Kitty Hawk Cessna Fly-In: August 16

Garth Calitz
Aug 19
2 min read

By Esias Rieckert

Despite the possibility of rain on Saturday, the Kitty Hawk Aerodrome soon turned lively and bustling. The day started quietly with just one Cessna 210 Centurion parked in front of the clubhouse. As the morning progressed, more Cessnas arrived, with pilots flying in from different aerodromes across Gauteng.

Kitty Hawk aerodrome is located 30km and an easy 20-minute drive southeast of Pretoria in the Boschkop area. With its 800m x 18m tar runway, the airfield is the central hub for an active aviation community and offers aircraft owners superb facilities. The airfield is privately owned and administered under a sectional title scheme. Membership is open to the public and non-members are welcome to fly in. Kitty Hawk does not levy landing fees and there is a fuel bay with AVGAS available 7 days a week. Dawie Pretorius, the airport manager, is available seven days a week to take care of your fuel needs.

Kitty Hawk Aerodrome have in recent months hosted fly-ins honouring certain aircraft types. In July, they invited the Jabiru community to a very successful fly-in. No Vans RV owner misses the annual RV fly-in if they can in any way help it.

The atmosphere became increasingly vibrant as conversations flowed and attendees gathered. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts indulged in a generous buffet breakfast, while some proudly showcased their Cessnas, executing impressive fly-bys for all present.

No Cessna fly-in would ever be complete without a visit from EAA Stalwart, Karl Jensen in his beautifully restored Cessna 170. Karl somehow makes his way to every fly-in in Gauteng and the neighbouring provinces

A particularly noteworthy Cessna present was the Cessna T303 Crusader owned by the dedicated Krugersdorp resident, Dieter Bock. Dieter is an active pilot of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, frequently attending aviation events across the country.

The fly-in concluded sooner than anticipated as pilots and guests departed, It seemed like the pilots and pax wanted to get back home before the rather sad SA vs Australia test match. This marked the end of yet another successful day at Kitty Hawk. The event was characterised by camaraderie and a shared appreciation for the cherished Cessna aircraft.