This wonderful photograph celebrates two things – the pending ending of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic – and the invaluable work of the firefighting helicopters. After a storm over Stellenbosch the sun broke through and created this magically biblical rainbow over the Hottentots Holland mountains. Charmaine Jackson, matriarch of the famedRead More →
As I write this, the big question for everybody who has an interest in SAA is whether Covid-19 is the final nail in the airline’s coffin? In early March we finally saw the first clear signs from the business rescue practitioners of their turnaround strategy. And it was ugly, withRead More →
We are in a war against Covid-19, and desperate times call for desperate measures. As I write this we have been forced into a three-week nationwide lockdown. This is unprecedented – like a plot from a noir sci-fi novel. We are in unknown territory, so it’s difficult to guesstimate whatRead More →
Like almost everywhere else in the world, Africa is having to come to grips with the challenges of integrating drone operations with manned aviation The challenge is to ensure the safe co-existence of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) generally referred to as drones. Individual African states are taking steps to developRead More →
Late last year, the United States Air Force awarded seven separate companies components of a massive multi-year US$ 6.4 billion contract for the provision of ‘Red Air’ adversary air combat training. There are useful lessons to be learned for Africa. While notable for its size, ‘Red Air’ was an expectedRead More →
With the decline in SAA and the shrinking of job opportunities young pilots are looking abroad to get a career going. There has been an enormous upturn in interest in how to convert a South African licence to a European one. N The Return of the Pink Panther, Inspector ClouseauRead More →
In the first week of January a Bombardier Global 6500 corporate jet operated by the manufacturer touched down at Lanseria International Airport. Believed to be on a customer demonstration flight, it departed again the following day heading to South America. This low-key visit is the first to South Africa byRead More →
Thanks to the steadily increasing demand for Lanseria from the scheduled airlines, Lanseria International Airport is still powering upwards on an ambitious growth trajectory. This despite the general aviation market being under much pressure. In contrast to the dysfunctional Wonderboom Airport, which has been run into the ground by theRead More →
Every year in September an emotional ceremony is held at the Katyn Monument in the James and Ethel Gray Park in Johannesburg to commemorate the anniversary of the historic South African Airforce relief flights over Warsaw. 2019 was the 75th Anniversary of this massive air transport effort. The annual ceremonyRead More →
SYNOPSIS The pilot, who was the sole occupant onboard the aircraft, was on a private flight from Wonderboom Aerodrome to Grand Central Aerodrome. His intention was to uplift two passengers at Grand Central from where they would have flown to New Tempe Aerodrome near Bloemfontein. The pilot was cleared forRead More →
