Gallery – SACAA 25th Anniversary Airshow

The South African Civil Aviation Authority celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and hosted an airshow at Wonderboom Airport in April to commemorate the milestone.

Images: Jarryd Sinovich

Smoke On … Go! assisted in the organisation of the event and the display line-up which included participation from aerobatic soloists and teams, as well as Airlink, the SAAF and the SAPS. A new formation team, The Navions, made their debut at the show and Elvis Manene, a young broadcaster, debuted with Capital Sounds alongside Brian Emmenis as airshow commentator

Aside from the invited dignitaries and CAA VIP guests, including CAA CEO Poppy Khoza and Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, members of the public were able to register their attendance and tickets were handed out at activations across Gauteng, ensuring a good crowd of enthusiasts and schools witnessed the event.

A three-ship Puma Flying Lions display got the airshow under way on a beautifully clear and unusually warm day, followed by the displays of the day in the following order:

Juba Joubert, helicopter aerobatics – Alouette III.

Andrew Blackwood-Murray, solo aerobatics – Extra 300LX.

Tiger Moth Formation – Grant Timms and Rodney Chin.

Andre Coetzee – Bell 222 Helicopter.

Raptors RV aerobatic display – Trevor Warner and Dion Raath.

Cirrus SR22 flown by Scully Levin.

SAAF BAE Hawk flown by Lt Col Scott “Prowler” Logie out of 85 Combat Flying School.

Two-ship Savanna LSA formation with Jason Beamish and Richard Nicholson.

SAPS Airwing Pilatus PC-6 Porter and Airbus H125 “Squirrel”.

Three-ship Hired Gun Aerobatic Team in their Pitts Specials, flown by Arnie Meneghelli, Sean Thackwray and Ellis Levin.

Tristan Eeles, solo aerobatics in his Extra 330SC.

Airlink then took to the air in an Embraer E195 flown by Jaco Henning.

The Chipmunks and Juba Joubert took to the skies again followed by the debut of new display team the Navions, flown by Reyno Coetzer and Mike George.

SAAF Alouette ballet display in the classic Alouette II and III helicopters.

Ending the show was Andre van Zyl in his Magni Gyro and Jason Beamish and Gareth Gill in the Goodyear Eagles Pitts Specials.

As a precursor to a packed airshow season, the CAA 25th Anniversary Airshow certainly set the scene for what the public can expect in 2024.