Iconic moments in South African airshow history

AS Smoke On Go! celebrates 20-years of airshow coverage we look at the iconic moments at South African airshows that exhilarated crowds and kept them coming back for more.

Scully Levin’s crazy flying act – Disguised as a doddery old man, Scully would stumble to the cockpit–only to launch into a riotous display of controlled chaos. Tight turns and swooping dives had the crowd howling with laughter. Behind the act? Precision perfection from a master showman.

SAAF Gripen displays – The Gripen isn’t just a jet-it’s national pride it’s a symbol of national pride. With vertical climbs and sonic-edge passes, it tears through the sky in a display of strength, grace, and sheer speed. Always a standing ovation.

Dennis Spence’s double inverted parachute drop – Two jumpers, two inverted Pitts Specials, and a breathless crowd. This high-stakes stunt saw parachutists released upside-down at the top of a loop. With flawless timing and nerves of steel, it redefined airborne drama.

Nigel Hopkins & Menno Parsons duo – An Extra 330 and a chopper in perfect sync – Nigel’s acro matched by Menno’s rotor finesse. Loops, stalls, pirouettes: it’s ballet in the sky with a pulse of adrenaline. A fan favourite for good reason.

Parachutist flag drop openers – Silence. Music. Then a parachute blooms, flag unfurling in the wind. It’s more than a show – it’s a salute to the nation, and the soul of every airshow’s opening moment.

Sasol Tigers in formation – The blue-and-yellow L-29 Delfi ns of the Sasol Tigers tore through the sky in diamond precision. More than a team, they were mentors and role models. Their legacy lives in every young pilot they inspired.

Inverted ribbon cut – Flying inches above the ground, inverted, slicing a ribbon with the prop – this precision act pushed physics and pilot skill to the limit. This pure edge-of-the-seat spectacular has been performed by the likes of Ellis Levin, Arnie Meneghelli, Glen Warden and Scully Levin.

The truck-top landing – A moving flatbed truck and a descending taildragger. With surgical timing, Scully touched down a feat few have ever dared to try. Grace on wheels.

Menno Parsons’s P-51 Mustang display – With the iconic Merlin engine howling, “Mustang Sally” soared under Menno’s hand. A silver bullet of WWII heritage brought to life in sweeping glory.

Glen Warden’s Black Widow Mirage display – Jet-black and beautiful, the Mirage III soared under Glen’s command. Screaming passes, vertical climbs – it wasn’t just a jet display, it was a thunderous symphony of vintage military might.

Jaco Henning’s Airlink Embraer E195 display – In 2023, Jaco made a commercial jet dance. His sleek, low-level passes in the black Airlink Embraer stunned Virginia crowds.

Pierre Gouws in ZU-TEE – With sharp lines and jet growl, Pierre’s L-39 Albatros made clean, precise passes that dazzled. Modern warbird flying at its finest – power, poise and pilot cool.

Scully Levin’s Spitfire display – In East London, the Spitfire sang. Scully looped and rolled the WWII icon in a graceful, nostalgic tribute that honoured both heritage and heroism.

The Flying Lions waterski the Harvards – At Sua Pan, the Harvard team dipped their wheels onto the water, skimming the dam in perfect formation. A shimmering, cinematic moment of skill and showmanship.

Boeing & Silver Falcons mass formation – At Virginia, two 737’s joined the nimble Silver Falcons in a jaw-dropping display of symmetry and trust. Heavy met light in an airborne celebration of teamwork.

Juba Joubert’s helicopter mastery – Juba Joubert became a household name with his dynamic helicopter displays, pushing the limits of agility and crowd-thrilling flair. From tight spirals to nose-down dives and pirouettes above the runway, his spirited performances defi ned rotary bravado at airshows nationwide.

Giants in harmony: Boeing 737 formation at AAD – In one of the most awe-inspiring sights in airshow history, Scully Levin, Pierre Gouws, Sally Fleck and Colin Gibson piloted two Boeing 737s in a jaw-dropping formation over AAD Ysterplaat. The massive jets moved in near-perfect unison – an extraordinary feat of precision, trust and aerodynamic skill.

Wall of fire – CC Pocock’s legendary Wall of Fire is one of South Africa’s most iconic airshow moments—an explosive, fiery spectacle that lit up the sky and rattled the ground.

Jet vs. Formula One car race – Speed squared: a fast jet low-level against a racing car flat-out on the runway. Thrust met traction in a deafening, dazzling crowd pleaser where no one cared who won.

Dennis Spence’s airliner extravaganza – Dennis Spence led a breathtaking flypast over Parys, commanding an airliner flanked in perfect formation by the Goodyear Eagles.

Scully Levin’s low-level Boeing flypast – A commercial jet flown like a fighter – Mango’s 737 screamed low and slow over Stellenbosch in a tight, flaps-up pass. Controlled, daring, unforgettable. It proved that even giants can dance.

Helicopter motor car drop – From above, a car plummeted – followed by a dramatic impact and a puff of smoke. The controlled chaos drew gasps, proving theatre and piloting can go hand-in-hand.

Stu Davidson’s wingwalking act – With a wingwalker standing atop a biplane mid-flight, Stu rolled, dived and looped his way into vintage display history. It was old-school daredevilry with modern polish.

Thunder City’s roaring jets – The Lightning climbed vertically, twin afterburners blazing. The Buccaneer thundered low, the Hunter swept in with Cold War elegance. Thunder City gave South Africans the rare gift of vintage jet power, up close and thunderous.

Jay Hyde’s Snake Formation Team – Microlights twisted through the dusk sky, lit with pyros and trailing sparks. Jay Hyde’s formation turned night into magic – choreographed flight with a hypnotic glow.

Six-ship helicopter spectacular at Rand Airshow – At the Rand Airshow, six helicopters swept across the skies in a coordinated aerial dance, showcasing perfect symmetry and collective agility. The thundering rotor beats and smoke trails mesmerised the crowd – a rare, pulsating display of rotary-wing mastery.

Ralf Dominick in the Albatross – Ralf’s low, elegant sweeps in the gull-wing Albatross showcased this patrol plane’s hidden grace. A quiet giant turned airshow hero.