policy and practical issues that will ensure the ongoing safe restart of airline operations and the region’s economic recovery, without compromising public health and safety. While governments must assist communities

FlightCom Magazine

and other enterprises that are also desperate for financial relief, they should not ignore the vital role that aviation, travel and tourism will play in driving Southern Africa’s economic recovery through the jobs they create - directly and indirectly - and the millions of people whose livelihoods are dependent upon it. AIRLINES IN CRISIS

I don’t expect there will be any profitable airlines this financial year in Southern Africa. The lockdown on domestic and

The CART guidelines advocate harmonised regulations between states. The problem is that many states are not using CART but are introducing their own individual restrictions and that is making passengers think twice before they decide to travel. from an economic perspective, it’s absolutely essential that we get aviation travel and tourism going to the fullest extent, so that we can help the economic recovery. Around the world, 50% of the economic contribution of aviation to the economy is at risk. In Africa

Quarantine is however not the way to go

international travel has created a liquidity crisis because revenue stopped almost entirely. In the region, we’re going to have a loss of around about a billion US dollars for this year compared to about a 200 million US dollar loss last year. However positive moves that are starting to happen, for example, they’re looking at introducing antigen tests, which are tests requiring about 15 minutes before you will know the result, whether it’s positive or negative. Quarantine is however not the way to go because it is absolute a 100% deterrent on travel. For global tourists the average stay is around about 10 to 12 days. So if you’re required to do a 14-day quarantine on arrival in a country, then there’s absolutely no incentive for you to travel to that particular country and wait for the quarantine to end. 44

FlightCom Magazine

the state is the predominant airline owner. The state, has been able to prop up their own airlines but privately owned airlines have been disadvantaged. AASA made requests to government for financial relief for all airlines in South Africa, both public and private. However we haven’t had their responses yet. For the immediate future, I think the recovery has been remarkably good which is why South Africa has, for example, said all African States can fly to South Africa. Intra-African travel has started, and we need to find ways to actually ramp up that travel.

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SERIES: Views on: THE STATE OF AFRICAN AVIATION

AFRAA: Abdrahmane Berthe Speaking on the side-lines to African Aerospace at the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Annual General Meeting, the Secretary General, Abdrahmane Berthe, shares his thoughts on the recovery of the African air transport industry.

OVID-19 was declared a pandemic

on 11 March 2020. This brought the African airline industry to a halt. Since July, the lockdown has been gradually lifted but the level of activity is still very low. African airlines have not yet attained 50% of traffic compared to 2019. The airlines have been without any revenues for many months so now the real challenge is a liquidity crisis. The scale of the losses suffered by the African airline industry is huge. AFRAA calculates that airlines may lose $9 billion dollars of revenues in 2020, compared to 2019. African airlines are restarting flying, but they are making losses on the routes they are operating. Only 73 routes have been reopened since September, which further limits air connectivity. Hubs are not being fully used, so AFRAA has set

FlightCom Magazine

up a route network coordination meeting to address intra African connectivity gaps. This impact on connectivity has also set back the progress being made to implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Although 34 countries committed to SAATM, only 18 countries have actually modified their bilateral air service agreements to implement the SAATM. The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity for all states to better implement SAATM. It is a huge opportunity for a network reset. The immediate future will be very tough for African airlines. The restart of flying is still very slow. Load factors are very low, revenues per passenger are low too, and the cost of operations remains high, so the airlines will lose more money. For that reason, the states and shareholders need to support their airlines.

We know that some states have put in place financial support to their airlines, but we are asking them to go further. In April, AFRAA made an assessment of indebtedness of our airlines for 2020, 2021, for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. We found that for the 16 members who responded, the indebtedness level was $3.2 billion. So we are working with African Union and the financial institutions to put in place a fund of $25 billion to support the industry, not only airlines, but also airports, air navigation service providers. We think that by January 2021 we will have this fund in place and it will help restart the business. We also need to bring back confidence of passengers to travel, because the current situation is very difficult in Africa. We need the harmonisation

of health screening protocols across the continent. We still have some very high health testing costs, so AFRAA is advocating to reduce the PCR test cost

The COVID-19 pandemic is a huge opportunity for a network reset. within Africa, and also to harmonize the protocols and to have mutual recognitions of protocols across the continent. ď&#x192;ź

AFRAA's Abdrahmane Berthe says Covid-19 has set back SAATM.

FlightCom Magazine

BACKPAGE DIR DIRECT ECTORY ORY A1A Flight Examiner (Loutzavia) Jannie Loutzis 012 567 6775 / 082 416 4069 jannie@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za

Alpi Aviation SA Dale De Klerk 082 556 3592 dale@alpiaviation.co.za www.alpiaviation.co.za

Adventure Air Lande Milne 012 543 3196 / Cell: 066 4727 848 l.milne@venture-sa.co.za www.ventureglobal.biz

Apco (Ptyd) Ltd Tony/Henk + 27 12 543 0775 apcosupport@mweb.co.za www.apcosa.co.za

Comporob Composite Repair & Manufacture Felix Robertson 072 940 4447 083 265 3602 comporob@lantic.net www.comporob.co.za Corporate-Aviators/Affordable Jet Sales Mike Helm 082 442 6239 corporate-aviators@iafrica.com www.corporate-aviators.com

Flying Frontiers Craig Lang 082 459 0760 CraigL@fairfield.co.za C. W. Price & Co www.flyingfrontiers.com AES (Cape Town) Aref Avionics Kelvin L. Price Erwin Erasmus Hannes Roodt 011 805 4720 Flying Unlimited Flight School (Pty) Ltd 082 494 3722 082 462 2724 cwp@cwprice.co.za Riaan Struwig erwin@aeroelectrical.co.za arefavionics@border.co.za www.cwprice.co.za 082 653 7504 / 086 770 8376 www.aeroelectrical.co.za riaan@ppg.co.za Atlas Aviation Lubricants Dart Aeronautical www.ppg.co.za AES (Johannesburg) Steve Cloete Jaco Kelly Danie van Wyk 011 917 4220 011 827 8204 Foster Aero International 011 701 3200 Fax: 011 917 2100 dartaero@mweb.co.za Dudley Foster office@aeroelectrical.co.za Sales.aviation@atlasoil.co.za 011 659 2533 www.aeroelectrical.co.za www.atlasoil.africa Dart Aircraft Electrical info@fosteraero.co.za Mathew Joubert www.fosteraero.co.za Aerocore ATNS 011 827 0371 Jacques Podde Percy Morokane Dartaircraftelectrical@gmail.com Gemair 082 565 2330 011 607 1234 www.dartaero.co.za Andries Venter jacques@aerocore.co.za percymo@atns.co.za 011 701 2653 / 082 905 5760 www.aerocore.co.za www.atns.com DJA Aviation Insurance andries@gemair.co.za 011 463 5550 Aero Engineering & PowerPlant Aviation Direct 0800Flying GIB Aviation Insurance Brokers Andre Labuschagne Andrea Antel mail@dja-aviation.co.za Richard Turner 012 543 0948 011 465 2669 www.dja-aviation.co.za 011 483 1212 aeroeng@iafrica.com info@aviationdirect.co.za aviation@gib.co.za www.aviationdirect.co.za Dynamic Propellers www.gib.co.za Aero Services (Pty) Ltd Andries Visser Chris Scott Avtech Aircraft Services 011 824 5057 Gryphon Flight Academy 011 395 3587 Riekert Stroh 082 445 4496 Jeffrey Von Holdt chris@aeroservices.co.za 082 555 2808 / 082 749 9256 andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za 011 701 2600 www.aeroservices.co.za avtech1208@gmail.com www.dynamicpropellers.co.za info@gryphonflight.co.za www.gryphonflight.co.za Aeronav Academy BAC Aviation AMO 115 Eagle Aviation Helicopter Division Donald O’Connor Micky Joss Tamryn van Staden Guardian Air 011 701 3862 035 797 3610 082 657 6414 011 701 3011 info@aeronav.co.za monicad@bacmaintenance.co.za tamryn@eaglehelicopter.co.za 082 521 2394 www.aeronav.co.za www.eaglehelicopter.co.za ops@guardianair.co.za Blackhawk Africa www.guardianair.co.za Aeronautical Aviation Cisca de Lange Eagle Flight Academy Clinton Carroll 083 514 8532 Mr D. J. Lubbe Heli-Afrique cc 011 659 1033 / 083 459 6279 cisca@blackhawk.aero 082 557 6429 Tino Conceicao clinton@aeronautical.co.za www.blackhawk.aero training@eagleflight.co.za 083 458 2172 www.aeronautical.co.za www.eagleflight.co.za tino.conceicao@heli-afrique.co.za Blue Chip Flight School Aerotric (Pty) Ltd Henk Kraaij Elite Aviation Academy Henley Air Richard Small 012 543 3050 Jacques Podde Andre Coetzee 083 488 4535 bluechip@bluechip-avia.co.za 082 565 2330 011 827 5503 aerotric@aol.com www.bluechipflightschool.co.za info@eliteaa.co.za andre@henleyair.co.za www.eliteaa.co.za www.henleyair.co.za Aircraft Assembly and Upholstery Centre Border Aviation Club & Flight School Tony/Siggi Bailes Liz Gous Emperor Aviation Hover Dynamics 082 552 6467 043 736 6181 Paul Sankey Phillip Cope anthony@rvaircraft.co.za admin@borderaviation.co.za 082 497 1701 / 011 824 5683 074 231 2964 www.rvaircraft.co.za www.borderaviation.co.za paul@emperoraviation.co.za info@hover.co.za www.emperoraviation.co.za www.hover.co.za Aircraft Finance Corporation Breytech Aviation cc Jaco Pietersen 012 567 3139 Enstrom/MD Helicopters Indigo Helicopters +27 [0]82 672 2262 Willie Breytenbach Andrew Widdall Gerhard Kleynhans jaco@airfincorp.co.za admin@breytech.co.za 011 397 6260 082 927 4031 / 086 528 4234 www.airfincorp.co.za aerosa@safomar.co.za veroeschka@indigohelicopters.co.za Bundu Aviation www.safomar.co.za www.indigohelicopters.co.za Aircraft Maintenance @ Work Phillip Cronje Opelo / Frik 083 485 2427 Era Flug Flight Training IndigoSat South Africa - Aircraft Tracking 012 567 3443 info@bunduaviation.co.za Pierre Le Riche Gareth Willers frik@aviationatwork.co.za_ www.bunduaviation.co.za 021 934 7431 08600 22 121 opelonke@aviationatwork.co.za info@era-flug.com sales@indigosat.co.za Celeste Sani Pak & Inflight Products www.era-flug.com www.indigosat.co.za Aircraft Maintenance International Steve Harris Pine Pienaar 011 452 2456 Execujet Africa Integrated Avionic Solutions 083 305 0605 admin@chemline.co.za 011 516 2300 Gert van Niekerk gm@aminternational.co.za www.chemline.co.za enquiries@execujet.co.za 082 831 5032 www.execujet.com gert@iasafrica.co.za Aircraft Maintenance International Cape Aircraft Interiors www.iasafrica.co.za Wonderboom Sarel Schutte Federal Air Thomas Nel 021 934 9499 Nick Lloyd-Roberts International Flight Clearances 082 444 7996 michael@wcaeromarine.co.za 011 395 9000 Steve Wright admin@aminternational.co.za www.zscai.co.za shuttle@fedair.com 076 983 1089 (24 Hrs) www.fedair.com flightops@flyifc.co.za Air Line Pilots’ Association Cape Town Flying Club www.flyifc.co.za Sonia Ferreira Beverley Combrink Ferry Flights int.inc. 011 394 5310 021 934 0257 / 082 821 9013 Michael (Mick) Schittenhelm Investment Aircraft alpagm@iafrica.com info@capetownflyingclub.co.za 082 442 6239 Quinton Warne www.alpa.co.za www.@capetownflyingclub.co.za ferryflights@ferry-flights.com 082 806 5193 www.ferry-flights.com aviation@lantic.net Airshift Aircraft Sales Capital Air www.investmentaircraft.com Eugene du Plessis Micaella Vinagre Fireblade Aviation 082 800 3094 011 827 0335 010 595 3920 Jabiru Aircraft eugene@airshift.co.za micaella@capitalairsa.com info@firebladeaviation.com Len Alford www.airshift.co.za www.capitalairsa.com www.firebladeaviation.com 044 876 9991 / 044 876 9993 info@jabiru.co.za Airvan Africa Century Avionics cc Flight Training College www.jabiru.co.za Patrick Hanly Carin van Zyl Cornell Morton 082 565 8864 011 701 3244 044 876 9055 Jim Davis Books airvan@border.co.za sales@centuryavionics.co.za ftc@flighttrainning.co.za Jim Davis www.airvan.co.za www.centuryavionics.co.za www.flighttraining.co.za 072 188 6484 jim@border.co.za Algoa Flying Club Chemetall Flight Training Services www.jimdavis.co.za Sharon Mugridge Wayne Claassens Amanda Pearce 041 581 3274 011 914 2500 011 805 9015/6 Joc Air T/A The Propeller Shop info@algoafc.co.za wayne.claassens@basf.com amanda@fts.co.za Aiden O’Mahony www.algoafc.co.za www.chemetall.com www.fts.co.za 011 701 3114 jocprop@iafrica.com Alpha One Aviation Chem-Line Aviation & Celeste Products Fly Jetstream Aviation Opelo Steve Harris Henk Kraaij Kishugu Aviation 082 301 9977 011 452 2456 083 279 7853 +27 13 741 6400 on@alphaoneaviation.co.za sales@chemline.co.za charter@flyjetstream.co.za comms@kishugu.com www.alphaoneaviation.co.za www.chemline.co.za www.flyjetstream.co.za www.kishugu.com/kishugu-aviation



