Pretoria - In a fun stunt to showcase the upcoming air show at the Zwartkops Air Force Base on Saturday, a race between the Gautrain and a Alouette II helicopter was staged on Tuesday.
The race began at the Gautrain’s Pretoria station at about 7.20am and ended in Centurion and was announced to passengers on the train who watched through the windows and took photos with their cellphones.
The train driver said the train had won, but the SABC which was filming the contest gave it to the chopper. Colonel Piet Wellman, pilot of the Alouette II said the air show was aimed at exposing the Air Force to children and make them aware that aviation offers a host of career opportunities.
It was also an opportunity to generate funds for the SA Air Force museum, (SAAF) which restores, preserves and displays South Africa’s military aviation heritage. This year, the air show will showcase 95 years of aviation excellence as part of the SAAF’s 95th anniversary.
It will also commemorate 80 years of service by the venerable C-47 and its offspring, the C-47TP, to the air force. The air show will also be marking 21 years of the air force in a democratic South Africa.
Lieutenant-Colonel Mike O’Connor, head of the SAAF Museum, said the organisers try every year to make the air show bigger and better. And this year is no exception - with about 100 aircraft scheduled to take part, excluding mass flypasts of powered paragliders, microlights and gyrocopters.
“We intend putting up the maximum number of SA Air Force aircraft to demonstrate our operational capabilities. “The Gripen, Hawk, Rooivalk and our Silver Falcons aerobatics team are always main attractions and show stoppers. We will ensure the maximum number of museum warbirds take to the skies to entertain the crowds.”
The line-up will include about 15 aircraft from the museum (Vampire, Harvard, Alouette II and III, Puma, Bosbok, Albatross, Kudu etc) and about 15 aircraft from the SA Air Force, including C-130 Hercules, A109, Oryx, BK117, Caravan, C212, Gripen and Hawk.
If possible, a Rooivalk attack helicopter will also take part. More than 40 other aircraft are scheduled to participate, including the P-51 Mustang, Pitts Specials, MX2 aerobatics aircraft, L-39, DC-3 (flown by Springbok Air), Antonov An-2 and Bell 47.
The morning will take off with mostly heritage flights involving aircraft like the Tiger Moth, with much of the fast jets, such as the Impala and Gripen, flying in the afternoon. Display teams such as the Silver Falcons, Harvard Club, Pitts special team and a new Vans RV team which will be a new addition to the air show.
The show officially kicks off at 9am, but it will be preceded by mass flypasts, for about an hour. Other attractions will be a parachute drop with 40 paratroopers jumping from a C-130, aerobatics displays of powered paragliders, gyrocopters and microlights.
The SAAF Museum Air Show has scooped awards for Best Air Show in South Africa, as well as a second and third place over the past four years.
About 40 000 people attended last year and this year 45 000 people are expected. Entrance is R50 per person. Children under 12 free. Buy tickets at www.ticketpro.co.za.
Pretoria News