CATEGORIES

PILOTS NEED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
African Pilot

PILOTS NEED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

\"Write this down,\" said the instructor of the private pilot ground school, writing the FAA's five hazardous attitudes on the classroom white board. \"We are about to talk about these.\"

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5 mins  |
December 2022
CAN PILOTS GET SPEEDING TICKETS FOR FLYING TOO FAST?
African Pilot

CAN PILOTS GET SPEEDING TICKETS FOR FLYING TOO FAST?

A ticket for speeding while driving a car is a black mark and can lead to all sorts of problems. But what happens when the flight crew exceeds a flight's speed limit? Can a pilot receive a 'speeding ticket'?

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5 mins  |
December 2022
NAMES TO REMEMBER: Apollo astronaut James McDivitt
African Pilot

NAMES TO REMEMBER: Apollo astronaut James McDivitt

Former NASA astronaut James A. McDivitt, who commanded the Gemini IV mission and flew around the Earth as the commander of Apollo 9, passed away on 13 October aged 93. McDivitt passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family and friends in Tucson, Arizona.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
DOC AND FIFI, THE LAST SUPERFORTRESSES
African Pilot

DOC AND FIFI, THE LAST SUPERFORTRESSES

Owing to some trouble with an implacable Austrian corporal, a reticent Japanese emperor and a pathologically violent Italian prime minister, between 1942 and 1946 Boeing was compelled to build nearly four-thousand B-29 Superfortresses. The famously temperamental, pressurised, computerised bombers teetered precariously atop the pinnacle of reciprocating-engine technology and to this day and one hopes all days remain the only aircraft type to deliver nuclear ordnance in anger.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
ORION CUB
African Pilot

ORION CUB

Rugged yet beautiful, solid yet lightweight, easy to build and completely dependable.

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1 min  |
December 2022
THE 22ND WORLD RALLY FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS
African Pilot

THE 22ND WORLD RALLY FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At last we had arrived at the competition week, after months of planning after Sunday 13 November dawned everything was in place to have the event start. After the morning briefings were concluded, preparation for the opening ceremony were carried out with podiums, sound and everybody in their national dress. Karl Jensen was the master of ceremonies for the opening ceremony, which started promptly at 15h00 with a parade of nations, each country with their national flag and country signboard walked past the clubhouse to gather around the podium and as they walked past their countries National Anthem was played.

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5 mins  |
December 2022
BILL HARROP'S ORIGINAL BALLOON SAFARIS NIGHT GLOW
African Pilot

BILL HARROP'S ORIGINAL BALLOON SAFARIS NIGHT GLOW

On Saturday afternoon 19 November Christine and I together with many people from the Magaliesburg valley west of Hartbeespoort Dam were treated to a delicious dinner and an amazing spectacle as somewhere in the region of 15 historical hot air balloons were inflated on the beautiful rolling lawns of the estate.

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5 mins  |
December 2022
TOP 10 IN SERVICE ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN THE WORLD
African Pilot

TOP 10 IN SERVICE ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN THE WORLD

Within the 90th edition of APAnews this year I reported on Nigeria acquiring T-129 attack helicopters from Turkish Aerospace Industries and this prompted me to take a look at the world's in service attack helicopters.

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8 mins  |
December 2022
UK SELECTS FOUR COMPETITORS TO BID FOR NEW MEDIUM HELICOPTER CONTRACT
African Pilot

UK SELECTS FOUR COMPETITORS TO BID FOR NEW MEDIUM HELICOPTER CONTRACT

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) has down selected four manufacturers to move to the next phase of its £1 billion (US$1.15 billion) new medium helicopter acquisition.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
TUNISIAN AIR FORCE TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST OF EIGHT BEECHCRAFT T-6C TEXAN II
African Pilot

TUNISIAN AIR FORCE TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST OF EIGHT BEECHCRAFT T-6C TEXAN II

On 8 November Textron Aviation Defence announced the delivery of the first Beechcraft T-6C Texan II Integrated Training System to the Tunisian Air Force in support of operations at No. 13 Squadron at Sfax Air Base in Tunisia.

