For the aviation fans

[Bonus]

Also - is a landing slot at Heathrow as valuable as what is was a few months ago? I gather Heathrow has shuttered one runway and two terminals, and traffic won't be picking up soon.

 

Depends on how the world "operates" after this financial crisis . . . . not just in terms of what a Slot is worth but also in terms of how much money airlines have available to buy them.

[Bonus]

But is everything as it seems?

 

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2020-04-18-public-enterprises-insists-that-saa-is-not-going-to-retrench-workers/

 

I wondered if leaking this news - "firing everyone" - was a way of trying to make the government come up with the funds?

[Bonus]

I've never heard of Captain Tom Moore before, but I thought was a cool story:

 

https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-spitfire-flypast-planned-for-captain-tom-moores-100th-birthday-20200418

 

I hadn't heard of him before now, but he's been walking laps of his garden for sponsorship, to raise money for the British National Health Service. Not sure how far he's walked so far but he's trying to get as far as he can before his 100th birthday at the end of the month. 

[MrJacques]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-behind-a-famous-photo-of-an-ejection-from-a-raf-lightning-interceptor/

[Lotus]

I see this aircraft flying from Windhoek to JNB and back a few times a week, even during this time.

 

I wonder what it's doing? Diamond deliveries?

 

[Bateleur1]

Anybody know how LWB is doing?  His silence here is worrying.

[Lotus]

Anybody know how LWB is doing?  His silence here is worrying.

With all those aircraft parked up there's probably a fair bit of work to be done?

 

I hope that's the reason.

[SwissVan]

Anybody know how LWB is doing?  His silence here is worrying.

 

nope... last i heard he was taking some vacation

 

But I'm afraid its not looking good for the company, although if i recall he worked for SAAT (South African Airways Technical) who might be able to survive / continue as a separate and profitable entity

[SwissVan]

Anybody know how LWB is doing?  His silence here is worrying.

 

Also worrying / wondering about Scotty, not reading / answering PM's and last post 26 March

[patham]

I see this aircraft flying from Windhoek to JNB and back a few times a week, even during this time.

 

I wonder what it's doing? Diamond deliveries?

 

The Mitsubishi Mu-2's pictured have such clean lines and the design just looks right - another favourite of mine from the looks perspective being a Beechcraft Duke.

 

But yes, probably diamonds. A gazillion years back I did a few skydives at Carltonville (I think) and noticed that the security company engaged by the gold mines there used a ex SAAF Albatross to do the gold transport to Johannesburg.  

[Robbie Stewart]

So today I had about eleventy eight passes of an Oryx overhead between Ysterplaat and Langebaanweg. And then there was the Gripen tearing holes in sky as it screamed overhead to Ysterplaat from Langebaanweg direction.

Either the SAAF is enjoying owning the skies for once, or something's up. I almost forget about the c-130 BZ flossie doing a weekly run from what I assume Waterkloof to Ysterplaat.

[Spokey]

I see this aircraft flying from Windhoek to JNB and back a few times a week, even during this time.

 

I wonder what it's doing? Diamond deliveries?

Many years ago as in the late 90’s I used to fly this route every Wednesday in a Piper Seneca....a money run to drop off sorted bank notes and pick up unsorted notes. Was an education for a relatively inexperienced pilot! Edited April 23, 2020 by Spokey

[mazambaan]

So today I had about eleventy eight passes of an Oryx overhead between Ysterplaat and Langebaanweg. And then there was the Gripen tearing holes in sky as it screamed overhead to Ysterplaat from Langebaanweg direction.

 

Either the SAAF is enjoying owning the skies for once, or something's up. I almost forget about the c-130 BZ flossie doing a weekly run from what I assume Waterkloof to Ysterplaat.

 

They won't be tearing up the skies in C130's any time soon. Collapsed front under carriage on one just out of maintenance, another written off recently in Goma.

[Robbie Stewart]

They won't be tearing up the skies in C130's any time soon. Collapsed front under carriage on one just out of maintenance, another written off recently in Goma.

 

I saw one overhead on final approach to Ysterplaat over the weekend. About 2 hours later it departed and again flew overhead. Last week it also came over twice.

[kosmonooit]

Many years ago as in the late 90’s I used to fly this route every Wednesday in a Piper Seneca....a money run to drop off sorted bank notes and pick up unsorted notes. Was an education for a reletivly inexperienced pilot!

 

Back in my PPL VFR hire n fly days, I flew to a customers site in the middle of the desert (research station) in a Piper Turbo with my brand new Garmin GPS, the first commercially available GA one. Its pretty pan flat out there so one's nav has to be good since nothing to reference to (except plenty of pans, and the big hole in Jwaneng) and I was doing just fine guided by the GPS when the frigging thing ran out of batteries, and I had not packed spares. It was the first time I was using it on a  cross country flight.

 

With one of the pax at the holding the aircraft in a wonky straight and level flight I managed to rig DC power to it from a cigarette light socket, and we made it to Windhoek Eros. The next leg is another story.

Edited April 23, 2020 by kosmonooit

[Jase619]

Anybody know how LWB is doing?  His silence here is worrying.

 

 

With all those aircraft parked up there's probably a fair bit of work to be done?

 

I hope that's the reason.

 

 

nope... last i heard he was taking some vacation

 

But I'm afraid its not looking good for the company, although if i recall he worked for SAAT (South African Airways Technical) who might be able to survive / continue as a separate and profitable entity

 

 

As far as I can remember he took leave and only accesses this forum from his work PC, so could explain the quiet. Will send him a whatsapp and find out if he is still alive.