MIDWEEK UPDATE 23 APRIL 2014
1 Plan your weekend
2 Forthcoming events
3 EAA of South Africa National Convention postponed
4 ATR honours a Pan-African delegation of ambassadors
5 100 days to go for the world's greatest aviation adventure!
6 Reignwood group orders 10 Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft for tourism services in China
7 Dassault Aviation to Present Flagship Falcon 7X at Marrakech Air Show
8 Electrifying Red Bull Air Race win for Hannes Arch in Rovinji
9 Piper Takes Trainer Orders from University of North Dakota Aerospace
10 Rate Card
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28 April-1 May: PASA SA National Skydiving Championships, Wonderboom Airport. Contact: Peter Lawson 012 566 6535: greatfun@mweb.co.za
3-4 May: SAC Free State Regional Aerobatics, Parys. E-mail: change@mweb.co.za
10 May: SAAF Museum Annual Airshow, AFB Zwartkops. Contact: Lt. Col. O'Connor 012 351 2290 E-mail: oc@saafmuseum.org
7 - 11 May: Vulintaba National Hot Air Balloon Championship in Newcastle KZN. Members of the public can book rides by sending an e-mail with detail to info@champ.co.za confirmation of the price per person will be confirmed by e-mail.
9 to 11 May: Battlefields Fly-in. Contact 034 218 1641 E-mail stay@battlefieldslodge.co.za
17 May: Dundee Airshow. Contact: Johan Pieters E-mail: johan@champ.co.za
082 923 0078
17 May: SAAF Association Johannesburg branch. Race day 2014. Come and join us for a FUN DAY! Venue: Bold Cherry Room, Turffontein Race Course, Johannesburg, Cost per person R250. This includes a great buffet lunch and free race card. Private Tote in the Room. To book, please phone : Carol van Rensburg at SAAFA JHB Office
(011) 616 7406 OR E-Mail: info@jhb.saafa.co.za .
closing date for bookings: 7th May 2013.
all proceeds go towards SAAFA Benevolence Fund
18 May: Parys Pylon Time Trials - All comers. Contact Scully Levin
E-mail: flyboys@global.co.za
24 May: Ladysmith Airshow. Contact: John Neilon E-mail: john@eastcoastsa.net 082 485 5514
24 May: Lowveld Airshow (Nelspruit) Contact: Willemien Hodgkinson
E-mail: willemien.hodgkinson@ffa.co.za
29 to 31 May: President's Trophy Air Race. Contact: Robbie Myburgh E-mail: website www.sapfa.org.za.
31 May: New Castle Airshow. Contact: E-mail: johan@champ.co.za
1 June: Baragwanath Airfield celebrates its 95th anniversary. The original airfield was created in 1919, with the Johannesburg Light Plane Club being formed in 1926. The club is still in operation today at the 'new' Baragwanath south of Lenasia and we are planning a good old fashioned fly-in to celebrate South Africa's aviation heritage and its future with a wide variety of aircraft present at the airfield on the day (old rubbing shoulders with new) and some great entertainment in the form of live music, vintage cars and motorcycles and period dress competition.
Please RSVP to Courtney Watson with your name, names of your guests, your aircraft type and Registration e-mail: cwatson@stithian.com 083 642-3565. Information will be available on the Johannesburg Light Plane Club website and updates and notices will be sent via E-mail Courtney.
7 June: Pietermaritzburg airshow. Contact: John Neilon e-mail: john@eastcoastsa.net 082 485 5514 or Gerna Fraser 031 563 9165 e-mail: gerna@kznairevents.co.za
7 June: SAAF Museum flying training and open days. Contact: Capt. Kobus Kapp 012 351 2342 e-mail: webmaster@saafmuseum.org
14 June: Margate airshow. Contact: John Neilon e-mail: john@eastcoastsa.net 082 485 5514 or Gerna Fraser 031 563 9165 e-mail: gerna@kznairevents.co.za
21 June: Richards Bay airshow. Contact: John Neilon e-mail: john@eastcoastsa.net 082 485 5514 or Gerna Fraser 031 563 9165 e-mail: gerna@kznairevents.co.za
20 & 21 June: Mafikeng Memorial War Fly-In. Contact Connie: Conradie 018 387 1425 or e-mail: info@mafikeng-flyingclub.co.za
28 June: Mkuze airshow. Contact: John Neilon e-mail: john@eastcoastsa.net 082 485 5514 or Gerna Fraser 031 563 9165 e-mail:
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Dear EAA members
Regrettably our 2014 EAA Convention that was to be held from 01 to 04 May 2014 in conjunction with the Aero Club Air Week at Bethlehem has had to be postponed. Unfortunately for the EAA, this is the second time this year that we have had to change course regarding our Convention.
