For the aviation fans

[Lotus]

Pretty cool flight of Pilatus trainers (5 or 6, too quick and low to count) just flew over Fourways in close formation, close to the deck. Lots of noise.

 

I didn't think that SAAF could put up that many?

[CDK]

Pretty cool flight of Pilatus trainers (5 or 6, too quick and low to count) just flew over Fourways in close formation, close to the deck. Lots of noise.

 

I didn't think that SAAF could put up that many?

 

The last few days have been crazy busy from Waterkloof. Jets flying all day over the office makes it hard not to want to sit outside. Helicopters circling around and even heavy transport type planes going overhead every now and then.

As you can see my knowledge is they look cool and go fast. 

[Long Wheel Base]

Not a bad way to finish my daily commute. FAJS and 06h20 this morning.

[Lotus]

Watching this King Air 350 over Pretoria.

 

Any idea what he's doing?

[Disher]

Touch and goes at kitty hawk?? then a small nav between western side of wonderboom and grand central. weather this morning was interesting so either low cloud or IFR conditions kept him out of his destination. stayed away from Lanseria so maybe just a training flight ?? Familiarization / type rating conversion >

speculation - I have no idea what hes doing...

[Robbie Stewart]

Yesterday I was having a meeting in one of our board rooms, and the glass patio doors were open to let the fresh breeze in, when all a sudden 2 Oryx come barging overhead towards Ysterplaat in tight formation at low altitude, which from a limited perspective was well below 500 feet.

Our offices are in a 4 story building. We are on the 2nd floor.

It was quite spectacular to watch them thunder away, and get a perspective of their rather large size, especially when so close to one another.

 

I appreciated the momentary distraction too.

[Disher]

PS there is an Airforce day at swartkops either today or tomorrow so you may find some increased aircraft activity in the centurion, Waterkloof, pretoria area.

Edited February 1, 2019 by Disher

[Robbie Stewart]

I read that BA have begun to retire their 747 fleet over the next 4 years or so. It will be a sad day not to see the approach of a BA 747 Queen of the Skies come lumbering ever so gracefully over my home on base leg into approach to FACT whenever the South Easter is blowing, or to hear her roaring and thundering while clambering to gain height on a direct departure from Rwy 01 to LHR.

 

I stay in the Blouberg vicinity, and every other day, I see the BA 747, sometimes a BA 777 make approach to Cape Town on their daily runs. Some days 2 x 747's and a B777 have come over top. It will be sad to miss the 747.

Although the new fleet of A350's flown by Lufthansa, Qatar and Singapore to Cape Town are gorgeous in their own respect, there is just something special about a 747, that not even the A380 can match in my opinion.

[Long Wheel Base]

I read that BA have begun to retire their 747 fleet over the next 4 years or so. It will be a sad day not to see the approach of a BA 747 Queen of the Skies come lumbering ever so gracefully over my home on base leg into approach to FACT whenever the South Easter is blowing, or to hear her roaring and thundering while clambering to gain height on a direct departure from Rwy 01 to LHR.

 

I stay in the Blouberg vicinity, and every other day, I see the BA 747, sometimes a BA 777 make approach to Cape Town on their daily runs. Some days 2 x 747's and a B777 have come over top. It will be sad to miss the 747.

 

Although the new fleet of A350's flown by Lufthansa, Qatar and Singapore to Cape Town are gorgeous in their own respect, there is just something special about a 747, that not even the A380 can match in my opinion.

ROLLS ROYCE RB-211 engines do make a rather good noise. Much better than the GE CF6 option on some other 747-400. SAA had the rolls royce on our fleet. Then towards the end of their era we leased 2 more that had the GE engines. While the GE was VERY reliable, newer and lighter on fuel, it was kinda like having a E90 BMW 335i vs a M3. The M3 is the flagship and "better" but that 335i was just so much better than the M3.

[bertusras]

PS there is an Airforce day at swartkops either today or tomorrow so you may find some increased aircraft activity in the centurion, Waterkloof, pretoria area.

 

That explains it, thanks! Lots of aircraft have been hauling it across Waterkloof/Brooklyn the past few days.

