The DC-6 Odyssey to the Comoros
Indian Ocean Island Odyssey (or Fiasco) Jeffrey Kempson Before the South African political transformation, a group of diving enthusiasts wished to extend their diving experience to the more northern reaches of the Indian Ocean. They were aware of the Coelacanth discovery near the Comoros Islands, and the proliferation of exoticRead More →
The Cyberattack on the SAAF
The recent much-publicised breach of the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) networks by the ‘Snatch’ ransomware team, in which they stole multiple terabytes of files and published them online, has thrown into sharp relief the need for strong cybersecurity practices for African militaries, especially as they adopt more digitisedRead More →
Book Review
Guy Leitch Pooleys Air Pilot Manual. Volume 4. The Aeroplane – General Knowledge British based Pooleys have become the industry standard for ab-initio flight training books in the UK and Europe. They have brought out Southern African editions of their Air Pilots Manual series and I have been reviewing oneRead More →
John – Illsley – Goodbye Mr Chips
Tribute Guy Leitch Too often we only present tributes to remarkable people when they have died. This article is a tribute to a man who is very much alive, yet who has already made a greater impact and touched more lives in general aviation in South Africa than anyone elseRead More →
Saving the Angolan Giant Sable
John Bassi Saving the Giant Sable in Angola Part one. John Bassi The giant sable bull arrived dangling beneath legendary wildlife pilot, Barney O’Hara’s MD500 helicopter, the antelope’s four-foot-long horns curving back toward its flanks like the scythe of a backhoe. As the aircraft came into view, hundreds of peopleRead More →
Tail wags Dog
Peter Garrison ‘Hinge moment’ is the technical name for the force required to deflect a control surface. In small, relatively slow aeroplanes hinge moments are not very large; pilots move the controls with ease. But as control surfaces get larger and speeds get higher, hinge moments grow rapidly. Hinge momentsRead More →
Iris and Kenya Air
IRIS – HER EARLY YEARS. PART 7 Air Kenya Laura McDermid continues her stories about Iris McCallum in East Africa. From my veranda window in Watamu the serene Indian ocean stretched out to meet the horizon in an endless embrace. Without the puffy white clouds that dotted the azure sky,Read More →
Hugh Pryor remembers Robbie Robinson
“Hello. I am your Examiner…I am here to help you!” Oh yeah…Really? I am one of those people who loses two nights of sleep before an Instrument Rating Check Ride (IRT). I spent ten years of my life at boarding school and four years at university. When that was overRead More →
Cessna C172 – Night Flight goes wrong
Jim Davis SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY This discussion is to promote safety and not to establish liability. CAA’s report contains padding and repetition, so in the interest of clarity, I have paraphrased extensively. Aircraft registration: ZS-IFK Date and time of accident: 15 September 2014 1808Z Type of aircraft: Read More →