The 13th Annual Kroon Fly In By Jaco Pitout There is a lot to be said about an event that has stood the test of time. Especially if such an event is purely reliant on the contribution of individuals and their passion for general aviation. One such event is the annual Kroon Fly in. In its' 13th year of being run, it can be said that his once humble fly in have grown in stature in leaps and bounds. The Kroon airfield have seen significant investment and development with new hangars being constructed, new bathroom facilities being erected, the week before the fly in I believe as well as hot showers for those who wish to stay under the wing of their aircraft. I arrived at Kroon early on Saturday and had the opportunity to speak with Marius Nel and Kevin Wood who head up Rosslyn Micro Flyers. They shared their preparation journey with me in that they had prepared the grass runway by painting runway markings on it, by using a hand operated cart, obtaining beautiful stretch tents in order for visitors to have shade while enjoying the many food and beverage options. There was a chilly breeze from the East, and this meant that the arrivals this morning would be along runway 29. The sunrise was a spectacular sight and brought some much needed warmth as I waited for the airfield to come alive, and did it come alive! With the paramotor pilots landed safely fixed wing arrivals could continue. It must also be added that the entire event was live streamed on Youtube, which is a welcome addition to local fly in events. This provides a means of participating for aviation enthusiasts that are unable to attend the event. In another development at Kroon Airfield, the organisers designated three different parking areas for the different aircraft types. Trike, general fixed wing and rotary wing. This is testament to the thought that went into arranging this event. Trikes have very specific tie down needs and helicopters require a clear approach and departure area. These areas were mowed and cleared of debris before the fly in started. Skydivers always bring a sense of excitement to any event, it was no different with the Kroon Fly in with no less than three different skydives conducted during the course of the day. There were a multitude of exhibitors on the day from aviation related courses, to flight planning software. This along with the many food vendors and the extensive farmers market and a craft brewing company this was an unrivalled shopping experience. It was also fantastic to see MISASA at the event, the ARO deeply involved in the preservation of microlight flying in South Africa. The airfield was abuzz with activity throughout the day with many a youngster and those young at heart being exposed to aviation. This truly was an experience for the whole family! I believe that festivities continued into the night with a variety of live bands playing on a purpose built stage in-front of one of the hangars. This was a wonderfully arranged event with fantastic attention to detail. This "little" fly in is one to watch, something tells me that they are going to need to clear more trees for next years influx of visitors. Well done Marius, Kevin and the entire Rosslyn Microflyers team that put this event together. We look forward to seeing you at Kroon, next year!

Events 2024

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