Midweek Update 17 April 2013

By Willie Bodenstein

In Midweek Update we will be looking ahead to what's happening on the weekend and report on international and local news. Feel free to let us know if you or your club has got anything planned and we will gladly publish the details here. News snippets are also most welcome. E-mail all material to: willieb@pilotspost.com. The only condition is that it must be aviation related. (Obviously we reserve the right to decide what to publish).

What's happening this weekend?

20 April. SAPFA Fun Rally & Precision Qualifier Kitty Hawk. E-mail:
maryd@expandingbranding.co.za


Events to diarise.

27 April. Skydive. NON Nationals Rustenburg. E-mail skydiversity@gmail.com

4 May. Warbirds, New Tempe, Bloemfontein. Lucas Wiese 082 566 0656

11 May. SAPFA Fun Rally & Precision Qualifier, Krugersdorp. E-mail:
maryd@expandingbranding.co.za


11 May. FASHKOSK Fly in, Stellenbosch. E-mail polis@iafrica.com

11 May. SAAF Museum Airshow, AFB Waterkloof. E-mail:
oconnormike@webmail.co.za




17-18 May. Botswana International Airshow. E-mail
gknipe@work.co.bw mailto:gknipe@work.co.bw

18 May. Battlefields Fly in. E-mail
bookings@battlefieldslodge.co.za

18 & 19 May. Sports Aerobatics Free Sate Regionals, Parys. E-mail
change@mweb.co.za

22-26 May. Presidents Trophy Air Race, Oudshoorn. E-mail
roblena@mweb.co.za

28 May. Baberton Airshow. E-mail
cc@bushair.co.za

28 May. Kalahari Bundu Bash. E-mail
kalaharibundubash@gmail.com


SAA Museum Super Constellation saved from breakers

The SAA Museum Super Constellation that has been parked at O. R. Tambo International for a long time has now found a new home at Denel, opposite the offices of SkyClass Aviation.



The fate of the classic airliner has been in the balance as SAA gave the museum notice to move the aircraft or face it being destroyed. Moving the Connie from ORT to the Museum based at Rand Airport involve dismantling the wings, empennage and engines and transporting the disassembled parts by road, a costly procedure that the Museum that receives no financial support from SAA could not afford.



Fortunately Lufthansa came to the rescue and in exchange for some badly needed parts for their Constellation that is currently being restored to flying condition they undertook to fund the move. Denel kindly agreed that she be housed on their premises were work is now in progress to prepare her for her move the Rand.



All 108 Survive Bali Crash

All 108 people aboard a Lion Air Boeing 737-800 survived after the aircraft reportedly missed a runway Saturday at Denpasar Airport in Bali and ended up in the rocky shallows of the ocean at the end of the runway. Details are scarce but there are conflicting reports about whether it was an overrun. Early reports say the airplane never touched the runway and "landed" in the sea but the final resting place of the Boeing and more recent reports suggest it failed to stop on the runway and went over a cliff at the end. The main 9,800-foot runway extends about 3,000 feet into the ocean and it appears the aircraft ended up just off the end of the runway.

Photos show passengers able to walk off the wings into waiting rescue boats while rescue personnel secure the aircraft with lines. It was raining at the time of the accident but the weather was described as good by officials.The airplane is new and was on a domestic flight from Bandung in West Java. The hull is cracked in half and part of the horizontal stabilizer is missing but the wreckage is mostly intact and there's no evidence of a fire. There were 101 passengers and seven crew aboard and the flight crew was described as experienced. Of those just 22 were treated in the hospital and injuries ranged from scratches and scraped to broken bones and head injuries. There were five children and one infant aboard.

Brazil's Wega 180 Composite Retractables

We can't think of many high-performance retractable kits on the market these days--really any--but that's where a Brazilian company called Wega wants to go with its products. The company made a surprise appearance at Sun 'n Fun with a pair of Wega 180s who performance (and looks) are real head turners.



These airplanes are two-place, composite retractables powered by Superior Air Parts IO-360 and equipped with dual Dynon SkyViews. Wega figures it's at least a year away from delivering kits but has the U.S. export market in mind.


Marenco Swisshelicopter Ltd.

The Swiss made helicopter reports a great success with additional orders signed in Las Vegas

Marenco Swisshelicopter Ltd. is proud and enthusiastic to report on a great success with thousands of visitors and additional orders signed in Las Vegas during the 2013 Heli Expo. We are starting to set-up our worldwide network and have commenced the show by announcing the appointment of HELIFLITE Pty Ltd. as our distributor for Oceania, this followed the appointment of AERO FACILITY Co. Ltd. for the Japanese market, announced last year during the Japan Aerospace Exhibition.

Already both teams have motivated their valuable clients and introduced the aircraft to key helicopter operators. This lead to the signature of some letters of intent. HELIFLITE has pre-ordered two (2x) units and we have together convinced successful operators to closely consider the SKYe SH09 helicopter. A total of nine (9x) orders have been inked on the premises of our booth at the Las Vegas Heli Expo, which now brings our book-order to a total of 45x units to be delivered between 2015 and 2017. This covers our initial industrial target of ten (10x) aircraft produced on the first year (2015) and about twenty (20x) units on the following year (2016).



Positioned in the 2.5 metric ton class the SKYe SH09 new helicopter is designed to stand out from the competition. It offers exceptional hot and high performance, a flexible engine concept and a low noise signature thanks to the newly developed dynamic assembly and a shrouded tail-rotor. The modularity of the cabin makes the most of the flat floor and the unique high ceiling concept, offering multiple seating arrangements with 5 to 8 individual crashworthy seats and facilitated rear access loading through the clamshell doors for cargo and medical stretchers, both addressing the passenger transport and emergency evacuation roles of the helicopter.



Engineered using the latest technology in computer design, high tech materials and composites and benefiting from the extensive experience of the light to medium turbine helicopter market and the most up-to-date technology contributed to the development of an all new, state of the art helicopter design. SKYe SH09 offers the highest standards of safety, comfort and performance coupled with the lowest operating costs in its class. It may be suitably equipped to operate in the most adverse environments.

With a fast cruise speed of 270 km/h (145 knots) it is not only one of the fastest single engine light helicopter in the category, but it also offers very long range - in excess of 800km (430 nautical miles) with standard fuel tanks. But perhaps the most noteworthy characteristic is its extremely low noise, not only inside the large cabin, but also the external noise level.



Pilot's Post now average more than 1,000 hits per day and with advertising packages of R500, R1,000, R1,500 and R2,000 per month and classified adverts at R350 makes it the most cost effective way to reach your target market. For more information phone Willie on 082 442 8815 or E-mail willieb@pilotspost.com


Midweek Update








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