To recap the EAA position: our original intention was to host this year's annual Convention at Margate, but these plans were scuppered. At the time of our initial planning, we did not know the date when the elections would be taking place. On top of that, we were advised that the fuel installation at Margate had been withdrawn and there was no date available regarding reinstatement. Our EAA Convention Committee then embarked on an alternative venue, and the Aero Club Air Week at Bethlehem was the preferred option.
We considered that the Aero Club Air Week presented an ideal opportunity for shared facilities which justified the change of venue. Aero Club has had a tumultuous time trying to accommodate all the sections to share a weekend of fun and camaraderie at this ideally positioned central location. Due to a general apathy and lack of response from most sections of the Aero Club by the time that the actual numbers were extrapolated, it was clear that the cost of this event would be prohibitive if catering for a poor turnout. The expectation of some 750 to 1 000 Aero Club section members attending the event, as had been envisaged during the initial planning of the event was overstated. It became obvious that section support did not come close to the intended numbers originally planned for and discussed at the Aero Club Board meetings leading up to the event.
We attended a site meeting at Bethlehem on the 08 April 2014 to button up loose ends. On arrival, we were surprised to note that there were problems with the Council and the two flying clubs at Bethlehem which appeared to be in conflict regarding the organisation of the event and their responsibilities as hosts. We worked through an emergency plan to get the arrangements back on track and departed with a consensus that everything would be put in place as agreed.
Regrettably, on final costing, it ultimately became clear that, just in order to break even financially, a minimum attendance by 700 members from all sections would be required. Without being able to bank on this attendance, the Aero Club had no alternative but to take the difficult decision to postpone the event in its entirety, with the intention of rescheduling at a later stage.
From the EAA point of view, we considered the various alternatives, including hosting the Convention at Bethlehem on our own. However, given the fact that we cannot be assured at this point that we would be able to attract the numbers required from our own members in order to support the planned infrastructure. On reviewing the proposed expenditure and having even tried to cut these down to a bare minimum, we would not be able to provide the necessary value to an EAA member, so it was decided to go back to the drawing board.
From the EAA of SA National point of view, it goes without saying that we will hold a post mortem on this matter, as it is clear that we need to approach our national events from a different perspective in order to garner and maintain the support we require to host our national events. With the exception of Chapter 322 Johannesburg, we generally experience a lack of commitment and participation and this is something that we need to discuss, analyse and correct. From both an EAA and an Aero Club point of view, a new approach in terms of event planning has to be taken, as these types of events do have considerable merit, but they require specialist planning with enough lead time.
From my side, sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by this decision. However, it would be a serious abrogation of our duties to rattle around a poorly supported event at an airfield at huge cost to our membership. We take a serious view of our mandate to ensure that we observe correct governance at all times, and to this end we must ensure that member interest and sound financial viability is observed in all things. For this reason I feel that this situation necessitated urgent correction and change of plan.
The EAA will continue with forward planning to host the 2014 Convention on an alternative date and suitable venue, because it is after all our major annual showcase, and we owe it to our members to make it happen in a financially sound, memorable and thoroughly enjoyable way.
In closing, on behalf of the EAA National Council, I would like to take this opportunity of thanking every one of our members for their patience, understanding and unwavering support - it is much appreciated.
Regards and blue skies
Paul Lastrucci
President: EAA of SA National
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The European regional aircraft manufacturer ATR welcomed today a high-level pan-African delegation as part of company's continuing search to develop and strengthen new industrial partnerships in this region. Around 40 African ambassadors accompanied by the representatives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) arrived in Toulouse this morning on board the ATR 72-600 in the colors of Royal Air Maroc. The delegation, personally toured by Filippo Bagnato, ATR's Chief Executive Officer, visited the ATR Final Assembly Line and exchanged on how the dynamics of the African regional air transport market today embrace the new generation ATR aircraft.
Filippo Bagnato stated: « Africa is poised to become one of the world's largest aviation markets, and it already is a major geographical region for ATR. Today there are 37 African airlines flying more than 110 ATRs. Five additional ATRs will be delivered to African carriers in the coming months. For that reason, we opened in 2012 a training center in Johannesburg, convinced that ATR is the perfect solution for the African market.” Today, Africa accounts for some 10% of total ATR sales worldwide.
