August 2019

AI OR R P TA OR MB T O FE IN AT T UR E Africa’s Biggest Selling Aviation Magazine

CESSNA LONGITUDE – FULL TEST!!!

JIM DAVIS: TAMING TAILDRAGGERS!

BIZ-JETS FEATURE

CIRRUS JET – WORTH THE WAIT?

FORMATION A WING IN THE DOOR! Edition 286 August 2019 Namibia $N49.50

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1 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

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Edition 286

CONTENTS COLUMNISTS SA FLYER

16 Guy Leitch - ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE 20 Peter Garrison - LEADING EDGE 24 Jim Davis - PLAIN TALK 30 George Tonking - HELI OPS 38 Johan Walden - A SLIM LOGBOOK 42 Barry Lewis - INSURANCE 44 Ray Watts - REGISTER REVIEW 48 Jim Davis - ACCIDENT REPORT

4

FLIGHTCOM

5 11 39

Hugh Pryor - Bush Pilot Defence - Darren Olivier

60

FC 23

August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

Letters to the Editor

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Edition 286

CONTENTS FEATURES SA FLYER

14 Wassup?

52 Feature: Wing In The Door 58 Competing in Tranquility 60 AOPA: Homebuilders 63 AERO South Africa Feature

58 REGULARS

FLIGHTCOM

9 14 19 23 42 54 55 99

10

Industry Update Feature: Biz- Jets Cirrus Vision Jet Flight Test - Citation Longitude Feature: OR TAMBO International Air France Opposes Eco-Tax Airline Ops: 100 Years of BA Ejection Seats in Warbirds

FC 14

6 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

Opening Shot

45 M&N Acoustics Register Review 55 GIB Events 56 SV Aviation Fuel Table 76 Market Place 77 Federal Airlines Charter Directory 78 AEP AMO Listing 80 Gryphon Flight School Listing 81 AME Directory 82 Subscriptions FLIGHTCOM

63 Aviation Directory

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POSITION REPORT

T

HE

great

thing

industry updates at the Aero Expo, the

about

living in South Africa is

Commercial

Aviation

Association’s

Dr

that there is never a dull

Roelof Botha gave sound cause for further

moment. And that makes

hope. Despite perceptions, the number of

us resilient.

GA aircraft being exported has slowed. either

Macroeconomic indicators are good: there

fantastic – or they are terrible. It’s an

has been a huge upsurge in Foreign Direct

emotional roller-coaster ride. When the ride

Investment, and unbelievably, year on year

gets too wild, I get off by tuning out from the

comparisons show double digit growth in

daily noise.

tourist arrivals from overseas, the value of

Things

are

mineral and motor vehicle sales and even the

It’s when we tune out and step back

value of buildings completed.

that we see the bigger picture. We restore perspective on the temporary travails of

And quietly, behind the scenes there

pilots moaning about the CAA’s computers

are new initiatives to improve the business

having been hacked and service having

environment, such as a panel of experts

deteriorated even further.

having been convened to remove obstacles to business.

By stepping off, we can look at the

The conclusion must be that there is still

positives – at the green shoots. A powerful

an enormous momentum in the economy and

positive is the resounding success of the Aero Expo at Wonderboom. Driven from the start by the indefatigable

there are lots of good people who want it to work. Sure, it’s taking far

Christian Maiorana of Villa San Giovanni restaurant and hotel at

longer than we had hoped for the light of good governance to shine

Wonderboom Airport, the Expo was organised with the best Teutonic

out from the miasma of the Zuma years’ destruction. But gradually

disciplines of the Germans who arrange the massive Aero Expo

the darkness is being pushed back. If we take a step away from the

Friedrichshafen, the largest in Europe.

noise of the whiners, then problems like CAA inefficiency and the

Christian Maiorana single handedly carried the burden of

general feeling of doom will appear smaller.

doing the jobs no one else wanted, most notably, engaging with

I suspect that just when many people are giving up and packing

the dysfunctional Wonderboom Airport management to have fuel

for Perth, that’s the inflection point when things start turning around,

available for the fly-in planes and even hiring plumbers to get the

and the mood of optimism and perception of overcoming all odds, for

toilets fixed at his own expense.

which we South Africans are famous, will return.

Guy Leitch

Unlike the appalling money-making racket that is the AAD Expo, the Aero Expo at Wonderboom welcomed general aviation with open arms. There were no landing fees, no parking fees for planes - or cars – and even the entrance tickets were free. It set a great standard

EDITOR & PUBLISHER

for future shows.

guy@saflyermag.co.za

Presenting one of his well-researched and factually supported

SALES MANAGER Wayne Wilson wayne@saflyermag.co.za +27 72 900 2023 TRAFFIC Daniel Leitch traffic.admin@saflyermag.co.za ACCOUNTS accounts@saflyermag.co.za DEPUTY EDITOR Owen Heckrath owen@saflyermag.co.za

8 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

TRAVEL EDITOR Nicola Leitch nicola@saflyermag.co.za PRODUCTION & LAYOUT Emily-Jane Kinnear emily@saflyermag.co.za SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@saflyermag.co.za +27 21 786 1463

OFFICE: 8 Victory Way, Simon's Town, Cape Town, 7975 PO Box 71052, Bryanston, 2021, South Africa Distribution

istribution by On The Dot (Throughout SA and Africa to approximately 1 000 stores), CNA, PNA, Exclusive D Books, Pick n Pay as well as selected Spars, and convenience stores. Sales into Africa: Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Moçambique and Madagascar. Unsold distributed to selected clinics, airport lounges, doctor’s rooms, garages, selected hotels and lodges and Airport Shops.

Important

pinions expressed in signed articles, News & views or in advertisements appearing in SA Flyer, are those of O the author or advertiser and do not reflect those of this journal nor of its publisher. The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements, does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this journal or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. © SA Flyer 2019. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holders.

OPENING SHOT

10 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

Send your submissions to guy@saflyermag.co.za

WHEN WORLDS MEET

I

T always pays to travel with a camera – even if it’s just a ‘mik en druk.’

Charter pilot Richard Maier had his pocket-sized Sony DSC P150 with him when these two cyclists rode past his parked King Air. He perfectly captured the juxtaposition of the first world corporate aircraft meeting the emerging world youth on their bicycles under the dominating presence of an African sky. Richard’s Sony used a wide angle focal length of 8mm with an exposure of 1/640th at F5.6 and an ISO of 100 without exposure compensation.

11 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

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WASSUP?

AIRSPEEDER RACING Coming Soon

Just when you thought that air racing spectator excitement was dying with the Red Bull pullout, our Australian friends are putting the spark back into flying low and oh-so-fast.

the races above existing racetracks. “What

REPORT: OWEN HECKRATH

S

ABOVE: Airspeeder race.

we’ve done is merge an F1 car with a racing drone and turn it into something completely YDNEY-based

Alauda

is

new,” says Alauda’s founder Matt Pearson.

positioning

Airspeeder

Attaching itself to existing car racing helps

claims the vehicles will weigh 250 kilograms

series as an aerial equivalent

leverage a ready-made audience, though

and be able to carry 100 kilograms more,

of Formula 1 car racing,

there’s been no mention of how to keep

meaning the all-up weight will be about

with

octo-

these aircraft out of spectator areas. An anti-

350 Kg. The main chassis is expected to

copters among five teams competing for

collision proximity system is said to be part of

be around four metres long and fitted with

a single championship. A combination of

the technology.

lightweight bodywork that evokes classic

10

its

quad-

or

single-vehicle time trails and head-to-head

Powered by “massive” 500-kilowatt

competition are said to ensure a thrilling

lithium-polymer batteries, the eight-motor

spectacle.

Formula 1 race car designs, such as the Lotus 49.

(50-kilowatt each) Airspeeders are expected

Alauda says it will be testing a manned,

While it hasn’t said as much, the

to be capable of 200 Km/h plus and will

full-size version later this year – watch this

assumption is the company will try to stage

compete at roughly 20 metres AGL. Alauda

space!

14 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

j

ATTITUDE FOR ALTITUDE GUY LEITCH

WINGLETS Finance or Fashion?

Winglets are trendy – they appear on everything from jet airliners to light sport aircraft. This

issue focuses on jets, so what better than to look at the careful cost benefit analyses done by the airlines in deciding whether winglets are worthwhile – or not.

I

N

South

Africa

three

competing

Boeing's beautiful but expensive scimitar winglets on a kulula 737-800.

airlines came to different decisions as to whether to put winglets on their

which adds an extra U$50,000-80,000. The split ‘Scimitar’ winglets costs about U$330 000 more than the standard winglets on the

737s. BA/kulula has been retrofitting

737-800 and take five days to retrofit, adding

winglets,

about 300 lbs in weight, as strengthening

yet

SAA

and

FlySafair

of the wingtip is required. Nonetheless,

decided not to.

Boeing made the complex Scimitar winglets

Boeing uses the term ‘Winglets’, while

standard for all B737 Max variants.

Airbus calls theirs ‘Sharklets’. Their purpose is to reduce vortex drag caused by air

The big question is; do they pay off in

flowing from the high pressure underneath

the long term? In cruise a Boeing 737-800

the wing curling up around the wingtips to

without winglets burns about 600 US gallons

the low pressure area above. Reducing

per hour. If winglets really do yield a 5 %

drag increases speed or decreases fuel

saving, a -800 with winglets would consume

consumption, thereby saving money.

570 gallons per hour, saving 30 gallons

Boeing’s Winglet supplier APB claims

per hour in the cruise. JetA currently costs

their product has ‘the potential’ to give the

around $1.80 per US gallon, which works out

following benefits:

to $54.00 saved for every hour in the cruise.

Improved

take-off

and

performance.

•

Reduced climb thrust. A winglet equipped

aircraft

can

typically

take a 3% de-rate over the nonwinglet equivalent aircraft. This extends engine life and reduces maintenance cost.

•

Reduced cruise thrust. Cruise fuel flow is reduced by up to 6%.

•

Improved

cruise

performance.

Winglets can allow aircraft to reach higher levels sooner.

•

Environmentally

friendly.

The

engine de-rate, if used, will reduce

•

At that rate, it would take 17,500 hours of

climb

cruise flight time, or about ten years of typical

Malcolm Reid

•

utilisation, to recover an estimated initial cost of adding winglets to an older 737. A ten If these claims are to be believed, you may wonder why all 737s don’t have them.

In fact 85% of all new 737s are now built with winglets, particularly the 800 and Max series. Operators of Boeing 737s and the Airbus A320 family have the option of adding blended winglets/sharklets to their existing fleet. Although winglets are claimed to pay for themselves, some airline managers have shied away from the modification because

year payback is okay for an airliner expected to provide at least twenty years of service.

There is also the saving on the carbon tax: less fuel used means less carbon produced, less carbon tax and more rebates.

Also, adding winglets increases the airliner’s value and makes it more saleable.

So the cost of adding the winglets benefits the airline owner, both while it owns the jet, and when it’s sold.

What about cruise speed? There’s not

the noise footprint by 6.5% and

of the large initial cost and the aircraft on the

usually any change, as airline operators

NOx emissions by 5%.

ground time required.

choose to save fuel, rather than shave a few

Good looks. Winglets bring a

In the tight margin business of airline

minutes off flight time. Still, needing less

modern look and feel to aircraft, and

ops, it boils down to cost versus benefits.

fuel increases payload – which is good, and

improve customers’ perceptions of

Older Boeing 737 Winglets can cost up to

range, although that is seldom if ever an

the airline.

U$900,000 and take 2-3 weeks to install,

issue for scheduled short-haul flights.

16 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS

The winglets are claimed to improve

an extra ten tons. Thus, with the increased

were converted, only those that make

Engine-out

weight of winglets, and the low flight levels

financial sense over the medium to long

cruise is faster, and second stage climb

of short-haul routes, winglets would have

term.

capabilities are claimed to be better. The

a negative, rather than positive, impact on

Louw points out that as far as the

improvement in both of these areas of

fuel economy. The Russians did the sums

handling criticisms are concerned, a winglet

performance is most needed during an in-

and decided not to put winglets on their

aircraft is very slightly more prone to fishtail

flight emergency, when performance counts

Sukhoi SuperJet or on their forthcoming

on final than a non winglet -800, but it is so

single-engine

performance.

the most.

So there seems to be a strong case that, even though Winglets are expensive, the cost/benefit is worth it: winglets increase

SAA chose the simpler and cheaper winglet.

performance, reduce costs, increase safety margins and enhance the jet’s value. That’s the theory. But in practice, when is it worth adding the cost and weight of winglets?

Critics point out that Winglets add 5001,000 pounds to a Boeing 737-800’s empty weight. This has an impact on the strength of the wing, effectively weakening its torsional rigidity and introducing aeroelastic issues that must be compensated for. This is accomplished by adding about 100 pounds

MC-21. Perhaps the critics are correct in

negligible that Comair does not consider

of depleted uranium in the leading edge to

claiming that, unless all flights are long-haul

it an issue. Louw says that, “Apart from

reduce the twist on the wing generated by

operations above FL370, the payback for

mentioning what type of winglet is fitted in

the winglets. Also Winglets work best at high

winglets will probably take about 10 times

our normal pre-flight aircraft differences

longer than marketing brochures claim.

briefing, no further action is required. The

Thus for short-haul operations, the payback

crosswind limitation on a dry runway only

of winglets may be elusive.

reduces from 35 knots to 34 knots, with no

WINGLETS ARE NOT A FASHION STATEMENT.

A further, albeit minor complication is that airlines such as Comair, which operate

difference on our 20 knots limit under wet conditions, so this is also not a factor.”

both winglet equipped and non-winglet

For new aircraft, particularly long-haul

equipped Boeing 737-800s, need to have

airliners, the case for winglets is stronger.

different operating speeds to maximise

Most new long-haul airliners are being built

efficiency. This can be tricky on landing,

with upwardly bent wingtips, as seen on

particularly on short wet runways.

the Airbus A350, Boeing 787 and several

Comair Chief Pilot Martin Louw says

models of Boeing 777. These raked wingtips

altitude which requires long sector lengths.

they did an extensive study on their route

are still a compromise between weight gain

But the additional weight requires a slower

structure before they decided to retrofit

and drag reduction. But as they are built

climb to be as efficient as a non-winglet

their aircraft. To hedge their bets, they

into the initial acquisition cost and thus

equipped aircraft. As soon as you speed up

leased a set of Scimitar winglets from the

amortised over the life of the airliner, they

during climb, the fuel efficiency advantages

manufacturer, fitted it to one of their 737-

should a have a clear long-term benefit.

of a winglet equipped aircraft turn negative.

800s and compared the fuel burn on specific

Another reason many airlines install

Winglet critics also point out that, while

routes with what they had experienced

winglets on their aircraft is that they are

they may be more efficient at high altitude,

before on that particular aircraft, and also

sexy - or fashionable. These days many

most narrowbody flights are short-haul

with their other new-800s. They flew the

passengers use their cell phones to take

and it may not make sense to climb above

leased Winglets for a few months and did

pictures or videos through the window

FL270, let alone the altitude at which the

their own calculations and Louw says the

for social media, and having the airline’s

efficiency of winglets really kicks in. And at

savings generated in fuel consumption, even

logo on the winglet is great exposure. The

those lower altitudes, cruising at more than

on relatively short sectors of between 60 and

bottom line is that the avowedly not fashion-

M0.71 results in a large increase in fuel

120 minutes, exceeded the manufacturer’s

conscious Comair did a careful analysis

consumption because of the weight of the

claims.

and is convinced they are cost effective.

winglets and parasitic drag.

Comair then prepared a business case

Martin Louw concludes that “winglets are

A rule of thumb for most jetliners is that

for all their -800s (both owned and leased)

not a fashion statement, they are a financial

each hour costs about 3% more in fuel for

and decided which aircraft were worth

statement!”

additional weight carried. So for a ten-hour

converting. This was mostly their owned,

flight it would cost 3 tons of fuel to carry

new aircraft. Therefore not all their -800s

j

guy@saflyermag.co.za

17 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

I

LETTER TO THE EDITOR wanted to ask your opinion as

business in a few years and the illegal guys

someone who has been in the

will continue.

industry for a long time.

GUY REPLIES: Thank you for your letter Grant.

On a cost basis over the last 2 years

Your points are well made – and the fault

My company is 13 years

I estimate R1million loss of work to my

must lie with the CAA not processing drone

old based in Cape Town and

company from the illegal operators. At

licences – particularly ROCs.

operating across South Africa,

times I feel I should operate illegally as it’s

It seems the problem of CAA lack of

specialising in aerial photography

an unfair situation, and I might go out of

capacity that I covered in my WUCAA article

mainly from helicopter, although

business unless I change things, but my

a year ago has not improved – despite Ms

various other aircraft beforehand.

moral compass and integrity won’t allow me

Poppy Khoza’s claims.

About 25% of my work is drone-based,

to go down that road.

I fear that illegal operation of drones is

where I operate the camera independently

I think if a Gatwick/Heathrow incident

the tip of the iceberg of illegal operations

from the drone flight operation . Very similar

happens here it might educate people/scare

from people no longer prepared to try

set-up as helicopter in terms of hiring a

off a certain amount of illegal operators.

wrestle with the CAA.

drone pilot operating under a ROC etc.

Possibly a larger crash or incident would

My frustration is that aerial photography

change things, but would that tighten up

from helicopter in its traditional form is a

restrictions even more, whilst still not

dying industry - for cost reasons, aircraft

policing the illegal operators. If transponders

availability in Cape Town and SACAA aircraft

are integrated with all DJI equipment in

licencing delays, and illegal drone usage.

future which I’ve heard rumours of, that

The legal drone industry compliments the

might change things if the older drones

helicopter aspect, as certain sites you can

eventually become out of circulation and the

combine more efficiently in one flight, some

illegal drones are policed via ATC. The other

sites are more difficult to access via drone as

option is SACAA could open up the industry

built up or adjacent National Key Point, less

in terms of making it easier to operate,

red tape and crew involved etc. so helicopter

which would be better overall but don’t think

works better.

they could handle that workload or police

In the construction and development

effectively with added volume.

markets where illegal drone usage is rife,

A fair amount of the imagery used for a

unchallenged and brazenly admitted with

site or in the media is credited as Supplied

no concern for people on the site, cars/

or shared between architects/developers

roads/powerlines/commercial aviation traffic/

etc. and so the imagery is ‘laundered’ and

regulations. Excuses are similar to a PPL

almost untraceable, and a Client would say

pilot doing ‘non-commercial’ work to build

it was provided to him but he doesn’t know

hours but is commercial, to ‘it’s only for site

the source/legality thereof.

reports’, ‘it’s only a toy drone’ etc. I think it’s

There are some green shoots of large

like E-tolls in terms of 2 transport companies

Clients wanting to know the legislation and

that one pays and one doesn’t. It isn’t

complying. The challenge for us is starting

policed and a Client would use the cheaper

with ROC, ASL, Pilot Licence etc. and the

transport company. I have approached the

basic structures, then Municipality/Disaster

SACAA at various times but they won’t

Management/Landowners permission, not

prosecute unless I have all the info such as

flying over roads/groups of people, whilst still

flight time, location, photos, numbers etc. of

trying to be cost effective and obtaining the

illegal operators, which is difficult to obtain.

best imagery within those restrictions.

The don’t seem interested/have the time to educated people and police effectively. At

Let me know your thoughts.

this rate, similar to the transport example above, the legal companies will be out of

18 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

GRANT DUNCAN-SMITH

Tell us what's on your mind: guy@saflyermag.co.za

KEEP IT LITE

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19 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

LEADING EDGE PETER GARRISON

SOMETHING FOR

NOTHING One of the many ways ingenious dreamers have suggested for improving the performance of electric aeroplanes is the wingtip turbine. Basically a windmill placed in the tip vortex, which would harvest power from the vortex and return it to the motor.

W

this

tip vortex did not rotate, then a tip turbine

power – coincidentally, about what could

idea is mentioned,

would be useless; the energy required to

be saved by winglets. A winglet is, in fact, a

someone is sure

drive it would inevitably be greater than

sort of one-bladed, stationary tip turbine.

to object that it is

the energy it returned. But the energy

nothing more than

contained in the rotation of the tip vortex

HENEVER

a hare-brained perpetual-motion scheme.

is normally wasted, like the heat energy

After all, the motor had to supply the energy

in the exhaust of an internal-combustion

that moved the plane and created the tip

engine. Just as some exhaust heat can be

vortex in the first place. Isn’t this the same

recaptured by a turbocharger and put to

thing as charging the battery of an electric

use, some of the rotational energy of the

car with a rooftop windmill driven by the car’s

tip vortex can be recaptured by a turbine.

own motion?

Not a lot: At cruising speed less than ten

Not quite. The difference is that the

percent of energy used ends up in the tip

turbine in the tip vortex makes use of the

vortices, and only a fraction of that could be

rotational energy of the vortex, not just that

retrieved by turbines of practicable size. So

of the forward speed of the aeroplane. If the

we’re talking about a few percent of cruising

Even Airbus researched Wing Tip Turbine technology.

Of course, a tip turbine would work for a conventionally-powered plane too. The power required by the electrical system is normally drawn by the alternator from the engine. Using tip turbines instead would save 1.5 U.S. cents worth of fuel per ampere-hour at current prices (no pun intended) and increase cruising speed by an undetectable amount. Now you know why you’ve never seen a tip turbine.

Recoverable energy turns up in surprising places. Sailplanes harvest the energy of the atmosphere by imposing human selection upon air movements whose eventual sum is always zero. They linger in rising air by slowing down or circling, and they hasten through sinking air. This activity normally takes place on a grand scale, with mountain ridges and puffy clouds conveniently signalling veins of lift. But random small eddies in the atmosphere, especially near the surface, can be mined in the same way. What is required is a small, agile sailplane with a low wing loading, a high maximum lift coefficient and a rapid response – provided by an alert pilot or a microprocessor – to random air movements.

A few of these so-called microlift gliders exist, and they can remain aloft in conditions much too weak for normal sailplanes. Reduced to its simplest terms, the trick is just to pull the stick in rising air and push it in sink. In principle, given an aeroplane of the right characteristics it is

20 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS

possible to remain aloft indefinitely, milking power from the surrounding air.

Dynamic soaring is similar. As an activity of radio-control modellers, it has led to some remarkable performances.

YouTube videos – disappointing to watch, I’m afraid, because the planes are practically invisible and the tennismatch motions of the camera make you seasick – show model gliders circling in the upslope lift of ridges and supposedly attaining speeds above 400 knots. Those are extreme cases, requiring a strong wind,

breeze of a continuously running fan and

to the wind, so that their sails operate like

gets a little push from it. Each momentary

wings, not like parachutes or spinnakers.

boost cancels the frictional losses of the

about a sailboat, however, makes us

going indefinitely.

incredulous when it is asserted about a

One of the more startling examples of

a propeller. It looks like a practical joke.

initials DDFTTW, which stand for “Directly

But the wheels have to overcome only the

Downwind Faster Than The Wind.” It has

drag of the propeller blades, and their thrust

been the subject of heated debate on the

is greater than their drag by some large

Internet, demonstrating, if nothing else,

factor. The truth is that this contraption will

that what makes things go is not always

accelerate to the wind speed and keep

obvious.

accelerating past it until it arrives at an thought experiment; these things exist. The

downwind faster than the wind?

current record – which is not claimed to

let’s say, for the sake of argument, that it has zero rolling friction – and you put a

hobbyist; but dynamic soaring occurs in nature too.

The albatross, the sailplane of seabirds, may fly all the way around the world in a month and a half, flapping its wings only for takeoff and landing and expending almost as little energy in flight as when resting on the ground. It uses two soaring techniques: slope-soaring on the flanks of conveniently oriented ocean swells, and dynamic soaring.

The albatross’s version of dynamic soaring is to fly a path that zigzags both side-to-side and vertically, first gliding downwind to gain groundspeed, then turning sharply into the wind and zooming upward. The increase in wind velocity farther from the surface, working against the bird’s inertia, carries it higher than it would rise in a uniform wind, and gives the bird back the energy lost in the gliding descent. The albatross’s L/D ratio, between 20 and 25, is comparable to that of a low-performance sailplane; but the vast, unceasing winds of the southern oceans provide it with an inexhaustible bounty of fuel.

If it seems hard to imagine just how dynamic soaring works, think of a pendulum set up in such a way that at the peak of one end of its swing the bob enters the

equilibrium maximum speed. This is not a

device powered by the wind alone to go Suppose that you take a small cart –

a well-placed slope and a determined

four-wheeled cart whose rear wheels drive

reaping power from the wind goes by the

The question is: Is it possible for a

A NASA Wing Tip Turbine testbed.

What we may be prepared to believe

preceding swing and keeps the pendulum

represent any sort of absolute physical limit – is 2.8 times the wind speed.

Space dictates that I am now obliged to

spinnaker or a square sail on it and point it

resort to the time-honoured formula, “It is

downwind. It will accelerate until its speed

left to the interested reader to analyse...”

is nearly equal to that of the wind. At that

A hint: All these examples of seemingly

point, an anemometer on the cart would

getting something from the wind for nothing

register a wind speed of zero. Evidently it

involve exploiting differences in velocity

cannot go any faster, because if it did the

– between ground and air, water and air,

sail would be blown backward and it would

or two adjacent masses of air. They also

simply slow down again.

involve the almost miraculous ability of

On the other hand, suppose you provide

wings, in one form or another, to multiply

the cart with a rig similar to a sailboat’s

force. Wings are like levers: They turn a

and send it tacking across the wind. It will

small force – drag – in one direction into

exceed the speed of the wind, but maybe not in the downwind direction, because its path, like a sailboat’s, will have to consist of a series of diagonal tacks.

Now suppose you try another approach.

You get rid of the sail altogether, and instead connect the wheels of the cart to a propeller. You point the thing downwind.

What happens? Well, at first the cart moves slowly forward, pushed by the wind. As it moves the propeller starts to turn, and provides some thrust. But then what?

Of ten people who have heard of the conservation of energy, nine will reply that because the faster you go the harder the wheels have to work to spin the propeller, there is no free lunch. The wind can only push you as fast as it can push you. You can’t trick it into pushing you faster.

But if there is a sailor present, he will point out that that a fast sailboat, even

Close up of the NASA WTT installation.

though tacking, can outrun the wind. It will arrive at the end of a direct-downwind

a large one – lift – in another. It’s not quite

course sooner than a balloon. Ice yachts

something for nothing – but it’s one of the

and other low-resistance sail craft can do

better bargains that the natural world has

even better. They are travelling at an angle

to offer.

j

21 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

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SA Flyer 2019|07

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23 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

SA Flyer 2019|08

ASSISTANCE WITH IMPORTS, EXPORTS & VALUATIONS.

PLAIN TALK JIM DAVIS

TAMING

TAILDRAGGERS Ed’s Note: This month Jim unveils the devils and delights of taildraggers and discusses why they are such wayward brutes. And next month will be about taming them when they get mean during takeoff and the various types of landing; wheelers, three-pointers, crosswinds and short fields. He will go into ways of preventing disaster when things start going dreadfully wrong – which they will.

Why are taildragger pilots so damn smug about their flying? What makes them think they are a cut above other pilots? Don’t all aircraft fly the same?

