The Spectacular Pretoria Airshow - Rhino Park Airfield
By Jaco Pitout
21 April 2025
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There is something special about having an airshow at your “home” airfield. The Easter long-weekend was the perfect time for just such an airshow at Rhino Park airfield to the East of Pretoria. The Airshow would coincide with the Pretoria Fees or Festival that saw the Legends Leisure Complex being converted into an exhibition centre showcasing anything from boats and camping equipment to a fun fair as well as an enormous stage where several musical artists would perform through the weekend. The highlight of the weekend, though was the Airshow, scheduled for Monday 21st April.
I must compliment the airshow organizer, David le Roux, from Pilotinsure for the efforts he and his team put into this event, it could be seen and felt. The organization was slick and efficient, I would hazard to say that it is was on a par with an international airshow such as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Arriving at the field on Monday morning, the typical low mist was present with literally no wind. I remember remarking to a friend that I wished I brought my headset along, it was perfect flying weather. The first order of the day was to attend the media briefing by David and Keith Fryer, from AirBoss SA who would conduct duties as Flight Display Director. Keith would be assisted through the day by Nigel Musgrave as ramp director, assisted by Karen Matthews from ATNS.
With Rhino Park being close to the resident airfields of the display teams, arrivals started to trickle in from Krugersdorp and Rand.
The day started in all earnest with the display of the emergency vehicle cavalcade. Two rapid response vehicles lead the charge with a Dennis fire engine bringing the heavy hitting fire fighting equipment.
 
Skydivers from Skydiversity and AerialFX were next on the program as the first airborne act of the day, the heavy lifting would be done by a beautifully turned out Alloutte III. The speed and precision with which the skydivers steer their canopies were met with cheers of excitement from the ever-growing crowd.
 
There would be no shortage of high energy aerobatics at the airshow. Andrew Blackwood-Murray was the first to take to the air to showcase his skills. Andrew is an accomplished airline pilot who flies his Nashua branded Extra 300LP at shows across South Africa. The bright blue and red of his aircraft were the perfect complement to the clouds in the background.
Andre' Beukes brought his RC Jet to the airshow, the diminutive jet can achieve speeds in excess of 300 km/h. Andre' certainly flew this radio-controlled airplane to the edges of its' envelope to demonstrate what can be achieved with modern radio-controlled aircraft. Just delightful!
Andre' van Zyl is a name synonymous with South African airshows. He is a very accomplished Gyrocopter Pilot with a passion for flying. He frequently loads his gyrocopter on a trailer and takes it to airshows that are further afield from Gauteng. His display shows the capabilities of the Italian built Magni Gyrocopter perfectly.
The Goodyear Eagles is a formation aerobatic team that have been part of the airshow scene in South Africa for a very long time, so much so that you might refer to them as a household name. However, there is nothing ordinary or old to their display, it is big on energy and high on thrills! The crowd around me literally gasped at the death-defying switchblade. At the respective helms were for this display was Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish.
In a demonstration by local flight school, LegendSky, four Jabiru aircraft conducted spot landings for the crowd. Fun to see aircraft that I have in my logbook flying during a short interlude in the normal airshow program. I particularly enjoyed seeing ZU-CIA in the air, looking brand new, after her loving restoration to factory condition.
 
A formation display team that burst onto the airshow scene a few years ago is the Navion Formation team, sponsored by Altitude Wealth. Their polished display, pun certainly intended, brought a smile to me and those around me. Their aircraft are immaculately kept and flown with great precision.
The Aermacchi AM3C Bosbok was a reconnaissance force to be reckoned with when it was in use with the South African Airforce. Since the retirement of the type from the SAAF, several of these aircraft have made their may into private ownership. One such example is ZU-ADA, an immaculate example owned by Sylvester de Beer. Having come from a light sport aircraft Sylvester describes the speed relative to his LSA as a great improvement, he just chuckled when I asked him about fuel burn though… The aircraft was flown by warbird pilot extraordinaire, Grant Timms.
Car versus Aircraft races always draw a lot of attention. At this event, an Italian thoroughbred and a French ballerina were placed head-to-head. Not the combination that one would normally think about, I am sure... However, in this case, it was a Maserati against an Aerospatiale Gazelle, the latter magnificently flown by legendary helicopter pilot, Juba Joubert.
Elton Bondi is a previous South African Aerobatic champion; he flew in from Rand airport to give the crowd a taste of precision aerobatics. With the power of the engine and the light weight of the aircraft, he amazed the crowd with a beautiful display of competition style aerobatics against an ever-darker sky.
The Eucalyptus trees around the central entertainment area at the Legends Adventure farm was the perfect noise barrier and reflector for the Puma Energy Flying Lions as they thundered into the air with their 500 horsepower Pratt and Whitney radial engines. The display with the crack of the propeller tips going through the sound barrier reverberating off the trees was spectacular.
 
