As much as May is a flying administration month with medicals and license renewals (did I mention it took 9 weeks to get my license renewal back from submission to collection?), August/September is annual time. Last year I had a big shock in that I had to pony up for the 5yearly rubber hose replacement,…
Back to the Drakensberg
Level 2 lockdown is real in South Africa. This allows further movement and (good news for some) the purchase of alcohol and cigarettes. Most importantly, the restrictions on general aviation have been lifted – we can fly between provinces (states) and can fly with other people in the aircraft. To celebrate our new found freedom…
Competition flying again
The fluttering noise didn’t catch my attention as much as the white flash of paper passing before my eyes. Flailing wildly didn’t help as the paper in question – the photos of the start and finish gates – flew out the gullwing door of my Sling, and contrary to what would be expected, got sucked…
200 Hours
In a previous post I described the limited flying that we had been allowed to do – one ‘maintenance/engine preservation’ flight per 28days. After significant lobbying by the Aeroclub of South Africa and a slight relaxation in the lockdown regulations, this restriction has been lifted to some extent. We are now permitted to fly unlimited…
Feathered friends
Last weekend I attempted to fly yet another ‘maintenance/engine preservation’ flight as allowed for by our Commission Against Aviation. It had been 29 days since I knocked off the rust and it looked like the perfect day for aviation. However, the weather had other ideas. A cold front was blowing in from the Cape and…
Knocking off the rust
I think it goes without saying that we’re all a little bit fed up with this virus… The constant news bombardment, added to the constant fights we as frontline providers are having with hospital groups and government with respect to the provision and availability of PPE, the constant threat of infection and quarantine and the…
On being flexible
The reality of single engine piston operations is that one tends to be at the mercy of the vagaries of the weather. This shouldn’t be news to anyone really but it was brought home to me last weekend on an attempted flight to meet a friend for a quick coffee at Rustenburg (FARG). After some…
Speed Rally Season 2 Race 2 – Witbank
I think my aircraft may have forgotten me. The last time I flew was with my daughter on Christmas Eve. We did at least do this properly by wearing Santa hats and by going for milkshakes at Rand Airport (FAGM).
2019 in the air
Total Hours : – 67.7 Number of flights: – 71 Longest Flight:- 2.3h Airports visited:- 27 Landings:- 113 Cross Country Hours(>50nm):- 29.0 Passengers(not unique):- 35 All in all a great year’s flying. Bring on 2020!
Speed Rally Season 2, Race 1 – Springs
The 2019/2020 Speed Rally season opened on the 23rd of November with the first race being held at the Springs Airport (FASY). This would be our second speed rally, the first one having been at Secunda in August. This time my son Scott was unable to navigate for me because he was studying for exams…