FlightCm

African Commercial Aviation

Edition 338
May 2024
Cover: Ken Clark

FLIGHT TEST:
GULFSTREAM
COMMANDER
1000
– BETTER THAN
A KING AIR!

Aero Expo
- full repor t!

Guy : Boeing’s
Inc es t uous Cul t ur e!

J i m : Mo r e Pe t e r G a r r i s o n :
Fu e l i s h Mi s t a k e s L i f t Un e x p l a i n e d

Pitt s Special Ok a v a n g o
– ‘ Wa t c h T h i s ’ c r a s h . – Ro m a n t i c e x p l o i t s !

1 May 2024
REFURBISHMENT GUIDE
p
D ESIGNED FOR THOSE WHO
REFUSE TO TRAVEL LIGHT
Big things should be expected from such a big door. The PC-12 NGX is the only single-engine
turboprop to provide a pallet-sized cargo door as standard. So, when packing for your next trip in the
PC-12 NGX, you won’t have to choose between which pair of shoes to bring. Bring them all. You may
even decide to bring your favourite surfboard, motorbike, or mountain bike. Yes, we’ve carried them
all, and so can you in the PC-12 NGX.

pilatus-aircraft.com

Contact Pilatus PC-12 Centre Southern Africa, your nearest Authorised Pilatus PC-12
NGX Sales Centre for further information on
Tel: +27 11 383 0800, Cell +27 82 511 7312 or
Email: aircraftsales@pilatuscentre.co.za
POSITION REPORT
Sometimes it is necessary to take a step back from the day to
day business of aviation to remind ourselves of our industry’s
overall impact.
THE AVIATION INDUSTRY has become an
essential component of almost all economic
growth. So an important question is just how
big an impact does it have?
IATA commissioned Oxford Economics to do
studies on this impact for various countries
around the world. These studies found that air
transport’s contribution is unique in the bridges
it creates between cities. This then translates
into the flows of goods, people, investment
and ideas that all go to stimulate economic
development.
The ease with which goods and people flow
across borders has a direct impact on economic
growth. The key benefit of good air connectivity
is increased foreign direct investment, which
creates productive assets that generate a long-
term increase in GDP.
Of course, it also works the other way around,
in that GDP growth leads to improved air
connectivity.
Air transport generates benefits to the wider
economy by providing speedy connections
between cities. These virtual bridges
enable the economic flows of goods,
investments, people and ideas that
are the drivers of economic growth.
The question then is, how well is
South Africa doing? In terms of
air connectivity for passengers,
South Africa’s passenger
facilitation rating (3.9/10) scores
above the African average
(3/10). But hey, TIA,
that’s an African
score.
4 May 2024
The South African government has come under
fire for its unhelpful customs and visa regime.
On the World Economic Forum’s Travel and
Tourism Competitiveness Index, South Africa
ranks in the bottom half for visa openness,
(71/136) and 80/136 for cost competitiveness.
By definition, the flows of goods, people,
investment and ideas that stimulate economic
development must flow unimpeded to maximise
their contribution to consumers and the wider
economy. For this IATA measures how freely
goods and people flow across borders.
Perhaps surprisingly, South Africa’s facilitation
of air cargo through its customs and borders
regulations ranks 41/124 countries in terms of
the Air Trade Facilitation Index (ATFI) and 9/135
countries in terms of the eFreight Friendliness
Index (EFFI) globally. The Enabling Trade
Index (ETI) ranks South Africa 55/136 countries
globally for the facilitation of the free flow of
goods over borders and to its destination.
The most recent Oxford economics study was
done before Covid-19 and it forecast that under
the “current trends” scenario, the air transport
market in South Africa would grow by 102%
in the next 20 years. This would result in an
additional 21.4 million passenger journeys by
2037. If met, this increased demand would
support approximately US $19.1 billion of GDP
and almost 797,410 jobs.
So the aviation industry is important – and these
j
are just some of the facts that prove it.
Guy Leitch
OWN YOUR AIRCRAFT? LET US HELP YOU
MAKE THOSE DOLLARS WORK HARDER FOR
YOU.

www.merchantwest.co.za
Divisions in the Group are licensed and authorized FSPs
May 2024 5
 CONTENTS
Edition 338

FLIGHTCOM

04 Hugh Pryor - TELEPORTATION PT2

COLUMNISTS 08 Laura McDermid - IRIS FLIES SUDAN

FC 24
SA FLYER

12 Guy Leitch - THE FALL OF BOEING

18 Peter Garrison - LIFT UNEXPLAINED

22 Jim Davis - RIGHT SEAT RULES 17

44 Jim Davis - ACCIDENT REPORT

50 Morne Booij-Liewes- REGISTER REVIEW

FLIGHT TEST:
GULFSTREA M
COM M ANDER
1000

6 May 2024
SAF 32
SALES MANAGER CONTRIBUTORS CONTINUED
Howard Long John Bassi
sales@saflyermag.co.za Morne Booij-Liewes
076 499 6358 Laura McDermid
Darren Olivier
Jeffrey Kempston
TRAFFIC
Howard Long
traffic.admin@saflyermag.co.za ILLUSTRATIONS
Darren Edward O'Neil
ACCOUNTS Joe Pieterse
Angelique Joubert
accounts@saflyermag.co.za LIMITLESS
EDITOR
Guy Leitch
WEB MASTER
Emily Kinnear
DESTINATIONS
guy@saflyermag.co.za

PUBLISHER
Guy Leitch
guy@saflyermag.co.za

PRODUCTION & LAYOUT

Patrick Tillman
www.imagenuity.co.za © SA FLYER 2023. All rights
design@saflyermag.co.za reserved worldwide. No part of
this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted by any means, elec-
tronically, mechanically, photocopied,
CONTRIBUTORS recorded or otherwise without the
Jim Davis express permission of the copyright
holders.
Peter Garrison
Hugh Pryor

Fly anywhere with a tailBeaconX

and AV-30 panel display. With
seamless integration, advanced
features, and reliability at your
fingertips, the destinations are
limitless. uAvionix—your key to
opening the skies.

CAA’S 25TH
ANNIVERSARY LEARN MORE AT
UAVIONIX.COM
SHOW
May 2024
 CONTENTS
Edition 338

FEATURES
SA FLYER
32 FLIGHT TEST: GULFSTREAM COMMANDER

58 HELICOPTER SERVICES DIRECTORY

62 HISTORIC NEWS: HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

63 QUOTE OF THE MONTH

64 AERO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN 2024 – FULL REPORT

81 NEWS: ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT – NO LICENCE

82
85
NEWS: VANS AIRCRAFT - EMERGING FROM CH 11

REFURBISHMENT GUIDE
REGULARS
10 Opening Shot
FLIGHTCOM 56 M & N Acoustic Register Review
12 News - SAA – Takatso deal investigation 60 Aero Engineering and Powerplant
Aviation Fuel Table
13 News - Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire shot down
14 Jeffery Kempson - Okavango Dreaming Pt1 84 Executive Aircraft Refurbishment
Events Calender
19 News - SITA Latest Airport Tool
20 John Bassi - When Things Fall Apart Pt1 FLIGHTCOM
24 CAA’s 25th Anniversary Airshow 07 AME Directory
32 Superior Pilot Services:
Flight School Directory

33 Merchant West Charter Directory

34 Skysource AMO Listing
36 Aviation Directory
8 May 2024
 Oshkosh

The World’s
Greatest
Aviation Event!

This Year!
Flights from Canadian
Cape Town Snowbirds &
& Italian Tricolori
Johannesburg Formation
Teams

MORE INFO

Catered Camping on the Airfield, Tents and Bedding provided

9
Neil +27 84 674 5674 info@airadventure.co.za www.airadventure.co.za
May 2024
 SIMON MCDONNELL

Airshows are an excellent opportunity for aviation

photographers to capture striking images of aircraft in
unusual positions. Simon McDonnell did just that with
this beautifully panned, yet remarkably sharp, shot of
Juba Joubert wowing the crowd in the Aloutte 3 he
flew at the Stellenbosch Air Show.

The image is notable for its sharp subject matter

despite the long 600 mm lens, and the slow shutter
speed to get a dynamic blur. Simon used his Canon
R6 mirrorless with a prime 600mm f/11 IS STM lens.
Exposure is 1/50th second at f/11 with an ISO of 500.

10 May 2024
Send your submissions to guy@saflyermag.co.za
May 2024 11
 ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE: GUY LEITCH

The fall –
and fall and
fall of Boeing
After the Boeing Max crashes, the chatterati were suddenly
experts on MCAS. Now everyone is an expert on Boeing’s
management problems. I have dug up what I trust are some
fresh new insights.
LIKE MARY POPPINS, let’s start at the very To take on the growing threat of Airbus, in 1997
beginning. Boeing was founded by William Boeing did a reverse takeover of McDonnell
Boeing in 1916, and over the years, it became Douglas to create the world’s largest aircraft
the paragon of American excellence, building air manufacturer.
and space craft as diverse the first stage of the
Saturn V rocket, and a long stream of excellent McDonnell Douglas, who were primarily known
fighters. for military planes, had a crap reputation
for commercial airliners – most notably the
The company’s success DC10, which killed over 1,100
rests heavily on its passengers.
reputation for excellence.
That reputation for
Airbus tried After the takeover, McDonnell
excellence was credited to
the company’s engineer-
hard not to Douglas gave Boeing
management a copy of an
centred open culture. After laugh. Economist magazine cover
noticing some shoddy about the challenges of
workmanship, William corporate mergers, which
Boeing famously said, that he would “close up sounds sweet until you see that the cover had
shop rather than send out work of this kind.” a picture of two camels humping. McDonnell
Boeing had such a great reputation for safety Douglas bosses added the caption; “Who’s on
there was a popular saying: “If it ain’t Boeing, I top?”
ain’t going.”
John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight show reveals
In 1967, Boeing introduced the 737, and it has an even more cringeworthy development,
delivered over 11,000 of them. Boeing airliners Boeing’s then CEO Phil Condit pushed the big
dominated the market until Airbus overtook them idea of “less family, more team.” The irony of
in 2019. So how did they get so far from that Condit having married his first cousin Jan Condit
culture today? There was a pivotal event. was seemingly lost on him – but not the market.

12 May 2024
 MacDonnel Douglas sent this cover to Boeing
with the question - who is on top?
The merger is blamed for a profound culture
change. A year after the merger, Boeing
announced a stock buyback, taking company
money that should have gone to making
better planes, and using it to inflate the stock
price. A huge campaign called Share Value
was launched. The idea was that they wanted
everybody to work together to increase the stock
price.

Even technical meetings revolved around the

Boeing stock price. And in retrospect this was
not reassuring because no one wants to get
on a plane and hear, “This is your captain
speaking. We had a few technical problems,
but our maintenance crew’s assured us that the
stock price is still holding strong. So let’s get
these million rivets airborne and all flying in tight
formation.”

The share price culture change was solidified

by the decision to relocate the corporate
headquarters from Seattle — where the planes
were actually designed and built — 2,000 miles
to Chicago. Management were saying that they
don’t want to be bothered by engineers.
The problems with the “stock price-first”
approach became apparent during the
production of the radically new composite 787
Dreamliner, which Boeing had announced in
2004. Despite the 787’s pioneering of composite
construction, Boeing slashed the R&D budget
as the company continued with large stock
buybacks and dividends.
Boeing also outsourced production to about 50
suppliers, each of whom was responsible for
managing its own subcontractors. So the plan
was for Boeing to assemble components other
people made – for the cheapest price.
Years later, Boeing admitted that had been
a fiasco. Executing a supply chain of such
complexity proved to be more than some
suppliers could handle. Problems were legion.
The huge fuselage barrels did not fit together.
Fasteners were incorrectly used. There were
gaps between components. Airbus tried hard not
to laugh.
Phil Conduit had been busted for a dodgy deal,
and his successor, Harry Stonecipher, was
forced to resign after an affair with a Boeing
VP – so he was also keeping it in the family. In
echoes of SAA, Boeing got its third CEO in as
many years: Jim McNerney, who accelerated
the cost-cutting.
Despite all the outsourcing difficulties, in
2007 Boeing rolled out the 787 on time in an
elaborate ceremony – except it wasn’t real. A
reporter wrote, “… in rolls this beautiful, beautiful
aircraft. And then we discovered that the whole
thing was made out of plywood and lies!
The plane was supposed to take its first test
flight within two months of that launch, but
unsurprisingly, that didn’t happen. In fact, the
787 was three years late and $25 billion over
budget. And almost immediately, there were big
problems. Two 787s had fires on board, within
nine days of each other, attributed to a defective
Lithium battery, made by a subcontractor that
Boeing had never audited.

May 2024 13
 Boeing's reign of CEOs and the share price.
So the FAA grounded the 787 — the first time
it had grounded a whole type since the DC10
in 1979, making it clear that the wrong attitudes
had prevailed after the merger. Basically, the
wrong camel came out on top.
While the 787 had its problems, Airbus, was
unveiling the A320neo, which was a huge sales
success. Boeing was caught sleeping, so it
scrambled to announce a plane it hadn’t even
engineered yet, the 737 Max.
They had to get it into production as fast and
as cheaply as possible. Sales for the promised
plane were strong and Boeing made grand
predictions about ramping up production to 57
new planes a month. They still have a backlog
of no less than 7,000 Maxes to deliver.
The catchphrase, “more for less,” became the
company’s theme. And still, Boeing’s board
signed off on yet more large stock buybacks.
From 2014 to 2018, Boeing diverted 92% of
its operating cash flow to dividends and share
buybacks to benefit investors, far exceeding the
money it spent on R&D for new planes.
The Max was rushed through design and
production, with tragic consequences. Workers
14 May 2024
on the production line for the Max describe a
process that valued speed over quality.
The big question then becomes – where was
the FAA? As the regulator of safety standards,
why didn’t the FAA catch this before 346 people
died?”
The answer is that unbelievably, for fifty years,
Boeing was allowed to use FAA designated
inspectors – who were employed by Boeing.
That’s a somewhat large conflict of interest.
The FAA’s excuse was that it had to rely on
Boeing to vouch for the Max’s safety, because
they lacked the knowledge and skills to evaluate
what was going on. A Boeing employee said a
presentation to the regulators was; “like dogs
watching TV,” because they didn’t understand
what they were seeing.
So Boeing was paying Boeing employees to
regulate Boeing. And this self-regulation was
increasd from 2005, after Boeing successfully
lobbied to reduce government oversight.
Unsurprisingly, several of these Boeing-
employed “representatives of the FAA” have
admitted that they faced heavy pressure from
 Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher had a disasterous affair with his Operations VP Debra Peabody.
managers to limit safety analysis and testing, so
the company could meet its schedule and keep
costs down. At every point along the production
process, the FAA either delegated responsibility
to Boeing, or gave them the benefit of the
doubt.
So, what now? Well, Boeing’s not going out of
business anytime soon. It’s half of the happy
A&B duopoly of the two major commercial
airliner manufacturers. So we, the passengers,
need them to survive – and get better.
Four years after the 737 Max crashes and
now the Alaska door plug, plus a plethora
of problems with the 787 and 777X the key
question is still — can Boeing change?
Well, thanks in part to pressure from the
families who lost loved ones in those crashes,
congress has passed bipartisan legislation
rolling back much of Boeing’s ability to oversee
its own work. And it’s encouraging that the FAA
is now insisting Boeing come up with a plan to
address safety in 90 days — although we’ll see
what that brings.
Whistle-blowers have repeatedly said Boeing
won’t change until it has new leadership. The
toll on whistle-blowers has been huge, so
much so, that John Barnett blew his brains out.
Boeing has much lost ground to recover so, to
show how serious it is CEO, Dave Calhoun and
other senior C-suite execs have been shown
the door.
Meanwhile every media platform sees Boeing
as a free hit. Even the smallest incident gets
headlines. Boeing’s incoming management is
going to have to go on a major charm offensive
to convince the world that their planes are
indeed safe.
And they need to come up with two all-new
planes – a ‘middle of the market’ to replace the
757 and take on the A321, and a replacement
for the 737. But right now the once proud plane
maker is too weak to even try fund the massive
cost of new designs – especially if they are to
be done properly. j
guy@saflyermag.co.za
May 2024 15
 Dale de Klerk
Cell: +27825563592 Fax: 0866058948
Skype: dale_de_klerk

LEARN TO Email: dale@alpiaviation.co.za

FLY WITH
FROM NPL
THROUGH
US
TO CPL

WE NOW
OFFER
TA I L W H E E
L
TRAINING

w w w. a l p i a v i a t i o n . c o . z a

Bill Harrop’s ‘Original’ Balloon Safaris

Do it in style!
• Magalies River Valley Scenic Balloon Safaris
• Game viewing Balloon Safaris at Mabula Private Game Reserve
• Private Balloons and Groups Rates
• Team Building and Product Launches
• We fly from the beautiful Magalies River Valley just west of Hartbeespoort

s
Learn to Fly with U

+27 83 457 3402 or +27 83 443 2661 / 2 • email: website@balloon.co.za • www.balloon.co.za

16 May 2024
 YOUR AIRPLANE. READY FOR THE FUTURE.
GTN™ Xi NAVIGATORS AND TXi FLIGHT DISPLAYS
HIGH-RESOLUTION OPTIONAL ENGINE INDICATIONS EFB INTERFACES WITH POPULAR EASY UPGRADE COUPLE WITH
TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAYS WITH DATA LOGGING FLIGHT PLAN SYNC1 NEW AND EXISTING AVIONICS TO YOUR PANEL GFC™ SERIES AUTOPILOT2

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT GARMIN.COM/AVIATION

Additional hardware equired; sold separately. 2With select makes/models; visit Garmin.com/autopilots for more details. © 2023 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
1 May 2024 17
 PETER GARRISON

LI F T
UN E X PL AI NED
An explanation is a collage in which bits and
pieces of the familiar combine to make an image
of the unfamiliar. The more obscure the thing
being explained, the more numerous and remote
the elements that comprise the explanation. It’s a
wonder we understand anything at all.
I SUPPOSE THAT GALE CRAIG, a retired bits of air that part company at the leading edge
General Motors researcher and engineer, must, like star-crossed lovers, be reunited at the
wrote his little book with the indignant title trailing edge, air passing over the wing’s upper
“Stop Abusing Bernoulli!” in the hope that he surface must move faster than that passing
might, once and for all, dispose of the perennial below the wing.
question, “How do wings produce lift?” If so,
he failed, not because of any fault in his own At this point Daniel Bernoulli (Swiss
argument, but because the mechanisms mathematician and physicist, 1700-1782) is
involved are sufficiently obscure brought in as an expert witness.

answer s
and remote from everyday
experience to defy simple
explanation.
can be
All that a pilot really needs to
know about lift can be learned by
concocted
sticking a hand out the window of
a moving car. Clambering up to the next level of
insight – the one to which Craig hopes to guide
us – requires an agility most of us lack, and
climbing shoes that we have worn out or lost.
The customary explanation for the production
of lift, which Craig contemptuously dubs “hump
theory”, has air moving a longer distance over
the top of an aerofoil than over the bottom,
because of the aerofoil’s camber. Since it is
assumed, without evidence, that neighbouring
It was he who first derived, from
first principles, the conclusion
that as flow through a duct
accelerates, pressure within the
duct must diminish in proportion
to the square of the flow velocity.
Applying this principle to wings,
the pressure on the upper surface must be less
than that on the lower. Ergo, the wing lifts.
In every ground school class, however, there
is one pest who raises a hand to inquire how
aeroplanes manage to fly upside down, or
how aeroplanes with uncambered wings (like
many competition acrobatic aeroplanes) or with
perfectly flat wings (like paper or balsa gliders)
manage to fly at all.

18 May 2024
 Daniel Bernoulli's theorem is still the
required explanation for lift.
More inventive sceptics might ask why making
the upper surface of the wing wavy would
not further increase the transit distance, and
therefore the flow velocity and the lift. And die-
hard agnostics will wonder who it was, exactly,
who decreed that the particles of air that pass
over the top of the wing have to arrive at the
trailing edge at the same time as those that
go underneath. (Actually, they don’t – they get
there sooner.)

Makeshift answers to all these questions

can be concocted, but the truth is that the
patented, FAA-approved Bernoulli explanation
is just no good. It’s not false – pressure and
velocity really are related in the way Bernoulli
described, and the variations can be precisely
measured on the surface of a wing – but, as
Wolfgang Langewiesche put it in his 1944
classic Stick and Rudder, “the explanation is
more puzzling than the puzzle!”

Although Craig is not alone in having

pointed out the inadequacy of the Bernoulli
explanation of lift, it continues to be offered
to high school students, would-be pilots, and
lay readers aspiring to understand physics.
Worse, it is the orthodoxy espoused by
the FAA, and so in order to get certain test
questions right you have to parrot the Bernoulli
explanation. Ironically, Daniel Bernoulli himself
would undoubtedly object to his
pressure-velocity relation being
passed off as the “cause” of more
If Craig had his way, we would explain lift by
purely Newtonian principles of action and
reaction. The lift is the equal and opposite
reaction to the force exerted by the wing to
accelerate air downward. This is what you
experience when you fly your hand out the car
window, and it is what we intuitively sense is
happening when a plane surface moves through
air at a slight positive angle.
If lift could be adequately

puzzling
wing lift; but dust has stopp’d his accounted for by Newtonian
mouth. principles, however, one would

For the more scientifically than the
sophisticated among his readers,
Craig also takes on what he calls
puzzle!
the “induction” theory of lift. This
is also known as the “circulation” theory, and
it is less an explanation than a mathematical
convenience. Craig criticises the induction
theory as resting upon a useful but incomplete
analogy between fluid dynamics and certain
electromagnetic phenomena; like “hump theory,”
he says, induction theory fails to account for
several commonly observed phenomena.
have to wonder why Newton
himself could not correctly
predict the lift of a flat plate.
He tried to, and came up
with a formula that grossly
underestimated lift and, some say, retarded, by
its pessimism and his own godlike authority, the
attainment of manned flight. Actually, it’s doubtful
that Newton’s sine-squared law had any such
effect, since aeronautical experimenters have
tended to be practical rather than theoretical
sorts, and the fallacy of Newton’s conclusion
can be readily demonstrated by the simple

May 2024 19
 experiment of going out on a windy day with an
umbrella.
Newton got it wrong, Craig says, because he
failed to take into account several different
factors that enter into the production of lift.
One of these is “flow attachment.” Without this
tendency of fluids to follow
it is the
surfaces over which they are
flowing, air might simply peel
away from the leading edges
of wings, lift would be reduced or thodox y
to the magnitudes predicted by
Newton, and we would still be
espous ed
taking the train. b y t h e FA A
Unfortunately, after disposing
of hump theory and induction theory, Craig
finds that his own account, which he styles
“recirculation theory,” is actually quite
complicated. It involves a good many separate
phenomena, and by the time he has finished
An image like this does not give any idea of how much space there is between atoms.
20 May 2024
explaining it, one is left reflecting that the virtue
of hump theory, whatever its faults, is that it can
at least be stated in a single sentence.
Having begun this article with a lecture on
explanation, I would like to end it in the same
way – this being a common writer’s trick to
neatly tie up a package of loosely
related ramblings.
We frequently overlook the fact
that our understanding of things
goes only to a certain point, and
that by tacit agreement we do not
look any further. For example,
all discussions of lift, including
Craig’s, contain mention of the
word “pressure.” We all know what pressure
means, because we have exerted pressure on
things and had it exerted on our own skin. If we
have read popular scientific texts we know that
the pressure of air arises from the impacts of
 Theory vs Praxis - You can feel lift by putting your hand out a moving car window.
air molecules on a surface in the course of their
random flights (which, by the way, occur, on
average, at the speed of sound). The surface of
a wing is also a network of molecules, but unlike
those of a fluid they are held in place, vibrating
but not, by and large, escaping. But what is a
surface, really, and what are these molecules?
They aren’t baseballs. They are strange, almost
immaterial things.
If we could shrink ourselves to atomic
dimensions (while acquiring a suitable new
sensory apparatus), we would find a very
unfamiliar world indeed.
For one thing, it would be largely empty. An
atom is to an apple as an apple is to the Earth.
Atoms themselves, however, are not closely-
packed solids. They consist of a tiny nucleus
whose radius is only one ten-thousandth of
that of the weird, indescribable, but decidedly
un-matter-like electron cloud surrounding it. In
this world, mass is unrelated to size. Matter is
mostly empty space, like the universe itself, and
so the collisions that produce pressure are really
advances and retreats of fields of force, similar
to magnetic or gravitational fields.
An aeroplane is “really” a cloud of forces
barely differentiable from the surrounding
electromagnetic haze. In this alien world, which
is arguably the most “real” world we can try to
imagine, our common ideas of weight, pressure,
solidity and flow mean nothing, and the terms
we use to “explain” phenomena like lift turn out
to be just as mystifying and incomprehensible as
the things themselves.
And that is why, when it comes to understanding
lift, feeling your hand respond to the wind can be
just as good as reading a book. j
May 2024 21
 PLANE TALK - JIM DAVIS

RI GHT SEAT RULES NO. 17

FIGHTING
FUEL FOOLERY
This was meant to be the last of four articles persuading
instructors, and everyone else, that they will have a
longer and happier life if they understand this 20 point
outline of the fuel system.
BUT IT’S NOT THE LAST ONE. Would you trust a doctor who doesn’t
I underestimated how much more there was understand your blood system, or an electrician
to be said about a system that’s just waiting to who is vague about wiring, or a neurologist who
betray ignorant or unwary instructors and pilots. is puzzled by your nervous system? Okay, so
the same applies to pilots and fuel systems.
We are making progress, but it’s taken four
articles and 10,000 words (that’s like a young If a pilot only understands one thing about the
Wilber Smith novel) to get us about three machinery under his command, let it be the fuel
quarters of the way to a place of comfort. system.