Y

ES, indeed they do all

of a wild ride. You will see why shortly.

dispensable. If you can’t handle the brute

they

Taildraggers are meant to fly — they

when

make no concessions to ground handling

they are on the ground.

and are consequently very bad at it. When

So, why did so many aeroplanes have

Unfortunately on the ground

you sit in a taildragger you can see nothing

tailwheels? Well, a little wheel is much lighter

is where accidents happen. The truth is that

ahead. The tiny tailwheel rattles and

than a big one, and it causes very little drag

taildraggers have a strong desire to crash

bounces over tufts of grass. Steering is

— so it doesn’t need to retract. And it is out

at any time their wheels are on the ground.

atrocious – as soon as you start a turn you

of the way of the business end of things

need a massive amount of opposite rudder

— the engine and the prop. It also has the

to prevent the whole thing from swinging into

advantage of lifting the prop well clear of the

a humiliating 360, known as a ground loop.

ground. So it’s not quite as silly as it seems.

fly are

the only

same

—

different

This means you have to develop a new set of skills just to avoid wrecking the aircraft every time you fly.

These new skills make taildragger pilots special. They give you the finesse to land and take off smoothly and safely — every time.

Once you have learned to fly a taildragger you will understand the difference between driving an aeroplane on to the ground and landing it as God intended — with the nose high and the stall-warning singing tones of approval.

In the beginning all aeroplanes had tailwheels. When they sat on the ground, their noses up, sniffing the air and their wings set at an angle to give lift, they were poised for flight. This is not a romantic ode to

That’s worth saying again. A little bit of

you are kicked out to make way for a more skilful applicant.

After

WWII

the

main

players

—

rudder to start the turn, and then a whole

comrades Piper, Beech and Cessna, were

lot of opposite rudder to stop it from getting

forced to make their aeroplanes more user-

away from you. It means your feet have got

friendly. Civilian buyers wanted aeroplanes

to be moving the whole time.

that were easy to fly, which they mostly were,

To taxi in a strong crosswind, you have to

but they also had to be easy to taxi, which

use the brakes for steering. If you have far to

they weren’t. But most important, nobody

go the brakes will cook and become useless

was going to buy an aeroplane that was a

before you get to the threshold. While you

bastard to land. If an aircraft could be made

wait for them to cool, ATC are inclined to

bounce-proof it was guaranteed to sell. We

send out a bunch of heavies in a Toyota

all love an aircraft that makes our landings

bakkie to drag you clear of the taxiway.

look good.

Apart from wanting to go backwards

Now we get to the interesting bit — we

when landing, taildraggers are predisposed

are going to look at why taildraggers appear

to bouncing — I’m serious, if you wanted to

to ‘bounce’ so willingly while nose wheel

aviation — it highlights one of the problems

design an aeroplane that is a bastard to land

aeroplanes tend to settle comfortably.

of landing a taildragger. Just because the

you could do no better than put a little wheel

Certainly hammy pilots can make nose

wheels are on the ground doesn’t mean the

at the back. Again, I will explain shortly.

wheel aircraft appear to bounce — but it’s

landing is complete. It’s often the beginning

24 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

This is fine for military pilots — they are

not part of their nature. Let me explain.

25 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

PLAIN TALK crew got their wires crossed during landing

again, and the procedure repeats itself until

and managed to drop it from between 8

they either run out of airspeed, or something

What we call bouncing is when we, the

and 10ft by accidentally activating the GLD

breaks.

pilots, meddle with the angle of attack so

(Ground Lift Dump spoilers). The aircraft

In summary it is not bouncing — it’s the

that the aircraft alternately flies and smites

literally fell out of the sky. It crashed into

pilot doing stupid things with the angle of

the planet.

the ground at 1200’/min — twice the max

attack — he is pumping the stick backwards and forwards.

NEWSFLASH

—

AEROPLANES

DON’T BOUNCE

If you think that aeroplanes bounce you

certified touchdown rate — with such force

will never learn to fly a taildragger. So let

that the main undercarriage legs collapsed.

me repeat this seldom understood concept:

The aeroplane splatted.

What’s the take-home message? Sir,

AEROPLANES NEVER BOUNCE.

Now the reason that taildraggers are such a bitch is that if you touch down on the main wheels only, the tailwheel is going to do what? It’s going to keep on going down.

This gives a larger angle of attack — so you fly again, and how do you respond? You shove the nose down, and when the mains hit the ground what is the tail going to do?

Okay you have got the picture.

That’s

why

taildraggers

appear

to

bounce. They actively want to fly again after the mains touch. There are two ways of handling the problem of becoming airborne after touchdown, and they both require Fig 1: The mains touch, the nose continues down, the AoA decreases and it doesn’t fly again, ‘bounce’ – unless you haul the stick back.

some finesse.

The first is to move the stick smartly forward — just the right amount — at the precise moment the mains touch down.

This prevents the tail dropping and it gives you a wheeler landing – if you get it right.

If you don’t get it exactly right you start an unrecoverable series of kangaroo hops. And believe me it is unrecoverable unless you are very sharp indeed - which none of us is.

Your only dignified action is an immediate go-around.

Your second option, if the mains touch

Fig 2: The mains touch, the tail continues down, the AoA increases, and you fly again ‘bounce'.

while you still have flying speed and she lifts off again, is to level the nose and fly a few feet above the ground. As she slows and

If you use a crane to lift a Cherokee (or a

aeroplanes do not bounce. Geddit?

starts to sink, you hold off in the normal way

172 or a Piper Cub) to the height of a hangar

‘Okay enough already,’ I hear a voice

roof, and then drop it, I promise you it will not

chirping from the back ‘why do they

bounce — it will splat.

appear to bounce?’ Ah now we are getting

Of course there is a third option — which

somewhere — that’s a great question. And

requires intelligence rather than finesse: you

the answer is surprisingly simple. Pilots

smoothly take full power and climb away for

dump them on the ground while they still

another circuit while sensible pilots applaud

a

have flying speed. The angle of attack

your action from the clubhouse.

Bombardier 600 (or CRJ200). It seems the

increases so they fly again. The pilots get

Sounds pretty simple hey? But it isn’t

a fright and shove them back on the ground

really. You see, there are really two factors

Even if you only drop it from two feet, it still won’t bounce.

I have just finished reading an excellent article

by

Quinten

Cairncross

on

until she stalls and alights gently on all three wheels together.

Fig 3: After you ‘bounce’ you shove the nose down, the mains touch, the tail goes down and you ‘bounce’ again — and again — and again.

26 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS that cause the tail to drop and give you a big angle of attack. The first is the aircraft’s centre of gravity, which is behind the main wheels. This should be obvious by the fact that it naturally sits with the tailwheel on the ground when it is not flying. The second factor is momentum. The more vertical speed you have when the mains touch, the more the tail will try to continue down.

This means that the simple expedient of moving the stick forward to prevent an increase in angle of attack, is not simple at all. It’s different every time because you have a different rate of descent every time. Move the stick forwards too little or too late and the kangaroo nonsense starts. And if you do it too much or too early you can stuff the prop into the ground.

The way to make landings easy is to have an aeroplane that automatically decreases its angle of attack when you touch down. So now you can see why the nose wheel is such a revolution in aviation history — it does exactly that.

And as a bonus you can see where you are going while taxying

Fig 4: You have three large wheels solidly on the ground. The CoG ahead of the mains tends to keep you running straight.

and taking off, and even during most of the landing — except the last bit just before touchdown, when you should have the nose high in ANY aeroplane.

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL Okay let’s leave the ‘bouncing’ problem for a moment and look at three other nasties a taildragger has on the ground.

1.

It does not like going straight.

2.

It does not like going straight.

3.

It does not like going straight.

If it does go straight for a moment, please understand this is a temporary condition — the aircraft is in transit between a swing to the left or one to the right. Either of these swings can turn into a violent 180 before you have time to say "WTF?" This is not caused by some wayward spirit or gremlin — there is a good physical reason for it — it’s that troublesome C of G thingie that lives behind the main wheels. I will explain shortly.

Fig 5: With the CoG behind the main wheels it is directionally unstable.

The problem is compounded by the fact that you can’t see straight ahead because the nose is in the way. Besides, when you taxi you are not meant to go in a straight line in case you run over someone’s child, the fuel bowser or the CFI’s bicycle. To see where you are going you have to taxi in a zig-zag path looking alternately left and right of the nose.

Okay time to tell you why the aft C of G makes the aircraft directionally perverse.

The plan view of the green, conventional aeroplane shows the C of G (the Beemer badge) ahead of the main wheels. It has three large wheels firmly on the ground. Its natural tendency is to run straight. If you brake, it becomes even more stable because the main wheels pull back and the weight, being ahead of them, pulls forward. During take-off it also runs straight because the prop leads it by its nose.

The pic of the yellow taildragger shows how it pivots about its main wheels. It is directionally unstable – particularly when slowing down. The heavy bit at the back wants to overtake the wheels, in other words it naturally tries to ground loop and prefers going backwards.

The problem is aggravated by its pitiful steering system. The

Fig 6: If you turn, even slightly, the CoG tries to overtake the mains particularly when slowing down after landing.

tiny tailwheel’s feeble grip on direction is prone to suddenly letting go completely. If side loads become too much the mechanism detaches

and the fickle moods of the rudder which depend variously on power,

itself from the rudder and the wheel just castors. When this happens

speed and wind.

you lose all direct steering and have to rely on differential braking

The next diagram shows why the swine doesn’t want to go straight

27 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

PLAIN TALK – particularly when slowing, like after touch-down. The drag from the wheels pulls backwards, but the weight wants to keep going forward.

Let’s say you land beautifully straight on the centreline and everything is fine for a while. Then you let the nose wander ever so slightly to the right – the tail moves to the left taking the C of G with it. The pivot point, to the right of centreline, slows down, while the weight, which is left of the centreline, keeps going. This rapidly gets worse – the more the turn, the stronger the turning force. Of course braking seriously aggravates the situation.

When you start losing direction you have to correct it immediately because the slightest deviation from straight is the birth of a groundloop. It becomes unstoppable if you leave it a fraction too long.

Actually it’s obvious that the aircraft will be most comfortable going backwards (with the heavy bit leading). The secret is to catch it the very instant you see the nose deviating one milli thing from the straight and narrow.

To keep it straight every landing involves a thousand little jabs of rudder – each preventing a ground loop. As long as you are jiggling the rudder intelligently all the time you might have it under control.

When your feet stop jiggling you are about to crash — backwards.

Taxying is the same, but less hectic. Don’t ever think that a tailwheel aircraft will run straight on its own. It is inherently unstable in yaw – even at taxi speed.

During the takeoff run, directional control gets a lot easier – the rudder gets more effective as the slipstream and airspeed increase.

Also the aircraft is being led by the nose - the same as a nosewheel plane.

Okay, now you have got a grip on the theory of tail-dragging.

Next month we will look at how you actually handle the beast, from

28 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

Fig 7: Once the swing starts the slingshot effect quickly becomes unstoppable and hugely humiliating.

getting it out of the hangar to mastering takeoffs and landings in various situations. Even taxying needs special care — I have seen experienced pilots relax their vigilance for a moment to find themselves causing very expensive damage.

Lots of exciting new stuff to learn next month on your way to becoming a genuine taildragger pilot.

j

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HELI OPS GEORGE TONKING

OFF-AIRPORT & NO HELP When planning my column, I mostly think of the readers first. After all, these words are useless, if not at least mildly-entertaining for their writer, without someone to read them. Jokes aside, I like to make the content as broad as possible for the layman, but also interesting enough to give enjoyment to even seasoned whirly-birders.

Dust roads make for easy temporary LZ's.

W

HEN I joined my current employer nine years ago, I’m pretty sure that my boss, Waal, had thought up some exciting things to do and places to land with our Robinson R44, which

Protea had recently acquired. Coming from a background in helicopters during the ‘South African Border War’ in the 1980s, Waal was used to setting down in some pretty wild places and remains a very competent helicopter crew member to this day.

When flying with me, he will point out a power line running across the horizon five miles away. That may seem annoying to some pilots, but I’ve learned never to answer him or any passenger with the obvious “Ja, I know …” but rather to thank the spotter, even when the wire or obstacle is obviously evident.

It’s nearly always the obvious wires that helicopter pilots hit. In an operational helicopter environment, teamwork is crucial, not only to mission success but, more importantly, to safety.

Thinking of Waal’s history, and of teamwork and safety, led me to this week’s topic. That is, a characteristic of the helicopter that makes it almost unique – possibly challenged only by ‘Tundra’ tyre toting Cessna 185s in the Yukon – the ability to land and operate off-airport. I think that most helicopter pilots are to some extent bush pilots. I’m not talking about Indiana Jones or the dare-devil Gene Ryack, (played by Mel Gibson in the movie Air America), but rather, more simply, pilots who fly into unprepared, sometimes unfamiliar, landing zones.

Many professional fixed-wing pilots never venture too far from an ILS (Instrument Landing System) or fly below MORAs (Minimum Off-Route Altitudes) let alone find themselves dusting off their shoes after an arrival on a sketchy dust strip.

I say arrival, because a landing is meant to be a graceful reuniting of machine and earth, whereas a bush pilot needs to stop the bird exactly at the end of the 100-foot, too-short,

30 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS

postage-stamp-sized strip, as it’s nearly impossible to take off again

communication with said engineer is vital to a successful mission.

without landing gear.

Thank them – often.

Anyway, let’s return to rotors, as the aim of this column is to look

Fuel is another critical consideration. Know the ship well. At a

into the realities of helicopter operations far from the comforts of

glance you will need to know if you’ll be able to make a diversion (or a

civilisation.

new final destination) with what’s left in the tanks, or whether you will need to dog-leg to an alternate fuel stop while considering the needs

Off airport operations are the norm in the security industry.

of the mission. On many occasions I’ve had to radio the ops to check fuel availability en-route to some one-horse town. I must also confess that I’ve landed in the local Co-Op’s parking lot for fuel.

One person who’s always helped comes to mind: Riaan, at Secunda airfield. He once refuelled my craft in under five minutes, from skids down to skids up. That takes friendship and trust.

Communication is possibly the most important key when flying hot on the trail of the wrongdoers. We often use mobile phones and WhatsApp to co-ordinate flight-following. When I’m off the job at home in bed at 3 a.m. I’ll often get a “safe at base” message on an operational group, to which I’ll reply with the obligatory ‘thumbs up’ icon, just to let my pilot colleague know that he or she is being looked out for. We watch each other’s backs. Heck, I’ve often done SAR (Search and Rescue) for friends of friends, mostly with good outcomes – launching helicopters to find someone, not usually aviation related. I’m their guy. You just never know who’s going to require air support next or where.

Off-airport landings are a given and best done with help, either on-board or with trained ground crew. We were taught the textbook ways of safely landing a helicopter out in the sticks during PPL training, kind of like precautionary landings for fixed wing guys. Only, we called it “confined landings”. The lesson covered how to set up a high reconnaissance, checking your intended LZ from higher up, before setting up a circuit and landing after a low reconnaissance check. This works well for the average pilot who doesn’t often find him or herself landing off-airport. For our security operations, we generally have less time to drop or pick up support crew. In some

I was schooled by Waal early on that there are five P’s to flying,

cases, we are close to a fire fight and want to minimize our target

namely, Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. There’s actually another ‘P’, but that’s just a noun at the end, usually added after not having planned properly. When possible, planning is always

For complex confined landings, trained crew are a great help.

advisable when anticipating operating away from home. When I fly charter on a fixed wing or helicopter, I generally have plenty of time to plan the flight, routes, fuel, and weather, as well as to file flight plans etc. In that world, these are usually worked out days before the flight, along with numerous contingency plans.

In the world of security helicopter flying, all planning – and more – sometimes needs to be done in minutes, not for the lack of care, but simply because crime waits for no man. Unlike charter flying, there is no co-pilot to share the load and most of the time your hands are ‘HOTAS’ (Hands on Throttle and Stick) with no autopilot. This means that you need to adapt the way you fly in order to serve the mission.

You need to learn to fly right hand, left hand and cyclic between the knees.

Things like pre-flight inspections need to be done the day before, with a modified quick walk-around before the call-out to ensure the vitals are checked. With larger helicopters, an engineer will often pre-flight the ship and be ready to lift when you arrive. It’s always good to know your engineer well because a great engineer and good

31 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

HELI OPS GEORGE TONKING

profile, or we have to sneak into a tight LZ stealthily at low level to avoid being detected

In some cases a prepared surface LZ is available to make landings easier.

by the target. In such cases, the textbook gives little reliable reference. It’s in times like this that you appreciate a Waal.

We essentially wrote our own textbook for our operational training, drawing on military resources and a wealth of experience from field operations and those operators that served on the border. Realising how many things had to be learned in a risky mostly self-taught manner, Stewie (another of our pilots) and I sought a way to pass our information on to future pilots, to avoid the risks we needlessly encountered. Last year we identified a pilot who seemed to fit our unusual mould. We took him from a private license pilot, taught him and trained him from the left seat (helicopters are generally goofy foot, PIC on the right). We spent about 40 hours teaching Carl Nichol all that we were never taught, almost killing ourselves as we learnt the hard way. We flew advanced manoeuvres, confined landings, ground support missions, and expedited tower crossings – anything that could catch him unawares. We crammed as much of our experience into his 200 hours as we could.

to carry our knowledge and experience over

Yes, we can learn a lot from theory, but

He tested in December 2018 and Buzz

to the next generation – especially when it

I have found that in the end, experience

found him highly competent as a commercial

comes to out-of-textbook situations. I know

trumps theory. Developing new operating

helicopter pilot. Well done to Carl, may he go

that I have gleaned and continue to glean

procedures and training pilots based on our

from strength to strength!

much from my mentors, whether here or

combined experience is the least we can do!

Why have we gone to so much extra cost and trouble? We believe it’s our responsibility

departed. Many of their lessons are still imprinted on my muscle memory.

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32 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

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33 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

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35 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

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36 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

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SA Flyer 2019|08

Joc-Air are approved to carry out maintenance on Hartzell,

A SLIM LOGBOOK JOHAN WALDEN

A DRY RIVER & A DRY MOUTH The flight log and whizz-wheel soon lost their 'mystery status'.

Flying the nest of the comforts of your home airport and going out into the big wide world on your first dual cross-country flight is a special moment for any student. Now it was my turn, and the world was about to get a whole lot smaller.

T

HE day of my first dual

country. I began to notice the papers lying

the picture of how each part of the puzzle

cross-country flight was

around on tables in the flight school, or in

fitted together to form, what people so lightly

drawing

was

students’ hands: flight plan forms, weather

call, the planning’ came together in my mind.

off

print-outs, complicated-looking flight logs,

the PPL exams and my

and flight computers – or ‘whizz-wheels’.

intricate – but was nothing the Navigation

thoughts now turned to

Thomas, my instructor, demystified these

textbook couldn’t clear up. This nifty little

how on earth I was going to do the cross

one by one in the lecture room, and slowly

gadget has the ability to calculate almost

gradually

nearer.

I

knocking

The

whizz-wheel

looked

especially

anything you could wish for: density altitude, true airspeed, drift due to wind, and ground

Aiming points are vital for accurate cross-country flying.

speed – to name just a few. I soon got the hang of it after a few practice questions – but I do still carry the instruction booklet with me just in case.

Next, we had a look at the flight log.

Each row was for a specific leg of the flight and had columns for true track, distance, altitude etc. They were arranged so that the page could be folded to cover unnecessary information and only show what you needed to know in-flight. On the left was ETA (estimated time of arrival), ATA (actual time of arrival), and the significant land feature to recognize the checkpoint by – which could be a road intersection, a dam, or the kink in a river for example. But I would also need an aiming point – something in the distance to fly to, like a ‘koppie’ or a wind-turbine. Then

38 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS

I would be able to perceive drift and alter

We came abeam Kasteelberg at 10:17,

along this stretch of track, so looking for the

three minutes behind ETA. The trend in

characteristic white silos that they typically

Another technique for finding drift due to

the ATAs I had so far made me feel fairly

have would be useless.

wind while airborne is the ‘one in sixty rule’.

confident that I hadn’t made some dreadful

If you’ve travelled 60nm and drifted 1nm off

error in my time calcs.

heading by a few degrees.

Finally I spotted the thin track ahead.

Now I knew where I was. I gratefully scribbled

track, your drift angle is 1 degree. Turning

Porterville is located to the west of a

the time down as we came overhead and

1 degree into wind will merely parallel your

line of mountains that run north to south. I

compared the scenery to the chart. By the

track, but turning 2 degrees will bring you

looked at the peaks on my chart and then

looks of it, I was a little off track to the south,

back on track in the same distance it took

at the ones in front of me, but couldn’t tell

so I pushed the compass a few degrees to

you to drift off. If you haven’t travelled 60nm

which was which – I just saw an endless line

the left with some rudder and started the

though, let’s say 30, then you can do the

of drab, hazy mountains.

descent. The road ahead was easy to spot

simple math. Play with it. Thomas had one

Sometimes the perfect aiming point can

last tip for me before the flight. He took my

be just on the other side of where you folded

and led my eye up to a patch of sparkling

pencil and started making notches down the

your chart over. But there was nothing to aim

As the town crept closer, my thoughts

side with a pair of scissors. The distance

at past the visible mountains, so I decided

turned to what it was we were looking for:

between each notch was equivalent to 5nm

to use the angles at which I expected to

an orange-brown clay strip with a north-

on the 1:500 000 chart. He handed me the

cross roads or power lines to keep track of

south orientation (a very important thing

pencil and said I could use it for quick in-

my position. I looked back at the chart and

to consider when searching for a runway),

roofs in the distance: Porterville.

flight estimates if needed – cool.

Armed with this new knowledge, I went home and set about planning my first crosscountry flight.

The route was Morningstar to Porterville, then to Saldanha, and back home again.

It was over 150nm and included full stop landings at each airfield.

I arrived at the flight school a few hours before my booking on the big day and got the weather and NOTAMs. By the time the aircraft was mine, all the heading, time, and fuel calculations were done. I filed the flight plans, clipped everything to my knee-board, and we were ready to go.

I activated the first flight plan and noted the takeoff time just before lining up. After takeoff I turned to my first heading; 059deg.

I looked up and saw the northern slope of Kasteelberg straight ahead – that was

The dry river blended perfectly into the folds of brown land.

my aiming point. It was about 30nm away according to my pencil, and one of my checkpoints, Malmesbury, lay halfway there.

That made it an excellent drift indicator. We

found a railway that travelled north to my

climbed to 3500 feet and I noted the time. It

track line, and then bent sharply to the east.

possibly on the outskirts of the town.

Finding a runway can be a lot more

was tricky to look at the chart and still keep

It made an angle of about thirty degrees with

difficult than it sounds, especially if you’re

a straight heading - most times I looked up

my track line, and beyond that I should have

approaching it side-on. I looked and looked.

to find the aircraft was banking off course.

been able to see the road that goes through

Thomas found it but I still couldn’t see it.

I stole a glance at my flight log. We were

Porterville. I looked out over the right wing

Salvation came when I finally went, “Oh this

5 minutes out from Malmesbury – ETA:

expecting to see a railway closing in, but

thing right here!” and levelled off. I noted the

10:09. Five minutes later I proudly scribbled

couldn’t find it. I held my heading and looked

time.

10:09 down in the ATA box and caught the

forward for a moment.

ETA: 10:28, ATA: 10:28. Bliss.

aircraft again when I looked up a second

I was getting lost.

later. I was struck by just how much my

Now dry-mouthed, I strained to see

when we landed. I closed the flight plan and

I breathed more than a sigh of relief

world had shrunk: we had reached a place

into every crease and fold in the ground.

we discussed the next leg; Porterville to

an hour’s drive away in under fifteen minutes

Fields, fields, nothing but fields! My world

Saldanha.

– isn’t your world meant to ‘get bigger’ when

had shrunk, yet I could still get lost. I looked

you fly?

back at the chart. There were no stations

I activated our next flight plan and we took off, heading west.

39 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

A SLIM LOGBOOK JOHAN WALDEN

The first checkpoint was a koppie 15nm away. Beyond that I didn’t really have much to aim at. I trimmed the aircraft and kept the nose on the koppie with a squeeze of rudder now and again. We passed the checkpoint and I noted the time.

A void of brown featureless land now filled the wind shield.

Well, almost featureless – way off in the distance stood a lonely group of wind-turbines. They were about five miles south of my track line, so I had to sort of guess where to put the nose this time. But until I reached them, I had to make do with a river for my next checkpoint, which wasn’t great for accurately judging my position. But that never became a problem; the river was dry and blended perfectly into the folds of dry land. So, with the help of the wind-turbines and heading on my flight log, we did eventually reach Saldanha – only this time after my ETA. The route back to Morningstar was much easier. All I had to do was follow the road back home. So I had some fun with my notched pencil, estimating distance and time to random points on my chart.

At last we arrived back home eight minutes behind ETA, and the world stretched back out to its normal size again. It had been a long day and I was ready to hit the sack. But no sooner had we landed than my thoughts turned to

j

the next hurdle: doing it alone.

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40 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

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41 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

AN INSURANCE TAKE ON ACCIDENTS BARRY LEWIS

A NIGHT RATING DOESN’T EQUAL NIGHT VISION Many serious accidents have occurred during night flying, particularly during night takeoffs. During takeoff a person is pushed back into the seat by the acceleration and in the climb the feeling of being pushed back persists. Thus, if the nose drops during this phase of flight the aircraft will again accelerate, maintaining the sensation of being pushed back in the seat.

E

VEN

some fatal airline

accidents involving pilots with

instrument

ratings

taking off into a ‘black hole’ have happened during this phase of flight.

It is probable that most night rating

training is undertaken near a large city where there are adequate night landing facilities. In this case the city lights in the vicinity at the airport provide visual reference clues which are extremely useful for establishing the horizon.

Many years ago, at the old Baragwanath airport before the days of Syferfontein, a pilot was doing night landing training in a Cherokee Arrow, landing in a southerly direction. There was only one row of flare path lights on the left-hand side of the runway. In the absence of much lighting at the other end of the runway, horizontal judgement was difficult compared to having lights on both sides of the runway.

A row of ‘T’ hangers was situated on the left side of the runway and when a go around was initiated the pilot lost orientation and turned left, flying into a hangar door which

resulted in fatalities and more aircraft being written off.

lost in the circuit resulting in a fatal accident.

The airport at the Pilanesberg was the

Loss of orientation when flying at night

setting of a number of accidents in the years

can even occur at some of the large cities if

after the Casino commenced operations.

the airport is surrounded by dark areas near

Sun City is located within easy reach of

the main airport. Windhoek Main airport is

airports in the Witwatersrand and pilots

about 30 kilometres out of town and a typical

would take friends there for a different

example, as well as some of the coastal

experience.

towns such as Port Elizabeth and East London.

There is one runway, aligned 05/23, which is surrounded on virtually all sides by

collapsed on top of the occupying aircraft,

At such airports one moment a pilot can

dark areas. Generally takeoffs were initiated

closely followed by the Cherokee with an

have good visual orientation, but on turning

on runway 05, with Pilanesberg mountain

‘angry’ propeller. Fortunately no one was

cross- or downwind can be suddenly faced

range close by on the left-hand side.

injured during this sequence of events, but

by a dark area, in which case it is necessary

Two fatal accidents involving pilots with

both aircraft suffered substantial damage.

to fly on instruments. Several cases have

night ratings occurred when Cessna 210s

Luckily no fire ensued as this could have

occurred when control of the aircraft was

and six occupants flew back into the ground

42 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS

Pilanesberg Airport was the scene for many black hole crashes.

shortly after takeoff. Also, an instrument rated pilot in a Bonanza A36 for some

Cessna 337 crashed after taking off from a farm strip at night.

reason turned left instead of right after taking off from runway 05 and flew into the mountain with fatal results.

In another case a pilot flying on a right base leg for runway 05 misread his altimeter and was some 800 feet below circuit altitude when he flew into the earth wire of 160 foot high electricity pylons with fatal results.

Eventually the situation became so bad that the then DCA (Department of Civil Aviation) issued a blanket ban on pilots with a night rating flying into or out of the airport at night.