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2 mins  |
December 2022
NORTHROP BOOSTS SOVEREIGN SUPPLY CHAIN WITH AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIER FOR F-35s
African Pilot

NORTHROP BOOSTS SOVEREIGN SUPPLY CHAIN WITH AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIER FOR F-35s

Canberra has emphasised the need for more production in Australia not just for the financial benefits, but for the strategic reality that supply lines off the island nation would likely be the first target in a conflict.

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2 mins  |
December 2022
TOURISM, THE ANSWER TO REBUILDING AFRICA'S AVIATION INDUSTRY?
African Pilot

TOURISM, THE ANSWER TO REBUILDING AFRICA'S AVIATION INDUSTRY?

As global air travel positions to outperform 2019 levels, there is a surge in initiatives across Africa’s aviation industry to improve domestic and international air connectivity and increase air traffic within Africa and between Africa and neighbouring regions.

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4 mins  |
December 2022
GAUTENG'S LESSER-KNOWN AIRFIELDS
African Pilot

GAUTENG'S LESSER-KNOWN AIRFIELDS

BRAKPAN AERO CLUB Situated at the Brakpan / Benoni airfield the Brakpan Aero Club was established towards late in 1928. The Club's first aircraft was purchased in March 1929, which was a Gypsy Moth registration ZS- ABE. The Aero Club and flight school's first premises was in the suburb which is known as airfield in Benoni today. However, the airfield and club moved to its current position in the 1950's due to urban development.

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10 mins  |
December 2022
THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN AVIATION
African Pilot

THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN AVIATION

Look into any pilot’s hangar and you will see a wide variety of oils and lubricants for their aircraft. Look closer and you will also see a variety of tools and different cleaning supplies for every part of the aircraft. Then take a look inside the cockpit and you will see redundant systems to ensure safe flight.

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6 mins  |
December 2022
10 Reasons Why People Are Switching To Spidertracks
African Pilot

10 Reasons Why People Are Switching To Spidertracks

When selecting a partner to provide essential flight information, data and insights about your aircraft, there’s plenty of options on the market. Does your current provider give you the capability to enhance operational efficiency, profitability and safety in your business?

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2 mins  |
December 2022
HUMAN FACTORS IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
African Pilot

HUMAN FACTORS IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

The Human factors database of worldly experience has proven to us all time and again, that four factors ensure that even the most skilled professionals are ultimately exposed to making errors and mistakes.

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2 mins  |
December 2022
COGNITIVE DECLINE IN AGING PILOTS
African Pilot

COGNITIVE DECLINE IN AGING PILOTS

A proposed bill in Congress would raise the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots from 65 to 67 without first examining the effects of aging.

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6 mins  |
December 2022
ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR FORCE PURCHASE BELL 505 HELICOPTERS FOR TRAINING
African Pilot

ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR FORCE PURCHASE BELL 505 HELICOPTERS FOR TRAINING

Last month Bell Textron Inc, announced the signed agreement for the sale of 10 Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) at The Special Operations Forces Exhibition & Conference (SOFEX) in Aqaba, Jordan.

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1 min  |
December 2022
LANSERIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S SERIOUS PROBLEMS
African Pilot

LANSERIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S SERIOUS PROBLEMS

From humble beginnings as a grass strip airfield in 1974, to welcoming former President Nelson Mandela to Johannesburg after his release from prison, all the way to welcoming dignitaries and celebrities alike the airport has had its fair share of glory and continues in its path to greatness.

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6 mins  |
December 2022
CONTINENTAL'S VIEW ON GENERAL AVIATION'S FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY
African Pilot

CONTINENTAL'S VIEW ON GENERAL AVIATION'S FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY

“The European Union has committed to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. Starting in 2025, the aviation fuel made available to EU airports should contain 2% Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF), increasing to 5% by 2030, 32% by 2040 and 63% by 2050. That means we need to give our customers an opportunity to fly carbon free or at least carbon neutral.” So says Dr David Dorner, Vice President of Global Research and Development Continental Aerospace Technologies. Since Continental already has a wide range of diesel piston engines, if someone has a Jet-A powered aircraft they can already use the Sustainable Aviation Fuels, the SAFs currently available. For Avgas engines, it is a little more difficult, given the current limited supply of fuel sources. But we are working to validate and verify more SAFs and unleaded fuel sources so that our customers have more choices.”

