CATEGORIES

WHEN THE CHALLENGE IS MET
African Pilot

WHEN THE CHALLENGE IS MET

On 2 November 2021 at 09h25Z, a pilot and a passenger on-board a Bell 206L helicopter with registration ZS-HDX were engaged in a repositioning flight operation from Rand Airport (FAGM) in Gauteng province to Buffels Mine near Klerksdorp in the North West province.

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8 mins  |
January 2023
LUXAVIATION
African Pilot

LUXAVIATION

There are several stages involved in purchasing an aircraft. Though the potential gravity of each step can make the process appear daunting, buying or selling an aeroplane does not have to be complex.

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1 min  |
January 2023
HARTZELL AVIATION FORMED
African Pilot

HARTZELL AVIATION FORMED

Hartzell, the storied and inveterate American manufacturer of aircraft propeller systems, has been reorganised under the auspices of Tailwind Technologies Inc. The emergent entity, Hartzell Aviation, encompasses a growing number of brands to include: Hartzell Propeller, Hartzell Aerospace Welding, and Hartzell Engine Tech.

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3 mins  |
January 2023
BOMBARDIER TO BEGIN MODIFYING GLOBAL 6000 FOR GERMAN MILITARY
African Pilot

BOMBARDIER TO BEGIN MODIFYING GLOBAL 6000 FOR GERMAN MILITARY

Bombardier Defence celebrated the arrival of a Global 6000 aircraft in Wichita, Kansas as part of the next phase of the company's contract to support Lufthansa Technik's participation in the German armed forces' Hensoldt-led Pegasus programme. Since the aircraft's 2020 selection to the programme, Bombardier has delivered three Global 6000 jets to Lufthansa Technik.

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2 mins  |
January 2023
UNITED AIRLINES UNVEILS HISTORIC ORDER TO PURCHASE UP TO 200 NEW BOEING WIDEBODY AIRLINERS
African Pilot

UNITED AIRLINES UNVEILS HISTORIC ORDER TO PURCHASE UP TO 200 NEW BOEING WIDEBODY AIRLINERS

On 12 December United Airlines announced the largest widebody order by a US carrier in commercial aviation history: 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options to purchase 100 more. This historic purchase is the next chapter in the ambitious United Next plan and will bolster the airline's leadership role in global travel for years to come.

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8 mins  |
January 2023
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR COMMERCIAL AIRLINE AVIATION?
African Pilot

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR COMMERCIAL AIRLINE AVIATION?

As the pandemic seemed to end, or at least the world found a way to live with the virus, it looked like the aviation industry had managed to reach the light at the end of the tunnel.

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7 mins  |
January 2023
AIR ARABIA's GROWING CONSTELLATION OF AIRLINES IS ABOUT TO BECOME LARGER
African Pilot

AIR ARABIA's GROWING CONSTELLATION OF AIRLINES IS ABOUT TO BECOME LARGER

The Middle East is one of the main players in global commercial aviation, with the region's three major full-service carriers, the so-called 'MEB3', Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways, garnering a great deal of attention.

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3 mins  |
January 2023
US LAWMAKERS DENY KEY EXTENSION FOR BOEING 737 MAX
African Pilot

US LAWMAKERS DENY KEY EXTENSION FOR BOEING 737 MAX

After declining to add a deadline extension for Boeing to fit new safety systems on the 737 MAX-7 and MAX-10 to the latest annual spending bill, United States lawmakers have squashed the manufacturer's hopes of continuing with certification of the aircraft type.

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3 mins  |
January 2023
PATHWAY TO THE US GREEN CARD AS A PILOT
African Pilot

PATHWAY TO THE US GREEN CARD AS A PILOT

Founded in 1992 by Jean Francois Harvey, Harvey Law Group has evolved into a leading multinational law firm with specialisations in immigration and business. With office in more than 20 countries, including South Africa, alongside 30+ years of experience Harvey Law Group aims towards one goal, your success. Through different residency, citizenship, citizenship by ancestry, visa and retirement programmes Harvey Law Group has been ensuring its clients a smooth transition whichever program they so choose. As of 2021 Harvey Law Group has been helping pilots through the process of acquiring their green cards via the EB-2 NIW pilot programme, allowing them to stay, work and live in the United States with their dependents.

