Video and Gallery – The Durban Virginia Airshow 2024

Following the success of the revived Durban Virginia Airshow in 2023, the 2024 Durban Virginia Airshow – in association with Standard Bank, Execujet and Umhlanga Tourism – once again attracted record crowds to Virginia Airport in Durban North where they were treated to some unique and breathtaking aerial stunts and displays.

Durban Skydive Centre team got proceedings under way in challenging weather conditions, with a stiff breeze gusting up to 60kph. These seasoned skydivers took it in their stride with precise landings, executing majestic turns and swoops in front of the crowd and between vehicles from Chery Motors, Umhlanga.

Virginia Airport-based Starlite Aviation’s chief flight instructor Leriska Heydenreich demonstrated their Sling training aircraft to kick off the flying displays followed by Tristan Eeles, a young man who’s becoming a regular addition to the airshow circuit at age 25, in his Extra 330SC.

The rotor-wing pilots then took to the air starting with the 15 Squadron Charlie Flight BK-117s based in Durban and seconded to Gqeberha. Lead for the two aircraft was Major Corrie Oberholzer and he took the aircraft on a choreographed display, manoeuvring together up and down the crowd line and eventually breaking away for individual aerobatics, finishing with a spectacular switchblade.

SAMAA model aircraft flyers showed off their skills at the controls of their radio control planes beginning with Joshua Twomey’s Extra 300. Twomey has a severe upper limb disability and, despite this, flies an incredible aerobatic routine. Darryl Tarr and his F100 Super Sabre and Eric Bell’s Eurosport rounded off the display.

Real life drama took centre stage with an actual emergency call out for the Netcare 911 medical Bell 430 helicopter based at Virginia responding to a call into the ops room to go and save a life.

The first formation aerobatic team, the Marksmen, displayed as a three-ship act, led by Mark Hensman with Jonnie Smith and Eugene du Preez. Always entertaining with low level flypasts and knife-edge manoeuvres, the Marksmen pulled out all the stops in the tough conditions with their familiar koeksister and dramatic switchblade coming straight at the crowd.

Seven-times aerobatic champion Patrick Davidson in his Red Bull GB1 Gamebird and the Master Power duo of Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish in Extras completed the aerobatic line-up before two of the day’s sponsor activations.

The first was the Hollywoodbets JetX activation for which airshow attendees were encouraged to open an account at the Hollywoodbets stand and buy a top-up voucher. Three contestants were chosen to guess the altitude at which the aircraft would perform a manoeuvre and the closest guess stood a chance to win R5,000. Mark Hensman drew three smoke lines in his MX2 representing the altitudes and in his solo display dropped below the treeline toward the crowd, pulled up and executed a snap roll at his chosen line, giving one lucky attendee a R5,000 bonus for the day.

Standard Bank co-ordinated the other activation with two individual solo aerobatic displays in the Standard Bank insignia Extra, by Nigel Hopkins and Roger Deare.

Standard Bank’s Imraan Noorbhai, Head: Personal and Private Banking, KwaZulu-Natal said the airshow exceeded all expectations. “Standard Bank is very proud to have been a sponsor of this successful airshow. The crowds certainly loved the displays and the positive feedback on the entire day’s activities is testament to one of the best and certainly the most scenic airshows in the country.”

ExecuJet’s display formed part of the rotor-wing line-up and featured a graceful Airbus H145 from their Durban-based helicopter partner Acher Aviation. And an airshow without Juba Joubert just wouldn’t be the same with this veteran displaying the Alouette 3 owned by Henko Ingram and the Gazelle SA341 F2 owned by Bennie de Jager.

By attracting thousands of visitors to Virginia Airport, the Durban Virginia Airshow makes a valuable contribution to the local economy of Durban’s north coast, supporting hospitality, accommodation and entertainment as well as showcasing the many attractions the region has to offer.

Umhlanga Tourism Organisation Chairperson Jeannie Sarno was thrilled at what the airshow contributed to the community of the Dolphin Coast.

“This has become a highlight for the residents of the Dolphin Coast and such entertaining aerobatics not only draws visitors to local attractions but to the attractions of the city of Durban as a whole and the entire eThekwini municipality. We have been truly overwhelmed by the turnout and the response from the public to this unmissable annual event on the KwaZulu-Natal calendar,” she said.

Not only is the Durban Virginia Airshow about entertaining crowds on the day, the Aviation Career Day, hosted by Standard Bank and held on the Friday before the airshow, introduced hundreds of local learners to the exciting opportunities a career in the aviation industry can offer.

Accommodation for pilots and airshow crew was supplied by Balmoral Guesthouse, Burnham House, Collards B&B, Golf Course Boutique Guest House, Holsboer Vacations, Pop247, Radisson Blu Umhlanga, Riverside Hotel