1. INSIGHTS FROM AFRICA’S FASTEST GROWING AVIATION BROKERAGE
A I R B R N E
INSURANCE CONSULTANTS
GAUTENG WOMEN IN INSURANCE GOLF DAY
On the 1st October, Airborne participated in the inaugural Gauteng Women in Insurance Golf Day. The event was held at the beautiful CMR Golf
Club, where we were welcomed with strawberry and mint water flavoured with a dash of Smirnoff. This set the scene for the rest of the day, where
lots of fun was had at the various watering holes sponsored by the likes of Emerald and Hollard. Nine holes were played throughout the course
of the day, with the last hole being played as the sun set, making for a beautiful view. Prize giving and some delicious snacks where served in the
clubhouse after the game. We look forward to participating in this enjoyable event again next year!
INSIGHTS FROM AFRICA’S FASTEST GROWING AVIATION BROKERAGE
INSURANCE CONSULTANTS
LEADING EXPERTS IN AIRCRAFT INSURANCE
CONTACT US ON (011) 467 8577 OR EMAIL: INFO@AIRBORNEINSURANCE.CO.ZA
WWW.AIRBORNEINSURANCE.CO.ZA
TEAM AIRBORNE AT THE GRAND CENTRAL FUN NAV RALLY 2015
On the morning of the 3rd of October,
Airborne’s Jonathan Smook and Janice Ray
arrived at Grand Central Aerodrome in
Midrand to beautiful sunny weather and clear
skies – the perfect weather conditions for a
Nav Rally.
After a quick cup of coffee and breakfast,
the team received their blank map and clue
sheet required to work out and plot their
points. With some advice and guidance from
the professional class navigation pilots who
organised the event, the teams set off. This
entailed locating the starting point, each turn
point as well as the finish point by deciphering
a set of cryptic clues. Thereafter each team had
to measure the bearings required for every leg,
and then familiarise themselves with each turn
point as well as reviewing the enroute photos
that were needed to spot and mark on the map
along the route.
After a short safety briefing, all of the
participants received their timing sheets in
order to plot in the exact times that they had to
be over all the turn points. Having nominated
a speed of 100 knots on the Cessna 182
that Janice and Jonathan were flying, team
Airborne was the fastest aircraft in the group
on the day, making navigating and photo
identification slightly more difficult with less
time to identify each point.
At exactly 10:30am, Janice and Jonathan got
airborne of runway 35 at Grand Central and
made their way to the start point. Once over
the start point the fun began, with both team
members looking all around in order to spot
the enroute photos and locate the next turn
point, whilst simultaneously keeping an eye on
the stopwatch to reference if they were on time
for the next turn point.
After crossing the finish line Janice and
Jonathan joined Grand Central and started
configuring the aircraft for the spot landing that
was to follow. A white chalk line was drawn
across the runway in line with the PAPIs, with
teams penalised for every metre they landed
before or after the line. After the spot landing,
everyone made their way back to the Harvard
Café to hand in their loggers and await the
final results.
At the prize giving that followed, team
Airborne achieved a notable second place –
even more impressive when one considers that
both Janice and Jonathan are still very new to
this kind of event. What a great effort guys
and a job very well done! Airborne Insurance
sponsored the second and third prizes at the
event, which, judging by the beaming smiles
on everyone’s faces as they disembarked and
the friendly chatter between teams, was very
much enjoyed.
PRIVATE VS COMMERCIAL GAME WORK
A PILOT’S TRIBUTE – THE RECOVERY OF SYLVESTER THE LION
The annual President’s Trophy Air Race (PTAR) will be taking place from the 26th to the 28th May 2016 at the
Bethlehem Aero Club. A handicap race open to all Class C1 aircraft with reciprocating engines, the event is one
of the most prestigious and longest-running air races in the world. It is arguably South Africa’s largest aviation
event, attracting more than 100 crews over the past few years. Held under the auspices of SAPFA (the South
African Power Flying Association), the PTAR has a magic all of its own and has entrenched itself as a must-
attend event on the national aviation calendar.
This year, Airborne Insurance will be in attendance once again, and would like to wish our clients participating
in the event all the very best of luck! A friendly reminder that if you are taking part in the race to please chat to
us in the upcoming month to arrange for your insurance policy to be extended accordingly. We look forward
to hearing from you!
Airborne Insurance client John Huddlestone and the lion recovery team,
who recently captured the infamous Sylvester the Lion.
PRESIDENT’S TROPHY AIR RACE 2016
A tribute to a brilliant and brave lion recovery team, who
worked tirelessly to track the missing lion down and return
him to Karoo National Park.
By: Pilot and Airborne Insurance client, John Huddlestone
I was called to fly to Beaufort West on Tuesday 29th March to assist with
the tracking and darting of the escaped lion from the Karoo National Park
– nicknamed ‘Sylvester’. When we arrived at the satellite location, the wind
strength was on the limits to fly and after one or two attempts to find and dart
Sylvester it became too dangerous to continue in the air. It is commendable that
the Park Manager and his team of field rangers and tracking staff tried to track
Sylvester on the ground. So very brave! It became too dangerous to leave a lion
in open territory having already caught a cow.
Two days later in perfect weather we returned to the satellite marked area, but
Sylvester continued to hide. We landed the helicopter nearby whilst the tracking
team, along with the SANParks veterinarian, proceeded to walk through the
Valley (‘of Death’ - ha ha) in an attempt to chase Sylvester out of the bush. What
an event it was when Sylvester suddenly rose and fortunately ran away from his
trackers with a loud roar which was audible across the valley.
The vet raced up to the helicopter, but by the time he got to me I had just
seen Sylvester disappear around a mountain a mile away. We took off and
continued to search from the air for another thirty minutes and were absolutely
delighted when we spotted Sylvester racing up the mountainside, where he was
immediately darted from the helicopter before he had any chance to disappear.
What an “A Team” consisting of the Park Manager, field rangers, trackers and
veterinarian, whom I was proud to air transfer to the different locations on the
Let’s be honest, reading an insurance policy is not a favourite pastime for
most people. Aviation insurance policies are often more misunderstood than
most, and it is therefore of the utmost importance that one is up to speed on all
components of one’s policy from the get-go. This month, we take a brief look
at Game Work, specifically the difference between private and commercial
Game Work and the current regulations around the two.
• Private Game Work refers to any form of Game Work that one undertakes
on his/her private farm for personal reasons – not for reward. This
requires a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) with a Game Rating.
• Commercial Game Work refers to any form of Game Work that is
undertaken to help others on their farms, and in so doing earning
a reward or some form of monetary compensation. This requires an
AOC (Air Operator’s Certificate) – the approval granted by a National
Aviation Authority to an aircraft operator to allow him/her to use the
aircraft for commercial purposes. It is imperative that the helicopter/
aircraft used is noted on the AOC. Pilots performing Game Work
operations need a Commercial Pilot License with a Game Rating.
mountain in order to find Sylvester. The team fearlessly chased Sylvester on foot
from his hiding place, and once he was darted, they carried his immobilized
240kg mass to a spot from where he could be safely transported back to the Park.
This was a true act of bravery, and one I was very proud to be involved in.