As we got airborne at The Coves it became very clear that this was going to be no ordinary breakfast fly-in, the radio was jammed with pilots reporting their positions on their way to Rustenburg. When we flew overhead the apron next to the club house was already full of aircraft and the grass alongside the taxiway was filling up fast.

The wonderful flying weather and the idea of getting out and shaking of the January blues made for a great day with no less than one hundred visiting aircraft making their way to this beautiful airfield in the heart of Platinum country.

The Rustenburg Flying Club who hosted the event seemed to be caught a little of guard by the sheer number of visitors and had to rush off and replenish the breakfast stock not once but twice, under the circumstances they did exceptionally well with no-one having to wait too long for their breakfast.

Rustenburg Flying club has a long illustrious history; the club was established in 1943 and is based at the Rustenburg Municipal Airfield just to the West of the Central Business District nestled between the many Platinum mines in the area. Rustenburg Airfield (FARG) is located on the P20/2 Thabazimbi road at an elevation of 3700 feet and sports a 1225 meter tarred long runway (16/34) and ample parking for visiting aircraft on their tarred apron. Fuel is also available at very competitive rates.

As always at any Rustenburg flying event their neighbours from Brits and Krugersdorp made up a large number of the visitors, and of course the Bat Hawk brigade from Silver Creek arrived in mass. Rustenburg Flying Club had their first annual breakfast fly-in in 2016 and attracted just over forty visitors, in 2017 the weather ruined the day and it was scrapped due to water standing all over the runway and taxiway. In 2018 the numbers increased slightly too more or less sixty aircraft joined.

At times there were up to eight aircraft in the circuit and many waiting on the ground to get airborne, unfortunately there were a few pilots who opted to go home rather than get into the very busy circuit. At least ten aircraft were stranded at thier home bases in the Lowveld, due to mist, the numbers would have really swelled if everyone could make it.

Some of the notable visitors were Dale de Klerk in his Cvjetkovic Mini Ace CA-61 which is the oldest home built aircraft in South Africa, Andries van Tonder, also from Krugersdorp in his newly restored T-6 Harvard in Rhodesian Airforce livery. There was also a beautiful Yak 18T unfortunately I don't have musch information on this stunning machine, and of course Justus Venter in his one-of-a-kind Formula GT.

Cvjetkovic Mini Ace CA-61 ready to go

RRAF T-6 Harvard

Yak 18T

Formula GT

Rustenburg must be one of the friendliest airfields around, Mouritz, Andre', Kobus, Phillip and their dedicated team always make the visit a very memorable one and the food is always to drawer. Special thanks must go to the Guys and Girls at the EAA Chapter 322 for going the extra mile to advertise this great event on all their platforms.

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