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3 mins  |
January 2023
MORE EFFICIENT TO BUILD NEW BOEING 787s THAN TO RESTORE THEM
African Pilot

MORE EFFICIENT TO BUILD NEW BOEING 787s THAN TO RESTORE THEM

Following the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to temporarily stop certification of newly built Boeing 787s between May 2021 and August 2022, it is more efficient for Boeing to build new aircraft rather than to restore the stored inventory from that period, analysts have said.

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4 mins  |
January 2023
TAMARACK AND PROSPECTIVE PARTNERS EXPLORING A320 UPGRADES
African Pilot

TAMARACK AND PROSPECTIVE PARTNERS EXPLORING A320 UPGRADES

Founded to provide advancements in aerospace efficiency technology, Sandpoint, Idaho-based Tamarack Aerospace Group is currently engaged in serious and confidential talks with single-aisle aircraft manufacturing organizations, carriers, lessors and service organisations at the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) show.

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2 mins  |
January 2023
Best of the best Robinson Helicopter founder Frank Robinson
African Pilot

Best of the best Robinson Helicopter founder Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson passed away on 12 November at his Rolling Hills, California home. Robinson feigned insult when asked about his possible retirement at a packed 2009 Heli-Expo press conference. Why?” he shot back with a grin when asked about it. You know what the late comedian Jack Benny said when they asked him what he was going to do with all that money when he died? He said, If cannot take it with me, won’t go.’ He didn’t need a retirement and I think don’t, either.”

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3 mins  |
December 2022
80% of people have a fear of flying
African Pilot

80% of people have a fear of flying

The fear of flight has been a well-existing phenomenon that many fliers suffer from, especially the first-timers. The comfortable ride through the clouds can be a memorable journey for many, but few are in a hurry to make a landing and feel the solid surface and fresh air.

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5 mins  |
December 2022
101 ways to kill your instructor
African Pilot

101 ways to kill your instructor

On 26 February 2022 at approximately 0645Z, an instructor and a student pilot on-board a Jabiru J430 aircraft with registration ZU-IKG took off from Runway 27 at Rhino Park Aerodrome with the intention to land back at the same aerodrome. The purpose of the flight was to conduct circuit training towards a conversion to a Jabiru J430 aircraft. The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions VMC) by day and under the provisions of Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations CAR) 2011 as amended.

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10+ mins  |
December 2022
PILOTS NEED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
African Pilot

PILOTS NEED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

\"Write this down,\" said the instructor of the private pilot ground school, writing the FAA's five hazardous attitudes on the classroom white board. \"We are about to talk about these.\"

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5 mins  |
December 2022
CAN PILOTS GET SPEEDING TICKETS FOR FLYING TOO FAST?
African Pilot

CAN PILOTS GET SPEEDING TICKETS FOR FLYING TOO FAST?

A ticket for speeding while driving a car is a black mark and can lead to all sorts of problems. But what happens when the flight crew exceeds a flight's speed limit? Can a pilot receive a 'speeding ticket'?

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5 mins  |
December 2022
NAMES TO REMEMBER: Apollo astronaut James McDivitt
African Pilot

NAMES TO REMEMBER: Apollo astronaut James McDivitt

Former NASA astronaut James A. McDivitt, who commanded the Gemini IV mission and flew around the Earth as the commander of Apollo 9, passed away on 13 October aged 93. McDivitt passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family and friends in Tucson, Arizona.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
DOC AND FIFI, THE LAST SUPERFORTRESSES
African Pilot

DOC AND FIFI, THE LAST SUPERFORTRESSES

Owing to some trouble with an implacable Austrian corporal, a reticent Japanese emperor and a pathologically violent Italian prime minister, between 1942 and 1946 Boeing was compelled to build nearly four-thousand B-29 Superfortresses. The famously temperamental, pressurised, computerised bombers teetered precariously atop the pinnacle of reciprocating-engine technology and to this day and one hopes all days remain the only aircraft type to deliver nuclear ordnance in anger.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
ORION CUB
African Pilot

ORION CUB

Rugged yet beautiful, solid yet lightweight, easy to build and completely dependable.

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1 min  |
December 2022
THE 22ND WORLD RALLY FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS
African Pilot

THE 22ND WORLD RALLY FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At last we had arrived at the competition week, after months of planning after Sunday 13 November dawned everything was in place to have the event start. After the morning briefings were concluded, preparation for the opening ceremony were carried out with podiums, sound and everybody in their national dress. Karl Jensen was the master of ceremonies for the opening ceremony, which started promptly at 15h00 with a parade of nations, each country with their national flag and country signboard walked past the clubhouse to gather around the podium and as they walked past their countries National Anthem was played.

