Editorial

Do you really need to go flying?

A couple of weeks ago African Pilot covered two stories in its weekly APAnews that illustrated the ways in which recreational aviation is being affected by the COVID-19 in different countries. One story told about the virtual lockdown of non-essential flying in the UK, enabled largely by obliging weekend warriors, who complied with their government’s polite request to please hang up their headsets until this lockdown blows over. British authorities did not see any need to issue any orders or rules to accomplish the mass grounding. Pilots just did as requested with little fuss. Just a few days ago African Pilot published the story of a pilot who took advantage of the eerily empty skies over his native New Jersey and flew low over Newark, LaGuardia and JFK. Although always the consummate professionals, one could hear the levity in the rapid-fire delivery of the air traffic controllers and their ready participation in this rare event. In short, the controllers loved it!

A few readers noticed the juxtaposition of those two different realities and it had me thinking about my own occasional flying activities in the face of a global pandemic. I have a beautiful Cessna 182 at my home base of Rand Airport that needs to be flown, if for nothing more than to exercise its engine.

For me, it came down to answering two questions:

• Would it hurt anyone if I flew in the circuit for an hour? The answer is an unequivocal ‘No.’ Flying solo is the essence of social distancing.

• Are there a couple of specious justifications for halting recreational aviation? Authorities have said that General Recreational Aviation and Commercial flying would place an unnecessary burden on ATC and that a crash or other emergency would divert essential services needed to cope with the pandemic. Both scenarios are complete nonsense even in the event of an incident.

In short, there is absolutely no reason why General Aviation should not be allowed to re-commence. An added bonus would be the revenue that would once more pour into the oil companies and the fuel distributors at our numerous airfields. Social distancing will be practised by those involved in dispensing fuel. This is a one-man function.

Nobody will be hurt by my flying and it is highly unlikely that I will catch or pass on this blessed virus whilst in the air or pottering in my hangar. So please Mr. President give us ‘The freedom of the skies once again!’ However, I expect my plea to fall on deaf ears!

A couple of trite slogans are heard everywhere in the COVID-19 world. People are saying ‘we are all in the same boat.’ However, this is not realistic: We are in the same storm, but we are in vastly different boats and we are all riding it out differently. This COVID-19 lockdown should have passed within the first five weeks, but then I suspect it will be fresh in all aviators’ minds that this situation is not going away, not until at the best October or November of this year. It is for this reason that I suggest we all write off the year 2020 and start concentrating on what will be left of Civil Aviation post COVID-19.

Stay at home if you can and be safe.

Athol Franz