The Parys Airshow of 3 June 2023 saw a record turnout of over 5000 people to the Parys Airfield and a combination of aerial display performances that blew the enthusiasts away.

Video: Donovan Aarons, Bafana Shongwe and Teddy Makamo. Images: Jeff Latham

It all began with the familiar tones of Capital Air’s Brian Emmenis: “Gentlemen are you ready to start those engines?”, and then the cranking into life of the Pratt & Whitney radial motors of the Puma Flying Lions Harvards, one, two, three and four.

The Airshow was underway and what followed was a series of displays by the Goodyear Eagles, the Raptors, the Chipmunk Formation Team, the Tiger Moth Formation Team and the Hired Gun Aerobatic Team.

Andrew Blackwood-Murray flew his solo Nashua Extra display, Ivan van der Schaar brought out his vintage Boeing Stearman and Scully Levin gave us a demonstration of Cirrus aircraft. Sandriver Crop Protection amazed the crowds with their low flying precision airmanship of their fixed and rotor wing services and Jason Beamish entertained us with a crazy flying act in a SkyReach BushCat.

Henley Air’s Andre Coetzee displayed in the Henley Bell helicopter followed by offering flips to attendees throughout the day. Other rotor wing acts included the Magi Gyrocopter, Menno Parsons in his tiger stripe Huey, always a favourite, and the incredible airmanship of Juba Joubert in his Gazelle, showing us what helicopters are truly capable of.

But the highlights of the Parys Airshow belonged to the Rooivalk and BK-117 helicopters of the South African Air Force flying a tandem operational display with radio commentary broadcast to the crowd, Menno Parsons in his P-51 “Mustang Sally” with that inimitable whistling sound and the grand finale – a Boeing 737 flanked by the Goodyear Eagles Aerobatic team’s Pitts Specials.

Videos and a gallery of images below for you to enjoy……..