Gunship
4th Jan 2003, 22:16
World Airnews (http://www.airnews.co.za/showstory.asp?id=318)
THE NEW runway and related facilities at the Graaff-Reinet airport were officially opened in a gala atmosphere recently by the man considered to be the “father” of the Karoo town, Dr Anton Rupert.
Despite the gale force winds which had blown throughout the previous day and the overcast, cold conditions which prevailed on the morning of the official opening, thousands of people, mainly from the surrounding communities, turned up to watch Dr Rupert unveil a plaque which will ultimately be mounted in the new terminal building.
Dr Rupert made a major financial contribution towards the new facilities that were also financed by the local municipality and the provincial administration.
Nearly 40 aircraft ranging from Dr Rupert’s personal trijet Dassault Falcon 900EX to ultralight homebuilt aircraft flew in to Graaff-Reinet for the occasion. Several other aircraft did not make it due to the weather.
The Falcon 900EX, which landed the previous day, was the first jet aircraft to use the new airport, thus writing a new chapter in Graaff-Reinet’s history.
Shortly afterwards, a SAAF VIP Flight Dassault Falcon 50 landed bringing the wife of the State President to the town for another unrelated ceremony.
This is considered to be something of a “record” as no one can remember ever having seen one jet aircraft, let alone two, on the airfield before.
The unofficial honour of being the first pilot to land on the new runway went to the chairman of the Graaff-Reinet Flying Club, Jacques Laubscher, who hired an aircraft in Port Elizabeth several days before the opening ceremony and flew to Graaff-Reinet to “test the runway to see it if was OK.”
As the airport became officially operational, so some locals commented that the spirit of Max Smulian seemed to be present. The “colonel”, as he was commonly called, had campaigned for many years to have the airfield upgraded. However, he died several years ago without seeing his dream fulfilled.
During the early 1980s, Smulian had forecast that one day Graaff-Reinet would be placed firmly on the aviation map of South Africa and would ultimately become a regular destination for tourist flights. This dream is shared by many other people at the town, including Laubscher whose efforts have seen the flying club “reborn” with more than a dozen enthusiasts waiting to begin flying training at the town.
This will be undertaken by the Algoa Flying Club, in Port Elizabeth, which plans to send an aircraft and instructor to Graaff-Reinet on a regular basis.
World Airnews understands that a group of businessmen in Port Elizabeth is planning to introduce regular tourist flights from the port city on a “double triangle” basis. The service will route via Port Alfred to Graaff-Reinet on one day, and via George to Graaff-Reinet on the next. As yet details of the plan are sketchy, but it is understood that Dakotas will be used on the service.
THE NEW runway and related facilities at the Graaff-Reinet airport were officially opened in a gala atmosphere recently by the man considered to be the “father” of the Karoo town, Dr Anton Rupert.
Despite the gale force winds which had blown throughout the previous day and the overcast, cold conditions which prevailed on the morning of the official opening, thousands of people, mainly from the surrounding communities, turned up to watch Dr Rupert unveil a plaque which will ultimately be mounted in the new terminal building.
Dr Rupert made a major financial contribution towards the new facilities that were also financed by the local municipality and the provincial administration.
Nearly 40 aircraft ranging from Dr Rupert’s personal trijet Dassault Falcon 900EX to ultralight homebuilt aircraft flew in to Graaff-Reinet for the occasion. Several other aircraft did not make it due to the weather.
The Falcon 900EX, which landed the previous day, was the first jet aircraft to use the new airport, thus writing a new chapter in Graaff-Reinet’s history.
Shortly afterwards, a SAAF VIP Flight Dassault Falcon 50 landed bringing the wife of the State President to the town for another unrelated ceremony.
This is considered to be something of a “record” as no one can remember ever having seen one jet aircraft, let alone two, on the airfield before.
The unofficial honour of being the first pilot to land on the new runway went to the chairman of the Graaff-Reinet Flying Club, Jacques Laubscher, who hired an aircraft in Port Elizabeth several days before the opening ceremony and flew to Graaff-Reinet to “test the runway to see it if was OK.”
As the airport became officially operational, so some locals commented that the spirit of Max Smulian seemed to be present. The “colonel”, as he was commonly called, had campaigned for many years to have the airfield upgraded. However, he died several years ago without seeing his dream fulfilled.
During the early 1980s, Smulian had forecast that one day Graaff-Reinet would be placed firmly on the aviation map of South Africa and would ultimately become a regular destination for tourist flights. This dream is shared by many other people at the town, including Laubscher whose efforts have seen the flying club “reborn” with more than a dozen enthusiasts waiting to begin flying training at the town.
This will be undertaken by the Algoa Flying Club, in Port Elizabeth, which plans to send an aircraft and instructor to Graaff-Reinet on a regular basis.
World Airnews understands that a group of businessmen in Port Elizabeth is planning to introduce regular tourist flights from the port city on a “double triangle” basis. The service will route via Port Alfred to Graaff-Reinet on one day, and via George to Graaff-Reinet on the next. As yet details of the plan are sketchy, but it is understood that Dakotas will be used on the service.