FlightCom Magazine

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

MS Aviation Gary Templeton 082 563 9639 gary.templeton@msaviation.co.za www.msaviation.co.za

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

Skyhorse Aviation Ryan Louw 012 809 3571 info@skyhorse.co.za www.skyhorse.co.za

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

North East Avionics Keith Robertson +27 13 741 2986 keith@northeastavionics.co.za deborah@northeastavionics.co.za www.northeastavionics.co.za Landing Eyes Gavin Brown Orsmond Aviation 031 202 5703 058 303 5261 info@landingeyes.co.za info@orsmondaviation.co.za www.landingeyes.com www.orsmondaviation.co.za Lanseria Aircraft Interiors Owenair (Pty) Ltd Francois Denton Clive Skinner 011 659 1962 / 076 810 9751 082 923 9580 francois@aircraftcompletions.co.za clive.skinner@owenair.co.za www.owenwair.co.za Lanseria International Airport Mike Christoph Pacair 011 367 0300 Wayne Bond mikec@lanseria.co.za 033 386 6027 www.lanseria.co.za pacair@telkomsa.net

Skyworx Aviation Kevin Hopper kevin@skyworx.co.za www.skyworxaviation.co.za

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

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

Southern Energy Company (Pty) Ltd Elke Bertram +264 8114 29958 johnnym@sec.com.na www.sec.com.na

Litson & Associates (Pty) Ltd OGP, BARS, Resources Auditing & Aviation Training karen.litson@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 21 8517187 www.litson.co.za

Pipistrel Kobus Nel 083 231 4296 kobus@pipistrelsa.co.za www.pipistrelsa.co.za

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

Plane Maintenance Facility Johan 083 300 3619 pmf@myconnection.co.za

Sport Plane Builders Pierre Van Der Walt 083 361 3181 pmvdwalt@mweb.co.za

Precision Aviation Services Marnix Hulleman 012 543 0371 marnix@pasaviation.co.za www.pasaviation.co.za PSG Aviation Reon Wiese 0861 284 284 reon.wiese@psg.co.za www.psg aviation.co.za

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

Rainbow SkyReach (Pty) Ltd Mike Gill 011 817 2298 Mike@fly-skyreach.com www.fly-skyreach.com Rand Airport Stuart Coetzee 011 827 8884 stuart@randairport.co.za www.randairport.co.za Robin Coss Aviation Robin Coss 021 934 7498 info@cossaviation.com www.cossaviation.co.za

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

Litson & Associates Risk Management Services (Pty) Ltd. eSMS-S/eTENDER/ eREPORT/Advisory Services karen.litson@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 8517187 www.litson.co.za Loutzavia Aircraft Sales Henry Miles 082 966 0911 henry@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Loutzavia Flight Training Gerhardt Botha 012 567 6775 ops@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Loutzavia-Pilots and Planes Maria Loutzis 012 567 6775 maria@loutzavia.co.za www.pilotsnplanes.co.za Loutzavia Rand Frans Pretorius 011 824 3804 rand@loutzavia.co.za www@loutzavia.co.za Lowveld Aero Club Pugs Steyn 013 741 3636 Flynow@lac.co.za Marshall Eagle Les Lebenon 011 958 1567 les@marshalleagle.co.za www.marshalleagle.co.za Maverick Air Charters Chad Clark 083 292 2270 Charters@maverickair.co.za www.maverickair.co.za MCC Aviation Pty Ltd Claude Oberholzer 011 701 2332 info@flymcc.co.za www.flymcc.co.za MH Aviation Services (Pty) Ltd Marc Pienaar 011 609 0123 / 082 940 5437 customerrelations@mhaviation.co.za www.mhaviation.co.za M and N Acoustic Services cc Martin de Beer 012 689 2007/8 calservice@mweb.co.za Metropolitan Aviation (Pty) Ltd Gert Mouton 082 458 3736 herenbus@gmail.com Money Aviation Angus Money 083 263 2934 angus@moneyaviation.co.za www.moneyaviation.co.za

SAA Technical (SOC) Ltd SAAT Marketing 011 978 9993 satmarketing@flysaa.com www.flysaa.com/technical SABRE Aircraft Richard Stubbs 083 655 0355 richardstubbs@mweb.co.za www.aircraftafrica.co.za SA Mooney Patrick Hanly 082 565 8864 samooney@border.co.za www.samooney.co.za Savannah Helicopters De Jager 082 444 1138 / 044 873 3288 dejager@savannahhelicopters.co.za www.savannahhelicopters.co.za Scenic Air Christa van Wyk +264 612 492 68 windhoek@scenic-air.com www.scenic-air.com Sheltam Aviation Durban Susan Ryan 083 505 4882 susanryan@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com Sheltam Aviation PE Brendan Booker 082 497 6565 brendanb@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com

Sky-Tech Heinz Van Staden 082 720 5210 sky-tech@telkomsa.net www.sky-tech.za.com Sling Aircraft Kim Bell-Cross 011 948 9898 sales@airplanefactory.co.za www.airplanefactory.co.za Solenta Aviation (Pty Ltd) Paul Hurst 011 707 4000 info@solenta.com www.solenta.com

Unique Air Charter Nico Pienaar 082 444 7994 nico@uniqueair.co.za www.uniqueair.co.za Unique Flight Academy Nico Pienaar 082 444 7994 nico@uniqueair.co.za www.uniqueair.co.za Van Zyl Aviation Services Colette van Zyl 012 997 6714 admin@vanzylaviationco.za www.vanzylaviation.co.za Vector Aerospace Jeff Poirier +902 888 1808 jeff.poirier@vectoraerospace.com www.vectoraerospace.com Velocity Aviation Collin Pearson 011 659 2306 / 011 659 2334 collin@velocityaviation.co.za www.velocityaviation.co.za Villa San Giovanni Luca Maiorana 012 111 8888 info@vsg.co.za www.vsg.co.za

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

Status Aviation (Pty) Ltd Richard Donian 074 587 5978 / 086 673 5266 info@statusaviation.co.za www.statusaviation.co.za Superior Pilot Services Liana Jansen van Rensburg 0118050605/2247 info@superiorair.co.za www.superiorair.co.za The Copter Shop Bill Olmsted 082 454 8555 execheli@iafrica.com www.execheli.wixsite.com/the-coptershop-sa Titan Helicopter Group 044 878 0453 info@titanhelicopters.com www.titanhelicopters.com TPSC Dennis Byrne 011 701 3210 turboprop@wol.co.za Trio Helicopters & Aviation cc CR Botha or FJ Grobbelaar 011 659 1022

Vortx Aviation Bredell Roux 072 480 0359 info@vortx.co.za www.vortxaviation.com Wagtail Aviation Johan van Ludwig 082 452 8194 acrochem@mweb.co.za www.wagtail.co.za Wanafly Adrian Barry 082 493 9101 adrian@wanafly.net www.wanafly.co.za Windhoek Flight Training Centre Thinus Dreyer 0026 40 811284 180 pilots@flywftc.com www.flywftc.com Wings n Things Wendy Thatcher 011 701 3209 wendy@wingsnthings.co.za www.wingsnthings.co.za Witbank Flight School Andre De Villiers 083 604 1718 andredv@lantic.net www.waaflyingclub.co.za Wonderboom Airport Peet van Rensburg 012 567 1188/9 peet@wonderboomairport.co.za www.wonderboomairport.co.za Zandspruit Bush & Aero Estate Martin Den Dunnen 082 449 8895 martin@zandspruit.co.za www.zandspruit.co.za Zebula Golf Estate & SPA Reservations 014 734 7700 reception@zebula.co.za www.zebula.co.za

stoffel@trioavi.co.za/frans@trioavi.co.za

www.trioavi.co.za Tshukudu Trailers Pieter Visser 083 512 2342 deb@tshukudutrailers.co.za www.tshukudutrailers.co.za U Fly Training Academy Nikola Puhaca 011 824 0680 ufly@telkomsa.net www.uflyacademy.co.za United Charter cc Jonathan Wolpe 083 270 8886 jonathan.wolpe@unitedcharter.co.za www.unitedcharter.co.za

FlightCom Magazine

BOEING 737 MAX RETURNS There is still uncertainty as to the fate of the 8 Comair Boeing 737 Maxes.

After having been grounded for 21 months the Boeing 737 Max has finally been approved for a return to service by the FAA.

HE FAA has now approved the comprehensive changes and testing of the now infamous MCAS system. American Airlines as said the date for the return to service of the Max has been set at 29 December, 21 months after the plane was grounded worldwide in the aftermath of a pair of accidents that killed 346 people. The 737 Max with its CFM Leap 1-B engines was introduced into service in May 2017, but until the two crashes, there hadn’t been any widespread understanding of the issues surrounding a new system, MCAS, which automatically enhances the stability of the plane to compensate for the changes the new, larger engines made to its flight envelope. Boeing developed the new model in record time in order to give it a plane to compete with Airbus’ improved single-aisle A320neo, which boasted best-in-class fuel efficiency, and was gaining orders fast. As a result of the two crashes, questionable practices by Boeing and the FAA were brought to light, with Boeing allegedly doing a poor job of 50

FlightCom Magazine

communicating its changes internally and with the FAA failing to properly oversee the certification of the Max. In late November the US House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation that will reform the FAA aircraft certification process. The House committee responsible for investigating the airplanes issued a preliminary report in March that identified errors and failures in multiple areas on the part of Boeing and the FAA. In June senators introduced the Aircraft Safety and Reform Act of 2020 to reform the FAA’s aircraft certification process and give the FAA more authority over the process. In September the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee issued a report determining that both Boeing and the FAA were at fault in certifying and developing the 737 MAX. After the Ethiopian crash in 2019, the Max was grounded worldwide, resulting in hundreds of jets being parked around the world. Before an airline can start operating the 737 Max again, it needs to get their new training programs approved and implemented. The only South African operator for the Max was Comair and it is still in negotiation with the lessors about the fate of the 8 Maxes on order and the one which has been delivered. 

