The “curtain raiser” race between the Gautrain and SAAF Museum Alouette Helicopter between Midrand and Centurion stations was held on Wednesday 2026-06-03 just after 7 AM. The partnership between Gautrain and SAAF Museum for the AirShow has been running for ten years now. Gautrain offers special discounted parking at R1 for the day to Gautrain users attending the AirShow and there is a shuttle bus that runs between Centurion Station and SAAF Museum at Mobile Deployment Wing, Swartkops from 7AM to 7PM for AirShow attendees at no charge.
The SAAF Museum Alouette III helicopter just beats the Gautrain into Centurion station as they pass the Centurion Hotel, and the helicopter rests in victory back at her base - SAAF Museum Historic Flight Hangar 14.
Two of the Hawk jet trainer aircraft from 85 Air Combat School had already arrived and a parachute jump course was being conducted for SAAF 500 Squadron during the week.
Hawks await their “drivers” and a batch of jumpers board the Casa 212 from 44 Squadron for their training jump.
The Media were briefed after this at Swartkops 14 Hangar. Deputy Chief of SA Air Force, Major General Mathebula delivered an address of behalf of the Chief of the SA Air Force, Lt General Moatshe. The collective efforts of the Departments of Defence and Transport were highlighted by this symbolic race. All stakeholders were all thanked for making this race possible. The AirShow demonstrates aviation excellence, but is also “about preserving heritage, inspiring future generations and demonstrating capabilities, professionalism and discipline of the men and women of the South African Air Force.”
The SAAF Museum AirShow is seen as part of a broader strategic vision of air and space power and part of the build-up towards AAD 2026 in September.
A short address was also made by Gautrain management to the assembled media.
Brig Gen Donovan Chetty introduces the panel and the Deputy Chief of the Air Force. The Deputy Chief delivering his address.
On Friday 5 June, a Youth Development program was run for about a thousand learners, while the final validations for Airshow displays were undertaken as an additional backdrop for the learners.
Learners were provided “goodie bags” from FNB, with other sponsor's items in them. An area was set out in front of Hangar 5, where the learners were addressed by various sponsors and stakeholders, including testimonials by SAAF members who had taken up the challenge from Youth Development Days in the past. Various stakeholders in the aviation industry from both public and private sectors had booths set up inside Hangar 5 to provide insight and information on careers in the aviation industry to both teachers and learners. Some stakeholders had display areas set up inside some of the other Museum Hangars and Museum and SAAF staff were on hand to provide information on the heritage exhibits in the outdoor display areas and in the hangars.
Learners are addressed by various SAAF and sponsor organization leaders outside Hangar 5.
In Hangar 2, Space environment exhibits exposed learners to new frontiers of possibility.
In the Museum outdoor and Hangar areas. Learners heard about the heritage of some of the aircraft on display and some needed more than selfies with the aircraft to remember the potential start to careers in aviation.
Back in Hangar 5, learners visited the various booth for information and Mr Larry Homan, from the Friends of the SAAF Museum explained some of the basic principles of aerodynamics, using his small wind-tunnel to show the practical application of the theory.
How do you know it is time for the SAAF Museum AirShow? Winter arrives in force! Snow all the way up the Drakensberg range, floods in the Cape, especially the Eastern Cape, hard hit again.
Thankfully, there was no rain in Pretoria on Saturday, it was warm in the sun, but the air was bitterly cold, with a fresh breeze, variable in direction.
Brig Gen Chetty was doing his rounds and came to chat to the photographic club and media.
As the sun rose, a number of aircraft arrived.
A spectacular sunrise, and various arrivals.
Some aircraft were commuting pilots in to fly Museum and other aircraft in displays, some were for static display and some came to provide displays.
The team from Capital Sounds were making final adjustments and removing covers from the speakers.
Paramotors from Grasslands nearby made a sedate flypast.
The official proceedings began with the emergency vehicle cavalcade and the parachutists delivering the scroll to the deputy Chief of the Air Force.
The traditional emergency vehicle cavalcade came down the runway from the South and turned onto the taxiway, back to their standby positions.
Parachutists were dropped from the 44 Squadron Casa 212 to deliver the scroll for the opening of the AirShow.
The Deputy Chief of the SA Air Force delivers his address and formally opens the AirShow.
