High-flying adventures remembered

Members of the SAA Museum Society and SAA Orange Tail Association took a flight back in history, last Saturday.

The two associations joined together to celebrate the SAA Museum Society’s 30th anniversary and the SAA Orange Tail Association’s annual reunion, at Dakota Lodge, at Rand Airport.

The SAA Orange Tail Association is made up of employees who worked for SAL-SAA during the period of 1934 to the late 1990s when SAA had those distinctive “orange tails”.

The day started out with guests taking a tour of the SAA Museum in Dakota Crescent.

The museum has been credited with being a place of wonder and history that can engulf your imagination for hours as you look through all the memorabilia and historic aircraft on display.

The museum boasts something for young and old alike, and guests were thrilled to be able to relive some of their heydays.

The guests made their way to the lodge, the hanger of which has been converted into a function venue complete with band and dance floor and all encircled by classic aeroplanes.

While waiting for the day’s festivities to continue guests were treated to a flip in a Beech 18, piloted by Capt Flippie Vermeulen.

Once everyone had settled, members of the SAA Museum Society spoke about the history of the society and the aviation industry in South Africa, discussing both the highs and lows over the past 30 years.

Guests were taken back in time with a number of remembrance flybys, including a DC-3 demonstration flight and the missing man RV’s formation fly-past in honour of the Helderberg crew.

Before the sun set over the airport, guests enjoyed the commemorative ceremony and flight for the Helderberg, which was one of the highlights of the day.

Event organiser Joppie Nieman was thrilled with the turn-out and success of the day.

Other articles you may be interested in:

More homes damaged by recent storm

Donations raining in for Cheer Fund