And you, budding instructors, are the ones

to bring this about. It’s your job to make it
interesting and memorable by involving your
pupes in a tour through the labyrinth of pipes
and wires and valves and drains and taps that
will keep the engine running and everyone
smiling.

12 The fuel selector

I was looking at an accident report the other

day where a 20 year old commercial pilot lost
both engines in a Seneca soon after takeoff.
Why? Because both selectors were in the OFF
position.

Silly bugger you might say. Well, yes and no.

Yes, he was vastly overconfident for one with so
A young pilot did not know where Off was little time on the aircraft. If he wasn’t sure where
on a Seneca fuel selector. the selectors should be, he could have looked in

22 May 2024
May 2024 23
 A typical single engine fuel system schematic.

24 May 2024
 The Cessna 150 has a confusing selector because of the way it is mounted.
the POH. Particularly as the decal showing the
OFF, ON and X-FEED positions was missing.
So he bet his life on guessing – and got it
wrong. Fortunately the goddess who looks
after old ladies, little lambs and student pilots
extended her benevolence to this young man.
She merely waved a finger in
his face and said, “you’re living
on borrowed time, my boy.”
Alway s be
ve r y clear
about w ho is
The moral of the story is that
you must think very carefully
before doing anything with the
fuel selector. f l y ing
If the decal showing the various positions is
missing, then the aircraft is unserviceable.
And how about the plate in the C150 and
152s, which is meant to show the OFF and ON
positions? The plate sits flat on the floor but it’s
trying to tell you what to do with a lever which
rotates in a perpendicular plane to the floor. It
always puzzles me.
And then there are fuel selectors that don’t get
serviced because they are difficult to get at.
Eventually they are so worn and gunged up that
you can’t feel the detent positions. Again, an
aircraft like that is unserviceable.
There is also the fuel selector that’s so stiff that
forcing it eventually breaks or
bends part of the mechanism
and it fails to select what you
think you have selected. There
was a Tecnam 2006P that
crashed on the reef a while ago
because of this.
Wilber Smith would be jealous of
my literary output if I were to write a book called
One Hundred True Stories About Fuel Selector
Stuff-ups (abridged version).
Seriously – if there is one control in the whole
aeroplane that screams, stop and think, and
note the time, before you touch me, it’s the fuel
selector.
And now here’s something more to think about.
May 2024 25
 Why do so many pilots switch the fuel off after
flight?
As an instructor I have always taught pupils
to do that – not because I particularly want to
isolate the engine from the tanks, but because I
want the next pupil to develop a lifetime habit of
switching the fuel on before he tries to start the
engine.
I’m still not sure why other people do it. I guess
the main reason for having an OFF position
is in case of fire, but perhaps there are other
reasons. Certainly a high-wing, normally-
aspirated aircraft may leak fuel from the float
chamber – perhaps that’s good enough reason
to make a habit of turning it off.
Now I’m going to stick my neck out. About six
months ago two guys, Richard McSpadden
(5000 hours) who was the much-respected
senior vice president of the AOPA Air Safety
Institute, and Russ Francis (9000 hours) were
flying a Cessna 177 RG when it crashed soon
If the decal is missing then the aircraft is unservicable.
26 May 2024
after takeoff, killing them both. The NTSB
Preliminary Report says that the engine
stopped while they were taxying out at Lake
Placid. Quote:
There were several witnesses to the event.
One told investigators that when the accident
airplane pulled up next to the Beech A36 on
the ground, that the accident airplane’s engine
then shut off, and about 10 seconds later, the
engine restarted.
No, it wasn’t carb icing – the aircraft has a fuel
injected engine.
If the engine stops, for no apparent reason,
while you are taxying, are you simply going to
restart it and carry on with your flight if you don’t
know why it stopped?
Of course you’re not, but you can see where I
am going with this indictment. The only reason
I can see for the engine stopping and then
restarting at the touch of a button, is that they
This photo is of the selectors in the Seneca crash.
both knew exactly why it had stopped – they
had forgotten to switch the fuel on in the first
place. They realized their mistake and quickly
rectified it. Just my opinion.
It’s doubtful whether this had anything to do with
the ultimate loss of power that led to them just
failing to get back to the field. However several
witnesses said they thought the engine didn’t
sound as if it was producing full power during
the takeoff and climb. Let’s hope the final report
clarifies this.
Summary: I believe that two top pilots, with
a total of 14,000 hours, forgot to switch the
Cardinal’s fuel on.
I’m guessing that this may have been because
of divided responsibility and no clear briefing as
to who was actually flying this
simple little aeroplane.
If t he de cal is
Dear instructors let that be
a lesson to you and your
mis s ing, t he n
pupils. Always be very clear t he air craft is
about who is flying and who is
responsible for what. U/S
I like to check fuel selection three times before
leaving the ground. Once during my round-the-
cockpit inspection before start-up. Then once
again during my round-the-cockpit after-start
checks. And finally once more during my pre-
takeoff vital actions.
And they are called VITAL actions, not ‘checks’,
for the very good reason that they are vital to
your future tenancy on this planet.
13 Fuel low point filter.
I had an engine failure in Twin Comanche
ZS-EVB at George. It was at the worst possible
time – just after takeoff.
Instructors – you are the best people to deal with
such misfortunes because you are pretty much
current and in practice. You shouldn’t really have
to think what to do. You fly the aircraft with one
hand and your feet, while muscle memory takes
your other hand behind all the power levers and
eases them fully forward. It then raises the gear
and flaps.
You can then relax and go through the dead-
foot-dead engine, confirming and feathering
routine. Bank a few degrees into the dead
engine, trim and relax some more while you
make a plan and tidy up the cockpit. Finally let
ATC know what your plan is.
But I am drifting off the subject. Why did the
engine stop when I most needed it?
This is an interesting one. The twin Comanche
has two of these little low-point filters and drains.
They are under the fuselage and hidden behind
a small hatch. And therein lies the problem. The
smallness of the hatch.
One of them is very easy
to get at, and the other is a
bastard. So much so that
engineers when doing MPIs
are inclined to pull the left
one out, clean it and service
it. They then look at the
right hand one and decide to have a tea break
before tackling it. Over tea they reason that the
previous guy probably serviced the right hand
one so there is no reason for him to do it. It will
be fine for another 100 hours.
You can see where this is going – the right hand
one on EVB never got serviced in its entire life,
and I think it was the oldest Twin Comanche in
the country.
When the engineer, Dave Milne, eventually
got it out, with much cursing over cut knuckles,
he showed me what was inside. It looked like
muddy water. It actually was completely full
of water, but the mud colour was rust. In the
bottom was a corroded bit of bent wire – that
was all that was left of a large spring.
The moral – if a drain is difficult to get at, that’s
all the more reason that you MUST get to it.
May 2024 27
 The newer Cherokees have a nice, clearly marked
selector with a positive stop to prevent you
from accidentally switching the fuel off.
The fuel gascolator and drain is often very
hard to get to - but you must.
28 May 2024
And how about those really silly ones on the
100 and 200 series Cessnas? There is a
white knob that you get at through the hatch
where you check the oil. Nice and convenient
– you don’t have to bend down for it to shoot
a dollop of fuel straight into your shoe.
Worse still, it leaves a puddle of fuel on the
concrete directly where the exhaust is about
to send flames if it backfires during startup.
There have been several Cessnas burned to
the ground by this bit of idiocy.
14 The primer.
This is an interesting little gadget that gives
you a nice rich mixture for cold starts.
Basically, it’s a choke replacement. Every
time you unlock it, pull it out and shove it in
again, you are actually operating a sort of
syringe – pulling it out fills it up and pushing
it in injects vaporized fuel into the head, just
before the inlet valve.
Here are three crash/don’t crash facts that
many instructors don’t know about primers,
so how are ordinary pilots meant to know
them?
First fact, how do you tell if it’s properly
locked, and does it matter? Yes, it does
matter a lot, because if it comes unlocked the
engine will run rough and lose power.
When you push it in and give it a bit of a turn,
you should know what’s going on behind the
scenes. Have a look at the photo. The yellow
blobs show where two indents are. These
are designed to stop the primer from slowly
turning until the peg pops out of the hole and
unlocks the primer.
The POH, or your instructor, will tell you that
after priming you should push the peg into
the hole and turn it 90 degrees. This will take
the peg into the ‘safe’ zone where it can’t
come unlocked. If it turns for any reason the
 Understand where the indents are to keep the primer locked.

peg will go into one of the indents and prevent it
from turning any further
Now, if you are not going to use the primer you
have probably been taught to pull gently on it
to make sure it’s locked – that’s fine – but if you
give it a bit of a twiddle – just to make sure,
then you stand a chance of twiddling it into
the minute ‘unsafe’ zone – that’s the small gap
between the indent and the hole. If it then pops
out of the hole you will lose power – possibly
during takeoff.
Second fact. If you have a look at the engine
you will notice that those thin primer pipes don’t
go to all the cylinders – usually three out of four
on Lycomings. This is to make sure that if you
have primed too much and flooded the engine,
at least one cylinder is not flooded so she
stands a chance of starting on that one.
Third fact – under certain conditions you may
be able to use the primer to give you a bit of
power after a complete, or partial, engine failure.
It will get fuel to the cylinders if dirt, or water, or
something else prevents the carburetor from
doing its job. It’s a long shot, but always worth
a try if you need some extra urge to get you to
that forced landing field.

Cessna's fuel drain knob drains fuel on to the apron beneath the engine.

May 2024 29
 15 Fuel system low point drain.

We covered this pretty thoroughly under 13 fuel
low point filter. We need to think about the
consequences of accidentally leaving this drain
in the open position. A high-wing aircraft will let
the fuel run out as soon as you switch the fuel
on. With a low-wing aircraft, the fuel may only
run out when you switch the fuel and the electric
pump on.
Either way it’s theoretically possible to be
streaming fuel into the atmosphere while in
flight. You won’t see it – in that way it could be
similar to leaving the fuel cap off on a high wing
aircraft.
It seems that ship’s captains and engineers
need to take a leaf out of pilot’s
operating procedures. It sounds
as if the crash of the container
s eve ral
ship, Dali, into the bridge in Ces s nas
bur ne d to t he
Baltimore was probably caused
by dirty fuel.
As an afterthought, the Gleitch and I were
delighted to receive the following letter:
Dear Guy
I have been following the Jim Davis articles on
fuel. He may not remember this but in about
December 1995 I was in Port Alfred when I saw
SAA’s JU-52 flying overhead.
I drove out to 43 Air School because I heard
it was due to land there. When I arrived, the
aircraft was being refueled. Jim was supervising
this operation from the back of a horse. He was
riding bare-back, wearing no
shoes and had a parrot on his
shoulder.
I commented on this to
one of his staff, a young

gr ound
WW (Weekday Worker – I
These ships usually have two believe). Who said that Jim
huge supercharged two-stroke sometimes came to work in
diesel engines driving a single propellor. They his 1936 Dodge Fire Engine – complete with
only use one engine while moving slowly. That ladder and brass bell – and with the same parrot
engine not only turns the propellor, but it also on his shoulder.
powers all the electrical and hydraulic systems.
And both those systems are used to move the The youngster looked round to make sure no
rudder for steering. one was listening and said, “I think he is a bit
eccentric.”
Like aircraft, they have fuel filters and water
drains. It sounds as if these were either Just thought you might enjoy this story.
inadequate or were not properly serviced and All the best
drained before departure, allowing dirt to block Alex.
the fuel injection nozzles, causing the engine
failure.
GL writes: When I asked Jim to comment he
Then they have the equivalent to an APU which admitted it was true – but said it was only at
takes a bit of time to come on line and then it weekends. j
only supplies limited electrical and hydraulic
power.

Short story – if you don’t drain the filter bowl you

can cause a monstrous nonsense on anything
from a little aeroplane to a bloody great ship.

30 May 2024
May 2024 31
FLIGHT TEST: GULFSTREAM 695A COMMANDER 1000

The Gulfstream Commander-1000 outperforms all comparable corporate turboprops in speed and fuel burn.

32 May 2024
GULFSTREA M
COMM ANDER
1000
- THE SM ART CHOICE
Text: Guy Leitch. Images: Ken Clark, Mitchell Hill and Guy Leitch

May 2024 33
 Twin turboprops have always been about performance
compared to their piston progenitors. So it is remarkable that
by far the best all-round performer is also the biggest secret –
and that is the Gulfstream Commander 695A-1000.
THE GULFSTREAM COMMANDER is a
product of the aeronautical brilliance of Ted
Smith. His Commander 500 through 680 piston
twins were among the top corporate transports
available. Even President Eisenhower used
a 680 Grand Commander as an occasional
Air Force One, because of its good short-field
capability.
be came
DEVELOPMENT famous in
The first Aero Commander Bob Hoove r ’s
hands
twin, the Model 520, flew on
27 April 1948. Using flat-six
piston engines instead of the
then still popular radials, and
a semi-monocoque construction, Smith’s Model
520 was the first true modern light twin.
The 520 has a strong resemblance to the
Douglas A-26 Invader which Ted Smith had
helped design. With its high wings and tall
empennage, the Aero Commander 520 had
lots of interior space and load carrying ability,
Cockpit has been fully refurbished with Garmin G600 EFIS. Image Mitchell Hill.
34 May 2024
comfortably seating 5, and able to squeeze in
two more in optional rear-facing seats behind the
front seats. Powered by a pair of 240-hp, geared
piston engines, the 520 could cruise along at
about 200 mph, when most airliners were still
only flying at 180 mph.
Despite having the aura of a private airliner,
the Model 520 was blessed
with superb handling, great
visibility, an easy-to-manage
cockpit, and good short-field
/ rough-field capability, which
was important in an age
when most airfields were still
rough unpaved landing strips.
To demonstrate its excellent
engine-out handling, a propellor was removed
from the critical engine of the first prototype –
which was then taken-off and flown, non-stop,
from Oklahoma to Washington, D.C. This feat
would serve as a valuable lesson for a company
that would eventually benefit from ‘stunt
marketing’, thanks to a company vice-president
named Bob Hoover.
It's all about performance - 302 KTAS at FL280 burning just 460 lbs per hr. Image Mitchell Hill.
A more streamlined version of the 500 became
the Shrike Commander, which soon became
famous in Bob Hoover’s hands. Hoover
would get into his big, twin-engined Shrike
Commander and fly loops and rolls – with both
engines running, then on one engine, and
finally the whole routine again with no engines,
eventually gliding to land and
aff or de d
coasting smoothly to stop on
the same spot from which he’d
departed.
gr eat
Aero Commanders had been
designed around the big-twin
v is ibilit y f or
concept and could only get
bigger – not smaller and more
pilot s
efficient. With an aisle between the seats, this
class of plane came to be known as cabin-class.
The Beech Model 18 had first claim to the class,
and by 1960 Beech had debuted its Queen Air.
The long fuselage Aero Commander 680FL was
introduced the next year and Cessna and Piper
soon followed with the Cessna 400 series and
the Piper Navajo and Chieftain.
The planes had grown, but the power hadn’t, as
the flat six piston engines could not make more
than 375 hp. So Beech replaced the Queen
Air’s pistons with Pratt & Whitney PT-6s and
called it the King Air. As the King Air it quickly
began winning sales from all top-of-the-line
piston twins.
Aero Commander responded by putting Garrett
AirResearch TPE-331 turboprops on its 680FLP.
The result was the Aero Commander 681
(commonly known as the Turbo Commander,
or – briefly, the Hawk Commander). It soon
evolved into the slightly more powerful, and
more refined 690.
Faster, by far, than the King
Air B200, and any of the large
Cessna or Piper piston twins,
the beautiful 690 Commander
was blessed with a cockpit that
afforded great visibility for pilots
and remarkably simple cockpit
systems, while exuding the
sophisticated image of an airliner’s flight deck.
With a roomy cabin and the advantage of a
spectacular earthward view for passengers
through huge picture windows (the King Air’s
low wing prevented much of a view from its
small porthole windows), the Commander
retained a great appeal. The Commander’s
high-wing and roomy, rectangular cabins
(versus the cramped, round oval cabins of
competing planes), great handling and hefty
load capabilities made it hugely popular with all
who flew them – or sat in the back.
The company was bought by Rockwell in 1958,
who in 1981, sold it to Gulfstream Aerospace.
May 2024 35
 Gulfstream introduced a series of improved
models, culminating in the Twin Commander
1000, which was produced from 1982 to 1985.
The subject of our evaluation is ZS-KZZ, a 1983
Gulfstream Commander 695A-1000.
ZS-KZZ is the third of three Commander 1000s
acquired new by Eskom and operated from
Grand Central. It proved adept at the short legs
to the nearby Eastern Transvaal power stations
with small runways, and well as long flights
to Cahora Bassa in Mozambique, and Cape
Town, for the Koeberg power station then under
construction.
For the historians, Eskom’s three Aero
Commander 1000s were ZS-KZX, ZS-KZY and
ZS-KZZ. ZS-KZX was exported to the USA in
1997 and KZY went to Australia in November
2014, leaving just KZZ in South Africa. Other
695 Commanders in South Africa are ZS-TWZ
and ZS-MWT.
Just for fun - enjoying a 425 Kt groundspeed. Image Mitchell Hill.
36 May 2024
ON THE GROUND
The Commanders may not have the ramp
presence of the King Airs with their high stance
and even higher T-tail. Instead, they are low
slung and sleek – and look fast. The high wing
means that the cabin floor is low and easy
to access. The fuselage is long and has a
rectangular cross section, giving plenty of head
room. Another popular Commander feature is
the large external baggage compartment behind
the cabin.
Ted Smith’s designs are easy to spot as they
have the cockpit in front of the engines for better
visibility out. The Commanders have the main
cabin door at the front of the cabin, so the pilot
can be the last one in and the one to close the
door, without having to thread her way through
passengers to the cockpit.
 Up to 9 seat interior - but its cozy. Image Mitchell Hill.

The 695A-1000 is powered by a pair of 820
shaft horsepower TPE331-10 engines, which
deliver excellent fuel economy and have long
overhaul intervals of 5,400 hours. These
turboprops have direct drive props and so need
a high idle speed and thus have a loud high-
pitched scream on the ground.
The high wing gives the props a very useful 35
cm ground clearance, and the props are not as
vulnerable to a pitching motion on the ground as
are the forward mounted King Air props.
However, it wasn’t until Gulfstream bought
Rockwell Commander in 1981 that the brand
really hit its stride with two new models—the
900 and the 1000, also known as the 690D and
695A/B. About 40 of the 900s and approximately
110 of the 1000s were made. You can easily
differentiate between the two: the 900s have
large mid-cabin picture windows, which offer
great views out, but make for a noisier cabin.
The 1000s deliver 15 knots better maximum
cruise speed—up to 305 knots—and have up to
500 pounds more takeoff weight than the 900s.
ZS-KZZ has just completed a major make-
over which includes a new EFIS instrument
panel, interior and paint job. Out came the
electromechanical ADI and HSI and avionics

Unusual alcove for rear seats can also take a belted potty. Image Mitchell Hill.

May 2024 37
 Commander 1000 uses Honeywell
TPE-331-10-511K engines which are
notably more fuel efficient than the
equivalent P&W PT6.

38 May 2024
panel. About 180 lbs of wiring was removed.
The new panel features two Garmin G600TXI
EFIS displays driven by two Garmin GTN 750
NAV/COM/GPS units in the avionics stack.
Bringing the aircraft fully up to date are two
remote ADSB in/out transponders. There is a
Garmin 75 weather radar and an S-Tec 2100
digital autopilot.
The cabin has been beautifully redone with
a spacious double club interior for 6 adult
passengers plus 2 pilots, or 5 adult passengers
with 3 children and the 2 pilots.
With an endurance of over 6 hours, the rear
cabin can be fitted with a belted electric flushing
lav (making it a legal passenger seat) and a
semi-rigid privacy door. The ‘squared oval’ cabin
provides generous shoulder and headroom for
a plane in this class. The baggage section can
hold 600 pounds.
The Douglas A-26 Invader shows its common
heritage with the Aero Commander.
All Commanders can be flown single pilot. With
pilot, three passengers, full bags, and full fuel,
Commander 1000s can fly a very impressive
2,000 nautical miles—that’s eight hours of
cruising.
FLYING THE COMMANDER 1000
ZS-KZZ’s Honeywell TPE-331 -10 engines
have a ‘mini FADEC’, being a Single Red Line
(SRL) computer which prevents novice pilots
from doing a hot start by feeding in too much
fuel too quickly.
Taxying can take some getting used-to. With
the brake pedals operating proportioning valves,
Commander brakes are different to most other
aircraft. It’s common to see new Commander
pilots making jerky side-to side motions with
frequent application of brake as they try to
figure out the pedal steering.
May 2024 39
 Unlike the Pratt & Whitney
PT-6A turboprop, which
has propellers that turn
independently of the rotating
components of the powerplant
(the so-called free turbine
design), Garrett TPEs use a
single-shaft. This means that the
shaft to the propeller gearbox is
directly connected to the rotating
engine’s compressor.

In a power loss, the windmilling

prop still drives the engine and
so generates huge drag, not to
mention asymmetric thrust. So
Garrett engineered a system
that senses negative torque,
then automatically sends the
propeller of the sick engine to a
nearly feathered condition (the
pilot must manually complete the
feathering) when it detects that
the prop is driving the engine.
Without this NTS (negative
torque system) a Vmc rollover
may be a risk after an in-flight
engine failure. A pre-flight check
of the NTS is thus required
before every flight. If the NTS Prop clearance is excellent thanks to high wing.
doesn’t pass the preflight
checks, it’s a no-go item.
The 6.7 psi pressurisation differential keeps
With the Commander 1000’s good power to the cabin at 7,000 feet at FL280. The two
weight ratio, acceleration is brisk, especially engines combined use about 85 gallons the
at typical lighter weights. Rotation is weight first hour, and about 75 gallons every hour after
dependant but is around 85 that. Fuel burn and speed
KIAS, which can be reached decreases above FL290,
in 300-400 metres, depending ae r ody namic so in its upgrade, ZS-KZZ

ge nius is
on weight and density altitude. was not approved for RVSM
operations.
Climb at 130 KIAS can be
greater than 4,000 fpm, and ev ide nt If flying for range, the
160 KIAS is a typical cruise- Commander 1000’s
climb still going up at over 3,200-pound fuel capacity
3,000 fpm initial climb. It can climb straight to provides an easy six-hour endurance for as
FL280 with a full load. At that level it will do over much as a 2,000 nm still air range. The aircraft
300 KTAS, depending on load, typically burning has an amazingly simple fuel system, having
450 lbs/h, which is about 70 gph. what is in effect just one big tank, although there

40 May 2024
 Mainwheels rotate to horizontal when they retract.
are in fact 22. So there are no issues with cross-
feed or fuel mismanagement. Everything is
interconnected, so all fuel comes from just one
source.

ZS-KZZ is usually flown for its owner by Mitchell

Hill, who notes that the perception of speed is
much the same at 80 knots as it is at 180 knots.
Consequently, the first few landings with a new
Commander pilot usually are either too fast or
too slow. Most new pilots seem to want to err
on what they consider the safe side, and end up
doing the approach and the landing much too
fast.

Mitch Hill reports that it climbs at around 750

fpm on one engine at gross weight, and with
the large rudder, asymmetric thrust is easy to
control. “You can even trim the plane out and
put your feet on the floor. Most pilots say an
engine failure is a non-event.”

Another key safety feature is that the clean stall

and Vmc within two knots of each other. With a
clean configuration the buffet comes at 75 KIAS
and with flaps, at 72 KIAS, with no tendency for
either wing to drop.
King Air B200 fly-off
Every turbine Commander comes with a
maximum turbulence-penetration speed. These Mitch Hill reports that they performed a real-
speeds relate directly to the structural strength life comparison with a Beech 200 King Air – its
of the airframe, with the empennage usually direct competitor.
being the weakest link. Most Commander
models therefore have a big 180-kt IAS Va Flying ZS-KZZ, Mitch took off from Queenstown
(manoeuvring speed) placard on the windscreen for the 485 nm sector to Cape Town, ten
post, applicable to flying in minutes after the King Air.

t he pilot can
light-to-moderate turbulence. In
severe turbulence, depending
on operating weight, Va can be
40 -50 kt less than the 180-kt
be t he las t
limit. The lighter the aircraft, the
slower Va is.
one in
All the turbine Commanders have an excellent
short and rough field capability. Approach is
typically 110 KIAS slowing to 95 knots over the
fence. With the big wheels and if necessary,
beta or even reverse on the props, you can get
stopped in 300 metres.
Despite being kept low by
ATC until he had overtaken
the King Air, ZS-KZZ landed
20 minutes before the King
Air – and burned 200 litres less
fuel. And the Commander has
significantly lower maintenance
costs, due to longer engine times between
overhaul.
For an owner operated twin turboprop, the
Commander 1000 is indeed the smart choice.

