Africa s Biggest Selling Aviation Magazine Edition 247 May 2016 R34.50 Cover: Justin de Reuck
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CONTENTS Columnists SA FLYER Guy Leitch - Attitude for Altitude 16 Peter Garrison - Leading Edge 20 Fyko van der Molen 24 Jim Davis - Pile of Logbooks 30 John Bassi - Helicopters 38 Ray Watts - Register Review 44 Jim Davis - Accident Report 50 May 2016: This month s cover, taken by Justin de Reuck, is of Nigel Hopkins brand new aerobatic mount the Extra 330SC. Nigel needed a new plane to replace his MX2 which suffered structural failure in the run-up to the World Unlimited Aerobatic Championships last year. The Extra 330SC is a certified aerobatic thoroughbred, and Nigel has already won his first competition flying it. Read the flight test on page 56. Africa s Biggest Selling Aviation Magazine FLIGHTCOM Mike Gough - Airline Ops 10 Hugh Pryor - Bush Pilot 14 Darren Olivier - Defence Notes 26 Keith Mwanalushi - Airlines 34 Rennie van Zyl - AOPA Briefing 40 PROJECT 24: NTCA REGS GET AN OVERHAUL A350 S FIRST YEAR OF SERVICE ULTRA-LONG HAUL BIZJETS Edition 247 May 2016 R34.50 WE FLY NIGEL HOPKINS NEW EXTRA 330SC! Cover: Justin de Reuck Stylish FLIGHT TEST: H120 2 SA Flyer
CONTENTS FEATURES & NEWS SA FLYER EXTRA 330SC flight test 56 SKY GP 66 PROJECT 24 70 BENTLEY 77 HELICOPTER supplement 99 HELI INTRO flight 100 EC120 flight test 106 HAI report 116 Regulars Opening Shot 8 Gadget of the Month 10 In Brief 12 BUMPPFF 28 Register Review 44 Market Place 74 Letters 84 TOTAL Fuel Table 90 GIB Events 91 Flying School Directory 92 Charter Directory 94 AME Directory 95 AMO Listing 96 Subscriptions FC 44 Aviation Directory FC 47 FLIGHTCOM BOEING 787-10 6 FIRST BIZJET to St Helena 6 AIRBUS A350'S first year 20 GULFSTREAM G650 24 ARMED Forces Day 44 DASSAULT Falcon 8X 46 4 SA Flyer
POSITION REPORT THIS month Rennie van Zyl writes the AOPA column for us. Rennie is now a retired senior statesman having had an exemplary career in aviation management. A former head of the South African Civil Aviation Authority he joined the then DCA as an engineer in 1969. He rose through the ranks to become Commissioner for Civil Aviation, eventually retiring after 29 years in 1998. Rennie is both qualified as a commercial pilot and as an aircraft maintenance engineer. In 2000 he joined ICAO in Montreal overseeing accident investigation. In 2007 he was induced back to the CAA as Acting Head of accident investigations until a permanent head could be found. He is the epitome of the circumspect quietly competent leader. So when Rennie speaks, I listen. It is I believe significant that Rennie has chosen to throw his weight behind the strident efforts of AOPA- SA in combatting the excesses and dysfunctionality of the current CAA. I cringe at the ferocity of the attacks made almost unflaggingly by AOPA on the obdurate bureaucrats in the regulator and wish it did not need to be that way. The CAA has many good people, but it is being increasingly perceived as being antiaviation due to the damage caused by the few misguided middle managers who either don t understand what it means to develop the industry (possibly never having been in business themselves) or who, for reasons of their own, are seeking to harm it. I recently attended a Civil Aviation Regulations Committee (CARCom) meeting and it was apparent that battle lines are being drawn. The atmosphere was often one of papered-over hostility. And Rennie van Zyl was in the thick of it, batting vigorously for AOPA. When good and naturally reserved men become radicalised, this is a disaster for the industry. The various consultative forums such as CARCom play an essential role in building and maintaining relationships between the industry and the regulator. My view is that both sides are to blame for the increasing breakdown in relations and goodwill. It needs leadership to restore relationships. The CAA must have a launch, not just of its inward looking Siyathuthuka project (necessary as it may be), but of a groundswell shift to become a customer centric organisation: The customer is always right and if he isn t - take the time to explain why. Don t just say No. Inspectors should not only be trying to find fault they should be engaging with the industry to find better ways to do things. The CAA should be trying to cut away the thicket of legislation that chokes the good seed, rather than reactively creating more and more often arbitrary and contradictory rules. If the CAA launched a customercentric focus this would be sufficient goodwill for the industry to feel as if it were coming out from under an oppressive blanket and into the sunlight of growth. Guy Leitch ACCOUNTS Jennifer Rosenberg accounts@saflyermag.co.za DEPUTY EDITOR Graeme Wuth graeme@saflyermag.co.za TRAVEL EDITOR Nicola-Jane Leitch PRODUCTION & LAYOUT Emily-Jane Kinnear emily@saflyermag.co.za SALES MANAGER Wayne Wilson wayne@saflyermag.co.za 072 900 2023 TRAFFIC traffic.admin@saflyermag.co.za SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@saflyermag.co.za Photography Bruce Perkins Guy Leitch Justin de Reuck Ray Watts Editorial Fyko van der Molen Guy Leitch Graeme Wuth Jim Davis Mike Gough Peter Garrison Ray Watts Contact Details Tel: +27 (0)11 463 1573 Fax: +27 (0)11 463 1812 66 Albatross Drive, Fourways, 2191 P O Box 71052 Bryanston, 2021 South Africa Distribution Distribution by RNA (Throughout SA and Africa to approximately 1 000 stores), CNA, PNA, Exclusive Books, Pick n Pay as well as selected Spars, and convenience stores. Sales into Africa: Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Moçambique and Madagascar. Unsold distributed to selected clinics, airport lounges, doctor s rooms, garages, selected hotels and lodges and Airport Shops. Important Opinions expressed in signed articles, News & Views or in advertisements appearing in SA Flyer, are those of the author or advertiser and do not reflect those of this journal nor of its publisher. The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements, does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this journal or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. Editor guy@saflyermag.co.za SA Flyer 2016. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holders 6 SA Flyer
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This dramatic Opening Shot of an SAAF Oryx from 91 Squadron precariously perched on a rock is a perfect example of the versatility of helicopters. The wheel strut is pushed a good way in, indicating a positive landing on one wheel! Tom van der Meulen took the photo by lying on his stomach with his head upside down out of the Oryx. He used his Canon EOS 300D at ISO 400 and f6.3 at 1/500 of a second and a wide angle 18 mm focal length. Send your submissions to guy@saflyermag.co.za 8 SA Flyer