The Flying Fish

Finally... Wednesday, 23 May 2012, was here. A Cessna 206 was available for training and conversions. An instructor was available. The money was available. The time was available. The weather was good. The catch? The aircraft is based in Clanwilliam, some 250km from where I live. 0630... Wake up, eat, go pick up a friend. 0730... Sit in traffic. 0815... Hit the road, equipped with music and foods (crisps and energy bars). 1100... Arrive at the airfield, "Clanwilliam Nooitgedacht", a dirt strip with one heck of a slope (I mentioned it in my "The Middle of Nowhere" entry, http://www.the-flying-fish.blogspot.com/2011/07/middle-of-nowhere.html). We park the car, and stretch our legs as we walk to where the C206 is parked. Seeing that aircraft with its white-blue paint scheme and the cargo pod... well, it was love at first sight. Two hours were spent writing the technical exam and waiting for another guy to finish his training. Come 1300, it was our turn. There ...

One of the reasons I've been so quiet on the blog front (and the photo front, and the forum front, and really just in general), was due to the fact that I was tasked with the creation of a new SFC website. Or at least, I was tasked with the not-so-glamorous job of uploading content for the new website. I honestly thought it would take a month or two, maybe three, but alas, I was horribly wrong. So after many months of writing out requirements for licences, proof-reading, finding photos, and figuring out the basics of web design, it was a relief to make the website live last week. It's not the most awe-inspiring, or beautiful website, but it is a lot more modern than the old one, and all the important information is there. As I'm still figuring the whole web design thing out, there might be one or two glitches, but fear not, for the site is young and hopefully it will grow from here. And if I get stuck or completely mess up, I can call on the man who helped me with ever...

The Avro Shackleton MR3 was used in the South African Air Force as a maritime patrol aircraft from 1957 to 1984. The SAAF ordered eight of these huge aircraft, with their unique contra-rotating propellers. Today, 4 are on static display throughout the country, one is lying in the Sahara Desert ("Pelican 16"), and Pelican 22 is the last of its type still in (relatively) serviceable condition, though it is unlikely that she will ever take to the sky again. 1718 crashed in 1962 near Rawsonville. I last saw and heard a Shackleton in 2006, and had missed every ground-run of 1722, "Pelican 22", based at AFB Ysterplaat. Due to technical issues, the ground-runs were put on hold, and she spent her days looming over Impala's and Mirage's in 4 Hangar. So imagine my joy when I heard that her 4 Griffon engines were to be fired up once again. On 12 May 2012, Pelican 22's 24 propeller blades sped into life for the first time in many, many months. What a sound and...

On 14 November, 2009, Thundercity Lightning ZU-BEX crashed at the Test Flight and Development Air Show, claiming the life of Dave Stock. After that day, the Thundercity jets ceased to grace our skies, and the TFDC show for 2011 didn't happen. But on 21 April, 2012, AFB Overberg once again opened its gates to aviation enthusiasts eager to see and hear fast jets, helicopters, and general aviation aircraft. With the focus on General Aviation, pilots were encouraged to fly in to the air show and camp by their aircraft for the duration of the weekend. I believe over 150 aircraft flew in for the event. On the Friday, clouds sat gloomily overhead while pilots did their display validations. Towards the middle of the day, the wind had picked up, and the temperature dropped. But when the Buccaneer came roaring towards the field, the biting wind was forgotten as cameras were grabbed and hearts raced with excitement. Not to be left behind, the Hawker Hunter pitched up, here unique sound brin...