A Cessna 337 ‘’sluk en blaas’ similarly

One of my happy memories is night

flew into the ground after taking off from

flying an Impala out of Waterkloof towards

a farm strip in the Free State at night. In

the Dullstroom area and entering an arena

saves confusing the stars with lights on the

another case, after a particularly dry winter

of four thunderstorms with their intermittent,

ground.

with attendant veld fire, a pilot flying a

but almost continuous, flashing. It was an

Finally, bear in mind that some countries

Bonanza lost control at dusk and spiralled

incredible sight, high and alone. It reminded

do not recognise a Night Rating. This may

into the ground near Bothaville. Dust storms

me of Richard Bach’s wonderful descriptions

still be the case in Botswana.

over the Free State during dry summers can

in ‘Stranger to the Ground’.

reach as high as 11,000 feet, making for very marginal visibility, even in daytime.

Despite these and many other tragic

An advantage of modern aerobatic jets

WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

is the artificial horizon, now named the

Discuss these issues in detail with your

attitude indicator; in earlier days the artificial

Instructor, keep current on the Night Rating,

is

normally

horizon had to be caged before aerobatics,

and mentally prepare yourself for a possible

and

pleasant

as it otherwise ended up hitting the stops

sudden transition onto instruments.

experience. Generally the air is stable in the

and then moving about like someone who

Consider doing a night takeoff with

absence of thunderstorms or strong winds,

has overstayed their time in the pub. Modern

your Instructor from an airfield with a ‘black

and the glow of instrument lights promotes a

attitude indicators in aerobatic jets simply

hole’ at the other end of the runway to gain

feeling of peace. Very smooth landings can

re-erect when they reach their limits, which

experience.

be made when practicing circuits.

is very handy when looping at night and

occurrences, an

extremely

night

flying

peaceful

j

43 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

REGISTER REVIEW: RAY WATTS

JUNE 2019

T

ZS-KAT PC24.

Austin Ferreira

The CAA are still having problems with their new computer system and therefore cannot produce any statistics regarding the aircraft register. This is extremely frustrating. What I have done as an alternative this month is to have a look at the year 2019 to date, from January to May.

ZS-TLH at FAOR 15-6-2019.

HE register appears to be getting badly behind. I know of at least three airliners that, although registered and flying, have yet to appear in the

register amendments. There are also several helicopters that are flying which have yet to

ERJ190s for SA Airlink ZS-YAP & ZS-YAY

Amongst these is a rare PZL104 Wilga which

appear in the amendments. I have no doubt

must still appear in the amendments, as

has just recently flown at Brits following

that these aircraft are properly registered –

does the B737 for Comair: ZS-ZWW.

restoration. One of the auctioned ex SAAF

it is just that they haven’t yet appeared. (An

The TCA helicopter section grew by ten

Cessna 185s has also been registered.

example of this is ZT-RGA the Black Hawk

aircraft. There were four Bells, a Bell 407,

This section of the register is the only one

that’s based in Nelspruit.) This means that

Bell 430, Bell 206 Jet Ranger and a Bell UH-

showing good growth figures and proves to

the published register is even more out of

1H Huey. Three Robinsons, a R22 and two

me that, contrary to some doomsday claims,

date than it has been for a long time now.

R44s were added and both the R44s are

private flying isn’t dead in South Africa.

Let’s hope that the new IT system, when

brand new. The three Aerospatiale aircraft

The drone (RPAS) section just keeps

it eventually gets up and running, will reflect

consist of two Super Pumas and a standard

growing – in this period there were four

accurate numbers of the aircraft registered in this country – but I’m not going to hold my

hundred and twenty-eight registered. This D-EWHI now ZU-WAS.

has resulted in it becoming too large to include in this register review.

breath.

It’s always sad to see aircraft leaving

aircraft we can see that, according to the

our shores, but that’s life, I guess. In the

George Trussell

Having a look at the TCA fixed wing stats that I have, twenty-three aircraft were added. Only eight of these are piston engine aircraft and this includes the beautiful Extra

period under review fifty-three TCA aircraft have been deleted from the register. Two have been scrapped, one crashed and the rest exported to various parts of the world.

330 that Jason Beamish flies in Absolute Aviation colours. There are eight jets flying,

Puma. There are quite a few helicopters

There were also six NTCA aircraft exported

including two Boeing 737s and a PC24. One

flying which have yet to appear in the

to other shores.

of the B737s is the Comair Boeing Max 8

register amendments.

which is sitting in a hangar at OR Tambo

In contrast, the NTCA section of the

TAIL PIECE

There is also a helicopter that

register grew by a whopping 128 aircraft and

I remain optimistic that the aircraft

takes up the registration of an R44 that was

the RV series of aircraft tops the numbers

market in this country is alive and well and

written off at Sun City some time back. Two

with

that the economy will eventually recover.

Airport.

44 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

five new ones being registered.

j

M&N Acoustic Services REGISTER REVIEW - JUNE

Editors Note: We try to fill the magazine with informative and interesting stuff for you to enjoy. As you will see, this month is a jam-packed issue and unfortunately, space limitations did not allow us to publish the summary of the full six months of changes to the SA-CAA Register. However, the month-by-month changes for the first six months of the year can be found in previous issues of SA Flyer and hopefully, by next month, CAA will have its act together sufficiently to be able to provide us with an update. Until then, our apologies if you have been inconvenienced in any way by the lack of a register update in this issue.

7Q-KWA ex ZS-SSO taken at Lanseria 31-5-2019.

ZS-ZWW B737-800 for Comair. Image: Austin Ferreira.

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: Rashid Snyders Tel: 012 689 2007 I Cell: 076 920 3070 Email: admin@mnacoustics.co.za www.saflyer.com

45 | August 2019

COMPANIES

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46 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

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47 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

ACCIDENT REPORT JIM DAVIS

LANDING TOO FAST This discussion contains extracts from the SACAA’s accident report. It is compiled in the interest of promoting aviation safety and not to establish legal liability.

48 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

COLUMNS

SYNOPSIS The pilot stated that after touchdown he continued down the runway for 100 -150 m. He then retracted the flaps to reduce lift. About 50 m after the flaps were retracted, the starboard wing dropped suddenly. At this point, the pilot realised that his speed had not reduced. He applied power to execute a go-around but then saw that there was not enough runway left to become airborne again. He immediately closed the throttles and applied maximum braking. He then pulled back on the control column to further assist the aircraft to slow down.

The aeroplane left the runway and came to rest approximately 25 m past the end of the runway. The skid marks of the tyres started about 100 m before the end of the runway. The right-hand main gear was ripped off, the left-hand main gear failed outwards and the nose gear folded back into the nose gear well.

The last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) had been carried out on 20 June 2007 at 3877.7 flying hours. This servicing was

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Aircraft Registration: ZS-JGY

Date of Accident: 9 March 2008 Time of Accident: 13h30Z

Type of Aircraft: Beechcraft 58

Type of Operation: Domestic Charter Flight

Pilot-in-command Licence Type: Commercial Age: 21

Licence Valid: Yes

Flying Experience: Total Flying Hours 399.8 – Hours on Type 4.8

Last point of departure:

Vilankulo Aerodrome (FQVL), Mozambique Next point of intended landing: Magaruque Island

performed by AMO 076. The aircraft was operated for a further 53.0

Aerodrome, Mozambique

flying hours after this.

Location of the accident site: Runway 23, Magaruque

PROBABLE CAUSE To be determined by the State of Occurrence as stipulated in ICAO document, Annex 13, Chapter 5, Paragraph 5.1. (The State of Occurrence shall institute an investigation into the circumstances of

Island, Mozambique

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION Surface wind: 110º/5-10 kts; Temperature: 30ºC;

the accident and be responsible for the conduct of the investigation.)

Visibility: +10 km;

JIM’S COMMENTS

No. of people on board: 2 + 2

I selected this accident because it shows how only two risk factors coming together at the same time, can end in disaster.

Would I have been happy to sit in the back of that aircraft? No

Cloud cover: 4/8

No. of people injured: 0 No. of people killed: 0

sir, I would not have boarded. And I say that despite the fact that some of the classic risk factors were not there at all. I am thinking of bad weather, mountainous terrain, strong winds, dodgy strips, fuel

Beech 58 Baron ZS-JGY in happier times.

problems, poor maintenance and so on.

So what exactly is my beef? Basically, too much aeroplane for too little experience. The guy had less than 400 hours total, and less than five hours on type — at least half of which would have been the flight from Johannesburg to Vilankulo (Vilancoulos). Also, he is a young man taking friends or charter passengers on a flight to a holiday destination — there is serious pressure to perform.

Unfortunately there is a culture that believes go-arounds are for poor pilots and pansies. That’s what attracted me to this accident — it gives me an excuse to spread the news that go-arounds are to be admired in any pilot; from a 10 hour student to the captain of an A380.

It looks to me as if this guy’s lack of experience on type caused him to cross the fence too fast and his ego really didn’t want to be hammered by the perceived indignity of a go-around.

Let’s try to figure out what was going on in the cockpit. This is not easy because the report is somewhat garbled, but reading between the lines, this is what seems to have happened:

•

At some point the right undercarriage leg collapsed.

Sounds like he failed to mention in the report that it was a catastrophically hard landing.

Actually it sounds as if the landing was little more than a semicontrolled crash.

•

He must have approached way too fast.

•

On the ground he was too fast and applied power for a go-

factors: approaching too fast due to a lack of familiarity with the

around.

aircraft, and a refusal to do a timeous go-around — almost certainly

Then he saw it was too late, throttled back and used

due to pride.

•

maximum braking 100m before the end of the runway •

He wound up 25m past the end of the runway.

Why did this happen? My guess is that there were two main

It is interesting to note the flight can’t have taken more than a couple of minutes because the two airfields are only 6 nautical miles

49 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

ACCIDENT REPORT JIM DAVIS

Accident site - the runway is on the north western shoreline.

apart. Hardly worth raising the undercarriage

and under different circumstances would be

for. I suspect the aircraft got way ahead of

killing fare-paying passengers.

of accidents. When a pilot does something

the pilot, which is possibly why he wound

GO AROUND. A go-around is a gift

stupid like pushing on into bad weather, or

up too fast. It’s a very common fault with

from God. It’s a get out of jail free card. It’s a

trying to stretch his fuel, or doing a beat

inexperienced pilots — when they arrive at a

Christmas bonus. It’s the best back door in

up, it’s often because he is trying to meet

strange airfield they keep the circuit too tight

aviation. On every final approach there are

someone else’s expectation. He wants to

which puts them too high on final approach.

two critical things to remember, first that the

get home for his kid’s birthday, he wants to

gear is down and locked, and second that

get his pax to the match, he doesn’t want his

you don’t have to land — you can always go-

boss to think he is incompetent, or he is just

around.

showboating. The secret to avoiding these

WHAT CAN WE LEARN? QUICK CONVERSION. Folks, if you are going to fly a fancy aeroplane please make

PEOPLE PRESSURE. People pressure

accidents is to simply ask yourself if you

sure you have plenty of hours and a proper

is often an unspoken pressure that makes a

would be doing this if there was no one else

conversion. This guy is a classic example

pilot want to perform and meet expectations.

involved.

of inadequate training and/or experience.

This

take

As a final thought. The photo was taken

If I was the boss of the CAA I would have

unnecessary risks such as overloading the

some years after the aircraft was repaired.

this guy’s instructor in my office for tea

aircraft or pushing on into bad weather or, as

I am amazed it wasn’t an insurance write-

and cookies. He would leave without his

in this case, suffering the perceived indignity

off. It happened on the next best thing to a

instructor rating and would have to redo

of doing a go-around.

desert island in a foreign country nearly a

frequently

causes

pilots

to

his exams and flight test. He signed out a

I believe that people pressures are the

pilot who was dangerously not up scratch,

reason behind the reason for a hell of a lot

50 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

thousand miles from home. Repairing it must

j

have been a hugely expensive nightmare.

WASSUP? REPORT: OWEN HECKRATH

VIRGIN DROPS A ROCKET Launching a rocket into space from a high-flying Boeing 747 eliminates much of the energy needed to send a payload into orbit, and could result in much cheaper commercial rocket launches compared to conventional methods.

V

IRGIN Orbit has been

LauncherOne rocket while in flight over

investigating the ‘drop-

the Mojave desert. Virgin stated on

launch’

and

Twitter that following this successful test,

has now successfully

it would ramp up its efforts to launch a

completed its first rocket

real rocket into space from the Boeing

option

drop test, paving the way for a real launch later this year.

747.

The company plans to begin testing

The company loaded a rocket onto

live launches later this year, after which

its Boeing 747 launch aircraft – dubbed

it plans to deliver commercial orbital

Cosmic Girl – and dropped a ‘dummy’

launches for satellite operators.

Virgin has been investigating the viability of drop-launching rockets to increase payload.

j

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51 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

FEATURE

Wing

JOHAN WALDEN

IN THE DOOR

Have you ever

wondered how the magazine gets you

those awesome pictures for the covers and

Flight Test features

each month? Recently I had a chance to find

out, and it was an ‘eyeopener’ in more ways than one.

It REALLY is that close.

T

at

Mark “Sammy Sampson’ also with unlimited

SA Flyer’s Justin de Rueck was the

crisp

formation aerobatic skills in his SBach. Even

professional air-to-air photographer sitting

and the conditions were

more impressively – all these pilots make

in the door frame to get the pics. His image

their time and rare skills available for no

quality is always extraordinary - and he is

charge other than the pleasure of doing an

reliable – an important consideration given

air to air shoot.

the cost and hassle of a re-shoot.

HE

morning

Stellenbosch

was

perfect for flying. Owen Heckrath,

as

the

co-

ordinator, put four aircraft

on the list for the day’s photo shoot – to get them all done in one go. We had a Cessna 182 camera-ship which acts as Formation Lead while the subject planes formate on it. This requires expert formation pilots as pilots with poor formo skills can put both aircraft at risk. For this reason SA Flyer is very particular about which pilots it uses and prefers those with military experience of air show precision formation skills. Our team of four pilots for this shoot was awe inspiring – we had Lt Col (ret) Koos Kieck, a former SAAF Mirage ‘vlamgat’ instructor, Mark Hensman, of Team Extreme’s China air shows and Red Bull Air Racing, with unlimited formation aerobatics skills, and

52 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

I jumped again as the Savannah appeared out of nowhere.

FEATURE

Guy Leitch reviewed all the key aspects

perfectly comfortable) picked up ‘camera

vision and when I looked down I was just in

of the proposed flights and made sure the

number one’ and started taking ‘warm-up

time to see a cap that had escaped our ‘loose

pilots understood how it was going to work

pictures’ as if watching a plane park itself

objects check’ swirl around the cockpit floor.

and

right under the wing was just an everyday

And of course it just had to go out the door.

occurrence for him – it probably was.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the eddies from

most importantly – what the comms

frequencies were. Owen entrusted me with the ‘essential task’ of tagging along in the

Andre, flying our C182 sat dead still

the Diamond’s wing-tip had something to do

back of the 182. Once everyone was happy,

with his eyes fixed straight ahead, flying as

with the change in airflow in the cabin that

we were ready to fly.

steadily as possible, and if it wasn’t for his

pulled the cap out.

Andre Groenewald, our cool-headed, unflappable 182 pilot, appeared from behind a hangar with the camera-ship and stopped on the grass for us to get in. Its right door was already removed so that Justin could get a clear shot of the aircraft that would fly on our right – getting those angles that show off its good looks. But to get that perfect shot they would have to fly close – close enough to see who’s flying the thing. Taking photos from a distance wouldn’t work because of all the movement and camera shake. Plus, the telephoto lens causes foreshortening, making the picture look flat and the plane stubby. Not what S A Flyer wants for its readers.

Andre our unblinking camera ship pilot with pro photographer Justin.

I climbed in the back and pulled my seatbelt as tight as possible, and Justin laid his cameras out on the seat next to me and then hooked himself to the airframe with a ‘monkey chain’ to stop him from falling out the gaping doorway. Then he sat down facing backwards, all kitted out in his flight suit.

Shortly after we left the ground, the first aircraft on the list, a Diamond DA20, took off behind us and we headed to False Bay in search of smooth air and a scenic backdrop.

Amazingly quickly the Diamond shrank to a small white dot in the big sky out the rear window, so I ‘sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the flight’, blissfully unaware of the rude shock that was coming.

As the coast approached, I glanced over at the cameras to make sure they were still behaving themselves near the doorway,

One sneeze and we would have torn its wing off.

when a flash of white in the right window caught my eye. I looked up and “WTF!!!”

–here was the Diamond, flown by Mark Sampson, looking as though it wanted me

sunglasses I’d probably be telling you he

to move over and make room for it on the

didn’t blink either.

Following the ground briefing, which called for gentle left turn orbits, Andre

back seat. I knew they said it would be close

We were soon over the False Bay and

announced his first turn on 123.45 for the

but this was ridiculous! I gave my seatbelt an

I nervously eyed the Diamond’s springy

Diamond. In spite of the internal TCAS that

extra tug as I looked with wide-popping eyes

wing-tip as it bounced off every air bubble.

was probably roaring inside him, Andre

at its whirring propeller. Justin (who seemed

A blurry dark shape disturbed my peripheral

carefully banked into a shallow turn and

FEATURE took us round the bay. As we turned, the The Safari Tagged us all the way back to FASH.

Diamond climbed and then descended – changing the background from the sea to the sky as requested by Guy in his briefing.

I realised that air to air flying this close demands intense concentration – which inevitably puts a frown on the pilot’s face.

Justin leaned out and gave them the signal to smile – it was too noisy for the usual “say cheese!”. Amazingly, they were able to fly in extreme proximity to another aircraft – us – and still manage to pull off a smile that looked convincing. Now Justin had a clear shot, looking across at the Diamond hovering on our wingtip over the dark water.

Because of our continuous turn, Justin had an endless variety of lighting to work with,

the jump just like the Diamond did. Now my

tearing the Aeronca’s wing off and plunging

and a background that continually changed

TCAS was roaring. Thankfully Koos Kieck

both of us into the bay. So Andre didn’t

as we turned. after a few orbits to the left and

was not as intimate as Sammy and backed

sneeze, and we were able to photograph

confirmation from Justin, Andre called a turn

off a little, allowing my eyes to shrink back

the Safari and tie the final knot in the day’s

and we rolled into a right orbit, putting the

to their normal size. Andre, our rock solid

mission. The Safari continued to cling to

Diamond below us and against the uniform

camera-ship pilot, lowered the flaps so that

us all the way back to Stellenbosch until

sea – great for an uncluttered background

the Savannah, with its Rotax chattering

he broke off in the circuit. After shutdown

that enabled the subject aircraft to stand out.

away at near full speed could stay on station.

Justin unclipped and packed up all his gear,

Once Justin was happy the Diamond

I was amazed I could hear it over the roar of

and I proclaimed the cap ‘missing in action’.

broke away and we started searching

the airflow in and past the wide open door of

Everyone was reunited at the clubhouse and

the skies for our next dance partner, the

the Cessna.

after the debrief we were ready to enjoy the

Savannah, which had taken off 20 minutes

It was the Aeronca’s turn next, and I was

after us and waited for the Diamond shoot

struck by just how much these pilots trusted

A scrumptious Stellenbosch Flying Club

to be over before moving in. Again the

each other. The consequences of Andre

breakfast of course – putting a wing in the

Savannah suddenly appeared and gave me

sneezing would probably have been him

door is hungry work.

54 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

part we’d all been waiting for:

j

EVENTS CALENDAR SA Flyer 2019|08

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SA Flyer 2019|08

Fuel FuelPrices Pricesas asat at03/06/2019 03/06/2019 Prices Pricesinclude includeVAT VATbut butexclude excludeany anyservice servicefees fees Airfield Airfield Avgas Avgas Jet JetA1 A1 Baragwanath Baragwanath RR21.00 21.00 Beaufort BeaufortWest West RR24.20 24.20 RR17.20 17.20 Bethlehem Bethlehem RR21.97 21.97 RR15.62 15.62 Bloemfontein Bloemfontein RR17.74 17.74 RR11.48 11.48 Brakpan Brakpan RR21.50 21.50 Brits Brits RR19.30 19.30 Cape CapeTown Town RR24.29 24.29 RR10.53 10.53 Eagles EaglesCreek Creek RR21.45 21.45 East EastLondon London RR20.01 20.01 RR13.52 13.52 Ermelo Ermelo RR20.18 20.18 Fisantekraal Fisantekraal RR20.65 20.65 Fly-In Fly-In RR19.20 19.20 Gariep GariepDam Dam RR21.30 21.30 RR16.80 16.80 George George R20.65 R20.65 R12.94 R12.94 Graaf GraafReinet Reinet No NoFuel Fuel Avbl Avbl Grand GrandCentral Central RR21.28 21.28 RR15.30 15.30 Kimberley Kimberley RR17.74 17.74 RR11.48 11.48 Kitty KittyHawk Hawk RR22.80 22.80 Klerksdorp Klerksdorp RR22.00 22.00 RR14.80 14.80 Kroonstad Kroonstad RR19.85 19.85 RR14.61 14.61 Kruger KrugerIntl IntlNelspruit Nelspruit RR21.85 21.85 RR16.16 16.16 Krugersdorp Krugersdorp RR19.95 19.95 Lanseria Lanseria RR21.28 21.28 RR15.33 15.33 Margate Margate RR21.90 21.90 RR15.35 15.35 Morningstar Morningstar RR19.75 19.75 Mosselbay Mosselbay RR21.77 21.77 RR16.65 16.65 Nelspruit Nelspruit RR22.77 22.77 RR13.80 13.80 Parys Parys RR20.30 20.30 RR12.80 12.80 Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg RR22.70 22.70 RR15.00 15.00 Pietersburg PietersburgCivil Civil RR21.30 21.30 RR14.60 14.60 RR23.17 23.17 Port PortAlfred Alfred Port PortElizabeth Elizabeth RR21.85 21.85 RR15.87 15.87 Potchefstroom Potchefstroom RR20.30 20.30 RR12.80 12.80 Rand Rand RR20.77 20.77 RR15.03 15.03 Robertson Robertson R20.00 R20.00 Rustenberg Rustenberg RR19.38 19.38 RR13.80 13.80 Secunda Secunda RR21.28 21.28 Skeerpoort Skeerpoort *** ***Customer Customerto tocollect collect RR19.10 19.10 R11.70 R11.70 Springs Springs RR21.50 21.50 Stellenbosch Stellenbosch RR21.45 21.45 Swellendam Swellendam RR19.80 19.80 RR13.00 13.00 Tempe Tempe RR22.31 22.31 RR14.15 14.15 Ultimate UltimateHeli Heli(Midrand) (Midrand)*** *** RR21.45 21.45 RR13.95 13.95 Upington Upington RR18.19 18.19 RR11.94 11.94 Vereeniging Vereeniging RR18.61 18.61 RR13.83 13.83 Virginia Virginia RR21.85 21.85 RR15.22 15.22 Welkom Welkom RR19.85 19.85 RR14.61 14.61 Wings WingsPark ParkEL EL RR19.90 19.90 Witbank Witbank RR20.20 20.20 Wonderboom Wonderboom No No Contact Contact Worcester Worcester R22.25 R22.25 *** ***Helicopters Helicoptersonly only

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August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

Fuel FuelPrices Pricesas asat at03/07/2019 03/07/2019 Prices Pricesinclude includeVAT VATbut butexclude excludeany anyservice servicefees fees Airfield Airfield Avgas Avgas Jet JetA1 A1 Baragwanath Baragwanath RR22.00 22.00 Beaufort BeaufortWest West RR23.90 23.90 RR17.90 17.90 Bethlehem Bethlehem RR21.97 21.97 RR15.62 15.62 Bloemfontein Bloemfontein RR17.71 17.71 RR11.09 11.09 Brakpan Brakpan RR21.50 21.50 Brits Brits RR20.68 20.68 Cape CapeTown Town RR24.10 24.10 RR10.04 10.04 Eagles EaglesCreek Creek RR20.45 20.45 East EastLondon London RR20.01 20.01 RR12.85 12.85 Ermelo Ermelo RR20.18 20.18 Fisantekraal Fisantekraal RR21.80 21.80 Fly-In Fly-In RR19.20 19.20 Gariep GariepDam Dam RR21.30 21.30 RR16.80 16.80 George George R20.47 R20.47 R12.60 R12.60 Graaf GraafReinet Reinet No NoFuel Fuel Avbl Avbl Grand GrandCentral Central RR21.28 21.28 RR16.30 16.30 Kimberley Kimberley RR17.71 17.71 RR11.09 11.09 Kitty KittyHawk Hawk RR23.50 23.50 Klerksdorp Klerksdorp RR21.64 21.64 RR14.80 14.80 Kroonstad Kroonstad RR19.85 19.85 RR14.61 14.61 Kruger KrugerIntl IntlNelspruit Nelspruit RR20.80 20.80 RR14.25 14.25 Krugersdorp Krugersdorp RR20.50 20.50 Lanseria Lanseria RR21.62 21.62 RR15.56 15.56 Margate Margate No NoFuel Fuel Avbl Avbl Morningstar Morningstar RR20.85 20.85 Mosselbay Mosselbay RR22.75 22.75 RR16.65 16.65 Nelspruit Nelspruit RR22.77 22.77 RR13.80 13.80 Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn(New) (New) RR20.77 20.77 RR14.41 14.41 Parys Parys RR19.80 19.80 RR12.85 12.85 Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg RR22.60 22.60 RR15.00 15.00 Pietersburg PietersburgCivil Civil RR21.50 21.50 RR14.20 14.20 RR23.17 23.17 Port PortAlfred Alfred Port PortElizabeth Elizabeth RR21.85 21.85 RR15.87 15.87 Potchefstroom Potchefstroom RR19.80 19.80 RR12.85 12.85 Rand Rand RR20.47 20.47 RR14.70 14.70 Robertson Robertson R20.80 R20.80 Rustenberg Rustenberg RR19.38 19.38 RR13.80 13.80 Secunda Secunda RR21.28 21.28 Skeerpoort Skeerpoort *** ***Customer Customerto tocollect collect RR17.55 17.55 R10.80 R10.80 Springs Springs RR21.50 21.50 Stellenbosch Stellenbosch RR22.65 22.65 Swellendam Swellendam RR19.80 19.80 RR13.00 13.00 Tempe Tempe RR22.49 22.49 RR14.25 14.25 Ultimate UltimateHeli Heli(Midrand) (Midrand)*** *** RR20.95 20.95 RR14.00 14.00 Upington Upington RR17.94 17.94 RR11.32 11.32 Vereeniging Vereeniging RR20.31 20.31 RR13.76 13.76 Virginia Virginia RR21.85 21.85 RR15.22 15.22 Welkom Welkom RR19.85 19.85 RR14.61 14.61 Wings WingsPark ParkEL EL RR19.90 19.90 Witbank Witbank RR20.20 20.20 Wonderboom Wonderboom No NoFuel Fuel Avbl Avbl Worcester Worcester R22.25 R22.25 ***Helicopters Helicoptersonly only ***

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SA Flyer 2016|11

• • • • •

FEATURE REPORT: MARK MANSFIELD

COMPETING IN TRANQUILLITY The Balloon and Airship Federation of South Africa (BAFSA) hosted the 2019 Afrox South African Hot

Air Balloon Championships from 23 to 28 June. This

prestigious event was held at the Bill Harrop’s ‘Original’ Balloon Safaris clubhouse pavilion in Skeerpoort.

T

A competitor serenely tracks against the stunning Magaliesberg backdrop.

special note of thanks must be extended to all the sponsors, particularly Afrox, for their support in the 2019 event. Not only did they supply all the gas for the event, but they also participated in every possible way.

They hosted a fiesta flight with some of their clients, suppliers and clients on the Tuesday morning, including a camera crew to capture every moment of this magical experience.

