Mystery plane raises eyebrows

[Deanw]

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.
News24

[Sir Cumference]

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

[barryt]

And while we're on the subject of Bapsfontein. Anyone know if Piet Smoek (the farmer) is still around in charge of the place?

[napoleon]

Sounds like the An2 that has stood in Maseru for a couple of years and belongs to Vadim Lakhtin company Pilot Air well know to the law men mof South Africa.

[Fromsomewhere]

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!:ok:

[Deanw]

It's been reported that the reg is 7P-AND.

[napoleon]

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?

[Fromsomewhere]

I know what I am talking about.
Do you know this matter about An-2?

[Gunship]

2 napoleon

I know what I am talking about.
Do you know this matter about An-2?

I get a Vodka, Pushkin and BlackSea Caviar taste in my mouth :E

[napoleon]

FROMSOMEWHERE WHERE THEY DRINK VODKA. please answer the question! have you seen the bill of sale?

[Fromsomewhere]

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!:ok:

Hi! BTW - there is no black caviar in the BlackSea:))
In Caspian sea only:))
:ok:

[napoleon]

Go back to the place of Caviar and Vodka you would be much happier.

[Fromsomewhere]

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!

[mach decimal 83]

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

[Grizzly Bare]

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?

[Fromsomewhere]

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...

[Balmy]

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?

[African Tech Rep]

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
:E )

[Solid Rust Twotter]

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.

[African Tech Rep]

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

[warloc67]

I seem to recall another AN2 that was ZU registered, ZU-FUG. The owner was also involved with medivac ops out of FALA. It flew in for a static display during EAA Wonderboom 2004, since then last I saw her she was parked outside the Fugro hanger at FALA.

[ou Trek dronkie]

Do I not remember a while back an An2 being flown out of FAGM which crashed horribly with three on board ? They were ferrying beer to Angola or the DRC, so I was told. It was grossly overladen and way out of balance. The load carrying ability was presumably one of the reasons it was brought to SA.

Something for the operators to bear in mind perhaps.

oTd

[Solid Rust Twotter]

OTD

Unsecured load shifted.

[ou Trek dronkie]

Thanks for the reminder Twotters,

I remember it now. I also remember it was alleged one of the people on board went back to try and do something about it. End of story.

Ja, it was a gruesome crash and a good example about correct loading procedures - or else.

Another sad waste of life. Totally avoidable accident, one of many such out of Rand.

Nevertheless, the An2 is a magnificent work horse, I used to wonder why we did not see more of them in Africa ?

Anybody any ideas maybe ?

oTd

[African Tech Rep]

Once a long long time ago (I am getting old) I heard that An2’s have a Life Limit – I sort of disregarded it as it’s “not normal” – parts have life limits (ie LG / Engine Rotating Comps etc) but not an airframe.

On the other hand there is nothing to stop the State of Design imposing one and if they did most NAA’s would impose it or at least make you do some serious work to keep it flying.
OK – accept that many African NAA’s would ignore it.

Does anyone out there know enough to confirm or deny this point ?
Do the Russians have a version of a MPD or chapter 5 ? – do they even follow ATA ?

[Solid Rust Twotter]

I recall getting an anxious phone call from the CAA when the accident happened as we'd just registered ATI a few days before. They thought the first Russian aircraft on the SA register had speared in and were k@kking themselves.

Not sure they're good for African distances but fine for short hops in mountains or short strips. 90-95 Kts at 200 litres an hour isn't cheap.:ooh: