Chairman’s Report 2017 - South African Power Flying Association

Chairman’s Report 2017 - South African Power Flying Association

Before I start I want to thank all our SAPFA members for their commitment and participation in our different disciplines – THANK YOU MEMBERS.

The South African Power Flying Association’s (SAPFA) main focus is to organise and promote power flying sports. We also represent the interests of our members by providing input on matters that affect GA pilots. We maintain links with the General Aviation Commission (GAC) of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). We also support the Aero Club of South Africa 100%.

We at SAPFA wanted to do something different this year with regards to competition flying and create a fair playing field for new competition pilots, Rob Jonkers created the Adventure Rallies and I created the SECS (SAPFA Equality Competition System) and Club Challenge CALL OUTS.

Thank you, Rob Jonkers for creating the first platform to introduce competition flying to the general aviator and the EAA members for embracing the new format of Adventure Rallies.

I would also like to thank the three clubs that helped SAPFA start the Club Call outs namely Secunda Flying Club, Ermelo and Springs (ERFC). This will grow as it has proven to become very popular and fun to take part in.

I would like to extend special thanks to Christoff le Grange (Secunda Club) and Eric Addision (Springs) for helping and hosting the Club Challenges.

I strongly believe that growing the sport is the most fundamental sustainable solution for the future.

The stepping stones have been laid for the future to grow the sport next year.

The PTAR was a huge success seeing new sponsors and excellent piloting skills from all the pilots and navigators. Next year the PTAR will be hosted by New Tempe and will be as awesome as it has always been when hosted by the Bloemfontein Flying Club.

Pylon Racing will be given more attention next year, we are possibly looking at racing a few Yak 52 against each other in the last part of 2018. Keep an eye on this, it is going to be great and revolutionary.

We had many great international achievements this year and we are very proud of our Protean Competition Pilots, Frank and Cally Eckard managed to secure a Gold Medal for South Africa in the landing section of the competition. Also a warm welcoming Andre Kluyts to the Green and Gold for the first time.

SAPFA Achievements below:

Senior Protea Colours for the 1st FAI World Air Navigation Race Championship 2017 held in Castellon, Spain held from the 11th to the 17th of September 2017 to Cally Eckard, Frank Eckard, Hans Schwebel, Mary De Klerk, Ronald Stirk, Thys van der Merwe and for participation as International Judge Special Acknowledgement to Arddyn Moolman.

Senior Protea Colours for the 23rd FAI World Precision Flying Championships held in Spitzerberg Airfield, Austria from the 29th of July to the 5th of August 2017 to Andre Kluyts, Frank Eckard, Mauritz Du Plessis, Ronald Stirk and the team manager Mary De Klerk and for participation as President of the Jury, Special Acknowledgement to Hans Schwebel.  

Ron Stirk - For achieving a Silver Medal, 2nd Place in the Landing Section of the 23rd FAI World Precision Flying Championships held in Spitzerberg Airfield, Austria from the 29 July – 5 August 2017

Rob Jonkers – Sliver Wings for creating the Adventure Rallies and Assisting with the 2020 Aero Club Centenary arrangements

Mary De Klerk -  Gold wings foe serving on the SAPFA committee for 10 years

Frank Eckard  - Lewis Lang Trophy was awarded to “Pilot of the Year” for FAI Gold Medal for 1st Place in the Landing Section of the 1st FAI World Air Navigation Race Championship 2017 held in Castellon, Spain in July 2017 (DON’T FORGET FRANK HAD HIS WIFE AS HIS NAVIGATOR – WELL DONE CALLY)

Sadly, I have stepped down as Chairman due to International commitments and will not be available to serve as the Chairman for SAPFA in 2018. I have handed the Chairmanship to a worthy and fully capable Rob Jonkers (was my Vice Chairman) that will continue to grow SAPFA and support our Members.

Jonty Esser

SAPFA X-Chairman             

 

SECS - SAPFA Equality Competition System

SAPFA Equality Competition System

Introduction

A new system was introduced by Jonty Esser to help all pilots compete at suitable personal skill levels, the system has been used in the aerobatics community for many years and has proven to allow all pilots to progress safely and enjoy the personal challenges and increase their flying skill while having fun at a competition level.