May 2024 41
 Characteristic 'canoe' fuselage features a high tail.
CONCLUSION

Ted Smith’s aerodynamic genius is evident in

many aspects of the Commander. He got it
right first time so you don’t see aerodynamic
afterthoughts like stall strips, wing fences or
vortex generators.

Gulfstream’s ownership of Commander lasted

only from 1981 to 1985, but Commanders
produced during this period are highly valued.

Once you have flown a turbine Commander,

pilots understand why the passion for these
planes runs deep. Commanders might have
been out of production for nearly forty years,
but with hundreds still flying regularly, and with
strong support from type certificate holder Twin
Commander, these planes should continue to fly
for decades to come. j

PARTS AND SUPPORT

FOR AIRCRAFT TYPES no longer in production
there is always potential concern for long-term
parts supply.
Today, Twin Commander Aircraft of Creedmoor,
North Carolina, holds the type certificate and
supports the type with parts it makes from
more than 58,000 pieces of original production
tooling. Matt Isley, the CEO, notes that “95
percent of our parts requests are out the door
the same day. We stock a lot of inventory. When
you compare the support we provide with the
support of an in-production aircraft, we’re on
par with some of the best OEMs to make sure
our owners have mission-capable aircraft. Guys
are comfortable flying this airplane in revenue-
producing roles because the product support is
there.”
Twin Commander’s Grand Renaissance
program is a virtual rebuild of the aircraft that
effectively zero-times the airframe. But even
without such investment, Commanders tend to
be robust. Still, “when you’re dealing with an
aircraft that has been flying for 30-plus years,
you’re going to have some corrosion things and
structural issues,” Isley notes.
“Gulfstream really learned from the earlier
models and eliminated a lot of problems with
the changes they made on the 900 and 1000,”
Isley continues. “There have been only two
large service bulletins on the [Commander]
line in the last six years, but those have not
applied to the 900 and 1000 models, so they are
fairly clean from an SB [service bulletin] or AD
[airworthiness directive] standpoint.”
j

42 May 2024
Specifications and Performance
Gulfstream Commander 695A-1000
Specifications
Wing span 52.12′
Length 42.98′
Height 14.95′
Cabin Height (Inside Interior) 4.77′
Cabin Length 17.25′
Cabin Width (Inside Interior) 4.12′
Baggage compartment load limit (unpressurized) 600 lbs
Baggage compartment load limit (pressurized) 100 lbs
Max Ramp Weight: 11,250 lbs
Max Take-off Weight: 11,200 lbs
Max Landing Weight: 10,550 lbs
Standard Empty Weight: 7,289 lbs
Useful Load: 3,961 lbs
Zero Fuel Weight: 8,800 lbs
Baggage compartment load limit: 600 lbs

Performance
Maximum Cruise 354mph/308kts

Normal Cruise Speed 348mph/302kts

Twin Engine Vy (IAS) Sea Level: 159mph/138kts

Twin Engine Vx Sea Level: 113mph/98kts

Single Engine Vy (IAS) Sea Level : 138mph/120kts

Single Engine Vx (IAS) Sea Level: 117mph/102kts

Minimum Control Speed (IAS): 93mph/81kts

Stall Speed, Clean (CAS): 91mph/79kts

Stall Gear and Flaps Down (CAS): 89mph/77kts

May 2024 43
 JIM DAVIS

P I T T S LOW LEV EL
A ER OB AT I CS
• This discussion is to promote
safety and not to establish
liability.
• CAA’s report contains
padding and repetition, so in
the interest of clarity, I have
paraphrased extensively.
Aircraft Registration: ZS-UZZ
Date of Accident: 22 August 2015                     
Time of Accident: 0758Z
Type of Aircraft: Pitts Special S-1S                               
Type of Operation: Private
PIC Licence Type: Private Pilot      
Age: 46        
Licence Valid: Yes
PIC Total Flying Hours: 309.1   
PIC Hours on Type: 11.4
Last point of departure: Brits (FABS)
Destination: Rustenburg (FARG)
Location of the accident: S 25°31’20” E 27°46’33”
Elevation: 3700‘
Met: 150°/05KT, Viz 10k, Temp 23°C, DP 9°, CAVOK
Number of people on board: 1         
No. of people injured: 0         
No. of people killed: 1

History of Flight:
THE PILOT TOOK OFF from runway 20 at Brits
at about 0750Z on a private flight to Rustenburg.

After takeoff the aircraft drifted 40° to the left. The

pilot did a left-hand circuit followed by a knife-
edge along the runway.

He then did a 180 and a 50’ flight along 02 and

pulled the nose up at the end of the runway. At
about 250’ he rolled inverted. The aircraft pitched
nose-down and impacted the terrain in the back
yard of a residential area.

The pilot did not hold an aerobatic rating.

The pilot had just 11 hours on the Pitts Special.

44 May 2024
JIM’S COMMENTS
AT FIRST I DIDN’T THINK this accident had
much to tell us ordinary pilots. The aerobatic
community understands that this crash was
caused by insufficient training, so there’s not
much for them to learn from it.
However, it caused considerable comment on
SA’s most popular aviation digital chatroom,
so I ploughed through more than 300 posts to
see what other pilots had to say. They made
fascinating reading. So I have selected and
condensed some of these views for you to think
about.
Some of you will recognize
lear n
the words of an experienced
aerobatic pilot who ironically
didn’t listen to his own ae r obatics at a
s e ns ible he ight
advice and his own criticism
of Andre. Soon afterwards
he killed himself doing an
unplanned high G pull-up
at low level. This tells me you need more than
knowledge and skill to be a safe pilot – you
need cast iron discipline.
I’ll give you my thoughts at the end and tell you
what I believe is the basic cause of Andre’s
accident, and many others. Plus a golden tip for
avoiding this type of accident.
Guys, he was never a “windgat” [showoff].
The most competent and cautious pilot I ever
flew with, which I did a lot.
-------
WAKE UP FOLKS - GET PROPER
TRAINING, OR STAY AWAY FROM STUFF
YOU DON‘T UNDERSTAND.
-------
So in my total 1400 hours – 15 years with
600+ aerobatic hours – your statement that
Aerobatics is dangerous is not only untrue
but it sounds like you might have had a bad
experience with someone unqualified.
This is the crux of the matter and why I think
pilots who do beat-ups are intellectually
challenged and personality deficient. If you
are so insecure or stupid that you would
intentionally take risks to gain a perceived
“respect” from others, even after they have
told you that they think it makes you a bigger
wally, then you probably deserve to remove
yourself and your future influence from the
gene pool.
Just so sad when family gets left behind for
no good reason.
[The guy who wrote the above comments
killed himself shortly afterwards. He was
showing off doing a high G pull-up at low-level
when the main spar failed.]
-------
HappySkipper wrote: Jim
– let’s say a guy has some
aerobatic experience, and
flies a light single with a
+4/-2 G rating, on arrival
at an airshow/gathering/
fly-in or whatever, he does a low-level, high
speed run into wind down the active runway,
then pulls up into a “zoom” whilst banking 45°
to position himself on a downwind, would that
be considered dangerous, or showing off? I
ask, because I would like to know whether
my LCC (the Famous Live Cowards’ Club)
membership might be revoked?
ANSWER: Slappy Kipper, you wouldn’t be
going to 46° , or even 47° of bank, would you?
-------
Speed is Life... and Altitude is Life Insurance
-------  
Good morning Jim. There seems to be a hint
that LCC members only pussy-foot around the
patch when the weather is fine – and should
not really enjoy the “manly” side of flying.
REPLY: That’s stone wrong. The LCC
encourages all pilots to learn nice, smooth
aerobatics at a sensible height, in the right
aircraft, with a good aerobatic instructor.
May 2024 45
 There’s no greater pleasure with your pants
on – apart from a greasy three-pointer in a
taildragger.
-------
Proud LCC life member. This year I celebrate
40 years in aviation - I aim to see many more
years – thank you LCC.
-------
Patty Wagstaff (World Aerobatic Champion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patty_Wagstaff)
says: The rules are simple, and I’ve found it’s
best to heed them.
-------
So before we criticize somebody like Andre,
who died before he aspired to greater heights,
don’t be fooled that only the “windgat” die
doing aerobatics. History is filled with the
names of dead aerobatic
pilots. pilot s ar e
-------
This bloke was sent out by
intelle c tuall y
a pro to get comfortable challe nge d
with the aircraft then “come
back so we can teach you properly” how to
do aerobatics. Now somewhere in between
he lost himself and did something stupid
and paid dearly so he now won’t be learning
to do aerobatics anymore. He just did his
last one. Maybe it will sharpen some aviator
somewhere on this forum. Me, I will continue
with the LCC.
-------
Even when the professional aero teams do
low level aeros my stomach tightens, I turn
my head and do something else. I don’t enjoy
watching low level aerobatics at all.
-------
Ownership does not guarantee proficiency.
-------
What made him do this? The male f*****g
EGO.
-------
Andre, I knew you for a short while but this
could have been prevented.
46 May 2024
-------
Is it really only “his affair” when he was
conducting low-level aerobatics outside of an
aerobatic box/practice area which resulted in
a crash close to houses, which may well have
cost the lives of innocent people going about
their household chores?
-------
I can recall so many names of people I knew,
who were really nice chaps, good pilots and
enthusiastic aviators, whom I wish I could see
strolling around on the mentioned aeroplane
aprons – but alas, who I can only see in the
mirrored images of my memories…. sad?
-------
I think the basic question to be asked is, was
this accident sequence part of a “PLANNED”
display, or was it a “SPUR
OF THE MOMENT” /
“UNPLANNED” action?
-------
Andre – the accident pilot –
previously wrote: I enjoy the
Pitts. Keep checking the sky –
would be nice if someone can give me some
feedback. I fly almost every weekend from
FARG. Would like to see those photos.
[Jim says, I’m afraid it sounds a lot like look-
at-me].
-------
One just needs to look at the number of fatal
‘beat-ups’ that have taken place over the
past five years and ask what makes pilots
want to show off, just to kill themselves,
and sometimes take others with them? US
statistics suggest that ‘beat-ups’ are the major
cause of fatal accidents in General Aviation,
especially when there is an audience.
-------
Andre was laid to rest today. What a nice
down-to-earth gentleman.
-------
Almost five years ago I lost my leg, and
almost my life, in a Harley accident. There

were many times I wished that I never woke
up. During the following year I lost my wife
and two darling daughters together with their
arms and laughter. Also lost was the PPL that
I was privileged to enjoy for 20 years.
I didn’t ask for or expect sympathy. My foolish
behaviour on my Harley had caused the
nightmare that haunted every sleeping and
waking hour of my life, but I am paying for it
dearly. How I wish I could turn back the hands
of time for my family whose lives were also
shattered. They had no part in my conduct for
which they are also suffering.
If Andre could turn back the hands of time,
not for himself, but for all other wives, friends,
daughters and parents. If only.
-------
Jim Again
With aerobatics in a high density altitude, you
go up slower – and come down faster and
further.
Why must it be done at low level? There’s
only one answer – showing off!
In the 60s, two successive bosses of the
Beech agents killed themselves doing beat-
ups at airshows. The first was Henry Hunt
in a Musketeer, with a passenger. I can’t
He rolled inverted at 250 ft, then hit the ground.
remember the name of the second, but he
had three pax in a Sundowner. Then there
was Quinton Posthumus, a Placo salesman
who did it at Youngsfield in a 140 Cherokee
with three girls on board. And then Jack Jay,
another Placo salesman, four-up in a 235.
He took a photographer’s head off and then
crashed. Next was Angus McKenzie, who
did it at Parys in a Bonanza. There are more,
but these are the ones who spring to mind.
All experienced pilots, and all killed doing
wing-overs after beat-ups. Oh, and there was
Hookie Baldwin who did the same in a home-
built at Karel van Aswegen’s strip near Plett.
The list is impressive – and all experienced
pilots.
All because it seems so easy, but it’s far more
complicated and dangerous than it looks.
Briefly, the secondary effect of rudder tries to
pull the nose down and roll you on your back.
You counteract with elevator and aileron and
you spin in from 300’.
Don’t play silly-buggers NEAR THE
GROUND.
Golden tip
Keep a photo of your child or loved one stuck
on the instrument panel. j
May 2024 47
 FOR SALE
Piper Comanche PA-24
Price: R950K excluding VAT

PA-24 – 180 hp: 1962. ZS-CXH.

Fantastic cruiser and hour builder.
Airframe: 2440. Lycoming O-360-A1D
Prop:Hartzell HC-C2YR-1BF
Avionics: Standard six pack
Viewing: Worcester FAWC

FOR SALE FOR SALE

Tucano Replica Bearhawk Patrol 2022
R2 million (replacement kit would cost R3.5 million
over R2.8 million before building)

Airframe: 25 hours. ZU-TUC.
Engine: Flygas Supercharged Rotax 912 uls
141 hp. 300 hours since new
Propeller: Elitest carbon fibre electric variable
pitch propellor – 25 hours
Instruments: Mostly MGL but too many to list
2022 ZU-IWY.
A Super Cub on steroids. A bigger, more
powerful and faster bush plane
Airframe: 45 hours. Engine: Titan IO-360 180 hp.
Prop: Hartzell HC-C2YR-INX
Avionics:Dynon Skyview with autopilot and
Aera 600 GPS
Viewing: Worcester.

48 Contact
May 2024
Nick Wilkinson: +27 (0)82 688 0578. Email: info@riolargo.co.za
 A LOCAL SOLUTION TO A GLOBAL REQUIREMENT
At Helideck Certification-Africa, we’re dedicated to providing a local solution
for a global necessity – the certification of offshore helidecks.
CERTIFICATION FOR SAFETY:
Regular helideck certification is crucial for the safety
of helicopter crew and passengers, ensuring the
protection of your valuable assets.

ISO9001:2015 APPROVED:
Helideck Certification-Africa adheres to international
quality standards.
ADHERING TO UKCAA CAP 437:
We base our inspections on this recognized global
standard, assuring the highest level of safety for
offshore helicopter operations.
PRECISION FRICTION TESTING:
We employ the Findlay Irvine Microgrip friction
tester, the only friction tester approved by UKCAA
CAP 437.
OUR COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTIONS COVER
• Helideck markings and obstacle-free sectors
• Identification of operational Helideck limitations
• Competence of Helideck Crew
• Communication procedures
• Firefighting and rescue equipment
• Emergency Response Planning
• Helicopter operational
procedures

YOUR SAFETY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE. CHOOSE HELIDECK CERTIFICATION-AFRICA FOR

PEACE OF MIND AND COMPLIANCE WITH GLOBAL SAFETY STANDARDS!

For Further Information or to Book an Inspection, contact us today:

Email: info@helideckcertification.com May 2024 49
Phone: +27(0) 83 263 4439
Website: www.helideckcertification.com
 REGISTER REVIEW: MORNE BOOIJ-LIEWES
PK-NEX is now ZS-TJA and is another Challenger that may be
using South Africa as a front for its Russian owners.
MARCH 2023
It’s hard to believe that we are already more than a third
the way through the year. This month sees 13 aircraft
added while nine have been cancelled as exported.
I OPEN THIS MONTH’S REGISTER REVIEW
with an interesting and unusual addition - a
Bombardier Challenger 850ER, ZS-TJA. This
is a former Indonesian-registered (PK-NEX)
corporate jet and only the second such aircraft
to ever be registered in SA. I am unaware that
it has been delivered to South Africa at the time
of writing, but I have an inkling this may be yet
another corporate jet using the ZS- register to
“sanitise” its ownership for onward sale, as the
last tracked flight of the jet with its Indonesian
registration is on 25 January when it routed
Dubai (DXB) -Istanbul (ISL).
This is the same pattern as the recently-
imported Global Express 6500, ZS-BPG
(60014), that ended up in Russia via a few very
quick changes of registration. Watch this space,
but I would equally welcome any comment from
our readers clearing up this matter!
The Beechcraft 1900D ZS-EAH has returned
from its lease to the Maldivian airline, Manta Air,
and resumes operating under its former South
50 May 2024
African registration. It arrived back in SA at
Lanseria Airport on 3 February to clear customs
before making a short hop to Rand Airport, and
no doubt now awaits new assignments.
The other additions for the month are a brand
new Cessna Caravan, ZS-XCA and another
CRJ900, ZS-CMH, for Cemair. This registration
was previously assigned to a CRJ100 of the
airline and increases the carrier’s CRJ900
fleet to six aircraft. This particular aircraft was
delivered to Lufthansa Cityline as D-ACKE in
July 2006 before being retired from service
and going to Regional One in November 2022.
Regional One is a purchaser, lessor, and seller
of aircraft, aircraft parts, engines and engine
parts. Its sale to Maltese-flagged Lillair as
9H-FLITA never materialised and it instead went
to Cemair, arriving at OR Tambo International
Airport on 23 February.
On the rotorwing front there are three new
additions. Another of the popular Robinson R44
Raven IIs is added to the local fleet. A brand
ABOVE ZS-EAH is a Beech 1900 returned from the Maldives.
BELOW: CemAir's fleet continues to grow with the addition of Bombardier CRJ-100ER, now ZS-CMH.

May 2024 51
 ABOVE: Mooney 201 ZS-KXA has been exported to an unusual destination - Hong Kong.
BELOW: Z
 S-VMX is, despite its ZS registration, a NTCA Rutan Long-Eze, now exported to the
USA. Image Willie Bodenstein.

52 May 2024
ABOVE: ZS-HRG is a former SAPS BO-105 sold on auction and now exported. Image Bill Teasdale.
BELOW: A sad loss is Waco ZS-JMG which has been exported to the USA. Image Rob Holland.

May 2024 53
 ABOVE: Boeing 75 Stearman ZS-MIC has also been exported. Image Bob Adams Wikimedia.
BELOW: ZS-GPT is a Schempp-Hirth Ventus B which has been exported.

54 May 2024
 ZU-ORI is the second VL3 to be registerd in South Africa. Image Willie Bodenstein.
new Airbus Helicopters H130 and another of the
smart Bell 430s are the other new additions.
The sleek Bell 430 has become popular in both
the corporate and medevac roles in SA and this
latest addition is one of two recently imported
into South Africa but the first of these to feature
in these updates.
This helicopter was built in 1998 and delivered
as N8151Y. It was then sold to Turkey where
it flew as TC-HTA before its sale to the Kuwait
Ministry of Health where it flew as 9K-BBB. It
was then sold to a corporate owner in the USA,
taking up the registration N965BP before being
imported into South Africa and being cancelled
from the US Civil Aircraft Register on 18 January
of this year.
The NTC section of the register sees six
additions with one each of the popular
Jabiru J430, and the locally designed and
manufactured Sling 4 TSI and Bat Hawk R. A
JMB Aircraft manufactured plane ZU-ORI is the
second of the sleek new generation VL3s to be
imported into South Africa. A Glasair II-S and
EXR 540 are the other two additions.
There is a bit of an exodus of planes this month
and it unfortunately includes two lovely biplanes
– a Boeing Stearman and a Waco, that both
depart to the USA. It is really sad to see these
lovely radial engine planes leaving our skies.
Other exports include a Mooney M20J that
moves to Hong Kong. A Cessna 206 relocates
to Kenya and will no doubt be flying in support
of the country’s wildlife tourism industry.
A Ventus glider has left to Germany while a
Shadowlite Jabiru J430 departs to Nigeria.
The Cemair CRJ200 is cancelled to Gabon
to facilitate its operations while on contract to
a Gabonese carrier. One of the unique Rutan
Long-Eze planes, ZS-VMX, is cancelled but with
no additional information. This aircraft had been
advertised for sale in late 2023 so it is assumed
it must have found a new home outside of South
Africa.
The single helicopter deletion this month is
an interesting one. BO-105 ZS-HRG is listed
as exported to Turkey. This is a former South
African Police Service Airwing operated BO-105
that is one of the airframes sold on auction
following their retirement from service. This
helicopter was recently noted doing test flights
following a period of maintenance to restore it
to an airworthy state. There still seems to be a
lot of life left in this and the other similarly-retired
BO-105s that are all again being restored to
airworthy condition.
Several of our readers have contacted us about
aircraft not appearing in the register updates.
We are trying to resolve this matter but we are
limited to publishing the lists kindly supplied
by the SACAA but we request that should you
know of any omissions you contact Guy Leitch
or myself via email. We always appreciate
hearing from our readers! j
May 2024 55
 A u s t i
co y) Ltd
c REGISTER
N
M & ices (Pt
Serv REVIEW
MARCH 2024
REG MANUFACTURER TYPE NAME SERIAL NUMBER PREVIOUS IDENTITY / EXPORT COUNTRY
New Registrations ZS-
ZS-EAH Beech Aircraft Corporation 1900D UE-424
ZS-CMH Bombardier Inc. CL-600-2D24 15081
ZS-TJA Bombardier Inc. CL-600-2B19 8100
ZS-XCA Cessna Aircraft Company 208B 208B-0764
New Registrations ZT-
ZT-REK Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II 11144
ZT-HEA Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 8861
ZT-RNX Bell Helicopter Company 430 49043
New Registrations ZU-
ZU-IZW Sling Aircraft (Pty) Ltd Sling 4 TSI 506S
ZU-ORI JMB Aircraft S.R.O VL-3T3-915 546
ZU-RIS Erika du Plassis EXR 540 01
ZU-JAE Micro Aviation SA Bat Hawk R 1026
ZU-JAI Jabiru J430 1013
ZU-JAH Jacob Kloosterzeil Glasair II-S 2247
Aircraft deleted ZS-
ZS-JMG Waco Aircraft Co. YMF F5015 USA
ZS-MIC The Boeing Company A75N1 75-2936 USA
ZS-KXA Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20J Hong Kong
ZS-LYX Cessna Aircraft Company U206G U206-05227 Kenya
ZS-GPT Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH Ventus B-16.6 207 Germany
ZS-VMX Rutan Aircraft Factory Long-Eze DHO-01 Cancelled
ZS-CME Bombardier Inc. CL-600-2B19 7293 Gabon
ZS-HRG Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH BO105 CBS-5 S-742 Turkey
Aircraft deleted ZU-
ZU-IYA Shadow Lite CC J430 996 Nigeria

SANAS Ac
credite
1302 & 1d4Laboratory
8

We perform SANAS certifications on all your:

Acoustics ( eg. CEL 350 )
Vibration ( eg. Rion VA -11)
Human Vibration ( eg. Quest Hav Pro)
Electrical DC/LF Equipment – inhouse or on site
(eg. Fluke Multimeters, Insulation Testers)

Contact: Marianka Naude

56 May 2024 Tel: 012 689 2008 I Cell: 076 920 3070
Email: admin@mnacoustics.co.za
 o u s t i c
N A c ) L t d
M & ices (Pty
Serv

SANAS Accredited La
boratory
1302 & 148

We perform SANAS certifications

on all your:
Acoustics ( eg. CEL 350 )
Vibration ( eg. Rion VA -11)
Human Vibration ( eg. Quest Hav Pro)
Electrical DC/LF Equipment – inhouse or on site
(eg. Fluke Multimeters, Insulation Testers)

S
Q U OTATI O N
T
ON REQUES
Contact: Marianka Naude
Tel: 012 689 2008 I Cell: 076 920 3070
Email: admin@mnacoustics.co.za May 2024 57
 HELICOPTER SERVICES
www.saflyer.com

AGENCIES SERVICES

Maintenance
Robinson
Leonardo
Sikorsky

Offshore
Enstrom

Training

Tourism
Wildlife
Charter
Airbus

HEMS
Other

Sales

Other
COMPANY NAME TEL NO WEBSITE

FBO
Bell
CAPE TOWN
NAC (021) 425-3868 www.nachelicopterscapetown.com a

Cape Town Helicopters (021) 418-9462 www.helicopterscapetown.co.za a a

GEORGE
Titan (044) 878-0453 www.titanhelicopters.com a aaa a
LANSERIA
NAC (011) 267-5000 www.nac.co.za aa aaaa a a
NELSPRUIT
Leading Edge (013) 741-3654 www.leadingedgeaviation.co.za aa a a a a
RAND
NAC (011) 345-2500 www.nac.co.za aa aaaa a
VIRGINIA
BAC (031) 569-1531 www.bachelicopters.com aaa aaaa aaa a

NAC (031) 944-1678 www.nac.co.za aa aaaa a

SA Flyer Magazine
58 May 2024 Helicopter Services Directory
 airbus.com

SUPPORTING
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
IS

CRITICAL
MISSION

With surveillance and crime-fighting equipment vital to operations,

our versatile range of helicopters perform a multitude of critical
missions. Supporting law enforcement teams, who in turn support
communities, Airbus proudly delivers cutting edge flight technologies
that help keep the world a safer place. 59
May 2024
 F L I G HT S A F E T Y
T H R O U G H M A I NT E N A NC E

