Chapter 322 of the Experimental Aircraft Association kicked off 2026 with a bang at a well-attended fly-in hosted by Graham and Vanessa Richardson at Fly Inn Estates.
For once, the weather played along, although most of those who flew in mentioned rather windy and turbulent conditions en route. Ninety-seven had RSVP'd, and all, plus quite a few more, turned up. Considering the unpredictable weather we've had lately, many decided to play it safe and travel by road instead.
It was heartening to see such a wide variety of aircraft on the field. The Gyrocopters were out in force and easily the best represented, followed by fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and weight-shift trikes.
A particularly welcome sight was the number of visitors from Chapter 973, based at Jack Taylor Airfield in Krugersdorp. Chapter 973 was formed late last year, meaning South Africa now proudly counts three active EAA chapters; Chapter 322 in Gauteng, Chapter 973 in Krugersdorp, and Chapter 1502 based at Baynesfield in KwaZulu-Natal. There's even talk of a possible fourth chapter forming soon in the Western Cape.
Eugene Coyzen kindly offered me a seat in his wonderful Alouette II for some air-to-ground photos, along with an impromptu air-to-air shoot of Peet Mostert's absolutely stunning Robinson R66. On a sad note, Eugene mentioned he is considering selling the Alouette, we'll share more details on that in due course.
With the flying season now officially open, the following EAA events are planned for the next three months; a promising start to what looks set to be another exciting year for South Africa's homebuilt and recreational aviation community.
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