AMOs and Refurbishment 2019
African Pilot’s annual AMOs, Refurbishment and Professional Services is to be found on page 80 of this edition. This exciting feature covers many of South Africa’s best-known aviation companies and reflects new photographs and information on this vital sector of aviation business.
Flights to Nowhere
This month, we have started a series for the next 12 editions about ‘Flights to Nowhere’ written by Commercial Pilot Wouter Botes and the first in the series is all about the SAA Viscount the Rietbok that flew into the ocean off East London on 13 March 1967. Sometimes the mystery surrounding the disappearance of various aircraft and helicopters is solved years later when the wreck is found, but there have been several occasions where the accident site has never been discovered. The first in this exciting series is to be found on page 20 of this edition.
Children’s Flight
Even though the weather was wet to begin with and very windy with a cold cross wind, the five helicopters that took the 300 children and their helpers for a short flight around the airfield were fantastic. Unfortunately, no fixed wing aircraft took to the skies due to the stiff wind that was directly across the runway and the two safety officers; Francois Hanekom and Nigel Musgrave considered the wind factor to be too dangerous for this exercise.
Royal International Air Tattoo
The main theme at RIAT this year was the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which was supposed to be celebrated in fine style. However, the rain Gods had other ideas! The 50th anniversary of the moon landing was another theme; celebrated with an appearance of Tim Peake on the Friday.
