SA Flyer Magazine
Aerial Search and Rescue
The recent devastating flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, in which over 400 people have died, has once again highlighted South Africa's deficiency in terms of aerial search and rescue aircraft.
5 min |
May 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
When Airline Pilots Have Fun
Recreational pilots may be forgiven for sometimes thinking that airline pilots have a boring job, flying the same routes, day in and day out, to strict procedures, while maximising fuel efficiency to keep the bean-counters happy.
6 min |
May 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Blackhawk 350: The Ultimate King Air
Blackhawk Modifications have built an enviable reputation taking excellent turboprops and making them even better. This is particularly evident in the spectacular gains they have achieved with the Beechcraft King Air range.
10 min |
May 2022
Popular Mechanics South Africa
Outclass Its Competition
How America's new fighter will
9 min |
May/June 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
STELLENBOSCH AIRSHOW 2022 - A GREAT RETURN
After a Covid driven two-year drought of airshows, the Stellenbosch Airshow has opened the 2022 airshow season with a bang.
2 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
THE GARMIN D2 MACH 1 SMARTWATCH
GARMIN HAS ANNOUNCED its latest pilot's smartwatch - and it's very smart indeed.
1 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
HAI 2022 - REVIEW
After the Covid motivated cancellation of the 2021 expo, Helicopter Association International's (HAI) Heli-Expo bounced back this year drawing 13,083 attendees and 590 exhibitors. That brought the attendance to more than 90% of the 2020 Heli-Expo.
1 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
BLACKHAWK BUYS RECOIL
BLACKHAWK AEROSPACE announced in March it has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire controlling ownership of Recoil Aerospace, LLC, an innovative designer and manufacturer of lightweight, carbon fibre composite wildland fire suppression tanks, aircraft aerostructures, and ballistically tolerant auxiliary fuel tanks for helicopters.
1 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT
ZS-ERF CESSNA C182
9 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Updating a Classic the Utlimate Stinson 108
Some classic designs are so good that after 75 years they are still practical aeroplanes. There is an increasing realisation that they deserve to be rejuvenated and enjoyed, long after the original manufacturer may have shut up shop.
10 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Miracle of the Hudson
WARNING: this is not a regular column about helicopters and includes graphic scenes which may disturb some readers. Especially men.
5 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Has the CAA Been Captured?
It is an aphorism to say that aviation safety is a matter of life or death and thus safety must be nonnegotiable. Using this justification, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) gets away with being quick to ground airlines for breaches of safety requirements.
6 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
The Stellenbosch Mirage
One of the former SAAF Mirage F1cZs was donated to Stellenbosch Flying Club in 2019. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of funds to construct a building to house it - it stood exposed to the elements.
2 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Eastern Cape Cancels Ams Contract
The eastern cape air medical service was awarded almost two years ago.
2 min |
April 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
NO MUSIC FOR ME, THANK YOU
Next time you are eating your favourite choccie while reading a good book, try see if you can enjoy both at exactly the same moment. It doesn’t really work, does it?
10 min |
March 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
SEARCH AND RESCUE
“Who will come to find me if I go down?” I often wonder while flying alone in the outer reaches of the bushveld. It’s not that I’m obsessive-compulsive. I’ve always just been fascinated with the idea of rescue; how you can exercise the full capabilities of the helicopter to help a person in need.
4 min |
March 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Planes and Bikes - a full cycle
Aeroplanes and bicycles have an unlikely affinity. It took bicycle builders to understand stability and build the first successful aeroplane. And now Sling Aircraft is using their plane building skills to make better bicycles.
7 min |
March 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
LET US NOW PRAISE GEORGE CAYLEY - HE OUGHT TO BE MORE FAMOUS
A few years ago some Connecticut boosters recently dusted off the claim that Gustave Whitehead, of the township of Fairfield in that great state, was “first in flight”. I, and I suspect quite a few others, emitted a sigh of jaded déjà vu.
