By Rogan McDonnell

On Saturday, 18 November, the Cape Town Flight Training Centre held an open day at their base, Fisantekraal Airfield, located northeast of Cape Town. The airfield was lively with visitors discussing their flying aspirations with the CTFTC instructors, and the enticing scent of the Boerie braai filled the air. The instructors at CTFTC were occupied with a steady stream of potential pilots eager to experience the introductory flights available.

CTFTC was founded in 2003 to address the demand for an affordable setting for professional flight training in the Cape Town region. Since its inception, CTFTC has consistently provided the most professional and cost-effective flight training in the Western Cape.

Starting from modest origins, the school has progressively grown and now features a team of 11 staff members, including 5 full-time instructors. With a fleet of eight aircraft, they offer comprehensive private and commercial flight training, including aerobatics instruction.

Numerous alumni, after earning their qualifications with CTFTC, have successfully secured esteemed roles in the aviation industry.

Fisantekraal Airfield (FAFK) is a former South African Air Force airfield constructed around 1943. Initially, it functioned as a base for Lockheed Ventura bombers and has been under private ownership since 1993.

Fisantekraal Airfield functions as a general aviation airfield and is a popular choice for flight training in the Cape Town region. Many local flight training schools use Fisantekraal for circuit and emergency training exercises.

The airfield initially featured four runways. Currently, only RWY23/05 and RWY14/32 are in use. Although the old taxiways and other runways are no longer operational, they can still be seen from above.

Fisantekraal's historic appearance has made it a popular filming location for various television series and movies over the years. Among the TV series filmed there are "Strike Back" and "Mad Dogs." Recently, a C-130 was seen landing at the airfield during the production of a new movie.

Besides the Flight School buildings, the airfield is in poor condition and truly requires maintenance. It's quite unfortunate that an airfield with such historical significance is so neglected.

#OpenDay #Fisantekraal