Airshow Gallery..>>

Those coming to South Africa and neighbouring states were then re-assembled in Comair’s Hangar 3 at Rand Airport for delivery to the new owners. Rodney Wilcox, who heads up Comair’s engine division, now at Lanseria International Airport, sent us this piece about how this wood was used to good effect. He takes up the story: “Wood from these crates was used to build our (Commercial Air Services—Comair) offices and partitions (at Rand Airport). It was also used to build the work/test benches, stools, tables, bins, cupboards for spares and instruments among many others things. “Comair had a full time carpenter nicknamed ‘Chippy’ who was employed especially to carry out this task. The excess crates were either sold or donated to charities, where again they were used for many purposes before the steel shipping containers became available.

“The photo (shown above centre) shows how two crates mounted end to end with a Harveytile roof fitted, were used to make a pub and dart entertainment area, suitably furnished with the wood from another crate. It is situated in the back yard of a house in Lambton, Germiston. This is still standing and in good condition after almost 50 years,” Wilcox wrote. “This home will be sold soon as the woman owner is relocating to a retirement village. Hopefully the new owners will read this article and will be aware of the nostalgia of this unit. “And, no, this is not my handiwork, but I did help build a single garage in Alberton with the late Willie Fabel (Edair) which has probably since been used for fire wood,” he said. Perhaps there are other readers who have made unusual uses of packing case wood – maybe even built an aircraft. I know that, over the years, I have made use of wood originally used for packing cases (mostly rough pine) for a whole host of jobs around my home including such things as hutches for my children’s’ rabbits, bird breeding boxes, work benches and sundry other bits and pieces.

If you have been involved in such work and would care to let others know about it, drop us a line. You’ll find the Durban editorial office’s address on page 1.

NEW YEAR

The New Year is already into its second month and soon the air show season will be well underway at various points around South Africa and perhaps in other African countries, too. It is a strange thing, but pilots not actually involved in a show other than as spectators, seem to get all worked up and try to emulate the show pilots at the first available opportunity.

This usually occurs as they take off after the show for their home base. Their pre-flight checks seem to be kept to an absolute minimum; their pre-takeoff checks even more so. Their engine handling consists of slamming the throttle open against the stops and lift off occurs usually just as the aircraft attains sufficient speed to leave the ground. Then it’s a steep climb-away followed by a low “beat up” of the aerodrome before
setting course.

At least, that usually happens at the smaller country shows. At the larger shows there are strict rules in force to try and stop this type of behaviour, but even then there are usually one or two pilots who wish to show off their “skills” in one way or another.

If these aircraft “jockeys” think they are impressing people, they are wrong. Instead the usual comment from onlookers is: “Look at that fool…” All these “cowboys” are doing is to prove to all and sundry that the word “professionalism” is not in their flying vocabulary. The problem is, of course, that this type of “show off” flying is infectious, especially as far as low-time young pilots are concerned.

I remember an incident some years ago when a young pilot had taken part in a flying competition and had performed well. The next day he and three others flew to a nearby town. His aim was to “beat up” a friend’s house. It all went terribly wrong and he and his three passengers ended up as statistics. What did it prove? Certainly that he had seen such acts performed by other pilots, and he was quite convinced he had sufficient time under his belt to perform likewise. He stalled in the steep turn he executed (or tried to) after the beat up, and X marked the spot seconds later.

I had been the examiner of this young pilot in the competition the day before. I had no inkling of his desire to do “beat-ups”. He had done very well and, if my memory serves me correctly, he had come out top in his section. As far as I know, he had never done anything so stupid before and was considered by all as a good, sound, pilot. But later that day, after the competition, I had seen him as he watched some visiting pilots “beating up” the airfield after takeoff and en route home. Let’s be honest. At some stage in your flying career, have you not had the urge to do a beatup?

I did once and was lucky to come out of it alive. Those telephone wires were awful close…. I learnt my lesson. Have you had that urge and fallen into the trap? It’s just not worth it. It could cost you your life.

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