FlightCï&#x192;¼m African Commercial Aviation

AV I AT I O N CO M PA N Y PROFILES G U I D E 2021

INDEX: • 208 Aviation - Aircraft Maintenance

•

• Aerios Global Aviation

Conveyor and Industrial Supplies (Titanium AIR ) Cubby Aircraft

• Adventure Air - Interior & Exterior refurbishment

•

CW Price & Co - Airport Support Equipment

• Aero Engineering & Powerplant - Engine

•

Dennis Jankelow & Associates - Aviation

Overhaul

Insurance

• Aerospace Electroplating

•

Diepkloof AMO - AMO, aircraft maintenance

• Aeronautical Aviation - Avionics / Electrical /

•

DM Aviation Spares - Aircraft parts and

Instrumentation / Autopilots

consumables

• Aerocolour - Aircraft Refurbishment

•

Dynamic Propellers - Propeller Specialists

• Aeronav Academy - Pilot Training

•

Emperor Aviation - AMO, refurbishments, rebuilds

• Aerotric P/L - Electrical, Ignition, Instruments

•

Executive Aircraft Refurbishment - Aircraft

• AES - Electrical and avionics workshop

Refurbishment

• AIFA - Flight Training

•

F Gomes - Aircraft Upholstery

• Airbus Helicopters - Aircraft Sales, Maintenance,

•

GIB Aviation Insurance Brokers P/L

•

International Flight Clearances - Aircraft Handling

Training • Aircraft Assessing

& Clearance/Permit Specialists

• Aircraft General Spares

•

Jemax Aviation (Pambele) - Air Charter

• Algoa Flight Club - Flight Training / Hire and Fly

•

JHB Flying Academy - Flight Training

• Alpi Aviation - Pilot Training

•

KZN Aviation - executive charters

• APCO

•

Leading Edge Aviation - Helicopter Firefighting

• Armscor - gateway to defence solutions

and Heavy Lift Operations

• Ascend Aviation - aircraft sales

•

Merchant West - Aircraft Finance

• Astwood Aircraft - electrical spares and Repairs

•

Mistral Aviation

• Avdex - Software Maintenance Tracking

•

Namagri - Robinson Dealer

• Aviation Rebuilders

•

Pilot Flight Training - Flight Training

• Aviation Direct - Airfield Information,

•

SABRE Aircraft

•

Skyhawk Aviation - Flight Training

•

Starlite Aviation Aerosales - Operations -

Flight Planning & Navigation • Avisys • Avtech

Contract Work and Emergency Services/

• Beegle Tracker - Tracking, flight following

Helicopter, Aeroplane and Drone Pilot Training/

• Benveroy - Fuel Protection and Enhancement

Aircraft Sales/Local and International Charters/

• Blue Chip Flight School -

Aircraft Maintenance

Our Pilots become Captains!

•

Turtle-Pac

• Border Aviaiton - Flight Training and Hire & Fly

•

Wagtail Aviation

• CAMOSA

•

Wings 'n Things - Pilot Supplies

TAKE TO THE SKIES

2 0 8 A VIA TION AERO ENGINEERING AND

tion specialises in Blackhawk engine es for Beechcraft King Air Series and Cessna Caravan.

208 AVIATION Aircraft Maintenance

an approved Blackhawk Dealer and Installation Facility,

1148

POWERPLANT

C) PROPELLER DIVISION:

Engine Overhaul

The supply of new & second

Based at hangar number four,

hand Hartzell and McCauley

at Wonderboom Airport, Aero

variable pitch propellers, as

Engineeringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services include

fitted to piston & turbine engine

Aviation cc is a South African

the overhaul, maintenance,

aircraft,

privately-owned company that

service, and repair of Lycoming

strives to provide a broad range

and Continental aircraft piston

& Sensenich fixed pitch

of maintenance and inspection

engines and associated

propellers,

services.

components.

HANGAR 59, WONDERBOOM AIRPORT PRETORIA. SOUTH AFRICA www.208aviation.co.za +27 83 744 3412

Established in 2007, 208

The supply of new McCauley

Propeller dynamic Balancing.

Now in our twelth year of

Aero Engineering and

operation, we have become a

Powerplant comprises of the

D) PARTS DIVISION:

key player in aviation operations

following divisions:

The parts division specialises

on the African continent. Our

in the sourcing of all piston

speciality is the Cessna 208

A) ENGINE DIVISION:

engine, component, & propeller

Caravan, Beechcraft King Air

Overhaul of Lycoming &

parts, either from local

series, Quest Kodiak, Daher

Continental engines,

distributors or from overseas

TBM and Eclipse 500 aircraft

Carrying out shock-load

distributors & OEM.

maintenance and technical

inspections,

support.

Bench-testing of engines,

local & over-border operators,

Re-boring and honing of

and owners, of piston & turbine

earned a reputation for

cylinders,

engined aircraft, as well as local

providing superior quality and

Repair on starter clutch gears.

& over-border maintenance

Over the years, we have

workmanship. Doing things right

Their client base includes

organizations.

is how we do business. We

B) COMPONENT DIVISION:

consider it our responsibility to

The overhaul of all engine

1996 and was taken over in 2006

go above and beyond when it

components, including:

by partners Andre Labuschagne

comes to aviation safety and

McCauley, Hartzell, PCU

and Derek van der Westhuizen.

customer satisfaction.

5000 and Woodward Constant

They have seven qualified

speed units(CSU),

engineers and a loyal clientele.

208 Aviation is also an

The business was founded in

authorised Quest Kodiak and

TCM & Bendix Fuel systems,

Daher TBM Service Center

TCM, Romec, Fuel pumps,

as well as a very proud

Marvel Schebler carburettors,

Tel: 012-543-0948

BlackhawkÂŽ installation facility.

Garrett & HET turbo-

Email: aeroeng@iafrica.com

controllers,

Website:

+27 83 744 3412 Email:

Overhaul & servicing of

www.aeroengineering.co.za

ben@208aviation.co.za

magnetos.

Contact Ben Esterhuizen

Contact Andre Labuschagne on:

AERIOS GLOBAL AVIATION – AGA HELICOPTERS ADVENTURE AIR

Helicopter operations, maintenance,

Interior and Exterior refurbishment

cargo and medical evacuations.

Adventure Air was established in November

AGA specialises in offshore and land based

2010 and operates from the purpose built; positive

helicopter operations, providing full flight

pressure aircraft painting facility fully refurbished

operations and maintenance support, carrying

to our exacting standards. Using our own process,

both passengers and cargo and medical

paint and quality experts together with state-of-

evacuations.

the-art electro-static equipment, Adventure Air

AGA operates from its facility at Cape Town

offers our customers a reliable and high-quality

Airport and has operated for UN WFP and is OGP

service.

(Oil, Gas and Petroleum) Industry APPROVED,

Adventure Air offers the following services:

with its EC145 twin engined 2x pilot operations, as

Aircraft interior and exterior paint repair, Aircraft

well as being a member of SAOGA (South African

exterior complete strip and repaint, Aircraft exterior

Oil and Gas Alliance).

wash, Aircraft Valet and polish We also specialize in 49% building assistance on the VANS’RV range and MPI’s Adventure Air is now able to offer the aircraft industry a complete high-quality, top-class aircraft refurbishment and assembly service for small to medium-sized aircraft. In October 2019 Adventure Air and Zenair

AGA has over the years serviced a number of contracts in a number of African countries, (Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Sudan, Swaziland, Madagascar, DRC, Liberia), as well as in the Middle East and Afghanistan. AGA operates its own Helistop, in the Port of Cape Town, Customs and Immigration area, which is SACAA Approved for Day and Night VFR

signed an agreement to grant Adventure Air the

operations. This enables them to offer a full OPL

rights to have the only professional-build facility In

(Off Port Limits) service to the Shipping Industry

South Africa.

and Emergency Maritime Services (Search

In July 2020, Adventure Air was approved and

and Rescue and Medevac), with our industry

granted the Part 24 Type Approval in terms of the

partnerships in Cape Town and internationally.

South African Civil Aviation Regulations under

AGA’s experienced crews and personnel, supply

Category, Production Build (LSA) Under type, and

on deck landing, hoist and cargo slinging services,

model designation: Zenair CH STOL 750 / CH

including Ship Pilot Services, landing on oil rigs, oil

STOL 750 Cruzer and CH STOL 750 Super Duty.

and gas tankers, FPSO’s and bulk cargo carriers,

This Aircrafts type was developed and approved

while they are still sailing.

under the guidelines and requirements of SACAA

AGA provides Flight Operations through our

Regulation 24.02.10. We are also a Manufacturing

Aerios Global Aviation Part 127 and Part 138 AOC,

Organisation under part 148.

as well as Maintenance through our FliteTech AMO

Contact Lande Milne +27 012 543-3196 or email l.milne@venture-sa.co.za

at our Cape Town International Airport facility, in support of our AIRBUS type helicopters. Contact: e-mail: opsmanager@aeriosglobal.

co.za Cell: +27 76 420 9100 t : +27 21 934 9127

AEROCOLOUR Aerocolour cc. was founded in 2005 and has been based at Lanseria Airport, Hangar M5, South Africa ever since. We are a privately owned Aircraft Refurbishment facility in Southern Africa and have the confidence of a wide variety of Aviation Customers. Our hard-won reputation is built on excellent workmanship, after sales service and product support as well as personal customer relations, which have earned the confidence of manufacturers and customers alike. Our core business is made up of private and corporate general aviation aircraft owners as well as aviation service providers and sales companies to whom we provide aircraft refurbishment. We proudly provide the service that our clients have come to expect from Aerocolour cc. Aerocolour cc’s broad base of customers stretches throughout South Africa and Southern Africa, as well as UAE and certain Northern African countries. Aerocolour is a trusted service provider throughout the aviation industry for Respray of Complete Aircraft Exterior as well as panels / parts, touch up and repair of parts or specific areas on aircraft and various other refurbishment requirements. Please contact Alfred Maraun on 082 775 9720 for any queries and quotes.