[Robbie Stewart]

ROLLS ROYCE RB-211 engines do make a rather good noise. Much better than the GE CF6 option on some other 747-400. SAA had the rolls royce on our fleet. Then towards the end of their era we leased 2 more that had the GE engines. While the GE was VERY reliable, newer and lighter on fuel, it was kinda like having a E90 BMW 335i vs a M3. The M3 is the flagship and "better" but that 335i was just so much better than the M3.

 

That sound she makes, a long slow rumble, with a distinct whine, and then the gradual shaking of the roof as she gets closer. Nothing beats it. I don't even have to look up to know she is overhead again. And then for the 777, the absolute raucous racket those two monsters make on approach.

 

Even though I knew long ago what bird is passing, I still run out to just view the spectacle. 

 

Those moments when one feels like a kid again. Priceless.

 

And then on occasion, when making my Saturday runs to Tygerberg MTB trails, I sometimes catch a heavy on long final, making the final turn to line up with runway 19. I always stop and gawk. 

 

In December, I was approaching the mast at the top of Hillcrest, and sat down at the top and watched the birds approaching. A mix of domestics, and international heavies, one after the other. I sat there for about 15 minutes, and counted about 16 / 17 approaches. At the mast height, these planes come past not much higher than were you are sitting. It is quite something to watch.

[Long Wheel Base]

That sound she makes, a long slow rumble, with a distinct whine, and then the gradual shaking of the roof as she gets closer. Nothing beats it. I don't even have to look up to know she is overhead again. And then for the 777, the absolute raucous racket those two monsters make on approach.

 

Even though I knew long ago what bird is passing, I still run out to just view the spectacle. 

 

Those moments when one feels like a kid again. Priceless.

 

And then on occasion, when making my Saturday runs to Tygerberg MTB trails, I sometimes catch a heavy on long final, making the final turn to line up with runway 19. I always stop and gawk. 

 

In December, I was approaching the mast at the top of Hillcrest, and sat down at the top and watched the birds approaching. A mix of domestics, and international heavies, one after the other. I sat there for about 15 minutes, and counted about 16 / 17 approaches. At the mast height, these planes come past not much higher than were you are sitting. It is quite something to watch.

A lot of the 777 we see here have the GE90 on. That noise it makes when starting as ignition happens is spine tingling. It is nicknamed the "GE90 mating call".

[Robbie Stewart]

A lot of the 777 we see here have the GE90 on. That noise it makes when starting as ignition happens is spine tingling. It is nicknamed the "GE90 mating call".

 

I flew back from Swaziland to ORTIA last year, and we parked between two A380's, one from BA, and the other Emirates. We were in a little Airlink Embraer rj135. It was hilarious to behold. Besides the fact that one of the A380 engines was bigger than the plane we were in, while we were disembarked and waiting to board the bus, a 777 was winding up those GE90's...

 

I got goose bumps...I get why you call it the GE90 mating call...(I think I was semi aroused...   )

[Bonus]

I've loved airplanes for as long as I can remember. My dad was ex RAF and he had albums of self developed B&W photos of all the classics from his days posted in Aden, Gibraltor etc.

 

He started taking me to airshows when I was about 7 :-)

 

Still love planes and still get goosebumps sometimes. 

 

I've been a bit busy this week so haven't been posting much - time t catch up with this thread now though . . .  :-)

[Robbie Stewart]

I've loved airplanes for as long as I can remember. My dad was ex RAF and he had albums of self developed B&W photos of all the classics from his days posted in Aden, Gibraltor etc.

 

He started taking me to airshows when I was about 7 :-)

 

Still love planes and still get goosebumps sometimes. 

 

I've been a bit busy this week so haven't been posting much - time t catch up with this thread now though . . .  :-)

 

I remember as a kid of about 5-6 years old, my dad would go dump his garden refuse at a dump along the runway fence in PE on a Saturday arvie. We would then park there and watch the boeings land and take off. It was a special time.

 

My great-uncle on Mum's side was a Spitfire pilot for the RAF/SAAF in the 2nd world war. He got shot down and had to bail over German territory, and was taken P.O.W. He ended up on a 600 mile march from one camp to another during this time, before the end of the war and being released to His Majesty's custody. He died 2 years ago, 90-odd years old.

 

He loved his cricket, old uncle Allan.

[SwissVan]

Missing plane found

Will be interesting to see what happened here

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-wales-47118340?__twitter_impression=true