Mystery plane raises eyebrows
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Mystery plane raises eyebrows
Mystery plane raises eyebrows
25/10/2005
Pretoria - The police and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) were investigating the mysterious presence of an old Russian aircraft that seems to have sneaked into the country unannounced and undetected and has been sitting at an airfield near Johannesburg ever since.
The police's border control unit confiscated the aircraft at the Bapsfontein airfield. It was sealed off until more information could be obtained.
Superintendent Frans Kloppers, provincial chief of this department, on Tuesday said the investigation would determine whether the aircraft was in legally the country.
The control tower at Johannesburg International Airport informed the police about a suspicious aircraft in the country.
Owner is in Russia
No record of the aircraft's entry into the country could be traced since it had landed at the airfield two weeks ago.
The ancient Antonov 2 attracted attention when it filed a flight plan from Richard's Bay to Bapsfontein.
The two pilots returned to Russia shortly after landing with only one passenger on board. The aircraft was apparently registered in Lesotho, but the owner lived in South Africa.
The owner was at present also in Russia. According to Kloppers investigators were waiting for his return so that he could hand in the necessary documents regarding the aircraft's presence in the country.
Kloppers said the CAA would investigate whether the aircraft was fit to fly in South Africa's air space.
The air space authority apparently also had no record of when the aricraft entered the country.
Specialists in the industry were of opinion that the aircraft could have come from Madagascar, since several of these models were in use in that country.
"The aircraft is ideal for taking off and landing on short runways and on any surface. The other possibility is that it flew from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Tanzania, and from there along the coast to Richard's Bay," a source said.
The Antonov 2 is between 30 and 40 years old and one of the first models built under this name in Russia.
25/10/2005
Pretoria - The police and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) were investigating the mysterious presence of an old Russian aircraft that seems to have sneaked into the country unannounced and undetected and has been sitting at an airfield near Johannesburg ever since.
The police's border control unit confiscated the aircraft at the Bapsfontein airfield. It was sealed off until more information could be obtained.
Superintendent Frans Kloppers, provincial chief of this department, on Tuesday said the investigation would determine whether the aircraft was in legally the country.
The control tower at Johannesburg International Airport informed the police about a suspicious aircraft in the country.
Owner is in Russia
No record of the aircraft's entry into the country could be traced since it had landed at the airfield two weeks ago.
The ancient Antonov 2 attracted attention when it filed a flight plan from Richard's Bay to Bapsfontein.
The two pilots returned to Russia shortly after landing with only one passenger on board. The aircraft was apparently registered in Lesotho, but the owner lived in South Africa.
The owner was at present also in Russia. According to Kloppers investigators were waiting for his return so that he could hand in the necessary documents regarding the aircraft's presence in the country.
Kloppers said the CAA would investigate whether the aircraft was fit to fly in South Africa's air space.
The air space authority apparently also had no record of when the aricraft entered the country.
Specialists in the industry were of opinion that the aircraft could have come from Madagascar, since several of these models were in use in that country.
"The aircraft is ideal for taking off and landing on short runways and on any surface. The other possibility is that it flew from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Tanzania, and from there along the coast to Richard's Bay," a source said.
The Antonov 2 is between 30 and 40 years old and one of the first models built under this name in Russia.
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I seem to remember some tie up with this aircraft and the Russian series of 'Survivor' being shot in the St Lucia Area at the moment. Might be wrong though. Still does not explain the questions raised.
SC
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Morning, gents!
This An-2 aircraft was sold long ago to Evgeny Zakharov and therefore Vadim Lakhtin has nothing to do with the plane for a long time already.
I am sure that today Mr. Klopper will receive all the info he was intrested for re this An-2 from Zakharov.
Have a good day all!
This An-2 aircraft was sold long ago to Evgeny Zakharov and therefore Vadim Lakhtin has nothing to do with the plane for a long time already.
I am sure that today Mr. Klopper will receive all the info he was intrested for re this An-2 from Zakharov.
Have a good day all!
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Morning, gents!
This An-2 aircraft was sold long ago to Evgeny Zakharov and therefore Vadim Lakhtin has nothing to do with the plane for a long time already.
I am sure that today Mr. Klopper will receive all the info he was intrested for re this An-2 from Zakharov.
Seen the bill of sale have you?
This An-2 aircraft was sold long ago to Evgeny Zakharov and therefore Vadim Lakhtin has nothing to do with the plane for a long time already.
I am sure that today Mr. Klopper will receive all the info he was intrested for re this An-2 from Zakharov.
Seen the bill of sale have you?
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2 napoleon
If Zakharov officially states that the aircraft belongs to him - should I have doubts about that? Or should any1 else do so?
I am not an investigator and cannot demand to produce me any documantation re this An-2. But I know for sure that the a/c was passed (sold) to Evgeny.
Are you satisfied now?
As for vodka - yes, we like it!
Hi! BTW - there is no black caviar in the BlackSea
)
In Caspian sea only)
I am not an investigator and cannot demand to produce me any documantation re this An-2. But I know for sure that the a/c was passed (sold) to Evgeny.
Are you satisfied now?
As for vodka - yes, we like it!
Hi! BTW - there is no black caviar in the BlackSea
)In Caspian sea only
)
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2 napoleon
I can see that you are very kind and a warmhearted person.
But I will decide myself when and where I will go, I do not need any kind of advisers
Have a great day!
But I will decide myself when and where I will go, I do not need any kind of advisers
Have a great day!
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Johannesburg - The owner of the ''mysterious'' and ancient Russian plane that the police and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seized last week near Johannesburg, probably contravened aviation legislation.