The Balloon and Airship Federation

HE event saw the pilots taking to the sky for eight flights and completing an arduous 28 task regime set by international event director, Mathijs De Bruijn

and his team. Prior to each flight the pilots were briefed on the tasks for that flight.

These tasks were only considered after

Marc Nuthall, a commercial hot air balloon

of South Africa (BAFSA) is the controlling

pilot and passionate balloonist in the North

body of sport and recreation balloon flying

West. Second place was awarded to Danie

in South Africa. BAFSA also participates

Minnaar, the 2018 champion and by-day a

in

mielie farmer in Bothaville, Free State. Third

‘Aerostation (CIA), the Ballooning chapter of

place went to Neels van der Merwe who

the Federation Aviation International (FAI) to

runs a successful AMO operation, servicing

ensure that South Africa is abreast of new

many balloons in South Africa.

trends and challenges facing the ballooning

Like all events of this magnitude, a

the

The pilots and their skilled crew needed to evaluate the weather and the local map to develop their strategy for each flight. Skill and precision is essential for this type of competition and often the results come down to millimetres.

An example of a task is a marker drop. A large cross is laid out on a field and the pilots need to aim their markers (a long ribbon with a sandbag for weight and their pilot number) at the centre of the cross. The pilot who gets the closest wins.

After six days of competitive flying, the scorecard proved the high standard of skills by our balloon pilots in South Africa. The scores were close, but the winner and the title holder of the Afrox South African Hot

58 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

j

community.

carefully reviewing the weather conditions.

Air Balloon Champion 2019 was awarded to

Commission

The Top three - Marc Nuthall centre, second place Danie Minnaar on left, and third place Neels van der Merwe.

Internationale

d

59 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

AOPA BRIEFING CHRIS MARTINUS - PRESIDENT OF AOPA SOUTH AFRICA

HOMEBUILDERS

Nigel and Derek collect the part-built RV-8 kit.

Derek Hopkins typifies the passionate aviator who has the skills and drive to build and fly his own aircraft.

Originally a railway engineer, Derek became enamoured with aviation, scratch-built a Teenie-Two VW-powered aircraft in a bedroom of his house and went on to become something of a legend, both in commercial and private aviation.

60 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

M

ORE recently, Derek (often called “Pops” by his friends) went on to participate in the construction of a Vans RV-7 kit that had been purchased by his son, aerobatic champion and SAA Training Captain, Nigel, in partnership with his aerobatic colleague, Jason Beamish. Affectionately registered as ZUPOP, the RV-7 is often seen in the skies and at flying events

countrywide.

Enamoured with the performance of the RV-series aircraft, Derek decided he wanted one of his own. Together with son Nigel, they bought a partly completed RV-8 kit. The somewhat better performance of the tandem-seat RV-8 was an added attraction, so Derek embarked on an 18-month odyssey to build ZU-NDH, so named using his and Nigel’s initials.

Derek notes that building the RV-8 was more challenging than the RV-7 as the narrower fuselage made it considerably more difficult to get inside to do much of the work. Most of the building was done in a carport adjoining his house in Pretoria, before it was trailered to Eagles Creek airport for final assembly.

I was privileged to attend the first flight of the final masterpiece at Eagles Creek.

After some last-minute tweaks, NDH was started, the engine fully run-up, a quick taxi test done, and with aerobatic smoke system turned on, took to the air for the very first time.

There is an excitement and satisfaction to successfully flying your very own creation, the product of many hours of hard work, frustration and swearing that

COLUMNS

those who are mere purchasers of aircraft

organisations.

However, the cost is little

protected from themselves. This resulted in

cannot even begin to understand.

different to fully certified aircraft and usually

Aero Club developing its ‘Approved Person’

higher than acquiring a good used type-

(AP) scheme in which APs would inspect

certified aircraft.

and sign off a NTCA for a fee. This evolved

The new engine needed running in, so the first flight took over an hour, with the throttle wide open.

After all systems

to include insurance to cover APs and

checked out, Derek couldn’t resist a few rolls

REGULATIONS, DAMNED

to check out his new toy’s aerobatic abilities.

REGULATIONS

Nigel then took the beast for up for some more testing.

aircraft owners ‘for their own good’.

More

than

a

decade

ago,

an

The regulatory structure relevant to

organisation named the Recreation Aviation

non type-certified aircraft (NTCA) has

Administration of SA (RAASA) was formed

After landing, Derek’s smile was so

ballooned since the days of the old CAA

by CAA and Aero Club for reasons which

wide, many of us worried that the top of his

LS/1 document which governed NTCA.

are both inscrutable and suspicious.

head may fall off!

Today’s NTCA regulations eclipse those

existence was contrary to many statutory

applicable to certified aircraft in complexity

laws, it may have been a ruse to launder CAA

– and in degree of confusion. Most of these

funds and added another layer of complexity

regulations were motivated by industry

and cost to an already unwieldy heap of

players,

purposeless regulations.

We wish Derek and Nigel many hours of pleasure from their creation.

TYPES OF HOMEBUILDERS There are basically four kinds of aircraft homebuilders: First, like the Wright Brothers, there are those who build their own designs from scratch.

production

aircraft

builders,

Its

Nevertheless,

maintainers, ‘governing bodies’, ‘inspectors’

RAASA survived for a considerable time

and other entities seeking to profit from

on the basis of claiming that they provided

the popularity of this sector of the aviation

better service than that provided by CAA.

market.

RAASA was closed down at the end of

This is the most arduous

Little notice has been taken of the needs

March this year by CAA which has taken

path to follow. Not only must every part be

of the grass-roots aspirant aircraft owner and

over its functions. AOPA South Africa has

fabricated, but a new design must usually go

considerable effort has gone into creating

been carefully watching this development for

through many iterations, tests and failures

regulations that not only benefit CAA and

the past few months. It is to be expected

before it can be considered successful, if

its officials and cronies, but also make the

that there would be a few glitches during the

ever. This is truly the experimental route, but

entire prospect of aircraft ownership less

transition and things seem to be foundering.

is where ingenuity and new concepts enter

attractive to the consumer.

Nobody seems to know what is going on and

aviation.

Although the original idea and regulations

the AP scheme has collapsed.

Second, there are those who scratch

were designed to accommodate those who

Recently CAA held an AP workshop

build an aircraft from plans. This is a much

wish to build and maintain an aircraft at their

meeting attended by AOPA and other parties

safer and coherent approach, since the

own risk, regulatory structures were built on

in which it was proposed that an AP panel will

aircraft design is usually well-tested and

the premise that homebuilders needed to be

be established to appoint APs and delineate

there is already a community of builders whose experience and advice are available.

The third and most popular option is the now-ubiquitous kit aircraft.

Today’s

Derek at work on the RV-8 in his front yard.

kits dramatically reduce the time, effort and skills required to successfully build a flying aircraft. Most kits have much of the fabrication done, and in the case of the RVs, all holes are pre-punched and almost all the parts required, aside from paint, are available from the kit manufacturer. This is the speediest way to build your own aircraft and since there is a great deal of uniformity the effort required to build it is well known, in addition to there being support from the kit manufacturer.

Fourth, there are the ‘factory assisted’ builds offered by many kit manufacturers.

However, it is more popular now to have a business build your aircraft for you. Such ‘production-built’ aircraft are permitted in South Africa under current regulations and so-called ‘chequebook builders’ benefit from having quality aircraft built by experienced

61 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

Pre-first-flight hugs from son Nigel and Wife Maureen.

CAA’s medical department.

CAA medics

are insisting on hugely expensive tests. For example, a 200-hour commercial pilot who has never flown anything more complex than a Cessna 182 would be required by CAA to perform a hearing test in Comair’s Boeing 737 simulator, overseen by a CAA doctor (who has no flying experience), at a cost of around R15 000.

In a terrifyingly totalitarian move, CAA has now threatened designated aviation medical examiners (DAMEs) that should they deign to speak out against these oppressive measures or disparage any other DAME, they will be relieved of their DAME accreditation.

Airborne.

Another area where CAA is out of touch with reality is where it is requiring freelance commercial pilots to do their renewals on actual aircraft, even though simulators are available and have always been permitted.

For example, it is unacceptable for a King Air pilot to do a renewal on a simulator unless it is a ‘full movement’ simulator. This is causing consternation among operators of such aircraft, since pilots are unable to maintain currency and are dropping out of the local industry.

their functions. The concept is that this will be a fair and consultative committee much along the lines of CARCom. It was pointed out that some APs were now inspecting and signing out as many as six aircraft a day, making a tidy profit.

Although the idea seems positive, AOPA has misgivings that it will devolve into the same farce that CARCom has become, where interested and affected parties are forcibly excluded from such consultations and rules are applied and regulations promulgated

despite

the

committee’s

may have heard bizarre enforcing

of

requirements regarding

some of the CAA

aviation

AOPA’S FUNCTION

now

AOPA South Africa is an independent

medicals.

association of aircraft owners and pilots

is

whose purpose is to promote and protect Many pilots with marginal hearing, monocular

general aviation in South Africa.

vision, missing limbs and other disabilities,

such, AOPA provides a protective buffer

who have been safely flying on existing

between vulnerable aviation enthusiasts

protocols, are now being required to submit

and professionals against an often bullying

(at great expense) to specialist procedures to

CAA and also regularly takes steps to set

prove the cause of their particular disability.

aside decisions or regulations which are

The fact that pilots are able to pass flight

detrimental to your legitimate pursuits.

Join

tests which show that their disabilities do not affect their flying abilities is unacceptable to

openly stated that proposed regulations regarding unlicensed airfields would be recommended for promulgation by the Minister despite unanimous opposition from adversely affected parties.

She further

went on to say that “the Minister will sign everything we send to him”.

With this arrogance and the dubious structure of such a panel, we fear things could go the same way for the APs. IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATIONS On

another

note,

many

62 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

of

you

today

to

obtain

such

j

protection. Enquiries to chris@aopa.co.za

recommendations. For example, CARCom chairperson Mmanare Mamabolo last year

AOPA

As

Joyous arm waving after a successful maiden flight.

SOUTH AFRICA

Trevor Cohen

AERO

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ANSERIA based avionics company Aeronautical Aviation has, after fourteen years, rebranded its identity, including a new logo and font.

“We believe the new look better matches how we have grown and what we have become since 2005, and

that it is as a service provider striving to keep up with: technology, the ever-changing aviation industry, higher service levels and meeting the personal needs for each and every one of our clients,” said Clinton Carroll, Director Aeronautical Aviation, announcing the rebranding at the recent Aero SA exhibition.

Aeronautical Aviation is not only limited to instrumentation, but over the years has launched its battery shop, avionics facility, online shop, and increased its autopilot facility.

The design goal was to better match how the company aligns with its principles, values and the customers it serves. The management team worked with a marketing agency to find something that appeared crisp, approachable, smart and connected to capture the essentials of Aeronautical Aviation. Explaining the change, Carroll said that they decided to stay true to their original colours with the red and grey and stuck to their roots.

The company has also moved into a new facility at Lanseria International airport where it is able to provide a better service to its customers and offer a more personalised experience with the same quality that customers have become used too.

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www.saflyer.com | August 2019

- Photo Airborne Films

Crafted for Aviators

67

FEATURE REPORT: MARK MANSFIELD

AERO SA TAKES OFF

Not your most common training aircraft in SA, the Tecnam P2006T from Avconjet training school.

The launch of the inaugural African expo for general

aviation, AERO South Africa, hosted at Wonderboom

airport, Pretoria, welcomed over 4,200 visitors and will most certainly go down as a successful business-tobusiness aviation exhibition event.

N

presentations over the three days and manufacturers were able to take prospective buyers on demo flights of their aircraft.

There was a lot on offer, and the battle of the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) was noticeable with three major companies all

showcasing

their

latest

offerings.

Aviation Direct, with its already well-known EasyCockpit software, launched its new

decline

and

companies

webcam facilities at some of the major

aviation

including industry heavyweights such as

airports, with a lot more to come online with

participation in Africa’s

Absolute Aviation Group, Century Avionics,

the next few updates. The South African

premiere show, Africa

NAC, Jeppesen, Garmin and Bose. Leading

Weather

Aerospace and Defence

industry

weather forecasters promoting its weather

OTICING in

a

general

international

experts

aviation

presented

informative

Services

had

three

aviation

(AAD) over the past

few years, an opportunity was identified to specifically cater to the needs of general aviation. Aero SA, in partnership with Messe Frankfurt South Africa and Messe Friedrichshafen - who organise Europe’s largest general aviation show – Aero Friedrichshafen, launched the inaugural 3-day event.

As South Africa’s first major general aviation trade show it met with some scepticism by the general aviation community who needed convincing to participate. Those that did were not disappointed.

The expo showcased around 90 local

68 August 2019 | www.saflyer.com

NAC in full support of Aero SA.

platform for pilots. OzRunways was also

Century Avionics awarded Bose a certificate

years to build. The team from Aeronautical

promoting its newest updates that included

of appreciation for their endless contribution

Aviation, formerly known as Aeronautical

smaller airfields not normally included in

and investment into South Africa.

Instruments, also used the Aero SA event

the SA AIP onto its local base map. Boeing

As a business to business expo,

has bought out Jeppesen, so Jeppesen’s

Little Annie did not fly its usual outreach

Foreflight is now a Boeing product which will

programme, however, the team were on

In a first of its kind, AERO South Africa

be replacing the Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck

hand to sell raffle tickets for a Bose A20

presented a ‘Park & Sell’ area sponsored

VFR SA app from end December 2019.

headset; the funds raised will contribute

by AutoTrader. This dedicated area allowed

to the purchase of a new engine for the

private sellers the opportunity to be a part of

Antonov.

the show and engage with potential buyers

Thanks to the influence of Messe Friedrichshafen, international

Aero

exhibitors

Pooley’s, and Boeing.

SA

also

such

as

hosted

as an opportunity to launch its new branding and name change.

Bose,

Pooley’s, a first-

time exhibitor in South Africa had its latest offerings of pilot books and accessories for pilots and student pilots. Pooleys Air Pilot Manuals (APMs) are prescribed by the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority as the preferred study material for the PPL. Bose had a dedicated stand, as did Garmin and both are represented in South Africa by Century Avionics.

Not just a fixed-wing trade show, a host of helicopters were also on display.

Bose has

invested considerably in South African aviation this past year with over 100 Bose

There was a plethora of aircraft on

A20 headset donated to various charities,

display, but some ‘notable mentions’ must

looking to purchase a pre-owned aircraft.

Joshua Low, Managing Director of

such as The Red Cross, SanParks, Red

be the Cirrus G2 Vision Jet, making its

Messe Frankfurt South Africa noted; “We

Cross Air Mercy services, as well as the

South African show debut, the Stemme S12

are pleased with the success of this launch

Just Love Mission – popularly known as

motorised glider, as well as the PCAD700 –

event and the positive response from the

Little Annie – the world’s most famous AN2.

a South African project that has taken eight

industry. We pride ourselves in being a

AV I AT I O N

In great numbers you showed your appreciation for Bose technologies, and enjoyed a product demonstration.

Bose Aviation thanks you for being part of the first AERO SA, and contributing to the event’s success.

Connect with us @BoseAviation

© 2019 Bose Corporation. All rights reserved.

69 www.saflyer.com | August 2019

catalyst that promotes growth and business interactivity within the market.”

The free-to-attend exhibition exposed visitors to the latest the general aviation

Utilising the vast space of Wonderboom airport’s apron for wall-to-wall exhibits and exhibitors.

industry has to offer, from never before seen aircraft such as the Cirrus Vision Jet G2, on display for the first time in South Africa, to ‘The Link’ STEM Innovation Challenge, an exciting programme for Grade Ten scholars who excel in mathematics and physical science to learn more about aeronautics at the Blue Chip hangar.

Both exhibitors and visitors expressed their

satisfaction

business-to-business

with

this

first-time

showcase.

“The

show was a great success and certainly met our expectations. We are confident that AERO South Africa will become the premier

Part of the three day event was hosting various workshops and expert discussion.

promotional platform for general aviation, and we look forward to participating again in the future,” said Guy Worthington, Executive Director at Absolute Aviation Group. Fanie

enthusiasts fly-in to the show to be part

Jansen, the GM of Hiconnex, an aftermarket

of the first edition of the leading general

parts supplier, observed that; “AERO South

aviation trade expo in the Southern region.

and Wonderboom National Airport. Without

Africa connects the right people with the

Shaun Swart, Head of New Business

your support, an event like this would not

right industry. It is a firm platform to market

Development at Messe Frankfurt South

be possible. We are busy engaging with

your brand to a niche market.”

Africa commented that; “We would like

the industry as to suitable dates for the next

On Saturday, 6 July, the expo hosted

to thank all the exhibitors, sponsors,

Aero South Africa hope to announce when

an official fly-in at Wonderboom airport

partners and visitors who participated in

the next edition will take place in the next

which saw more than 250 general aviation

this event as well as the City of Tshwane

month.” Swart concluded.

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Ed's note...

AUGUST 2019 Edition 130 5 Industry Update

9 Bush Pilot - Hugh Pryor 11 Biz- Jets Feature

14 Cirrus Vision Jet

19 Flight Test - Citation Longitude 23 Defence - The Helwan HA-300 39 OR TAMBO International Feature 42 Air France Opposes Eco-Tax 54 Airline Ops - 100 Years of BA 55 Ejection Seats in Warbirds 59 Back Pages 63 Letters to the Editor

O

NE of the most challenging tasks African aviation faces is getting its importance recognised by the governments of all 54 states in Africa.

The recent remarks by Muhammad Ali Albakri, IATA’s Regional VP for Africa and the Middle East are essential reading for policymakers. Discussing the contribution of air transport, Albakri said that aviation has an extremely important strategic role in supporting Africa’s socio-economic development. This is implicit in the African Union’s ‘Agenda 2063’ which anticipates intra-Africa trade will grow from less than 12% in 2013 to approaching 50% by 2045, and global trade will rise from 2% to 12%.

Albakri noted that air transport currently supports 6.2 million jobs and $55.8 billion of GDP in Africa. Over the next 20 years demand for air transport is expected to double, with a 4.6% annual growth – the second fastest of all IATA regions globally.

This translates to an extra 199 million passengers per year in 2037 for a total market of 334 million passengers. Cargo volumes are also expected to double over the next 20 years.

The IATA conference was hosted in Ghana and it was thus appropriate that Ghana has explicitly included aviation as part of its National Development Plan under its UNSDG Action Plan, one of the few countries on the continent to do so. This is an enormous step forward to the goal every state should have – that of a ‘Whole of State Aviation Policy’.

It is worth reiterating those factors that are considered the key challenges faced by air transport in Africa: Weak and costly infrastructure, high ticket prices, poor intraAfrica connectivity, and a proliferation of taxes and charges.

Publisher Flyer and Aviation Publications cc

SALES: +27 (0)72 900 2023

Managing Editor Guy Leitch guy@flightcommag.com

ADMIN: +27 (0)83 607 2335

Advertising Sales Wayne Wilson wayne@saflyermag.co.za Layout & Design Emily-Jane Kinnear 70

3

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These need to be dealt with by the individual African states as well as regionally.

Reinforcing the IATA campaign for better collaboration between states, it was argued that there needs to be a strong dialogue and partnership between governments and the aviation industry if the African air transport industry is to deliver the economic and social benefits expected by the much hoped for African renaissance. IATA’s Albakri emphasised that “no state or airline can deliver the full benefits that aviation offers by operating alone; competition is part of our business, but collaboration and cooperation must be the common denominator upon which we all operate.”

Thus, governments need to foster greater collaboration and execute joint actions plans to maximise aviation’s benefits.

Collaboration between airlines is essential to improve connectivity and enable African enterprises to take their rightful place by exploiting their competitive advantage in the all-important global value chains.

Specifically needed is an improvement in connectivity provided by African airlines in moving traffic within Africa. Significantly in this regard, South African Airways and Ghana’s Africa World Airlines have signed a cooperation agreement which should improve African connectivity.

The key regional priorities for the provision of improved connectivity by the African air transport industry must be: safety, infrastructure and capacity-building, financial sustainability, high industry costs, and smarter regulation. These must be addressed on a regional basis and not merely on a country-by-country basis.

Guy Leitch

© FlightCom 2019. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holders.

Editor

Gemair AMO 1003

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SA Flyer 2018|11

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARMS DEAL SLUSH FUND

the affordability study that the arms deal

I learnt in 1998 that BAE was bribing ANC

was a reckless proposition that would lead

members of parliament ahead of the 1999

South Africa into mounting fiscal, economic

As the author of Eye on the Money,

elections. Through contacts in London, I

and financial difficulties, a prediction that

it is astonishing to read Darren Olivier’s

asked the British government to investigate,

has proved tragically accurate. As a direct

article “How SAAF Acquisitions Work,” and

and Scotland Yard was detailed to that

result of the arms deal and the corruption

his unsubstantiated assertions that the

task.

I learnt to my astonishment that it

that it unleashed, our economy is stagnant

arms deal acquisitions were squeaky clean

was [then] not illegal in English law to bribe

and, as predicted, there has been a huge

because of provisions incorporated during

foreigners, and therefore there was no crime

increase in unemployment and social

apartheid era sanctions’ busting operations.

for Scotland Yard to investigate. And in

unrest. The affordability study specifically

Olivier confirms that the notoriously corrupt

Germany in respect of the warship contracts,

recommended that the BAE/Saab Gripen

and unaccountable apartheid era Special

the bribes were [then] even tax-deductible

acquisitions should be cancelled, or at least

Defence [slush] Fund finally, albeit belatedly,

as “useful business expenses!”

deferred. Instead, the Cabinet irrationally

is to be abolished in 2021/22 – i.e. after the

Roll on to 2010 and 2011, when BAE

overruled that advice with absurd insistence

20 year Barclays Bank loans for BAE/Saab

was fined US$400 million and a further

that massive economic opportunities derived

fighter aircraft are paid.

US$79 million by the US government for

from offset benefits would outweigh the risks

He has seemingly not read my book,

Saab’s violation of US export regulations

involved, including not least the foreign

though his article without any attempted

in respect of the BAE/Saab Gripen fighter

exchange risks. The arms deal contracts

explanation describes it as “weak”, and

aircraft contracts with South Africa. Roll on

were, of course, denominated in Euros and

declares that “it took a lot to subvert the

to 2012 when the man who in 1998/1999

US dollars, and not rand.

arms deal”. Accordingly, I demand right-of-

had facilitated payment of some of the

Affidavits by the British Serious Fraud

reply.

bribes to the ANC ahead of that election

Office and the “Scorpions” led to the seizure

Your readers will recall that the arms deal

became prime minister of Sweden. BAE in

in 2008 by the Scorpions of 460 boxes and

was predicated on the ludicrous rationale

particular – in which the British government

4.7 million computer pages of evidence

that R30 billion spent on armaments would

holds the controlling “golden share”

– is

against BAE/Saab. Those 160 pages of

magically generate R110 billion in offsets

organised crime on a scale that makes the

affidavits in my possession detail how and

and thus create 65 000 jobs to stimulate

Mafia look like saints.

why BAE paid bribes of £115 million (R2

South Africa’s economic development.

The South African Air Force (SAAF)

billion) to secure its South African contracts,

Offsets are internationally disreputable as a

as early as 1997 informed our government

to whom those bribes were paid, and which

scam promoted by the armaments industry

that

both

bank accounts in South Africa and overseas

in collusion with corrupt politicians to fleece

“unsuited and too expensive for South

were credited. The British have centuries

the taxpayers of both recipient and supplier

Africa’s requirements.”

SAAF during the

of experience of bribing foreigners to “do

countries. The very purpose of offsets is

1990s was still taking delivery of Israeli

the dirty work,” and then to walk away from

arms proliferation when countries such as

reconditioned Cheetah aircraft. Contrary to

the consequences. BAE’s collusion with the

South Africa have higher priorities than

Olivier’s arguments, the BAE/Saab aircraft

current Saudi Arabian war crimes in Yemen

squandering public resources on weapons.

were bought for the bribes rather than

is just one illustration.

The promised offset “benefits” rarely, if ever,

any rational defence requirement. When

That massive volume of evidence

materialize. They are simply instruments to

BAE repeatedly failed the tendering criteria,

against BAE was the reason for the

pay bribes.

the

BAE

proposals

were

the then Minister of Defence, Joe Modise,

appointment of the Seriti Commission of

In violation of the European Union’s

removed cost from consideration in what he

Inquiry simply because President Jacob

Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, the

described as a “visionary approach.” The

Zuma could not rebut its existence. As

British, Swedish and German governments

then Secretary for Defence, Pierre Steyn

he admitted before the ANC’s National

exerted

South

honourably resigned in 1998 rather than

Executive Committee, he was about to lose

Africa to buy armaments our country did

take accounting responsibility for such a

the case that I brought against him in

not need, and could not afford. As the

debacle.

the Constitutional Court. Nonetheless, the

massive

pressures

on

Anglican Church representative during the

5

1996-1998 parliamentary Defence Review,

FlightCom Magazine

The Cabinet was warned in 1999 by

Seriti Commission left all that evidence

Tell us what's on your mind: guy@saflyermag.co.za

un-investigated in two shipping containers, and its totally discredited report declared that there was no evidence of corruption in the arms deal. The present hierarchy in SAAF disgracefully accused Steyn of lying, and pathetically but glowingly testified before Judge Seriti how the Gripens had protected the 2010 World Cup. In return for purchase of BAE Hawks and BAE/Saab Gripen fighter aircraft at a cost of US$2.5 billion, BAE/Saab were obligated to deliver offset benefits worth US$8.7 billion – of which US$7.2 billion were in National Industrial Participations (NIPs) and US$1.5 billion in Defence Industrial Participations (DIPs). In fact, as then Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies apologetically confessed to Parliament in 2012, BAE/Saab met only 2.8 percent of the NIP obligation.

Davies pleaded that his department lacked the managerial capacity to audit and manage the offsets. In fact, when parliamentarians and even the Auditor General demanded sight of the offset contracts and explanations of how this “economic miracle” worked, they were blocked by DTI officials with spurious excuses that the offsets were “commercially confidential.” The reality is that the British government specifically instructs BAE to insert “commercial confidentiality” clauses into its contracts in attempts to cover the corruption inherent in the arms trade.

Similarly, when the then CEO of Denel, Victor Moche told Parliament in 2004 that the DIP programme had been foisted onto Denel by Armscor and that Denel was losing money on 80 percent of the DIP contracts, he was fired by Alec Erwin for his indiscrete honesty. Of interest, the German Frigate and Submarine Consortia met only 2.4 percent of their obligations. The consequences, however, are still with us in 2019 with Denel’s bankruptcy.

still not fully paid for the aircraft, but the rand/dollar exchange rate has meanwhile collapsed from R6.25:US$1 to R14:US$1 currently, thus more than doubling the cost of the arms deal’s most expensive boondoggle.

Those loan agreements signed by Trevor Manuel as then Minister of Finance are also in my possession. They are a textbook example of “third world” debt entrapment and, in the words of Manuel’s own legal counsel back in 2003, their default clauses are “potentially catastrophic for South Africa.”

A case currently being brought by the Cape Town Peace Centre (formerly the Quaker Peace Centre) seeks to have the BAE/ Saab contracts and the Barclays Bank loan agreements cancelled. The arms deal was clearly unconstitutional in that offsets fail the provisions of section 217 (1) of the Constitution, but was also fraudulent. In the famous words of a former Chief Justice of England, Lord Denning: “fraud unravels everything”. There is no prescription on fraud, and the internationally accepted remedy for fraud is to cancel the contracts, to return the goods to England and Sweden, and to recover the money.

A luta continua!