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2 mins  |
December 2022
THE FIRST ALSIM AIRLINER IN FRANCE FOR MERMOZ ACADEMY
African Pilot

THE FIRST ALSIM AIRLINER IN FRANCE FOR MERMOZ ACADEMY

The AIRLINER is the brand-new hybrid simulator (Fly-by-wire and conventional control) manufactured by ALSIM to address large flight training programmes for advanced training such as Crew Resource Management, Jet Aircraft Handling and Emergency Procedures.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
SOUTH AFRICA EXCELS WITH ICAO SAFETY INDEX OF +1
African Pilot

SOUTH AFRICA EXCELS WITH ICAO SAFETY INDEX OF +1

On Tuesday 8 November I attended the speech by the minister of Transport held at the SACAA's offices in Midrand. Apart from being more than one hour late, the Minister delivered an excellent address from prepared notes about South Africa's excellent aviation safety record. Of course, this applies to airlines in this country and not General Aviation, where there has not been any fatal accident for the past 30 years.

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5 mins  |
December 2022
COMAC C919 TO FLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
African Pilot

COMAC C919 TO FLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

While China's home-built aircraft, the COMAC C919 received its Type Certificate (TC) in September 2022, the narrow-body jet is yet to carry passengers on a commercial flight. However, this is about to change, as local media reported that the C919 will be operational 'as soon as possible.'

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6 mins  |
December 2022
African Airlines 2022
African Pilot

African Airlines 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the passenger numbers and revenues of African Airlines plummeted, but there have still been success stories in Africa's aviation industry over the past year.

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10+ mins  |
November 2022
Alton Aero Engineering cc
African Pilot

Alton Aero Engineering cc

Emric airlines and Alton Aero Engineering were established in 1972 at Empangeni airfield by Boet Voges, Merwyn Wallace and the late Cyril Johnson to provide a service to the local aviation industry.

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1 min  |
November 2022
SIX WAYS PILOTS BECOME CONFUSED IN CLOUDS AND HOW TO PREVENT THIS
African Pilot

SIX WAYS PILOTS BECOME CONFUSED IN CLOUDS AND HOW TO PREVENT THIS

The rain season is coming and there is no shortage of clouds requiring IFR days flying. This is an important fact to consider, because 5-10% of all General Aviation accidents result from spatial disorientation and of these accidents, 90% are fatal.

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4 mins  |
November 2022
SIX BRAKING TIPS FOR EVERY LANDING
African Pilot

SIX BRAKING TIPS FOR EVERY LANDING

GIVE YOUR BRAKES A BREAK!

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2 mins  |
November 2022
NAMESTO REMEMBER: World War II veteran takes to the air in SBD Dive Bomber 80 years later
African Pilot

NAMESTO REMEMBER: World War II veteran takes to the air in SBD Dive Bomber 80 years later

World War II veteran Dick Miralles slid into the gunner's seat of the SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber almost as easily as he did 80 years ago in the South Pacific. Miralles (98) was reliving his wartime experience in a restored SBD operated by CAF Airbase Georgia in Peachtree City, Georgia.

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2 mins  |
November 2022
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO ELVIS PRESLEY'S FLEET OF PRIVATE JETS?
African Pilot

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO ELVIS PRESLEY'S FLEET OF PRIVATE JETS?

As a new biopic about Elvis Presley, directed by Baz Lurhmann, hits the silver screen, there has been a renewed interest in the life of the man dubbed the 'King of Rock and Roll'. Recognised as the best-selling solo artist of all time by Guinness World Records, with one million billion sales worldwide, it is safe to say that Elvis Presley is one of the most recognizable faces and voices in music history.

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3 mins  |
November 2022
BEST OF THE BEST: ND WWII VETERAN REFLECTS ON A LIFELONG LOVE OF AVIATION
African Pilot

BEST OF THE BEST: ND WWII VETERAN REFLECTS ON A LIFELONG LOVE OF AVIATION

World War II Army Air Corps pilot Ernest 'Hod' Hutson stands in his Grafton, N.D. home on Thursday, 17 May 2018

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3 mins  |
November 2022