The 2009 Overberg Airshow took place at Air Force Base (AFB) Overberg in
the Western Cape on the 14th of November. AFB Overberg is the home of the once top-secret Test Flight Development Centre (TFDC) and has been part of some of the biggest aviation projects ever undertaken in South
Africa since it opened in 1987. The TFDC played a major role in the evaluation and development of the Cheetah, Oryx, Rooivalk, Pilatus PC-7 Astra, BAE Hawk, Agusta 109 and the SAAB Gripen. Besides testing and
developing aircraft, it is also very involved in missile and armourment evaluation tests. The biennial TFDC Airshow is always a highlight on South Africa’s aviation calendar. At this isolated site, the South African Air Force
(SAAF) can show its full might and stage air capability demonstrations that include live weapons firings on the adjacent Overberg Test Range. Unfortunately, this year’s event was
overshadowed by the crash of one of Thunder City’s English Electric Lightnings, in which the pilot Dave Stock sadly lost his life.
Proceedings started off under a mainly cloudy sky with a parachute display
by the SAAF Golden Eagles Parachute Display Team. Lt. Col. Jannie Scott displayed the BAE Hawk Mk 120 Lead-in Flight Trainer and then the Silver Falcons, the official display team of the South African Air Force, flew their
morning display in their Pilatus PC-7 Astras. All the members of the Silver Falcons are instructor pilots at the Central Flying School at Air Force Base Langebaanweg and the team is expertly led by Maj. Scott Ternent. The
spectacular SAAB JAS-39 Gripen display was flown by Lt. Col. Charl Coetzee. The organizers had provided a mobile viewing platform for members of the media, which was towed by tractor to within 40 metres of the runway for
the first few displays of the day. Watching the Gripen take off at such close distance was a truly amazing experience. The plane accelerated in full afterburner and only needed 400
metres of runway to get airbourne in about 10 seconds. It had enough surplus energy to allow it to perform an immediate tight right hand turn and still climb to altitude. The display highlighted the impressive agility
and responsiveness of this fourth generation fighter. The Gripen’s equally impressive short landing performance was demonstrated at the end of the display. The huge smile on Charl’s face as he taxied the
Gripen back bore testimony to the fact that he enjoyed giving the performance as well.
Other morning displays were flown by a Robinson R-44 helicopter, the MX-2
aerobatic plane, two North American AT-6 Harvards and a solo display of the Pilatus PC-7 Astra was flown by Lt. Col. George Muller. This Astra was painted in the standard white and red trainer colours as used by the
Central Flying School at AFB Langebaanweg (as opposed to the Silver Falcons, whose display aircraft feature their own distinctive colour scheme). An Aero L-29 jet was displayed by Lt. Col. Koos Kieck. This plane made its
airshow debut in South Africa at the Overberg Airshow. It belongs to Austrian businessman Michael Honsa, who is now based in Cape Town. The L-29 features the striking “Austrian Eagle” paint scheme, which was
designed and painted by the airbrush artist Jeremy Nolan.
The morning display of the Mirage F1AZ was flown by Lt. Col. Johannes
“Blokkies” Joubert, who is a test pilot and has been involved in the flight test activities at the Gripen Flight Test Centre based at AFB Overberg. The
Mirage F1AZ’s maneuverability was praised by the pilots who flew the plane when it was in service and Blokkies did justice to the plane’s capabilities by
flying an impressive display. Helicopter action started off with a display by the highly capable and maneuverable Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter. 16 Squadron at AFB Bloemspruit became the first SAAF squadron ever to be
equipped with a true battlefield support helicopter when it started to receive the first of 12 Rooivalks in May 1999. The squadron has recently received full operational status after serving as a test and evaluation unit
for many years. This demonstration was followed by John Caudwell’s display of Thunder City’s upgraded Puma which features a state-of-the-art Chelton glass cockpit suite. The third helicopter to fly was the Atlas
Oryx, a South African development that is similar to the AS332 Super Puma.
The fateful display of Thunder City’s English Electric Lightning T Mk5 ZU-BEX
took place just after midday. Dave Stock took off in full afterburner and started his display routine as normal. After a few passes, he broke off the display after reporting hydraulic problems with the aircraft. Whilst he
climbed to altitude towards the east to sort out the problems, the emergency vehicles stationed themselves at various points along the runway as a precaution and the safety barrier was raised at the end of the
runway. Sadly, the plane never made it back to the airfield. Instead, a few minutes later the horrible sight of a black plume of smoke some kilometers away from the airport bore witness to the fact that the plane had impacted
the ground. Although there was some initial hope that the pilot had ejected safely, it soon became evident that the pilot had reported that his attempts to eject had failed and he thus went down with plane.
Dave Stock had accumulated 15900 flying hours and was an accomplished
senior test pilot in the South African Air Force, where he flew Impalas, Mirage F1s and Cheetahs. After a stint as a commercial pilot with South African Airways, Dave returned to test flying and, among other things,
worked with BAE Systems on the Hawk project. He had been associated with Thunder City for 10 years and flew their English Electric Lightnings, Hawker Hunters and BAE Strikemasters. Over the years, he had delighted
spectators with his displays at over a hundred airshows. Our condolences go to his family and close friends. Following the accident, proceedings were put on hold as the emergency vehicles made their way to the crash site.
