Pilot's Post - A busy Saturday morning flying

Bataleurs presentation, WRFC lunch and Tranquillity Lodge visit

13.05.2021

07.15 and Captain Karl Jensen and I take off from Fly Inn Estate's superbly maintained grass runway to Kitty Hawk to pick up Nigel Musgrave. This was the first leg of our three Saturday engagements. The next leg was to Brits Airfield where we landed in time for our first engagement of the day, an excellent presentation about that very special group of aviators, the Bateleurs.

Presented by Donavan Baily, who was introduced by Steve McCurbach, the short dynamic well illustrated presentation covered most of what this wonderful group of pilots are involved with to save our precious environment.

Founded in 1998, The Bateleurs is a South African Non-Profit Company (NPC), with over 200 volunteer pilots and aircraft. It provides its beneficiaries and the public with an aerial perspective of the environment and has coordinated several diverse missions throughout South Africa and Africa in support of environmental issues. Its mission is well-aligned with the United Nations Millennium Goals, ensuring environmental sustainability and assisting with the integration of the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes.

Enormous scale of open cast coal mining operations…. Environmental destruction by open cast coal mining.

Nylsvlei illegal weir…. Power Station ash pollution.

Serious pollution from a power station…. Underground mine on fire near Ermelo
Photos by Karl Jensen, an active member of the Bateleurs illustrating the catastrophic damage done to the environment by mining and other concerns.

Then we attended a scrumptious finger lunch arranged by the good people of Brits Flying Club to thank all those who were involved into making the world 22nd Rally Flying Championships late last year hosted by the club a success. This is the second world championship events hosted by this dynamic club. The first was the 2010 20th World Precision Flying Championships.

Attendees

Rob, during his speech also introduced SAPFA members who have been placed on the list of qualified officials for FIA Rally events. Congratulations to all. It is an honour indeed!

The new members nominated to serve on the FIA panel of approved persons at international events. (L to R) Laura Mc Dermid, Rob Jomhers, Hans Schwebel Stuart Mc Dermid, Frank Eckhardt, Martin Meyer & Nigel Musgrave

To commemorate these two significant events Karl revealed a granite engraved stone that will greet visitors from the apron at the gate to the club's recently upgraded clubhouse.

The granite memorial revealed by Captain Karl Jensen

That done we then departed for Tranquillity Lodge where we were met by owner Ray Scott who accepted a number of books gifted to him by previous visitors of the lodge.

After a superb cappuccino we departed for Kittyhawk to drop Nigel of and then back to Fly Inn where we arrived at 15.30.

What a wonderful, interesting day spend flying and with friends!

A busy Saturday morning flying

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SAPFA
Events 2023