I am presently

completing Eye on the Gold as a sequel to Eye on the Money that was published back in 2007, and intend now to expose even more detail of the disgraceful arms deal saga that betrayed South Africa’s hard-won struggle against apartheid. Olivier and other militarists repeatedly whinge about cutbacks in military spending. The answer is simple: if the admirals and generals had not blown the budget with their arms deal toys-for-boys, South Africa would not now be afflicted by its present financial, economic and political crises.

Terry Crawford-Browne

DARREN OLIVIER RESPONDS: Mr

Crawford-Browne’s

response

to

my article on modern South African arms acquisition policy is uncivil and based on a fundamental misreading of the article itself.

It also represents a copying and pasting of his standard claims against the Arms Deal, without any attempt to address the points I made.

First, it is a standard principle when critiquing articles to focus on the content separately from headlines and captions.

They are usually written by different people.

The only reference to the Arms Deal in my article, which is an exploration of current arms acquisitions policy, was “Even the Arms Deal, with its controversy over selections, at least delivered good prices and was run on time and on budget because despite there being a custom (and flawed) initiation process, Armscor and the DOD used the then VB1000 to guide the negotiation and contract stage, and kept each contract to its cost ceiling.“ In other words specifying that, while the selection and initiation process was a custom deviation from standard procedure, the contracting phase followed VB 1000.

I won’t attempt to debate once again the Arms Deal’s purpose, as it is too broad a subject to address in the space I have here.

Suffice to say though that the Arms Deal’s acquisitions were based on long-standing defence force requirements that predated the process itself. The South African Air Force, for instance, initiated Project KAMBRO in 1993 to replace the Cheetah Cs and Ds with a modern 4th generation aircraft, and in fact envisioned much more costly and capable twin-engined fighters like the Rafale.

Even a former Minister of Defence

Project UKHOZI, under which the Gripens

acknowledged that most of those BAE/

were acquired, represented a downscaling of

Saab aircraft are in storage simply because SAAF has neither the pilots to fly them nor the mechanics to maintain them, nor even

GUY LEITCH RESPONDS:

SANDF ambitions in order to keep budgets lower. To those who have studied the Arms Deal and arms acquisitions in general over

the money to fuel them. Compounding the

Terry, we thank you for taking the time

the years, it’s clear that it was the use of a

reckless conduct of the Mbeki cabinet and

and trouble to pen such an in-depth critique

custom and untested initiation process that

without requisite authority from Parliament,

of our article in last month’s issue. We

resulted in less transparency. Indeed, the

the BAE/Saab acquisitions were financed for

feel that such input deserved a response

ability to carry out such a custom initiation

20 years by Barclays Bank. In turn, the loans

from the author directly and for our readers

process is one of the loopholes that has

are guaranteed by the British government’s

information, we have accordingly asked

been closed by the successors to VB 1000,

Export Credit Guarantee Department (now

Darren Olivier to respond.

like DAP 1000 and the present DAHB 1000.

known as UK Finance).

South Africa has

Crawford-Browne’s

description

FlightCom Magazine

of

6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR the Special Defence Account as being

Therefore, when, or if, the Special

increasing defence spending and having

‘notoriously corrupt and unaccountable’

Defence Account is closed, there will be no

more acquisitions for their own sake. I am

is based on outdated information and

change to the level of transparency over

arguing that while we continue to have a

assumptions on the one hand, and a lack of

defence acquisitions. What will be lost is

defence force and the need to re-equip

research on the other. In reality, only a tiny

the ability to fund them by accumulating

it from time to time, that we do so in the

proportion of the Special Defence Account’s

funds from year to year and thus avoid

most transparent, logical, accountable, and

spending — less than 5% on average — falls

using external financing. In other words, the

controlled way possible to avoid corruption.

under ‘sensitive projects’ and is blocked from

very mechanism by which the SANDF is

He has done admirable work to force the

public scrutiny in terms of the Public Audit

supposed to avoid the use of loans for arms

creation of investigative commissions, but

Act. The rest of the account’s details, in

acquisitions, and the reason why none of its

he’s ignoring the fact that it’s as important to

terms of inflows, outflows, holdings, sources

post-1999 acquisitions have required such

improve the process of future acquisitions as

of funding, and so forth, are fully audited by

financing, is what he opposes.

it is to understand past ones.

the Auditor-General and made public in the DoD’s Annual Report.

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FlightCom Magazine

Contrary to his claims and personal attacks, I am not interested in merely

Darren Olivier

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Industry Update R eport : O wen H eckrath

A ROLLS HYBRID Rolls-Royce is concentrating on three areas to make future aviation more sustainable, these are: developing advances in the gas turbine engine; collaborating on the use of sustainable alternative fuel; and exploring radical alternatives such as electrification.

Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens proposed E-Fan X Hybrid-electric aircraft.

H

ARD on the heels of last month’s proposed acquisition of Siemens’s electric and hybrid-electric aerospace propulsion “eAircraft” business, Rolls-Royce entered an agreement with the state of Brandenburg to create a so-called ecosystem for hybrid-electric drive systems for aircraft in the German region. The arrangement, which still needs

9

FlightCom Magazine

to be formalised, marks another step in the UK engine manufacturer’s electrification strategy and its ambition to play a major role in what it describes as the “third era” of aviation.

The initiative aims to pioneer the development of hybrid-electric 400 to 1,000 kW propulsion systems and builds on Rolls-Royce’s existing cooperation with the Brandenburg Technical University (BTU)

in Cottbus-Senftenberg, one of the four Rolls-Royce technology university centres in Germany. The OEM maintains a global network of 24 technology university centres and seven research centres, each addressing a key technology.

The state of Brandenburg and RollsRoyce committed to co-fund the initiative over the next six years, though they did not disclose the terms of the proposed investment and cooperation. The formal launch of a program is subject to appropriate approvals and regulatory clearances. The partners said they will agree on the program details before the end of 2019.

“Developing world-class hybrid electric power and propulsion systems represents a significant opportunity for Rolls-Royce, which we are pursuing globally with vigour and focus,” said Dirk Geisinger, director of business aviation and chairman of RollsRoyce Deutschland. 

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SA Flyer 2018|10

CONTACT:

BUSH PILOT HUGH PRYOR

L AN D MIN ES Yei is a good, long, compacted earth airstrip to the south of Juba in South Sudan. It’s not far from the northern border of Uganda.

S

OUTH Sudan is the stomping ground of a notorious warlord called Joseph Kony, whose private gang of drug crazed conscripts raises mayhem wherever they go. They call themselves the Lord’s Resistance Army and are paid in booty so they maraud widely in the forests on the remote hills and mountains of eastern Central African Republic, Uganda and South Sudan. They are mindlessly brutal and they ‘recruit’ young children by force and then train them as child soldiers, through fear and drugs. Failure in any respect means death without trial. In fact, the only release from service is death.

Joseph Kony’s mission in life is to destabilise and rule, rather like his predecessor, Idi Amin. To many people he is the embodiment of true evil. Many governments have targeted him, including the United States, but without success, because, after each raid, the gang just fades away into the forest, leaving a pile of corpses and a burnt-out village. News of the massacre only comes out when the next trader comes across the horrific scene.

Weapons are no problem. Civil war rages in Eastern Congo and the country is alive (or maybe ‘dead’ would be more appropriate) with firearms and other munitions, which leads me to where we came into the story.

Kony attacked Yei one night. He hit the UN compound which was being guarded by a company of Bangladeshi soldiers who were taken completely by surprise and suffered heavy casualties as a result and lost most of their weapons. Then the LRA disappeared back into the night.

The following morning at daybreak, Per, my young Norwegian co-pilot and I took off

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FlightCom Magazine

from Rumbek with ten armed replacement troops and landed at Yei as the first light was creeping over the eastern horizon. The scheduled De Havilland Dash-8 was still a good forty minutes behind us, so there was no conflict. The landing was smooth and uneventful and we stopped, cleaned up the flaps and turned off the radar, before taxing off the runway.

That’s when the fun started.

As we rolled into the parking area, there was a loud explosion and the aircraft seemed to stagger and lurch over, as though it’s right main wheel had fallen into a hole, which it would have done, if there had been a right main wheel there... but there wasn’t... it had disappeared, leaving the stub axle in a small crater.

There followed a stunned silence which gave me just enough time to shout for everybody to sit down. Then the Bangladeshi sergeant gave his men orders, in their own language and restored order from the panic, before shrugging his shoulders at me for advice.

“That was a land mine,” I said, “It means that we may be in the middle of a mine field, so you must wait here until I can find a way out.”

“How you doing that?” asked the sergeant.

“Very carefully!” I grinned as I opened the airstair door and sat on the top step to examine our exit route. It looked pretty clean and the marks of the grader looked fairly fresh. There was only one small area where the surface looked as though it been disturbed, so I grabbed a ball of string from my bag, tied one end to the stair line and chucked it in the direction of the passenger shelter. Then I grabbed some pebbles and threw them at the line of the string, before setting off with intense concentration, following the string, until I reached the ball, when I repeated the exercise. Eventually,

with immense relief, I reached the shed and called the sergeant.

“Okay, sergeant, send your men over, one at a time and tell them that they must ONLY step on my footmarks. You understand? One at a time!”

The men obeyed their sergeant to the letter and Per brought up the rear...job done...now the problem was how to get the airstrip clean enough for the rescue aircraft to get in.

The answer lay with the herd of cattle which was grazing at the threshold of the runway. I told the young herdsman that he must take his cattle down to the far end of the airstrip, because the military were carrying out a mine disposal exercise and we did not want his cows to be in the way.

The young lad did as he was told and drove his twenty head of cattle right down the middle of the runway and there were no more bangs.

So I followed them and when I had satisfied myself that the strip was safe, I got on my hand-held transceiver and called up the Dash-8. “Hello there John. Listen, you should make this the smoothest landing you have ever dreamed of, due to the possible presence of mines. In fact, maybe you should let the co-pilot do this one! We hit one, so there is one less for you to hit.”

“You are joking!” said John.

“No, I’m not. Come and have a look if you don’t believe me.”

So he did.

After he had landed an old boy came out of the bush from the other side of the strip and presented me with half our main wheel rim. Apparently he had been enjoying a quiet moment, ridding himself of waste products, when he heard a big bang and this bit of metal came flying through the trees and nearly hit him on the head. So he was probably the luckiest of all of us! 

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BIZJETS FEATURE

FlightCom Magazine

14

BIZ-JETS INTRODUCTION Business-jets are increasingly important to open up African business.

JET AVIATION IN AFRICA Over the past fifty years jet aircraft have revolutionised air transport links in Africa. They have enabled previously inaccessible areas to be within easy reach of business investors – particularly mining companies - and as a middle class emerges, the low cost carrier airlines are making jet flying accessible to all. At the same time business jets are fulfilling an essential niche in providing access to remote destinations with a seamless quick and low hassle service.

B

UT there is still enormous scope for improvement. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is campaigning for African governments to maximize the positive social and economic power of aviation by working together to promote safe, sustainable and efficient air connectivity.

AIRLINE OPERATIONS Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, speaking in 2018, noted that: “African aviation supports $55.8 billion of economic activity and 6.2 million jobs. To enable aviation to be an even bigger driver of prosperity across the continent, we must work closely with governments.”

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FlightCom Magazine

IATA wants governments and airlines to work together to improve competitiveness, developing effective infrastructure, modernizing the regulatory framework focusing on global standards and connectivity; and ensuring a welltrained and diverse workforce.

Also, IATA expresses strong support for the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative. IATA’s de Juniac says: “The low density of the African intracontinental network makes it impossible to realise the potential benefits of a connected African economy. SAATM—if implemented—gives Africa the potential for economic transformation. History has shown that opening markets leads to rapid advances in connectivity.”

“Africa is an expensive place for airlines to do business. There is no shortage of examples illustrating the heavy burden that governments extract from aviation. Jet fuel costs are 35% higher than the rest of the world. User charges, as a percentage of airlines’ operating costs, are double the industry average. And taxes and charges are among the highest in the world. On top of that, $670 million of airline funds are blocked. Too many African governments view aviation as a luxury rather than a necessity. We must change that perception,” adds de Juniac.

He adds: “In Africa we have [aviation] infrastructure problems in two extremes. In some cases it is overbuilt and expensive. In other cases, it is deficient and cannot meet

demand. Dialogue between industry and government is critical to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet demand, that airline technical and commercial quality standards are met and that the infrastructure is affordable. Achieving that will create the platform on which aviation’s economic and social benefits can be maximized.”

BUSINESS JETS AND CHARTER Filling the gap created by the challenges faced by the airline industry, business jets are fulfilling an increasingly important role.

Lanseria based ExecuJet Aviation Group Flight Operations GM: Philip du Preez reports that, “There are significant growth opportunities for business and charter aviation in Africa. Already, there are 481 registered private jets in Africa and the continent’s year-on-year business aviation growth is 44%.

Engineering News reports Du Preez as saying that “This is despite current constraints on the sector across the continent. Thus, not all African aviation authorities work on a 24/7/365 basis, which can delay approval of overflight rights for chartered aircraft. And, currently, 50% of African citizens need a visa to visit their African neighbours. At the moment, only 27 African countries have signed the African Union’s Protocol of Free Movement of People.

Hence the importance of the recently agreed Single African Air Transport Market. “I think this is going to be key,” Du Preez said. “We hope that all the countries will eventually sign up. It will create seamless air traffic across the continent, improve air service connectivity, improved continental integration, increase convenience for air passengers, save time, create jobs (especially for the young) and boost tourism.

“Very important for the African business aviation sector has been the emergence of the ‘Affluent African’ demographic.

“They are significantly younger than their European counterparts,” Du Preez said.

Their average age is about 40 years; they are 66% men and 34% women; and nine out of ten have English as their first or second language. They make extensive use of their smart phones to access information and make purchases; in Africa, 51% of smartphone users employ their phones for travel information, while 37% of affluent Africans have bought products and services through their phones during the past year.

“CNN is their number one channel of

news information gathering,” noted du Preez. Social responsibility and being environmentally friendly were top priorities for Africa’s most wealthy.” These facts have implications for the marketing of business aviation to this demographic.

Rebecca Campbell of Engineering News notes that, “as far as business aviation was concerned, another important African demographic that was now emerging, especially in South Africa, is the HENRYs (High Earner, Not Rich Yet). People in this category included those likely to make their first private flights, perhaps paid for by their employers. For every ultra-affluent household, there were ten HENRY households. HENRYs were also socially influential and very brand-loyal: if a company wins their loyalty, it will keep it. This applies to air charter companies as well.

Meanwhile, new business opportunities are emerging for business aviation across the continent. Du Preez cited Benin as an example. “That West African country was moving to establish itself as a rival to Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania for safari holidays. However, its national parks are at the northern end of its territory, very far from its international airport at Cotonou

on the south coast, and only one other airport in Benin, Parakou, has scheduled commercial airline services, and Parakou, although much closer to the national parks, is still a significant distance from them.

“Consequently, affluent tourists (not just Europeans) are now chartering business jets in Europe and flying to Benin.” Why not, queried Du Preez, out of South Africa and other African countries? “There are clear opportunities both to fly people to and from Benin and to fly them within Benin (even with single-engined turboprop types).

He urged partnerships between African operators to exploit these and equivalent opportunities in other African countries.

He also urged that, in moving into new African markets, operators source as much as possible from local suppliers, employ and upskill as many locals as possible, and generally engage the local business sectors and communities.”

The bottom line for airline and business jet operators in Africa is that the market is strong and growing. There are enormous opportunities, from both the natural growth of the market and from the challenges generated by the various African governments and their state-owned airlines. 

IATA's Alexandre de Juniac urges better cooperation between government and the aviation industry.

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COMMENTARY GUY LEITCH

CIR RUS VISION JET Worth the wait?

The normally choleric Piet van Blerk is a happy man. In late June the first of the long-awaited Cirrus SF50 Vision Jets was flown from the USA by its proud new owners. And there are 19 more still to be delivered in South Africa.

Cirrus Vision Jet - The world's first personal jet.

C

IRRUS’S SF50 Vision Jet has had a long and painful gestation. Like many bold new aircraft, such as the Boeing 747, it almost bankrupted its

maker.

Cirrus was doing famously well with its piston engine range, regularly claiming the top slot for piston single-engine sales with its SR22, ahead of stalwart Cessna. So the company decided to broaden its range, and what better way than to use the SR22 as a platform for a Very Light Jet (VLJ).

In October 2006 Cirrus started taking U$100,000 deposits for a jet priced below $1 million, with certification promised for 2010. Performance goals were modest: a 300 knot cruise at 25,000 ft and Cirrus’s whole-plane parachute system. Cirrus described it as the “slowest, lowest, and cheapest jet available.”

At that time Very Light Jets were the flavour of the month. There was much hype about air taxis – much like the current

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electric VTOL air taxi hype. There was increasing talk of a bubble.

Billions of dollars were sucked into the hype of VLJs. A bouquet of startups fronted by brash CEOs made grand predictions but did not have the staying power or know-how to go the distance.

Within a few years most of them had closed factories and each failure represented the loss of millions of investors’ deposits and the end of a grand dream, albeit one which has enduring appeal.

The dream of light jets goes back over 60 years – to the first days of jets. The earliest light jet was the two-seat French SIPA 200 Minijet, which first flew in 1952. But it took more than 50 years, to 2006, for the first mainstream VLJ to fly; Cessna’s Mustang. Vern Raburn’s much vaunted Eclipse followed shortly thereafter.

Raburn was one of the infamous ‘accidental billionaires’ created by the ‘dot-con’ boon and he boasted of selling the twin engine Eclipse for less than U$1 million each. The

serious aviation analysts just quietly sucked their teeth in disbelief, especially at the claimed 2,800 orders, many of which were going to an ‘airtaxi’ operator, DayJet, which had yet to open its doors.

As the VLJ bubble began bursting the VLJ moniker became as popular as a pig in Palestine. Cessna quickly switched to calling their U$ 2.7m Mustang an ‘entrylevel jet’. Meanwhile Cirrus kept doggedly on with its own VLJ – which was pitched at a far more basic market with just one engine and an airframe parachute to appeal to the pilots who wanted to step up from their SR22. And unlike Raburn – Cirrus reckoned that having just one engine would enable them to genuinely keep the price around U$1 million.

In early 2007, Cirrus showed deposit holders a jigsaw puzzle of the Vision Jet – one piece at a time. Perhaps in recognition of its modest performance, they described it as a “personal jet” But building planes is hard, and reality slowly set in. Timelines were extended again and again. Some buyers felt they had been conned and got angry – particularly with Eclipse, which had made the most brash claims about price, delivery dates and performance – on all of which it was failing badly. An internet blog was so vociferous and unrelenting that Eclipse initiated legal action to discover the identity of the bloggers.

Eclipse was on the ropes, until it received a substantial cash infusion from a new investor at the beginning of 2008 and announced plans for the construction of an assembly facility in Russia.

Cirrus was not immune. Gradually the

pressure and costs of developing a VLJ wore even Cirrus down as well. By 2007 the first Vision Jet had flown, but the company was in trouble. Founder and CEO Alan Klapmeier offered to leave – and take the troubled jet project with him. And the 2008 recession was around the corner. By 2011 it had become necessary to sell the entire Cirrus company to China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. (CAIGA). At that stage Cirrus admitted that it would still require at least three years and more than $100 million to certify its jet.

Meanwhile the serious plane makers with deeper pockets continued to push ahead with their VLJs. Cessna delivered a couple of hundred Mustangs and Embraer likewise with its Phenom 100. But these were proper small jets, not the single engine ‘personal jet’ that Cirrus was still trying to get certified and delver to its patient deposit payers.

The biggest problem was the unrealistic sales price. Any idea of selling a personal jet for U$1 million was shown to be pie in the sky. But the Cirrus position holders were a surprisingly patient bunch, even as the price went up to U$1.39M for deposit holders and US$1.72M for new buyers.

The certification date was pushed out again - to mid-2013, to develop the fullaircraft parachute system. In February 2013 the aircraft was repriced at US$1.96M and in April certification flight testing was pushed out to 2014. Yet still orders came in and the waiting list grew to 500 with deposits paid. To mollify the long waiting list Cirrus said they intended to produce as many as 125 aircraft per year.

More money was needed to ramp up production and they persuaded their hometown, Duluth, to commit U$6 million and the state of Minnesota to contribute U$4 million to build a factory to produce the jet.

In April 2015, confident the certification would be on schedule and no modifications needed, Cirrus started production of the first of its more than 500 orders. More delay was caused when certification was shifted from 2015 to the first half of 2016 due to the ballistic parachute testing, until the FAA was persuaded to waive its requirement after the four flight test aircraft had flown more than 1,700 hours.

Remarkably, and as testimony to the deposit placeholders’ faith in the company, and the inherent attributes of the Vision Jet, the orderbook continued to grow, and by

July 2016 it had swelled to over 600, despite certification having been delayed to the fourth quarter of the year.

Eventually, on 28 October 2016, after a fraught ten-year development process marked with myriad technical and financial challenges, the Cirrus SF50 earned its type certificate from the FAA and in so doing became the first civilian single-engine jet to be type certified. Deliveries started on 19 December 2016. By July 2017 production

The full-aircraft parachute system caused many certification delays.

had been ramped up to one per week, leaving a 10 year production backlog - but still a long way from the 125 aircraft a year Cirrus had promised.

Then just when things were beginning to settle down, Cirrus carried on its tradition of built-in obsolescence. There must have been a collective intake of breath when Cirrus announced its G2 version in January 2019. Like car makers bringing out a new model every few years, Cirrus has done that with its piston range and had now done it to its jet buyers – who hadn’t even taken delivery of their long awaited planes.

But there was no need for alarm. Rather like Oprah’s famous “everyone gets a car!” stunt, Cirrus magnanimously said that all those who had not yet received their G1 version of the jet could automatically get G2 for just a small extra cost. Few declined the upgrade, because it was a really big improvement.

Sceptics had looked at the diminutive jet somewhat disparagingly – pointing out that it couldn’t reliably fly Joburg - Cape Town with a diversion to George and that it was short of payload and speed - and wasn’t even RVSM approved.

The G2 version has addressed all these concerns and has also added many really useful improvements, such as auto throttles, improved avionics and interiors, a quieter cabin and of course the much desired improvements in performance.

Cirrus marketing material claims, “An expanded flight envelope to Flight Level 310 raises the performance and capabilities of the all-new aircraft. This new access to Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) flight levels now increases the Vision Jet’s range to over 1,200nm. On a typical mission, G2 now provides increased flexibility to carry an additional 150 lb on an 800 NM mission and pushes top cruise speed even further above 300kts.”

The only drawback is the price, which has escalated from the original dreamed of U$1m to U$2.75 million. Piet van Blerk argues that the single engine Vision Jet has no competitors, as it is still a lot cheaper than the roughly comparable TBM940 single turboprop which costs US4.25 million and its direct equivalent, the now discontinued Eclipse 550 which cost U$2.5m – but does have two engines.

If I had the money I would make sure I owned one! 

Side-stick control gives a fighter jet feel, but better sense of control for first-timers.

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FlightCom Magazine

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FLIGHT TEST REPORT: GUY LEITCH | IMAGES: COURTESY OF TEXTRON

Trevor Cohen

CESSNA CITATION LONGITUDE

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Cessna's Longitude sets new standards for mid-size biz-jets.

THE MID-SIZE JET TO BEAT Cessna’s much awaited Longitude ‘super-midsize’ bizjet has just completed an African tour. It is a seriously impressive aircraft that raises the bar for almost all biz-jet standards.

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FLIGHT TEST

A big vote of confidence for the Citation Longitude comes from bulk buyer NetJets.

I

N 2016 Cessna brought the Longitude’s smaller sibling, the Latitude, to South Africa on a sales tour. We covered the Latitude extensively in our October 2016 issue and it’s fascinating to see how the latest and greatest of Cessna’s midsize jet family sets new standards. There are three new jets in Cessna’s mid-size range, the Latitude is the smallest, the Longitude fits in the middle and the still to be flown Horizon is the largest.

The Longitude is a perfect example of Textron’s design philosophy of evolutionary product development. They have taken the best bits of their existing business jets, added the latest technology such as a new ‘moderate super-critical’ wing with a 27-degree sweep, and produced an aircraft that impresses all who have experienced it.

The aircraft that toured Africa in June was operating on a provisional type certification, which limited it to demonstration flights flown by Cessna’s pilots. But we nonetheless were able to get all the key experiences of what it’s like, especially for the ‘grand fromage’ in the cabin who pays the bills.

ON THE GROUND The most obvious difference between the Latitude and Longitude is the latter’s high and proud T-tail vs the Latitude’s more Hawkerlike cruciform tail. The other major difference is the fuselage length which makes the Longitude look like a far sleeker and faster aircraft than the Latitude – and perhaps closer to the super-fast Citation X, albeit without the X’s monster engines. Unlike many other mid-size bizjets which can appear to be portly thanks to a short fat fuselage, the proportions of the Longitude seem right.

On the nose the Longitude has dual angle of attack vanes for the stick pusher and, in a first for a Citation, ice-detection probes.

The long nose houses Garmin’s latest and greatest GWX 80 Doppler digital weather radar. For ETOPS operations, dual oxygen tanks are mounted in the nose bay.

The wing is a thing of beauty – long and thin, and with a slippery smoothness despite its aluminium construction. It is rounded off by elegantly proportioned upswept winglets. Beneath the wings the reassuringly sturdy looking trailing link undercarriage is short so there’s no need for a ladder to access the aft baggage compartment from the outside.

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As in most modern biz-jets, all lights are LEDs. All access panels have courtesy lights that switch on when the panel is opened. These lights are powered by one of two big lithium batteries, leaving the other battery for starting the APU. There is single point refuelling with a fuel computer in the fuel access panel, which allows controlled refuelling without having to have someone monitor the tank levels from the flight deck.

The vacuum lavatory is externally serviced. An interesting aspect of the fuel tank design is that it uses an airline type transfer system to move fuel, instead of a slower crossfeed-type system.

Cessna had a fraught conflict with the FAA late in the certification programme when the FAA decided the portion of the tanks inside the wing root fairings constituted a “centre fuel tank.” Because of that the FAA decided the Longitude had to meet the fuel tank flammability requirements demanded by the certification changes that occurred after the TWA Flight 800 accident, where the centre fuel tank exploded. Finally, Textron was granted partial exemption until January 2020, allowing the company to complete limited certification and do demo tours.

The engines are the Honeywell’s HTF7700L, each delivering 7,600 pounds of thrust. The Honeywell 36-150 APU can be run up to 35,000 feet.

In terms of Cessna’s mix-n-match parts strategy, the Latitude created a new stand-up fuselage and put it on the CE-680 Sovereign’s wings. I fondly believed that the Longitude simply used the Latitude’s fuselage on a new pair of wings and engines. But aviation is never simple and there is a world of difference between the Latitudes cabin and the Longitude’s.

INSIDE Access to the cabin is via a reassuringly sturdy and comfortably wide airstair door with a fold-out handrail that is stiffer than it looks.

At the top of the stairs is a well-equipped six-foot galley with wet sink and hot water.

The Longitude cabin has the same flat floor, six foot height, and 77 inch width as the Latitude, but the Longitude’s cabin is 41 inches longer, providing an extra two seats. Two seating configuration options are available: the standard layout with four club seats forward and four in the aft area, or an optional three-place divan in

the rear opposite two club seats. With more than 30 inches of knee room between the club seats, the Longitude claims to have the best legroom in its class.

The side facing divan can be used for takeoff and landing. You could squeeze in 10 pax if you include the optional jump seat, which can face forward or aft and can be removed when not needed, freeing up space in the cockpit. Strangely, the vacuum potty is not belted, so cannot be used as a passenger or cabin attendant seat. The Longitude’s final certification will be for a somewhat cosy 12 passengers.

