1998 President’s Trophy Air Race

Tempe – Bloemfontein 13 to 15 June 1998

Trophy Name Awarded to Race A/c Reg Pilot/Navigator
Aircraft
President’s Trophy The Competitor gaining most time on Handicap 19 ZS-LJG Johan Dorfling/Flip van der Merwe
Cessna C170B
Air Charter Trophy The Second Pilot Home 3 ZU-JAB Barry de Groot/Alex Clegg
Jabiru
Vincent Maclean Trophy The Third Pilot Home 49 ZS-DZZ John Sayers/Gavin Lundie
Piper PA24-400
Natal Mercury Trophy The First Kwa Zulu Natal Pilot Home 3 ZU-JAB Barry de Groot/Alex Clegg
Jabiru
Hoofstad Pers Trophy The First Transvaal Pilot Home 49 ZS-DZZ John Sayers/Gavin Lundie
Piper PA24-400
Stellalander Trophy The First Cape Pilot Home 19 ZS-LJG Johan Dorfling/Flip van der Merwe
Cessna C170B
Phoenix Volkswagen Trophy The First Free State Pilot Home 70 ZS-LIT Otto Dreyer/Chris Briers
Beech E55
Northern Review Trophy The First Northern Transvaal Pilot Home 31 7001 David Knoesen/Neil Thomas
North Am Harvard
Wakefield Trophy The First Woman Pilot Home 12 ZS-SMS Annemarie Steenkamp/Frikkie Lubbe
Cessna C172R
Kassie Kasselman Trophy The First Father and Son Combination Home 36 ZS-KHX Robert L Myburgh/Tertius Meyburg
Piper PA34-200T
John Sayers Trophy The Crew of The First Turbocharged Aircraft Home 77 ZS-MKW Chris Botha/Willem de Klerk
Cessna C303T
Bloemfontein Flying Club Trophy The First Team with less than 1000 Hours 38 ZU-APZ Dieter Bock/Renier Moolman
Lancair 320
Dolf Kruger Trophy The First Homebuilt Aircraft Home 3 ZU-JAB Barry de Groot/Alex Clegg
Jabiru
Beechcraft Trophy The Pilot of the First Beechcraft Home 1 ZS-JYA Andrew Torr/Mark Holliday
Beech E55
Comair Trophy The Pilot of the First Cessna Home 19 ZS-LJG Johan Dorfling/Flip van der Merwe
Cessna C170B
Placo Trophy The Pilot of the First Piper Home 49 ZS-DZZ John Sayers/Gavin Lundie
Piper PA24-400
Vickers Trophy The Competitor Giving The Most Meritorious Performance 73 ZS-MYO Eugene Swart/Roland Pottie
Cessna C172
Southern Africa Mooney Trophy The Pilot of the First Mooney Home 61 ZS-FKB Pierre de Wet/Paul Jordaan
Mooney M20F
Stayers Trophy The Crew Finishing under Exceptional Circumstances 18 ZU-BMI Jack Onderstal/Dirk Coetzee
Kitfox Series 5
Natal Advertiser Trophy The Competitor covering the course in the Fastest Time 70 ZS-LIT Otto Dreyer/Chris Briers
Beech E55
Badian Bosch Memorial Trophy The First Port Elizabeth Pilot Home 10 ZS-LRF Colin Fletcher/Rob Connacher
Beech A36
Durban Wings Club Trophy The Pilot of the First Durban Wings Club Pilot Home 28 ZS-JMW Johan Bence/Peter Franks
Cessna C177RGII
Chris Swart Krugersdorp Trophy The First Krugersdorp Pilot Home 38 ZU-APZ Dieter Bock/Renier Moolman
Lancair 320
J L P C Trophy The First Johannesburg Light Plane Club Pilot Home 46 ZS-NXE Dana Bensch/Justin Pieterse
Piper PA28RT201T
Lanseria Trophy The Pilot of the First Lanseria Based Pilot Home 1 ZS-JYA Andrew Torr/Mark Holliday
Beech E55
Carletonville Trophy The Pilot of the First Baron Home 1 ZS-JYA Andrew Torr/Mark Holliday
Beech E55
Preller/Germishuys Trophy Handicapping Committee Award 30 ZU-BMN Tony Wannenburg/Mike Cathro
Jabiru
“Skilpad” Trophy The Last Krugersdorp Pilot Home 69 ZS-JCZ Jaco Schuurman/Henk Schuurman
Cessna C182P
Professional Aviation Trophy The First Helicopter Home 17 ZS-HSR Luigi Stravino/H Healy
Bell 206 III
Westline Aviation Trophy The Winner of the Small Aircraft Category 78 N3050S Joan Kleynhans/Leon Stoman
Cessna 150G
Robert Holliday Trophy The Most Helpful Organiser 1 ZS-JYA Andrew Torr/Mark Holliday
Beech E55
Ladies Team The First Ladies Team Home 42 ZS-EJO Bettina de Wet/Dietlind Lempp
Cessna C182J
Louis Potgieter/Boet Kleinhans The Oldest Pilot and Navigator 58 ZS-EOX Louis Potgieter/Boet Kleinhans
Piper PA28-180

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 Diploma

Johan Swart

Johan 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.