ATR regional turboprops have proved to be an ideal match to African airlines due to their unrivalled fuel-efficiency and low operating cost performances on shorter routes. On a typical regional route of about 500 km, take Dar es Salam - Arusha in Tanzania operated by Precision Air Services, an ATR 72-600 burns up to 35% less fuel than other regional turboprops, and up to 50% less than regional jets of the same size.
As African regional carriers are looking to boost efficiency and safety while meeting operational demands, the popularity of ATRs continues to grow. The unmatched performance of these new generation airplanes is hugely due to the most technologically advanced avionics suite, inspired from Airbus A380 technology. Equipped with the new satellite navigation software ATR airplanes are able to land whatever conditions the pilots face, even in extreme weather, short runways in rough terrain or airports with limited ground installations. It significantly reduces pilot stress and workload, improves safety and operational performance of the aircraft.
ATR estimates a demand for some 400 turboprop aircraft in the region in the next 20 years within the 50-90 seat market. This is a market with a huge potential.
About ATR:ATR is the leader in the regional aviation market. ATR turboprop aircraft are recognized as the most eco-friendly regional airplanes and are the world benchmark in terms of efficiency, reliability and economics on short-haul routes. ATR is ISO 14001 certified. Today more than 180 operators fly ATRs in over 90 countries worldwide. ATR is an equal partnership between two major European aeronautics players, the Airbus Group and Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica Group company).
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What's happening at the show?
This event seems to be hotting up with over 18 pilots now participating. These are the extreme STOL aircraft that compete in the annual Valdez Fly-in and Air Show in May every year. Planes are based on aircraft that provide supplies to the rugged and far flung outposts throughout Alaska.
Apart from demos in the daily afternoon airshow, they will stage a fun-flying demo at the ultralight runway Friday evening. Many of these aircraft operate out of runways less than 100' - make sure you get down to the main showcase ramp where they will be parked and look out for the many forums and evening programs they will be hosting during the week.
Top Air Show performers once again at AirVenture
The air show line up is looking good with some of the world's top performers as well as some long time Oshkosh favourites. The US Air Force Thunderbirds are still provisionally on the schedule as well as some never seen before acts.
Line up includes Sean D Tucker in his Oracle Challenger III, Mike Goulian - Extra 330SC, Kirby Chambliss - Red Bull Edge 540, David Martin - CAP 232, Skip Stewart in a highly modified aircraft known as the Prometheus together with Jet Truck and pyrotechnics, the Shell T-6 Aerobatic Team, Team Rocket flying their F1 Rocket and Harmon Rocket II aircraft, Jim Peitz flying an unbelievable aerobatic demo in a Beechcraft F33C Bonanza and Steve Oliver in his Firedancer De Haviland Chipmunk in both night shows.
As well Kent Pietsch will be flying a comedy act in his Interstate Cadet and Chuck Aaron will be back with the Red Bull BO-105 helicopter. One I'm looking forward to seeing is Bob Carlton demonstrating some precise aerobatics in the Sub Sonex Jet
SA Camping Tour filling up
With the Rand strengthening somewhat bookings for the tour have been brisk. We are nearly at the 70 mark and some of the flight options are now sold out. We advise if you are thinking about attending Oshkosh this year, get your bookings in now. For more info on different options available visit our website www.airadventure.co.za Once again we'll be right in the centre of the action in Camp Scholler and have all the usual entertainment and fun in the campsite.
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Cessna Aircraft Company, part of the Textron Aviation segment of Textron Inc. announced today a landmark order for Caravan turboprop aircraft to be operated for tourism services in China, a key milestone in the company's effort to increase its presence in China to support the growth of general and business aviation in the Asia Pacific region.
The Reignwood Group has agreed to acquire 10 Cessna Grand Caravan EX Amphibian aircraft through the Cessna-AVIC Shijiazhuang facility to expand its aircraft services (Reignwood Star Aviation) and operate tourism flights in the southeast part of China. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) granted approval for the Cessna Grand Caravan EX to operate on floats in China in March of this year.
More than 2,200 Caravan aircraft have been manufactured by Cessna since the aircraft was introduced in 1985
“The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is incredibly durable and versatile, exactly what Reignwood was looking for to fit the types of missions they are planning,” said Bill Harris, vice president, Sales, Asia and Asia Pacific. “The Grand Caravan EX offers the performance commuter operators desire while providing the comfort and cabin features passengers appreciate. The options for how the Grand Caravan EX can be configured means the aircraft can be put into service for freight deliveries, commuter air travel, executive travel, aerial survey or tourism, all while being durable enough for both on- and off-airport operations and for amphibious use with floats.”
Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co., Ltd. is in its first year of operations and is delivering aircraft to retail customers in China. The joint venture results from the agreement signed in 2012 with the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA), a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The joint venture began officially operating when its business license was approved in September 2013 by the Ministry of Commerce.
More than 2,200 Caravan aircraft have been manufactured by Cessna since the aircraft was introduced in 1985. The model 675 Caravan is still available, along with the Caravan Amphibian and the Super Cargomaster EX.
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Dassault Aviation will present its large cabin, long range Falcon 7X at the fourth Marrakech Air Show, to be held in Morocco April 23-26. It will be Dassault's second appearance at the show, which bills itself as the foremost trade show in the African region.
The flagship Falcon 7X, the first business jet equipped with digital flight controls, has a range of 5,950 nautical miles and can comfortably fly from Marrakech to Beijing, Los Angeles or Cape Town non-stop.
“Thanks to strong development of the economy and fast growth in industries such as mining, oil and gas, agriculture and construction, we see great potential in Africa for long-term growth in business aviation,” said Gilles Gautier, Vice President, Falcon Sales for Dassault Aviation. “Business jets are an ideal way to get around such a vast continent, where airline connections are often limited and ground infrastructure, minimal.”
More than 70 Falcon jets are in operation in the African region, around 15% of them in North Africa. Another ten Falcons are on order for delivery in 2014-15, most of them for the Falcon 7X.
Dassault recently celebrated the rollout of the 250th 7X - the fastest any Falcon jet has ever reached this milestone. Well over 200 units are currently in service in 34 countries and the fleet has accumulated more than 250,000 flight hours since the 7X was introduced in 2007.
The flagship Falcon 7X, the first business jet equipped with digital flight controls
Last year, the 7X was approved to carry Dassault's second-generation intuitive EASy II flight deck. The award winning platform offers a number of significant enhancements, including enhanced and synthetic vision systems, Satellite Based Augmentation System capabilities and new air traffic management features to ensure compliance with future regulations.
The exceptional short field and hot-and-high performance, sturdiness and operating economics of the 7X and other new Falcon models make them ideal for the tough conditions and vast expanses of the African continent.
They can access many challenging airports where competitors are unable to operate or can do so only with limited range. All in-production Falcons are approved for operation into and out of London City Airport - one of the world's most restricted facilities. The 7X can fly non-stop out of London City as far as New York, Dubai or Lagos.
The unparalleled performance and flexibility of Falcon jets has made them a special favorite among African government users, which operate 30% of the Falcons in the region.
“Falcons are universally appreciated for their large and quiet cabin, advanced design and fuel efficiency,” remarked Gautier. “Not only are Falcons less expensive to operate, they also retain greater value on resale. On average, 7X operators will save up to $10 million in total cost of ownership over a 6 year period compared to its closest competitors.”
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Hannes Arch won in Rovinj in a characteristically electrifying performance. (Picture credit Red Bull)
Austria's Hannes Arch came from behind to beat defending champion Paul Bonhomme in a riveting final in the second stop of the eight-leg Red Bull Air Race World Championship on Sunday in Rovinj, Croatia. Arch was trailing Bonhomme at the midway point of the final round by 0.23 seconds but opened the throttle with a full power second lap on the obstacle course set up on the Adriatic Sea. This marked his eighth career victory and evened the score with his British rival at the top of the 2014 championship standings at 21 points each. The Austrian, who won the 2008 championship, posted the fastest time of the day.
Hannes Arch is undoubtedly of the most exciting, successful and driven Red Bull Air Race pilots and became the first European to win the world championship in 2008 (Photo credit Red Bull)
"It's really special," said Arch, who has said he felt lifted by a surge of support this weekend from the big crowd in Rovinj, a stunning town on a peninsula known as the blue pearl of the Adriatic. "I have to admit I had a few tears in my eyes. It was so close." Muroya celebrated his first-ever podium after a series of strong performances through the first two knock-out rounds but many top contenders saw their hopes of the podium dashed by podium hits and penalties.
