A controversial law & another busy Saturday's Flying
By Willie Bodenstein
07.06.2025
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This past weekend was one of those when the aviators in South Africa, one of 54 countries in the huge continent of South Africa, the country with the biggest general aviation sector, was again spoiled for choice with an airshow and a number of other aviation related events.
Unfortunately, this may soon just be a part of history. The CAA's introduction of the controversial AIC18 will effectively mean that all South African fixed-wing aeroplanes and helicopters fitted with Textron-Lycoming and Teledyne Continental engines and possibly also Pratt & Whitney and Rotax engines not overhauled during the past 12 years have constructively been grounded overnight. A major insurance underwriter estimates up to 70 percent of the ageing fleet could be affected.
Scores of owners and operators may not yet be aware that they may be flying with effectively 'un-airworthy' aircraft, illegally and without any insurance cover.
The EAA's Paul Lastrucci informing attendees at Chapter 322 of the EAA about the effects and what is planned to get this controversial bill rescinded.
Few aircraft owners, especially those operating under Part 91 operations, can afford to overhaul their aircraft engines prematurely and are highly likely to stop flying altogether. Many operators may subsequently have to dismiss staff and close their doors, as the costs of a premature major overhaul could vary between R 1 m and R2.5 m depending on the size and complexity of the engine variant. Owners and pilots operating under Part 92 operations for leisurely activities, including ultra- and microlight aircraft or gyroplanes, are currently not affected.
Anyone wishing to support the effort to oppose the ruling through collective action, should please contact CAASA as the current situation if left unresolved, poses a dire threat to the South African economy, potentially costing thousands of jobs, and destroying entire sectors irrecoverably while doing all South Africans enormous harm in the process.
Please Contact your association involved for details of how to get be informed and contribute.
Alternatively, contact Kevin Storie, CEO of CAASA, kev@caasa.co.za
Let us hope that sanity will eventually prevail.
Now back to more pleasant things.
On Saturday Karl and I took of from Fly in Estates immaculately maintained runway to attend the EAA Chapter 322's monthly meeting hosted by the good people of Krugersdorp.
Warren and his Sherpa on the summit
Included the mornings program was a talk by the Chairman of Aerobatic club of South Africa and Yak 55 owner Warren Eva that had the audience spellbound and glued to their seats.
On 07 April 2025 Warren became the first South African to reach the summit of Mount Annapurna in Nepal, making him the first South African ever to stand on top of one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.
John Black, Warren's climbing partner with whom he had ascended to the top of K2 in 2022 unfortunately made the tough decision to call off his summit attempt.
Mount Annapurna at over 8,000 metres is infamous for its staggering fatality rate and is considered the most dangerous of all the 8000ers. It has a high fatality-to-summit ratio, with a death rate of approximately 32%, meaning that about 32 climbers die for every 100 that successfully summits. The mountain's steep, challenging terrain, unpredictable weather, and the risk of avalanches and rockfalls contribute to the high fatality rate. While many climbers focus on reaching the summit, a substantial number of deaths occur during the descent.
We were to meet Warren alter again that afternoon, this time at a different airfield and with his jacket as an aerobatic pilot on.
The meeting over we went of a quick cup of coffee and a a chat with friends at Ricardo de Bonis's hangar before we departed for Kroon Airfield and their superbly orgoanised and the best attended and supported fly in I have ever been too.
Jaco Pitout was there to cover the event on our Pilot's Post and his report is life.
Then it was what has become almost an obligatory stop at Kittyhawk for Strawberry Milkshakes and found to my delight and aerobatic training session with Warren in progress.
I was also delighted to meet up with Mike Wright all the way from Wings Park close to East London who had some exciting news, more of that later. With him was Philip Cronje and Sport Airplane Builders owner Piere van der Walt.
Then it was off to Fly in where I left Karl to put ZU-VAL to bed. Once again Karl thank you for the ride and the company!!!
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