Aero Engineering and Powerplant

Fuel Prices as at 17/11/2023
FUEL
Fuel Prices as at 13/12/2023

Prices include VAT but exclude any service fees Prices include VAT but exclude any service fees
TABLE
Airfield Avgas Jet A1 Airfield Avgas Jet A1
Baragwanath Fuel Prices as at Fuel22/03/2024
Prices as at 22/03/2024
R32,50 Baragwanath Fuel -Prices
FASY as at Fuel19/04/2024
Prices as at 19/04/2024
R33,00
Beaufort West FABW
Prices includePrices VAT but exclude
R32,25 R 26,70 Beaufort West VAT - FABW R32,25 R 25,85
include VATany
butservice
excludefees
any service fees Prices includePrices but exclude
include VATany
butservice
excludefees
any service fees
Bloemfontein Airfield Airfield Avgas R33,53JetAvgas
A1 R20,86
Jet A1
Bloemfontein Airfield - FABL Airfield Avgas R32,00
JetAvgas
A1 R20,30
Jet A1
Brakpan -Baragwanath
Baragwanath FASY - FASY R34,00 R35,00 R34,00 Brakpan -Baragwanath
Baragwanath -FASY
FABB - FASY R36,00 R34,00 R36,00
Brits WestBeaufort
Beaufort - FABW West - FABW R32,25 R30,45 R 25,85
R32,25 BritsWest
R 25,85 Beaufort - FABS - FABW West - FABW R33,80 R29,20
Beaufort R 25,85
R33,80 R 25,85
Cape Town
Bloemfontein - FABL
Bloemfontein - FABL R32,00 R34,04 R32,00R21,39
R20,30 Cape Town
R20,30 Bloemfontein - FACT - FABL
- FABL
Bloemfontein R32,00 R33,35 R32,00 R19,50
R20,30 R20,30
Cape -Winelands
Brakpan FABB Brakpan FAWN - FABB R32,50 R33,00 R32,50 Cape- FABB
Brakpan Winelands
Brakpan --FABB FAWN R34,00 R34,00 R34,00
Brits - FABSCreek
Eagles Brits - FABS R29,55 R33,00 R29,55 BritsEagle's
- FABS Creek Brits - FABS R30,45 R30,50 R30,45
Cape Town
East London - FACT
Cape Town - FACT R32,20 R32,41R19,96
R32,20R21,37R19,96 CapeEast
Town - FACT
London Cape-Town FAEL- FACT R32,20 R35,84R19,96
R32,20 R20,37R19,96
Cape Winelands - FAWN R33,00 Cape Winelands - FAWN R33,00
Ermelo Cape Winelands - FAWN R31,51 R33,00
R25,18 Ermelo -Cape FAEOWinelands - FAWN R33,00
R30,94 R24,73
Eagle's Creek Eagle's Creek R30,50 R30,50 Eagle's Creek Eagle's Creek R32,50 R32,50
EastGariep
London Dam- East
FAELLondon - FAEL R36,31 R33,50R20,55
R36,31
R23,00 Gariep Dam
R20,55 East London - East FAEL-LondonFAHV
- FAEL R36,31 R35,50R20,83
R36,31
R23,00
R20,83
George
Ermelo - FAEOErmelo - FAEO R30,93 R33,08 R30,93R20,69
R24,73 George
R24,73 Ermelo - FAEO-Ermelo
FAGG - FAEO R30,93 R36,31 R30,93 R19,49
R24,73 R24,73
Grand
Gariep Dam Central
- FAHV
Gariep Dam - FAHV R33,00 R33,98 R33,00R21,78
R23,00 Grand
R23,00 Gariep DamCentral Gariep -Dam
- FAHV FAGC - FAHV R33,50 R33,98 R33,50 R24,67
R23,00 R23,00
Heidelberg
George - FAGGGeorge - FAGG R36,97 R34,50R19,88
R36,97 Heidelberg
R19,88 George - FAGGGeorge - FAHG - FAGG R36,97 R31,00 R36,97 R21,50
R19,88 R19,88
Grand CentralGrand
Hoedspruit - FAGCCentral - FAGC R34,85 R33,04R24,55
R34,85R23,44R24,55 Grand CentralGrand
Hoedspruit - FAGCCivil - FAHT
Central - FAGC R35,59 R31,66R24,55
R35,59 R27,90R24,55
Heidelberg
Kimberley - FAHG
Heidelberg - FAHG R30,00 R33,40R23,50
R30,00R15,65R23,50 Heidelberg
Kimberley - FAHG
Heidelberg
- FAKM - FAHG R30,00 R31,95R23,50
R30,00 R19,22R23,50
Hoedspruit
Kitty Hawk Civil - FAHT Civil - FAHT R30,56 R37,70
Hoedspruit R27,90
R30,56 R27,90 Hoedspruit
Kitty Hawk Civil --FAHT
FAKT Civil - FAHT R33,47 R34,80
Hoedspruit R27,90
R33,47 R27,90
Kimberley - FAKM Kimberley - FAKM NO FUEL R21,90 NO FUEL R21,90 Kimberley - FAKM Kimberley - FAKM NO FUEL R21,90 NO FUEL R21,90
Klerksdorp R32,86 R24,22 Klerksdorp - FAKD R31,65 R28,09
Kitty Hawk - FAKT Kitty Hawk - FAKT R33,80 R33,80 Kitty Hawk - FAKT Kitty Hawk - FAKT R32,00 R32,00
Kroonstad
Klerksdorp - FAKD R31,66 R34,04R27,99 Kroonstad - FAKS R31,66 R32,32
Klerksdorp - FAKD R31,66 R27,99 Klerksdorp - FAKD Klerksdorp - FAKD R27,99
R31,66 R27,99
Kruger/ Intl
Kroondal Airspan Nelspruit
Kroondal / Airspan R31,02 R33,95 R31,02R25,15 Kruger
Kroondal Mpumalanga
/ Airspan
Kroondal / Airspan Intl -FAKNR32,43 R33,95 R32,43 R28,37
Krugersdorp
Kroonstad - FAKS
Kroonstad - FAKS R31,95 R32,50 R31,95 Krugersdorp
Kroonstad - FAKS
Kroonstad - FAKR- FAKS R32,74 R30,00 R32,74
Lanseria
Kruger Mpumalanga Kruger Intl -FAKN Intl -FAKN
Mpumalanga R33,95 R34,04 R33,95R23,00
R26,47 Lanseria
R26,47 Kruger Mpumalanga - FALAIntl
Kruger -FAKN Intl -FAKN
Mpumalanga R33,95 R34,73 R33,95 R24,84
R26,91 R26,91
Krugersdorp
Margate -Krugersdorp
FAKR - FAKR R30,75 R34,04 R30,75R23,06 Krugersdorp
Margate-Krugersdorp
-FAKR
FAMG - FAKR R32,50 NO FUEL R32,50 NO FUEL
Lanseria - FALALanseria - FALA
Middelburg R32,78 R37,95R23,35
R32,78R23,00R23,35 Lanseria - FALALanseria
Middelburg - FAMB - FALA R32,78 R33,00R23,35
R32,78 R25,99R23,35
Margate - FAMG Margate - FAMG NO FUEL NONO FUEL
FUEL NO FUEL Margate - FAMG Margate - FAMG NO FUEL NONO FUEL
FUEL NO FUEL
Morningstar R34,56 Morningstar R32,25
Middelburg - FAMB Middelburg - FAMB R31,86 R25,99
R31,86 R25,99 Middelburg - FAMB Middelburg - FAMB R31,86 R25,99
R31,86 R25,99
Mosselbay R37,50 R20,50 Mosselbay - FAMO R37,50 R23,00
Morningstar Morningstar R31,90 R31,90 Morningstar Morningstar R31,90 R31,90
Nelspruit
Mosselbay - FAMO
Mosselbay - FAMO R34,50 R32,32R24,50
R34,50
R28,44 NelspruitMosselbay
R24,50 Mosselbay - FAMO
- FANS - FAMO R37,50 R33,41R27,50
R37,50
R26,14
R27,50
Oudtshoorn
Nelspruit - FANS FAOH- FANS
Nelspruit R33,41 R35,19 R33,41R23,10
R26,14 Oudtshoorn
R26,14 Nelspruit - FANS Nelspruit- FAOH - FANS R32,55 R35,19 R32,55 R23,10
R24,73 R24,73
Parys - Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn FAOH - FAOH R35,19 POA R35,19 POA
R23,10 Parys - FAPY
R23,10 Oudtshoorn - Oudtshoorn
FAOH - FAOH R35,19 R28,99 R35,19 R22,23
R23,10 R23,10
Pietermaritzburg
Parys - FAPY Parys - FAPY R31,59 R37,70 R31,59R24,32
R22,67 R22,67 ParysPietermaritzburg
- FAPY Parys - FAPY - FAPM R33,00 R34,00 R33,00 R28,10
R23,52 R23,52
Pietermaritzburg
Pietersburg - FAPM
Civil
Pietermaritzburg - FAPM R30,50 R31,80 R26,30
R30,50R23,70R26,30 Pietermaritzburg
Pietersburg -Civil
FAPM
Pietermaritzburg - FAPI - FAPM R33,40 R29,95 R25,80
R33,40 R24,45R25,80
Pietersburg
Plettenberg Civil - FAPI Civil - FAPI R30,50 R34,60
Pietersburg
Bay R24,70
R30,50R25,00R24,70 Pietersburg
Plettenberg Civil - FAPI
Pietersburg
Bay - FAPG Civil - FAPI R30,50 NOR24,70 R30,50 R25,00
FUEL R24,70
Plettenberg Bay - FAPG Bay - FAPG NO FUEL R28,75
Plettenberg NO FUEL R28,75 Plettenberg Bay - FAPG Bay - FAPG NO FUEL R25,00
Plettenberg NO FUEL R25,00
Port Alfred R33,50 Port Alfred - FAPA R33,50
Port Alfred - FAPA Port Alfred - FAPA R33,50 R33,50 Port Alfred - FAPA Port Alfred - FAPA R33,50 R33,50
Port Elizabeth R35,19 R24,84 Port Elizabeth - FAPE R33,47 R23,46
Port ElizabethPort - FAPE Elizabeth - FAPE R34,39 R23,35
R34,39 R23,35 Port ElizabethPort - FAPE Elizabeth - FAPE R35,48 R24,04
R35,48 R24,04
Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom - FAPS
Potchefstroom - FAPS R31,01
POAR22,09
R31,01
POA Potchefstroom
R22,09 Potchefstroom - FAPS - FAPS - FAPS R32,43 R28,99
Potchefstroom R22,94
R32,43
R22,23
R22,94
Rand
Rand - FAGM Rand - FAGM R35,75 R34,10 R35,75R23,98
R27,50 R27,50 RandRand
- FAGM - FAGMRand - FAGM R35,75 R35,75 R35,75 R27,50
R27,50 R27,50
Robertson
Robertson - FARS FARS - FARS
Robertson R30,90 R33,00 R30,90 Robertson
Robertson - FARS - FARS - FARS
Robertson R30,90 R32,00 R30,90
Rustenberg
Rustenburg - FARG FARG - FARG
Rustenburg R31,00 R31,30 R31,00R23,65
R23,65 Rustenburg
R23,65 Rustenburg - FARG - FARG - FARG
Rustenburg R32,10 R31,00 R32,10 R23,65
R23,65 R23,65
Secunda
Secunda - FASC Secunda - FASC R31,05 R33,00R25,88
R31,05R25,88R25,88 Secunda
Secunda- FASC - FASC - FASC
Secunda R31,63 R33,07R23,58
R31,63 R25,88R23,58
Skeerpoort
Skeerpoort *Customer
Skeerpoort
*Customer to *Customer
collect
to collecttoR28,77
collect POA R19,85
R28,77 POA R19,85 Skeerpoort
Skeerpoort *Customer
Skeerpoort
*Customer to *Customer
collect toR31,19
to collect R20,70
collect R26,75R31,19 R19,99R20,70
Springbok - FASB R30,00 R23,50 R23,50 Springbok - FASB R30,50 R23,50
SpringbokSpringbok - FASB POA R30,00 POA Springbok Springbok
- FASB - FASB R30,50 R27,03
R33,93 R23,50
Springs - FASI Springs - FASI R30,00 R30,00 Springs - FASI Springs - FASI R30,00 R30,00
Springs FASH
Stellenbosch -Stellenbosch R36,50
R33,70 Springs - FASI
Stellenbosch -Stellenbosch
FASH R37,00
R28,00
- FASH R36,50 - FASH R37,00
Stellenbosch
Swellendam -Swellendam
FASX - FASX R31,50 R33,20R23,00
R31,50 Stellenbosch
R23,00 Swellendam FASX - FASH - FASX
-Swellendam R31,50 R35,00R23,00
R31,50 R23,00
Swellendam
Tempe - FATP Tempe FASX - FATP R31,60 R33,80 R31,60R22,50
R22,91 R22,91 TempeSwellendam
- FATP Tempe - FASX
- FATP R33,90 R32,70 R33,90 R22,50
R22,91 R22,91
Tempe - FATI
Thabazimbi Thabazimbi - FATI R31,51 R34,04 R31,51R25,33
R22,59 Tempe --FATI
R22,59 Thabazimbi FATP
Thabazimbi - FATI R32,93 R31,88 R32,93 R23,69
R23,44 R23,44
Thabazimbe
Upington - FAUP Upington - FAUP R35,19 POA R35,19 POA
R26,50 Thabazimbi
R26,50 Upington - FAUP Upington- FATI- FAUP R35,16 R29,49 R35,16 R22,73
R29,60 R29,60
Virginia
Upington- FAVGVirginia - FAVG R33,93 R34,00R23,92
R33,93R24,00R23,92 Virginia - FAVGVirginia
Upington - FAUP- FAVG R35,08 R35,19R23,92
R35,08 R25,99R23,92
Vryburg
Virginia- FAVBVryburg - FAVB R32,17 R35,19R22,85
R32,17R23,12R22,85 Vryburg - FAVB-Vryburg
Virginia FAVG - FAVB R33,59 R33,24R23,70
R33,59 R23,58R23,70
Vryheid - FAVYVryheid - FAVY R31,01 Vryheid - FAVYVryheid - FAVY R32,43
Vryburg POAR31,01 POA Vryburg - FAVB R32,43 R22,99
R30,15
Warmbaths - FAWA Warmbaths - FAWA R32,00 R32,00 Warmbaths - FAWA Warmbaths - FAWA R32,50 R32,50
Warmbaths FAWA
Welkom - FAWM R33,06
R30,30
R23,38
Warmbaths - FAWA R29,00
Welkom - FAWM R33,06 R23,38 Welkom - FAWM Welkom - FAWM R33,06 R24,07
R33,06 R24,07
Welkom
Wings Park ELWings Park EL R31,00 R34,04 R31,00R25,33
R23,50 R23,50 WingsWelkom
Park ELWings - FAWM Park EL R31,00 R32,09 R31,00 R23,69
R23,50 R23,50
Wings-Park
Witbank FAWI EL
Witbank - FAWI R33,00 R33,50 R33,00R23,50 Wings
Witbank Park
- FAWI EL - FAWI
Witbank R32,50 R33,50 R32,50 R23,50
Witbank Wonderboom
Wonderboom FAWI
- FAWB - FAWB R29,27 R33,00 R29,27R25,33
R20,35 WitbankWonderboom
R20,35 Wonderboom --FAWI
FAWB - FAWB R30,69 R33,00 R21,20
R30,69 R21,20
Wonderboom
Worcester - FAWC
Worcester - FAWC R29,50 POAR29,50 POA Wonderboom
Worcester - FAWC
Worcester - FAWB
- FAWC R29,50 R27,25 R29,50 R20,49
Worcester R34,31 Worcester - FAWC R29,50

Fuel prices may change with every new delivery. Fuel prices updated courtesy of AviationDirect – Andrea & Kelly. Fuel
prices and contact details can also be found in their products: EasyPlan and EasyCockpit – https://aviationdirect.co.za/

AMO No: 227 aeroeng@iafrica.com

60HangarMay 2024
no 4, Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria (012) 543 0948/51
 AMO 227

FLIGHT SAFETY THROUGH MAINTENANCE

Overhaul / Shockload / Repair of Continental

and Lycoming Aircraft engines

Overhaul Engine Components

Overhaul and supply of Hartzell / McCauley
and Fix pitch Propellers

Hangar no 4, Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria

PO Box 17699, Pretoria North, 0116
Tel: (012) 543 0948/51, Fax: (012) 543 9447, email: aeroeng@iafrica.com 61
May 2024
 HISTORIC NEWS

OVERCOMING
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Barbara Harmer left school at the age of 15 without any
qualifications to work as a hairdresser. After five years,
she applied to become a trainee air traffic controller at
London Gatwick Airport.
WHILE WORKING AT GATWICK, she started sail her yacht across the Atlantic. But she had
taking flying lessons after obtaining a £10,000 developed ovarian cancer.
bank loan. She got her CPL in 1982 but was
rejected by 100 potential employers. Then, Captain Harmer, who never had children, died
in 1984, she got her first pilot job in a small in 2011 at the age of 57, leaving behind her
airline, and within that year she joined British husband of 27 years.
Caledonian. Then in 1987, British Caledonian
Airlines merged with British Airways. She started low in life, climbed and then soared.
Her legacy is an inspiration to women and
After four years flying DC-10s, she was selected youngsters everywhere. Through her pragmatic,
to train as Concorde pilot, becoming the first can-do attitude, she achieved success in a
woman to qualify. After Concorde she captained
the Boeing 777 until 2009, when she retired to
male-dominated industry. j

Barbara Harmer overcame great odds to fly Concorde.

62 May 2024
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Joachim Vermooten
QOM
Reacting to SAA’s claims that, after the collapse of the Takatso deal,
it would seek private investors and list on the JSE, in a masterful
understatement, noted aviation economist Joachim Vermooten, said,

“Until you have a proper accounting system in

place, you’re unlikely to find many investors.”

BOOK S
by Pete r Gar r is on

May 2024 63
 AIRSHOW
Text Guy Leitch. Images Duncan Gillespie.

AERO
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
2024 – FULL REPORT
This year was the 30th year of Aero
Friedrichshafen, a General Aviation expo for
pilots and knowledgeable owners of planes.
The organisers claim that a high percentage of
the 27,200 visitors hold a pilot’s license.
WITH MORE THAN 650 EXHIBITORS from displays, as for instance Oshkosh AirVenture
35 countries, 35,000+ attendees and 500+ does. Given the German weather, it is perhaps
journalists from all over the world, AERO appropriate that the organisers were not relying
Friedrichshafen once again maintained its focus on the gee-whizz crowd pull of an airshow.
on both traditional designs and future trends.
The American based OEMs happily make the
Unlike conventional airshows, AERO features trip to support this expo. Cirrus, Textron, Piper,
static displays inside hangars, rather than flying Garmin and Boeing subsidiaries Jeppesen and

The re-imagined Junkers A60 was again big this year.

64 May 2024
 The military was also there - a Luftwaffe Eurofighter.
Foreflight were prominent. Gulfstream displayed
their G500 and there was in interesting
Bombardier Global with a Lesotho flag yet Malta
registration.
The expo can be divided into specific categories
and themes. Always of interest are new engines
– either of the internal combustion (ICE) variety
or electric. European daily life is marked by
a pervasive concern about carbon emission
reductions, sustainable fuel, and the technology
A Rotax 912-powered Stampe SV4 clone.
that advances those goals. This is reflected
in Aero’s dedication to tracking progress in
alternative propulsion schemes.
This year marked the eleventh year that Aero
dedicated exhibit halls to what it calls “e-flight
expos.” There was a plethora of designs making
use of battery-electric and hydrogen-powered
airplanes—some of which are certified under
EASA rules. This year’s e-flight expo had over
100 exhibitors.
May 2024 65
 Textron brought a King Air 260.

A Bombardier Global 5500. Maltese registered

with an African flag on the tail. Interesting.

66 May 2024
Piper’s new M700 Fury.

May 2024 67
 A Bristell XL8 experimental with the
French TurboTech 160 HP powerplant.

68 May 2024
 The TurboTech 130 shp turbine.
There is a rich vein of new technology designs
and pure research efforts. Technical universities
in Germany and other European Union states
sponsor programmes that allow students to
learn the science behind electric and hydrogen
propulsion. One large exhibit area showed off
the work of students at six different German
universities and Technikons.
Aero Friedrichshafen
is all about the latest Woman powe r
innovations and draws in
the first movers and early r e mains a
challe nge
adopters—from gliders to
jets.
Engines
There is always an amazing variety of power
plant ideas on view at AERO. One key trend is
the need for power solutions using non fossil
fuel sources, which is at a critical juncture in the
European Union.
While the aerospace industry globally has
agreed to decarbonize by 2050, as of now, the
only answer on the market is the very limited
two-seat electric trainer, the Pipistrel Velis
Electro. Other non-carbon fuel planes nearing
EASA certification are all on the motor glider and
very light end of the scale.
Better range in larger and
faster planes currently
require hybrid power
solutions, such as the
joint Daher/Airbus/Safran
EcoPulse demonstrator,
which features six electric
Safran motors distributed
on a TBM’s wings, and a standard Pratt &
Whitney PT6A-66D turboprop on the front end.
This project has logged 35 flights total, 14 of
which have been flown on electric power. As it
enters final testing the lessons learned will go
into a new product, the EcoPulse.
Like full electrification, hydrogen has been
slow to develop as a practical alternative. A
May 2024 69
 An Airbus H135M (originally the Eurocopter EC635) - the military version of the Airbus 135.

70 May 2024
DG Aviation joined forces with Jonker Sailplanes aas the newly established JSDG Production GmbH.

May 2024 71
 A SMALL helicopter - the Hungaro Copter powered by a Rotax 915.

choice must be made between the use of
liquid and gaseous hydrogen. Further, it will
require massive changes to the current airport
infrastructure.
Also prominent this year was Turbotech’s
lightweight 130 shp turbine. This is hot news
because it can burn sustainable biofuel
alternatives to JetA – and Avgas.
Aero is good for anticipating industry trends,
the drag of regulation, and economic and
cultural pressures. In several forums discussion
continued from past years has taken on greater
urgency.
In the short and medium term, however, the
industry must move to unleaded Avgas in
Europe as soon as January 2025, according to

Drones are big at AERO - and this one is really big

72 May 2024
A BIG helicopter - a German Army NH90. So many sensors!

May 2024 73
 A newcomer- the Konner K2 Italia helicopter.

74 May 2024
 Bosch is getting into the drone market.
GAMA. Pressure on Avgas has triggered piston
manufacturers such as Diamond and Tecnam to
re-engine their fleets to burn JetA.
Tecnam introduced an upgraded version of
its twin, the Tecnam P2006T NG. The Italian
manufacturer has added an additional front door,
larger windows, external access to the baggage
compartment and an updated interior. Power is
provided by twin Rotax 912iS engines for high
altitude efficiency and reduced fuel consumption.
A premium version with a leather interior is also
available.
Tilt-rotor drones remain popular.
French aircraft manufacturer Elixir announced
new production facilities in both France
and the United States. The French site, the
manufacturer’s third in France, will produce the
composite fuselage and flight controls in Aytré.
In addition, a reassembly plant will be located
at Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport in
Florida, intended for U.S. customers. A press
release said, “The demand for Elixir aircraft in
the American market is substantial, with over
200 units already pre-ordered.” It’s not cheap –
prices range from $300,000 for the entry model
powered by a Rotax 912iS engine to $400,000
for the more advanced version.
May 2024 75
 Leave it to the Germans to build this behemoth Graf
Zeppelin of drones, looking like a massive bumble-bee.
Austria-based Diamond announced its intent
to produce its eDA40 for flight training. The
aircraft is all-electric and based on the DA40.
The company joined forces with Lufthansa
Aviation Training and tested the eDA40 in “real
training conditions” in Switzerland. The aircraft
is powered by an “ENGINeUS” electric smart
motor supplied by Safran, drawing power from
an electric power systems battery module
equipped with a DC fast charging system.
BRM Aero, the Czech Republic-based
aircraft manufacturer of Bristell aircraft, and
Switzerland’s H55, the technological spinoff of
Solar Impulse, announced the B23 Energic.
This two-seater is a fully electric aircraft
“offering unparalleled performance, efficiency,
and environmental sustainability […] with a
maximum take-off weight of 850 kg, 60 minutes
of endurance, plus reserves, and an hour
charge time,” according to a joint press release.
The H55‘s propulsion and battery technology
has received acceptance for the European
Union Aviation Safety Agency’s Compliance
76 May 2024
Checklist, a significant step toward certification
of the entire electric propulsion system.
Germany-based Elektra Solar presented its
updated Elektra Trainer electric aircraft, recipient
of the Innovation Award at AERO 2023 and
certified as an ultralight. Charging modes include
a solar trailer. This year’s model has long
winglets for better aerodynamics, an integrated
charger, thrust reversers, and a new instrument
panel.
Continental introduced its newest Jet A
piston engine, the CD-170R, specifically for
rotorcraft applications. Combined with FADEC,
this 170-horsepower, turbocharged engine
offers lower fuel Thanks to FADEC and dual
redundancy, it’s expected to burn 7.9 gallons of
Jet A-1 per hour in cruise.
One of the repeat stars of the show was the side
by side corrugated-skin Junkers A60. Following
the tandem seat Junkers A50 Junior, updated
from 1929, the A60 is another new design with
Electric remains the big theme - this is a project from Stuttgart University.

May 2024 77
 Props were big - the Silent 7 - MT-Propeller MTV-47 on the Pilatus PC-12.