This document will help guide all Pilots to understand and implement the SECS (SAPFA Equality Competition System).

Classes

The classes are as follows:

Sportsmans Class

Intermediate Class

Advancded Class

Unlimited Class

Sportsmans Class

The Sportsmans class is the fun class and is open to any Pilot wanting to enjoy accurate and precise flight that will enhance the pilots flying skills including good observation, navigation, CRM (cockpit resource management) and landing skills.

Each rally will consist of a night before briefing and class on how to fly a rally, in this briefing/lecture the TEAM (Pilot and Navigator) will be given their papers (photos in order of flight and from which turn point they should find them) with the clue sheet to work out the route and prepare for the rally the next day. (ALL OTHER CLASSES ARE IN QUARENTINE AND MAY NOT GET ANY INFORMATION)

This gives each TEAM the advantage needed to learn the skills to progress to the next class.

Once the starting list has been published in the morning they will then simple add their minute markers and go have FUN.

 How to progress to the next class?

The first, second and third place automatically progress to Intermediate Class as they have proven to be competitive enough to progress.

Any TEAM that has flown three Sportsmans Class competitions in one year will automatically progress to the Intermediate class.

The scoring will be as per the 15 seconds gate penalties with wide gates.

Intermediate Class

To be eligible to fly in any National Competition the TEAM must have reach this class.

This class will only get there papers on the day after briefing and will be done in quarantine from the two other classes. To ensure there is no information shared the Advanced and Unlimited classes will start the rally and immediately get their start times and papers. This will set them off flying while the Sportsmans and Intermediate Classes prepare for their competition.

The Intermediate competitors will be assisted by SAPFA staff and organizers to ensure they are well equipped and fully prepared for the competition flight.

The Intermediate Class TEAMS will bet the same clue sheet as the Sportmans Class with the photos in order of flight however not given the turn point the photo has been taken from)

The scoring will be as per the 15 seconds gate penalties with wide gates. Clue sheet worked out the day of the flight after briefing and photos without indication from which turn point they are from.

How to progress to the next class?

As a team you will have to have been selected and represent our Country at an International competition, this will elevate you as a TEAM to the Unlimited Class. However, if you are a Sportsmans or an Intermediate Class pilot or navigator and you have managed to find a Protean to fly with you; this TEAM is then automatically classed to be in the Advanced Class as there is a clear advantage over new teams that are up and coming.

Advanced Class

This class will be full competition mode and will be handled at the international level and rules. See the rules on the website.

The scoring will be as per the 3 seconds gate penalties with narrow gates. Papers handed to the TEAM in the aircraft.

This class is to encourage current Proteans to help and assist new enthusiastic competition pilots.

Unlimited Class

Now you are at an International Standard and the competition is run strictly according to the International rules.

The rules are as will be flown at the World Championships.

Concluision

This system will encourage new pilots to compete at their skill levels while enhancing them and ultimately growing our sport we love.

 

 

Report on the Meeting of the FAI General Aviation Commission (GAC)

Report on the Meeting of the FAI General Aviation Commission (GAC)

held in Paris, France from Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th November 2017.

By Frank Eckard

 

 

The meeting was attended by delegate Hans Schwebel and alternative delegate Frank Eckard.

 

South Africa will host the 2020 World Rally Flying Championships and World Air Navigation Race Championships. Our organisation will be celebrating its centenary in 2020. As part of the 100 year celebrations the SAPFA committee decided to bid for these two prestigious competitions. France gracefully postponed their bid and our bid was unanimously approved.

 

We would like to encourage all South African pilots who have aspirations to obtain their Green and Gold to start their campaign and training in order to qualify to represent their country in these two prestigious World Championship events. Please speak to any SAPFA committee members for more information.

 

The Rally Flying Sub Committee. The chairman had through the year obtained the majority opinion and drafted a new set of rules for our future competitions. The new rules will allow the crews to plot their maps before the start point, however still challenging them with accurate navigation, timing and observation.

 

The next World Rally Flying Championships will be held in Dubnica, Slovakia from the 5 – 11 Aug 2018.