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5 mins  |
December 2022
BILL HARROP'S ORIGINAL BALLOON SAFARIS NIGHT GLOW
African Pilot

BILL HARROP'S ORIGINAL BALLOON SAFARIS NIGHT GLOW

On Saturday afternoon 19 November Christine and I together with many people from the Magaliesburg valley west of Hartbeespoort Dam were treated to a delicious dinner and an amazing spectacle as somewhere in the region of 15 historical hot air balloons were inflated on the beautiful rolling lawns of the estate.

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5 mins  |
December 2022
TOP 10 IN SERVICE ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN THE WORLD
African Pilot

TOP 10 IN SERVICE ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN THE WORLD

Within the 90th edition of APAnews this year I reported on Nigeria acquiring T-129 attack helicopters from Turkish Aerospace Industries and this prompted me to take a look at the world's in service attack helicopters.

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8 mins  |
December 2022
UK SELECTS FOUR COMPETITORS TO BID FOR NEW MEDIUM HELICOPTER CONTRACT
African Pilot

UK SELECTS FOUR COMPETITORS TO BID FOR NEW MEDIUM HELICOPTER CONTRACT

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) has down selected four manufacturers to move to the next phase of its £1 billion (US$1.15 billion) new medium helicopter acquisition.

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3 mins  |
December 2022
TUNISIAN AIR FORCE TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST OF EIGHT BEECHCRAFT T-6C TEXAN II
African Pilot

TUNISIAN AIR FORCE TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST OF EIGHT BEECHCRAFT T-6C TEXAN II

On 8 November Textron Aviation Defence announced the delivery of the first Beechcraft T-6C Texan II Integrated Training System to the Tunisian Air Force in support of operations at No. 13 Squadron at Sfax Air Base in Tunisia.

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2 mins  |
December 2022
NORTHROP BOOSTS SOVEREIGN SUPPLY CHAIN WITH AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIER FOR F-35s
African Pilot

NORTHROP BOOSTS SOVEREIGN SUPPLY CHAIN WITH AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIER FOR F-35s

Canberra has emphasised the need for more production in Australia not just for the financial benefits, but for the strategic reality that supply lines off the island nation would likely be the first target in a conflict.

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2 mins  |
December 2022
TOURISM, THE ANSWER TO REBUILDING AFRICA'S AVIATION INDUSTRY?
African Pilot

TOURISM, THE ANSWER TO REBUILDING AFRICA'S AVIATION INDUSTRY?

As global air travel positions to outperform 2019 levels, there is a surge in initiatives across Africa’s aviation industry to improve domestic and international air connectivity and increase air traffic within Africa and between Africa and neighbouring regions.

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4 mins  |
December 2022
GAUTENG'S LESSER-KNOWN AIRFIELDS
African Pilot

GAUTENG'S LESSER-KNOWN AIRFIELDS

BRAKPAN AERO CLUB Situated at the Brakpan / Benoni airfield the Brakpan Aero Club was established towards late in 1928. The Club's first aircraft was purchased in March 1929, which was a Gypsy Moth registration ZS- ABE. The Aero Club and flight school's first premises was in the suburb which is known as airfield in Benoni today. However, the airfield and club moved to its current position in the 1950's due to urban development.

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10 mins  |
December 2022
THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN AVIATION
African Pilot

THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN AVIATION

Look into any pilot’s hangar and you will see a wide variety of oils and lubricants for their aircraft. Look closer and you will also see a variety of tools and different cleaning supplies for every part of the aircraft. Then take a look inside the cockpit and you will see redundant systems to ensure safe flight.

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6 mins  |
December 2022
10 Reasons Why People Are Switching To Spidertracks
African Pilot

10 Reasons Why People Are Switching To Spidertracks

When selecting a partner to provide essential flight information, data and insights about your aircraft, there’s plenty of options on the market. Does your current provider give you the capability to enhance operational efficiency, profitability and safety in your business?

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2 mins  |
December 2022
HUMAN FACTORS IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
African Pilot

HUMAN FACTORS IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

The Human factors database of worldly experience has proven to us all time and again, that four factors ensure that even the most skilled professionals are ultimately exposed to making errors and mistakes.

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2 mins  |
December 2022