You can access the baggage compartment through the toilet cubicle or from a hatch behind the left wing.

The baggage compartment is heated and pressurised, is fully accessible and holds up to 1,000 pounds. Total baggage capacity is 112 cu ft and 1,115 pounds.

The optional side facing divan can be converted into a bed. And the forward-facing club seats can rotate 180 degrees to make flat beds. Unlike some so-called lie-flats, the Longitude’s are genuinely flat because, as you recline the backs, the seat squab rises.

In all, four can sleep comfortably on the Longitude. Given its seven-hour endurance this is probably a necessity.

A switch on the window frames lowers the shades. They can also be used as blackouts, creating a dark sleeping compartment. If buttons are a challenge for a luddite CEO there’s an app compatible with Apple and Android, to control almost everything in the cabin— window shade position, temperature, lighting, entertainment choices and volume, and much more. You can play music through the sound system from onboard choices or pull it from your favourite device. Same with video to the onboard monitors. For in flight movies there’s an HDMI cable to connect to the monitors. And, naturally a plethora of cup holders, foldable tables, drawers, and cabinets for storage.

Bizjet cabins have to have great internet connectivity. The Longitude features Gogo Business Aviation’s air-to-ground system, which will soon be switched to the latest Avance L5 version. A Garmin GSR 56 Iridium satcom is also included as standard.

One telephone handset is located at the VIP seat and another in the flight deck. A second

GSR 56 is installed to provide datalink for FANS and ATN-B1 services, which means that Longitude pilots can take advantage of ground and airborne air traffic control digital clearance delivery and messaging in the U.S. and Europe. For weather information, the GSR 56 can download weather via Iridium satellites.

IN THE AIR Everyone who sampled the Longitude enthused about how quiet the cabin was. Our usual biz-jet tester (and Challenger loyalist) Larry Beamish, was particularly impressed that passengers could converse quietly across the width of the cabin. This recognises the large effort Cessna put in to create a quiet cabin. Cessna built a laboratory to detect the volume and frequency of every sound in the cabin, and its source. From there they set out to find ways to quiet each one.

The noise of air flow, both outside the cabin and inside the pressure hull, were key concerns. For example, they discovered that the airconditioned air entering the cabin was roaring. A few baffles in the ducting slowed the air down, reducing noise.

Longitude cockpit dominated by three G1000 PFDs.

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The pressurisation outflow valve was located as far as possible from the passenger compartment. Any openings to the outside, such as air scoops, doors, and access panels were evaluated for noise contribution.

The curtain used to blank off the noise from the airstair door is particularly substantial.

For flights of five hours or more the pressurisation differential is important. The Longitude manages a cabin altitude of 6000 feet at its 45,000-foot maximum operating altitude.

The Longitude’s flight control system is similar to the Latitude’s, with mechanically controlled ailerons and elevator (with trimmable stabiliser) and fly-by-wire rudder and spoilers. The yaw damper is operational all the time. In a one-engine-inoperative situation the rudder automatically adjusts for the inop engine, although the pilot still has to step on the rudder and thus remains in the loop during single-engine operations.

For extra performance in Africa’s hot-and-high operations, with one-engine out the remaining engine is capable of delivering a ‘through the gate’ power boost for up to 10 minutes, or with both engines running, for five minutes, which is helpful during windshear or

Displays (PFDs) and a Multi-Function Display (MFD) in the middle. The three 14-inch displays plus four touch screen controllers allow access to all major systems, including synoptics for fuel, electrical, hydraulics, pressurisation, anti-icing, and more.

Although the marketing material boasts a head up display (HUD), Garmin’s new GHD 2100 head-up display with enhanced vision system (Garmin’s first HUD) will not be available on the Longitude until sometime after certification. Rough cost of the optional HUD/EVS is an eye watering $500,000 to $600,000, and plans are to seek approval for lower approach minimums when using the HUD/EVS. Like the Latitude, the Longitude’s flight deck is designed for simplicity and ease of use, with minimal clutter. Much of this is due to the Garmin GTC 570 touchscreen controllers, which consolidate many functions that used to be managed with knobs, switches, and buttons. There are four touchscreen controllers, two in the centre console and one each on the left and right side. The controllers are the infrared touch type, and thus can be manipulated while wearing gloves or with the end of a pen or pencil.

Runway requirement aided by emergency power mode.

terrain avoidance. Following a power boost event, a maintenance log entry is required.

Icing protection is bleed air for wing leading edges and engine inlets, and an electro-mechanical system de-ices the empennage.

The dual hydraulic carbon brakes are brakeby-wire, and all brakes are available for emergency braking. Nosewheel steering is via tiller and allows for steering up 80 degrees. The nose can steer up to 9 degrees using the rudder pedals.

The cockpit is dominated by the three big EFIS displays for the Garmin G5000 – two Primary Flight

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The remarkable feature of the latest generation Garmin ‘glass’ panels is the extent to which they have simplified checklists. Larry Beamish reports that the Longitude had no less than 36 fewer checklist items than the Challenger 300 he regularly flies. Many of the tests that take a lot of time and knob manipulation in older bizjets are automated by the G5000 and this speeds up the time to get the Longitude ready to fly.

Some tests by the pilot are however still required such as the stick pusher, engine and baggage fire loops, overspeed, and annunciators.

Cessna have worked hard to build a simpler flight

The standard cabin layout has four club seats forward and four in the aft area.

deck. Thus, the electrical system displays percentage of amps rather than number of amps being used. Electrical system load shedding is automatic, taking less important systems offline when there’s a power problem, including shutting off electricity to less important windshield panes. Dual hydraulic systems actuate the rudder and a standby electric motor provides triple redundancy. Like other modern Part 25 designs, the flight controls can be split, allowing control even if one or more flight controls becomes inoperative.

The fuel system is simple: two wing tanks, each feeding an engine. The transfer setting pumps fuel to the other tank should an imbalance occur. A single-point refuelling system at the right wing root allows the pilot to enter the number of pounds of fuel needed, simplifying the calculation from pounds to litres from the fuel truck.

For the demo flight out of Lanseria the cabin was five up with two pilots, giving a total weight of around 32,000 pounds.

That’s 7500 pounds below the 39,500-pound MTOW. The full-fuel payload is a still very useful 1,600 pounds, not far from full tanks and full cabin.

In his flight assessment AIN Online writer Matt Thurber comments that “The older Latitude’s Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D1 engines, at 5,900 pounds of thrust each, are about the largest out there that can be battery started. The Honeywell HTF7700L Longitude engines at 7,550 lbs require an air start, which means a ground cart or the auxiliary power unit. Like the start sequence, system tests are mostly automatic. Watching the Crew Alerting System, I could see it running down a long list of checks, including actuating the

spoilers, for example. Had I had the flight control synoptics page up, I could have seen a representation of the movement there as well.”

Thurber notes that “the Longitude’s tiller steering is firm and precise, and although this jet has a fairly long fuselage, I didn’t feel any jerkiness in the tiller. The carbon brakes actuated smoothly with no grabbiness.

Mid-weight takeoff numbers were a V1 of 112 knots and VR of 120 knots.

“The Honeywell engines gave us a snappy acceleration during takeoff, and I lifted the Longitude off smoothly, with very little pull on the yoke needed to escape the runway.

Pitch forces are lighter at low speed but get heavier as the jet speeds up; a bit of trim keeps everything well under control.

The Longitude has an element of inbuilt flight envelope protection. Thurber notes that “During the descent, I pulled the power to idle and pushed the nose down, then watched the airspeed climb rapidly toward the red on the PFD. At that point, the Garmin flight control system pulled the nose up to reduce the speed. I actuated the speedbrakes to help us slow down, and they came out with nary a rumble nor any aerodynamic bump, thanks to the fly-by-wire control. The speed-brakes can be set at any intermediate setting and the pilot can move the control quickly, without causing the boss’s drink to spill.

“The Garmin G5000 is remarkably advanced. The autothrottle system is a marvel to watch. Had a pressurisation problem occurred and we had passed out, the G5000 would have automatically turned the airplane 90 degrees to exit an airway and would have descended us rapidly to 15,000 feet. A vertical profile presentation across the bottom of the multifunction display shows winds aloft during the descent.

“Back at 12,000 feet, I started with steep turns, with a 360 to the right at 45-50 degrees, then a 180-degree turn to the left.

The Garmin autothrottles easily maintained the necessary added power for the selected speed during the steep turns, but I did need to pull the yoke aft firmly to keep the nose up. This is all made easier by the flight path marker (FPM) on the G5000 PFD, like having a HUD but on a head-down display; just keep the FPM on the zero pitch line, and

Optional divan is berthable.

“At FL430 cabin altitude was 5,400 feet and with power set at max cruise and fuel flow 860 and 880 pph. The Longitude settled at Mach 0.83 and 473 KTAS. Maximum operating speed is Mach 0.84.”

there is no change in altitude.

“We then set up for some approaches to stall, with autothrottles off, but avoided activating the stick pusher because the rapid nose-down push might cause fluid in

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Vacuum toilet - but not belted.

Large baggage bay can take 1000 pounds.

the vacuum lavatory to spill. For the first manoeuvre, I slowed straight-and-level and in clean configuration all the way to stick shaker, then reduced the angle-of-attack (AOA) and added power, with a minor loss in altitude. I did another approach to stall in clean configuration but in a 30-degree turn, then recovered at the shaker by reducing AOA, levelling the wing, and adding power.

The engines responded fairly quickly to the application of power. At lower speeds, lateral control is much lighter and more pleasant, harmoniously matching the lighter pitch control feel. With gear and flap down the approach to stall was gentle with zero wing rock as the shaker shook the controls and I recovered back to straight-and-level flight.”

Thurber hand-flew the approach, descending onto the glidepath with full flaps. He reports, “I was easily able to descend the Longitude onto the proper glidepath, which indeed did look shallow.

[The Cessna demo pilot] advised that near touchdown I would need just a tiny bit of nose-up pitch to arrest the descent, but I should be careful not to flare too high, otherwise the Longitude will float. At 50 feet, the autothrottles automatically retarded to idle. While covering the throttles with my right hand, I kept flying down at the runway.

Moments after I barely checked the pitchdown attitude with a tiny aft movement on the yoke, the main wheels touched smoothly, followed by the nosegear. The Longitude lands flat, the dual trailing link main gear making you look good and keeping the boss’s drink in the cup. Thrust reversers,

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spoilers, and anti-skid brakes make landing distances of about 3,400 feet.”

WRAP UP With a base price of U$25m and a typical, but non-discounted, price of about U$27 million, the Longitude brings to market the largest cabin ever to carry the Cessna name and it does so just three years

Hot and cold galley opposite door.

after the certification of its smaller cousin, the Latitude.

It really does set a new standard for mid-sized and super mid-sized business jets. Perhaps the ultimate recognition of how good an aircraft it is comes from NetJets having placed a huge order for 176 Longitudes. 

The Longitude and later the Hemisphere join the Latitude to complete a new, large-cabin, three-aircraft Citation family.

CE SSNA CITATION LONG ITU DE

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BAS E P R I C E : $26 . 9 m i l l i o n

S P EC I F I CAT I O NS Powe rp l a nt : 2 x H T F770 0 L Th ru s t : 75 5 0 l bs t each L e ng t h: 73 f t 2 i n H e i g ht : 19 f t 5 i n W i ng s p a n: 6 8 f t 11 i n W i ng a r ea: 5 37 sq f t W i ng l oa d i ng: 73 . 9 l b/sq f t Seat s: 2+9 -10 C a b i n l e ng t h: 25 f t 2 i n C a b i n wi d t h: 77 i n C a b i n h e i g ht : 72 i n M a x t a keof f we i g ht : 3 9, 5 0 0 l b Payl oa d w/fu l l fu e l: 1, 6 0 0 l b M a x l a nd i ng we i g ht : 3 3 , 5 0 0 l b Fu e l ca p aci t y, s t d: 2 ,13 4 g a l (14 , 511 l b) B a g g a g e ca p aci t y: 1,115 l b , 112 cu f t

P E R FO R M AN C E Ta keof f @ M AU W: 4 , 9 0 0 f t M a x cru i se s p e e d: 476 k t R a ng e , 4 p a x @ 0. 8 0 M: 3 , 5 0 0 n m M a x op e rat i ng a l t i t u d e: 4 5 ,0 0 0 f t L a nd i ng d i s t a nce , g rou nd ro l l: 3 , 4 0 0 f t M a x o p e rat i ng l i m i t s p e e d: M 0. 8 4

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Pilatus PC-12 Centre Southern Africa (PTY) Ltd Hangar 41 and 42, Rand Airport, Germiston South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 11 383 0800 www.pilatuscentre.co.za

JET & TURBINE SALES EXPERT Led by Maartin Steenkamp and his experienced team, the company has over 60 years of experience in providing the best advice and solutions to companies and individuals looking to operate corporate jets. From single engine turboprops to long range corporate jets and airliners, Ascend Aviation is able to provide the right solution for every need.

For our list of available aircraft head over to our website www.ascendaviation.co.za.

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Contact Maartin Steenkamp: C +27 (0)82 807 6701 Pierre Kieser C +27 (0)82 577 7815 T +27 (0)11 064 5624 F +27 (0)86 673 9129 E sales@ascendaviation.co.za

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COMPANY PROFILES

G

UARDIAN AIR is a trusted air charter and aviation management company, providing a suite of specialised services to meet the discerning needs of business travellers, tourists and adventurers in Africa.

From their base at Lanseria International Airport in Gauteng, South Africa, they offer comprehensive aircraft management and Final.pdf 1 2018/02/12 14:58

maintenance solutions to aircraft owners and organisations alike, as well as air ambulance services to two major, private emergency medical care companies.

Guardian Air (PTY) Ltd started as an aviation asset management company in 2009. Today through their subsidiary company, Guardian Air Asset Management, they have international and domestic operating licences issued by the Department of Transport in South Africa as well as a

loc Lanseria International Airport tel +27 11 701 3011 24/7 +27 82 521 2394 web www.guardianair.co.za

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lic CAA/I/N283, AMO1401

non-schedule AOC (CAA/I-N283) which is endorsed for aeromedical transfers.

As aircraft owners themselves, they can identify with their customers’ needs.

Guardian Air is serviced by a dedicated maintenance division, Guardian Air Maintenance (PTY) Ltd (AMO:1401).

Tel: +27 (0) 11 701 3011 24/7: +27 (0) 082 521 2394 Email: ops@guardianair.co.za www.guardianair.co.za 

Global VIP Charter Global Air Ambulance Aircraft Management Aircraft Maintenance

COMPANY PROFILES

THE AVCON JET GROUP

ADLER INTERNATIONAL – AVCON YACHT – PRINCESS YACHTS AUSTRIA – HMS – CAA – AVCON JET AFRICA - IDEFIX.

O

UR success story began in 2007 – with only one aircraft and 16 employees.

Only 12 years later, 2019 we are one of the strongest private jet operators in Europe with more than 60 jets and over 300 employees.

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In 2012 we expanded our business into the marine sector to provide an excellent service to our customers, not only in the air, but also on water. Investments into a shipyard in Italy, maritime technology and yacht charter were only the beginning of a great journey.

No matter if you require excellent travel management or unforgettable memories around the globe, the whole Avcon Jet Group has one common goal: to not only satisfy our customer’s demands, but to exceed their expectations, no matter how challenging they may be. That’s what we call ‘unimpossible’. 

MAINTENANCE Star Air Maintenance Pty Ltd (SAM) is a subsidiary company of Star Air Cargo Pty Ltd, that provides all the AOC’s maintenance requirements up to C check. We are based at O R Tambo International Airport and our team of highly qualified engineers offer line maintenance to third parties.

Boeing 737-200 Boeing 737 Classics Based at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg South Africa.

Contact: lieb@starcargo.co.za or peter@starcargo.co.za Tel: 011 395 3756 and 011 973 5512

COMPANY PROFILES

STAR AIR Star Air holds SACAA Part 121 Domestic and International Aircraft Operating Certificates (AOC), and specialises in the wet, dry or damp leasing on short to medium term leases to airlines in Africa.

Under the leadership of CEO Peter Annear, the company has evolved from operating a Piper Cherokee in 1992, to operating a fleet of Boeing 737-300s.

Today, we present our fleet of seven 737-300s with pride. Each aircraft can be tailored to the needs of our client by configuring the seating to all economy or a combination of economy and business class. The aircraft are equipped with steps.

We also offer a complete aircraft branding solution to customers who would like to achieve consistency between their fleet and leased aircraft Star Air’s services include: • Wet leasing of aircraft • Dry leasing of aircraft • Aircraft chartering services • Qualified cockpit and cabin crew • Operations support • Aircraft Maintenance (up to C-Check) Contact Star Air on: Tel: +27 11 234 7038 Email: yvonne@starcargo.co.za Website: www.starair.co.za

STAR AIR MAINTENANCE Based on the Denel Campus at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, Star Air Maintenance was established in 2009 to provide maintenance up to C-Check for Star Air’s fleet of 737s and third-party aircraft.

Providing our clients with a world class service has always been central to our vision for the company. Through Star Air Maintenance, we offer a ‘best in

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international standards’ service in terms of quality, turnover times and cost efficiency, allowing airlines to focus their efforts on marketing and ticketing their routes.

Our vision has ensured Star Air Maintenance has kept pace with the recognised international standards in terms of safety, best practice and service to our clients. Through extensive improvement

programmes, we have ensured our staff compliment of over 40 trained professionals are able to deliver one of the best airline support services on the continent.

For more information, contact Star Air Maintenance on: Tel: +27 11 973 5512 Email: marzanne@starcargo.co.za Website: www.starair.co.za

Defence D arren O livier

THE HELWAN HA-300

It’s a testament to the odd alliances and unlikely partnerships of the early Cold War that the final aircraft designed by the legendary Willy Messerschmitt — indeed his only supersonic design — was manufactured not in Europe but in the industrial city of Helwan, just outside Cairo.

Q

UITE remarkably, in the 1960s Egypt was on the cusp of self-sufficiency in fighter aircraft, about to ride the wave of rapid development in an era where it was still possible for light-weight interceptors to be competitive.

While promising, however, the project never progressed beyond the prototype stage before being cancelled. A victim of changing economic and geopolitical circumstances on the one hand, and pure bad luck on the other, it offers an intriguing ‘what if’ question as to what might have

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been, had Egypt’s leaders been more prudent.

The story of the HA-300 began not in Egypt, but in Spain, where Willy Messerschmitt had relocated after the end of the Second World War. Fresh from prison for his use of slave labour during the war and, like other German designers banned from engaging in any defence work in West Germany, Messerschmitt was invited

by General Franco in the early 1950s to work on projects at Hispano Aviación.

There he began work on a basic trainer and an ultralight jet fighter aircraft, which would become the HA-200 and HA-300

respectively. While development of the HA-200 was eventually successful, via the abortive HA-100, the HA-300 project suffered from a lack of funding and aerodynamic problems with a glider mockup meant to test the aircraft’s basic design.

Faced with unknown development costs and a long timeframe, Spain cancelled the project in 1960.

Egypt, meanwhile, had begun an industrialisation phase under Nasser and was looking for opportunities to build its indigenous defence industry. As part of that process it had acquired the rights to build 90 HA-200s at a new aircraft manufacturing

OPPOSITE PAGE: Willy Messerschmitt's final design.

facility in the city of Helwan, near Cairo, to be run by the Egyptian General Aero Organisation (EGAO). While at Hispano, the Egyptians had been interested in the HA-300 programme and sought to join it as a development partner. Once it became clear that Spain would no longer back the project, Egypt bought the entire thing and shipped the whole design team, including Messerschmitt, to Helwan.

The initial plans were to equip the HA-300 with a single BristolSiddeley Orpheus Mk 703-S-10 turbojet engine, as used in the Folland Gnat and Fiat G.91, but it was clear that a more potent power plant would be required to meet the performance figures that the Egyptian Air Force desired. So Egypt recruited Ferdinand Brandner, the engine designer for Junkers during WWII, to design a brand-new turbojet engine under Project ‘135’. The engine would later come to be known as the E-300.

THE AIR FORCE WAS DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR. It must be said that the sheer ambition of Egypt’s plans at this point were impressive and bold, but ultimately naive and so contributed to its undoing in later years. Not only was it attempting to build a new combat jet aircraft virtually from scratch, but it was working on an engine to go with it alongside a host of other projects including civilian airliners. As Egypt lacked the required domestic skill sets and experience, the HA-300 and E-300 projects alone involved the recruiting of hundreds of designers, scientists, and engineers from all over Europe at substantial cost. In addition, with resources being spread so thinly, it was effectively impossible to achieve full transfer of knowledge to Egyptians shadowing the foreign teams, even though that had been the original motivation.

At the time the Egyptian Air Force had no local test pilots, though it had sent Lt-Col Zoheir Shalaby and Major Sobhy El Tawil to India to learn the trade there. So it requested a test pilot from India’s HAL and the Indian Air Force, which agreed to second Group Captain Kapil Barghava, one of India’s most distinguished test pilots, to the programme. The Germans initially refused to have anything to do with Barghava, insisting he would not get anywhere near the HA-300, but their hands were forced by circumstance and a lack of suitable alternatives.

As with any aircraft project, development of the HA-300 was far from smooth. The development of the E-300 was delayed by the need for thousands of hours of ground tests, so the first two prototypes

were fitted with the lower-powered Orpheus engines. Minor issues, from nose wheel shimmy to yaw problems dogged each attempt to move forward. Worse, quality control was terrible, leading to an inflection point where Group Captain Barghava faced off against Messerschmitt and his team and steadfastly refused to take the first prototype up unless a host of major problems were fixed.

As he recalled it in his later memoirs: “I reminded Prof. Messerschmitt that the contract for the aircraft specified the design to conform to the British Air Publication-970 requirements, which laid down the design criteria for military aircraft. The nineteen points listed by me were all in serious breach of the AP. A few of them were so obvious that it was a wonder that the design team did not anticipate them. For example, the integral fuel tanks had leaked and flexible rubber tanks were inserted into them. Some of these had also leaked. Yet, the only indication for fuel contents was a totaliser gauge showing the fuel entering the engine. The pilot would know that all fuel had leaked out only after his engine cut. The fuel system had apparently been designed with a preoccupation for unlimited inverted flying. Firstly, there was no requirement for such a facility and, secondly, the Orpheus engine’s oil system would, in any case, have limited the maximum duration of inverted flight to about 10 seconds. The direct supply tank to the engine was the smallest in the system and any failure of air transfer pressure would produce a flameout within two minutes. The tail plane trim was operated by a single-pole switch on the stick carrying the entire current of the large motor, without any protection against a trim run away. Rudder flutter was forecast at 0.56 M. Yet, its damper was powered by a single hydraulic system. Other design deficiencies, too many to list here, were also dangerous and unacceptable to me as a qualified test pilot.”

The moment was crucial. Messerschmitt had not realised the extent to which quality control had slipped, and his team came to respect Barghava’s insights and skills. It delayed the project by six months, but all of those items were fixed before the first flight.

Yet it would ultimately not matter, as a variety of external events overtook the programme. The Six Day War in 1967 was the first blow, and it was absolutely disastrous for Egypt. Nearly all of the Egyptian military’s capital equipment, including much of the Air Force, was destroyed beyond repair and would need costly replacement. In return, the Soviet Union offered to re-equip the Egyptian armed forces on ‘generous’ terms, which mostly amounted to forgiving or carrying over enormous loans that Egypt owed it. Included in this package were hundreds of MiG-21s, similar in performance to the HA-300.

Moreover the popular reaction to the defeat within Egypt took the leadership by surprise, as radical youth organisations demanded a stronger punishment for those seen as having caused the humiliating defeat. In a move that alarmed the top brass, this even included a protest by workers at the Helwan Aircraft Factory that was working on the HA-300. Concerns about loyalty became paramount.

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The Helwan HA 300.

As for the E-300, it was thrown into disarray when India (which had joined the programme a few years earlier as a development partner) left abruptly, apparently upset that Egypt showed no interest in adopting HAL’s own HF24 Marut fighter programme. In fact a specially-modified HF-24, the Mk.1 BX, had been the E-300’s primary flying testbed for some time. India’s exit robbed the engine programme of crucial momentum it its final phase of development and left Egypt carrying all the cost of taking it to production.

Given these circumstances, Egypt had little choice. The HA-300, or indeed any substantial investment in the Egyptian aerospace industry, no longer appeared to make any sense. Egypt had overspent badly, with the HA-300 costing the equivalent of a billion US dollars in today’s money. And it would have to accept becoming a Soviet client state, rather than the independent and industrialised world actor it had hoped to be at the beginning of the 1960s. The Helwan Aircraft Factory continues to exist, and is still around today, but it never reached the lofty heights of independent aircraft design

The basic trainer that became the successful Helwan HA 200.

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and manufacturing envisaged in the 1960s.

One can’t help but wonder what might’ve been had things gone differently and Egypt succeeded in establishing a sustainable and large-scale aerospace industry in the 1960s and 1970s. What elements of history would’ve changed, what would have remained the same? What might the impact on its neighbours have been, might it have encouraged them to industrialise sooner or would they still have relied on Soviet or Western suppliers? All possible, perhaps, but impossible to know for certain. 

OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURE

OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AFRICA’S BIGGEST & BUSIEST OR Tambo International Airport is Africa’s biggest and busiest airport, accommodating almost 20 million passengers a year, which is more than half of South Africa’s total air travelling passengers. ​

B

UILT in 1952 to take over from Johannesburg’s interim international airport, Palmietfontein, which had handled European flights since 1945, OR Tambo serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to and from South Africa, and is the commercial aviation hub for Southern Africa.

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Although currently handling around 20 million passengers annually, the airport has the capacity to handle up to 28 million passengers each year. It is also one of the few airports in the world to host non-stop flights to all continents (except Antarctica, handled by Cape Town International).

Originally named Jan Smuts Airport, after the South African statesman who went from Boer Commando to Field Marshall

and help found the League of Nations, the airport has undergone two name changes.

It was renamed Johannesburg International in 1994, and then OR Tambo International Airport on 27 October, 2006, after ANC president and activist, Oliver Reginald Tambo. Seven years after the rename to OR Tambo the airport’s ICAO code was changed from FAJS to FAOR. In the 2015 World Airport Awards,

OR Tambo was named the best airport in Africa, with Cape Town second, and King Shaka in Durban finishing third. This is a tribute to ACSA – the Airport Company of South Africa, which operates these airports.

In 1996, OR Tambo overtook Cairo International Airport as the busiest in Africa, and across the whole of the Middle East and Africa OR Tambo airport is the fourth-busiest after Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi Airports.

Situated almost 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) above sea level and with temperatures often climbing above 30 degrees Celsius, OR Tambo, with its ‘hot and high’ conditions, is an ideal destination for airliners conducting weight and temperature (WAT) certification and proving flights. Notably, it was used as a test airport for the Concorde during the 1970s, to determine how the aircraft would perform while taking off and landing at high altitude. Similarly, on 26 November 2006, the airport became the first in Africa to host the Airbus A380. The aircraft landed in Johannesburg on its way to Sydney via the South Pole on a test flight.

In 2014, Airbus returned to OR Tambo to test its next clean sheet design – the A350. As part of its certification flights for the A350, Airbus conducted hot and high performance as well as auto-landing trials on Runway 03R, as the embankment leading up to the runway may present precision approach challenges.

Although the 4,4 km long Runway 03L/21R is one of the longest commercial international airport runways in the world, aircraft taking off from OR Tambo must often reduce weight by loading less fuel than they would otherwise take. In particular, second segment climb performance for twin engine jets can be a limiting factor.