78 May 2024
Another big prop on a PC-12.

May 2024 79
 retro looks. “We wanted to offer our customers
side-by-side seating, versus the tandem seating
on the A50,” said Alexander Jainsky, the
Junkers salesman. “It’s about the joy of flying
an extremely beautiful machine; a lifestyle,”
explained Jainsky. Prices start around $260,000.
The aircraft is powered by a Rotax 912iS, and
has retractable gear. There is
a choice of canopy including a
convertible, open-air top.
“ It ’s about
Woman power remains a challenge, with
OEMs still trying to attract the 50 percent of the
population — women — that remains elusive.
Cate Brancart, GAMA’s director for European
safety and sustainability, said, “One of the
biggest events that we have is Aviation for Girls.”
Advanced Air Mobility

t he joy of A further key trend is

advanced air mobility. The

f l y ing”
Manpower last mile will be tough, and
placement of vertiports within
Challenges replacing communities isn’t going to be
human capital throughout easy. The public perception is
the supply chain has translated into ongoing that electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
constraints in throughput of materials, parts, will provide luxury lift for the 1 percent. j
and final products, and increased the seemingly
capricious nature of shortages and/or pricing
issues.

The Rotax 916 iS equipped Sling TSi.

Our preferred “Search Engine”...
This Easter, where will your Sling search take you?

+27 (0) 11 948 9898 | www.slingaircraft.com | sales@slingaircraft.com | AMO 1264 | Manufacturing Organisation M677

80 May 2024
NEWS

ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT
– NO PILOT LICENCE NEEDED
Lift Aircraft has launched pay-per-flight customer
experiences with Hexa, its personal electric vertical
takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
LIFT AIRCRAFT, manufacturer of the single- In lieu of hundreds of hours of flight training,
seat Hexa, has announced the launch of Lift claims beginner training on Hexa’s control
customer eVTOL flights at Lakeland Linder system—which consists of a single, three-axis
International Airport (KLAL) in Florida. The joystick—can wrap up in less than an hour.
announcement kicks off the company’s inaugural A redundant autopilot computer aids the pilot
pay-per-flight U.S. tour, during which it will during flight, but they can also switch to what Lift
take its mobile location around the country and calls “Look, mom, no hands!” mode.
introduce customer flights in additional cities.
The 15-by-15-
“We’re not foot aircraft
just providing can carry up
entertainment. We’re to 250 pounds
offering the chance in passenger
to step into a new configuration. It
era of mobility,” cruises at about
said Matt Chasen, 60 knots at up
founder and CEO of to 9,000 msl,
Lift. “We’re pushing while endurance
the boundaries of (10-17 minutes)
what’s possible in and range (8-15
aviation.” sm) depend on
payload. Hexa
The company will is also durable
offer customers a enough to fly in
The Lift Hexa eVTOL is now approved in Florida.
two-hour experience 20-knot winds,
comprising ground training and real flights under medium rain, and temperatures between -30 to
the guidance of flight instructors. Customers will 50 degrees C .
familiarize themselves with the aircraft and its
controls, first on the ground and then in a virtual The U.S. Air Force is another early Hexa
reality flight simulator. After about an hour, Lift customer. Lift has earned five contracts from
said, they’ll be ready to take to the skies on their AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force, to
own. Flights can be booked via the company’s develop the design and train Air Force personnel
new mobile app or directly through its website. to fly it. Airmen made the first remote flight of
Hexa in 2022 at Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke
Hexa requires no pilot certification to fly. That’s
because the aircraft’s 432-pound weight qualifies
Field (KEGI) in Florida.j
it as a Part 103 ultralight, a classification
confirmed by the Light Aircraft Manufacturers
Association (LAMA) in 2022.

May 2024 81
 NEWS

VANS AIRCRAFT
- EMERGING FROM CH 11
In an April 2024 announcement the company says that
almost 85% of Van’s Aircraft customers have renewed
their contracts at the increased prices.
CLYDE HAMSTREET, the bankruptcy family loaned the company to keep it afloat, all
consultant helping Van’s Aircraft says he’s helped ensure a “good outcome” for creditors
confident the company will emerge from Chapter and a positive future for Van’s.
11 and resume profitability.
“There’s a lot of things coming together … and it
Hamstreet said, “We’ve got a backlog of really gets pretty exciting knowing what’s coming
business now that we know … we can be and what the opportunity is.”
profitable and will allow us to repay our pre-
petition obligations so I’m pleased with it.” Hamstreet believes Van’s will survive bankruptcy
because they now have a strong balance sheet
Hamstreet said the reorganization plan has been and high demand for its products.
filed with the court and is now under review. It’s
expected to be approved in mid-May. In future, kit deposits will remain in a separate
account and held until manufacturing of the
Hamstreet said the strong support of customers
and vendors, along with the millions of dollars
customer’s kit starts.j
in cash that founder Dick VanGrunsven and his

Clive Hamstreet (L) gives an update on Vans recovery.

82 May 2024
Hangar t o R e n t

Hangar available in White River area:

T-hangar available for rent at a secure private farm airstrip near White River.
No landing fees. Power available. R2200/m.
Contact Jeremy (064 931 1642).

May 2024 83
 EVENTS
CALENDAR

SAAF MUSEUM LOWVELD AIR FINANCE

AIRSHOW AIRSHOW AFRICA
4 May 11 May 21 to 23 May
AFB Zwartkops Nelspruit Sandton Convention Centre
Major Michael Church Contact: Nick Fadugba
E-mail: mike.church172@gmail.com willemein.hodgkinson@kishugu.com Email: nickfadugba@africanaviation.com
Cell: 072 720 0700

SAPFA PRESIDENT’S TEMPE NEWCASTLE

TROPHY AIR RACE AIRSHOW AIRSHOW
23 to 25 May 25 May 1 June
Louis Trichardt Bloemfontein Newcastle

David@pilotinsure.co.za • 073 338 5200 Conrad Botha Johan Pieters

race@sapfa.co.za • 082 449 2531 E-mail: rowco24cc@mailbox.co.za E-mail: Johan@champ.co.za
Cell 082 465 4045 Cell: 082 923 0078

ZIMBABWE AIR RALLY EAA SOUTH AFRICA MAPUTO

(50 YEARS) YOUNG EAGLES DAY AIRSHOW
6 - 10 June 8 June 15 June
Zimbabwe Lanseria International Airport Maputo
E-mail: zimairrally@gmail.com Neil Bowden Gavin Neil
Website: www.zimairrally.com E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com E-mail: gavin@haps.co.mz

EAA TAILDRAGGERS AERO EAA AIRVENTURE

FLY-IN SOUTH AFRICA OSHKOSH
28 -30 June 3 -5 July 22 - 28 July
Warmbaths Airfield Wonderboom National Airport Wisconsin, USA
Richard Nicholson Website: Airfield camping contact Neil Bowden
Richard.nicholson1963@gmail.com www.aerosouthafrica.com E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com
Cell: 082 490 6227

VIRGINIA
AIRSHOW
27 July
Durban
Chris Theodosi
E-mail: chris@creativespacemedia.co.za
Cell: 071 220 1245

Tel: +27 (0)10 900 4149 | Mobile: +27 (0)82 547 8379
Info@earefurbishment.com | Francois@earefurbishment.com
84 May 2024 Hangar 24 (Interior Shop) and Hangar 31 (Paint Shop).
Lanseria International Airport, South Africa, Gate 5 North Side.
REFURBISHMENT
GUIDE

May 2024 85
 Guy Leitch

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
Introduction

REFURBISHMENT AND
AVIONICS GUIDE
The weakness of the Rand against the US dollar in the
past few years has given an enormous boost to the
aircraft refurbishment industry in Southern Africa.
Aircraft owners are choosing to upgrade their existing
aircraft rather than replace them with new models.
THE REFURBISHMENT INDUSTRY has made It is not uncommon to find 60-year-old airframes
it possible to own old aircraft that are as good, being refurbished to genuinely better than new
if not better, than new. Owners are increasingly condition, thanks to engine improvements
adding new avionics such as and updated avionics,
terrain avoidance systems, that
a fifty-year-old piston single your particularly since ‘glass cockpit’
instrumentation has become far
would have lacked because
those systems had not yet
insurance more affordable and easy to install
– even in type certified aircraft.
been invented. is much These days a good used Cessna
Thankfully South Africa still
has a deep repository of skills
cheaper 182 with perhaps a midlife engine
can be bought for around R2 to 3
in aviation maintenance and thus a thriving million – which is a quarter of the price of a new
industry refurbishing older aircraft. plane. Not only have you saved millions, but
your insurance is much cheaper.

Aircraft such as the Cessna 210 have been very successfully upgraded.
86 May 2024
 Nextant's 400TXi very successful upgrade of the original Hawker 400.

Of course, maintenance will be a bit – but not Avionics

that much – higher. And this is where a good
AMO comes in.
For seven years SA Flyer owned a Cessna
182, ZS-FPI, and then a complex turbocharged
retractable Piper Saratoga, ZS-OFH. What we
learned is that the differences in maintenance
between a good and poor AMO is very
noticeable in terms of aircraft availability and
reliability. This was evident when we switched
from the Rand Airport based agents to Ferreira
Aviation in Bloemfontein.
Avionics are the field where the most progress
has been made and this makes older aircraft
excellent candidates for an avionics upgrade.
Particularly popular are STCs for the installation
of the industry standard Garmin G600 and
G1000. And for those aircraft that have the
performance – the installation of altimetry to
meet RVSM requirements. A further important
upgrade that is expected to soon becomes
compulsory is ADSB – in and out.

Instrument upgrades such as this to SA Flyer's C182 improve the aircraft's capability and safety.

May 2024 87
 Older corporate aircraft have been excllent candidates for avionics
upgrades such as this Garmin G1000 NXi for a King Air 200.
Introduction

Removing and replacing old instrumentation is a skilled job.

88 May 2024
 SA Flyer's Cessna 182 is an excellent example of
what can be accomplished with refurbishment.
Specialist avionics installers at
Lanseria such as Aeronautical Aviation
and Century Avionics pioneered the
installation of the industry standard
Garmin G600 and G1000 into King Air
200s and similar turboprops and these
have now become a very popular
upgrade across the industry.

Typical installations include a dual air

data attitude heading reference system
(AHRS), dual PFDs, a centre MFD
with moving map, FMS, navcoms
and WAAS GPS, radar display, and a
pedestal-mounted FMS keyboard.
Popular too are numerous electronic engine
instrument displays and a battery powered all-in-
one standby PFD.
A typical avionics selection for the upgrade of
older piston singles involves a Garmin G600
MFD with synthetic vision as a PFD for the
pilot’s side. This gets its data from a WAAS
capable, TAWS-B certified Garmin GTN650
GPS/navcom that fits in the centre radio stack.
On the right side of the panel a JPI EDM 930
engine-monitoring screen that displays all
engine parameters including fuel flow, rpm,
manifold pressure and electrical output is
an ideal partner for GAMI injectors for better
temperature control and lean of peak operation
for fuel injected engines.
Engine Upgrades
The leader in engine upgrades to the ubiquitous
turboprops that are so popular in Africa is
Blackhawk. This company has specialised
in STC approved engine upgrades to the

Aircraft such as the Cessna 210 have been very successfully upgraded.

May 2024 89
 Nextant's 400TXi very successful upgrade of the original Hawker 400.
Introduction
King Air range in particular, but also handle
Cessna Caravans , Pilatus PC-12s and Piper
Cheyennes.
The upgrade that put Blackhawk on the
map is its Beechcraft King Air 200 engine
replacement. Blackhawk offers no less than
three engine upgrade packages for King Air
200s. These are the XP42, XP52 and XP61,
and they all generate important performance
and savings benefits, yet each package has
distinctive characteristics to benefit specific
flight requirements and profiles. Some of the
key benefits include: An increased rate of climb,
higher single engine service ceiling and faster
cruise speeds resulting in reduced time on
airframe and engines and a higher Vref resale
value.
Blackhawk’s XP52 engine upgrade exchanges
the B200’s original PT6A-41 or PT6A-42
engines for factory-new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-
52 engines. No major airframe modifications are
required and some of the key benefits are for
Africa’s hot and high operations: the extended
maximum operating ITT to 820 C with a higher
horsepower flat rating of more than 1346 shp
which enables it to reach higher altitudes more
quickly, fly higher and faster and thus reduces
specific fuel consumption. It is calculated that
this typically saves $38,000 per year in reduced
operating costs.
90 May 2024
Bizjets, which tend to age quicker due to higher
utilisation and faster obsolescence due to jet
engine designs becoming more fuel efficient,
are excellent candidates for refurbishment. This
is especially evident in the re-engining of older
airframes such as the HS125-400 with modern
high bypass fan jets.
A very successful upgrade has been the Nextant
400XTi upgrade of the original Beechjet 400A /
Hawker 400XP. Nextant was the first company
to introduce the concept of re-manufacturing
business jets. Its first product was the 400XT, a
modified and modernised Beech 400A/XP, fitting
it with new Williams FJ44-3AP with Full Authority
Digital Engine Controls (FADEC) and a Rockwell
Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics suite.
Other changes include the overhauling and
replacing of all life-limited components returned
to zero-time status by replacement or overhaul
and replacement of all new primary wiring
harnesses.
Even the basic jets with OEM fanjets such as
Cessna’s Citation 501-SP are able to benefit
enormously from engine upgrades. New engines
such as the Williams FJ44, which put out 2,300
pounds of thrust a side, provide a much-needed
performance improvement.

Exteriors
It’s not just about engines and avionics –
refurbishment customers want their planes to
look like new. All good paint shops start with a
complete paint strip and prime, followed by three
coats of base paint with additional coats for the
colour. Decals are becoming an increasingly
popular option.
Specialists can do you custom paint schemes
as was the case with the yellow extremities
we had for better visibility on our C182 and the
‘heart attack’ scheme on our Saratoga. This
scheme was done by our artist Darren Edward
O’Neil and we were so pleased we added his
signature. Darren will propose a sketch layout
and then, with painstaking attention to detail and
proportion, make sure it is applied as intended to
the physical requirements of the actual aircraft.
A key point to remember when repainting
aircraft is that it must be done by an approved
maintenance organisation as the control
A Beechcraft King Air 200 upgrade by Century Avionics.
surfaces have to be removed and then
professionally rebalanced before installation.
Interiors
Interiors are another critical item – most owners
elect to use wool carpeting, and new padding
and leather covering for seats. All materials must
have a fire certificate – so this is not a job for
non-aircraft approved suppliers, even if they are
much cheaper.
Another popular aftermarket option are airbags –
built into the seat-belt for the front two seats, as
well as new LED lights and new plastic window
reveals.
South Africa is blessed to still have such a deep
legacy of aircraft refurbishment skills and it is the
antidote to increasingly unaffordable new aircraft
prices. j
May 2024 91
92 May 2024
May 2024 93
 AMO
 50
For all your SACAA
 approved
 

AEROSPACE  ELECTROPLATING  
AEROSPACE  ELECTROPLATING
Cadmium Plate in Gold, Silver or
AMO  506   Clear Passivation Cadmium Plate
For all yourAMO  
SACAA506approved Clear Passivati
Hard Chrome
For all your SACAA  approved  plating requirements Hard Silver Plate

 
Electroless Nickel
Hard Chrome
plating requirements
For all your SACAA  approved  plating requirements
Hard Copper Plate

We  are  situated  at  30B,  Buildin

Anodising in Grey, Red or Black

Black Phosphating Hard Silver Pla

Phosphating Alodine Call  Des  on  011 827  7535  or 06
Cadmium Plateor Peter
in Goldon or 081 775  2434  oNic
Electroless r 08
We  are  situated  at  30B,  Building  98,  Rand  Airport.  Next  to  Fields  Airmotive.
For  all  your Aircraft and  Allied  
Silver Passivation
all  Des  on  011 827  7535  or 063 150  1533
Hard Copper P
Peter on 081 775  2434  or 083 208  7244 Hard Chrome
or  all  your Aircraft and  Allied  Electroplating and  queries.
Hard Silver Plate Anodising in G
Electroless Nickel
Black Phospha
Hard Copper Plate
Phosphating
Anodising in Grey, Red or Black
We are situated at 30B, Building 98, Rand Airport. Next to Fields Airmotive.
Black Phosphating

SA Flyer 2023|07
Call Oliver on 011 827 7535
or Peter on 081 755 2534 or 083 208 7249
Phosphating
For all your Aircraft and Allied Electroplating requirements.

We  are  situated  at  30B,  Building  98,  Rand  Airport.  Next  to  Fields  Airm
Call  PDPes  
L ToOn  0AT
11P 827  
L T R7 A535  
ININ oG AND
r 063 E V1E533
150   RY T H I N G I N B E T W E E N
T R A I N O N T H E M O ST M O D E R N

SA Flyer 2023|08
or FPeter L I G HTonSIM 081 775  
U L AT O R 2AVA
434  I LoAr B083
L E 208  7244
For  I Nall  
S O UT H A F R I C A
your Aircraft and  Allied  Electroplating and  queries.
• Now certified for
TCAS training .
• R N AV a n d G N S S
Certified on all flight
models from single
engine to turbine.

W IT H N E W V F R L E V E L
TERRAIN GRAPHICS
CONTACT US OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tel: 011 701 3862
E-mail: info@aeronav.co.za
Website: www.aeronav.co.za
SACAA ATO No: SACAA/1110/ATO

94 May 2024
WE SPECIALIZE IN:
- Avionics
- ACK Agents (ELTs')
JOHANNESBURG
- Repairing and fault finding in Hangar M7, Gate 5, Lanseria Airport
rotor and fixed wing aircraft Tel: 011 701 3200
- Overhaul and repairing of DC/ Danie van Wyk: 083 269 8696
Fax: 011 701 3232
AC Electrical, Magneto and
ignition equipment CAPE TOWN
- Full Battery workshop Signature Hanger, Beachcraft Road
Cape Town International
facilitating NiCad and Lead Tel: 021 934 5373
Acid batteries Erwin Erasmus: 082 494 3722
- Aircraft electrical
Website: www.aeroelectrical.co.za
modifications and installations Email: office@aeroelectrical.co.za
- We travel to any destinations
for MPI’s and repairs May 2024
AMO 1011
95
 CESSNA 425
Century Avionics

AVIONICS UPGRADES:
DESIGN &
IMPLEMENTATION
The weakness of the Rand against the US dollar in the
past few years has given an enormous boost to the
aircraft refurbishment industry in Southern Africa.
Aircraft owners are choosing to upgrade their existing
aircraft rather than replace them with new models.
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION: the customer (or pilot) we are able to identify and
aircraft type, operation and crew workload, we establish the best combination of equipment to
customise a carefully personalised panel to be installed in the aircraft.
meet our client’s needs, whilst striving to exceed
their expectations.

With quality workmanship Cessna 425 Upgrades

and top of the range
avionics, products & support to enhance Century Avionics has had
from leading industry
brands such as Garmin,
safet y and the opportunity to upgrade
different Cessna 425 aircraft
Honeywell, Genesys,
Avidyne, Freeflight, Kannad,
s ituational with various combinations of

awareness
which are a few of the
brands represented by
Century Avionics, we aim
to deliver a product that brings the newest and
most functionally rich avionics technology into
the cockpit.
There are number of considerations of
components in designing the interface of a glass
cockpit. There are also a number of ways to
achieve that and through consultation with the
avionics.
In order to bring true glass
cockpit capabilities to the
aircraft, we fitted either dual 10” Garmin G600
TXi touchscreens or a G600Txi 10” and 7”
Portrait Display as Primary Flight Display/
Multifunction displays. Where we added an
Engine Instrument System (EIS) we installed the
7” portrait display to the two 10” displays. https://
centuryavionics.co.za/product/garmin-g600-txi/

96 May 2024
Lined up and ready to go - Century Avionics upgraded this Cessna 425 to a state-of-the-art glass cockpit.

The Cessna 425 before its upgrade.

May 2024 97
 Functionality and safety are much improved by the upgrades.
Century Avionics

Designed to interface with a range of avionics, https://centuryavionics.co.za/product/garmin-gtn-

radios, navigators, and audio panels, the G600 750-xi-series/
Txi truly offers a vast array of features, options,
and panel layout possibilities. The GTN-650Xi is the smaller, 2.64-inch-tall
NAV/Comm/WAAS GPS package and is a fully
The dual-screen G600 TXi integrated solution. With its
works with the avionics state-of-the-art hardware,
stack, pairing both a primary
flight display (PFD) and a
to enhance and boasting a large, ultra-
high-resolution display, wide
multi-function (MFD) display safet y and viewing angle, and superior
in a single 10-inch-wide
bezel to provide a fully s ituational readability in the cockpit, it
is the perfect choice. https://
certified upgrade option for
your cockpit. The G600 Txi
awareness centuryavionics.co.za/product/
garmin-gtn-650xi-series/
requires two WAAS enabled
receivers to provide navigational input to the Pairing this with the bigger Garmin GTN 750 Xi
G600Txi. navigator, the Garmin GTN 750 Xi is a powerful
avionics system that offers a wide range of
In the Cessna 425s the customers opted for the features to enhance navigation, communication,
GTN-750Xi and GTN-650Xi Navigator bringing and situational awareness for pilots flying under
the best level of navigation and communication. both VFR and IFR. Naturally the GMA-35c

98 May 2024
remote mounted Audio panel is included (it
works with the GTN 750 Xi) and contributes
to more efficient pilot, crew and passenger
communications and an organised cockpit
environment, improving safety. The GTN-750Xi
serves as a colour radar display for a weather
information overlay to the moving map page,
further providing a full picture of the weather and
terrain en-route.
One of the very important considerations is
an ADSB Transponder. The GTX-345 is a
versatile and essential component of modern
avionics and provides ADS-B compliance,
traffic awareness, weather information (US
only), and enhanced situational awareness
to pilots flying in a variety
of airspace environments.
This transponder is AML es s ential
for a qualit y
STC approved specifically
for general aviation
aircraft, offering a range of
features primarily focused
panel
on enhancing safety and
compliance with modern
upgrade
airspace requirements,
making this essential in our glass cockpit
upgrade. https://centuryavionics.co.za/product/
garmin-gtx-345-w-r/
Standby Instruments are essential for a quality
panel upgrade. This can be accomplished by
utilising the original airspeed, artificial horizon
and altitude indicator. However often space
constraints dictate the addition of an electronic
standby indicator such as a GI-275 or ESI-500.
https://centuryavionics.co.za/product/garmin-gi-
275-flight-decks-displays/
The GI-272 or ESI 500 Electronic Standby
Instrument are a critical component of modern
cockpit avionics, providing pilots with essential
flight information and backup functionality to
enhance safety and situational awareness.
Their compact design, reliability, and integration
capabilities make it a valuable asset for aircraft
operators seeking to improve redundancy in
their avionics. https://centuryavionics.co.za/
product/esi-500/
The Garmin GFC 600 is an advanced digital
autopilot designed for a wide range of aircraft,
offering precise control and automation
capabilities to enhance safety, comfort, and
efficiency during flight. With its advanced
technology, the GFC 600 can handle various
flight situations, including climbs, descents,
turns, and even coupled approaches, making
this the perfect autopilot for our panel design
functionality and installation.
Overall, the integration of
the GFC 600 autopilot to the
Cessna 425 enhances the
aircraft’s capabilities, making
it more efficient and safer to
operate, especially during
long flights or in challenging
weather conditions. https://
centuryavionics.co.za/product/
garmin-gfc-600-digital-autopilot/
Our technical and certification team works as
a well-experienced unit to ensure certification
requirements are complied with, whether a DAR
(Designated Approved Representative) sign-off
or a minor modification approval through SACAA
is required.
Upgrade options and combinations for various
aircraft are ever-increasing and Century Avionics
is there to assist with your next avionics project.
Let us upgrade your panel! j
May 2024 99
100 May 2024
May 2024 101

www.dynamicpropellers.co.za
At Dynamic Propellers cc we overhaul and maintain
all Hartzell, McCauley, MT-Propeller, Hoffmann,
Dowty, Sensenich, Whirl Wind and Hamilton
standard propellers to include metal and composite
blades. We do all maintenance procedures related
to aircraft propeller overhauls as called for by the
various propeller manufacturers including cadmium
plating.
Everything is performed in-house, including cold
compression rolling on Hartzell propeller blades, as
well as dynamic balancing of propellers in the field.
Dynamic Propellers cc is an Authorised Service
Tel: +27 11 824 5057 • Fax2mail: 086 548 2651
E-mail:
102 andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za • Andries: 082 445 4496
May 2024
100
95
75
25
0
Centre for MT-Propeller and Whirl Wind. Dynamic
Propellers cc is also appointed as the sole McCauley
Authorised Service Centre for the African continent.
We carry a large stock holding of fast moving
propellers, hubs, parts, de-icing parts, overhaul kits
etc. in our inventory to cater for Hartzell, McCauley,
MT – Propeller, Hoffman, Dowty, Sensenich, Whirl
Wind and Hamilton standard propellers. We do a
huge amount of travelling to local, domestic and
neighbouring countries as well as abroad to cater
for customer’s propeller requirements.
COMFORT &
QUALITY AIRCRAFT
REFURBISHMENT
Tel: +27 (0)10 900 4149
Info@earefurbishment.com
Hangar 24 (Interior Shop)
Lanseria International Airport,
| Mobile: +27 (0)82 547 8379
| Francois@earefurbishment.com
and Hangar 31 (Paint Shop). 103
May 2024
South Africa, Gate 5 North Side.
 Where romance meets nature
Located in South Africa’s Safari hub of Hoedspruit,
CONTACT:
Safari Moon is a boutique base from which to discover bookings@safarimoon.co.za
the wonders of South Africa’s Lowveld region. Explore 083 449 5868
a range of nearby attractions from the famed Kruger
National park to the scenic Panorama Route, or simply
chose to relax and unwind in nature, making the most of
104 May 2024
your private piece of Wildlife Estate wilderness. FlightCom Magazine 35
 FlightCm
African Commercial Aviation
Edition 184 | May 2024
Cover: Trevor Cohen

SACA A’s 25th

Anniversar y Air Show

Okavango –
Romantic exploits!

