For winning the 2000 Rally Flying Championships, as well as their outstanding performance (4th overall) at the 2nd World Air Games held in Spain, during June 2001.
Dave Perelson has flown competitively both Nationally and Internationally. He represented South Africa in 1986 and 1988 as part of the Rally team.
When Dave stopped flying competitively he remained active in the sport in the capacity of Organiser, Chief Judge, Competition Director in a number of National, Provincial and Club events. He has also served on the SAPFA committee.
Dave is well known for the Rally and Precision scoring program he developed. This program is the only scoring program used in South Africa and many other parts of the world.
Chester Chandler has been involved with the President’s Trophy Air Race (State President’s Trophy Air Race), since its inception in 1962.
As a competitor he achieved 2nd position in 1971 with Nick Turvey.
Combined with a highly successful career with South African Airways Chester Chandler has devoted much of his spare time to the development of Sport Aviation.
In particular his devotion to the President’s Trophy Air Race, in which he has been involved since it’s inception in 1962.
As Chief Handicapper for the past 15 years, he has given much time and effort to the success of the past 15 events, and continues to this day to tackle this onerous task in handicapping 80 to 100 many different types of aircraft that participate in this prestigious event each year.
In 1996 Nigel Hopkins flew for the first time in a SAPFA Rally Championships together with his navigator Dale de Klerk.
He won some of the Regional Championships in 1996 and for his first attempt at the SA Championships he became SA Champion. With this performance he was selected to be part of the National Team to represent South Africa in the First World Air Games and World Championships that were held in Turkey.
Then in 1997 he also participated in some Precision Flying and Rally Flying Championships, and he always came in the top three places.
At the World Air Games, his first international competition, he came tenth out of 83 pilots, and the SA Team came 4th overall out of 23 countries.
For this performance and outstanding sportsmanship Nigel Hopkins was chosen as Pilot of the Year for 1997.
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Paul Tissandier DiplomaJohan Swart has been active in the sport of rally flying since he obtained his private pilot’s license in 1976. He is, for the past 4 years, the Secretary of the South African Power Flying Association and a committee member for 10 years. He is the South African Delegate to FAI-General Aviation Commission, where he also acts as President of the Precision Flying Rules Sub-committee.
He was a competitor in both rally and precision flying World Events, bringing back the experience he has gained to his local flying club in Stellenbosch near Cape Town and also extending that experience to the rest of South Africa’s Rally and Precision pilots – young, old and new.
He is an International Judge for Rally and Precision since 1989 and International Juror for both disciplines since 1995. In his capacity as Judge he officiated at various World Championships and was also Chief Judge for the 2nd European Rally Flying Championships held in the Czech Rep in 1996. He acted as Head of Delegation for the South African Rally Team and as International Judge to the 1st World Air Games in Turkey.
Johan Swart was the main driving force behind the very successful 7th World Rally Flying Championships held in 1991 in Stellenbosch, South Africa where he acted as Deputy Championship Director.
Jack Taylor can be regarded as the doyen of power flying in the Southern Transvaal. Now in his 70’s Mr Taylor has been involved in, promoted and generally sustained, a high level of interest in flying wherever he was present. He founded and still maintains a high level of interest in the Krugersdorp Flying Club, which is flourishing. He has competed in many Aero Club events, but probably prefers to forget an S P Air Race at Vanderbijlpark some years ago, when an oleo collapsed on landing.
The airfield at Krugersdorp is named after Mr Taylor and he is a former member of the Power Flying Committee, which he served with distinction.
For services to General Aviation especially the Natal region of the Aero Club of South Africa.
In 1969, Aero Club experimented on diversifying and regional committees were formed. Anne White acted as secretary to the Natal Region from 1969 to 1975 when the idea was stopped. The Natal region was the most successful as they not only had representation from the flying clubs, but also parachuting, model aircraft, EAA etc. The Committee held quarterly meetings at different venues and when away from Durban the power flying side also did instruction and flight tests where there were no Grade 2 instructors. Ann also arranged fly/drive away’s for the meetings where the family and club members could also participate – one at St. Lucia for the opening of their airstrip where the participants did flipping for the local community. Another was at Midmar Dam where a parachute drop and a display by model aircraft were arranged, so that the public were once again involved.
Ann learnt to fly at Virginia airport in 1964 with her husband. Both served on the Flying and Executive committees of the Durban Wings Club for many years. Ann also went on to do a CPL and Instructors and Instrument Ratings. Ann was a member of the Aero club power flying committee for two years in 1972/3 and served on the Executive Committee of Aero Club in 1973.
Ann participated in the annual flying competitions while she was a private pilot as, in those days they were only open to private pilots. She won a number of trophies in the Women’s Aviation Association competitions and was also awarded the de Havilland trophy. The WAA trophies are in the archives of Aero Club as they were disbanded.
In 1968 Ann was volunteered to assist the handicapping committee at the finish of the Air Race in Durban. The next year the start was in Durban and Ann once again came along to help. In those days, calculations of times were done on a graph, times were by pigeon clocks and not very accurate. Ann started completing the calculation chart of the air race from 1971 and this was when there was more interest in the race as positions were given for all aircraft not just the first few. Ann still has copies of all the charts from 1971. Ann also attended some of the handicapping deliberations to give advice from the figures she had. In 1978 she was appointed as a handicapper of the race, a position she has held since then.
Ann was awarded the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship in 1971 by the Internationall Organisation of Women Pilots – the Ninety-nines. This enabled her to get an open rating on singles and a conversion to Cessna 310/320 series. Ann was awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma in 1984