On some of the longer routes, such as flights from Johannesburg to North America, some aircraft types have to refuel en-route, while for the return flight, because takeoff from New York is from a lower altitude airport, they can upload enough fuel to reach Johannesburg non-stop.

RUNWAYS There are two parallel north/south runways and a disused cross runway. Both runways are equipped with Instrument Landing Systems (ILS). Furthermore, all runways are equipped with Approach Lighting Systems with sequenced flashers, and touchdown zone (TDZ) lighting. The cross runway is now a taxiway.

During busy periods, outbound flights use the western runway, 03L/21R, for takeoff, while inbound flights use the eastern runway, 03R/21L, for landing.

Naturally wind direction is a determining factor; however, due to the prevailing conditions, on most days flights takeoff to the north and land from the south.

DEVELOPMENTS The airport’s most recent major development was done for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. These included expansion of the international terminal, with the new international pier (opened in 2009) increasing capacity and accommodating the Airbus A380. A new Central Terminal building was completed on April 1, 2009.

An additional multi-storey parkade was built in January 2010, at a cost of R470 million, opposite the Central Terminal

Building. Terminal A was also upgraded and the associated roadways realigned to accommodate more International Departures space.

This massive upgrade has proved to be sufficient to meet the growth in passenger numbers since the World Cup. The Central Terminal Building, which cost R2 billion, boosted passenger capacity at the landside of the terminal, additional luggage carousels were added and the terminal now allows direct access for both international and domestic travellers.

The new International Pier, which cost R535 million to build, increased international arrivals and departures capacity in a two-storey structure and added

nine airside contact stands, four of which are Airbus A380 compatible. To develop the key non-airside revenue, the large duty-free mall has been extended into this area, and additional lounges and passenger-holding areas have been constructed on the upper level.

There was a proposal for a second ‘midfield’ terminal to be built between the two runways, but this has been cancelled. It would have contained its own domestic and international check-in facilities, shops and lounges and was projected to cost R8 billion.

The terminal would have been designed for power-in, power-out operations for low cost carriers, thus reducing the costs of airport handling with air bridges and aircraft tugs for push back.

To accommodate the increase in car traffic, a multi-story parkade was built and the airport now has more than 16,300

parking bays, taking into account the parking available in the parkade, shade parking, carports and open parking.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES Terminals A and B host over 140 retail stores, with Duty Free stores based airside in Terminal A. The stores are open daily from 06h00 to 22h00. These extended hours include the banks, pharmacy, post office and bureau de change.

There is a 24-hour travel clinic, and the airport’s police station also operates around the clock.

The airport has thus been able to maintain the world class standards it achieved for the Soccer World Cup. 

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COMPANY PROFILES BIDAIR CARGO COMPANY PROFILE The Business Details BidAir Cargo is a leading cargo airline providing express airport-to-airport solutions and related services to the courier and express logistics industry.

The BidAir Cargo network spans the South African domestic landscape as well as Southern and East Africa with over 120 flights daily. Overnight we operate four dedicated Boeing 737 freighter aircraft connecting all main centers in South Africa.

Our closed loop system, whereby cargo is delivered to and collected from aircraft directly by BidAir Cargo employees, enhances cargo security and express service delivery and allows for short hand-in and hand-out times enabling our partners in the courier and express logistics industry to adhere to tight delivery deadlines.

The Company Established in 1996 as Express Air Services, now as Bid Air Cargo, the company

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is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bidvest Group reporting into the Security and Aviation cluster of the Bidvest Services Division. Striving to maximize utilization of cargo capacity BAC foresees being the cargo airline solution of choice, making our service an extraordinary experience that delivers strong and consistent returns.

Website: www.bidaircargo.com Head office: 011 230 4600

BNT INTERNATIONAL Established in 2013, BNT International is a dedicated SACAA approved AMO (AMO1288) specialising as a Category B Facility in the Overhaul and Repair of Brakes and Wheels, Non Destructive testing on Aircrafts, Aircraft Weighing, Safety Equipment and Hydro Testing of both Oxygen cylinders and Fire Extinguishers We offer complete wheel and brake overhaul and repair services for ABSC,

BF Goodrich, Honeywell and Parker wheel assemblies. All work is carried out according to the manufacturer’s CMM (Component Maintenance Manual).

We have a well-equipped workshop, where we execute the job promptly together with all administration documents and certification.

Our NDT testing is conducted with state of the art equipment in a facility which measures up to world quality standards.

Our Inspectors have a vast technical background, broad experience levels and substantial qualification.

Our aircraft weighing services can accommodate the whole range of aircraft, from small aeroplanes and helicopters up to B737, A320, L-382 and above. We also assist our clients with cost efficiency calculations.

For more information contact BNT International on: Tel: +27 11 395 1677 Email: info@bnt-int.co.za Website: www.bnt-int.co.za

CARGO

Boeing 737-300 Cargo Aircraft available for wet (ACMI) lease.

SA Flyer 2019|08

Based at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg South Africa.

Contact: yvonne@starcargo.co.za or peter@starcargo.co.za Tel: +27 11 234 7038 www.starair.co.za

COMPANY PROFILES FEDERAL AIRLINES With over 20 years of safari transfer experience, Federal Airlines is known for its premium point to point shuttles that fly guests to the country’s most luxurious and sought after game lodges.

Operating since the ‘90s, they were the pioneers. Their core service provides daily shuttle departures from OR Tambo International Airport and KrugerMpumalanga International Airport to various luxury safari lodges throughout the country. They have since partnered with world leaders in luxury safari experiences as part of their commitment to raise the bar in bespoke aviation. In addition to their shuttle flights, Federal Airlines can provide bespoke, private charter flights to any destination within southern Africa.

For more information contact Federal Airlines on: Tel: +27 (0) 11 395 9000 Email: shuttle@fedair.com Website: www.fedair.com

FIREBLADE AVIATION TERMINAL ATTRACTION Suite dreams with Fireblade’s luxe new spot at OR Tambo Fireblade Aviation is a full-service Fixed Base Operation (FBO) located at OR Tambo International Airport. It offers South Africa’s first globally recognised FBO facilities. The company was developed by father and son Nicky and Jonathan Oppenheimer. The family has a history with aviation dating back to 1936. Fireblade was designed with the intent to host a truly world-class facility for stress-free business aviation at ORT International. The company offers a full range of business terminal and charter facilities – with all the luxuries you would expect at a premium terminal anywhere in the world.

Its state-of-the-art campus has primary passenger and crew facilities, along with two large hangars that can cater to the needs of just about any international trip-support company. It has a dedicated private apron, private fuelling facilities, hangarage and

tailored services that include everything from VIP catering and luxury spa services to prayer facilities. A world-class VlP terminal is on offer, with little nuances like day rooms, al fresco kitchen offerings, an exercise room, private staterooms and boardrooms.

And if you find the idea of luxury for its own sake too distasteful, keep in mind the effect this facility can have on South Africa as a premier business and leisure destination.

Instagram @fireblade _ aviation Web Address: www.firebladeaviation. com

AMO 1288

Your one-stop-shop for repairs and overhauls of aviation rotables and special processes.

BNT International (PTY) Ltd Unit D3, Denel Industrial Park Denel North Entrance (off Atlas Road), Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa, 1619 Tel. +27 11 395 1677 Email: info@bnt-int.co.za Website: www.bnt-int.co.za

• Quality • Safety • Service Excellence • Honest Pricing

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SA Flyer 2019|05

Aviation Services • Wheel overhaul and Repair Services • Brake Overhaul and Repair Services • Non-Destructive Testing on Aircraft • Hydro Static Testing • Oxygen bottles • Fire Extinguishers • Safety Equipment • Aircraft Weighing o Small aircrafts up to larger B737, A320, L-382

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SIMPLY THE BEST DESIGNED FACILITY ON THE CONTINENT Designed with an ambition to host a world-class facility for stress-free business aviation at OR Tambo International Airport, Fireblade Aviation offers a full-range business terminal and charter facilities to cater for every flying need.

The FBO offers all terminal luxuries you would expect from the best for your aircraft. With a dedicated private apron, private fueling facility, hangarage and tailored services your flying assets will be looked after. Your VIP’s can be hosted in the Terminal with small nuances like day rooms, el fresco kitchen offerings, an exercise room, private staterooms and boardrooms.

Our Fireblade charter fleet has full access to the FBO service bouquet. This means that you not only get world class aircraft and crew but your journey starts when you arrive at our facility.

FIREBLADE AVIATION’S CHARTER FLEET

PC-12 NG’S

GLOBAL 6000

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 350

AGUSTA AW 139 HELICOPTER

AGUSTA AW 119 HELICOPTER

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COMPANY PROFILES MISTRAL AVIATION SERVICES Mistral Aviation was founded in 2002 with the aim of addressing the high cost of operating aircraft thousands of miles from the original equipment manufacturers.

(OEM).

At Mistral we believe that by utilising the favorable labor rate and local expertise within South Africa, the cost of importing the spares can be offset whilst producing a product comparable to that of the European and US facilities.

Mistral Aviation is an independently owned company and has always traded as Mistral Aviation Services.

We are in no way linked with Mistral Aviation, based in the DRC, or any other companies with similar names.

Contact Details: Telephone: (27) 011 397 7 478 Fax: (27) 011 397 1143 E-Mail: Peter@mistral.co.za Website: www. mistral.co.za Address: Unit 2B, 46 Kelly Rd, Jet Park Gauteng, South Africa

NEVERGREEN AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES Starting in 2008 based at Upington International Airport in Western Cape, Nevergreen Aircraft Industries (AMO 1165) established as a professional provider of aircraft short & long-term storage, disassembly, dismantling and recycling services. The Kalahari Semi desert climate provides very low humidity, almost ideal conditions for corrosionfree aircraft storage. It is this unique environment that inspired the company’s name: Nevergreen.

In 2015 Nevergreen moved its base of operation to O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Gauteng. Considered as one of the most frequented aviation hubs on the African continent, ORTIA was the ideal environment to further grow our maintenance capabilities for the benefit of our clients.

In alliance with the associated parts trading company Aircraft Instrument & Electronics, Nevergreen is the ideal partner for aircraft maintenance, disassembly, demolition,

recycling, component management and long-term aircraft storage.

We are a trusted maintenance provider for Boeing 737-200/300/400/500 and the MD-80 Series as well as for CFM56-3 and Pratt & Whitney JT8D-Series engines. The ability to offer borescope inspections on the aforementioned engines completes our service portfolio.

In order to meet the requirements of a full-service provider, we offer a comprehensive disassembly and dismantling package for phased-out aircraft - as the only AMO on the African continent.

AEROSPACE ELECTROPL AMO 506

SA Flyer 2018|06

For all your SACAA approved plating

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INTEGRITY, RELIABILITY, EXPERIENCE For all your SACAA approved plating Electroless Hard Silver We aNickel re situated at 30B, B uilding 98, R Call Des on 011 827 7535 o r 0 63 150 1 AND A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE Hard Copper Plate Electroless Alodine or Peter on 081 775 2434 or 083 208 7

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We are situated at 30B, Building 98, Rand Airport. Next to Fields Airmotive.

Hard 533 Electroless Nickel Call Des on 011 827 7535 or 0Silver 63 150 1Plate AEROSPACE ELECTROPLATING or Peter on 081 775 2434 or 083 a2t 08 7244 Electroless Nickel Cadmium Plate Gold,tSilver We are situated 30B, Building 98, Rand Airport.

Ninext o Forields A Hard Copper Plate Clear Passivation AMO 506 For all your Aircraft and Allied Electroplating and queries.

Call Des Hard on 011 827 7535 or 063 150 1533 Hard Chrome Copper Plate Grey,plating Redrequirements or Black Hard Silver Plate

For aAnodising ll your SACAA ain pproved

or Peter Anodising on 081 775 or Red 083 2or 08 Black 7244 in2434 Grey, Electroless Nickel Black Phosphating For all your Aircraft and Allied Electroplating Hard and queries.

Copper Plate Black Phosphating Anodising in Grey, Red or Black

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We are situated at 30B, Building 98, Rand Airport. Next to Fields Airmotive. are situated a t 3 0B, B uilding 9 8, R and A irport.

N ext to Fields Airmotive.

Call Des on 011 827 7535 or 063 150 1533 Safair North Perimeter Road, OR Tambo International or Peter on 081 775 2434 or 083 208 7244 Airport, Des on 011 827 Tel:7535 or Bonaero 063 Fax: 1Park, 50 11619 533 081 755 2534 011 395 1291 For all your Aircraft and Allied Electroplating and queries.

Peter on 081 775 2434 or 083 208 7244 all your Aircraft and Allied Electroplating and queries.

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MAINTENANCE Star Air Maintenance Pty Ltd (SAM) is a subsidiary company of Star Air Cargo Pty Ltd, that provides all the AOC’s maintenance requirements up to C check. We are based at O R Tambo International Airport and our team of highly qualified engineers offer line maintenance to third parties.

Boeing 737-200 Boeing 737 Classics Based at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg South Africa.

Contact: lieb@starcargo.co.za or peter@starcargo.co.za Tel: 011 395 3756 and 011 973 5512

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COMPANY PROFILES • • • •

Aircraft chartering services Qualified cockpit and cabin crew Operations support Aircraft Maintenance (up to C-Check)

Contact Star Air on: Tel: +27 11 234 7038 Email: yvonne@starcargo.co.za Website: www.starair.co.za STAR AIR MAINTENANCE Based on the Denel Campus at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, Star Air Maintenance was established in 2009 to provide maintenance up to C-Check for Star Air’s fleet of 737s and third-party aircraft.

Providing our clients with a world class service has always been central to our vision for the company. Through Star Air Maintenance, we offer a ‘best in international standards’ service in terms of quality, turnover times and cost efficiency,

allowing airlines to focus their efforts on marketing and ticketing their routes.

Our vision has ensured Star Air Maintenance has kept pace with the recognised international standards in terms of safety, best practice and service to our clients. Through extensive improvement programmes, we have ensured our staff compliment of over 40 trained professionals are able to deliver one of the best airline support services on the continent.

For more information, contact Star Air Maintenance on: Tel: +27 11 973 5512 Email: marzanne@starcargo.co.za Website: www.starair.co.za

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SPOIL YOUR PASSENGERS? EXECUTIVE IN-FLIGHT CATERING

WHY DON’T YOU LET THEM FEAST ON ONE OF OUR DELICIOUSLY MADE-UP IN-FLIGHT BOXES. OFFERING ONLY THE BEST IN AVIATION CATERING, OUR BOXES ARE MADE UP TO YOUR TASTE, BUDGET AND FLIGHT TIME.

Specialising in the creation and delivery of bespoke meals to some of Southern Africa’s most discerning aircraft and corporate operators, Par-Avion Exclusive Catering is proud to be considered among the leaders in executive in-flight DELUXE LUNCH BOX catering and associated theisaviation industry.

The Par-Avion Deluxeservices LunchtoBox served on a disposable black tray with silver disposable Contents include a trend accompanied with a Our footprints atcutlery. the international airports of Cape Town, setting OR Tambostarter and Lanseria International Airports support dedication to offeringcheese the veryselection served fitting main course, trioour of unsurpassed desserts, and an imported latest niche products services to our discerning andaswell travelled clientele. withinplump grapesand and fig preserve, as well fresh granary bread and butter.

Delightful imported chocolates are included to has end allowed off the us meal.

Years of building authentic client-service relationships the opportunity not only to cater to international corporates and global operators STANDARD but also extend BREAKFAST our expertise toBOX include special events and parties, cafés and restaurants, luxurycontinental coach catering, boardroombox catering and platters.

The Standard Breakfast is served in a disposable grey box and

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includes a dedication plain yoghurt, tropical homemade With continued to quality of product and service,muesli, we strivefresh to givefruit, our a homemade muffin butter and preserve a luxury meat and clients the served peace of with mind and knowledge that we willand indeed go to anycontinental lengths selection. tocheese ensure their requirements are met expeditiously and with excellence.

VIP LUNCH BOX

7

Our VIP Lunch Box is presented in a navy and silver disposable box lined with tissue paper, and includes silver disposable cutlery. Contents include a starter, main course, dessert, imported cheese and crackers with a preserve, home baked bread roll and butter, as well as luxury imported chocolate.

SA Flyer 2018|10

STAR AIR Star Air holds SACAA Part 121 Domestic and International Aircraft Operating Certificates (AOC), and specialises in the wet, dry or damp leasing on short to medium term leases to airlines in Africa.

Under the leadership of CEO Peter Annear, the company has evolved from operating a Piper Cherokee in 1992, to operating a fleet of Boeing 737-300s.

Today, we present our fleet of seven 737-300s with pride. Each aircraft can be tailored to the needs of our client by configuring the seating to all economy or a combination of economy and business class. The aircraft are equipped with steps.

We also offer a complete aircraft branding solution to customers who would like to achieve consistency between their fleet and leased aircraft Star Air’s services include: • Wet leasing of aircraft • Dry leasing of aircraft

Industry Update R eport : O wen H eckrath

AIR FRANCE OPPOSES

ECO-TAX

The Eco Tax will affect Air France more severely as 50 percent of its flights are operated out of France.

France recently joined a growing list of European countries to impose an environmental tax on airline tickets, a move that Air France said will represent an additional cost of more than €60 million per year.

“THIS new tax would significantly

penalize Air France’s competitiveness, at a time when the company needs to strengthen its investment capacity to more rapidly reduce its environmental footprint, notably as part of its fleet renewal policy,” said a spokesperson from France’s largest airline.

Moreover, the Paris-based operator pointed out, Air France has been contributing to the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) since 2012 and will contribute to ICAO’s CORSIA scheme for international flights as from 2021. It estimates that the cost for offsetting CO2 under CORSIA and buying carbon allowances for the CO2 emitted on intraEuropean Economic Area (EEA) flights under the ETS will amount to €200 million

in 2025 for the Air France-KLM Group.

Air France group — which comprises Air France, its regional subsidiary HOP! Air France and Transavia — “is committed alongside all the industry players to reducing its CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2050, in accordance with the Paris climate agreement objective,” the company stressed.

France’s transport minister Elisabeth Borne, however, advocated the introduction of the eco-levy because there is a “feeling of injustice among our citizens regarding the taxation of airline transport.” France, she explained, committed to an EU-wide taxation on air transport “but there is urgency. Also, we have decided like other countries to introduce a progressive eco-

contribution.” (The Netherlands in May published a legislative proposal introducing an aviation tax on flights leaving the country). The new eco-aviation tax will raise €182 million annually and proceeds will be spent on improving infrastructure for more environmental modes of transport like rail, she said.

This also did not go down well with Air France, which contended the funds should be used to support the implementation of sustainable biofuel industries or disruptive innovations in the air transport sector.

The levy, which is due to come into force next year, will apply to all airlines flying out of France but it will affect Air France more severely as 50 percent of its flights are operated out of France. 

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Airline Ops O wen H eckrath

FROM WD-1 TO ONEWORLD ALLIANCE (100 Years of British Airways)

The first commercial airline flight between London and Paris took 2.5 hours.

On August 25, 1919, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T) launched the world’s first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris. Through fortuitous, tenuous and often obscure mergers, links and manoeuvres over the past 100 years, the resulting airline now operates to over 180 destinations with a fleet of more than 270 aircraft.

T

HAT first two and a half hour flight 100 years ago not only established the world’s first charted airway (WD1), it also set the technology stage for the airline. The Airco DH 16 was, at the time, a leading edge aircraft for passenger comfort and in subsequent years, ‘leading edge’ technology characterised much of the airline’s mission.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS As with many fledgling airline

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operators shortly after the great war, AT&T were always operated on very slim margins, despite adding Amsterdam and Cologne to their destinations. They were ripe for a take-over which wasn’t long in coming.

In 1921, another airline, Daimler Airways International, purchased AT&T’s assets.

The airline was then based out of Croydon Airfield south of London, operating six de Havilland DH.34 aircraft. New routes opened to Brussels and Amsterdam but the various British airline companies struggled without government support while across the

Channel continental competitors received generous help from their governments. And in 1921 all British airlines ceased operations due to the subsidised European competition.

Soon after the shutdown, a temporary government subsidy was granted, enabling British air services to restart and a Civil Air Transport Subsidies Committee was appointed under Sir Herbert Hambling ‘To consider the present working of crosschannel subsidies and to advise on the best method of subsidising air transport in the future.’ The government implemented the

recommendations of the Hambling Committee and Imperial Airways was incorporated in 1924 as the “chosen instrument” of the British government with the mission of developing British commercial air transport on an economic basis. The new airline was formed out of and took over the fleets of Instone Airlines Limited, Daimler Airways, Handley Page Transport Limited and British Marine Air Navigation Co in a rather rancorous hostile merger.

Based at Croydon Airport, Imperial Airways would receive a government subsidy of £1m spread over ten years on the basis that they would develop routes to the British Empire – South Africa, India and ultimately Australia – particularly for the carriage of mail.

The initial fleet was three Handley Page W.8bs, two Supermarine Sea Eagles, one Vickers Vimy Commercial and seven DH34s. These aircraft were used to develop the European routes to Paris, Zurich, Basle, Amsterdam, Hanover and Berlin. But the aging technology left Imperial Airways open to competition which very quickly established itself.

A number of smaller UK air transport companies had started flights to various continental destinations already serviced by Imperial Airways and in 1935, they merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited. This became Imperial Airways’ principal UK competitor on European routes. By the mid30s Imperial Airways had the longest route network in the world, but while the routes were the longest, passenger miles were minimal

as the airline prioritised mail carriage on its Empire routes. With increasing competition in its only lucrative area, Europe, Imperial was soon in a non-competitive situation and needing further governmental initiative.

Following yet another Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). BOAC is to many, the first recognisable form of British Airways as it was also the first time when the now instantly recognisable BA ‘Speedbird’ was prominently incorporated into the livery of the aircraft. The Speedbird logo was, in fact, already part of the livery of Imperial Airways, but never reached prominence there.

BOAC quickly expanded and introduced services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. Continental European and domestic flights were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA) from 1946 who developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.

From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services and they preserved Britain’s pioneering role in the industry.

Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967, the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for

Imperial Airways Routes reached the Empire mainly for carrying mail.

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Peter Scharkowski

BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second operate the supersonic Aerospatiale-BAC airliner. force airline. This resulted in British Caledonian Simultaneously with Air France, BA inaugurated being born in 1970. the world’s first supersonic passenger service, a Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and daily service between Heathrow and New York BEA were combined under the newly formed British which became one of the airline’s hallmarks.

Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974.

In July 1979, the Government announced its A BEA Viscount, the first turboprop to enter commercial service. intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised. ‘The world’s favourite airline’ as we know it today was finally crystallised out of a series of takeovers, mergers, government intervention, and subsidisation.

In September 1998, British Airways, along with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and Canadian Airlines, formed the Oneworld airline alliance.

LEADING EDGE TECHNOLOGY The various component companies that constitute the British Airways DNA have always been leading edge, either in passenger amenities or in aircraft technology. Examples of this are that in 1922, Instone introduced uniforms for pilots and staff, believed to be the first airline service uniforms and in the same year Daimler Airways began operations from Croydon to Paris using ‘cabin boys’ on their aircraft. Also, British Airways introduced ‘Club Class,’ a separate premium cabin with numerous amenities in October 1978 as a means of distinguishing full-fare business travellers and many airlines quickly followed suit.

But it is in the realm of the aircraft that British Airways and its predecessors have truly distinguished themselves as being leading edge.

On 2 May 1952, BOAC became the world’s first airline to operate jet airliners; the inaugural flight with the de Havilland Comet 1 was from London to Johannesburg. This began a series of “firsts” many of which were never emulated by competitors.

In 1976, British Airways commenced flying Concorde, making it one of two airlines to own and

John Krepp

The BOAC livery was the first time the Speedbird was prominent.

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Other aircraft such as the super-quiet VC10 which was so silent in its passenger cabin that white noise needed to be played through the intercom system to allow passengers to have a private conversation. Or BEA’s Viscount, the first ever turboprop-powered airliner to be entered into commercial service in 1953, the list is extensive as well as being impressive.

But, ultimately, the measure for any airline has got to be its ability to sustain operations in the face of competition, economic conditions and travel adversity. And with a century-long record of being able to rise stronger from adversity, the multicompany, multi-franchise group that is currently labelled British Airways has another 100 years for which to plan. 

SA Flyer 2018|10

AIRCRAFT INTERIORS & EXTERIORS

CAA No AMO 620

Tel: (011) 659-1962 Cell: 076 810 9751 Fax: (011) 659-1964 Email: francois@aircraftcompletions.co.za Hangar 107 C and D, Gate 13, Lanseria Airport

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Feature R eport : R on W heeldon

MARTIN-BAKER EJECTION SEATS IN WARBIRDS Many of us saw the horrific images which showed a UK-based Hawker Hunter erupting into a fireball as it snuffed out the lives of 11 people who happened to be driving past Shoreham Airport in 2016. I was amazed the pilot survived.

H

OW did he survive? Well it seems his Martin Baker Mk 4H seat actuated on impact: the canopy is visible departing the aircraft in the one shot and pilot and seat were deposited in trees near the crash. What is clear is that he was extremely lucky to survive, although he might not have enjoyed his subsequent prosecution (which ultimately acquitted him of manslaughter).

Listening to speculation about the accident and whether or not he had ejected, I realised that ejection seats, especially the legacy systems in ‘warbirds’ are little understood. One of the sad co0nsequences is that many otherwise totally airworthy early jet fighters have been grounded because of lack of knowledge about their ejection seats. A case in point is the SAAF Museum’s beautiful F-86 Sabre.

I have operated a pair of Hawker Hunters fitted with ejection seats for some 22 years.

The escape systems in Hunters and similar long superseded military aircraft are first or second generation ejection seats. The new ones in combat aircraft coming off the

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production lines today are vastly superior.

It is like comparing an Aston Martin DB4 with a Tesla 100S. The DB4 was groundbreaking and spectacular in its day, and still goes very nicely if well maintained – but has nothing like the performance or technical ability of the Tesla. The Tesla will be romping off into the middle distance while the Aston is still getting off the line.

The piston-engine warbirds are not fitted with ‘pyrotechnic escape systems’ so exit in an emergency relies, as it did 80 years ago, on the pilot’s ability to climb out.

What is clear is that the key to successfully leaving an aeroplane that has resolved to kill its pilot is a matter of practice and wearing a parachute. It can be achieved at remarkably low level by a practised pilot. South African Nigel Hopkins successfully bailed out of his MX2 aerobatic mount after it had lost a wing at 300 ft and British warbird pilot Rob Davies bailed out of a P-51 Mustang at Duxford in 2011 following a collision with a Skyraider.

In his words: ‘I was shocked I’d been hit by another member of my formation – it never happens. I tried to straighten the plane and head towards open farmland, hoping I

could ‘belly land’ it, but it was going down fast. Ideally, you shouldn’t use a parachute below 1,000ft, but at around 500ft I realised I wouldn’t be able to save the plane and I had to concentrate on saving myself. I made it out at around 250ft. I was conscious not to tug the release ring on the way out – I could have become snagged on the plane and towed with it into the ground. Instead, I pushed myself out of the cockpit, colliding with the tail. As I bounced over it and cleared the plane, I pulled the cord. I felt no fear as I fell – during these crucial seconds, my training kicked in, and every part of me was concentrated on my survival.’

