Potchefstroom Airshow 2024
(first published in African Pilot)
It has been 15 years since the last airshow was held in the Northwest Province city of Potchefstroom. There was a time when airshows in South Africa visited many of the regional (one could even say rural) areas of our country. For various reasons the remote airshows dwindled with only the “big city” urban shows remaining. And even these have been badly affected. But the hunger for airshows has remained and it is clearly demonstrated by the huge turnout for the 2024 edition of the Potchefstroom airshow. The crowds started arriving from 8am and by the time the airshow started at 10am the tailback at the entrance was long. These were mostly walk-in on the day who had not pre-booked their access causing the delays.
The airshow was a clear late autumn day but rather windy. This wind came to haunt the aerobatic displays throughout the day. The Potch Girls High drum majorettes opened the show with the display routine and Jason Beamish, in his Master Power Extra doing a flypast at the finish. Then the skydivers, who had been taken aloft in the Alouette III helicopter flown by Juba Joubert performed their jump. Jason returned for the opening display in his Extra 330. Unfortunately Menno Parsons, who had suffered an injury was not available to fly his beloved P-51 Mustang in conjunction with Jason’s display. We wish Menno a speedy recovery.
It was a full day’s airshow with airshow stalwarts, Jason Beamish (MasterPower Extra 330), Andrew Blackwood-Murray (Nashua Extra 300), Andre van Zyl (Magni Gyro), Jason and Gareth Gill (Goodyear Pitts Special) Scully Levin, Arnie Meneghelli and Sean Thackwray (Puma Energy Flying Lions Harvard’s), Dr Andre Coetzee (Henley Air Bell 222) and Juba Joubert (Alouette III).
They were ably supported by newcomers to the South African airshow circuit Steve George and Reyno Coetzer (Ryan Navion which has a strong resemblance to the P-51 Mustang in certain angles which is not too surprising as it was originally designed by North American Aviation). Steve George returned for a solo display. Jason Beamish (again) with Richard Nicholson (Savannah LSA formation) and the youngest South African unlimited aerobatic display pilot, Tristan Eales showed his skills in the On-the-Go Extra 330SC.
The show of the day, had to be Captain Flippie Vermeulen in the Beech 18. His spectacular take-off and bank straight into the display sequence was impressive.
Radio Control Mastery
In recent times at the regional airshows the South African Model Aircraft Association (SAMAA) have been displaying at the event. Some of the most realistic scale flying models (and expensive) have been flown by their members. At Potch 2024 had young Joshua Twomey demonstrated his skill flying his Extra Flight Extra 300 Radio Control plane. What Joshua does with this aircraft is absolutely, unbelievable.
Wings on the Wind
Potchefstroom is home to Jonker Sailplanes, an extremely successful family of gliders designed and built in South Africa. It is only fitting that the airshow included a display of this, which many consider the purest form of flying. Oscar Goudriaan, the 2001 open class gliding world champion, displayed his JS-3 glider in a graceful series of sweeps and dives. As he neared the ground, he dumped his water ballast to lighten the glider and then deployed the auxiliary jet engine to continue his display nearer the ground. It is not often that a glider is displayed at an airshow.
Agricultural display.
One of the major attractions that the regional airshows have in comparison to the greater urban events is the proximity of various companies specialising in agricultural aviation, i.e. crop spraying. The Potch airshow was no exception as Sandriver Crop Protection services, a regional crop-spraying business, who were also one of the major sponsors of the airshow had various of their aircraft on display. First and foremost was a Bell 206 LongRanger, fitted with a 600-litre tank performing spray duties. We have seen the smaller Robison R-44 before but obviously horses for courses applies here and the larger load carrying capability of the Bell is useful. The manoeuvrability of a helicopter is most useful in confined areas. Sandriver then had a formation display consisting of their Wasp radial engine powered Airtractor AT301 and turbine powered Airtractor AT502. Then it was the turn of the big powerful Airtractor 802 from Castello Boerdery. Working in tandem with a John Deere ground-based tractor unit the speed advantage that aerial spraying was clearly shown. The other advantage that an aircraft has in comparison to a ground unit is the capability for bulk dumping of the load which is used against fires.
Bad boy
As part of the entertainment the ever popular “novice, first time pilot” who “stole an aircraft” act became almost too real. Jason Beamish, who played the part of the errant novice almost landed up in jail after being handcuffed and taken away by the South African Police Services. The organisers had to come to his rescue and explain that it was all part of the act, and he was authorised to do the flying display.
OFM, a regional radio station had been actively punting the show and had a live broadcast unit at the show. Brian Emmenis, of Capital Sounds had live crossings to the on-air studio of his airshow commentary during the airshow. Brian, and his team, as the consummate professionals they are had to deal with numerous power issues due to overload of circuits causing severe drop in voltage affecting his broadcast, but as they say in show business, the show must go on. This power issue is something that the event organisers must address as it is not the first time that power issues have affected the broadcast centre.
An airshow, due to costs, requires good sponsors to come to the table. In addition to the above-mentioned sponsors, Skeerpoort Verspieders, a fuel distributor, Masterpower Technologies and Aeronautical Aviation were headline sponsors.
The thirst for aviation was filled by Henley Air, with their Bell 206 and eventually assisted by the Bell 222 had a full day flying the enthusiasts around the airfield, in fact they were still flying over an hour after the airshow ended. As usual, Rickus Erasmus, and the ASSA team ensured that airshow ran as clockwork and safely. But guys, let us not wait another 15 years before we return to Potchefstroom.
