By Trevor Cohen

As we approached the airport in Polokwane, the low cloud cover made me increasingly doubt the possibility of witnessing an air show. Despite the rain and mud, dedicated attendees parked their cars and made their way from the parking areas to the entrance of the show apron.

For those who haven't taken the 2-hour and 40-minute journey north or flown to the Gateway Airport north of Polokwane, there's a sizable airfield with two runways and two large aprons capable of accommodating 747-sized aircraft.

Initially built as a military base, the airport now features a new terminal building and accommodates civilian aircraft. It designated half of the apron for spectators to view the air show, while reserving the other half as an active apron for the three commercial flights operating on Saturdays and any other aircraft movements.

Anyway I digress

At 9:00 am, a safety briefing took place where Neville Ferreira expressed his strong confidence that the rain would clear, allowing the show to begin at 11:00 am. At that moment, we had to close the meeting room doors because the rain on the roof was so loud that no one could hear each other due to the heavy downpour on the terminal building.

The show safety officer confirmed the event would proceed unless there were any objections.

All credit goes to Neville for his accurate prediction.

All credit goes to Rikus, the safety officer, for trusting Neville.

About half an hour after the meeting ended, the rain stopped, and by 10:30 am, the sun had come out, although there were some intermittent low clouds.

The entire show program needed to be altered at the last minute because Let 29, Nigel Hopkins, the Torre Pits, and the Puma Harvard couldn't make it due to the weather conditions.

The event began with Major Geoffrey Cooper piloting the SAAF Saab Gripen fighter jet in an impeccable display.

Neville Ferreira, flying his Slick 540 after recently placing 24th in the world for aerobatics, began his routine low immediately after take-off, ascended to a high altitude, and then descended again, much to the crowd's delight.

Neville has certainly refined his routine since I last saw him fly, and he is a world-class performer and highly talented display pilot.

Jon-Mark Hill expertly maneuvered little Annie, an Antonov 2, demonstrating his skills. Granted a temporary show rating for the day, Jon-Mark executed precise and tight maneuvers on his own, without the usual assistance of a secondary pilot. Mark Hill, you should be proud of Jon-Mark; he delivered an impressive performance.

Little Annie is operated by aviation enthusiasts who aim to use aviation as a force for positive change in the community. After the air show, Little Annie took many underprivileged children, who had never been on an aircraft, for flights around Polokwane.

The most notable flying was performed by the Paramount Flying School, which utilizes the SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 Aermacchi group. This aircraft is designed as a military trainer.

Devon Kruger, Leon Bath, and Jan Mienie executed the flying in a very tight and close formation. The display was smooth, and the precision of their flying was excellent and captivating to watch.

The Saps Pilatus Porter delivered an impressive performance from takeoff to landing, utilizing only about 100 meters of runway. This aircraft boasts excellent STOL capabilities and was skillfully piloted throughout the display.

Neville piloted the Yak 52 with elegance, skillfully maneuvering the aircraft. While it may not be as advanced as a Slick or an Extra, it still offers an impressive display of smooth precision to captivate the audience.

The skydivers thrilled the spectators by jumping from Little Annie, and the enormous South African Flag never fails to inspire awe. The skydivers kept the audience engaged with their dynamic landings—some even skidding on their backsides across sections of the tarmac—and their flawless touchdowns.

A hall featured several displays from Paramount, the SAPS Air Wing, Limpopo Tourism, and a model flying club, aimed at demonstrating to the youth that aviation offers a promising future and the potential to build a career.

Overall, standing on an apron is always preferable to sitting at a desk, even if your office has a window. Smelling burnt Jet A1 is far superior to the scent of Chanel on your colleagues or customers; this is a privilege we should never overlook.

We owe thanks to several people for this event. Thank you, Khanyisa, for all you accomplished in such a short period.

And thank you, Rikus, for organizing, ensuring everyone's safety, and being flexible enough to allow us to do what we needed to do.

To all the pilots who use their God-given talent to amaze us with their expertise and professionalism.

To Brian Emmenis and the Capital Sounds team, who handle the setup and dismantling of the entire audio systems. You travel extensively and consistently complete the job, even in challenging wet conditions. Your abilities as a presenter and entertainer maintain the show's momentum and captivate the audience with the aerial displays. You adapt seamlessly to changes in routines and, most importantly, keep your work enjoyable.

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