A Mass formation flyover was conducted by the Puma Energy Flying Lions, The Altitude Wealth Navions and the Master Power Aerobatic team. A special moment indeed!
The sedate formation passes gave way to the high energy and high intensity formation and solo aerobatics by the Master Power Aerobatic Team, comprising Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish. Their opposing passes and knife edge flights have the ability to draw varied responses from the crowd. Thrilling!
 
Juba Joubert was a very busy man indeed, in between playing altitude Uber to the skydivers, flying the Gazelle and racing a car, he also displayed the Alloutte III to the delight of the full house crowd at the first ever Pretoria Airshow.
Farther and Son team, Ivan and Jeandre' van der Schaar are airshow favourites with their combined display of Ivan's Stearman and Jeandre's Extra radio-controlled aircraft. The interplay between the two vastly different aircraft is a sight to behold. Expertly and safely flown by both.
Yellow machinery has a certain attraction. One such yellow machine was the Airtractor AT802 expertly flown by Aldo Naude. Aldo's resume is extensive for a young man, from aerobatic aircraft to the venerable Boeing737 to the tiny Jabiru SP, Aldo seems to take to the air and any aircraft without effort. His display of this hefty machine was scintillating.
 
It was not only Juba Joubert that had a busy day, Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish would entertain the crowd once more, with two RV8 aircraft under the banner of the Raptors Aerobatic Team. It can be said that there is a certain level of trust, camaraderie, and teamwork for two aviators to be able to as cohesive as these two aviators are. Their display showcased the ability of the RV.
In a kind gesture, local pilot, Eugene du Preez, brought a beautiful Cessna 140 along to the show to give a veteran, Flt Lt. Piet Koekemoer aged 92, a flight. Chaos erupted when Eugene alighted from the aircraft to get it unstuck, Flt Lt. Koekemoer had the whole airshow on hold while he haplessly threw the poor little Cessna around the sky. This entire display was none other than aerobatic Ace Elton Bondi in his own beloved Cessna 140 as part of a crazy flying skit. It takes a lot of skill to fly this “badly”!
With the day drawing to a close, the Hired Gun formation aerobatic team provided an excellent display of the capabilities of the Pitts Special. They were joined by Andrew Blackwood-Murray in his Nashua sponsored Extra as the shadows grew longer on a beautiful autumn afternoon.
Before the day was closed out with a few duplicated displays, a first ever helicopter formation was launched to delight the crowd. A Bell Huey, a Gazelle and a Allouette III flew several passes in front of the crowd. This was certainly a first on the South African airshow circuit and was appreciated by all!
Airshows and airshow performers in South Africa are certainly on par with the best there is in the world, the variety of aircraft, the facilities and the proximity of the airshow performers to the crowd is a major drawcard. Airshows in South Africa would also not be the same or as well informed was it not for Brian Emmenis and his entire team from Capital Sounds. A vote of thanks to the Capital Sounds team for their valuable and ongoing contribution to South African Airshows.
While on the topic of contributions, airshows would also not be possible without the generous contributions of sponsors, this event was made possible by the following generous contributors: Bidvest, King Price Insurance, PilotInsure, Africa Provide Aviation Insurance, Aviation Wealth Club, New Order, Pretoria Noord Toyota, Ing-Co and Personal Systems.
In closing, I must thank David le Roux and his team for an exceptional day, as well as congratulate AirBoss SA Keith Fryer and team for a fantastic, organised, safe and enjoyable day. Let's do it again next year!
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