Annual awards honour fledgling pilots

BORDER Aviation hosted its annual Wings Ball to award students their wings on completion of their pilot’s licences at the East London golf club.

A total of 18 pilots achieved their wings with acknowledge-ment given to those who went on their first solo, achieved night ratings and won local club competitions.

Thanks was given to all who made aviation prosper in East London, including the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), Air Traffic Navigation Services with thanks to Air Hart who last week won the Acsa Feather award for best General Aviation operator.

Pilot wings: Private Pilot – David Forrester, Ewan Harris, Simeon Venter, Mark Wardle, Colin Wilke, Davrin van Wyk, Daniel van der Westhuizen and Andisiwe Mngqolo; Radio Pilot Licence – Louise Jupp (the first female pilot to obtain a drone licence ); National Pilot – (light sport aircraft and microlights): Davrin van Wyk, Daniel van der Westhuizen, Chris Way, Rory Gailey, Eugene Rademan and ; Commercial pilot – Alex Trow and Roy Coates; Airline Transport Pilot – Russell Best.

Trophies: best airmanship – Chris Way; best LSA student – Daniel van der Westhuizen; perfect circuit – Simeon Venter; most conscientious – Ewan Harris; most perseverance – Andisiwe Mngqolo; top overall student – Ewan Harris and most effort for the club – Russell Best.

Club event trophies and competitions: Forced landing competition – Mitchell Wright; precautionary landing competition – Theo Scheepers; Navex competition – Reid Wardle and Chris Body; pre-flight checks – Russell Best. The Biggest Stirrer was Patrick Hill and the Flying Mammary was Sipho Mangesi.