AERONAUTICAL AVIATION

to consider cockpit workload,

Avionics / Electrical /

client requirements, legislative

Instrumentation / Autopilots

requirements, over capitalisation

Aeronautical Aviation, based

and down time. We truly believe a

at Lanseria International Airport,

client must walk away after using

is an African leader in the

our services and feel he was sold

repair, installation and overhaul

the right goods, at the right price

of aircraft Instrumentation,

with high quality, good turn around

Avionics, Electrical, Autopilots

and exceptional service.

and accessories since 2005. We

Over and above this, who

provide superior, reliable, and

better for an aircraft owner to

cost effective services for a broad

deal with than a Pilot and Aircraft

spectrum of the aviation industry,

Owner. Clinton understands

including general/commercial/

the challenges in the cockpit,

corporate aviation, helicopter

regulatory requirements and

operations, and government and

certification issues so he can give

military customers.

informed advise accordingly. An

We are committed to providing our customers with outstanding quality and service. Our company

upgrade is not something to take lightly. At Aeronautical Aviation, your

was built on integrity, honesty,

success and safety is our number

and excellence in every aspect of

one priority.

the services we have to offer. We

Company Contact details:

also believe in keeping the cost

Tel: 011 659 – 1033 / 083 459

reasonable, while maintaining

6279 Fax: 011 659 – 1035

exceptional quality that either

Physical Address: Hangar 202,

meets or exceeds Original

Gate 7, Lanseria International

Aircraft Manufacturer (OEM)

Airport. Email: Sales@

specifications.

aeronautical.co.za

When Clinton Carroll started the company in 2005, he noticed

Website: www.aeronautical.co.za

a huge gap in the market when it came to the understanding of

Social Media: Twitter:

what a Pilot needs versus what is

@AeronauticalIns

economically viable. Most Avionics

Facebook:

shops try and sell high, where

@AeronauticalAviation

as we at Aeronautical Aviation

Instagram:

take a different look, before the

@aeronautical_aviation

client spends money. We need

LinkedIn: aeronautical-aviation

AERONAV ACADEMY Pilot Training Aeronav Academy is committed to providing top-level flight training utilising the most modern equipment available. This not only gives our clients an enjoyable training experience but also provides Aeronav the ability to conduct flight training in a manner that ensures that student pilots will be ready and well equipped to enter the aviation industry of the future. Aeronav Academy is proud to offer a dynamic

We are situated at 30B, Build Aircraft Refurbishment, Aircraft Call Des on 011 827 7535 or Maintenance or Peter on 081 775 2434 or Aerospace Electroplating, SACAA AMO 506, For all your ircraft and Allie has been operating at RandAAirport, Germiston since 1965 and has served the aircraft industry AEROSPACE ELECTROPLATING

with distinction and produce high quality surface finished products. The company is owned by Mistral Aviation Services and run by Oliver Trollope and a highly

professional and qualified team of electroplaters.

fleet of aircraft, including Diamond DA20s, Cessna

Our highly qualified team are available to

182s and the Diamond DA42 Twinstar Multi-engine

advise you on the perfect solution to all your

trainer. The Academy’s latest acquisition is the

electroplating plating needs and solutions to

impressive Alsim ALX-65 flight simulator. The

perfectly re-finish your aircraft components to the

amazingly realistic graphics feel of the controls

manufacturer’s specifications.

and response make training in this flight simulator a truly first class experience. The school is based at Lanseria Airport. A controlled airspace provides students with an

Our processes are approved by SACAA, Denel, Airbus Europe, Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney and Allison Doil. We offer a wide range of services for aircraft

excellent grounding in procedures and gives them

owners and general industry, and through our

the experience needed to cope with operating in a

partnership with Mistral Aviation Services, we can

busy airline orientated environment. Whether you

offer engineering and NDT services.

choose to fly for pleasure or wish to make aviation your career, Aeronav can provide you with an approved course tailored to your needs. Tel No: + 27 11 701 3862

We look forward to the future with a range of innovative services to continue servicing the aircraft industry.

Email: info@aeronav.co.za

Tel: 011 827 7535

Website: www.aeronav.co.za

Email: petasus@mweb.co.za

AERO ELECTRICAL SOLUTIONS (AES) AES is an Aircraft Maintenance Organisation, AMO1011, established in October 2004 and AEROTRIC Electrical, Ignition, Instruments Aerotric (Pty) Ltd is based at Wonderboom Airport and has grown from strength to strength since opening their doors in May 2012. The Company prides itself on providing quality and reliable services such as overhauling, installing and repairing all electrical, ignition, instruments and avionics that is efficient and at an affordable rate. Aerotric is a small company with big heart that strives to maintain relationships with all customers. Consisting of seven staff members Aerotric maintains a policy of high standards and keeping up with the latest technology and trends in aircraft maintenance. Contact Aerotric on: Office Tel: +27 87 802 1347 Email: admin@aerotric.com or Richard@aerotric.com

operating initially from Lanseria airport. The company is growing strongly and has expanded to Cape Town International. AES prides itself on providing quality and reliable service on most aircraft, including electrical, instruments, avionics, compass systems and all aircraft components. AES can do your Ni-cad, Lead Acid main batteries, Emergency Batteries, ULB Batteries and ELT batteries at both Branches. AES has recently acquired the Agency for ACK ELT’s. AES can do your Inspections and defects away from base at affordable rates. AES states that the company is committed to the principles of honesty, excellence and dedication. All staff at AES are committed to provide its clientele with quality service time after time, because flying isn’t JUST flying! Contact: Erwin Erasmus (Cape Town) Cell: 082 494 3722 Email: erwin@aeroelectrical.co.za or Danie van Wyk (Lanseria) Cell: 083 269 8696 Email: danie@aeroelectrical.co.za Website: www.aeroelectrical.co.za

AIFA

ALPI AVIATION

Flight Training

Pilot Training

AIFA is the AVIC International Flight Training Academy (Pty) Ltd AIFA is accredited with both the SACAA and

dream and a great passion for all things aviation

the CAAC (China) as a Part 141 Air Training

led to the founding of this company. Alpi Aviation is

Organisation. The School provides world-class

headed by avid aviation enthusiast, Dale de Klerk,

training from modern facilities on a modern fleet

who is an accomplished hangglider, microlight,

of aircraft, state-of-the-art aircraft simulators and

glider and fixed-wing pilot.

operates from three training bases in South Africa,

Dale has won several regional and national

namely George Airport in the Garden Route,

competitions, becoming world Rally Flying

Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo and Beaufort West

Champion in 2003. Dale also earned his

in the Great Karoo.

Springbok Flying colours in Rally and Precision

AIFA was formed after the acquisition of the

flying from 1995 through to 2004, and continues

former Cape Flying Services during April 2011.

to challenge his considerable aviation capabilities

AIFA is backed by AVIC-International, a large

in a wide range of aviation techniques, styles and

scale state-owned conglomerate with aviation

aircraft.

products and technology import and export as

ALPI Aviation SA was established after

its core business. Headquartered in Beijing,

the demand arose for an accredited training

With its total assets of up to RMB 24 billion and

organisation to cater for those who don’t want to

accumulated import and export volume of US $24

be, ‘just another pilot’. The intention was to build

billion thus far, AVIC-International ranks among the

an accredited Flight School, certified to CAA

first 20 of China’s top 500 enterprises for import

standards, using experienced instructors with an

and export. Test Flying Academy of South Africa

ethos of respect toward all their students.

(TFASA) is our other shareholder, a company with

At Alpi Aviation, we value the individuality of

long and successful business relationships with

each student, and we will do our utmost to hone

AVIC-International and COMAC in China.

their capabilities and enhance their passion.

AIFA combines the experience of world-class

No one is ‘just another student pilot’. It is with

instructors, the beauty of our surroundings,

this credo in mind that we invite you to personally

excellent South African weather and the passion

experience how our broad background of solid

for aviation of our personnel to afford our students

aviation experience and expertise can take your

a modern learning experience which will open

flying career to new heights.

doors to an exciting career in the aviation industry

Contact Alpi Aviation on:

anywhere in the world. Our commitment to

Tel: +27 82 556 3592

upholding a very high standard of aviation safety is

Email: dale@alpiaviation.co.za

one of the cornerstones of AIFA.

Website: www.alpiaviation.co.za

Contact: Oudtshoorn Base: Tel: +27 (44) 272 5547. George Base Tel: +27 (44) 876 9217

Not ‘just another’ flying academy. A childhood

AIRBUS Aircraft Sales, Maintenance, Training Airbus Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd has maintained a presence in South Africa since 1994 and is headquartered at Grand Central Airport in Midrand, South Africa. The Grand Central base is home to the company’s regional Helicopters and Defence & Space businesses. As a world-leading aerospace company, Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners, military transport and special mission’s aircraft, helicopters, rocket-launchers and satellites. It also provides a comprehensive array of aviation, space and geo-intelligence systems and solutions to government and civilian customers. Airbus Helicopters provides the most efficient civil and military helicopter solutions to Sub Sahara Africa customers who operate an inservice fleet of around 340 turbine helicopters, to serve, protect, save lives and safely transport passengers in highly demanding environments. This arm of the business also supports customers from its branch in Nairobi. Airbus Defence and Space is responsible for sales and support of military transport aircraft in service with the SA Air Force and other armed forces in the SADC region. It also supplies satellite images, geo-intelligence and space data solutions to government, research and commercial customers. Worldwide, including South Africa, Airbus employs a workforce of around 135,000 people. Contact: contact.marketing.ahza@airbus.com Telephone: +27 (0) 11 266 2600 Fax: +27 (0) 11 266 2628 Web: www.airbushelicopters.co.za / www. airbus.com

CLICK HERE

AIRCRAFT ASSESSING COMPANY Maintenance, appraisals Aircraft Assessing Company (AAC) was registered in 2002 in response to a growing need from the regional (Continent of Africa) aviation industry for unbiased and professional evaluations of fixed wing and rotor wing aircraft. In satisfying the industry's needs, AAC’s client base has grown to include local, regional and international aircraft fleet owners, airlines, government agencies, corporations, Insurers, legal practioners, financial institutions, individual aircraft owners and other interested parties. All appraisals are carried out to international Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) standards by AAC’s owner and Senior Certified Aircraft Appraiser, Paul Leaker NSCA who is well experienced as an Appraiser of narrow body airliners, heavy lift helicopters and everything in between. Paul has carried out in excess of 3000 aircraft appraisals and is required by AAC’s governing body to undergo re-certification training and examination in the USA every 3-years. In addition to certified appraisals, AAC provides a broad range of technical and associated services to the industry which include pre, mid and post lease aircraft assessment, maintenance oversight, maintenance record and log book audits, post repair assessment, cost review, legal expert witness services and aircraft sales. Aircraft Assessing Company (Pty) Ltd remains the only company in Africa specialising in its chosen field. Contact Paul Leaker on: Cell: 083 310 8588 Tel: 011 659 1127 Email: paull@aacglobal.co.za Website: www.aacglobal.co.za

ALGOA FLYING CLUB Flight Training / Hire and Fly AIRCRAFT GENERAL SPARES Aircraft Maintenance Eric Erasmus, the owner and founder of Aircraft General Spares, gained his extensive experience in the industry as a parts store manager at PLACO. When the company closed in 2017 Eric bought the entire inventory and Aircraft General Spares (AGS) was born. AGS are conveniently situated at the main entrance to Rand Airport. In addition to stocking a large variety of off the shelf items, AGS also specialises in assisting clients with hard to find items which will be sourced and imported according to the client’s requirements. With their large variety of spares, AGS have a well-earned reputation for being the one stop for anything needed in the light aircraft industry. Their range of spares includes Alclad, tyres, tubes, hoses, 4130 tubing, rivets, O-rings, seals, engine parts, gaskets, bearings, glue, sealants, sick bags, funnels, ducting, air filters, oil filters, spark plugs, aircraft logbooks and a vast range of fasteners. AGS are also an official distributor of the full range of Aeroshell oil and grease products. AGS may be found at: Building B7: Rand Airport, Germiston. Call Eric on Tel: 067 154 2147. Email: eric@acgs.co.za or visit: www.acgs.co.za

We provide all forms of flying training and self-fly hire with the specific goal of making flying accessible to as many people as possible, within a friendly environment where members, students and their guests can relax after their flights. The Algoa Flying Club is a not for profit organisation of flying enthusiasts with the aims and objects of promoting flying and flying training in all its facets and to the highest standards. It’s the shared experience that helps to make the Algoa Flying Club the right place to earn your wings. We boast a fleet of Cessna 152’s, Cessna 172’s, a Cessna 172Rg, a Sling 2, a Piper Comanche, a Piper Seminole and a SACAA Accredited Elite Evolution S812 (FNPT 11) Simulator, which offers Multi Engine Piston based on the Beech Baron B58 and a Single Engine Piston based on the Cessna 172RG. Contact: Telephone +27 41 581 3274 Email info@algoafc.co.za