Iris – Early John Bassi –

Sudan days Things Fall Apar t
1 FlightCom: May 2024
 CONTENTS
Publisher
Flyer and Aviation Publications cc

Managing Editor
Guy Leitch
guy@flightcommag.com

Advertising Sales
TABLE OF Howard Long
sales@saflyermag.co.za
076 499 6358

Layout & Design

MAY 2024 Patrick Tillman: Imagenuity cc

Contributors
EDITION 184 John Bassi
Laura McDermid
Darren Olivier
Jeffery Kempson

ADMIN:
+27 (0)83 607 2335

TRAFFIC:

04 Hugh Pryor - Teleportation Pt2 +27 (0)81 039 0595

ACCOUNTS:

07 AME Directory +27 (0)15 793 0708

08 Laura McDermid - Iris flies across Sudan

12 News - SAA – Takatso deal investigation

13 News - Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire shot down

14 Jeffery Kempson - Okavango Dreaming Pt1

19 News - SITA Latest Airport Tool

20 John Bassi - When Things Fall Apart Pt1

24 CAA’s 25th Anniversary Airshow

32 Superior Pilot Services: Flight School Directory

33 Merchant West Charter Directory

© FlightCom 2023. All rights

34
reserved worldwide. No part

Skysource AMO Listing of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted by any
means, electronically, mechani-
cally, photocopied, recorded or

36
otherwise without the express

Backpage Directory permission of the copyright

holders.
A NOTE FROM
THE EDITOR:
In the provision of air connectivity, especially
intra-African connectivity, a key motivation for
African airlines is that they serve a very necessary
developmental function for peripheral areas.
HOWEVER, THIS DEVELOPMENTAL function
may be uneconomic and thus would require government
subsidy, either of the route, or the entire airline. And
thus do African airlines have a major excuse to be loss
making.
Over the past 100 years, there has been massive rural-
urban migration and thus peripheral towns struggle to
survive. It is argued that without government supported
airline connectivity, many of these
small towns would simply wither
and die.
$ 1. 2 mi l l i o n
When potential investors look to
t o s ubs i di s e
set up factories or shops in regional
towns one of the first questions
about 8
asked is; is there a regular and safe pas s e ng e r s .
airline service? Often these routes
are too thin to be commercially viable for private
sector operators and so it is argued that a state-owned
carrier is needed for these routes.
This is however a challenge that has been thoroughly
explored in the United States which introduced the
Essential Air Service program (EAS). The EAS
programme was launched in the 1970s, when the
US Congress deregulated the airlines yet needed to
protect rural airports and air services. The EAS pays
airlines a federal subsidy for each passenger they fly.
However, like all market interventions, the subsidy
has distorted the market, created inefficiencies and
arguably, become unproductive.
In the USA, with its highly developed landscape,
many of the cities the EAS subsidy benefits are less
than 100 km from larger airports. A larger airport
with more passenger demand attracts bigger gauge
aircraft that are far more efficient in seat mile costs
than smaller gauge aircraft. The smaller aircraft are
typically turboprops, which are not as popular with
passengers as pure jets, and in some cases single
engine aircraft such as the Cessna 208 Caravan and
Pilatus PC-12.
The on-the-ground reality is that passengers will often
choose to travel the 100 km by
road to get to larger airports
with better connectivity than
use small aircraft on subsidised
regional routes. The net effect
is that it is not unusual for
subsidised flights to be mostly
empty. In Kingman, Arizona, the
government paid $1.2 million a
year to subsidise about eight passengers a day.
Interestingly, where democracy has a fine balance
between two dominant political parties, these
subsidies are seldom challenged due to the political
consequences. Thus, in the USA, efforts to reform the
EAS subsidy have been rejected by Congress, where
both Democrats and Republicans have defended the
federal grants for their airports.
The many proponents of airline state ownership
argue that profitability should be secondary, given the
stimulating effect it provides for the economy. But
the experience of the American EAS subsidy proves
otherwise. African governments would do well to heed
the market lessons of the EAS programme. 
 BUSH PILOT
HUGH PRYOR
TELEPORTATION
Hugh continues his story of the great debates
about where a comely future SAA pilot has
a tattoo – and whether teleportation will
destroy pilot jobs.
“
TELEPORTATION!” shouted Ian, the only
direct BP employee on site and therefore the
chairperson of the proceedings on this particular
occasion, “Is the topic for our discussions this evening.
It was suggested by Captain Andrew, and therefore
I would ask him to introduce the uninitiated to this
fascinating subject”
The collective focus of the congregation panned from
the beguiling jeans-belly T-shirt
interface to the large form of Andrew
as he rose majestically to his feet. twenty-three
“Lady,” a courtly nod in Chris’s
hours in the
direction, “And Gentlemen.” Andrew back of a
gathered up eye-contacts from the
rest of the audience, “...a kangaroo Jumbo Jet
leap in the pursuit of knowledge on
the subject of Quantum Mechanics was reported in the
newspapers this last week.”
Now all eyes were on Andrew.
“An act of teleportation was carried out and verified
at a university in Australia. Not quite ‘Beam me up,
Bruce!’ just yet, though. One single atom of Hydrogen
was teleported from one side of a room to the other...
instantly...in no measurable period of time at all.”
4 FlightCom: May 2024
PART 2
A hush settled on the floor of the house.
“The significance of this event needs hardly to be
emphasised. The prospect of long-distance space travel
becomes a possibility denied by earlier concepts
of space and time. ‘Infinity’ becomes ‘now’. The
Quantum Revolution is upon us and I would ask you
to contemplate, for a moment, the ways this may affect
you personally and humanity as a whole.
“Then I would like you to consider
the benefits and disadvantages of
the event and decide whether you
feel that we should pursue this
technology further or attempt to
nip it in the bud and outlaw it
from the start.”
Andrew resumed his seat, and the floor was taken by
Geoff, a big-framed Canadian drilling engineer who
was, incidentally, the unlikely collector and breeder
of minute little ponies. “Well, I don’t know about
you, folks,” he smiled, “but if I was given the choice
of spending twenty-three hours crumpled up in the
back of a Jumbo Jet, to get from London to Sydney
Australia, surrounded by caterwauling kids and puking
parents, or just popping down to the teleporters,
spending an extra fifty bucks and being zapped there
FlightCom: May 2024 5
 HUGH PRYOR
direct, instantly, I know which I would chose.”
Chris then stood up, her chin and various other
delightful features jutting forward defiantly. “Well, as
you guys already know, I have just set out on an airline
career.”
Her voice rang out daintily in contrast to the low
growling timbre of the rest of the speakers. “I have
spent the last four years studying for a profession
which can take a whole lifetime to achieve the ultimate
goal.”
I found the vision of Christine, with the four gold
bars of command, gleaming in support of the golden
tresses adorning her exquisite visage, quite captivating,
speaking of ultimate goals.
“I cannot support a technology
which threatens to destroy so many
thousands of years of experience, The World’s
skill and tradition. The Quantum
Revolution will be the end of the
Favourite
human race as we know it.” Civil Aviation
There followed a short pause, while Magazine
the participants absorbed the tragedy
of not being able to see Chris in uniform if the new
technology were ever allowed to take over. Then John,
a large English drilling engineer, with a reputation
for having a powerful intellectual mind, assumed the
stand, using his glasses as a theatrical prop to conduct
his discourse.
“Much though I bewail the more regrettable effects
of Quantum Mechanics on the career of someone so
delightfully enthusiastic as the young lady here, we
cannot ignore the future. Quantum Mechanics will
come, whether it is promoted or prohibited. Our most
important task, as I see it, is to try and understand it
deeply enough to be able to harness it responsibly for
the benefit of our young friend here and for mankind
as a whole.”
I briefly chipped in to draw attention to the dangers
inherent in the new thinking. How many individuals
6 FlightCom: May 2024
would have to be dematerialised permanently into a
kind of nondimentional limbo, before we discovered
how to rematerialize them. With all the inherent
dangers of aviation, it was still one of the safest forms
of transport ever invented, whereas teleportation was,
until just recently the stuff of science fiction.
An amused grin spread across Andrew’s face, “Yes,”
he said smiling. “The teleporters are bound to have
many of the same problems as the present day airline
industry. Lost baggage is still going to be one of the
features of any future mode of transport. Imagine,
if you will for a moment, the reaction of the doting
Australian mother when she finds that her darling little
Johnnie, freshly zapped back from school in England,
has been rematerialized with an enormous pair of
black ones!”
Andrew’s audience were warming
to the subject. There was a shout
of, “Probably not as violent
as the reaction of Mr. Bicycle
Olepombafoo, when he reappears
in Obongobongoland, to discover
that he’s got a silly little pair of
white ones!”
A guffaw of laughter rippled around the little bar as
imaginations started to takeoff on their own.
“But of course, there would be the nice lady in the
Lost Baggage Office,” said Estfand, an Iranian drilling
engineer, making his first contribution to a Teguentour
debate.
“She would produce that Lost Property chart, you
know, the one with all the different shapes and sizes of
luggage on it, only this time it would not just be about
luggage, would it? She would ask you to identify the
missing items, in order to facilitate their repatriation to
their original owner as quickly as possible, which could
be quite quick, with quantum mechanics around.”
“What about if Darling Little Johnnie didn’t want to
lose his new acquisitions.” Chris was wiping away
tears of laughter from her eyes as she spoke. “How
would Mr Olepombafoo then get his own back, so to looking for jobs. Not just pilots, not just engineers but
speak?” all the people who run airports and build aeroplanes.

“Maybe he would have to visit the teleporters’ monthly
e-bay auction of unclaimed body parts and see if they
had any suitable substitutes for his missing bits.” said
Nigel, our Medic. “He’d have to find somebody else
to fit them though. I wouldn’t touch the things. You’d
never know where they might have been!”
The ribaldry giggled away until the beer was finished,
and beds beckoned. No decision was reached about
whether the new technology should be encouraged
or abhorred, but even as I laid my head on the pillow,
my brain was buzzing with the vast oceans of new
knowledge opened up by Quantum physics.
Just imagine a world without airports. Just imagine a
world without airplane magazines. What would they
call the new Quantum Mechanics magazine, which
replaced them? Probably something original like: QM.
I know quite a reasonable Editor, if they are looking for
one. He’s currently editing what he touchingly calls,
“The World’s Favourite Civil Aviation Magazine” in
the United States, but I don’t know how long they
will be able to struggle on, with publications like QM
coming onto the shelves, do you? 

I couldn’t help wondering whether the human race

would be up to the challenge. So many things would
become irrelevant. Air travel, for a start. Just imagine a
world without aircraft. Think of the number of people

AME Doctors Listing

Off-site Specialist tests
Senior Class 1, 2, 3, 4
On site Specialist tests
Regular Class 2, 3, 4

EASA registered
Other countries
FAA registered

FIRST
SURNAME LOCATION TEL NO E-MAIL
NAME
Britz Rudi Wonderboom Airport 083 422 9882 rudiavmed@gmail.com ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Church Belinda Valhalla 079 636 9860 churchbs@live.com ✗ ✗

Du Plessis Alexander Athlone Park 031 904 7460 dex.duplessis@intercare.co.za ✗ ✗ ✗

Erasmus Philip Benoni 011 849 6512 pdceras-ass@mweb.co.za ✗ ✗

Govender Deena Umhlanga Rocks 031 566 2066/7 deena@drdg.co.za ✗ ✗

Ingham Kenneth Midrand 011 315 5817 kaingham@hotmail.com ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Marais Eugene Mossel Bay 044 693 1470 eugene.marais@medicross.co.za ✗ ✗

Opperman Chris Pretoria Lynnwood 012 368 8800 chris.opperman@intercare.co.za ✗ ✗ ✗

Tenzer Stan Rand Airport & JHB CBD 083 679 0777 stant@global.co.za ✗ ✗ ✗

Toerien Hendrik White River, Nelspruit 013 751 3848 hctoerien@viamediswitch.co.za ✗ ✗ ✗

Van Der Merwe Johann Stellenbosch 021 887 0305 johann.vdmerwe@medicross.co.za ✗ ✗

FlightCom: May 2024 7

 LAURA
MCDERMID

Iris – her early years:

IRIS
FLIES
ACROSS SUDAN
Laura McDermid continues her stories about
Iris McCallum’s early years in East Africa and
the Sudan.

T
HE FIVE MONTHS THAT I’d been These were all new places, and not many pilots had
at Sunbird Aviation had been a steep learning flown there.
curve in terms of learning how to navigate
unchartered territories using only a watch and a Whenever I was unsure of a route, I would consult one
compass. of my colleagues. I sought out Captain Douglas Bird,
inevitably named Dicky Bird.
I found that the most difficult aspect of this was to keep
the faith. I soon learned that the secret to bush flying is Dicky Bird had done my first Kenyan instrument
to maintain your heading, and not rating on his Piper Twin
to do anything stupid by trying to
correct something you have no
t he r e ar e no Comanche PA-30 (known
amongst the pilots as the
control over. l a nd ma r k s a nd ‘widow maker’). I had
previously done a twin
Easier said than done of course. no nav a i ds rating on a PA-30 in the
USA, and was comfortable
On 8 September 1980, I was to flying the aircraft, even after
fly a bunch of Belgian Missionaries, who were based not having flown one in a long time.
in Aweil, a city in northwestern South Sudan near the
Sudanese border, from Wilson Airport in Nairobi in The aeroplane was VMC critical and was known to
my old mate ‘ARN’, the Piper Aztec 5Y-ARN. live up to its nickname if flown in adverse weather.
Having only ever flown the PA-30 at sea level in
In order to clear customs and refuel, we had to fly to Florida, flying this aircraft at altitude was a wonderful
Juba, the capital of South Sudan, a distance of 489 nm challenge.
and then a further 343 nm to Aweil.

8 FlightCom: May 2024

 Juba Airport circa 1980.
Dicky Bird brought out some large Operational
Navigation Charts (ONC) and laid them out on the
board room table. ‘Iris, the most difficult part of this
trip will be from Bor to Aweil’, he drew a line with his
pencil between the two points, ‘there are no land marks
and no navigation aids.’
He took out his protractor and ruler and measured the
distance.
‘You’re going to be flying Onc e y o u
approximately two and half hours
over the Sudd.’
f i nd i t , t ur n
r i ght
The Sudd is a vast swamp in South
Sudan formed by the White Nile’s
Bahr al-Jabal section and is the largest freshwater
wetland in the Nile Basin, covering an area of 500 km
south to north and 200 km east to west.
The Arabic word Sudd means ‘obstruction’, as indeed
this swamp proved to many intrepid explorers over the
centuries.
‘Iris don’t fly directly from Bor to Aweil, fly to Wau
instead and most importantly pick up the railway line.’
He drew a squiggly line on the map punctuated with
bisecting lines, indicating the railway line.
‘Once you find it, turn right; Wau is at the end of the
line. From there it’s not a long fight to Aweil, just stick
to your compass heading and time.’
‘Oh and Iris, another thing, never
ask your passengers if they recognise
anything from the air because they
won’t, even if they’ve been there a
thousand times.’
I was all set.
Kenya Breweries had just launched the Tusker bottles
for export, which we fondly nicknamed Dumpies.
Having learned early on that you had to be self-
sufficient on these trips if you wanted a cool beer at
the end of a long hot day, I managed to squeeze six of
them into my mini green cool bag with an ice pack.
FlightCom: May 2024 9
 PILOTS
It was the morning of the departure. I glanced at my
watch for the umpteenth time willing the hands to
freeze. My passengers were late which meant that I’d
be chasing the sun that afternoon.
Furthermore, flying in the rift valley as it was heating
up always meant a rough ride.
By the time we got through customs and immigration at
Wilson, my airborne time was 10h30.
I flew north along the Great Rift
Valley, skirting Nakuru National Park,
I bl i nk e d t o
over the Turkwell Gorge, along the s t i mul at e
river via Eldoret and over Kitale on
the Western wall of the Rift west of
my t e a r -
Lake Victoria, and within sight of Mt. duc t s
Elgon.
The land here was predominantly used for farming,
and was a rich verdant green, a testament to the fertile
soil.
The sun was now directly above me, pressing my
shadow into a tight ball.
The Sudd.
10 FlightCom: May 2024
I remained high over the Lolibai and Dongatona
Mountains, until I was cleared to descend into Juba.
The flight took 3.5 hours. Due to a difference in time
zones, we had gained an hour, a small win.
As I opened ARN’s door, a wall of heat hit me. I felt
as if I’d been punched in the solar plexus. I tried to
suck air into my lungs, but it seemed devoid of oxygen
and my mouth gasped stupidly
like a fish on dry land. The heat
scorched my eyeballs and leached
every ounce of moisture out of
them.
I blinked rapidly in a vain attempt
to stimulate my tear-ducts; each
time I closed my eyes it felt like
sandpaper behind my eyelids.
After refuelling the aircraft, I tackled the nauseating
process of immigration and customs, ushering my
passengers into the airport. In the arrival lounge, old
fans whirled overhead at almost zero RPM. They
 Aerial view of Aweil, capital of Northern Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan.

didn’t help to cool things down, in fact they seemed to This part of the trip was still easy, I just followed the
spread the heat. I watched as the fans above my head White Nile North for about 40 minutes to find Bor
groaned impotently, no doubt slowed by years of fly airstrip. The Nile held an excitement and allure when
shit. viewed from the air. This river had

We departed Juba at 13h30 local time As so much history that, regardless of

how many times I laid eyes on it, it
for Bor. The soft, superheated air
rising from the runway offered so little
e x pe c t e d, was like seeing it for the first time.

body for the wings that we ascended t he f l i ght I landed at Bor and offloaded the
reluctantly, seeming actually to sag
when the wheels broke ground and
was r o ugh supplies that I’d bought with from
Nairobi for the local mission, and
sometimes barely surmounting the topped ARN up with avgas.
oncoming trees.
We spent 40 minutes on the ground and got airborne at
As expected, the flight was rough. I heard one of my 16h00 for Aweil via Wau. 
passengers vomit noisily into an air-sick bag. That’ll
teach the buggers for being late.

FlightCom: May 2024 11

 NEWS

SAA – TAKATSO
DEAL INVESTIGATION
THE SOUTH AFRICAN Special Investigating Unit
(SIU) is investigating the failed sale of South African
Airways (SAA) to the Takatso Consortium.
Parliament’s Public Enterprises Portfolio committee
recommended that the SIU should investigate the now-
cancelled deal.
In November 2023, SIU chief investigator Leonard
Lekgetho told parliament's SCOPA that the SIU
received new allegations in relation to the SAA-
Takatso deal, which was undergoing SIU internal
processes of assessment.
“The SIU has made requests for information from
various sources that include the Competition
Commission, the auditor-general and the Department
of Public Enterprises in order to assess and motivate
for a proclamation. The information is being packaged
and is to be submitted soon from various entities,” he
said at the time.
Kganyago indicated that should the SIU’s current
investigation at SAA find anything on the SAA-Takatso
matter, “if it falls under the existing proclamation, we
take it and continue with the investigations”. The
Department of Public Enterprises did not respond to
a request for comment. Minister Pravin Gordhan had
threatened to take the portfolio committee to court
over its decision to call for the SIU to probe the failed
deal. Political parties across the complete spectrum
welcomed the proactive stance by the SIU, while
Parliament has yet to make a formal referral. 

Pravin Gordhan threatened to

take the parliament portfolio
committee to court.

12 FlightCom: May 2024

 NEWS

RUSSIAN TU-22M3
BACKFIRE SHOT DOWN
In a hugely significant loss for Russia, Ukraine has
claimed that it shot down a Tu-22M3 Backfire-C
bomber in the Stavropol region in southern Russia.
Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Ukrainian Ukraine claimed responsibility for the destruction of
Ministry of Defence’s Main Directorate of Intelligence the bomber saying the Tu-22M3 was returning from a
(GUR), claimed that the large Russian bomber was missile attack against Ukraine when it was shot down
brought down by a Soviet-era S-200 (SA-5 Gammon) ‘at a distance of about 300 kilometres from Ukraine.’
long-range surface-to-air missile.
The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed that
A social media video shows the aircraft spiralling a Tu-22M3 crashed ‘In Stavropol territory, while
returning to its base after carrying out a combat task.
toward the ground, in an apparent flat spin, with its
The ministry said that all four crew members ejected.
rear fuselage on fire. Subsequent photos and a video
The Russians blamed a ‘technical malfunction’ for the
show the wreckage of the bomber on the ground, still
incident, saying this was based on initial information
burning. and said the Backfire was not carrying munitions at the
time of the crash. 

The still-burning wreck of the Russian Backfire bomber.

FlightCom: May 2024 13

 AFRICA FLYING
JEFFERY KEMPSON
PART 1

OKAVANGO
DREAMING:
A trilogy of tropical airborne romances.

Mopani trees occur in tropical southern Africa.

They have distinctive leaves that resemble
butterfly wings. Within the belt of Mopani trees
in northern Botswana, there lived three beautiful
blonde, blue eyed girls who dramatically affected
my flying life.

T
HE FIRST GIRL LIVED on a houseboat
at Shakawe, on the Okavango panhandle in
north western Botswana. I landed there while
operating a scheduled flight for one of the earlier
versions of Air Botswana.
In physical beauty, this lady on a
scale of 1 to 10, was an 11. She
was well spoken, with beautifully- I ur g e d my
modulated cadences and a
captivatingly musical laugh. gi r l f r i e nd t o
Many sand banks were already occupied by basking
crocodiles, so we kept going. About thirty minutes
later we nosed onto a large crocodile-free sandbank
on the inside meander of the river. We pulled the
bow ashore, opened a bottle of wine, and ate freshly
prepared sandwiches.
Later we slipped off our
swimming costumes and made
memorable love.

In the evenings she ran the bar at the

hur r y
fishing camp, where I would spend
happy hours wooing her with hopefully amusing
repartee. This was rewarded with numerous star-
spangled nights aboard her quaint but comfortable
houseboat.
One memorable afternoon we boarded a tourist boat
and set off down river between picturesque avenues of
papyrus, to picnic on a sand bank.
The afternoon was fading as we
packed the picnic box and towels
back into the boat. She climbed
aboard and made her way aft as I pushed us off the
sandbank. The boat suddenly broke free of the grip of
the sand and I fell flat on my face .
I watched the current carry the boat out of reach.
She laughed and pulled the outboard’s starting rope.
Nothing. She pulled it again, and again.

14 FlightCom: May 2024

The current took the boat ever faster down river from
the fishing camp.
I shouted to her to connect the fuel pipe to the spare
fuel tank.
for a two-night stop, and told him that I wanted to do
his flight. As I was the Chief Pilot, and also a director
of the company, he did not demur, particularly as both
involved stays at pleasant riverside locations, with beer
at staff-rates for pilots.

As she did this, the boat drifted around Bearing in mind the old adage
the bend in the river, and I realised this that “Faint heart never won
was now a really seriously situation. ‘ My hus ba nd fair lady” I had, with some
trepidation, decided to present
Then I heard the engine start, but it a nd the Shakawe blonde with
the option of remaining with
died after a few moments. I shouted to
her to press the rubber priming bulb,
daught e r.’ her estranged husband and
but I don’t know whether she heard daughter, or coming to live
me. Then after what seemed like an eternity, I heard happily ever after with me in
the boat’s engine start – and keep running. I felt a great northern Joburg.
surge of relief.
It was an awkward few days. But on the second
I looked for hungry crocodiles but happily saw none, morning I took off from Shakawe with the blonde by
as the boat approached against the current. I waded my side and her daughter in the cabin.
out and hauled myself aboard. We had both been more
frightened than we cared to admit.

Some weeks later, I noticed a young girl in the

blonde’s company, together with a handsome young
male stranger sitting separately in the bar area. Later,
as the lady and I strolled to her houseboat, this chap
sprang out from behind a bush and bade us each, by
name, good night.

I muttered a thanks. After boarding the houseboat I

asked my lady friend who the fellow and the young
girl were

‘My husband and daughter.’

It transpired that the estranged husband was trying for

a reconciliation. The houseboat did not rock that night.

A week later, I was at Maun with an Aero Commander

500B, which I was to fly to Kasane for a two-night
stop. Back then, there was almost no phone connection
with many of the outlying locations. Communication
was principally through side band radios, on a schedule
set by the game lodges.

I found the other pilot, who was due to fly to Shakawe

On a scale of 1 to 10, she was an 11.

