• Aero Club of South Africa organises Mercy Flight to Flood Ravaged Mozambique
• First 1000 km of the Millenium
• Gliding is entering the Third Millenium
• SkyXtreme
• Mass Jump in Brazil

Aero Club of South Africa, an organisation of approximately 5000 aviators and enthusiasts, is presently operating the Mozambique Air Bridge, out of Nelspruit Airport, Mpumulanga.

55 members who own or have access to light aircraft have volunteered one of their major assets and their time and skills as pilots, to airlift food,medicines and water directly into the worst hit areas.

This is a purely private initiative, carried out by concerned individuals, who have the equipment and skills that can enable them to assist in a practical way. It does not presently enjoy any government or relief agency funding whatsoever.

Donations collected from customers of Pick 'n Pay stores and transported free by that company to Nelspruit, have started arriving at Nelspruit Airport, as well as from local groups and even groups from as far afield as Pretoria have sent relief supplies.

Funding of the operation, in terms of fuel to keep the aircraft flying and accommodation for pilots in Nelspruit has been received from BP Air and Engen. These funds are sufficient however to maintain the operation for only a week more. It is hoped that other aviation fuel companies will come forward to support this valuable initiative to enable it to continue until short term life-saving needs are met. Organisations or individuals wishing to help with funding may call the base of operations on 013 741 1030 and ask for Mike Van Ginkel or Stewart Wood.

The Aero Club Mozambique Air Bridge will move approximately 20 tons per day, supplies and weather permitting. A forward control team has been placed at Chibuto Airfield to assist on the ground with turnaround of aircraft. At this point in time approximately seven tons of relief supplies have been airlifted to Chibuto, due to inclement weather conditions.

Special clearances to enable the aircraft to avoid having to pass through customs and immigration at Maputo have been issued by the Governor of Gaza Province, Mozambique with the assitance of Mr. Alves Gomes, Chairman of the Aero Club of Mozambique. Assistance has also been rendered by the local authorities at Chibuto

The Department of Home Affairs at Nelspruit has issued Border Concessions to personnel involved to avoid immigration control at Nelspruit on each flight, thus helping speed the transfer of supplies.

Last saturday march 18, Andrea Ferrero and myself flew with the Nimbus 4DM the first 1.000 km of the millenium starting from Varese (Italy) and turning Pic de Bure (French Alps) then near Merano (Tyrolean Alps). The goal was a go and return to a point near Carcassonne but this area was really unflyable. It was a 12 hour flight on a 12 hour light, which means a wake-up at 4h40, a take-off at 6h40 and landing at 18h40. Nothing happened according to schedule, but at least, it worked out to be a very tricky and interesting flight, most likely the first flight using exclusively E-NE anticyclonic catabatic winds.

Is that the first 1.000 of the new millenium? If yes, who should pay the Champagne? The FAI, I guess!

Happy landings to everybody!

Since its establishment, International Aeronautical Federation played significant role amongst other technical sports. Aviation has achieved and maintained high level by constant improvements of performance of aircraft and technology. But also ever increasing performance of pilots achieving higher results in championships and competition.

As aviation has developed also gliding progressed to recent sophisticated level. Thanks to IGC, which is well organized has set the rules, which allow achieving records in championships and competitions. These activities are attracting a large amount of our society.

Question is if popularity in comparison with other mass sports that are attractive by being frequently and also regularly published. Soaring sport however is staying behind and surely there is more room to improve its popularity.

Every successful activity is dependent on its development and financial possibilities. To progress forward is has to adapt involuntarily to currant conditions.

I would like to point out to some areas how to improve such a popularity of soaring. For future development, commercialized publicity would be essential.

Explore ways within FAI and national organizations to focus and intensify publicity of aviation events, sporting results, successful competitors and any significance in aviation as production of commercial film of "legends" such as H.W. Grosse and Ingo Renner. To encourage them to write the book of a successful achievements in theirs fly carriers, to preserve their famous records for the future generations. This will also serve as springboard to achieve future records and attract more young pilots to continue in this sport.

World class, if fulfilling it's meaning, in this sport is not yet very convincing. To make the best effort to include presence of soaring into Olympic Games and therefore to promote this sport to worldwide community. This would be the best and effective way to attract interest and bring soaring closer to mass sport. So far soaring becomes more isolated from wide community because is expensive and it is accessible only to wealthier groups.

I would like to propose to FAI to revise its guidelines and set uniform rules for all the countries to maximize a fair go between officials and competitors. There are still unfair cases in some countries, those officials for some personal reasons or political beliefs victimize competitors. Particularly in some eastern states where communists ghost is still present now days. This bureaucracy causing unfair victimization and is damaging this sport in international view. Certain moral help from FAI would protect top competitors whose fate was often in bureaucratic hands. They could create the opportunity for a pilot to fly competitions under the FAI flag.

It is to consider where gliding is heading as it is becoming more expensive, complicated and restricted to the younger generation. Only management of FAI and IGC could effect its destiny. Entry of soaring to 3rd Millenium should be essentially the serious issue for the future.

Hello,

I wanted to let you know that our project "Skydive World" got a new "kid". We created the online skydive magazine "skyXtreme" and it's first issue is now on the Internet. The magazine is in English and German and the German issue isn't just a translation but has some different content too.

Go to: http://www.skyxtreme.com and have some fun.

A link on your site would be greatly appreciated.

Blue Skies and Safe Landings.

Editor's Note: Link has been added to our list of links. Thanks.

The Parachutist Infantry Brigade, with support from the V Air Force and Rio de Janeiro Parachutism Federation, is organizing this World Record as part of the celebrations of Brazil's 500 years.

The above mentioned event will count with the presence of skydivers from the Brazilian Army, Brazilian Air Force, Brazilian Navy, Portuguese Army, skydivers from friend nations and civilians associated with the Brazilian Parachutism Confederation.

The setting of the World Record will take place in a very large area in the Santa Cruz Air Base, in Rio de Janeiro, with full support and safety systems.

COME JOIN US!