The most anticipated version of the phenomenally successful Sling series is the Sling High Wing. The High Wing – or just Sling HW – was first proposed as a high wing version of the Sling 2 at the same time as founder Mike Blyth started work on the original SlingRead More →
https://www.capetalk.co.za/podcasts/144/afternoon-drive-with-john-maytham/533882/saa-pilots-reach-deal https://omny.fm/shows/the-john-maytham-show/saa-pilots-reach-dealRead More →
As a general aviation magazine SAA arguably gets more than its fair share of attention in our reports. But the hard truth is that this airline has cost the South African taxpayer around R50 billion in the past 20 years. Hundreds of billions may be wasted by corrupt local authoritiesRead More →
One of the more spectacular crashes was that of Helios Airways Flight 522 Boeing 737 which flew on with a dead cockpit crew until it crashed into a Greek mountainside. The root problem was a breakdown in communication in the cockpit. THE HELIOS 522 CRASH is a good example ofRead More →
The free market is a wonderful thing. It prices in all the joys and the pains of aircraft ownership. You can buy a hassle free but fundamentally unchallenging Cherokee 6 or Cessna 206 – or for much the same money – you can have a real blast – fly aRead More →
One of the unexpected pleasures is having a fondly cherished idea booted into touch. For me one such notion was that hydrogen powered planes are not practical. Hydrogen has always just seemed like a bad idea – think of the Hindenburg disaster – and for a hundred other reasons. ONERead More →
As times get increasingly tougher I find increasing evidence of aircraft insurance companies looking for any excuse not to pay. There are good insurance brokers – and underwriters – and er… some not so good ones. This is a story of good insurers not paying – and how things went downhill from there. Read More →
A year ago the Covid-19 pandemic seemed more imaginary than a real threat. When the state of disaster with its lockdown regulations was introduced in March 2020, there was general scepticism, and at best reluctant compliance, in many quarters. But now it’s hitting home – felling many giants in the aviation community. This column is about just three of the larger than life characters who have been taken from us by Covid-19. In December the second wave of the pandemic hit, and this time it’s far more virulent thatRead More →
As the Covid-19 lockdown lifted, a number of flying clubs seized the opportunity to get their members back in the air by organising fly-ins. Members of the informal Zandspruit Flying Club in Hoedspruit managed to arrange a small but particularly noteworthy fly-in. Stars of the fly-in were the two Harvards from the well-known Balding Eagles collection in Hekpoort. Of particular note was the first appearance of the Harvard called Popeye. This Harvard has benefittedRead More →
Around two years ago I ran a series of 12 articles I called ‘The CAA Dossier’ which articulated the frustrations of the aviation community at the manifold failures of the SACAA. However, I became increasingly uncomfortable with that series as it was too often one-sided. The nature of publishing deadlines meant that the CAA could claim that it did notRead More →
