Editorial

Within this exciting 282 page edition African Pilot we feature Helicopter Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and helicopter operators. In addition, this edition contains details on aviation Insurance and Financing options within the southern Africa region.

As most aviation enthusiasts will know by now,

NASA flew its tiny Mars helicopter Ingenuity on 19 April for the first time. Ingenuity rose to an altitude of 10 feet and remained in a stable hover for 30 seconds making this the first controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet. The total flight time of the solar powered helicopter was 39 seconds.

This feat has been likened to the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers, Wright Flyer’s first three-axis flight of 120 feet in 12 seconds on 17 December 1903, 117 years ago. The following two flights were 175 and 200 feet respectively and the aircraft also rose to an altitude of 10 feet above the ground. It is fitting that to celebrate this milestone to be found on page 214 in this edition of African Pilot since the NASA machine is also a helicopter.

Exciting times in aviation

We are living in exciting times and although the COVID-19 pandemic has pressed the ‘pause button’, this has also provided the world’s aviation entrepreneurs the opportunity to take stock of present and future industry developments. Looking at the positive side of this pandemic and frankly there are very few positives, the situation in which we all find ourselves has provided us with the opportunity to find new ways to conduct business.

Distance communication via virtual meetings have become common place, whilst a significant percentage of people are working from the comfort of their homes. At African Pilot, we too have adapted to the ‘new normal’ with great enthusiasm to take the publication to new heights, whilst increasing the publication’s footprint to readers throughout the world. However, over the past month we have visited all local regional airfields to continue face to face communication, which has been welcomed by many regional operators.

Also, during the month of April, it was wonderful to record that aviation in South Africa and across the globe has started to return to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Pilots and aviation enthusiasts all over South Africa enjoyed the reduced restrictions on their movements so that they could attend aviation events. If we are to be encouraged, the attendance figures from the annal USA’s Sun ‘n Fun in Florida were at a record this year.

After having attended the annual EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh convention and airshow for 19 years, we all missed the 2020 event due to this COVID pandemic.

However, now after a successful Sun ‘n Fun event, which was also cancelled last year, I believe that AirVenture will take place this year. Of course, the question arises; ‘will South Africans be welcomed by the American system? Only time will tell, but I am confident that providing those of us that desperately want to be in Oshkosh in late July will have to have ‘the jab’ to be accepted by the system.

Unfortunately, airshows in South Africa are unlikely to happen this year, not until this dreadful pandemic is over and I do not believe this will be anytime soon. However, it is exciting to record the many fly-in and sport aviation events within the monthly publication. Within this edition of African Pilot, we have reported on several of the events that I attended in person as well as other events where photographers and correspondents assisted with coverage for the magazine.

Again, this month, I wish to pay tribute to African Pilot’s team that has excelled in all departments to bring you the finest monthly aviation magazine in the world. This edition includes embedded videos and picture galleries for your reading and entertainment pleasure. The overall diversity of subjects covered in each edition of African Pilot places this publication into a league of its own. Presently there is no other aviation publication in the entire world that covers ALL aviation subjects from regular airline business, sport aviation, space travel, military aviation and futuristic urban air taxi transport to the amazing world of autonomous drone delivery operations in its monthly publication.

African Pilot is also the only aviation publication in the world that in addition to producing an amazing monthly publication, also produces twice weekly newsletters on Mondays and Thursdays. APAnews has been published for the past 20 years in support of the industry as well as providing ‘breaking news’ and regular reminders about what is scheduled into the future.

However, our team is always open to any conversation about how we can improve or make African Pilot even better. Please feel free to e-mail me editor@africanpilot.co.za with your suggestions.

We are entering a seasonal time when South African interior weather conditions are relatively stable, but this is no time to slow down on your individual aviation professionalism.

Please remember that the saying ‘there are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are very few old bold pilots left’ .

Please enjoy your flying,

Sincerely, Athol Franz