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African Pilot Newsletter 04 - 2007
Monday 29 January 2007
â€Å“It takes a big step in your personal development when you realize that other people can help you do a better job than you can do by yourself. After all, you can't whistle a symphony; it takes an orchestra.â€Â Andrew Carnegie
Our February edition
African Pilot's February edition is selling out fast and the month has not even started. This past week staff members had to replenish several pilot shops with additional stock due to the incredible popularity of this edition. The cover picture of Scully Levin and Patrick Davidson flying two of Stu Davidson's immaculate T6 Harvards in formation was captured along the beautiful coastline near Port Alfred. The Yak 52 camera aircraft was flown by Stu Davidson, whilst the article that this picture represents is all about the incredible charity work that Stu Davidson, his entourage of pilots and assistants undertake each year in order to raise funds for needy children.
African Pilot's March edition
It seems almost impossible, but we will be closing off acceptances for our March edition on Friday 2 nd February in order to meet the deadline imposed by the shortest month in the year. We still have capacity to take your advertising message to our readers. African Pilot currently prints 10 000 copies of each edition, more than other monthly aviation magazines and all of these are distributed into southern African countries as well as selected distribution into the remainder of Africa. For further information on advertising prices please visit our Website: www.africanpilot.co.za , click on PRICE GUIDE. You may also contact our marketing department: marketing@africanpilot.co.za or call Travis on (011) 702 2342/3. Thank you.
African Pilot's 2007 Aviation Service Guide
We will be closing acceptances for the annual Service Guide on Wednesday 31 January in order to prepare the supplement for printing. Can you business afford not to be seen in the most widely distributed and influential Aviation Services Guide in South Africa ? Altogether 10 000 copies of African Pilot's Service Guide are to be packaged and distributed together with our March edition â€â€œ the only reliable method of getting the Service Guide into the market place. Prices for inclusion are from as little as R180 for a line entry containing your company's details to R6 000 for a full A5 page. In order to place your company information, please contract Travis: e-mail: marketing@africanpilot.co.za or telephone: (011) 702 2342/3 Thank you.
African Pilot's aviation picture stock
As each week goes by pictures are added to the African Pilot picture stock library which can be found on our Website: www.africanpilot.co.za . As the home page opens, click on African Pilot Image Gallery and simply follow the links to various categories of aviation images. Non aviation images are to be found on the AFS Studio Image Gallery link and again there is a growing portfolio of exciting images especially within the wildlife section. All images are for sale at various prices depending on usage and the size required and all pictures are the copyright of Athol Franz or a person associated to the business. For further information on ordering, please contact Divan: (011) 702 2342/3 or e-mail: info@africanpilot.co.za
Thank you.
Air-to-air photography of your aircraft
In recent weeks the African Pilot team has been hard at work photographing several aircraft types from our Cessna 182 based at AFOS Rand Airport . Sorties have involved three Beechcraft Bonanzas, a brand new Cessna 172 together with an immaculate 43 three year old Cessna 172, Grand Central based Flight Training Services fleet of three Cessna 172s and a Piper Twin Comanche in formation, the SAAB Safir in the current edition and an almost new Piper Seneca V based at Krugersdorp airfield. Apart from undertaking an article on your particular aircraft type, each owner who flies a sortie with African Pilot receives a portfolio of superb digital air-to-air pictures on a CD. If you have a classic or unusual airplane and wish to see your â€Ëœpride and joy' featured in African Pilot please contact the writer on e-mail: editor@africanpilot.co.za giving details of your suggestions. Thank you.
Letter from Brian Emmenis
Hope you are all well and that you all had a great Christmas and New Year break.
On 3 and 4 Feb (next weekend) the Round the Island Yacht Race will take place in Deneysville. In recent years the event has attracted 500 yachts and about 5 000 spectators, who assemble around the clubhouse for most of the weekend.
For the past ten years I have been the host broadcaster on both the Saturday and Sunday where pilots flying a variety of aircraft have done fly pasts. This has resulted in great excitement amongst the spectators as they do not get to see much of the yachting itself.
Should any of you wish to come out and do a fly past or so it would be very much appreciated by not only ourselves, but also by a very grateful yachting fraternity. I also believe that Deneysville is not too far from either Rand or Vereeniging Airports . I will provide full commentary and will also be manning two air radios in our bid to secure safe skies around Lake Deneys .
If you are willing to participate could you please let me know? Would you be so kind and pass this e-mail onto any pilots that you think might also be interested. It might also be a great opportunity to do a warm up session before the start of the airshow season.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Brian Emmenis E-mail: capital@icon.co.za
Office: +27 (0) 57 388-2351 Cell: +27 (0) 82 7764 604
Cancellation of the EAA Wonderboom Airshow for 2007
On 11 January 2007 the EAA received a fax from the management of Wonderboom
Airport, advising us that Wonderboom Airport would be undertaking major construction work related to upgrading of their facilities with a view to the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2010. The extent of the construction work is such that Wonderboom Airport will not be available to host the EAA Wonderboom Airshow in 2007.
EAA sent a reply, thanking the Management of Wonderboom Airport for informing us timorously, and wishing them well with their various construction projects. We expressed the wish that our favourable relationship be renewed in the future.
This of course left the EAA without a suitable venue to host our Airshow. There has been a valid question raised by some of the EAA members, concerning the reward for effort in relation to the risks inherent in running a large Airshow. There is also the difficulty of adapting ourselves to any other venue in the short time available. I therefore do not believe that it would be logistically possible to hold the event this year.
