AFB Overberg (TFDC) held a successful fly in and air show this past weekend.
The TFDC air show has become a bi-annual tradition in the Overberg and draws spectators from far afield. No less than 140 civilian aircraft flew in to form part of the fly-in at Overberg this year.
Thunder City and the Air Force provided a dusk jet fighter air display for media and the pilots who flew in on Friday afternoon.
The overcast weather and a few scattered showers during the show did not keep aviation enthusiasts and pilots from flocking to the air show.
On Saturday morning the air show kicked off with the SAAF Parachute Team jumping from an Oryx helicopter above the field.
Other highlights on the Saturday flight program included a spectacular display by the South African Air Force's Hawk 120 Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT); Gripen D multi role fighter aircraft; and the Silver Falcons flying Pilatus Astra aircraft.
Tragically Dave Stock, a well known South African display pilot and test pilot lost his life when the English Electric Lighting T5 (Registration ZU-BEX) he was flying during the lunch time display sequence; crashed in full sight of the spectators a few kilometres to the East of the airfield.
His aircraft experienced hydraulic failure after which he flew out toward the east to a safe holding area.
The aircraft eventually suffered a loss of control on its final approach path to runway 28. Air Force emergency services where put on readiness to provide support for an emergency landing.
Dave managed to get the under carriage of the crippled aircraft down for landing, but at 12:18 local time the Lightning T5 aircraft suddenly lost attitude and nose dived into the ground exploding in a black cloud of smoke.
There was no chute visible. The 46 year old pilot from Hermanus perished in the crash. The Air Force scrambled an Agusta helicopter to the crash site within 13 seconds of impact. Air Force fire and emergency services followed.
The T5 Lighting is a supersonic twin turbojet; two-seater side-by-side training version of the Lighting interceptor aircraft which was designed during the cold war era. The aircraft was operated by Thunder City in Cape Town.
Photos taken during his final pass of the display line, show that Dave's aircraft had a fire on board towards the re-heat section of the lower Rolls Royce Avon 302 turbojet engine. CAA will be conducting an investigation of the accident.
Dave Stock, piloting the same English Electric Lightning T5 aircraft (ZU-BEX) broke the South African time to climb to 6000m record on 26 November 2005, and the time to climb to 9000m on 3 December 2005.
The Silver Falcons display team flew a missing man formation in honour of Dave later on Saturday afternoon.
A few hours after the fatal accident the Air Force commenced with the display program which included a simulated 1V1 between Aerosud's Mirage F1 and the SAAB Gripen fighter.
Static displays included a Cheetha D, AMS Pilatus PC12 air ambulance, helicopters from Rotorway such as the A600 Talon, two Harvards and the South African designed and built Airplane Factory D6 Sling (ZU-TAF) which fitted with extra fuel tanks, undertook round-the-World flight in July and August 2009, appearing at AirVenture, Oshkosh.
Spectators where also given access to view the visiting civilian aircraft which included aircraft from numerous flying schools and flying clubs in the Western Cape.
Some rare visitors included restored SA 313/SA 318 Alouette II helicopters, a civilian registered C185 in SAAF camouflage colours.
I wish to express my condolences to the Stock family, Dave's fellow pilots and his friends; and a big thank you to Lt Col Marius Van Den Heever (acting Officer Commanding TFDC) for TFDC's hospitality during the air show.
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