AIRCRAFT POWERPLANT COMPANY

ARMSCOR PROVIDES COST EFFECTIVE

Aircraft Maintenance, Engine Overhaul

DEFENCE SOLUTIONS Defence

Aircraft Powerplant Company (APCO) was born in 2001 as a result of the management buyout of the PLACO Engines Division. Under the guidance Tony Rodrigues and Henk Joubert, both equipped with a wealth of experience and knowledge, APCO has earned a reputation for excellence within the aviation community. APCO’s Team of highly qualified factory and locally trained technicians have developed full in-house capacity to perform all required maintenance and turn key repair services, including bench testing on both Lycoming and Continental Engines. In addition APCO have an in-house component division, engine hose shop, machine shop, aluminium welding shop and also offer cadmium engine plating. The newly introduced NTC engine shop specialise in the repair and overhaul of many brands of NTC engines including Gypsy, Lycoming and Superior Kit Engines to name but a few. As an optional extra they offer a balancing and porting service as well as many types of corrosion protective applications, ranging from polyurethane base paints to the more lavish and durable ceramic coatings. Hangar 5A, Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria North tonyrodrigues@mweb.co.za +27 82 558 9388 henkjoubert@mweb.co.za +27 83 258 5272

The Armaments Corporation of South Africa SOC Ltd (Armscor) is the acquisition agency for the South African Department of Defence and other organs of State. Its primary mandate is to provide armed forces with state-of-the-art defence materiél required to provide safety and security for South Africa, its citizens and the continent. Through its Aero Systems Division, Armscor plays a key role in providing the South African Air Force (SAAF) with the necessary equipment and support required for mission readiness, which includes but not limited to conducting humanitarian operations in African countries. Armscor provides cost-effective and safe provision of aircraft product systems and logistic support that creates defence capability. Aero Systems capabilities offered at Armscor include: •

Contract and project management expertise

•

Providing maintenance and storage management

•

Holistic over view of the life cycle of equipment

•

Technical (systems and logistic engineering) expertise

Tel: +27 12 428 1911 Contact: info@armscor.co.za www.armscor.co.za Follow us:

ArmscorSOC

ASTWOOD AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL Electrical and avionics workshop Astwood Aircraft Electrical has grown steadily since its opening as a one man business in 1996. The company is a fully accredited AMO with the SACAA, providing specialist services regarding most electrical/ignition components associated with light aircraft and helicopters up to small jets and turbine aircraft. Located on the south side of Grand Central Airport in a prefab building (close to the fuel bay), the owner Shaun Lombard-Chibnall and his team offer a personal and professional approach to the needs of aircraft owners and other AMOs needing electrical or ignition work. Shaun completed his training in Zimbabwe and has been a licenced AME since 1980. Based on his wealth of experience and knowledge, Astwood provides aircraft owners with the highest industry standards for repair, servicing and overhauling of alternators, starters, magnetos, motors, startergenerators and wiring. Shaun has kept the company small to offer a more personal service. We are proud to say that we have customers from all around South Africa and the SADC countries. The Astwood team has an efficient spares system in place, supplying clients local and overseas, and is the sole agent for B&C Specialty Products, a specialist company in light weight electrical systems for the professional and the home builder. We will go out of our way to help locate and provide spares and components. Astwood also offers their valued customers a travelling deal if the need arises – we will come to you. We are only a call away. Contact Astwood Aircraft Electrical on: Tel: +27 (0)11 315-9605 Cell: +27 (0)83 263-6413 Email: astwood@mweb.co.za

ASCEND AVIATION Aircraft Sales ‘Trustworthy Sales, Airworthy Excellence’ With 25 years of experience in aircraft sales Maartin Steenkamp established Ascend Aviation in early 2014. Aviation sales specialists must not only possess an exceptional understanding of their field and products, but also of the customers’ needs and experience in aviation. Acquiring an aircraft is an emotive as well as a practical decision. Maartin’s market knowledge and track record is greatly respected in the industry and Ascend Aviation’s customers can be assured that they are getting the most honest, independent, objective solutions to their present and future requirements. Ascend Aviation has assembled a team with the experience and abilities to streamline the entire process for buyers, from selection, budgeting and finance, through long-term performance and cost expectations, to ongoing advice and support, thereby making aircraft acquisition and ownership a rewarding and pleasing experience. Ascend Aviation believes personal attention, relationship building and integrity is key to service excellence, and provides a comprehensive range of services to the aviation industry: • Aircraft Sales • Acquisition mandates • Aircraft Valuations • Aircraft Management • Aircraft Finance • Aircraft Insurance • Aircraft Ferry including Importation and Exportation Contact Ascend Aviation on: Tel: +27 (0)11 064 5624 Email: sales@ascendaviation.co.za Website: www.ascendaviation.co.za

AVIATION DIRECT (PTY) LTD

AVDEX

Airfield Information, Flight Planning &

Software Maintenance Tracking

Navigation The internet has opened the world, but for many of

Avdex currently renders two leading services: the maintenance tracking of aircraft and

us it is still preferable to talk to someone who has the

management of the administrative functions of

experience and knowledge of local conditions, right?

any AMO. Our products are user friendly and full

Well, AviationDirect has been around for over 20 years, and we are in the forefront of providing airfield

training and support are provided. With more than 25 years of experience in

and aeronautical information for Southern Africa within

the industry and staffed by committed aviation

our various products.

professionals, Avdex strives for nothing less than

We have the most comprehensive database of airfields for this part of the world, receiving first-hand

service excellence. AMP is an online aircraft maintenance tracking

information from active pilots and operators in the

service. It has a central aircraft maintenance

field.

scheduling system, which means no schedule

Our exciting range of products for pilots flying in Southern Africa are designed to make the pilot’s task easier, safer and more comfortable. Added to that, we provide excellent customer support. Products that we are particularly well known and respected for

building required on the client’s side. AMP’s accurate usage tracking means less down time for the aircraft and more productivity for the AMO. AMP offers a variety of helpful features: • Full aircraft status reports based on live maintenance data • Work packs

are:

• Tracking of component movement

• The Airfields Directory for Southern Africa and

• SBs, ADs and Manual Revisions tracked by

Africa, available in printed and electronic format • EasyPlan, the flight planning software for desktop/

Avdex and notified to client when the AMP Schedule is updated

laptop PC with Win OS, an easier way to do flight

• Tracking usage of an aircraft

planning, print out flight logs and maps

• Online recording of maintenance compliance

• EasyCockpit, Southern Africa’s most used in-

AMS is a feature rich AMO administration

flight navigation app for Apple or Android Mobile

programme, which takes care of the administrative

Devices, there to enhance situational awareness,

tasks, such as:

and, together with Easy-Weather overlays of radar, satellite and winds, to provide additional safety and peace of mind • Logbooks (electronic and printed) which have been devised according to SACAA requirements.

• Purchase orders, Inventory control and traceability • Labour and time sheet control • CAA and statutory reporting • Tracking cost of sales

Contact Andrea Antel on:

Contact Avdex on:

Tel: +27 11 465 2669 | Mobile: (0)72 340 9943

Tel: (011) 954-1536

Email: info@aviationdirect.co.za

Email: info@avdex.co.za

Website: www.aviationdirect.co.za

Website www.avdex.co.za

AVTECH AIRCRAFT SERVICES Aircraft Maintenance

AVIATION REBUILDERS Aviation Rebuilders is an SACAA approved category B and X5 Aircraft Maintenance

Avtech Aircraft Services based at Wonderboom

Organisation, number AMO 188, based in the

National airport maintains Beechcraft, Piper,

Showroom right that the entrance to Rand Airport,

Cessna, Bellanca and Aerostar aircraft. With over

Germiston. Established in 1997, Aviation Rebuilders

28 years of operation, the family-owned business

is your competitive and reliable option when it comes

has a vast experience in aircraft maintenance

to of all your sheet metal, welding and flight control

and meets the highest standards, still under the

cable assembly requirements. No repair is too big or

guidance of Riekert, Sr.

too small for our enthusiastic team who are always

Avtech Aircraft Services component shop

keen and up for a challenge. Our highly experienced

specialises in the overhaul and repairs of

technicians provide excellent quality and turn-around

Continental fuel systems, carburettors and constant

times for your maintenance requirements.

speed units, which include Woodward, McCauley,

Our flight control cable assembly facility offers all

Hartzell & PCU5000. This division is run by Andre

standard MIL-SPEC cable and end fittings, ranging

Botha, AKA Proppie, who also has many years’

from 1/16” to 3/16”, with cables assembled per

experience in his field.

sample or specification. Our welding facility offers

The Avtech team have collectively over 170

weld repairs using TIG methods to aluminium alloys,

years of experience, between just four people.

carbon steel and corrosion and heat resistant steels.

Avtech is therefore a wise first stop for all your

The Aviation Rebuilders sheet metal facility boasts

general aircraft maintenance requirements.

an extensive range of tooling and equipment which

For more information contact PJR Stroh, Sr, on 082 555 2808 or PJR Stroh, Jr, on 082 749 9256. Visit them at Hangar 6 Wonderboom Airport. Email: avtech1208@gmail.com

enables us to offer an excellent repair service to keep your aircraft flying. Contact Aviation Rebuilders on: Tel: +27 (0)11 827-2491 Cell: +27 (0)82 872-4117 Email: lyn@aviationrebuilders.com

BEEGLE TRACKER AVISYS AVIATION SYSTEMS

Tracking, flight following

Aircraft Maintenance AviSys Aviation Systems is an established Maintenance Organisation (AMO 1089) with SA CAA, and other African CAA accreditation to perform component maintenance and overhaul capabilities under its Category B rating. Currently, AviSys is equipped to cater for our clients’ needs as per the SA CAA Approved Capability List and Operational Specifications on the following: •

Aircraft Braking Systems repair and full overhaul capability with SA CAA Component

•

Release to Service (Authorised Release Certificate) on the following OEM Makes;

•

ABSC, Honeywell / Bendix, Goodrich and Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems.

•

Aircraft main and nose wheel assemblies for the above makes, to repair and overhaul.

