Thousands turned out to enjoy the good weather and the airshow spectacle this weekend at Waterkloof Air Force Base to mark the end of the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) expo.
To the accompaniment of German composer Richard Wagner’s well-known Ride of the Valkyries, the show opened with a cavalcade of fire and emergency rescue vehicles, emphasising the importance of safety and the ability to respond to incidents.
This time, the traditional spectacular water salute was in honour of one of their own fire chiefs who was buried in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Veteran airshow commentator Brian Emenis, who is celebrating 25 years of AAD and 40 years of airshow commentating, noted that behind every successful flight is a highly trained team.
The ever-popular mini-war had the crowds on their feet and cheering from the moment the first pathfinders landed by parachute on the apron to when the last of the ground forces left in their Mamba armoured personnel carriers.
Soldiers and pilots demonstrated their training to counter an insurgent force, rescue an injured pilot, provide airborne intelligence and close air support, neutralise the enemy, secure the area and finally ensure the withdrawal of all SANDF forces.
The audience had the opportunity to see almost all the aircraft types operated by the South African Air Force (SAAF) in action – from the Gripen fighters and the Hawk trainer to helicopters such as the BK-117, the Agusta and the iconic Rooivalk, as well as the cargo workhorse, the C-130 Hercules.
This was not the only action scenario on the programme. The military police successfully dealt with the kidnapping of a general, with the South African Police Service responded to a vehicle high-jacking involving shooting, car chases and helicopter assistance from the Police Air Wing.
The indigenously built and designed Rooivalk attack helicopter, always popular with aviation fans, had its own slot on the programme. Its power and agility elicited this tribute from the airshow commentator: “it is a flying tank with the heart of a warrior and the precision of a sniper.”
Aviation fans were also treated to a mass jump of 40 paratroopers and entertained throughout the day as a variety of SAAF and civilian aircraft such as the Chipmunk and Harvard as well as helicopters like the vintage Huey which was well-known from the Vietnam war, and the Gazelle – were put through their paces.
The southern African region was represented by an Angolan Air Force CASA 295, used for maritime and coastal patrols. The crowds were treated to a fly-past as the plane headed back home after being part of the AAD static displays. Zimbabwe’s Air Force was represented by the K8 – a trainer aircraft and fighter developed in China, while Botswana contributed a C-130 Hercules medium cargo plane.
Defence Minister, Angie Motshekga, who used the occasion to announce the dates for the next edition of AAD, said this year’s expo had delivered beyond their expectations. She indicated that Aerospace Maritime and Defence Industries Association of South Africa (AMD) will be the lead partner for the 2028 event which is expected to take place from 27 September to 1 October.
The organisers estimated that about 21 000 fans attended the event on Saturday.