Sun ’n Fun 2025 – Revisiting Airspan Airfield

By Garth Calitz

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Magaliesburg foothills, between Olifantsnek Pass and Buffelspoort Dam, Airspan Airfield once again came alive for the Sun ’n Fun 2025 Fly-In. With its 900-meter tar runway, friendly atmosphere, excellent facilities and scenic surroundings, Airspan provided the perfect venue for a weekend celebrating the spirit of aviation.

Many of the attendees were planning on making a weekend of it, camping under their wing, but the thunderstorms predicted for both Friday and Saturday evening forced them to reduce that to a Saturday day trip. There were, however, some brave souls who did arrive on Friday and set up camp. The storms, fortunately, missed Airspan on Friday night, but not by much. I was sadly one of the people who decided to make a day trip.

Arriving at Airspan early on Saturday morning was initially a little disappointing, with only a handful of aircraft parked on the apron. However, that quiet start didn’t last long. Before long, the hum of engines filled the air as aircraft began streaming in from across Gauteng, the North West, and Limpopo.

A delicious breakfast buffet was prepared by the dedicated Airspan team, but the usual lively chatter that fills the tables at such gatherings was notably subdued. The overwhelming topic of conversation was the court judgment released the previous day. The outcome of the much-debated “12-year rule” case was far from what the general aviation community had hoped for. The High Court’s ruling in favour of the SACAA effectively grounded around 1,500 aircraft, instantly wiping billions—yes, billions—of rand in aircraft value. The decision sent shockwaves through the community, casting a sombre tone over an otherwise vibrant aviation event.

After breakfast, it was time for the scheduled presentations, kicking off with Megan Stevenson, a commercial pilot and the owner and CEO of Infinite Aviation. Although Megan was unfortunately medically grounded, she has redirected her passion for aviation toward education, founding Infinite Aviation to offer ground school training and aviation management courses. Her presentation, titled “Pilot Error: It’s Not What You Think,” drew a strong turnout and was exceptionally well-received. With her engaging style and wealth of experience, Megan challenged conventional thinking about human factors in aviation and highlighted how proactive training and awareness can significantly improve flight safety.

Throughout the day, Tyla Puzey, coordinator and co-founder of the EAA Young Aviators initiative in South Africa, kept the crowd entertained by challenging attendees to test their technical skills in the “Cleco Competition.” For those unfamiliar, a cleco is a spring-loaded fastener used to temporarily hold sheets of material or aircraft components together before they’re permanently riveted. The challenge was simple but deceptively tricky: participants had to insert and then remove ten clecos from a pre-drilled sheet of aircraft aluminium as quickly as possible. Some of the seasoned aircraft builders impressed everyone with times under 30 seconds, demonstrating lightning-fast precision and coordination. My own attempt, however, was a little less stellar, a respectable but humbling 1 minute and 16 seconds.

The second presentation of the day, titled “Flying with Passion and Purpose,” was delivered by Steve McCurrach, who captivated the audience with the inspiring story of The Bateleurs, a South African non-profit organisation powered by more than 220 volunteer pilots and aircraft. Steve shared the remarkable history of the group, which provides beneficiaries and the public with a unique aerial perspective of environmental challenges. Over the years, The Bateleurs have coordinated countless missions across South Africa and the African continent, supporting environmental conservation, wildlife protection, and sustainable development through the power of aviation.

Steve’s presentation was followed by an informative workshop hosted by Andrea Antel from Aviation Direct. Andrea introduced EasyCockpit, a comprehensive aviation navigation app designed specifically for pilots operating in Southern Africa. Available on both Apple iOS and Android, EasyCockpit serves as a powerful tool for pre-flight planning and in-flight navigation, offering up-to-date charts, airspace information, and route management features that make flying safer and more efficient.

Tarryn and Ian Myburgh, South Africa's very own world rally flying landing champions, attempted to get pilots to test their navigation skills in an air navigation rally (ANR), but sadly, there were only three takers, including Tarryn herself, who took Jaco Pitout along to navigate. Protea veterans Rob Jonkers and Martin Meyer managed to edge out Devilliers Mostert and Martin Prins for the win.

Throughout the day, there was a constant stream of aircraft coming and going, including three helicopters and a handful of gyrocopters. The bulk of the visitors were Part 91, the very aircraft that have been hit the hardest by the SACAA regulators' unfortunate decision to retract AIC 18.19.

The final presentation of the weekend was an insightful session led by Chris Theodosi from AeroShell. Chris provided a detailed overview of which oil products are best suited for various types of piston aircraft engines, explaining the importance of proper lubrication, oil selection, and maintenance practices in ensuring engine performance and longevity. It proved to be a highly practical and engaging session, with many attendees remarking on how much valuable knowledge they had gained from Chris’s presentation.

By this time, the mass exodus from the event was well underway, as attendees began packing up and heading out. Dark, ominous clouds had started to loom in the southern sky, casting a shadow over what had been a lively and vibrant day. Sadly, the approaching weather and the general rush to leave meant that only a small group of dedicated enthusiasts stayed behind for the awards ceremony. Throughout the day, Pierre van der Walt and his team from Sport Plane Builders had meticulously judged aircraft across various categories. Later, the results were announced to a relatively small group of attendees who had stayed behind for the evening’s festivities.

• Best Restored Aircraft was awarded to Mike Puzey for his beautifully restored Cessna 185 (ZS-SKY)

• Don Barrie won the award for the Best Amateur-Built Aircraft with his

  Jodel D 11 (ZS-UFU)

• The Best Metal Aircraft on display was Colin Wilson with his RV-7 (ZU-IPU)

• Peter How was honoured for the Longest Distance Flown To Event in his tiny Thatcher CX 4 (ZU-ITS), he came all the way from Gariep Gariep

• Nigel Musgrave received an award of Appreciation for Air Safety at the Event

• Iaan Myburgh, Winner STOL Contest, managed a Takeoff 35m and a Landing 98m in his Bathawk (ZU-FDV)

Special thanks must go to the Airspan Team for once again hosting the EAA at this magnificent airfield; they once again made sure the airfield was more than ready for an excellent Sun 'n Fun weekend. Nigel Musgrave, who once again went above and beyond to ensure the safety of everyone on the air and on the ground. I am already looking forward to the 2026 Sun 'n Fun, wherever it may be held.

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