For the promotion of Sport Flying over a long period of time.
As far back in 1980’s Oom Doep has been involved in organising and assisting at flying events both locally at the Bloemfontein Flying Club as well as Nationally. He was involved with organising, marshalling, photographing and scoring at rally flying events. He acted as a starter of the World Rally Flying Championships held in Stellenbosch in 1991. He was also involved with arranging events which combined aircraft with the vintage car club.
Oom Doep du Plessis took part in his first Air Race in 1968 and was a participant for approximately 13 years. After flying his last race he decided to give something back and acted as a marshall for the Race. Together with Oom Doors Fonternel he has acted as starter for the Air Race since 1989. Air Race participants will long remember these gentlemen giving their demonstration of the start lights at the briefings for the Air Race and then sitting at the start (as pictured below). After acting as official starters for many years they decided to “retire” after the 2002 Air Race
Oom Doep (together with Kassie Kasselman) organised the 1989 Air Race and was involved with the development of the Air Race rules. It was one of his achievements to remove jet and turbo-prop aircraft from the Race.
Oom Doep du Plessis allowed his license to lapse in 2001. By that time he had accumulated approximately 4000 hours.