Mkhuze air show this Saturday

AS winter tightens its grip, the Air Tour flies north to bring aviation to Mkhuze.

This Saturday, 28 June the KZN Winter Air Tour touches down in Mkhuze.

Make sure you get to the airport early to secure a comfortable spot for the free airshow that is set to enthrall.

Some of the country’s finest pilots will man their planes and cut through the winter skies past Ghost Mountain as they entertain thousands of spectators.

The line-up will include aerobatic champion and SA’s favourite pilot, Nigel Hopkins, in his MX2 along with the likes of a five-ship Yak Display, a Gyro Chopper, L29 and Impala jet and the world class Good Year Eagles.

While bringing aviation to the people, the KZN Winter Air Tour is also boosting business and tourism.

The uMkhanyakude District sees the upcoming winter air show as an enabling environment for local markets.

‘uMkhanyakude is also very rich in arts and crafts and this will be an excellent opportunity for our crafters to display their products and sell them, which would, in turn, boost the economy of the district,’ said the municipality’s Khosi Bhengu, Senior Manager LED and Tourism.

‘Our community will also be able to explore other avenues of tourism, not only bed-and-breakfast establishments, but hotel accommodation as well, and they will be able to establish other tourism related business ventures that will complement the air show such as hot air balloons and paragliding.

Opening parade

This event will be an eye-opener to all tourism in interested stakeholders.’

It is for this reason the District Municipality has recently taken a decision to declare the air show an annual event.

‘Ultimately, it is everyone’s dream that the event will grow from strength to strength on a yearly basis,’ said Bhengu.

The gates will open at 9am and the free show will start around 10am with an opening parade.

Parachute jumps will dazzle the crowd.

Then the famous lunch break will give everyone a chance to view the aircrafts, meet a pilot and stand next to a jet.

Cash-only stalls will be selling food throughout the day.

Before the air show, organisers will hold a Development Programme for schools within the district to teach the youth about the different facets of aviation.