 

The Precision Subcommittee With the advances in GPS equipment installed in the modern cockpit, the precision committee decided to lift the ban on using GPS devices for these competitions, this will mean that pilots will no longer miss the turn points, but map reading skill will still ne required to win the competition.

 

The next World Precision Flying Championships will take place Castellon, Spain - June 2019

 

The Air Navigation Race Subcommittee Following the experience at the 1st World Air Navigation Race Championships in Spain, they decided to amend the rules and the clock will now continue to run when you are out of the parcour, and not stop at 300 points.

 

The second World ANR Championships will be held in Santa Cruz, Portugal - September 2019.

 

The calendar therefore was accepted as follows.

 

2018 - World Rally Championships - Dubnica nad Váhom, SLOVAKIA 5 – 11 Aug 2018

2019 - World Precision Flying Championships - Castellon, Spain - June 2019

2019 - World Air Navigation Race Championships - Santa Cruz, Portugal - September 2019

2020 - World Rally Flying Championships - Venue TBA, South Africa - Date TBA

2020 - World Air Navigation Race Championships - Venue TBA, South Africa - Date TBA

2021 - World Precision Flying Championships - France

2022 - World Rally Championships - France.

 

Election of officials.

Hans Schewbel will continue to serve as Vice President and Frank Eckard as the Chairman of the Rally Flying Subcommittee.

 

 

 

The 13th Rand Airport Challenge 2017

11th February 2017

By Cally Eckard

It was 13th time lucky for this event, with no incidences for organiser Frank Eckard.  Rand Airport waived landing fees for the sixteen aircraft who took part, and provided Paul Roberts to be the Safety Officer for the event. 

Read more ...

Chairman's Report 2016

The South African Power Flying Association’s (SAPFA) main focus is to organise and promote power flying sports. We also represent the interests of our members by providing input on matters that affect GA pilots. We maintain links with the General Aviation Commission (GAC) of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).

World Air Games - Dubai
Based on their performance at the 19th FAI World Rally Flying Championships held in Torun, Poland, Frank Eckard and Cally Eckard were nominated by the FAI to represent South Africa in the World Air Games which were held in Dubai. At these World Air Games the team was awarded the FAI Gold Medal for the Landing Competition which was held in difficult cross wind conditions, and also the Bronze Medal for the Overall Result in the Air Navigation Race.

President’s Trophy Air Race
Bethlehem Aero Club set a new standard as hosts of the 2016 President’s Trophy Air Race.
After two days of racing the local team of Philip Jacobs and Nico Smith, took top honours. They had put in many hours of practice to hone their skills and the effort was rewarded with 1st place.

 

The 2017 race will be held at Springs. This promises to be yet another great event. Get your entries in early as the field is limited to 100 aircraft.

Precision and Rally Competitions
Our Fun Rallies were held at Rand Airport, Stellenbosch, Virginia, Brits, Morning Star, Hoedspruit, Secunda, Krugerdorp, Grand Central and Baragwanath.

The National Rally Flying Championships were hosted at Brits. At the 20th FAI World Rally Flying Competition held in Santa Cruz, Portugal, the South African Rally Flying Team were awarded the FAI Silver Medal for a team second place in the Advanced class of this event. The Team consisted of Frank Eckard and Cally Eckard, and Hans Schwebel and Ron Stirk. A joint second place in the Landing Competition was also awarded to Hans Schwebel and Ron Stirk.

Adventure Rally
SAPFA arranged yet another successful Adventure Rally at the EAA Sun and Fun which was held in Brits. Crews enjoyed solving the cryptic clues as they flew around the Brits Area and great fun was had by all competitors.

SAPFA continues to be run by volunteers who give up their personal time to attend meetings, organise events, study legislation and more.

Thank You.

Frank Eckard
Chairman
South African Power Flying Association (SAPFA)

 

  1. The Bob Hay Fun Rally at Baragwanath Airfield
  2. EAA Brits Sun & Fun 2016 Adventure Rally
  3. Report on the Meeting of the FAI General Aviation Commission
  4. Grand Central Fun Rally – 29th Oct 2016