By Garth Calitz

Krugersdorp's infamous weather once again attempted to disrupt an event at Jack Taylor Airfield, but Johan Swanepoel and his team stood firm. Johan, who manages the clubhouse and restaurant at the airfield, chose to support the farmers struggling with the severe drought affecting the Northern Cape.

As soon as he shared his idea, sponsors began to join in. Ben Morgerood Motor's "Boere in Nood" initiative promptly offered their support by sponsoring a sound system for the day and arranging musicians to entertain the crowd.

SA Airlink, in collaboration with the City Lodge group, donated an amazing weekend getaway. Airlink provided the flight tickets to and from Cape Town, while City Lodge offered the accommodation and meals, creating a highly appealing prize.

The local flying schools and members of the Krugersdorp flying club also contributed to the prize collection. Alpi Aviation, owned by Dale de Klerk, generously donated several introductory flights in their stunning Bush Baby Safari.

Haley Cummings from Helivate offered their Alouette III for flights and took several fortunate raffle winners on a trip around the Krugersdorp area.

Nico Smith and George Gerber from Avitech Flight Academy offered their Cessna 210 for prize flights, some of which took place on the same day.

Dieter Bok, the owner of Mr. Bock, promises to take the winners for a flight in his exceptionally fast Lancair. Dieter will arrange the flights at the winners' convenience.

A delightful breakfast was provided, with half of its proceeds contributing to the farmers' fund, alongside the earnings from the raffles and auctions. All auctioned items were donated by various local businesses and individuals.

Unfortunately, the turnout was somewhat disappointing. Due to the inclement weather, many pilots who intended to participate chose to prioritize safety and remain grounded. However, several opted to drive in and enjoy a day of aviation camaraderie.

As the weather improved, many members of the Krugersdorp Flying Club took to the skies with their impressive aircraft. In a rare occurrence, Peter Lastrucci flew his newly rebuilt Bell 47, and he was soon joined by Kim Pratley's Prately Bell 47. Seeing one of these helicopters is a remarkable sight, but witnessing two of them flying in formation is an exceptionally rare event.

Another highlight was Roy Watson's beautiful 1904 De Dion, and as he drove around the field, his son joined him in his stunning Tigermoth.

Johan sold more than 110 breakfasts, and the initiative successfully raised a significant sum of money, which will be donated to "Boere in Nood" to hopefully support farmers struggling to feed their livestock during challenging times.

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