His time of 00:59.01 was just 0:00.08 ahead of Paul Bonhomme (Photo Redbull)
Official results for the second round of the 2014 Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Rovinj, Croatia:
1. ARCH Hannes (AUT) 00:59.01
2. BONHOMME Paul (GBR) 00:59.09
3. MUROYA Yoshihide (JPN) 01:00.13
4. MCLEOD Pete (CAN) 01:01.72
5. IVANOFF Nicolas (FRA) 01:01.67
6. SONKA Martin (CZE) 01:03.06
7. HALL Matt (AUS) DNF
8. LAMB Nigel (GBR) DNS
9. DOLDERER Matthias (GER) DNF
10. CHAMBLISS Kirby (USA) DNF
11. BESENYEI Peter (HUN) DNF
12. GOULIAN Mike (USA) DNF
Current Standings:
01 Hannes Arch Hannes Arch AUT 21
02 Paul Bonhomme Paul Bonhomme GBR 21
03 Pete McLeod Pete McLeod CAN 12
04 Yoshihide Muroya Yoshihide Muroya J PN 7
05 Matt Hall Matt Hall AUS 7
06 Nicolas Ivanoff Nicolas Ivanoff FRA 5
07 Martin Sonka Martin Sonka CZE 5
08 Nigel Lamb Nigel Lamb GBR 5
09 Matthias Dolderer Matthias Dolderer GER 3
10 Kirby Chambliss Kirby Chambliss USA 0
11 Peter Besenyei Peter Besenyei HUN 0
12 Michael Goulian Michael Goulian USA 0
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Piper Aircraft, Inc. has taken orders for three twin-engine piston-powered Training Class Piper Seminole aircraft from the UND Aerospace Foundation who provides training and aircraft for the University of North Dakota's John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. The pilot training aircraft will be delivered later this year and join the Aviation Department's training fleet of more than 120 aircraft. UND Aerospace flies over 130,000 hours of flight training annually.
The announcement was made at the start of Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany held from April 9 to 12. The Piper Seminole is the training aircraft of choice for UND's multi-engine and MEI flight courses. The new Seminoles will be fully IFR equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics and GFC 700 autopilots. This initial delivery will add to the 17 Avidyne equipped Seminole aircraft that UND plans to replace with the G1000 Seminoles over coming years.
"These new Piper Seminoles will help our Aviation Department continue to graduate student pilots with exceptional aviation skills and technical abilities," said Dr. Bruce Smith, dean of the University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. "These Piper multi-engine trainers, equipped with modern glass cockpits and autopilots, will give our students the ability to attain the greatest knowledge, technical abilities and modern proficiencies possible prior to entering the work force."
"The Piper Seminole is the best multi-engine piston-powered trainer available today," said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott. "With over thirty-five years of proven service, the Seminole's ability to perform advanced manoeuvres and procedures skilfully and safely continues to earn the appreciation of students and instructors. We are honoured that UND Aerospace exclusively flies our twin-engine piston-powered trainers to prepare students for the next level of flight training."
The Piper Seminole is the best multi-engine piston-powered trainer available today (Photo credit Piper)
Each Piper trainer interior is designed for maximum comfort and durability. Ergonomic seating keeps students and instructors relaxed, increasing the ability to focus on flight operations. Heavy-duty vinyl and wear-resistant leathers are hand-fitted to the seats and sidewalls to withstand repetitive use.
Standard Seminole equipment includes: two 10.4" high resolution XGA (PFD/MFD) displays, an Aspen Standby System (EFD-1000), an Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS), a solid state Air Data Computer (ADC), solid state 3-Axis Magnetometer, Dual IFR Enroute/Approach and WAAS Certified GPS systems. Also included is an Electronic Engine Indication System (EIS), Dual Nav/Comm (16 watt) radio, a GTX 33ES Transponder with Extended Squitter, Digital Audio Panel, Traffic Information Systems (TIS), and Terrain and Obstacle Mapping.
The new Seminoles will be fully IFR equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics and GFC 700 autopilots (Photo credit Piper)
While neither party is announcing the value of the contract, a standard equipped Piper Seminole starts at $683,400. Seminoles are powered by two 180 HP Lycoming engines, have a maximum take-off weight of 3,800 pounds, a max speed of 202 kts and a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet.
About the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences
The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota is a world-renowned centre for aerospace learning, nationally acclaimed for achievements in collegiate aviation education, atmospheric research, space studies, and computer science applications. With over 600 faculty and staff members, over 2,000 students from around the world, and a myriad of programs and projects, the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences is pacing the future of flight.
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