My earliest recollection of Jabiru aircraft was around 1998, when I was receiving Microlight training at Light Flight Farm, close to Cato Ridge in the Natal Midlands. I remember flying circuits with the legendary Geoff Dyer and hearing ZU-JAB in the air nearby. Roll on 2025, and you can spot a Jabiru at nearly every fly-in around the country-from the diminutive SP to the J430 series, which is a real cross-country touring machine.
Having flown most of my hours on Jabiru aircraft, I'm particularly fond of these machines-they offer great bang for my sometimes-elusive buck. That's why I was really excited to be assigned to cover the Jabiru fly-in at Kitty Hawk this past weekend.
Tossing and turning in bed at 04:45 on Saturday morning, I finally dragged myself out of the warmth of my home to prepare for the journey to Kitty Hawk. I arrived around 6 am to find the field silent-only the whisper of the wind and the distant call of a guineafowl disturbing the eerie calm. It was bitterly cold; the thermometer in my car read -2 °C. I remembered sunrise was around 6:55 am, so I hid in my vehicle for most of the wait. When the sun finally rose, it brought the most amazing warmth. My frozen fingers managed to snap a couple of photos of the Kitty Hawk Clubhouse and the rising sun.
Not long after, the airfield started stirring. Kitty Hawk Chairman Chris Burger, club member Juanita Kruger, and airfield manager Dawie Pretorius were all on post early on this frigid morning. Thankfully, the coffee offered by Chris warmed me to a more acceptable temperature.
The first visitor to touch down was… not a Jabiru. It was a helicopter. The beautifully turned-out, ZU-registered R44 beat the Jabirus to Kitty Hawk!
Soon after the R44 landed, you could hear the distinct sound of a Jabiru's six-cylinder engine cutting through the cold air. Arrivals and departures ramped up. I was frozen-but ready.
Seeing as this was a Jabiru fly-in, these aircraft were given pride of place on the grass ramp in front of the clubhouse, guided into position by Dawie Pretorius.
Meanwhile, visitors arrived in droves to enjoy the delicious breakfast, the glowing fireplace, and the warm Kitty Hawk hospitality.
It was breakfast time. Kitty Hawk clubhouse restaurant manager Lynette knows how to feed hungry pilots. She and the clubhouse staff tended to the needs of hungry-and cold-visitors with a scrumptious buffet breakfast, complete with all the trimmings. It was delicious!
My time in the clubhouse also gave me the opportunity to visit the clubhouse balcony, an elevated vantage where I could really appreciate the number of Jabirus in attendance, along with other visiting flying friends. What a successful fly-in!
It was also quite a fortunate occurrence that there was aerobatic practice taking place in the designated aerobatic box close to the airfield. I am always amazed at the precision of these pilots as they aim for maximum accuracy. What a sight to behold!
All too soon, it was time for the visiting aircraft to head back to their home bases.
I also captured these focused pilots at the fly-in.
My heart was warmed today by the kind hospitality of the Kitty Hawk airfield members, the friends I caught up with, the delicious food-and eventually, the winter sun.
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