But provincial head of the police division controlling the country's ports of entry Superintendent Frans Kloppers said on Tuesday that as far as could be determined, the owner couldn't be linked to any criminal activities.
Kloppers, CAA representatives and the owner met on Tuesday to clear up the uncertainty about the presence of the Antonov 2 in the country.
Kloppers didn't want to disclose the owner's name, since the CAA's investigation against him was still in progress.
There has been great interest in aviation circles since the plane landed about three weeks ago at a private airfield at Bapsfontein and police confiscated and sealed it.
Plane shipped in crates from Russia to Lesotho in 1998
Police acted after receiving information from the air traffic control tower at Johannesburg International Airport that a suspicious plane was in the country.
Kloppers said the plane had been shipped in crates from Russia to Lesotho in 1998 where it was sold to a company owning several Russian planes.
The company apparently hit financial difficulties and the plane, which is about 30 years old, was sold to the new owner in January this year.
Kloppers said the CAA was now investigating precisely which aviation Acts and regulations the owner contravened after the plane was brought from Lesotho to South Africa.
It seems the owner is now learning to fly, planning to keep the plane as a collector's item and fly in it at his leisure.
This particular model was one of the first built under the Antonov trade name but is regarded as a ''home-built'' plane because the wings are made of canvas.
It is calculated that about 700 of this model are still in flight worldwide.
News 24
But provincial head of the police division controlling the country's ports of entry Superintendent Frans Kloppers said on Tuesday that as far as could be determined, the owner couldn't be linked to any criminal activities.
Kloppers, CAA representatives and the owner met on Tuesday to clear up the uncertainty about the presence of the Antonov 2 in the country.
Kloppers didn't want to disclose the owner's name, since the CAA's investigation against him was still in progress.
There has been great interest in aviation circles since the plane landed about three weeks ago at a private airfield at Bapsfontein and police confiscated and sealed it.
Plane shipped in crates from Russia to Lesotho in 1998
Police acted after receiving information from the air traffic control tower at Johannesburg International Airport that a suspicious plane was in the country.
Kloppers said the plane had been shipped in crates from Russia to Lesotho in 1998 where it was sold to a company owning several Russian planes.
The company apparently hit financial difficulties and the plane, which is about 30 years old, was sold to the new owner in January this year.
Kloppers said the CAA was now investigating precisely which aviation Acts and regulations the owner contravened after the plane was brought from Lesotho to South Africa.
It seems the owner is now learning to fly, planning to keep the plane as a collector's item and fly in it at his leisure.
This particular model was one of the first built under the Antonov trade name but is regarded as a ''home-built'' plane because the wings are made of canvas.
It is calculated that about 700 of this model are still in flight worldwide.
News 24
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Interesting path that justice follows in South Africa now.
First police seize and confiscate aircraft, then they investigate which laws have been broken.
Interesting times for aviation, will pilots now be arrested when they arrive back in RSA, and then sit in gaol while the police et al mount investigations to see if the pilots have broken any laws?
First police seize and confiscate aircraft, then they investigate which laws have been broken.
Interesting times for aviation, will pilots now be arrested when they arrive back in RSA, and then sit in gaol while the police et al mount investigations to see if the pilots have broken any laws?
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2 kind napoleon
I hope this article above will satisfy your curiosity much better than my words.
BTW Mr. Lakhtin is still not in the country.
I wonder how Mr. Klorreps could do his investigation with the owner? Miracles...
BTW Mr. Lakhtin is still not in the country.
I wonder how Mr. Klorreps could do his investigation with the owner? Miracles...
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napoleon,
I find your attitude spectacularly appalling.....why on earth would you tell someone to "Go back to the place of Caviar and Vodka you would be much happier" for no apparent reason?
I find your attitude spectacularly appalling.....why on earth would you tell someone to "Go back to the place of Caviar and Vodka you would be much happier" for no apparent reason?
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Well here’s a nice easy reg they may have broken – if it’s a “homebuilt” it’s might be classified as a NTCA and you can’t import one without SACAA and DoT permission – you still need SACAA permission if it’s not to be on the SA Reg – and if it’s not going on the SA Reg your permit will be “for a limited time”.
Of course if it’s based in Lesotho and visits SA that’s different – slightly but not a lot.
Anyone know if an AN2 has a Type Cert and if the SACAA “recognise” it.
(ready for doubters as to can the SACAA recognise any plane
)
Of course if it’s based in Lesotho and visits SA that’s different – slightly but not a lot.
Anyone know if an AN2 has a Type Cert and if the SACAA “recognise” it.
(ready for doubters as to can the SACAA recognise any plane
)
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First AN2 registered in SA was ZU-ATI IIRC. Took a bit of juggling to get CAA to register it at all and they'd only agree to do it if she remained in the old LS1 category.
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ZU = NTCA
94.01.2 (2) In the case of a foreign-registered non-type certificated aircraft, prior written permission by the Commissioner is required before such aircraft may enter the Republic.
But I’m sure you knew this.
Sounds a lot like they didn’t get the letter BEFORE.
If this is the case = bad boys – getting letter after you’ve upset the CAA will be won’t be fun - IMHO
94.01.2 (2) In the case of a foreign-registered non-type certificated aircraft, prior written permission by the Commissioner is required before such aircraft may enter the Republic.
But I’m sure you knew this.
Sounds a lot like they didn’t get the letter BEFORE.
If this is the case = bad boys – getting letter after you’ve upset the CAA will be won’t be fun - IMHO