However, we have been in discussions with the management team at Rand Airport with a view to the EAA actually managing certain aspects of the upcoming Rand Airshow on the 6 May 2007. No final decisions have been made and we will advise you as soon as finality has been reached and what our role will be.
Just to comment on the inevitable question: "When are we going back to Margate ?"
In principle, I have no objection to holding an EAA event at Margate (or any other suitable venue). However, the reality of EAA organizing an event from a distance is that a few (always the same) people have to make huge sacrifices in terms of time and money in order to arrange and manage the Airshow. Afterwards the same people are generally involved with the â€Å“clean-upâ€Â. Neither I nor any other members of the present executive of EAA are in a position to make those kinds of sacrifices. Those who were involved in the past at this venue do not want to be involved now, whatever their reasons may be. Therefore my answer is: "If somebody local is prepared to pick up the mantle and run with it, we will most certainly be there to support you"
Two years ago EAA decided to separate its Annual Convention from the EAA Airshow. The Convention is a Fly-In, with the ground arrangements being made by a different Chapter in a different province each year. The East London aviation community overwhelmed us with their outstanding hospitality in 2006!
May I take this opportunity to invite all aviation-minded people to our EAA Convention, to be hosted by the KwaZulu Natal Chapters at Oribi Airport , Pietermaritzburg from 25 to 27 May 2007. Oribi offers stunning scenery, good facilities, and it is only about 20 minutes flying time from the coast. Come and join us!
Russell Dold - President: National Council of EAA Chapters
Rand Airport Challenge
Start your engines, its time to get ready for the 3rd annual Rand Airport Challenge. This event has some history now and is lots of fun. Although we have had to do some juggling of dates the date has been set for Saturday the 17 February 2007.
Last year certain competitors challenged the scoring system with very creative flying, so this year it will be time to reveal some of the tips and secrets of competition flying. For those who enter, you will be given two maps with the route printed on the map, no need to plot the course from a clue sheet. After the safety and weather briefing at 8h00, we will have a Springbok pilot to share the tips and tricks of competition flying therefore please bring a pen and paper as well as your thinking cap with you.
Now with your new found skills, you and your navigator will set out to fly the route plotted on the map whilst concentrating on accurate navigation and timing. There will be no photos or questions to distract your attention.
Our sponsors from last year had a lot of fun and have generously donated prizes again this year for which we thank them. Some of our prizes will go to the best times at selected turn points and there will also be several lucky draws.
For more information on this exciting competition, point the mouse at this spot and click: http://www.sapfa.org.za/fun_main.php .
Entry forms will now be accepted by fax: (011) 824 5633.
Free State Regional Aviation Safety Seminar
13 February 2007, @ Bloemfontein Flying Club at 16:30 for -17:00
Arrival of guests 17:00-17:05 Opening remarks: CEO of CAA
17:05-17:20 Background and objectives of the Safety Seminar
17:20-17:45 Presentation on aviation accidents
17:45-19:00 Discussion session - technical, general, training, operators and legal issues
19:00-19:30 Refreshments
19:30-20:00 wrap up
Entrance is free - cash bar available after seminar
RSVP before 9 February to Bongi Mngomezulu at (011) 545 1408/1410 or 083 451 2683 or E-mail to : MngomezuluB@caa.co.za
Kulula takes no nonsense when it comes to safety
In the light of the bomb threat that was made on kulula.com's flight MN106 from Cape Town to Johannesburg on Wednesday 24 January, the airline has once again stated that all threats made to the safety of its passengers and crew will be taken in a very serious light.
Gidon Novick, joint CEO of kulula.com said, â€Å“Safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance to us and we take a no-nonsense approach to any threats made.â€Â Novick went on to say, â€Å“I appeal to all our customers not to make such jokes because we will take them seriously and hand offenders to the police for prosecution.â€Â He added that, â€Å“dealing with these sorts of offenders also inconveniences our other customers.â€Â
A passenger was allowed through a security check point at Cape Town international airport by ACSA security officials after falsely stating that an unusual-looking object in his luggage was a bomb. However when the flight captain was informed of the incident as he was preparing for take-off, he followed standard operating procedure by returning back to base and handing the suspect over to police officials. There were 103 passengers and six crew members on board the Boeing 737-400 and no-one was harmed.
Air Botswana passenger threat
On Monday night 22 January a passenger onboard Air Botswana 's flight BP201 from Gaborone to Johannesburg threatened the passengers and crew, banged on the cockpit door and demanded asylum in South Africa . He was quickly apprehended at OR Tambo upon arrival and the safety procedures at the airport were followed correctly, according to Lance Brogden, CEO of Air Botswana.
Aviation Humour
Two very elderly flying friends, Jim and Sam, met in the park every day to feed the pigeons, watch the squirrels and discuss the world's aviation problems. One day Jim didn't show up. Sam didn't think much about it figured maybe he had a cold or some such ailment. But after Jim hadn't shown up for a week or so Sam really got worried. However, since the only time they ever got together was at the park, Sam didn't know where Jim lived so he was unable to find out what had happened to him. A month had past and Sam figured he had seen the last of Jim but one day Sam approached the park and lo and behold there sat Jim! Sam was very excited and happy to see him and told him so! Then he said, "For crying out loud Jim, what in the world happened to you?"
Jim replied, "I have been in jail."
"Jail?" cried Sam! "What in the world for?"
"Well," Jim said, "you know Sue, that cute little blonde waitress at the airport coffee shop where we some times get coffee?
"Yeah" said Sam, I remember her. What about her?"
"Well one day she charged me with rape and I was so proud that when I got into court, I pled "guilty" and the judge gave me 30 days for perjury."
African Pilot weekly newsletters
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