The Guvnor
8th Jan 2002, 20:00
Thunder City Opens in Cape Town
Business Day (Johannesburg)
January 8, 2002
Posted to the web January 8, 2002
Tamar Kahn
FEW locals can afford the $9000 for a 40-minute flight in one of Thunder City's English Electric Lightning jets. But now that the company has opened an aeronautical and automotive visitor centre, Capetonians can at least take a close look at one.
Thunder City has, for the past several years, offered well-heeled civilians the chance to fly in former military jets. The planes are mainly British, and include Hawker Hunters, Buccaneers, English Electric Lightning and BAC Strikemaster jets.
The company is one of the major drawcards for tourists to Cape Town and claims to be unique in the attractions it offers.
Thunder City is a R72m joint venture between Car Magazine publishers Ramsay Son & Parker and local businessman Mike Beachy Head, with a 20% stake in the company held by the Industrial Development Corporation.
Thunder City chairman Alan Ramsay says that Cape Town is an ideal location to operate a former military squadron because it has an attractive coastline, and its airspace is relatively uncluttered with commercial traffic.
The weak rand, and tourist anxieties about travel to the US and Middle East, have resulted in a rise in foreign visitor numbers this season, he says.
Ramsay says Thunder City is unique in the size and variety of its squadron, and has little international competition. Only the Russians, he says, run a commercial operation in which civilians can fly former military jets.
The company trains test pilots from the California-based National Test Pilots School.
It recently developed a management training programme with Wits Business School, the Executive Flight Path team-building exercise for top executives.
Now the company is targeting motor and aviation enthusiasts in the domestic market.
Ramsay says there is a strong overlap between people who love powerful cars and those who love powerful aircraft. They are not just men.
"The readership of Car Magazine, for example, is 25% female."
Ramsay says Thunder City aims to attract 1000 visitors a day by March.
Visitors will not only bring in gate fees, but will also present lucrative business opportunities for marketers of motor-related products, he says.
At present, visitors can tour an operational hangar housing Thunder City's jet squadron and a collection of display aircraft, or try out a professionally designed 4x4 track in an off-road vehicle.
Still to come is a 300-seater conference centre, a static display of high performance road vehicles and military aircraft, and a picnic area.
Business Day (Johannesburg)
January 8, 2002
Posted to the web January 8, 2002
Tamar Kahn
FEW locals can afford the $9000 for a 40-minute flight in one of Thunder City's English Electric Lightning jets. But now that the company has opened an aeronautical and automotive visitor centre, Capetonians can at least take a close look at one.
Thunder City has, for the past several years, offered well-heeled civilians the chance to fly in former military jets. The planes are mainly British, and include Hawker Hunters, Buccaneers, English Electric Lightning and BAC Strikemaster jets.
The company is one of the major drawcards for tourists to Cape Town and claims to be unique in the attractions it offers.
Thunder City is a R72m joint venture between Car Magazine publishers Ramsay Son & Parker and local businessman Mike Beachy Head, with a 20% stake in the company held by the Industrial Development Corporation.
Thunder City chairman Alan Ramsay says that Cape Town is an ideal location to operate a former military squadron because it has an attractive coastline, and its airspace is relatively uncluttered with commercial traffic.
The weak rand, and tourist anxieties about travel to the US and Middle East, have resulted in a rise in foreign visitor numbers this season, he says.
Ramsay says Thunder City is unique in the size and variety of its squadron, and has little international competition. Only the Russians, he says, run a commercial operation in which civilians can fly former military jets.
The company trains test pilots from the California-based National Test Pilots School.
It recently developed a management training programme with Wits Business School, the Executive Flight Path team-building exercise for top executives.
Now the company is targeting motor and aviation enthusiasts in the domestic market.
Ramsay says there is a strong overlap between people who love powerful cars and those who love powerful aircraft. They are not just men.
"The readership of Car Magazine, for example, is 25% female."
Ramsay says Thunder City aims to attract 1000 visitors a day by March.
Visitors will not only bring in gate fees, but will also present lucrative business opportunities for marketers of motor-related products, he says.
At present, visitors can tour an operational hangar housing Thunder City's jet squadron and a collection of display aircraft, or try out a professionally designed 4x4 track in an off-road vehicle.
Still to come is a 300-seater conference centre, a static display of high performance road vehicles and military aircraft, and a picnic area.