By Garth Calitz

The quiet town of Modimolle in Limpopo was stirred by the arrival of over ninety aircraft for their yearly journey to the Nylstroom Flying Club's Taildraggers fly-in. Richard and Mariette, along with the entire Nicholson family, put in great effort to ensure this weekend is unforgettable for all attendees. Aircraft began arriving early on Friday morning from various regions of South Africa, with the first visiting pilot being Hans de Beer in his stunning Vans RV8, closely followed by the first female pilot, Sue Singleton, in her Jabiru.

The flow of arrivals persisted throughout Friday, with the line of aircraft gradually extending down the taxiway. Willie vd Walt, recognized as the pilot who made the greatest effort to attend, traveled all the way from Graaff-Reinet in his Jabiru J400—a significant journey for a weekend, but this was no ordinary weekend. Jeremy Woods arrived in the oldest taildragger, a 1941 Piper J5 Cub. Gregory Clegg, based at Fly-inn south of Pretoria, came in his 43-year-old Jodel D11, the oldest homebuilt aircraft present, which is nearly twice Greg’s age.

Francois Prinsloo was one of the few who nearly didn't make it this year. His Bush Baby Explorer was undergoing maintenance, and he could only pick it up on Friday morning. However, after collecting it, he hurried home and made the journey to FANY. Jonty Esser's Yak 52 was still disassembled on Thursday afternoon, but he managed to put it together and reach the premier fly-in event in South Africa.

As always, a delightful evening of aviation camaraderie was enjoyed by everyone on Friday night at the Nystroom flying club’s magnificent clubhouse. Fortunately, the weather cooperated this year, and it was not nearly as cold as in previous years.

Nigel Musgrave was on duty early Saturday morning to accommodate the early birds taking their machines out for dawn flights around the beautiful bushveld area. Stefan Coetzee was undoubtedly the most active visitor, taking many people for flights in his Bush Baby Safari. Stefan builds the Bush Baby range of aircraft at his factory at Petit Airfield.

Karl Jensen captivated the audience of pilots and enthusiasts with his unique blend of informative banter all day long. Captain Karl, a retired SAA B747 pilot and former chairman of EAA Chapter 322, saw the EAA once again supporting the Nylstroom Fly-in, with many members present this year.

Scully, Arnie, and Dewald from the Puma Energy Flying Lions made a brief visit and showcased an impressive formation flying display in what is likely the most beloved taildragger, the North American T6 Harvard.

Among the most remarkable taildraggers were the beautifully restored Pietenpol owned by Marc Paxton and his son Steven, as well as John Illsley's stunning Auster. However, there were also some non-taildraggers that captured attention; a pair of Long Ez's attracted a lot of interest with their unique design.

After a long day of managing flights, air traffic controllers Clarence Mngomezulu, Nadia Pietersen, and Riaan Oliver skillfully handled the busy airspace and decided to award the best airmanship prize to a young commercial pilot from Blue Chip Aviation. Unfortunately, Giovan and Hilton flew back in the Mushsak and couldn't attend the prize-giving ceremony. It's encouraging to see such disciplined young aviators.

The evening Braai and Prize giving was a lively event, with Jannie du Plessis once again energizing the party with his live performance. If you haven't attended a Nylstroom Taildraggers event yet, make sure to mark it in your calendar, as it's a must-attend occasion on the aviation schedule. Congratulations to Richard, Mariette, Tayla-Kaé, Richard (jnr), and Phillip Nicholson, along with all the members of the Nylstroom flying club, for organizing another unforgettable Taildraggers fly-in.

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