Jonker Sailplanes JS3 Rapture 50th Roll-Out and Test Flight

By Benie Henning



On Wednesday 13 March 2019 at 06h08 Potchefstroom based Jonker Sailplanes rolled-out their 50th JS3 Rapture Sailplane for its new owner Katrin Senne. Katrin came all the way from Germany to collect her glider personally. This commemorated just over 2 years of building the new JS3 Rapture after being launched for the first time to the world on 12 December 2016.


Katrin Senne with the Martini liveried Audi TT


Katrin Senne and the Jonker Sailplanes Management Team

Katrin's new JS3 glider was finished in a beautifully painted Martini livery edition. Accompanied by the glider was a similar liveried black Audi TT that completed the roll-out ceremony perfectly.


50th JS3 Rapture roll-out ceremony started


50th JS3 Rapture roll-out ceremony completed


Closer look at the new JS3


Celebrations with some alcohol-free champagne


Katrin Senne for the 1st time in her new JS3 glider

The test flight of the 50th JS3 Rapture took place directly afterward at 07h10 and the test flight was done by Uys Jonker as the test pilot and went without any problems. His feedback was very satisfactory to say the least. Katrin Senne was in the tug plane and took the first air-to-air photos of her new sailplane. She is a very dedicated glider pilot and aviation enthusiast.


Katrin Senne excited before the test flight



Uys Jonker at the controls for the test flight



Take-off behind the tug plane



Getting ready for the first fly-pass



Uys Jonker in close-up view



Roll-on to a stop after a successful landing


Jonker Sailplanes is a proudly South African company and its ground breaking JS3 Rapture has become the "must have" Sailplane in Sailplane competitions flying world-wide since early 2017 at the World Gliding Championships in Benalla, Australia. Many thanks to all involved for the opportunity to be present at the 50th JS3 roll-out ceremony making it another historic day in sailplane technology and design. Looking forward to the 100th JS3 roll-out ceremony in due course at Jonker Sailplanes.


Events 2019
Gliding
SSSA







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