For the aviation fans

[Bateleur1]

A couple of years ago I was luckily standing on the balcony when two American F16 flew over us at quite a speed.  Was an awesome site.  Had I not been on the balcony I would never have seen them.

[Bonus]

A couple of years ago I was luckily standing on the balcony when two American F16 flew over us at quite a speed.  Was an awesome site.  Had I not been on the balcony I would never have seen them.

 

We have jets fly over here maybe twice a year. If I'm outside in the open I will usually see them but if I'm inside, or outside but under trees the limited view and noise all around means you don't stand a chance. 

 

We also have jets fly over occasionally travelling faster than the speed of sound. All you hear is a BA-BOOM!!! Once I caught sight of the plane, but it was a long way away already by the time I heard it! 

 

Sounds like this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXrj36FzOs4 

[Bateleur1]

We have jets fly over here maybe twice a year. If I'm outside in the open I will usually see them but if I'm inside, or outside but under trees the limited view and noise all around means you don't stand a chance. 

 

We also have jets fly over occasionally travelling faster than the speed of sound. All you hear is a BA-BOOM!!! Once I caught sight of the plane, but it was a long way away already by the time I heard it! 

 

Sounds like this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXrj36FzOs4 

 

Did my basics in Hoedspruit in the beginning 90's.  You would hear the sonic booms pretty often.

[Lotus]

Saw this circling the neighbourhood this morning. Spotting for the troops maybe?

 

[kosmonooit]

Saw this circling the neighbourhood this morning. Spotting for the troops maybe?

Looks like a Short 360 - didn't know we had them?

 

I did spot a C130 on flightradar though

 

And a SAA A340 heading west this morning,

[Spokey]

Looks like a Short 360 - didn't know we had them?

 

I did spot a C130 on flightradar though

 

And a SAA A340 heading west this morning,

CASA 212 I believe.

[patham]

CASA 212 I believe.

 

Correct. Inherited initially from when the homelands were integrated back into RSA. But quite decent little planes I gather. Just don't load all of your company executives into a single example (Sundance Resources learned that hard lesson).

[Lotus]

CASA 212 I believe.

Aviocar

[kosmonooit]

Correct. Inherited initially from when the homelands were integrated back into RSA. But quite decent little planes I gather. Just don't load all of your company executives into a single example (Sundance Resources learned that hard lesson).

Did some trolling on the interwebs - came up with this

 

Wiki:

 

The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium cargo aircraft designed and built by CASA in Spain for civil and military use

 

One was delivered to The Bophuthatswana Air Force in 1985

 

 

 

"The Aviocar fleet as inherited in 1994 from the air wings of the former Bophuthatswana (1, 1985), Transkei (2, 1986) and Venda (2, 1988).

 

It is a short-take-off and landing aircraft with a rough field capability, high wings and a fixed landing gear. The C212 was designed as a C47 replacement and has been called a scaled-down C130. The C212 can take off from fields as short as 400m."

 

https://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/aircraft/26/c-212-aviocar

 

Anyone know how many are still flying here?

 

Also means Spain was sanctions busting back in the day.

Edited May 1, 2020 by kosmonooit

[Alouette3]

SAAF also has a couple CASA 235's they also inherited 

[patham]

SAAF also has a couple CASA 235's they also inherited 

 

Yep, an interesting factoid was that one of them was the very first CN-235 prototype that was ever rolled out of the factory.

 

I had never heard of prototypes being sold off commercially once the test program is complete, but I suppose it shows the maker has confidence in their product.

 

That one has since been retired.  

[Robbie Stewart]

A couple of years ago I was luckily standing on the balcony when two American F16 flew over us at quite a speed.  Was an awesome site.  Had I not been on the balcony I would never have seen them.

 

I was in Israel in 2012, and saw my first F16 two ship formation of the IAF come screaming up the Jordan valley heading north. It was quite something to behold. They were fully armed with missiles and ordinance.

 

Later that week, I was in Caesarea and watched a whole bunch of IAF F16 and F15 practicing BFM and shooting off flairs. This carried on for most of the afternoon. People in the tour group were amazed by the historical aspect of the place, while I had my head fixed looking up...I did not get to see much of that place.

[SwissVan]

I was in Israel in 2012, and saw my first F16 two ship formation of the IAF come screaming up the Jordan valley heading north. It was quite something to behold. They were fully armed with missiles and ordinance.

 

Later that week, I was in Caesarea and watched a whole bunch of IAF F16 and F15 practicing BFM and shooting off flairs. This carried on for most of the afternoon. People in the tour group were amazed by the historical aspect of the place, while I had my head fixed looking up...I did not get to see much of that place.

 

 

The Swiss airforce hold an annual live fire shooting demonstration at Axalp-Ebenfluh shooting range which the public can go watch... the secnd video you can see how many people go watch and see / hear the cannons shooting from the F18's and F5's (7:30 in the video)

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by SwissVan

[Spokey]

The Swiss airforce hold an annual live fire shooting demonstration at Axalp-Ebenfluh shooting range which the public can go watch... the secnd video you can see how many people go watch and see / hear the cannons shooting from the F18's and F5's (7:30 in the video)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7DDQJ7dqXY

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onjOB24-5J4

Last century I was instructing in Pietersburg. One of my students was an Air Force fellow in Operations. He arranged a visit for my wife and I to the bombing range outside Louis Trichaart. Man, it was awesome. Saw the Cheetahs dropping laser guided bombs and the Rooivalk demonstrating close support with the cannons. Included was an Impala demo firing rockets. Was a grand day out!

As an airscout in Bulawayo even earlier last century, I visited Katanga range near Gwelo. There the Canberras dropped practice bombs and the Hunters fired the 30mm cannons. Cool stuff for a 13 year old! I still have a 30 mm cannon shell in my study.

[Bonus]

The Swiss airforce hold an annual live fire shooting demonstration at Axalp-Ebenfluh shooting range which the public can go watch... the secnd video you can see how many people go watch and see / hear the cannons shooting from the F18's and F5's (7:30 in the video)

 

 

 

 

I'd go see that! :-)

[DJR]

Last century I was instructing in Pietersburg. One of my students was an Air Force fellow in Operations. He arranged a visit for my wife and I to the bombing range outside Louis Trichaart. Man, it was awesome. Saw the Cheetahs dropping laser guided bombs and the Rooivalk demonstrating close support with the cannons. Included was an Impala demo firing rockets. Was a grand day out!

As an airscout in Bulawayo even earlier last century, I visited Katanga range near Gwelo. There the Canberras dropped practice bombs and the Hunters fired the 30mm cannons. Cool stuff for a 13 year old! I still have a 30 mm cannon shell in my study.

Interesting times indeed