FlightCom: May 2024 15

 JEFFERY KEMPSON
The bar at Shakawe Fishing Camp.
As we climbed away over the fishing camp, she said;
“He’ll be down there, drinking and crying.”
Her words were sobering . I reduced the power and
started to turn back. She put a hand on my knee and
said, “Don’t go back. I’ve already left him, so if you
don’t take us away now, we’ll just have to leave some
other way.”
I pushed the throttles back up and turned back on track.
One of the passengers asked, ‘Are we going back?’
“No.” I replied, “I thought I saw an elephant, but it’s
gone.” Mollified he relaxed in his seat.
The thought of the husband and father weeping in the
riverside bar, as the sound of my engines carried his
wife and daughter away, has burdened me ever since.
Her mother lived in Francistown, so I dropped her
there for a few of days while I continued scheduled
flying.
16 FlightCom: May 2024
Then I collected her and flew the late afternoon
schedule to Selebe Phikwe, then onto Gaborone.
Half an hour after leaving Selebe Phikwe the sun set
and I turned on the red instrument lights, which back
then were the norm to preserve the pilot’s night vision.
I closed the curtain between the cabin and the cockpit.
Then I wound out the trailing HF aerial to make the
half hourly Ops normal calls to Jan Smuts. In those
days most of Botswana lay within the Johannesburg
FIR.
Sometime later, I tuned the radio to a Rhodesian music
station, then handed a headset to my girlfriend. None
of our autopilots worked, so we hand flew everywhere,
which was not a hardship in an inherently stable plane.
The cockpit grew a little chilly, so I switched on the
Janitrol heater in the nose and was gratified that it
didn’t explode on this first winter ignition, flooding
the windscreen with burning avgas. Then I selected
a temperature that would dissuade passengers from
opening the curtain to request a heating change.
 Jeffery Kempson with an Aero Commander 500B at Maun in the 70s.
A little later, with her hand on my thigh, my new
girlfriend became amorous.
Just then the radio started playing the Shirley Bassey
hit “Never Never Never.” I sang softly along to
the music and thought that it doesn’t get any better
than this. It’s been worth all the flight tuition fees,
passing the Commercial Pilot exams,
the stringent flight tests, and medical
examinations.
my e ngi ne s
Sometime later, as I began the descent,
my beautiful new princess shifted
c a r r i e d hi s
position, and began to arouse me in
earnest.
w i f e a nd
daught e r
I set up a long final approach towards
the extended centre line of the runway
and switched on the landing lights to pick up the
reflectors along the runway edges.
Gaborone gave me a direct approach to the runway.
I urged my girlfriend to hurry, she giggled. I took flaps,
selected gear, and slowed to the minimum approach
speed. I stroked her hair, and sometime later moved
my right hand to close the throttles, flared, and touched
down smoothly. Clearing the runway, I realised I’d
forgotten to wind in the trailing HF aerial, which now
adorned the airport’s boundary fence. It was worth it.
We set up home in a house north west of Johannesburg,
anticipating the construction of Lanseria Airport,
then later moved to a cottage in
Rivonia. I could spend a week
or more at home. I took up
photography and learnt about
f-stops, shutter speeds and the
like, and became fairly proficient.
I turned a bedroom into a dark
room, developed the black and
white negatives, used an enlarger
and made prints. Some I merged
into “Photo Shop” type renditions
with moderate success.
I only took pictures of my ultra-photogenic new
girlfriend and aeroplanes. Until one day she declared
that she was tired of smiling into a camera, and also
fed up with the smell of photographic chemicals in the
house. So I quit photography.
FlightCom: May 2024 17
 JEFFERY KEMPSON
Dining out with her could be a mixed blessing. Walking
into a busy northern suburbs restaurant often caused
a lull in conversation, as husbands and boyfriends
gawked, and their wives and girlfriends sometimes
glowered at my partner, the smiling femme fatale.
We lived together for nearly three years, and were very
happy at times, though my long and frequent flying
absences put an inevitable strain on our relationship,
not helped when I bought the growing daughter a
bicycle and a model train for her birthday.
I thought that professional pilots constituted a higher
life form, and that any sensible girl would be happy
and proud to welcome her man home after transiting
the dangerous sky. Apparently, she
did not share my view.
We parted amicably, and she kept the que l l
car I bought her, and the furniture
which I was still paying off. We me mo r i e s
later tried a couple of reconciliations,
which didn’t really work out.
j us t a t e a r
away
In retrospect I was too proud – and
a little immature in my view that a
professional aviator must be a prestigious catch.
A few years on I saw a picture of her now grown-up
daughter on the back of the Sunday Times. She had
become a beautiful model. It could not have been
otherwise.
Many years later, I flew a charter flight to Victoria
Falls, and one afternoon, while sitting on a bench
under a large fig tree in the grounds of the Victoria
Falls Hotel, a man sat down beside me, and said,
“Hello Jeff.”
My blood froze; “Hello,” I replied. “What are you
doing here?”
“I’m a salesman for a tyre company in Port Elizabeth,
I’ve achieved my annual sales quota and won a prize
of flights and three nights at Vic Falls.”
18 FlightCom: May 2024
After a long and uncomfortable silence he said, “That
morning, when I heard your plane’s engine note
change, I thought you were bringing my wife and
daughter back. So I walked out the bar, but then you
turned and flew away. That felt like the end of my
life!”
We both cried. As the sun set, we finished discussing
how the blonde had ultimately blighted both our lives.
We stood up, shook hands, and he walked away. In
the intervening years I had heard that he was a good
man. Our shared misery had been cathartic, and as I
descended the stairs towards the breakfast room the
following morning, I felt a lightness of being, perhaps
occasioned by a large karmic debt
having been paid.
They say that “all’s fair in love and
war.’ I disagree. The indelible stain
of guilt lives with me. My only
defence is that she was irresistibly
beautiful. I never saw him again.
The night I left her, I loaded my
suitcases into the car, then drove
around aimlessly, in a state of abject misery for several
hours. Sometime after midnight, I roused the staff of a
Honeydew motel and booked in for the remainder of
the night.
In the morning, I drove to Rand Airport, boarded one
of our aircraft fresh from maintenance, and flew away,
to Gaborone. There to stay and run our operation,
Esquire Botswana Airways.
These days I exercise at a Park Walk in Johannesburg.
On the way there, I drive past the motel that I had
booked into that bleak night, so many years ago. I avert
my gaze to quell memories just a tear away. 
 NEWS

SITA LATEST
AIRPORT TOOL
SITA, a leading technology company in the air
transport industry, has launched its Airport
Operations Total Optimizer, which harnesses AI to
optimise various airport operational, financial and
sustainability functions.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, airports have tried to
optimise individual airport functions, most of which
are not well-synchronised with each other. Teams,
systems, procedures and key performance areas often
conflict with one another and significantly reduce
efficiencies, costing airports millions of dollars a
year.
Staff in a modern airport operations centre take many
things into account when making decisions. The
problem today is that the tools currently at their disposal
have a static configuration. This prevents the team
from dynamically adapting their plans, to consider
changes or priorities in the airport environment.
Total Optimizer allows airport teams to dynamically
set the relative priority of different aspects, such as
operational performance, capacity provision, revenue
generation, cost efficiency, passenger experience and
environmental sustainability.
“This is one of the biggest innovations yet in the
sphere of total airport management,” says Stefan
Schaffner, VP of Airports at SITA, citing the
platform’s impressive ability to leverage AI and data
analytics.
SITA, with help from leading airports like Toronto-
Pearson in Canada, has been closely studying the
challenges airports face in achieving total airport
management.
The SITA Airports Operations Total Optimizer is
the latest in a series of solutions to optimize airport
operations by leveraging accurate, reliable, shared
real-time data. Already, more than 240 airports and
50 off-airport sites use SITA’s Airport Management
Solution (AMS) and SITA’s Airport-Collaborative
Decision-Making (A-CDM). 

The 1 MW hydrogen engine installed on a Dash 8.

FlightCom: May 2024 19

 HELICOPTERS
JOHN BASSI
PART 1

WHEN THINGS
FALL APART
It was going to be another typical semi-desert,
Karoo October day with furnace heat shimmering
off the dry plains.

A
CCORDING TO THE forecasts, the Our window of working time was critical, as it
wind gusts were to exceed 40 kilometres per somehow always is, due mostly to climatic limitations,
hour and temperatures would rise to 48c by which in turn escalate other factors, each increasing
11.00. This combination would become unworkable risk.
by 10:00 and so the pressure was on.
There are many logistical issues that must be in
Weeks before, the plan seemed simple enough, whilst place prior to a capture operation. The permits to
chattering around a table in an air-conditioned room move animals, dated to coincide with the availability
with mugs of tea. of vets to capture and monitor
the transport, special crates, and
Management, or human The Bat -Haw k a flatbed truck with a crane for
loading and offloading, staff and
intervention, of wildlife has
become a critical component c o mmuni c at e s security vehicles, a ground team to
within the sparse islands of
wild areas that remain. The
t he r hi no’ s help with the capture, trackers to
help find the rhino in the first place,
interchanging of genetics by
relocating animals to and
l o c at i o n and lastly, a helicopter.

from various game parks is Daytime weather, wind and high

a common example of a management tool, mimicking
historical Alpha bull movements.
And so, on this occasion, a decision was made to
capture two specific black rhino bulls for relocation
into another existing population, to promote genetic
diversity.
temperatures put time pressures onto such operations,
limiting the hours available to safely do the job,
indirectly increasing challenges, which are many.
Office planning and pre-dated permits seldom coincide
with ideal weather conditions.
The objective of this operation was to find a specific
animal, based on historical data, knowing the DNA
and family history of the animal wanted. A very wild

20 FlightCom: May 2024

 Positioning the vet for a clean dart shot.
animal, that has had a couple of millions of years
on earth to perfect his acute censes, and is lurking
somewhere in a vast area, of over 100,000 hectares,
which has extremely limited road access.
Trackers go out before sunrise to search for spoor.
They may find tracks, but there’s no way of knowing
if they were left behind by that specific rhino. This
is where the spotter plane should come into the
mix, saving time and expense, to
search the area without spooking
the rhino, confirming its correct
identity, or not.
t he LSA pi l o t
c o nf i r ms t he
The silenced Rotax engine installed
in most Light Sport Aircraft creates i de nt i t y o f
little or no disturbance and is ideal
for monitoring, whereas, the blade
t he a ni ma l
slapping, turbine and tail rotor
noise from a helicopter creates fear in the reclusive
rhino and they soon run for cover.
The pilots flying the LSA often remark on how calm
the rhino are as they circle at two to three hundred feet.
Long before the inbound helicopter is visible, the rhino
become agitated and start to hastily move away, often
running non-stop for many kilometres.
Jill Megson.
In the perfect world, once the correct animal is identified,
the spotter plane, which in this case was a Bathawk,
uses its advantage of being able to climb above the
terrain, gaining height, in order to communicate with
VHF, the rhino’s location to the ground recovery team.
The updated information is also communicated to the
helicopter to get ready to go, with the vet.
Being in mountainous terrain, communication was
poor and limited to VHF line
of sight within five kilometres,
requiring a fair amount of flying
back and forth attempting to raise
clear communications.
At the pre-work briefing the
previous night, radios were handed
out, the common frequency was
decided, LSA take-off time noted
and deployment of the trackers confirmed along with
the locations of the recovery teams and trucks. We
were all set as per operations normal.
Since the precise location of the rhino was not known,
most of the planning and positioning of trucks and
staff was based on an educated guess. Regardless of
the best planning, it could take up to an hour for the
recovery truck to get to wherever the rhino eventually
FlightCom: May 2024 21
 HELICOPTERS

Time and temperature are limited when a rhino has been darted.

popped out. It would also take up to 45 minutes for
the helicopter to lift, get to the location of the rhino
and then coax the animal as gently as possible a few
kilometres from its hiding place to a safe location
where the recovery would be possible.
Our Standard procedure is: before first light the
trackers are deployed and already in hot spot areas.
The trucks and team are in strategic positions. The
LSA is airborne and sweeping river-lines assisting
with covering a large area and ready to immediately
move to the trackers should they find fresh tracks,
or a rhino. The helicopter team and veterinarian are
standing by and ready at the push of the start button.
I would only lift off when I knew that the recovery
team were in position and the rhino was visual.
All of this had to happen before the ground temperature
became dangerously hot, preferably not above 26C,
taking into consideration that the helicopter would
need to push the rhino towards a safe darting and
recovery location, hopefully not more than three to
four hundred metres. The rhino would be running
hard all this time in the baking sun. It would be
further stressed by a very intimidating machine and
once immobilized, unable to regulate his core body
temperature. The need for fast and efficient work to
minimize all this stress, overheating and risk of death
cannot be overstated.

As soon as a rhino is located, the LSA pilot confirms

the identity of the animal and record a GPS co-ordinate.
He then climbs away and flies until radio contact is
established with the mobile recovery team in the Land-
Cruiser and the trucks, whose drivers would be given
the best route to get as close as possible to an ideal
recovery point.

The pilot will then fly towards the helicopter team,

giving an update and an estimate of the time it will
take for the trucks to get into position. He will then fly
back to the trackers to monitor the rhino’s movements
from high up, and co-ordinate the operation from
above.

The black rhino is known for its aggression.

22 FlightCom: May 2024

 The Bat hawk is an invaluable spotter - when used correctly.
On top of all this stress for the rhino, he would then be
confined inside a steel container getting bounced about
on the back of a truck for at least seven hours, in the
heat of the day.
Obviously, with a well-oiled and experienced team,
all in radio contact, with the Bat-hawk eye in the sky,
what could go wrong?
Unbeknown to us, chaos awaited. Our first challenge
was that the LSA pilot decided that he was not going
be able to help search and fly due to the possibility
of gusting wind. The pilot’s whereabouts were then
unknown and there was no further communication.
The next potential problem was that the two teams of
trackers who had departed along with three ground
vehicles with rangers to various locations as back up,
had not left at first light. This would result in a later
start, moving into the heat zone.
Then we discovered that the trackers did not have
radios and no cell phone signal, and therefore, no
communication, with anyone. The recovery trucks
were in the wrong place and they too could not be
contacted by radio and to top it all, we could not make
any radio contact with the three ranger teams in the
back up vehicles.
We, the oblivious helicopter crew, waited on the
ground for news or an update from anyone out there as
to any sign of the rhino. The sun was rising higher, the
tops of the trees were rustling with occasional breaths
from a warm wind and there was silence in the air.
By taking off too soon in the helicopter, there was the
risk that we would spook the rhino deeper into more
remote areas. But with no communication and no
clue about what was happening, and the temperature
increasing, a decision was made to takeoff, fly high
and establish communications with the tracking teams,
the recovery team and the trucks, gaining an updated
overview of the actual situation. From there we would
decide on our next course of action, to land on top of a
mountain with VHF coms, or to assist with searching.
Little did we know, until later, that none of that would
be possible due to a total breakdown of discipline and
leadership. 
FlightCom: May 2024 23
 AIRSHOWS
CAA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Text and Pictures Trevor Cohen

CAA’S 25TH
ANNIVERSARY SHOW
The Silver anniversary of the CAA was hosted at
Wonderboom Airport on a hot autumn Saturday
in mid-April. The show was by invitation only yet
had about 3000 spectators and underprivileged
children through the gates.

Star of the show was the Airlink Embraer E195 in Skybucks livery.

24 FlightCom: May 2024

The crowd enjoyed the food stalls.
T
HE CAA’S STATED AIM is to bring
aviation closer to those from disadvantaged
backgrounds who can only see aviation from
a distance.
Spectators were able to get close to aircraft and see
them start and then takeoff and preform.
'Roofkykers' - the 'currently advantaged' spectators who were not invited.
Jill Megson.
There were representatives from the CAA, ATNS,
ACSA and other government organizations in the tent
stalls. A number of commercial operators were also in
attendance.
The show started with the very impressive
landing of the black liveried Airlink Embraer 195.
FlightCom: May 2024 25
 AIRSHOWS

ABOVE: Scully Levin puts the Cirrus SR22 through its paces.
BELOW: Fast jet action in the Hawk Mk120 flown from Makhado AFB by Lt Col Scott Logie.

26 FlightCom: May 2024

ABOVE: The always available Puma Flying Lions put on a great display.
BELOW: Classic action from the SAAF Museum Tiger Moth.

FlightCom: May 2024 27

 AIRSHOWS

ABOVE: Juba Joubert in action in the Gazelle.

BELOW: Something new - the two Navion display.

28 FlightCom: May 2024

ABOVE: The show was closed by the Goodyear Eagles Pitts Specials.
BELOW: Young Tristan Eales in his Extra 330.

FlightCom: May 2024 29

 AIRSHOWS

The Bell 230 from Rocket EMS at Rand.

Then welcome speeches were made by the young

Timms flew an elegant Tiger Moth demonstration.
and photogenic Mayor of Tshwane, Cilliers Brink.
A rambling keynote speech was delivered by the
Helicopter action came from the SAAF Museum’s
Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga.
Alouette II and III which performed an aerial ballet
with the two helicopters flying
The 25th birthday cake was cut and
then the aerobatic displays began
a n ae r i al nose to nose around each other.
From Henley Air at Rand, Andre
with the Puma Flying Lions doing ba l l e t Coetzee brought his Rocket
a two and then three ship display,
flown by Arnie Meneghelli, Sean
with two emergency services Bell 222.

Thackwray and led by Ellis Levin he l i c o pt e r s The Raptors RV Team of Trevor

Warner and Dion Raath put on a
Following his remarkable
2-ship display team and Scully Levin very effectively
performance at Stellenbosch, Juba Joubert amazed
demonstrated the Cirrus 22.
again flying an Alouette III and Gazelle.

Lt Colonel Scott Logie, call sign Prowler, demonstrated

Andrew Blackwood Murray flew his polished display
the BAE Hawk Mk120 which was operated out of
in his well-travelled Nashua Extra 300 and Tristan
Makhado Air Force base in the far north.
Eales flew his first airshow in the Extra 330C. Grant

30 FlightCom: May 2024

 The SA Police thrilled the crowd with their anti-hijacking demo.
A two ship Savanah demo was flown by Jason
Beamish and Richard Nicholson.
Pitts Special action came from Arnie Meneghelli, Sean
Thackwray and Ellis Levin in the Pitts Special Hired
Gun display
Captain Jaco Henning and Dean
Lt Co l o ne l
Nicholas took the Airlink E195 Sc o tt Lo gi e ,
Embraer (in Skybucks livery
nicknamed Black Betty) through
c al l s i gn
her paces around Northern Pr ow l e r
Tshwane.
Rodney Chinn and Grant Timms flew a beautiful
formation display in de Havilland Chipmunks. Next
up was a display of two North American Navion’s
flown by Reyno Coetzer and Steve and Mike George.
Andre Van Zyl flew his Magni Gyro and impressed all
by showing just how capable the tiny aircraft is.
Commentary was provided by the evergreen Brian
Emmenis and his Capital Sounds team who kept
the spectators informed and
entertained. A big hit with the
crowd was the SA Police anti-
hijacking recovery demonstration
using an Airbus Squirrel H125
and a Pilatus PC-6 Porter. The
flying display closed with the
Goodyear Pitts display.
This aviation event was an outreach, and so if just one
person who attend the show takes up aviation as a
career, then the show will have achieved its goal. 
FlightCom: May 2024 31
 Microlights & Ferry Flights
Turbine - GS Training

Gyro-Copter Training
Beginners/Advanced
Helicopter Training
Simulator Training
Instructors Rating

Aerobatic Training

Aircraft/Heli Sales
Ab-Initio Training

Accommodadtion
Single Engined

Club Facilities
Tail Draggers
CPL Practical
Night Rating

Conferences
Multi Engine

Conversions

Hire and Fly

CPL Theory

Pilot Shop
IF Rating

Charters

Drones
NAME OF SCHOOL CODE TEL NO FAX NO
BEAUFORT WEST
AIFA (044) 272 5547 info@aifa.co.za j j jjjjjjj j j
BRAKPAN BENONI FABB
Titanium Air (011) 914-5810 083-292-0978 j j j j
DURBAN
Starlite Aviation Training
(031) 571-6600 www.starliteaviation.com j j jjjjjjj j jjjjj j jjj jjj j
Academy
EAST LONDON
Border Aviation Club (043) 736-6181 086-516-8475 j jjjjjjj j jj j j j j
GEORGE AIRPORT
AIFA (044) 272 5547 info@aifa.co.za j j jjjjjjj j j
Savannah Helicopter Training (044) 876-0096 jjj j j j jj jj j
GRAND CENTRAL
Superior Pilot Services (011) 805-0605 Info@superiorair.co.za j j jjjjjjj j jj jj j j j
KRUGERSDORP
Alpi Flight Academy (082) 556-3592 086-605-8948 j jjjjj jjj jj j jj j jj
LANSERIA AIRPORT / RANDBURG
Aeronav Academy (011) 701-3862 701-3873 j j jjjjjjj j j j j j
CSA Aviation (011) 701-3835 www.cirrussa.co.za j j jjjjjjj j j j j j
Skyhawk Aviation (011) 701-2622 701-2623 j j jjjjjjj j j j j jj j
MOSSEL BAY
Starlite Aviation Training (044) 692-0006 www.starliteaviation.com j j jjjjjjj j jjjjj j jjj jjj j
Academy
PANORAMA
Johannesburg Flying Academy (064) 756 6356 jj jjj jjj j j j j j
PORT ELIZABETH
Algoa Flying Club (041) 581-3274 086-461-7067 j jjjjjjj j j jj j j j
RAND AIRPORT
Johannesburg School of Flying (011) 827 9827 info@jsf.co.za j jjjjjjj j j jj j j j
U Fly Training Academy (011) 824-0680 390-1738 j j jjjjjjj j j j jj j
VEREENIGING AIRPORT
Bird Aviation (016) 556-1007 info@birdaviation.co.za j jjjjjjj j j jj j jj jj
WINDHOEK - EROS AIRPORT
Desert Air (PTY) LTD +264 61 228101 +264 61 254 345 j j jjjj jj j j j
WONDERBOOM AIRPORT / AEROPARK / RHINO PARK - PRETORIA
Blue Chip Flight School (012) 543-3050 543-1826 j j jjjjjjj j jj j j j j jjj
Loutzavia (012) 567-6775 543-1519 j j jjjjjjj j j jj j j j jjj
Legend Sky (083) 860-5225 086-600-7285 j jjjjjjj jjj j j j jj j
Powered Flight Training (078) 460-1231 086-666-2077 jjj jjjjj j jj jjj j j j
Vortx Aviation Training (072) 480-0359 086-524-0949 jjj jjj j jj jj j j

32 TFlightCom:
e l : + 2 7 (May
0 ) 12024
1 805 0605 • www.superiorair.co.za • info@superiorair.co.za
 CHARTER
DIRECTORY

Export Docs & Clearing

(armed)
Aerial Photography

Dangerous Goods
Line Inspections
Lodge Transfers
Aircraft Leasing
Safari Charters

Security Based
Special Events

Aircraft Sales

Maintenance
Long-Range

Hangarage
Helicopter

Contracts
< 20 pax
> 20 pax

Surveys
Biz-Jets

Freight
easury | Working
NAME OF CHARTER
Asset Capital
CODE
Finance | Treasury | Asset
TEL NO
| Working Management
FAX NO
Capital | Wealth
| Asset Management | Wealth

V.I.P
Asset Finance
BRAKPAN FABB | Treasury | Working Capital | Asset Management | Wealth
Titanium Air (011) 914 5810 083 292 0978 j jjj j
CAPE TOWN
ExecuJet South Africa (021) 934 5764 934 2087 jjjjj jjjj jjj jjjj

Streamline Air Charter (011) 395 1195/8 jjjjj jj j

DURBAN
KZN Aviation (031) 564 6215 564 6222 j jjjjjj j j jj

GRAND CENTRAL
Pambele Aviation (011) 805-0652/82 805-0649 j j j j

LANSERIA AIRPORT
Batair Cargo (011) 659 2000 701 2253 j j

Comair Flight Services (Pty) Ltd (011) 540 7640 www.flycfs.co.za j j j j jj j j j j j

ExecuJet South Africa (011) 516 2300 659 2520 jjjjj jjjjj j j jjjj

Majestic Air Charters (018) 632 6477 j jjj jj j j

Out of the Blue Air Safaris (011) 701 2653 082 905 5760 j jjj jjj jjj j j

Swift Flite (Pty) Ltd (011) 701 3298 www.swiftflite.co.za jjjjj jjjj j j

OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL
Fair Aviation (Pty) Ltd (011) 395 4552 395 4244 jjjj j jj j

Federal Airlines (011) 395 9000 086 667 1789 jjjjjjjjjj jjj
Streamline Air Charter (011) 395 1195/8 jjjjj jj j
RAND AIRPORT
FlyFofa Airways (012) 566 3019 www.flyfofa.co.za jj jj j

WINDHOEK - SWAKOPMUND
Scenic Air (Pty) Ltd (+264) 6440 3575 Aircraft Rebuilds.
Aircraft Rebuilds.
info@scenic-air.com.na j j j

WONDERBOOM AIRPORT - PRETORIA

Flyjetstream Aviation

Maverick Air Charters

Powered Flight Charters

(012)

(012)

(078)
543 0060

940 0320

460 1231
We'll
We'll finance
(083) 279 7853

086 648 2690

086 666 2077 finance it.

jjjjjjjjjjjj

it.
jjjjjjjjjjj
j j jjjjjj
jjj

jj
jj
jj
jjjj
jjj
j

Specialised Finance. By Design. Fast.