•

Landing Gear Repair and Overhaul

•

Helicopter Servo Actuator Repair and Overhaul

•

Flexible Hose Build-up

•

Engine Fire Bottles HPT, Service, Fill and Recharge

AviSys Aviation Systems is committed to deliver service excellence and quality workmanship at market related prices, carried out with years of cumulative aviation experience in our field by means of dedicated hand-picked staff members. AviSys looks forward to establishing long and just

Designers and manufacturers of Iridium-based satellite tracking solutions since 2002. Our devices are used for a wide range of applications, including aircraft, watercraft, vehicles, birds, animals, personnel and bespoke applications. Our customers include governments, conservation organizations, aircraft charter companies, aviation schools and private pilots. Beegle aviation trackers are battery powered and fully automatic. They are placed on the dashboard and require no pilot input to turn on or off. Position update frequency is done automatically depending on the phase of flight so that an accurate trace of your flightpath is recorded. The battery lasts for approximately 40 flight hours before recharging is required. Ground personnel are kept up to date with realtime flight progress using our online tracking portal, and optionally via text message for take-off, landing and emergency events. This assists customers in effective trip planning, whilst providing an important safety function by drastically reducing the time to locate an aircraft, especially in remote areas without cellphone reception. Furthermore, our trackers can easily be moved from one aircraft to another as needed. www.beegletracker.com info@beegletracker.com +27 (0)21 438 1888

relationships with our client base, in order to meet our high standards of customer satisfaction. Hangar 17 Wonderboom Airport Email: dewald@avisys.co.za Phone: +27 (0) 83 442 5884 Fax: +27 (0) 86 618 6996 Website: www.avisys.co.za

BENVEROY A Division of Khubenker Energy (PTY) LTD– BIOBOR AFRICA Fuel Protection and Enhancement Benveroy a division of Khubenker Energy , a privately owned South African company, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, focuses on developing environmentally sustainable solutions for fuel consumption reduction, reduction of carbon footprint, and reduction of harmful exhaust gases. Benveroy offers a complete fuel enhancement product package and the related implementation of product injection blending and product dosing systems, for individual aviation companies, and airport infrastructure. This includes high level fuel quality management. Biobor JF ® became the first biocide tested and approved by FAA, airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and aircraft engine manufactures, for the treatment and prevention of microbial contamination in aviation fuels, and aircraft fuel tanks. Biobor JF ® is also the only biocide that not only fights microbial growth, but replaces lubricity lost in ultra-low sulphur fuels. After 50 years, Biobor JF ® continues to be the most recognized and recommended biocide for all hydrocarbon fuels, bio fuels, transmission and hydraulic fluids, etc. Other aviation products offered are Biobor EB, Lubribor, and Turboline. Benveroy’s company directors have combined more than 60 years of experience in the Engineering, Petrol-Chemical, and Aerospace Industries. Contact Benveroy for all BIOBOR family of fuel additives on: Tel: 011 482 3650 / 011 726 7162 ben@benveroy.com / 071 453 1517 vernon@benveroy.com / 079 524 1461

www.benveroy.com / www.khubenker.co.za

BLUE CHIP FLIGHT SCHOOL Flight Training Our Pilots Become Captains! Blue Chip Flight School has 25 years of experience, training professional and recreational pilots from over 30 countries. Situated at Wonderboom National Airport, we provide flight training from PPL to ATPL. Blue Chip has an accredited in-house examination centre, a modern fleet of aircraft as well as an SACAA approved FNPT II simulator. We offer a web based, paperless electronic booking, authosheet and student file system. Hour building is with a difference; we host fly-aways and cross country trips that provide unique opportunities to be exposed to unfamiliar environments, and our instructors are always close at hand for guidance. There is no substitute for a personal visit. Every day is open day at Blue Chip. Better still, talk to people in the aviation industry, former Blue Chip students are in sought after positions worldwide. Contact Blue Chip Flight School on: Tel: 012 543 3050 Email: admin@bluechip-avia.co.za Website: www.bluechipflightschool.co.za

BORDER AVIATION CLUB & FLIGHT SCHOOL Flight Training and Hire & Fly Border Aviation has been training pilots since the 1940’s. We offer diverse training, from Weight-shift microlights to Warbirds, historical aircraft and everything in between. We carry out Ab-Initio Training (PPL and NPL) , Commercial Pilot Training, Conversion to type training, Hour building for Commercial Students, Renewals, Short field landings & take offs, Instrument Flight (IF) Training and Hire & Fly. We now also offer Helicopter Training – PPL to CPL. What makes us unique is that our dedicated team of instructors work with each student on a one-onone basis, offering them tailored training specific to their needs. We also offer our Training out of three bases; Our East London Airport base allows for Instrument flight training (IF Training). Our Wings Park base is situated just outside East London and allows for Short field training. Our third base is at Queenstown Airfield which gives our students an opportunity to do Mountain flying. We welcome any aviation enthusiast from teenaged Ab-initio students to the casual weekend flyer to pursue their aviation passion. Border Aviation’s fleet consists of a Cessna 150, a modern glass-cockpit Sling 2, a Piper Archer 181, a Mooney M20, a Beechcraft Baron (BE58), a Savannah XL and a Helicopter. We are a non-profit organisation that truly believes that aviation is a career that brings a new adventure over every horizon. If you are interested

CUBBY AIRCRAFT Plane Sales Based in the picturesque village of Barrydale near Swellendam in the Western Cape, Cubby Aircraft manufacture an 80% scale copy of the Piper Super Cub, with a variety of engine choices. The latest development is the Cubby Renegade which may be flown solo from the front seat and is substantially larger than the basic Cubby. With modern materials and technology, the performance has been vastly improved. The purchase price is remarkably low and operational costs are kept to a minimum due to the use of automotive fuel as opposed to expensive and sometimes hard to find Avgas. The price is dependent on the choice of engine. The Cubby can be registered as a Light Sport aircraft or a non-type certified light aircraft. Undercarriage can be either tri-gear or a tail dragger configuration The Cubby is available in kit form, fast built and basic kit. It is also available as ready to fly or fully built, but without engine, radio and instruments. Jean Crous welcomes visitors at his factory on Route 62 and can be contacted on 072 671 6240.

or would like to find out more, please feel free to contact us on: Tel: +27 43 736 6181 Email: admin@borderaviation.co.za Website: www.borderaviation.co.za Find us on: Instagram & Facebook

C W Price & Co CONTINUED AIRWORTHINESS MAINTENANCE

C.W. PRICE AND COMPANY

ORGANISATION -

Airport Support Equipment

SOUTH AFRICA A CAMO is an ICAO recognized organisation, mandated

C.W. Price and Company has been

in the European Union and other countries, for the purpose

involved in aviation and meteorological

of administrating the control of an aircraft’s airworthiness.

instruments for over 71 years. They also

We have emulated this structure into a business model that

import aircraft ground power units and

offers these services to owners in countries that have not

aircraft towing and push-back equipment.

yet mandated this into law. In many countries, the roll of airworthiness control is

Based in Midrand, C.W Price are the appointed agents for airport support

left to the owner / operator, who is reliant on maintenance

equipment from aircraft ground power to man

organisations to review and prescribe what has to be done.

portable rugged Redbox power packs for

There is no independent verification of the work scope or

aircraft starting.

the legality of the final documentation. Furthermore, the

They are also agents for Eagle All Wheel

cost control of a maintenance event is left up to the owner’s

Drive aircraft tow tugs for regional, corporate

employee’s who often have little experience in this field.

and military applications.

Many aircraft are enrolled on maintenance programmes

They are also importers of Precision

to assist with the control of cost but are not always used

Airmotive fuel injector parts and overhaul kits

to their fullest extent. Warrantees are seldom tracked and

along with some starter generator spares.

ongoing system issues that can ground an aircraft, are not properly addressed. Our team of experienced maintenance and

Weather stations stand alone for regional airports or their well established online VitalWeather system for remote or sms

operational personnel are able to provide operators with

monitoring of small airports is a specialty of

comprehensive support, irrespective of their geographical

theirs.

location. We independently source the best products and

Contact Kelvin on:

service for your operation and control costs through our

Tel: 011-805-4720

fleet programs.

Email: cwp@cwprice.co.za

Whether you own an aircraft or are planning the purchase of a new or pre-owned aircraft, CAMOSA will review it’s specifications & inspect the records or perform a comprehensive Pre-Purchase Inspection, giving you the opportunity to make informed choices. CAMOSA will simplify and manage your aircraft’s maintenance requirements and support the aircraft throughout its entire life, leaving you, as the operator, with full operational control. Continued Airworthiness Maintenance Organisation – South Africa. 1275 Willem Botha Avenue, Eldoraigne, Pretoria, 0157 info@camosa.co.za +27 82 555 3555

Website: www.cwprice.co.za

DIEPKLOOF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE DIEPKLOOF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE D.M. AVIATION SPARES Aircraft Parts and Consumables D.M. Aviation Spares is situated on the north side of Lanseria, Unit 2, next to Century Avionics, Gate 5. The company stocks aircraft parts, aircraft consumables and general consumables. D.M. Aviation Spares was started in 2011 by Daniella Mawson who has been in aviation since 1980 and in the aircraft parts industry since 1990. She therefore has extensive knowledge of parts and their sourcing. D.M. Aviation Spares’ aim is to make life easier for the smaller AMOs at the airport by holding fast moving stock. Daniella goes out of her way to source parts that others say are not available. D.M. Aviation imports parts as well as sourcing hard to find aircraft components. They provide clients with the best prices and service possible. Furthermore, they are agents for Aircraft Spruce and others. For more information, contact Daniella Mawson on: Tel: 082 576 8853 Email: dmaviationspares@gmail.com

AMO, AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE With 70 years of experience, Diepkloof Aircraft Maintenance (AMO SACAA 1398) are one of the leaders in aircraft maintenance as well as the preferred choice for many clients. Based at Diepkloof airfield, Malmesbury, Diepkloof Aircraft Maintenance is a South African Civil Aviation Authority approved AMO. It is your one-stop AMO facility that offers a wide range of services that include general aviation aircraft maintenance, Non-Type Certified maintenance as well as specialized services. General Aircraft Maintenance: •

All single engine Piper & Cessna & Beechcraft series

•

All Air Tractor, Thrush, Dromader, AG Cat, Piper Brave & Piper Pawnee

•

All Lycoming, Teledyne Continental engines

•

All Pratt & Whitney -Turbine & Radial engines.

•

Non-Type Certified (NTCA):

•

All NTCA Aircraft work - Homebuilt, Ultralights etc…

•

Specialist Services:

•

Hartzell & Mc Cauley Propellers

•

Licenced for complete rebuilds

•

Specialised Sheetmetal work

•

Fabric covering and interiors

•

Aircraft weighing

•

Welding

•

Propeller balance

Contact details: E-Mail: diepkloofamo@gmail.com Nick Kleinhans: +27 83 454 6366 Pieter v Aswegen: +27 82 784 7133

DYNAMIC PROPELLERS Propeller Specialists DJA AVIATION Aviation Insurance DJA Aviation was formed over 40 years ago by Dennis Jankelow and to this day remains South Africa’s foremost specialist aviation insurance

specialises in the overhauling, repair and maintenance of propellers for commercial and privately owned aircraft. With a staff compliment with a total of around

brokerage, offering the greatest concentration of

130 years propeller overhaul experience, Dynamic

aviation insurance experience and expertise on the

Propellers overhaul and maintain all Hartzell,

African continent and continuing to lead the market

McCauley, MT, Hoffmann, Sensenich and Hamilton

in the areas of product innovation and technical

propellers and is the only enterprise in South Africa

development.

that provides comprehensive repair and maintenance

DJA Aviation creates aviation insurance programmes for its clients that are perfectly balanced in the critical areas of cost, coverage, service and security. In addition, DJA Aviation’s long-

services on Dowty and Whirlwind propellers. All of which is done to the highest standards as stipulated by the various propeller manufacturers. Dynamic Propellers’ repair services are

standing and close relationships with the insurers

performed both in-house in a state of the art aviation

who underwrite its products – locally, regionally and

engineering workshop, or in the field.

internationally – ensure that a DJA Aviation client is in the best possible hands when losses occur. DJA Aviation is an authorised Lloyd’s correspondent and has conducted aviation insurance

Highly skilled engineers will travel domestically or to neighbouring countries and abroad to cater for customers’ propeller requirements. Dynamic Propellers is an SACAA Authorised

business at Lloyd’s for more than 40 years, a

Service Centre, AMO 1150, and is the sole

relationship that is strengthened by regular visits to

McCauley Authorised Service Centre for the

the Lloyd’s market by DJA Aviation’s key personnel. DJA Aviation is an Authorised Financial Service

African continent. Contact Details:

Provider (FSP No 15808) and a proud member of the

Pero Visser

iCapital Group. DJA Aviation’s social responsibility

Tel: +27 79 492 0592

programme includes on-going support for the

Email: pero@dynamicpropeller.co.za

South African Guide Dogs Association for the Blind. Contact DJA Aviation on: Tel: 0800FLYING (0800 359-464) Email: mail@dja-aviation.co.za Website: www.dja-aviation.co.za

Established in 2008, Dynamic Propellers

Andries Visser Tel: +27 82 445 4496 Email: andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za

EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT REFURBISHMENT Interior and Exterior refurbishment EMPEROR AVIATION AMO, Refurbishments, Rebuilds Emperor Aviation is a fully licensed Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO NR 1226) based at Rand Airport, specialising in the maintenance of Bell and Robinson helicopters. We have a state of the art component overhaul shop and can assist you with any helicopter sales needs. We also specialise in helicopter refurbishments ranging from total refurbishment (interior and exterior) to helicopter rebuilds. Emperor Aviation is an approved Robinson Service Centre and also the official LORD Distributor for 206B and

“Quality is our Passion”, this is the mantra that we live by at Executive Aircraft Refurbishment. We are an Aircraft Interior and Exterior refurbishment facility, based at Lanseria International Airport, quality workmanship and service excellence, combined with knowledgeable staff has earned us the reputation of No.1 Aircraft Interior and Exterior refurbishment facility Complete aircraft exterior paint strip and resprays are done all under one roof, designing paint scheme lines, logo’s to customer specifications. We also offer a mobile touchup service to our customers ensuring their aircraft stays in mint condition. Our interior shop also specializes in complete interior refurbishments such as the refurbishment of overhead stowage bins and seating, Roof-liners,

206L TT-straps in Africa as well as an agent to

cockpit glare-shields, cabinets and galleys, wool

supply LORD replacement parts.

carpets, textile and non-textile floor covering,

If you’re looking at buying a new or used helicopter, Emperor Aviation can assist you to find the helicopter best suited to your needs. We carry out pre-purchase inspections all over

refurbishment of seats and foam building in varying modern styles. We manufacture interior window sunshields and aircraft exterior ground covers, EAR also re-web and re-certify aircraft safety belts. Executive Aircraft Refurbishment are the right

the world to ensure our customers has options of

choice for interior and exterior refurbishments of your

purchases not only in the African market but

aircraft from interior refurbishment to exterior spray

worldwide. With more than 50 years’ combined experience in the helicopter industry, Paul, Jarrett, Trevor and their team of qualified engineers and admin staff look forward to welcoming you to the Emperor Aviation

painting, we do it all. Entrust your fleet to Executive Aircraft Refurbishment for a new fresh look and we promise to have your aircraft ready and serviceable when you need it.

family!

Tel: +27 (0)10 900 4149 | Mobile: +27 (0)82 547

Contact Emperor Aviation on:

8379 Info@earefurbishment.com | Francois@

Tel: +27 11 824 5683

earefurbishment.com

Email: reception@emperoraviation.co.za

Hangar 11 (interior shop) and 31(paint shop)

Website: www.emperoraviaiton.co.za

Lanseria International Airport South Africa, Gate 5, North Side

F. GOMES UPHOLSTERS Aircraft Upholstery F. Gomes Upholsters is a family based upholstery company. Established in 1979, the company specialises in aircraft, as well as motor vehicle, boat and furniture upholstery. F. Gomes Upholsters will refurbish your aircraft interior to look like new, giving it the class it deserves. They use only the best quality materials, and their craftsmanship is outstanding. Mr Gomes, the founder of F. Gomes Upholsters, has been in the upholstery business for close on 40 years and as such brings many years of experience and professionalism to the company. F. Gomes Upholsters provides an expert reupholstery and upholstery service that caters to any upholstery need. No job is ever too small or too large. F. Gomes Upholsters is based in Johannesburg. For exceptional craftsmanship at the best prices, contact F. Gomes Upholsters on: Tel: (011) 614 2471 Fax: (011) 614 9806 Email: gomesuph@netactive.co.za

PILOT FLIGHT TRAINING SERVICES Flight training FTS is a flight school that operates out of Grand Central Airportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main terminal building. The company has an impressive fleet of over 10 aircraft which include Cessna 172s, Piper PA28s, Cessna 172RG and the PA-30 Piper Twin Comanche for advanced multi-engine training. These aircraft are all used for basic and advanced instruction. Flight Training Services offers a comprehensive, state of the art, training service starting from entry level Private Pilot Licence (PPL) through to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) licence. Browse through their site and have a look at the services on offer. For the forthcoming CPL & ATPL ground school contact FTS on: 011 805 9015 or Email: fly@fts. co.za to book your seat. For more information contact Amanda Pearce on: Tel: 011-805-9015/6 Email: amanda@fts.co.za Website: www.fts.co.za

International Flight Clearances Africa's aircraft handling and clearance company

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT CLEARANCES GIB AVIATION INSURANCE Integrity, Intelligence, Energy at your Service Utilising the finest insurers worldwide, GIB arrange both simple and complex insurance and reinsurance solutions for General Aviation, Airline and Airport Owners, Operators, Maintenance Facilities, Manufacturers, and Financiers throughout Africa and beyond. GIB Aviation have always taken pride in the fact that they do not only serve all their customers insurance needs, but also develop close and long term relationships with them. This enables their highly skilled team to understand their unique and exact requirements and to tailor make insurance programmes by selecting the appropriate cover, provide accurate contractual advice and very importantly negotiate effective time sensitive claims settlement. GIB House 3 West Street, Houghton, Johannesburg +27 (11) 483 1212 aviation@gib.co.za

Aircraft Handling & Clearance/Permit Specialists International Flight Clearances are Lanseria based aviation consultants whose aim is to add 24 NEW ADDRESS value and ensure safety to international flights Unit 32, Falcon Lane, Lanseria

HOUR CO

+27 11 701 2

anywhere in the world, while reducing flightops@flyifc Business Park, Lanseria Ext 26, the stress factor for bothJohannesburg, operators andGauteng passengers.

Website: www

They have immense experience in dealing with all types of flights, both regionally and internationally. They assist in cost efficient and safe route planning, whilst adding a personal touch. By being intimately acquainted with Africa in all her moods, and being familiar with the vagaries of every country, they have the expertise to plan with the detail necessary to bypass avoidable inconveniences, ensuring a trouble free trip for passengers. Contact International Flight Clearances on: Tel: +27 11 701 2330 or +27 76 983 1089 (24 hours) Email: flightops@flyifc.co.za Website: www.flyifc.co.za

www.gib.co.za FSP License No. 10406

JOHANNESBURG FLYING ACADEMY

KZN AVIATION

Flight Training Facility

Executive Charters

Johannesburg Flying Academy established

KZN Aviation is an established BEE compliant

in 1984, are an SACAA approved Flight Training

multi-taskedaviation company, based at Virginia

Facility situated South of Johannesburg. Due

Airport in Durban North. We are licensed in terms of

to our unique location at Panorama airfield, no

the South African Civil Aviation Authority and the Air

time is wasted flying to and from the general

Service Regulations.

flying area or on the ground waiting for flight clearances. Johannesburg is an ideal location for flight

KZN Aviation own and operate both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, offering a range of services that include helicopter and fixed-wing VIP charter

training, owing to our year-round favourable

work, contract work, tourism flights, powerline and

flying conditions.

pipeline inspections, aerial photography, vehicle

JFA offer professional training by dedicated and qualified instructors for National Pilot Licence (NPL) Private Pilot Licence (PPL),

searches, traffic surveillance and patrols to name a few applications. KZN Aviation has a hand-picked team of

Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), Instructors

professional and dedicated staff who are available

rating, Night rating, Renewals, Conversions,

24/7 to offer assistance, advice and provide cost

Endorsements, in a relaxed, professional

effective quotations. We have vast experience in the

environment.

charter and contract market and have been actively

Training is carried out,7 days a week, on our

involved in aviation for decades.

modern fleet of 2-seater, Sling Aircraft and is

KZN Aviation pride themselves on ensuring that

tailored to your individual needs. The course

high quality services, tailor-made to meet customer

includes all required lectures, briefings and

requirements are provided efficiently and effectively

course materials.

without compromising safety. Our rigorous safety

Our accredited Exam centre ensures that exams can be written to suit your schedule.

standards are maintained by highly experienced flight crews and are constantly reinforced through the highest levels of professionalism and integrity

displayed. Our crew receive recurrent training

Office: (+27) 064 756 6356

to ensure performance remains consistently

Email: info@jhbflying.co.za

exemplary.

Address: Panorama Airfield, Kromvlei road,

Contact KZN Aviation on:

Alberton, 1448

Tel: 031 564 6215 Email: mel@kznaviation.co.za Website: www.kznaviation.co.za

LEADING EDGE AVIATION Helicopter Firefighting and Heavy Lift Operations Leading Edge Aviation is an SACAA approved Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO 261) based at Nelspruit Airfield in

MERCHANT WEST

Mpumalanga.

Fixed Wing and Helicopter Purchases

Leading Edge Aviation (LEA) caters

Avionics Upgrades

to numerous fields including firefighting,

Engine Overhaul

external lift operations, wildlife conservation

Aircraft Rebuilds

and refurbishing and restoring of aircraft interiors and exteriors, including fitment of SACAA approved windows. Utilizing their UH-1H and UH-60 helicopters, LEA are perfectly positioned to meet your utility helicopter requirements. Whether you need supplies moved, wildlife relocated, natural disaster support, construction equipment lifted or fire suppression carried out, LEA are available to assist. With lifting capabilities up to 3000kgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, we use the latest equipment and vast experience to meet our clients needs. In addition, LEA has the only SACAA approved painting booth in the Lowveld and carries out all painting using Boeing and Airbus approved products across the Cessna, Piper and Embraer and Beechcraft range. Our interior refurbishment division carries out the finest leather and upholstery work. All painting and leather work includes CRMAs for the applicable aircraft. Peter, Zeph, Sipho, Alfred and Lucas, along with the team, will ensure all your refurbishment

Merchant West is one of the largest privatelyowned financial institutions in South Africa. We provide alternative business funding outside of the commercial banks. As an agile business with an entrepreneurial approach, we pride ourselves in structuring flexible and innovative finance solutions that meet the industry requirements of our clients. Our financial solutions are operated as independent business units headed up by skilled and experienced executives who have surrounded themselves with industry experts. Merchant West has become a key partner in the Aviation industry in South Africa specializing in Aircraft finance including purchases, avionics upgrades as well as engine overhauls. We pride ourselves in our unique view of the industry, specialised support, knowledgeable staff and the products we offer. Contact: Shayne Wright shaynew@merchantwest.co.za +27(11)-305-9490 +27(71)-373-8825

expectations are met and exceeded. Feel free to contact Leading Edge Aviation with any queries: Tel: +27 13 7413654 Email: office@leaviation.co.za Website: www.leadingedgeaviation.co.za

MISTRAL AVIATION SERVICES

NAMAGRI AVIATION

Aircraft Maintenance

Robinson Dealer

Mistral Aviation was founded in 2002 with the aim of addressing the high cost of operating aircraft thousands of miles from the original equipment manufacturers. (OEM). Mistral continues to add to its capability and has just added Machining and NDT. Our experience has grown and we are about to embark on training of our staff to take up the challenge of new equipment.

STYLE GUIDE

Namagri Aviation is a privately-owned Namibian

company, based in Windhoek since 2008 Namagri Aviation are official dealers and service center appointed by Robinson Helicopters in Namibia. We provide clients with quality and experienced assistance with the purchase and maintenance of new and pre-owned helicopters. Our aviation department is divided in a helicopter and fixed wing. We sell new and second-hand helicopters. We deliver Aerial Works

Contact Details

services in the Agricultural sector and also offer

Telephone: (27) 81-755-2534

specialised equipped airplanes to clients for

Fax: (27) 11- 395 1291

application of de-bushing granules during rainy

E-Mail: Peter@mistral.co.za

season. Namagri De-Bushing Services was the

Website: www. mistral.co.za

1st legal entity in Namibia that attended to bush encroachment through aerial applications. At

Address

Namagri you will find a group who are dedicated,

Safair Campus

passionate and committed to provide the best

Northern Perimeter Road,

service to our customers in making every aviation

OR Tambo International

dream take flight.