The arrival of jet fighters made such manual escape all but impossible and so ejection seats became a necessity. The first and second generation seats rely on ‘power cartridges’ which are essentially large calibre ‘blank shells’ similar to cartridges used to launch rifle grenades. They are made of brass, they have a primer (like rifle or pistol ammunition) and are filled with ‘gunpowder’ – or, to be more accurate, a smokeless nitro-cellulose propellant like modern small arms ammunition. These are the classic ‘bang seats’ and it was like sitting

Sunday Mirror

The Shoreham Hunter crash focused attention on aging ejection seats.

on top of a bomb going off. They almost instantaneously propel the seat (and the pilot) from zero to 60 ft/s. This was achieved with a large charge – like an artillery shell – to give the pilot a huge boot under the backside, but the limits of the acceleration a human body can withstand were quickly reached – and exceeded. The seat in the MiG-15 was reputed to a reliable means of turning a pilot into a paraplegic in a nanosecond!

Martin Baker pioneered the phased acceleration seat where a series of smaller cartridges fire in a sequence to use the length of the seat rail for a more gradual acceleration. But it was still brutal with peak acceleration exceeding 20 G – up to 27 G on some seats.

The mean value for the Hunter’s MB Mk 4H seat was 22 G. This accelerated the seat to 80 ft/sec which allowed for ‘0-90 ft’ seats where a successful ejection could be initiated on the ground, as long as there was at least 90 knots forward speed. The later Hawker Hunter single seaters used the Mk 3 seat from this range, as did the Vulcan, Swift, Canberra and many others. The two seat Hunters, in common with the Mirage series of aircraft, Lightnings and suchlike standardised on the Mk 4 seat which was a lighter Mk 3. The version sold to the USA was the Mk 5. A further improved version of the Mk 4, the Mk 6, found its way into MB 326 ‘Impala’ and similar aircraft.

However, the higher velocity catapults on these seats resulted in an increase of vertebrae injury from 10% to 35%. But rather a compressed back than dead. The record of these seats in saving lives is remarkable – the Martin Baker Mk 4 seat had a 96% survival rate.

However, for combat aircraft, cartridge operated ‘bang’ seats are now as obsolete as the aircraft to which they were fitted. Air Force of Zimbabwe pilots started refusing to fly their Hunters after one of

their colleagues was killed in a 1994 accident and – even a decade before – RAF voices had been raised about risking pilot’s lives in Hunters due to their ‘outmoded’ escape systems.

So the seats have evolved – a long way. Watching the miraculous escapes of the Russian MiG-29 pilots, first at the Paris air show in 1989 and then after the collision at Fairford in 1993 (thanks to the then almost miraculous Zvezda K-36 seat) and the many more recent escapes from a range of current aircraft (such as the CF-18 in Canada, and the Thunderbirds F-16 in the USA, for example) has caused the public mind to expect the seat to extract the pilot from almost any circumstance.

However, the performance of 30 year-old rocket assisted systems is no guide to the performance of the almost 60 year old Martin Baker Mk4H seat in a Hunter T Mk 7.

One little understood aspect of any ejection seat, but especially a cartridge seat, is that even a moderate rate of descent of the aircraft will make a low-level ejection impossible, especially with a downward vector. An aircraft dropping at say 5000 fpm will defeat the ability of the seat to get the pilot high enough for his parachute to deploy. The pilot’s notes are cryptic on the subject, but it makes for an interesting study. Generally, the delay between the pilot firing the ejection seat and the main parachute deploying, allowing 1 second for canopy jettison, is 3.5 – 4.5 seconds. With the Martin Baker Mk4H seat as fitted to two-seat Hunters, an 80 feet per second (fps) gun is fitted. To ease the calculation I am going to optimistically assume a seat that would produce 100 fps. If the aircraft is in a 30 degree dive at 240 knots, two things happen: Firstly, the seat will exit the aircraft at an angle below the vertical, reducing the lift from 100 fps

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to around 87 fps. Secondly, the aircraft will be descending at roughly 200 fps, so the nett vector of the seat is 113 fps downward. This means that, with a 3.5 second deployment time, the parachute will open 400 feet below ejection altitude. The aircraft being in a dive also has a negative effect on the pilot’s posture, so it would be preferable (assuming the pilot still has control) to zoom the aircraft before initiating ejection.

An aircraft vectored up at just a 10 degree climb, even if it lost speed to 120 knots, would result in the parachute deploying 250 feet above initiation altitude.

actuated seats are still very good, as long as their limitations are not exceeded. All of those still in use have the later 80m/s main gun and the Mk4H has two sets of booster cartridges that fire in sequence as the seat moves up the rail for a sustained acceleration which does not rely on a single big bang. Over 96% of ejections with these seats were successful. Nonetheless, the 22G acceleration makes injury a far higher risk than with modern seats with rocket systems. Still, use your Mk 4H seat within its parameters and with the proper posture and you ought to be safe. Unfortunately,

those manufacturers as coy as that girl you fancied at school (but who did not fancy you). They are forever ‘washing their hair’.

Ask me, I know.

Martin Baker did give support to its products through a UK company named SES Ltd, but abruptly terminated that support some two years ago. Pretoria Metal Pressings (‘PMP’) has the capability to support the seats as far as pyrotechnics are concerned, specifically cartridges for the Mk 3 and Mk 4 seats, but decline to make cartridges without specific permission from Martin Baker. I have been trying to buy a set

MBA

An early test of a Martin Baker ejection seat from a Gloster Meteor.

Later ejection seats – starting with some models of the MB Mk 6 – adopted rocket packs to sustain acceleration beyond the seat rail and allow slower acceleration with less strain on the pilot’s body. Rocket packs also allowed seats to become ‘0 – 0’ which allow an ejection from a stopped aircraft on a runway. The latest seats have computer controlled vectored thrust which senses orientation of the seat and applies thrust so as to optimise the outcome.

The older Martin Baker cartridge

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these wonderful escape systems need maintenance and – every now and then – new pyrotechnics.

You would think there must be hundreds of ex-military ejection seat technicians who will be happy to earn an extra crust doing maintenance. And naturally the makers of the cartridges will be delighted to have a slightly larger market given the rapidly dwindling numbers of aircraft operated by air forces. But you would be incorrect. The spectre of ‘liability’ makes

for my Mk 58 Hunter for two years now, and they no longer bother to answer me.

Why not fly with the older cartridges?

The problem is that the civil aviation authorities around the world stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations. MartinBaker specified, in their Mk 2, 3 & 4 seats that the cartridges have an installed life of just two years, and a shelf life of six years.

Those of you who are familiar with firearms and ammunition will be aware that ‘old’ ammunition is not considered reliable and

it is therefore unwise to rely upon it if your life depends on it. By ‘old’ ammunition, most ammunition manufacturers mean ten years old, but military ammunition storage protocols can mean 20 years or even longer – up to 50 years.

Modern ejector seat propellants can be single base, double base or triple base.

Single base propellant, or nitrocellulose is a mature technology and modern propellants of this type, if properly stored in a cool and dry environment, can be expected to function perfectly well for around 50 years after manufacture.

Double base propellant is less stable and generally last about 20 years. It’s interesting that cartridges for some US manufactured seats such as the North American seat in my Buckeye T-2, have an installed life of 18 years. This is much more realistic than the UK Martin Baker standard of two years installed, which may have been justified when Hunters and the like stood out in the sun in the Middle East at coastal locations with cockpit temperatures through the roof and high humidity. In the context of pampered warbirds parked in hangars, it is entirely different and a shelf life (or installed life since there is little difference) of 20 years would make sense.

Not content to guess, a friend of mine then in charge of maintenance at Thunder City, Barry Pover, managed to persuade someone at PMP to test six old cartridges that had not been well stored and the youngest of which was 15 years’ old. It was expected that these cartridges would demonstrate seriously degraded capability when tested. Yet all of them passed the tests within the acceptable range for new cartridges. I have tried to have PMP repeat the exercise, but the company declines – instead I was met with the mantra about the

DECIDE WHETHER POSSIBLE DEATH THROUGH SEAT MALFUNCTION TRUMPS CERTAIN DEATH BY STAYING WITH THE AIRCRAFT product being time expired after six years on the shelf. This, it appears, is an arbitrary number not supported by the science.

CONCLUSION. Flying old fighter aircraft is a relatively dangerous sport – it is not ridiculously dangerous - like playing Russian roulette or ‘proximity’ flying wing suits close to chunks of rock that look good in YouTube vids. The aircraft are reliable if properly serviced and flown with ordinary caution.

It is probably on a par, in the danger stakes, with playing rugby or polo, or modern motor racing.

If something drastic does go wrong on a jet warbird especially in a critical phase of flight – just after getting airborne for example – then having a live ejection seat

will quite probably save your life. It might also maim you or even kill you, but you are still better off – probably – than staying with the aircraft. A reasonably wellmaintained seat will work, even with 20 year old cartridges.

However in today’s litigious society the manufacturers do not want to support the seats lest they get sued. It should therefore if necessary, even be legislated that the risk of using the seat is entirely that of the person electing to use it. He or she can then decide whether possible death through seat malfunction trumps certain death by staying with the aircraft. As the person most intimately affected, it seems to make more sense that the choice be in the user’s hands, rather than a bureaucrat! 

Modern ejection seats use slower burn rockets to achieve 0-0 performance rather than back-breaking explosions.

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BACKPAGE DIRECTORY A1A Flight Examiner (Loutzavia) Jannie Loutzis 012 567 6775 / 082 416 4069 jannie@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Adventure Air Lande Milne 012 543 3196 / Cell: 066 4727 848 l.milne@venture-sa.co.za www.ventureglobal.biz AES (Cape Town) Erwin Erasmus 082 494 3722 erwin@aeroelectrical.co.za www.aeroelectrical.co.za AES (Johannesburg) Danie van Wyk 011 701 3200 office@aeroelectrical.co.za www.aeroelectrical.co.za

Atlas Aviation Lubricants Steve Cloete 011 917 4220 Fax: 011 917 2100 Sales.aviation@atlasoil.co.za www.atlasoil.africa

C. W. Price & Co Kelvin L. Price 011 805 4720 cwp@cwprice.co.za www.cwprice.co.za ATNS

Percy Morokane Dart Aeronautical 011 607 1234 Jaco Kelly percymo@atns.co.za 011 827 8204 www.atns.com dartaero@mweb.co.za Aviation Direct Dart Aircraft Electrical Andrea Antel Mathew Joubert 011 465 2669 011 827 0371 info@aviationdirect.co.za Dartaircraftelectrical@gmail.com www.aviationdirect.co.za www.dartaero.co.za Avtech Aircraft Services Riekert Stroh 082 555 2808 / 082 749 9256 avtech1208@gmail.com BAC Aviation AMO 115 Micky Joss 035 797 3610 monicad@bacmaintenance.co.za

Blackhawk Africa Cisca de Lange 083 514 8532 cisca@blackhawk.aero www.blackhawk.aero

DJA Aviation Insurance 011 464 5550 0800Flying mail@dja-aviation.co.za www.dja-aviation.co.za Dynamic Propellers Andries Visser 011 824 5057 082 445 4456 andries@dynamicpropeller.co.za www.dynamicpropellers.co.za

Flying Unlimited Flight School (Pty) Ltd Riaan Struwig 082 653 7504 / 086 770 8376 riaan@ppg.co.za www.ppg.co.za Foster Aero International Dudley Foster 011 659 2533 info@fosteraero.co.za www.fosteraero.co.za

Gemair Andries Venter 011 701 2653 / 082 905 5760 andries@gemair.co.za GIB Aviation Insurance Brokers Richard Turner 011 483 1212 aviation@gib.co.za www.gib.co.za

Gryphon Flight Academy Aerocore Jeffrey Von Holdt Jacques Podde 011 701 2600 082 565 2330 info@gryphonflight.co.za jacques@aerocore.co.za www.gryphonflight.co.za www.aerocore.co.za Eagle Aviation Helicopter Division

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bluechip@bluechip-avia.co.za Eagle Flight Academy Aero Services (Pty) Ltd Heli-Afrique cc www.bluechipflightschool.co.za Mr D. J. Lubbe Chris Scott Tino Conceicao 082 557 6429 011 395 3587 083 458 2172 Border Aviation Club & Flight School training@eagleflight.co.za chris@aeroservices.co.za tino.conceicao@heli-afrique.co.za Liz Gous www.eagleflight.co.za www.aeroservices.co.za

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Henley Air admin@borderaviation.co.za Elite Aviation Academy Aeronav Academy www.borderaviation.co.za Andre Coetzee Jacques Podde Donald O’Connor 011 827 5503

082 565 2330 011 701 3862 andre@henleyair.co.za Breytech Aviation cc info@eliteaa.co.za info@aeronav.co.za www.henleyair.co.za 012 567 3139 www.eliteaa.co.za www.aeronav.co.za Willie Breytenbach Hover Dynamics admin@breytech.co.za Emperor Aviation Aerotric (Pty) Ltd Phillip Cope Paul Sankey Richard Small 074 231 2964 Bundu Aviation 082 497 1701 / 011 824 5683 083 488 4535 info@hover.co.za Phillip Cronje paul@emperoraviation.co.za aerotric@aol.com www.hover.co.za 083 485 2427 www.emperoraviation.co.za info@bunduaviation.co.za

Aircraft Assembly and Upholstery Centre Indigo Helicopters www.bunduaviation.co.za Enstrom/MD Helicopters Tony/Siggi Bailes Gerhard Kleynhans Andrew Widdall 082 552 6467 082 927 4031 / 086 528 4234 Celeste Sani Pak & Inflight Products 011 397 6260 anthony@rvaircraft.co.za veroeschka@indigohelicopters.co.za Steve Harris aerosa@safomar.co.za www.rvaircraft.co.za www.indigohelicopters.co.za 011 452 2456 www.safomar.co.za

admin@chemline.co.za Aircraft Finance Corporation IndigoSat South Africa - Aircraft Tracking www.chemline.co.za Era Flug Flight Training Jaco Pietersen Gareth Willers Pierre Le Riche +27 [0]82 672 2262 08600 22 121 Cape Aircraft Interiors 021 934 7431 jaco@airfincorp.co.za sales@indigosat.co.za Sarel Schutte info@era-flug.com www.airfincorp.co.za www.indigosat.co.za 021 934 9499 www.era-flug.com michael@wcaeromarine.co.za Aircraft Maintenance International Integrated Avionic Solutions www.zscai.co.za Execujet Africa Pine Pienaar Gert van Niekerk 011 516 2300 083 305 0605 082 831 5032 Cape Town Flying Club enquiries@execujet.co.za gm@aminternational.co.za gert@iasafrica.co.za Beverley Combrink www.execujet.com www.iasafrica.co.za 021 934 0257 / 082 821 9013 Aircraft Maintenance International info@capetownflyingclub.co.za Federal Air Wonderboom International Flight Clearances www.@capetownflyingclub.co.za Nick Lloyd-Roberts Thomas Nel Steve Wright 011 395 9000 082 444 7996 076 983 1089 (24 Hrs) Cape Town Flight Training Centre shuttle@fedair.com admin@aminternational.co.za flightops@flyifc.co.za Oraya Laemkaew www.fedair.com www.flyifc.co.za 021 976 7053/084 440 7922 Air Line Pilots’ Association admin@cape-town-flying.co.za Ferry Flights int.inc.

Sonia Ferreira Investment Aircraft www.cape-town-flying.co.za Michael (Mick) Schittenhelm 011 394 5310 Quinton Warne

082 442 6239 alpagm@iafrica.com 082 806 5193 Capital Air ferryflights@ferry-flights.com www.alpa.co.za aviation@lantic.net Micaella Vinagre www.ferry-flights.com

www.investmentaircraft.com 011 827 0335 Airshift Aircraft Sales micaella@capitalairsa.com Fireblade Aviation Eugene du Plessis Jabiru Aircraft www.capitalairsa.com 010 595 3920 082 800 3094 Len Alford

info@firebladeaviation.com eugene@airshift.co.za 044 876 9991 / 044 876 9993 Century Avionics cc www.firebladeaviation.com www.airshift.co.za info@jabiru.co.za Carin van Zyl www.jabiru.co.za 011 701 3244 Flight Training College Airvan Africa sales@centuryavionics.co.za Cornell Morton Patrick Hanly Jim Davis Books www.centuryavionics.co.za 044 876 9055 082 565 8864 Jim Davis ftc@flighttrainning.co.za airvan@border.co.za 072 188 6484 Chemetall www.flighttraining.co.za www.airvan.co.za jim@border.co.za Wayne Claassens

www.jimdavis.co.za 011 914 2500 Flight Training Services Algoa Flying Club

wayne.claassens@basf.com Amanda Pearce Sharon Mugridge Joc Air T/A The Propeller Shop www.chemetall.com 011 805 9015/6 041 581 3274 Aiden O’Mahony amanda@fts.co.za info@algoafc.co.za 011 701 3114 Chem-Line Aviation & Celeste Products www.fts.co.za www.algoafc.co.za jocprop@iafrica.com Steve Harris

011 452 2456 Flightsure Aviation Brokers Alpi Aviation SA Kishugu Aviation sales@chemline.co.za Mandy Coetzer Dale De Klerk +27 13 741 6400 www.chemline.co.za 011 805 1884 082 556 3592 comms@kishugu.com mandy@flightsure.co.za dale@alpiaviation.co.za www.kishugu.com/kishugu-aviation Comporob Composite Repair & www.flightsure.co.za www.alpiaviation.co.za Manufacture Kit Planes for Africa Felix Robertson Fly Jetstream Aviation Apco (Ptyd) Ltd Stefan Coetzee 072 940 4447 Henk Kraaij Tony/Henk 013 793 7013 083 265 3602 083 279 7853 012 5213 0775 info@saplanes.co.za comporob@lantic.net charter@flyjetstream.co.za support@apcosa.co.za www.saplanes.co.za www.comporob.co.za www.flyjetstream.co.za www.apcosa.co.za Kzn Aviation (Pty) Ltd Corporate-Aviators/Affordable Jet Sales Flying Frontiers Aref Avionics Melanie Jordaan Mike Helm Craig Lang Hannes Roodt 031 564 6215 082 442 6239 082 459 0760 082 462 2724 mel@kznaviation.co.za corporate-aviators@iafrica.com CraigL@fairfield.co.za arefavionics@border.co.za www.kznaviation.co.za www.corporate-aviators.com www.flyingfrontiers.com

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North East Avionics Keith Robertson +27 13 741 2986 keith@northeastavionics.co.za deborah@northeastavionics.co.za www.northeastavionics.co.za Landing Eyes Gavin Brown Orsmond Aviation 031 202 5703 058 303 5261 info@landingeyes.co.za info@orsmondaviation.co.za www.landingeyes.com www.orsmondaviation.co.za

Lanseria Aircraft Interiors Owenair (Pty) Ltd Francois Denton Clive Skinner 011 659 1962 / 076 810 9751 082 923 9580 francois@aircraftcompletions.co.za clive.skinner@owenair.co.za www.owenwair.co.za Lanseria International Airport Mike Christoph Pacair 011 367 0300 Wayne Bond mikec@lanseria.co.za 033 386 6027 www.lanseria.co.za pacair@telkomsa.net

Skyworx Aviation Kevin Hopper kevin@skyworx.co.za www.skyworxaviation.co.za

U Fly Training Academy Nikola Puhaca 011 824 0680 ufly@telkomsa.net www.uflyacademy.co.za

United Charter cc Jonathan Wolpe 083 270 8886 jonathan.wolpe@unitedcharter.co.za www.unitedcharter.co.za

Sky-Tech Heinz Van Staden 082 720 5210 sky-tech@telkomsa.net www.sky-tech.za.com

United Flight Support Clinton Moodley/Jonathan Wolpe 076 813 7754 / 011 788 0813 ops@unitedflightsupported.com www.unitedflightsupport.com

Plane Maintenance Facility Johan 083 300 3619 pmf@myconnection.co.za

Sling Aircraft Kim Bell-Cross 011 948 9898 sales@airplanefactory.co.za www.airplanefactory.co.za

Solenta Aviation (Pty Ltd) Paul Hurst 011 707 4000 info@solenta.com www.solenta.com

Precision Aviation Services Pieter Hulleman 012 543 0371 riks@pasaviation.co.za www.pasaviation.co.za

Southern Energy Company (Pty) Ltd Elke Bertram +264 8114 29958 johnnym@sec.com.na www.sec.com.na

Precision Aviation Training Academy Johan Odendaal 012 543 0372 / 082 553 4413 johan@pasaviation.co.za www.patahelicopters.co.za

PSG Aviation Reon Wiese 0861 284 284 reon.wiese@psg.co.za www.psg aviation.co.za

Southern Rotorcraft cc Mr Reg Denysschen Tel no: 0219350980 sasales@rotors-r-us.com www.rotors-r-us.com

Unique Air Charter Nico Pienaar 082 444 7994 nico@uniqueair.co.za www.uniqueair.co.za

Unique Flight Academy Nico Pienaar 082 444 7994 nico@uniqueair.co.za www.uniqueair.co.za

Van Zyl Aviation Services Colette van Zyl 012 997 6714 admin@vanzylaviationco.za www.vanzylaviation.co.za

Vector Aerospace Jeff Poirier +902 888 1808 jeff.poirier@vectoraerospace.com www.vectoraerospace.com

Legend Sky 083 860 5225 / 086 600 7285 info@legendssky.co.za www.legendsky.co.za

PFERD-South Africa (Pty) Ltd Hannes Nortman 011 230 4000 hannes.nortman@pferd.co.za www.pferd.com

Litson & Associates (Pty) Ltd OGP, BARS, Resources Auditing & Aviation Training karen.litson@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 21 8517187 www.litson.co.za

Pipistrel Kobus Nel 083 231 4296 kobus@pipistrelsa.co.za www.pipistrelsa.co.za

Litson & Associates Risk Management Services (Pty) Ltd. eSMS-S/eTENDER/ eREPORT/Advisory Services karen.litson@litson.co.za Phone: 27 (0) 8517187 www.litson.co.za Loutzavia Aircraft Sales Henry Miles 082 966 0911 henry@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za

Loutzavia Charters Henry Miles 012 567 3873 charters@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za

Loutzavia Flight Training Gerhardt Botha 012 567 6775 ops@loutzavia.co.za www.loutzavia.co.za Loutzavia-Pilots and Planes Maria Loutzis 012 567 6775 maria@loutzavia.co.za www.pilotsnplanes.co.za Loutzavia Rand Frans Pretorius 011 824 3804 rand@loutzavia.co.za www@loutzavia.co.za Lowveld Aero Club Pugs Steyn 013 741 3636 Flynow@lac.co.za Marshall Eagle Les Lebenon 011 958 1567 les@marshalleagle.co.za www.marshalleagle.co.za MCC Aviation Pty Ltd Claude Oberholzer 011 701 2332 info@flymcc.co.za www.flymcc.co.za

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

Metropolitan Aviation (Pty) Ltd Gert Mouton 082 458 3736 herenbus@gmail.com

SIM Aerotraining (Pty) Ltd 011 395 1326 Keith Roseveare keithr@simaero.co.za www.sim.aero

Rainbow SkyReach (Pty) Ltd Mike Gill 011 817 2298 Mike@fly-skyreach.com www.fly-skyreach.com

Rand Airport Stuart Coetzee 011 827 8884 stuart@randairport.co.za www.randairport.co.za

Robin Coss Aviation Robin Coss 021 934 7498 info@cossaviation.com www.cossaviation.co.za

Skyhorse Aviation Tamarin Bond 012 809 3571 info@skyhorse.co.za www.skyhorse.co.za

Velocity Aviation Collin Pearson 011 659 2306 / 011 659 2334 collin@velocityaviation.co.za www.velocityaviation.co.za

Sport Plane Builders Pierre Van Der Walt 083 361 3181 pmvdwalt@mweb.co.za Starlite Aero Sales Klara Fouché +27 83 324 8530 / +27 31 571 6600 klaraf@starliteaviation.com www.starliteaviation.com

Villa San Giovanni Luca Maiorana 012 111 8888 info@vsg.co.za www.vsg.co.za

Starlite Aviation Operations Trisha Andhee +27 82 660 3018/ +27 31 571 6600 trishaa@starliteaviation.com www.starliteaviation.com

Vortx Aviation Bredell Roux 072 480 0359 info@vortx.co.za www.vortxaviation.com

Starlite Aviation Training Academy Enquiries Durban: +27 31 571 6600 Mossel Bay: +27 44 692 0006 train@starliteaviation.com www.starliteaviation.com

Wagtail Aviation Johan van Ludwig 082 452 8194 acrochem@mweb.co.za www.wagtail.co.za

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

Status Aviation (Pty) Ltd Richard Donian 074 587 5978 / 086 673 5266 info@statusaviation.co.za www.statusaviation.co.za

Wanafly Adrian Barry 082 493 9101 adrian@wanafly.net www.wanafly.co.za

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

Superior Pilot Services Liana Jansen van Rensburg 0118050605/2247 info@superiorair.co.za www.superiorair.co.za

Windhoek Flight Training Centre Thinus Dreyer 0026 40 811284 180 pilots@flywftc.com www.flywftc.com

SA Mooney Patrick Hanly 082 565 8864 samooney@border.co.za www.samooney.co.za Savannah Helicopters De Jager 082 444 1138 / 044 873 3288 dejager@savannahhelicopters.co.za www.savannahhelicopters.co.za Scenic Air Christa van Wyk +264 612 492 68 windhoek@scenic-air.com www.scenic-air.com

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

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

MS Aviation Gary Templeton 082 563 9639 gary.templeton@msaviation.co.za www.msaviation.co.za

Sheltam Aviation PE Brendan Booker 082 497 6565 brendanb@sheltam.com www.sheltamaviation.com

The Copter Shop Bill Olmsted 082 454 8555 execheli@iafrica.com www.execheli.wixsite.com/the-copter-shopsa Titan Helicopter Group 044 878 0453 info@titanhelicopters.com www.titanhelicopters.com TPSC Dennis Byrne 011 701 3210 turboprop@wol.co.za Trio Helicopters & Aviation cc CR Botha or FJ Grobbelaar 011 659 1022

stoffel@trioavi.co.za/frans@trioavi.co.za

www.trioavi.co.za

Tshukudu Trailers Pieter Visser 083 512 2342 deb@tshukudutrailers.co.za www.tshukudutrailers.co.za

Wings n Things Wendy Thatcher 011 701 3209 wendy@wingsnthings.co.za www.wingsnthings.co.za Witbank Flight School Andre De Villiers 083 604 1718 andredv@lantic.net www.waaflyingclub.co.za Wonderboom Airport Peet van Rensburg 012 567 1188/9 peet@wonderboomairport.co.za www.wonderboomairport.co.za

Zandspruit Bush & Aero Estate Martin Den Dunnen 082 449 8895 martin@zandspruit.co.za www.zandspruit.co.za Zebula Golf Estate & SPA Reservations 014 734 7700 reception@zebula.co.za www.zebula.co.za

FlightCom Magazine

64

Industry Update R eport : O wen H eckrath

GATWICK FLIGHTS SUSPENDED Gatwick(LGW), the second busiest airport in the U.K. after London-Heathrow (LHR) has recently been experiencing “traffic technology” woes. First was the delays and flight cancellations caused by unauthorised drones operating over the airfield last December and now it’s the traffic control systems that are causing the delays.

A

LL flights at London Gatwick Airport were suspended after problems arose with the airport’s air traffic control systems recently. It has been reported that the issue stemmed from tower computer systems. A total of 26 flights were diverted during the two-hour outage, with an estimated 95 flights cancelled and 298 delayed. The system failure occurred at

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approximately 17h00 local time.

“Due to an air traffic control systems issue in Gatwick’s control tower, flights are currently suspended,” airport authorities said in a statement during the outage.

“We are working with ANS, our air traffic control provider, to rectify this issue as quickly as possible.” After the airport reopened, authorities cautioned passengers to expect delays and further cancellations

throughout the evening. While the airport said it was planning to operate a full flight schedule the following day, delays were still being reported. 

BELOW: Gatwick is the UK's second busiest airport.