6 min |
March 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Operator Report - Cape Town Helicopters on Their Airbus H130
Versatility, safety and reliability are the stand-out comments from Cape Town Helicopters’ pilots as to why the H130 is one of their firm favourites. For a single-engine helicopter, the H130 punches above its’ weight compared to competing helicopters in its class such as the Bell 407 and 206 Long Ranger.
2 min |
March 2022
SA Flyer Magazine
Airbus H130 – Proof of a Good Pedigree
Some helicopter designs are so good that not only are they a great success in their own right – but they spawn a series of variants. One such is the Airbus H130, which is a very successful outgrowth of the original AS350 Ecureuil ‘Squirrel’.
10 min |
March 2022
Popular Mechanics South Africa
How Hollywood Set Designers Hid America's Wwii Aircraft Factories
As the sun rose over the horizon, a Japanese aviator worked to get his bearings above enemy territory. Anti-aircraft shells rocked his floatplane bomber as he looked for his target, a giant aircraft factory. The imposing building and expansive runways should be unmistakable, but there were only houses below.
8 min |
Popular Mechanics September/October 20 21
Global Aviator
Pratt & Whitney Canada Advances Sustainable Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Technology, Contributing to Canada's Green Recovery Plan
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC), plans to advance its hybridelectric propulsion technology and flight demonstrator programme as part of a $163M CAD investment, supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec.
3 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Airbus showcases the A350-1000 for the first time in Russia at the MAKS 2021 International Aerospace Show
Airbus demonstrated its latest technological innovations and projects implemented in Russia at the International Aerospace Show which took place in Zhukovsky from 20 to 25 July.
2 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Double Ended Project: Where Is It Now
Traditionally, bush and STOL aircraft have been little more than modified certified trainers, with engine and prop upgrades, or the addition of fatter tyres. However there have been attempts to improve the safety aspect of this type of flying.
2 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Dyke Delta Lookalike Fighter Kit Plane
The Dyke JD-2 Delta is an American homebuilt aircraft designed in the United States in the 1960s and marketed for amateur construction. It is a monoplane with retractable tricycle undercarriage and seating for four.
2 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Zimbabwe Air Rally 2021 Part two
The following day we were up early to watch the departure air show once again, it is a large amount of razzle-dazzle to be honest.
4 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Dutch Squadron Finalises F-16 Operations
The Royal Netherlands Air Force 322 squadron based at Leeuwarden air force base terminated its operations on the F-16 “Fighting Falcon” early July (2021). With the gradual ongoing new deliveries of its successor, the Lockheed Boeing F-35A “Lightning II”, it was time for the squadron to focus only on the embedding of the new jet in the unit.
3 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Thales Completes Successful First Flight Of New UAS With Range Capabilities Of Over 100 Km
• With a hybrid propulsion system for optimum safety, endurance and discretion, Thales's UAS 100 long-range unmanned air system for civil, government and military users will be able to operate at ranges of more than 100 km. • UAS 100 combines world-class flight safety performance with the compact design required for unmanned air systems, and complies with future European regulations for drone flights over populated areas. • The system will meet the requirements of a broad range of missions, including infrastructure inspection, coastal surveillance, border surveillance, event security, search-and-rescue and military operations.
2 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Taking Flight On Another World
The Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity, is a technology demonstration model to test powered, controlled flight on another world for the first time. It hitched a ride to Mars on the Perseverance rover. Once the rover reached a suitable "airfield" location, it released Ingenuity to the surface so it could perform a series of test flights over a 30-Martian-day experimental window.
7 min |
August 2021
Global Aviator
Boeing 727 One Crash Per 2 30 6300 Flying Hours
The Boeing 727 is a narrow-body airliner. The first 727-100 rolled out 27 November, 1962, first flew on 9 February, 1963, and entered service with Eastern on 1 February, 1964.
6 min |