Bonaero Park

Contact:

Kempton Park

www.namagri.com

Gauteng

+264 81 1286821

South Africa

alex@namagri.com +264 812166910 adri@namagri.com

PAMBELE FONT: ITC Avant Garde Gothic PAMBELE FONT COLOUR: 60% Black PANTONE: Cool Gray 9c

SABRE AIRCRAFT

www.pambele.aero c = 90 m = 50 y=0 k=0 Pantone 285c

PAMBELE AVIATION Air Charter Pambele Aviation has its primary base of operations located at Grand Central Airport (Midrand). Pambele Aviation is a dependable air charter company operating throughout Southern Africa providing light aircraft transport services. We have been operating in the South African air charter market since 2006 and have fourteen years’ experience providing charter flights for the private and business sectors, transporting business leaders, tourists and VIP’s. The primary aircraft being operated are a Beechcraft King Air B200 and a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B. A number of light piston engine aircraft are available for smaller group sizes, or for those who are budget conscious. The passenger charter services are ideally suited for customers requiring access to remote, or poorly serviced destinations. A satellite base of operation is located at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport serving the Lowveld region of the country. Pambele Aviation holds license N892D and a Part 135 AOC. Email: fjoubert@pambele.aero OR lowveld@ pambele.aero

SABRE AIRCRAFT Plane Sales Sabre Aircraft are the exclusive importers of the Polish built full-composite Ekolot JK-05 and Topaz LSA high wing aircraft. To complement their stable Sabre Aircraft have also secured the distributorship for the low wing all-metal Direct Fly Alto TG which is expertly manufactured in the Czech Republic and available in either kit form or ‘ready to fly’. All aircraft are powered by the Rotax 912 series engines using a Ukrainian manufactured full composite ground or in-flight adjustable propeller from a company called NR Propellers for which Sabre Aircraft is the newly appointed South African agent. Although all these factory built aircraft are very well-appointed, customers have the flexibility to choose from several additional cost options to suit their specific needs and budget. Even with our constantly fluctuating exchange rate Sabre Aircraft is still able to offer real value in Rand terms against anything produced locally with comparable performance and/or specification levels. With an ever-increasing worldwide dealer footprint both Ekolot and Direct Fly continue to produce beautifully crafted LSA aircraft with spectacular performance, proven reliability and established aftersales support. We call it ‘affordable brilliance’. RICHARD STUBBS Tel: 27-11 467 3103/3193 083-655-0355 or email: richardstubbs@mweb.co.za or visit: www. aircraftafrica.co.za

SKYHAWK AVIATION Flight Training Skyhawk Aviation was established by Mike Gough (Airbus Training Captain and SA Flyer columnist) in 2008. Well established as the dominant operation in the flight training environment at Lanseria International Airport, Skyhawk Aviation offers all the resources required for the successful completion of all CAA licences and ratings. As a Designated Flight Examiner (DFE 1) as well as an Airbus Training Captain, Mike is able to assess studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress, and conduct final flight tests presenting realistic scenarios. We are also approved to conduct the full type rating for the Airbus 320, as well as proficiency checks and ATP revalidations. Aimed specifically at developing the professional pilot, we specialise in both the full turn-key contract clients as well as individuals starting out on the road to flying for a living. Part of our services include accommodation, transport and visa services. Skyhawk is associated with the Sakhikamva Foundation, and offers programs to high school learners to expose the kids to aviation and spark interest in maths and science through this medium. Come and see our Boeing 737 nose section kitted out as a classroom! If you need a reality check about the sometimes hard truth about becoming a career pilot, then you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go far wrong by dropping in at Hanger 30, Gate 5 at Lanseria. Send an email to Mike beforehand to get welcomed to the demanding, but infinitely rewarding world of Commercial Aviation. Contact Tracey Gough on: Tel: 011 701 2622 Cell: 072 484 7984 Email: mikegough@mweb.co.za

Website: www.skyhawk.co.za

TITANIUM AIR Aircraft Charter Training Titanium Air is a private, boutique-style Aircraft Charter, Training company based out of Lanseria Airport. Flying with a private charter company offers you complete privacy and luxury, while minimising your waiting time at the airport and have you flying within minutes of your arrival. Titanium Air has an unblemished safety record and their pilots have extensive knowledge and experience of all types of aircraft. Titanium Air caters to corporate and leisure travellers alike and specialises in bush and hunting lodge transfers where small aircraft are needed to land on and take-off from dirt runways. Titanium Air is dedicated to its clientele and makes every experience a memorable one, from first point of contact to the safe touch-down at your destination. www. titaniumair.co.za

TURTLE-PAC

STARLITE AVIATION GROUP Operations - Contract Work and Emergency Services/Helicopter, Aeroplane and Drone Pilot Training/Aircraft Sales/Local and International Charters/Aircraft Maintenance Starlite is a diverse, solution driven company, offering a wide range of aviation services and products. We have operated on 5 continents, in over 30 countries worldwide, in

Air cargo tanks TURTLE-PAC from Australia has developed a unique range of mini long range collapsible tanks for light aircraft. Turtle-Pac’s Commercial and military side of tanks include: •

and Air Cargo Tanks for fuel.

the most hostile and austere environments. Starlite has a

These include both in-fuselage

proven track record of successes and is a trusted, long term

and underslung for helicopters.

partner to corporates, the military and governments.

They make possible a doubling of

www.starliteaviation.com

revenue runs for aircraft operators.

Starlite Aviation Operations

•

Bush Collapsible Diesel Tanks for

Hennie Pietersen: +27 82 822 5376 Contract and Emergency Services

trucks and off-road vehicle use. •

the oil and gas offshore industry

Fiona McCarthy: +27 82 552 3813

and naval use. This includes mine

fionam@starliteaviation.com

recovery and helicopter flotation

Starlite Aviation Training Academy Helicopter, Aeroplane and Drone Pilot Training Helicopter and Aeroplane Aircraft Hire : Arme Birkholtz: +27 31 571 6600 corporate business, tourist travel, passenger train@starliteaviation.com and cargo transportation Jennifer de Lange: +27 82 977 1847 charters@starliteaviation.com Starlite Aero Sales Dealers in new and pre-owned aircraft Klara Fouché: +27 83 324 8530 klaraf@starliteaviation.com Starlite Maintenance Durban AMO 824 Third party Maintenance and Spares Emmanuel Mhungu: +27 82 402 7117 emmanuelm@starliteaviation.com

Turtle-Pac manufactures a large range of underwater airlift bags for

henniep@starliteaviation.com

Starlite Charters

Flexible Marine Fuel Tanks for offshore small vessels and Super

Starlite Maintenance Johannesburg AMO 927 Helicopter and Fixed Wing

Collapsible Ferry Tanks for aircraft

bags. Turtle-Pac are tools that pay for themselves in a very short time in remote areas. Sizes range from 66 Gallon to 529 Gallons. All models collapse and fold up compactly. They are light weight to carry empty on the return flight. The products are unique and combine extremely ease use with lightweight yet tough construction. Delivery to South Africa is within 3 working days by DHL. Visit: http://www.turtlepac.com

CLICK HERE 28

WAGTAIL AVIATION WAGTAIL AVIATION

WINGS ‘N THINGS

Gyrocopter, Trojan

Pilot Supplies

Wagtail Aviation specialises in the designing and manufacturing of custom-made Gyrocopter

Wings ‘n Things is a specialist pilot supplies

to satisfy the end-user requirement. Gyro’s are

shop based at Lanseria and Grand Central

inexpensive to own and maintain, are stable, easy

airports, catering for all levels of aviation

to operate, has a short take-off and landing, and

enthusiasts and is the preferred supplier to many

can fly comfortably at very slow speeds.

aspiring and professional pilots.

Gyrocopter’s uses:

We are authorised dealers of some of the

•

Patrolling of livestock and farm observations

world’s premium aviation brands, including

•

Surveillance, including fire management

Jeppesen, David Clark, Bose, and ASA. We are

•

Aerial Agricultural application

also resellers of Pooley’s, Garmin, Icom, RAM

•

Support for anti-poaching operations

Mounts and many more local and international

•

Recreational

aviation brands.

•

Aerial oversight

So, whether you are a professional or recreational pilot, student pilot, aviation enthusiast,

Our Trojan with its innovating engineering

looking for a gift for that someone special or just

makes rough terrain landing possible and

looking to spoil yourself, visit one of our shops at

is powered by 260HP Subaru EJ 25 Turbo

Lanseria or Grand Central, or shop online, for the

powerplant. With an empty weight of 420kg, she

widest range of aviation related products and gifts.

can carry a payload of 300kg. She has a cruising

Visit our website to see the full range of products

speed of 120-140km/h and a slow speed of

that we carry.

56km/h. All these features make the Trojan your “bakkie’ of the sky”, you will soon not understand how you ever got around without it. Contact: Braam Hechter Cell: +27 (84) 697 7703 E-mail: marketing@wagtail.co.za www: www.wagtail.co.za

Contact Wings ‘n Things on: Tel: +27 (11) 701 3209 Email: lanseria@wingsnthings.co.za or info@ wingsnthings.co.za Website: www.wingsnthings.co.za

A Message to All Our Loyal Readers The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown the aviation publication business into turmoil. QUESTION:

WHY CAN I NOT FIND SA FLYER ON THE SHOP SHELVES AND IN MY POST BOX?

ANSWER:

T HE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS EFFECTIVELY FORCED ALL THE AVIATION MAGAZINES TO STOP PRINTING. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE IS NOW FAR MORE TO ENJOY!

OVID-19 has brought the entire print publication industry to its knees. One of the impacts of this has been the closure of our retail distribution to shops and our inability to deliver subscriptions. For this reason, we have moved to a purely digital offering. Our new value proposition to you, our loyal reader: We now provide not just the magazine, but 3 different ways for you to get your flying fix – and not just monthly – but with new material every day! 1. Our all new digital pdf magazine - available for free on our website www.saflyer.com 2. Our Facebook page - with by far the biggest aviation following in Africa 3. Our brand-new state of the art website - visit www. saflyer.com And best of all! We provide all three of these platforms for free!!

The core our offering remains the magazines, which, as purely digital PDF publications use an excellent ‘e-zine’ reader. Click on: https://issuu.com/saflyermagazine for your free copy of SA Flyer and FlightCom. This very

powerful yet easy to use e-zine reader allows us to fully exploit the wonderful opportunities created by digital publishing in linking videos to our articles. And we have made the font and layout much easier to read on a tablet or computer monitor. So now – not only is SA Flyer and FlightCom available for free – it offers so much more! Our means of reaching our readers may have changed, but at SA Flyer and FlightCom we remain committed to our core principles of quality journalism and insightful thought-leadership. Our key objective is to inform and entertain our readers, which we do thanks to the world-class contributors we have nurtured. These include: •

Peter Garrison’s unrivalled insights into aerodynamics and accidents

•

Jim Davis’s years of instructing experience

•

George Tonking’s unique helicopter insights.

•

At the same time we are nurturing young writers such as Johan Walden and the wonderful Dassie Persaud van der Westhuizen who qualified as an architect and then became a flight attendant to fund her flying training – all the way to the cockpit of an Airbus A320.

We are also the only magazine to do hands-on ‘from the cockpit’ flight tests where we actually fly the aircraft. And we bring our readers invaluable information, such as where to get the cheapest fuel – thus saving you thousands of Rands! We live in challenging times and it will be extremely interesting to see what the aviation publication market looks like in a year’s time. But in the meanwhile, we are confident that we are still by far the most liked and respected aviation magazine in Africa. Thank you for your support!

Guy Leitch

FlightCom Magazine