Most of the aircraft displays were repeated during the day, so as far as possible, the displays later in the day are shown, when the lighting is better, so the sequence is not as per the program.
Biplane trainers of the 1930's era from both sides of the Atlantic were represented by the Classic Flying Collection from Springs with the Boeing Stearman piloted by Steve Brown and Tiger Moth piloted by Grant Timms. Steve Brown also performed a solo display with the Stearman.
Some of the Special Interest Groups of the Friends of the Museum - Spitfire Restoration and Buccaneer restoration projects had their memorabilia on sale and the beer garden was well attended.
Helicopters are often the best rescue solution when speed and/or inaccessible locations are challenges.
Henley Air demonstrated some of their air ambulance capabilities, while Dr Andre Coetzee put their Sixty-60 livery Bell 222 through it's paces. Henley had five of their aircraft present and were providing flips to the public during the day. They have the biggest single Bell 222 fleet in the world.
Jan Botma also demonstrated a typical rescue mission with his German SAR Huey. Brian Emmenis lead the crowd through a scenario of a snake bite victim in mountainous terrain being extracted by the Huey.
Sling performed a formation display, showing their Low Wing Tricycle, Low Wing Taildragger and High Wing variants designed and manufactured in Johannesburg. Grand Timms led the formation with Jason Adrian and Riaan Denner as wingmen.
The SAAF Museum Historic Flight and the Harvard Club of SA collaborated on a three-in-one formation display that was very impressive, showing careful planning and well-practiced execution.
The full formation of all the fixed-wing aircraft from the Museum and Harvard Club.
The two Museum C-185's. piloted by Maj Andre Roux from 41 Squadron and Captain Pratley on Reserve for Museum separate from the formation to land.
The rest of the formation continue to display in box and in-line formation patterns. Museum Harvard #7111 (Nelson), flown by Lt Col Potgieter has a fresh new paint scheme and a smoke system. Captain Karl Bolweg on Reserve for Museum leads the formation in the Bosbok.
The Museum Harvard and Bosbok separate to land, leaving the Harvard Club machines in two-ship formation.
Museum Harvard #7111 provides some smokey entertainment for the crowd.
Harvard Club #7024 and #7028 piloted by Tom Williamson and Eugene du Preez showed some skilled tight formation flying, a “switchblade” break and formation landing, because they can.
The Classic Flying Collection displayed their Chipmunks, lead by Grant Timms and Steve Brown, Ryan Briggs and Duncan Ritchie were the wingmen. The Chipmunk celebrated it's 80th year last month and celebratory events were held all over the world.
The SAAF Museum Historic Flight Helicopters have some serviceability challenges right now, with only one Alouette III flyable, so they teamed up with 17 Squadron's A109 for some formation and individual display work. Maj Esterhuise and Lt Col Robbertse (who also fly for the Museum) did the honours and showed exceptional flying skills.
Andre van Zyl is a regular at AirShows with his Magni-Gyro, showing the capabilities with great skill. He also raced the Gyro against his son “piloting” his Maserati sports car at low altitude. Both won successive runs!
Grant Timms performed his impressive solo display with a privately owned Bosbok. Grant has quite a logbook with so many different aircraft types he has mastered.
Johnnie Smith showed why he is a master aerobatic pilot and judge by displaying his Extra 330 with aplomb.
The crowds were reduced this year, probably due to the bitterly cold weather, the current hard economic times and there being no Gripens on the program. Fast jets attract the crowds!
The Puma Energy Flying Lions Harvard Team were only a two-ship due to some of their pilots being airline pilots and not available. Arnie Meneghelli and Dion Raath still provided a spirited display.
Parachutists from Special Forces and Medical Battalion were taken aloft by the Casa 212 from 44 Squadron.
As the shadows lengthened and the temperature plummeted again, a closing address was made by the acting OC of Swartkops Mobile Deployment wing, and it was “Time to say goodbye” with the final display by 85 Combat Air School Hawks display team.
While the program was reduced from previous years and many displays were repeated, it was still a good AirShow, the only real military AirShow on the South African calendar. The objective of keeping heritage supported has been met and will assist the SAAF Museum for another year. It was a good pre-cursor for AAD, which is really more a military trade event with an AirShow component. Well done to all those who do such hard and tedious work making arrangements and preparing an event with so many moving parts. Until AAD 2026 and SAAF Museum AirShow 2027…
