Hosted by Chapter 322 of the EAA of South Africa, Scully Unplugged was not the first time South African aviation legend Captain Selwyn “Scully” Levin had taken the stage at the Chapter's Auditorium at Rand Airport and we certainly hope it won't be the last.
Born on 29 September 1946 in Polokwane, Limpopo, Scully entered the world two years before Rand Airport relinquished its role as South Africa's main international airport to Palmietfontein. He took to the skies in 1964, just twelve years after the opening of Jan Smuts International Airport (now O.R. Tambo International). What followed was a flying career that would span more than six remarkable decades.
Scully joined South African Airways (SAA) in 1971 and steadily rose through the ranks to become the airline's Chief Training Captain. Over the course of his career, he amassed more than 26,500 flying hours on over 180 different aircraft types, an extraordinary feat by any global standard.
Breakfast is served
A pioneer in aviation safety, Scully played a key role in introducing Crew Resource Management (CRM) at SAA in 1988 and helped develop the airline's comprehensive Risk Management Model. His dedication to transformation in aviation was equally notable. He mentored cadet pilots from disadvantaged backgrounds and assessed international training facilities as part of the SAA Cadet Pilot Programme.
In his 38 years at SAA, Scully commanded flights across the full spectrum; domestic, regional, and long-haul international. He is a Class 2 Test Pilot, a South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Designated Examiner, and a three-time South African National Aerobatic Champion.
Some of the visitors. Top SAA Captain Flippie Vermeulen and Ronell Myburgh. Bottom Anne Louise and Jeremy Ward who flew in from Siver Creek Estates
Yet, to many, Scully is best known for his airshow performances and daredevil feats. Among the most famous: landing a Piper Cub on a moving truck, a stunt he has successfully performed more than 120 times since debuting it in 1982. Then there's the jaw-dropping moment when the Flying Lions' Harvards “water-skied” across Klipdrift Dam, another stunt widely believed to be a world first.
SAA Captian Karl Jensen introducing Scully to a packed auditorioum
Few know that he also competed in the iconic 1995 Reno Air Races in the USA becoming the only South African ever to do so and won both races he entered.
Scully also earned international acclaim for his leadership in orchestrating three-aircraft formations of giant airliners flown over the Union Buildings during the presidential inaugurations in 1999, 2004, and 2009. These legendary formations also graced the skies for the 2003 Cricket World Cup Final and the 2006 launch of the Star Alliance at SAA.
Scully, with Laura McDermid, demonstrating a finer point during his talk.
The Auditorium before......
..........and during Scully's talk.
In recognition of his immense contributions to aviation in South Africa and abroad, Scully was awarded The Order of the Baobab in Bronze in 2012 by the Presidency.
This past Saturday, the packed Auditorium at Rand Airport was treated to a truly memorable morning as Scully shared hilarious, heartfelt, and hair-raising stories from his extraordinary time not only while with SAA but also while involved with general aviation. It was a morning of nostalgia, inspiration, and celebration, of a man who has spent a lifetime pushing boundaries in the sky, and who continues to captivate audiences on the ground.
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