October 2012

Superior Pilot Services hosted the annual Grand Central Rally on 6 October, and as always it was a great hit with the pilots and navigators who took part. Superior Pilot Services organise fly-in breakfasts once a month, and fly-aways every few months, as well as the annual Fun Rally. This rally is unique in that a number of their student pilots participate, providing these new pilots with a set of safety skills, habits and attitudes that are not normally taught during traditional pilot training.
Dennis Jankelow and Associates Insurance and Avimap set up tables at the airfield, which created interest for the participants between briefings, flights and scoring. A buffet breakfast was sponsored by Superior Pilot Services at the new Harvard Cafe, Grand Central.
Ian Seddon, Safety Officer from SPS, gave the safety briefing, and rally organiser Frank Eckard, gave the rally briefing as well as a short explanation of the new safety program which has been recently launched by Aero Club.
Seventeen teams took to the air, amongst them an Allouiette helicopter flown by Hugo Visser, who roped his sons into navigating for him. The weather was clear, but a strong wind challenged the stomachs of a few navigators.
The routes from Grand Central require a great deal of concentration, as the pilots need to navigate their planes through the Pinedene Route, and there is little margin for error, with Waterkloof and Oliver Tambo airspaces on either side.
Four of the teams who participated were Protea or part-Protea teams, so although all flew according to Fun rules, Frank separated the experienced teams from the fun rallyers at prize-giving.

OPEN CLASS
POSITION PILOT NAVIGATOR REG AIRCRAFT
1 Hans Schwebel Ron Stirk ZU-IWD Cessna 150
2 Leonard Edwards Leon Weiderman ZS-LXE Cessna 172
3 Jonty Esser Emmie Oelofse ZU-CTL Qualt 200
FUN CLASS
POSITION PILOT NAVIGATOR
1 Leon Bouttell ZU-FBJ Sportstar
2 Francois Swart Jaco Swart ZS-MUU Cessna 210
3 Jason Beamish Richard Steyn and Keaton Perkins ZS-EUO Cessna 170B

Landing Prize Hugo Visser in the Allouette
Lucky Draw Leonard Edwards

Prizes were generously donated by Superior Pilot Services, Harvard Cafe, Dennis Jankelow and Associates, Avimap and Wavecrest Resort and Spa
The next events in the Rally calendar will be on 17th November at Brits, this will also be one of the qualifying events for selection the National Team, which will be held in both Precision and Fun Rally formats. Therefore all pilots and navigators who wish to be available for the Protea team should attend this competitions. Fun Rallyers are also very welcome at these events, and they will be catered for as well. Please find entry forms on the SAPFA website.

Pictured above are (from L to R) Winners of the Fun Class Section: Rally director Frank Eckard, the father-son team of Jaco and Francois Swart (Second Place), Veronica Joyce (Dennis Jankelow & Associates (Aviation) (Pty) Ltd, Leon Bouttell (absent his pilot Dominique Van Roey, First Place), Richard Steyn with pilot Jason Beamish and Keaton Perkins (Third Place), Frederick Morrison and Cathlen Fourie.

Winners of the Open Class Section: Rally director Frank Eckard, Leonard Edwards and Leon Weiderman (Second Place), Hans Schwebel and Ron Stirk (First Place) and Jonty Esser and Emmie Oelofse (Third Place), with Frederick Morrison.