Specialised Finance. By Design. Fast.
www.merchantwest.co.za
www.merchantwest.co.za
Companies in the Group are licensed and autorised FSP'S
Companies in the Group are licensed and autorised FSP'S
FlightCom: May 2024 33
 AMO LISTING
AMO 1427

www.skysourcesa.com

PTY

Structural Repairs
South Africa

Weight / Balance
Turbine Engines

Refurbishments
Piston Engines

NTCA Aircraft

Instruments
Sheet Metal

NDT Testing
Fixed Wing

Inspections
Helicopter

Propellers

Seat Belts
Overhauls
Rebuilds

Electrics
Avionics

Interior
Paint
NAME OF AMO CODE TEL NO FAX NO
CAPE TOWN
Erwin Electrical Solutions t/a AES (021) 934 5373 jjjjj jj j j

ExecuJet South Africa (021) 934 5764 934 2087 j j jjjjjj jjjjjj j

Ultimax Aviation (Pty) Ltd (072) 878 8786 jj j jjjj jj jjj j

DURBAN
BAC Aviation (035) 797 3610 797 5341 j jj jj jj jj j

GRAND CENTRAL AIRPORT

Astwood Aircraft Electrical (011) 315 9605 315 0094 j

Superior Rotorworx (076) 595 2120 jjjj jjjjjjjjjjj jj

KRUGERSDORP
Skyworx Aviation (082) 346 0150 086 697 9096 j j jjjjj jjjj

LANSERIA AIRPORT
Erwin Electrical Solutions t/a AES (021) 934 5373 jjj j jj j j

ExecuJet South Africa (011) 516 2300 011 659 1071 j j jjjjjj jjjjjj j

Gem Air (082) 905 5760 011 701 2653 j jj jj j

Guardian Air Maintenance (011) 701 3011 j jj j

Lanseria Aircraft Interiors (011) 659 1962 jj jj j j

Plane Maintenance Facility (011) 659 2204 pmf@myconnection.co.za j jjjj j jjj jjjj

SkySource International SA (011) 900 4300 j j j jjjjj j jjj jj

The Propeller Shop (011) 701 3114 086 543 7988 j

Tynay Aviation (082) 088 6663 011 659 1157/8 j j j j j j j j

CAPE WINELANDS AIRPORT

Diepkloof Aircraft Maintenance (083) 454 6366 jj jj jj jj jjjj
NELSPRUIT
Aircraft Maintenance International (013) 741 8221 082 787 0415 jj jj jj jjj jjjj
Leading Edge Helicopters cc (013) 741 5582 741 8188 j j jj j j
NEW TEMPE BLOEMFONTEIN
Ferreira Aviation (051) 451 1682 451 1683 j jj jj jj jj jj
OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Nevergreen Aircraft Industries (010) 003 3747 manager@nevergreen.co.za j jj
Star Air Maintenance (011) 395 2201 973 4761 j j j jj j jj j
RAND AIRPORT 1

Aerospace Electroplating (011) 827 7535 827 9896 jj jjj j jj

Aviation Rebuilders CC (011) 827 2491 lyn@aviationrebuilders.com j jj jj
Clifton Electronics (011) 383 2024 086 689 5645 j j j
Dynamic Propellers (082) 445 4496 086 548 2651 j j
Skytrim (011) 827 6638 www.skytrim.co.za j jjj

Skysource International SA, Hangar 203, Lanseria International Airport

34 FlightCom: May 2024
 AMO LISTING
info@skysourcesa.com

Composite Manufacturing
Structural Repairs
Weight / Balance
Turbine Engines

Refurbishments
+27 10 900 4300 • +27 72 036 3433

Piston Engines

NTCA Aircraft

Instruments
Sheet Metal

NDT Testing
Fixed Wing

Inspections
CALL US NOW FOR ALL OF YOUR AVIATION NEEDS!

Helicopter

Propellers

Seat Belts
Overhauls
Rebuilds

Electrics
Avionics

Interior
Paint
NAME OF AMO CODE TEL NO FAX NO

RAND AIRPORT CONTINUED

Emperor Aviation (082) 497 1701 jjjj jjjjjjj jjj j

FLYONICS (Pty) Ltd (082) 686 2374 michael@flyonics.co.za j j j

Heli-Afrique cc (011) 827 8632 086 503 1870 j jj jjj jj j j

SPRINGS AIRFIELD
Legair Maintenance (083) 736 3969 086 508 6010 j jj jjjj jjjjjjjjjj

WONDERBOOM AIRPORT - PRETORIA

208 Aviation 083 744 3412 j jj j jj
Aerocore (012) 110 4033 082 565 2330 j j j
Aircraft Maintenance @ Work Pty Ltd (012) 567 3443 j jj j jj j
Aerotric (087) 802 1347 aerotric@aol.com j jj j j
Aero Engineering & Powerplant (012) 543 0948 543 9447 j j

AviSys Aviation Systems (083) 442 5884 086 618 6996 jj j jj

Avtech (082) 749 9256 j j j jj jj

APCO Pty Ltd (012) 543 0775 567 3630 j j j

Breytech Aviation cc (012) 567 3500 086 643 0122 jj j jjj jjjj jjjj

Propeller Centre cc (012) 567 1689 j j

NIGERIA - MURTALA MUHAMMED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

ExecuJet Aviation Nigeria Ltd +2341 295 5110 j j j j jj jjj jj j

JOHANNESBURG
F Gomes Upholsters (011) 614 2471 614 9806 jj j j j
PRETORIA
M&N Acoustics Services Pty (Ltd) (012) 689 2007 086 211 469 jjjjjjj j jj j

AIRCRAFT MAINTAINENANCE
AND REFURBISHMENT
QUALITY IS OUR PASSION

WE SPECIALIZE IN:
Pilatus PC-12
Beechcraft 90 Series
Beechcraft 200 Series
Beechcraft 350 Series
Beechcraft 1900D Series
Cessna Caravan C208 Series Aircraft

info@skysourcesa.com
+27 10 900 4300 • +27 72 036 3433
FlightCom: May 2024 35
 BACKPAGE DIR
DIRECT
ECTORY
ORY
Federal Air
208 Aviation Air Line Pilots’ Association Rachel Muir
Ben Esterhuizen Sonia Ferreira Breytech Aviation cc 011 395 9000
+27 83 744 3412 011 394 5310 012 567 3139 shuttle@fedair.com
ben@208aviation.co.za alpagm@iafrica.com Willie Breytenbach www.fedair.com
www.208aviation.com www.alpa.co.za admin@breytech.co.za
A1A Flight Examiner (Loutzavia) Ferry Flights int.inc.
Jannie Loutzis Airshift Aircraft Sales Celeste Sani Pak & Inflight Products Michael (Mick) Schittenhelm
012 567 6775 / 082 416 4069 Eugene du Plessis Steve Harris 082 442 6239
jannie@loutzavia.co.za 082 800 3094 011 452 2456 ferryflights@ferry-flights.com
www.loutzavia.co.za eugene@airshift.co.za admin@chemline.co.za www.ferry-flights.com
www.airshift.co.za www.chemline.co.za
AES (Cape Town)
Erwin Erasmus F Gomes Upholsters
082 494 3722 Alclad Sheetmetal Services Cape Town Flying Club Carla de Lima
erwin@aeroelectrical.co.za Ed Knibbs Beverley Combrink 083 602 5658
www.aeroelectrical.co.za 083 251 4601 021 934 0257 / 082 821 9013 delimaCarla92@gmail.com
ed@alclad.co.za info@capetownflyingclub.co.za
AES (Johannesburg) www.alclad.co.za www.@capetownflyingclub.co.za
Danie van Wyk Fireblade Aviation
011 701 3200 010 595 3920
office@aeroelectrical.co.za Algoa Flying Club Century Avionics cc info@firebladeaviation.com
www.aeroelectrical.co.za Sharon Mugridge Carin van Zyl www.firebladeaviation.com
041 581 3274 011 701 3244
Aerocolour cc info@algoafc.co.za sales@centuryavionics.co.za
Alfred Maraun www.algoafc.co.za www.centuryavionics.co.za Flight Training College
082 775 9720 Cornell Morton
aeroeng@iafrica.com 044 876 9055
Alpi Aviation SA Chemetall ftc@flighttrainning.co.za
Aero Engineering & PowerPlant Dale De Klerk Wayne Claassens www.flighttraining.co.za
Andre Labuschagne 082 556 3592 011 914 2500
012 543 0948 dale@alpiaviation.co.za wayne.claassens@basf.com
aerocolour@telkomsa.net www.alpiaviation.co.za www.chemetall.com Flight Training Services
Amanda Pearce
Aerokits 011 805 9015/6
Jean Crous Apco (Ptyd) Ltd Chem-Line Aviation & Celeste Products amanda@fts.co.za
072 6716 240 Tony/Henk Steve Harris www.fts.co.za
aerokits99@gmail.com + 27 12 543 0775 011 452 2456
apcosupport@mweb.co.za sales@chemline.co.za
Aeronav Academy www.apcosa.co.za www.chemline.co.za Fly Jetstream Aviation
Donald O’Connor Henk Kraaij
011 701 3862 083 279 7853
info@aeronav.co.za Ardent Aviation Consultants Clifton Electronics cc charter@flyjetstream.co.za
www.aeronav.co.za Yolanda Vermeulen CJ Clifton / Irene Clifton www.flyjetstream.co.za
082 784 0510 079 568 7205 / 082 926 8482
yolanda@ardentaviation.co.za clive.iclifton@gmail.com
Aeronautical Aviation www.ardentaviation.co.za Flying Unlimited Flight School (Pty) Ltd
Clinton Carroll Riaan Struwig
011 659 1033 / 083 459 6279 Comair Flight Services (Pty) Ltd 082 653 7504 / 086 770 8376
clinton@aeronautical.co.za Ascend Aviation Reception riaan@ppg.co.za
www.aeronautical.co.za Marlo Kruyswijk +27 11 540 7640/FAX: +27 11 252 9334 www.ppg.co.za
079 511 0080 info@flycfs.co.za
marlo@ascendaviation.co.za www.flycfs.co.za
Aerospace Electroplating www.ascendaviation.co.za Flyonics (Pty) Ltd
Oliver Trollope Corporate-Aviators/Affordable Jet Sales Michael Karaolis
011 827 7535 Mike Helm 010 109 9405
petasus@mweb.co.za Atlas Aviation Lubricants 082 442 6239 michael@flyonics.co.za
Steve Cloete corporate-aviators@iafrica.com www.flyonics.co.za
011 917 4220 www.corporate-aviators.com
Aerotel Fax: 011 917 2100
Martin den Dunnen sales.aviation@atlasoil.co.za CSA Aviation – Cirrus South Africa Gemair
087 6556 737 www.atlasaviation.co.za Alex Smith Andries Venter
reservations@aerotel.co.za 011 701 3835 011 701 2653 / 082 905 5760
www.aerotel.co.za alexs@cirrussa.co.za andries@gemair.co.za
AVDEX (Pty) Ltd www.cirrussa.co.za
Aerotric Tania Botes
Richard Small 011 954 15364 C. W. Price & Co GIB Aviation Insurance Brokers
083 488 4535 info@avdex.co.za Kelvin L. Price Richard Turner
aerotric@aol.com www.avdex.co.za 011 805 4720 011 483 1212
cwp@cwprice.co.za aviation@gib.co.za
Aviation Rebuilders cc www.cwprice.co.za www.gib.co.za
Lyn Jones Aviatech Flight Academy
011 827 2491 / 082 872 4117 Nico Smith
lyn@aviationrebuilders.com 082 303 1124 Dart Aeronautical Guardian Air
www.aviationrebuilders.com viatechfakr@gmail.com Pieter Viljoen 011 701 3011
www.aviatech.co.za 011 827 8204 082 521 2394
AVIC International Flight Academy (AIFA) pieterviljoen@dartaero.co.za ops@guardianair.co.za
Theo Erasmus Aviation Direct www.dartaero.co.za www.guardianair.co.za
082 776 8883 Andrea Antel
rassie@aifa.co.za 011 465 2669
info@aviationdirect.co.za Dart Aircraft Electrical Heli-Afrique cc
www.aviationdirect.co.za Mathew Joubert Tino Conceicao
Air 2000 (Pty) Ltd 011 827 0371 083 458 2172
Anne Gaines-Burrill Avtech Dartaircraftelectrical@gmail.com tino.conceicao@heli-afrique.co.za
011 659 2449 - AH 082 770 2480 Riekert Stroh www.dartaero.co.za
Fax 086 460 5501 082 749 9256
air2000@global.co.za avtech1208@gmail.com Henley Air
www.hunterssupport.com Diepkloof Aircraft Maintenance cc Andre Coetzee
Nick Kleinhans 011 827 5503
BAC Aviation AMO 115 083 454 6366 andre@henleyair.co.za
Aircraft Finance Corporation & Leasing Micky Joss diepkloofamo@gmail.com www.henleyair.co.za
Jaco Pietersen 035 797 3610
+27 [0]82 672 2262 monicad@bacmaintenance.co.za
jaco@airfincorp.co.za DJA Aviation Insurance Hover Dynamics
Jason Seymour 011 463 5550 Phillip Cope
+27 [0]82 326 0147 Blackhawk Africa 0800Flying 074 231 2964
jason@airfincorp.co.za Cisca de Lange mail@dja-aviation.co.za info@hover.co.za
www.airfincorp.co.za 083 514 8532 www.dja-aviation.co.za www.hover.co.za
cisca@blackhawk.aero
www.blackhawk.aero
Aircraft General Spares Dynamic Propellers Indigo Helicopters
Eric or Hayley Blue Chip Flight School Andries Visser Gerhard Kleynhans
084 587 6414 or 067 154 2147 Henk Kraaij 011 824 5057 082 927 4031 / 086 528 4234
eric@acgs.co.za or hayley@acgs.co.za 012 543 3050 082 445 4496 veroeschka@indigohelicopters.co.za
www.acgs.co.za bluechip@bluechip-avia.co.za andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za www.indigohelicopters.co.za
www.bluechipflightschool.co.za www.dynamicpropellers.co.za
Aircraft Maintenance International IndigoSat South Africa - Aircraft Tracking
Pine Pienaar Border Aviation Club & Flight School Eagle Flight Academy Gareth Willers
083 305 0605 Liz Gous Mr D. J. Lubbe 08600 22 121
gm@aminternational.co.za 043 736 6181 082 557 6429 sales@indigosat.co.za
admin@borderaviation.co.za training@eagleflight.co.za www.indigosat.co.za
www.borderaviation.co.za www.eagleflight.co.za
Aircraft Maintenance International
Wonderboom International Flight Clearances
Thomas Nel Bona Bona Game Lodge Execujet Africa Steve Wright
082 444 7996 MJ Ernst 011 516 2300 076 983 1089 (24 Hrs)
admin@aminternational.co.za 082 075 3541 enquiries@execujet.co.za flightops@flyifc.co.za
mj@bonabona.co.za www.execujet.com www.flyifc.co.za
www.bonabona.co.za

36 FlightCom: May 2024

Investment Aircraft Dr Rudi Britz Aviation Medical Clinic
Quinton Warne Megan Swift Flite
082 806 5193 Lowveld Aero Club Linda Naidoo
Pugs Steyn 066 177 7194
aviation@lantic.net rudiavmed@gmail.com Tel 011 701 3298 Fax 011 701 3297
www.investmentaircraft.com 013 741 3636 info@swiftflite.com / linda@swiftflite.com
Flynow@lac.co.za Wonderboom Airport
www.swiftflite.co.za
Jabiru Aircraft SAA Technical (SOC) Ltd
Len Alford Maverick Air Charters The Aviation Shop
Lourens Human SAAT Marketing
044 876 9991 / 044 876 9993 011 978 9993 Karel Zaayman
info@jabiru.co.za 082 570 2743 010 020 1618
ops@maverickair.co.za satmarketing@flysaa.com
www.jabiru.co.za www.flysaa.com/technical info@aviationshop.co.za
www.maverickair.co.za www.aviationshop.co.za
Jim Davis Books SABRE Aircraft
Jim Davis MCC Aviation Pty Ltd The Copter Shop
Claude Oberholzer Richard Stubbs
072 188 6484 083 655 0355 Bill Olmsted
jim@border.co.za 011 701 2332 082 454 8555
info@flymcc.co.za richardstubbs@mweb.co.za
www.jimdavis.co.za www.aircraftafrica.co.za execheli@iafrica.com
www.flymcc.co.za www.execheli.wixsite.com/the-copter-shop-sa
Joc Air T/A The Propeller Shop
Mistral Aviation Services Savannah Helicopters
Aiden O’Mahony De Jager The Pilot Shop
011 701 3114 Peter de Beer Helen Bosland
083 208 7249 082 444 1138 / 044 873 3288
jocprop@iafrica.com dejager@savannahhelicopters.co.za 082 556 3729
peter@mistral.co.za helen@pilotshop.co.za
www.savannahhelicopters.co.za
Johannesburg Flying Academy www.pilotshop.co.za
Alan Stewart MH Aviation Services (Pty) Ltd
Marc Pienaar Scenic Air
083 702 3680 Christa van Wyk Titan Helicopter Group
info@jhbflying.co.za 011 609 0123 / 082 940 5437 044 878 0453
customerrelations@mhaviation.co.za +264 612 492 68
www.jhbflying.co.za windhoek@scenic-air.com info@titanhelicopters.com
www.mhaviation.co.za www.titanhelicopters.com
www.scenic-air.com
Kishugu Aviation
+27 13 741 6400 M and N Acoustic Services cc Top Flight Academy
Martin de Beer Sheltam Aviation Durban
comms@kishugu.com Susan Ryan Nico Smith
www.kishugu.com/kishugu-aviation 012 689 2007/8 082 303 1124
calservice@mweb.co.za 083 505 4882
susanryan@sheltam.com topflightklerksdorp@gmail.com
Khubenker Energy (Pty) Ltd T/A Benveroy www.sheltamaviation.com
Vernon Bartlett Metropolitan Aviation (Pty) Ltd Turbo Prop Service Centre
086 484 4296 Gert Mouton 011 701 3210
082 458 3736 Sheltam Aviation PE
vernon@khubenker.co.za Brendan Booker info@tpscsa.co.za
www.khubenker.co.za herenbus@gmail.com www.tpscsa.co.za
082 497 6565
Money Aviation brendanb@sheltam.com
Kit Planes for Africa www.sheltamaviation.com Ultimax Aviation (Pty) Ltd
Stefan Coetzee Angus Money Aristide Loumouamou
013 793 7013 083 263 2934 +27 72 878 8786
angus@moneyaviation.co.za Signature Flight Support Cape Town
info@saplanes.co.za Alan Olivier aristide@ultimax-aviation.com
www.saplanes.co.za www.moneyaviation.co.za www.ultimax-aviation.com
021 934 0350
North East Avionics cpt@signatureflight.co.za
Kzn Aviation (Pty) Ltd www.signatureaviation.com/locations/CPT United Charter cc
Melanie Jordaan Keith Robertson Jonathan Wolpe
031 564 6215 +27 13 741 2986 083 270 8886
keith@northeastavionics.co.za Signco (Pty Ltd)
mel@kznaviation.co.za Archie Kemp jonathan.wolpe@unitedcharter.co.za
www.kznaviation.co.za deborah@northeastavionics.co.za www.unitedcharter.co.za
www.northeastavionics.co.za Tel 011 452 6857 Fax 086 504 5239
info@signco.zo.za
Lanseria Aircraft Interiors www.signco.co.za United Flight Support
Francois Denton Orsmond Aviation Clinton Moodley/Jonathan Wolpe
011 659 1962 / 076 810 9751 058 303 5261 076 813 7754 / 011 788 0813
info@orsmondaviation.co.za Skytrim
francois@aircraftcompletions.co.za Rico Kruger ops@unitedflightsupported.com
www.orsmondaviation.co.za www.unitedflightsupport.com
+27 11 827 6638
Lanseria Flight Centre rico@skytrim.co.za
Ian Dyson Owenair (Pty) Ltd Velocity Aviation
Clive Skinner www.skytrim.co.za
Tel: +27 11 312 5166, F: +27 11 312 5166 Collin Pearson
ian@flylfc.com 082 923 9580 011 659 2306 / 011 659 2334
clive.skinner@owenair.co.za SleepOver
www.flylfc.com Michael Richardson collin@velocityaviation.co.za
www.owenwair.co.za www.velocityaviation.co.za
010 110 9900
Lanseria International Airport michael.richardson@sleepover-za.com
Mike Christoph Par-Avion Exclusive Catering Villa San Giovanni
Jakkie Vorster www.sleepover-za.com
011 367 0300 Luca Maiorana
mikec@lanseria.co.za 011 701 2600 012 111 8888
accounts@par-avion.co.za Sling Aircraft
www.lanseria.co.za Kim Bell-Cross info@vsg.co.za
www.par-avion.co.za www.vsg.co.za
011 948 9898
Leading Edge Aviation cc sales@airplanefactory.co.za
Peter Jackson PFERD-South Africa (Pty) Ltd Vortx Aviation
Hannes Nortman www.airplanefactory.co.za
Tel 013 741 3654 Fax 013 741 1303 Bredell Roux
office@leaviation.co.za 011 230 4000 072 480 0359
hannes.nortman@pferd.co.za Solenta Aviation (Pty Ltd)
www.leadingedgeaviation.co.za Paul Hurst info@vortx.co.za
www.pferd.com www.vortxaviation.com
011 707 4000
Legend Sky info@solenta.com
083 860 5225 / 086 600 7285 Plane Maintenance Facility Wanafly
Johan www.solenta.com
info@legendssky.co.za Adrian Barry
www.legendsky.co.za 083 300 3619 082 493 9101
pmf@myconnection.co.za Southern Energy Company (Pty) Ltd
Elke Bertram adrian@wanafly.net
Litson & Associates (Pty) Ltd +264 8114 29958 www.wanafly.co.za
OGP/BARS Auditing & Advisory Services & Powered Flight Charters
Johanita Jacobs johnnym@sec.com.na
Aviation Safety Training www.sec.com.na Windhoek Flight Training Centre
Email: enquiries@litson.co.za Tel 012 007 0244/Fax 0866 66 2077 Thinus Dreyer
Phone: 27 (0) 8517187 info@poweredflight.co.za 0026 40 811284 180
www.poweredflight.co.za Southern Rotorcraft cc
www.litson.co.za Mr Reg Denysschen pilots@flywftc.com
Tel no: 0219350980 www.flywftc.com
Litson & Associates Risk Management Powered Flight Training Centre
Johanita Jacobs sasales@rotors-r-us.com
Services (Pty) Ltd www.rotors-r-us.com Wings n Things
eSMS-S™/ eTENDER/ e-REPORT / Aviation Tel 012 007 0244/Fax 0866 66 2077 Colin Blanchard
Software Systems info@poweredflight.co.za 011 701 3209
www.poweredflight.co.za Starlite Aero Sales
Email: enquiries@litson.co.za Klara Fouché wendy@wingsnthings.co.za
Phone: 27 (0) 8517187 +27 83 324 8530 / +27 31 571 6600 www.wingsnthings.co.za
www.litson.co.za Precision Aviation Services
Marnix Hulleman klaraf@starliteaviation.com
www.starliteaviation.com Witbank Flight School
Loutzavia Aircraft Sales 012 543 0371 Andre De Villiers
Henry Miles marnix@pasaviation.co.za 083 604 1718
www.pasaviation.co.za Starlite Aviation Operations
082 966 0911 Trisha Andhee andredv@lantic.net
henry@loutzavia.co.za +27 82 660 3018/ +27 31 571 6600 www.waaflyingclub.co.za
www.loutzavia.co.za Propeller Centre
Theuns du Toit trishaa@starliteaviation.com
www.starliteaviation.com Wonderboom Airport
Loutzavia Flight Training +27 12 567 1689 / +27 71 362 5152 Peet van Rensburg
Gerhardt Botha theuns@propcentre.co.za 012 567 1188/9
www.propcentre.com Starlite Aviation Training Academy
012 567 6775 Durban: +27 31 571 6600 peet@wonderboomairport.co.za
ops@loutzavia.co.za Mossel Bay: +27 44 692 0006 www.wonderboomairport.co.za
www.loutzavia.co.za Rainbow SkyReach (Pty) Ltd
Mike Gill train@starliteaviation.com
www.starliteaviation.com Zandspruit Bush & Aero Estate
Loutzavia-Pilots and Planes 011 817 2298 Martin Den Dunnen
Maria Loutzis Mike@fly-skyreach.com 082 449 8895
www.fly-skyreach.com Status Aviation (Pty) Ltd
012 567 6775 Richard Donian martin@zandspruit.co.za
maria@loutzavia.co.za 074 587 5978 / 086 673 5266 www.zandspruit.co.za
www.pilotsnplanes.co.za Rand Airport
Kevin van Zyl info@statusaviation.co.za
www.statusaviation.co.za Zebula Golf Estate & SPA
Loutzavia Rand Kevin@horizonrisk.co.za Reservations
Frans Pretorius +27 76 801 5639 014 734 7700
www.randairport.co.za Superior Pilot Services
011 824 3804 Liana Jansen van Rensburg reception@zebula.co.za
rand@loutzavia.co.za 0118050605/2247 www.zebula.co.za
www@loutzavia.co.za info@superiorair.co.za
www.superiorair.co.za

FlightCom: May 2024 37