GA7
Mmmmm, somehow I don't think so. A lot of people have been talking about getting Hueys, but nothing has ever materialized. All talk and NO action!
Elvis apparently bought a Huey in the USA in March this year, but to date has not been able to get an export permit from the State Department, with the result that the machine is still lying in the Port of Houston......fate to be unknown. If old Elvis would only have listened to the right people, but unfortunately that man is ................., well really.......!
Gary Fox has been running around SA telling everyone that he is now the official Huey expert in SA, and that he is importing a number of machines for a number of clients. Usual bull**** though, because no one can believe anything that boy says. People should know by now that Fox is a compulsive lier.
Fox was supposed to bring in 2 x Re-certified Bell 204's (Baby Hueys) into SA for his mate in Parys OFS, but to date this has also not materialized. First the machines were due in May, then June, then July, then August, and finally the Hurricanes and Typhoons delayed shipping during September and October as ships could'nt sail from the USA (although many other ships sailed from the USA to Cape Town) and now apparently that has also been just a story. No 204's for Cape Town. Rumour also has it that Fox and the man from Parys are no longer so friendly with each other. One can only but wonder why?
So, judging by what the Gary van der Merwe is doing, he's gearing up for a bumper tourism season, and will continue to dominate the Cape Town extreme helicopter market, until such time he gets competition, which is not likely at this time. So good luck to him.
If his Huey goes down though for whatever reason, which apparently is likely according to RUMOURS floating around the SACAA about the unairworthiness condition of the machine, it will simply close the doors on anyone else wanting to operate a Huey, as there will be a huge stigma attached to "any Huey" operating in the Cape Town area. So one wil have to see. Watch the Cape Town Helicopter space.
I have always been a great Huey fan, and I think what the Huey people do is great, but Gary should not overplay his hand with regards to the safety and airworthiness of the machine. It will be a shame if anything goes wrong. Pray God that it won't.
