The 2025 Potchefstroom Airshow was held on the 7th of July 2025. Having generously again been offered a lift to the airshow together with good friend and aviator, Andrew Blackwood Murray in the Nashua Extra 300L, this made for a very good trip indeed!
After a very smooth flight from Rand to Potch, arriving there we first had the Safety and Emergency briefing in the Glider Clubhouse, presented by FDD for the day Rikus Erasmus and FSD for the day Nigel Musgrave. Also present at the meeting was the show organizer, Sally Fleck and the representatives of the CAA.
The show started with the Johannesburg Skydivers taking to the sky in Henco Ingram's green Aloette 3, flown by Juba Joubert.
Following them we had the Flying Lions opening the flying displays; this time flying a 3-ship formation due to one of the Harvards experiencing technical difficulties on the way to the show not being able to participate and be flown by Andrew. Watching them gracefully fill the sky with thick white smoke always sets the tone for a good airshow!
Next up was Andre Coetzee with the Bell 222. Flying with the customary "Airwolf" theme song playing, this particular Bell 222 had a very distinctive swooshing whoop when it turned steeply with the two massive blades slowing down. This is certainly one of the most iconic sounding helicopters together with the Huey!
Following Andre, the Goodyear Eagles took to the sky for their two-ship formation display, flown by Jason Beamish and Sally Fleck. They performed a spectacular routine with some very precision formation flying. The updated livery on the "black" Pitts flown by Sally is really a good visual touch, an emotional cue that the team is respectfully moving on.
Oscar Goudriaan, Potchefstroom resident, local businessman and World Glider champion then gave us a very unique display with a Jonker Sailplanes JS3 glider, fitted with a small integrated propellor drive system.
Tristan Eeles was up next with his newly branded Reclaim Extra 330SC with expert commentating by dad Barry Eeles. He gave a superb flying display with some very tightly executed maneuvers. Soon to be a father, Tristan is certainly making the most of this time before the little one arrives!
The Helo formation then took to the sky. Unfortunately, due to the Alo 3 having experienced some technical difficulties after the para drop, it could not participate in the display. The two-ship display was flown by Jan Bothma in the SAR Huey and Juba Joubert in the Gazelle. This is really a unique display and we hope to see this expand to an even larger display under the expert mentoring and guidance of Juba.
Something which is unique to rural airshows are the participation of not often seen demonstrations such as the crop spraying demonstration presented by Sandrivier crop protection. Two Air Tractors expertly flown by Steven Viviers and Henri van Niekerk gave the crowd a very spectacular display together with the John Deere tractor crop sprayer.
Johnie Smith was up next with a different take on the crazy flying display act this time he was simulating a RC plane student flying, expertly mimicking the erratic flying maneuvers.
Then it was time for the Latitude Wealth Navion Formation flown by Reyno Coetzer and Mike George. This display has quickly grown to one of the most spectacular of its kind on the SA airshow scene, the graceful Navions with their thick smoke and stunning underbelly livery really makes for a very visual display.
Joshua Twomey and his team then gave a very exciting RC display while the L39 jet was inbound from Rand airport. One of the displays which was flown was with a high-performance RC helicopter, mimicking a massive dragonfly in its advanced flying capabilities. Joshua gave his display in his world championship RC Extra plane, with a routine which seemed to defy all the laws of aerodynamics! It is really good to see the inclusion of these RC flying acts to our local airshows.
Following the RC act, Grant Timms entered the flying box at high speed from the right, causing Tannie Koeks who was dosing off at the "pannekoek" stand to nearly loose her false teeth! Grant who recently converted back to flying the L39 is really enjoying flying this magnificent jet, owned by Menno Parsons of Master Power Technologies.
With recent legislative changes made by the CAA, which currently limits private jets from performing aerobatic displays at airshows following the fatal accident of ZU-IMP at the Saldanha airshow, Grant still managed to keep within the limitations and fly a very good flat display circuit. We really hope that this legislation would be expertly evaluated to ensure that the limitations are removed, as this would certainly deal a hard blow to the already strained local airshow scene.
Juba Joubert was up next with the jet-black Gazelle of Bennie de Jager. Using uncle Juba's own words, this Gazelle is like a "scalpel", cutting through the air with ease. Despite the gusty wind, Juba expertly maneuvered the Gazelle into seemingly impossible turns and holds, many times with the helicopter not facing the conventional flying orientation for helicopters!
Johnie Smith then followed with his white Extra 330 LX for his solo display. Not seen often at airshows for the last couple of years, it was really good to see him flying again. For those who have been around long enough would remember the "Radio Pulpit" Sbach flown by Johnie many years ago. Johnie gave an exhilarating performance, putting that 330LX through its paces!
Second to last act was that of the Hired Guns Pitt specials together with the Nashua Extra 300LP solo display. The Hired Gun's were the regular team of Ellis, Arnie and Sean with the Nashua flown by Andrew. Together they have an exceptional flying display, without a spare moment to take a sip of your moerkoffie; as soon as the one team departed the box the next would enter. We really missed not having a solo act on the program by Andrew in the Nashua, so this was a welcome opportunity for his fans to see him fly.
Tristan Eeles then took to the sky for a quick sponsor promo act and then it was the closing act of the day. Oscar Goudriaan was to perform with his jet assisted Jonker Sailplanes JS5, starting with an aerotow display between him and Riaan Denner flying the tug plane. After disconnecting from the tug, he flew a mesmerizing display with graceful swoops of the massive wingspan of the JS5 with "Time to say goodbye" playing in the background.
The 2025 edition of the Smoke on Go Potchefstroom Airshow did not quite hold up to the high standard set by the previous year's show, partly due to some very unfortunate technical cancellations of some of the key displays such as the Gyrocopter display of Andre van Zyl. Below standard sound coverage, hampered by far too many technical difficulties compared to the high standard of sound we are used to at other airshows in SA, also did not help the situation. In spite of all of the above, the show still produced very good quality flying entertainment in quite challenging windy conditions.
Congratulations to the show organizers and the ASSA team for having a successful and most importantly a safe airshow. This show certainly proved itself to be a worthy regular on the SA airshow calendar and we hope to see it bounce back strongly next year with perhaps some new and exciting acts never before seen in SA!
Many thanks to Andrew Blackwood Murray for very generously taking me with to the show in his Nashua Extra 300. It is always such a pleasure flying with Andrew, the only issue I have is that the trips are always just too short!
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