First to respond was an Augusta 109 helicopter and the two Oryx helicopters and then the fire trucks made their way through the shrubs to the site.
After a meeting with all the display pilots and the safety director, the
decision was made to continue with the airshow. Proceedings resumed after a break of almost 2 ½ hours with the South African Air Force’s Air Power Demonstration. Two BAE Hawks performed a live bombing run. Both
planes approached the airfield in formation at low altitude from the west and then pulled into a 45 degree climb and released a total of seven 250lb bombs simultaneously. The bombing run was aligned so that the bombs
would impact on the Overberg Test Range, which is situated on the east side of the runways. The Rooivalk attack helicopter demonstrated its capabilities with simulated rocket attacks and the provision of battlefield
support. An Oryx also demonstrated its troop support role and an Agusta 109 showed its rescue and extraction capabilities. Understandably, Thunder City did not participate further in
the airshow. The afternoon displays of the L-29, Pilatus PC-7 Astra Solo display, Robinson R-44, Rooivalk and BAE Hawk were repeats of the morning program. The Hawk did, however, dispense flares in the afternoon.
The Oryx’s display included the demonstration of the Bambi bucket, which is used to carry and drop large amounts of water and is used for fire fighting purposes.
An Aero L-39 jet, owned and flown by Dave Mandell, flew for the first time in
the afternoon, as did the Agusta Westland Super Lynx 300 helicopter. Since February 2009, four Super Lynx helicopters have been in service with 22 Squadron based at AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town. Although flown by SAAF
pilots, their role is to extend the SA Navy’s maritime defence capability and their use is fully integrated with the Navy’s operations. A highlight of the airshow was the fly-off between the Mirage F1AZ and the SAAB Gripen. The
two jets lined up on the runway together and the Mirage F1AZ, flown by Col. Leon Bath this time, started its take-off run first. Lt. Col. Charl Coetzee then showed that the Gripen could get airbourne much quicker. The two
planes flew various circuits together, the Mirage always trailing behind. At the end of the display, the two planes performed a joint fly-by, after which the Mirage landed first. Despite
deploying a drag parachute to slow it down, it used much more of the runway than did the Gripen.
Another highlight was the helicopter formation that consisted of a Rooivalk, Lynx, Oryx and Agusta 109
helicopter. The four different types of helicopters performed a joint fly-past from right to left and then lined up in a row and hovered over the runway. The final display of the day was flown by the Silver Falcons.
Towards the end of their routine, the official public announcement was made that Dave Stock had indeed lost his life in the Lightning accident and the Silver Falcons flew the missing man formation in Dave’s honour to
the music of the song “The Wind beneath My Wings”.
Jens Frischmuth / CHK 6 ZA
IN MEMORIUM DAVE STOCK
In an official statement, Mike Beachy Head, CEO of Thunder City says, “We
are all in a deep state of shock after the tragic accident during an airshow at the SAAF’s TFDC base at Bredasdorp, where our close friend and colleague Dave Stock (46) lost his life last Saturday. “Our sincere
condolences and deepest sympathy go out to Dave’s family on their bereavement and his untimely passing.” Beachy Head continues, “The full circumstances surrounding the cause of the accident are currently being
investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), with our full co-operation and assistance. The enquiry is expected to take several weeks. An announcement will be made by the authority on the completion of their
findings. Beachy Head said that Dave Stock was a brilliant pilot, who had a highly accomplished record of flying many classes of aircraft. After serving with distinction on a Cheetah
Squadron with the SAAF, Dave joined SAA and flew 737s and 747s, finally leaving the airline with the rank of Captain to pursue other aviation interests.
Dave Stock first flew one of Thunder City’s iconic English Electric Lightnings in 1999, a year after the base was established at Cape Town International Airport. He was also certified to fly the Hawker Hunters and BAe Strikemaster at the base. Thunder City is renowned for having the largest fleet of ex-military jets in the world and has flown hundreds of civilian passengers over the past 11 years, establishing an impeccable safety record during that period. Thunder City has a dedicated team of professional aeronautical engineers to service and maintain its fleet of aircraft to the highest possible standards.
Beachy Head adds, “In 2005 Dave set an All Africa time-to-altitude record in
a Thunder City English Electric Lightning T5 at the SAAF Ysterplaat Air Show, taking 102 seconds to reach 9,000 metres (30,000 ft) from a standing start. He was an exceptional pilot and was more recently involved at the SAAF’s
TFDC base at Bredasdorp, as the chief test pilot on the new Hawk trainer. Over the past decade he has performed in hundreds of airshows all over the country to the delight of thousands of spectators, who watched him
perform breathtaking displays with consummate skill. “Dave has been involved with Thunder City for the past 10 years and his loss is immeasurable and he is irreplaceable. We will greatly miss his dry sense of
humour, cameraderie and his extraordinary knowledge of flying. He was a mild mannered, confident and highly skilled pilot, who was a true gentleman of the skies.
“We salute his courage and determination to survive until the end. We remember Dave as ‘one of the few’, who flew the Lightning to the lofty heights on the edge of the stratosphere, where the deep blue of space arches above while the curvature of the earth can be seen below. He will always be remembered with deep respect and admiration by all at Thunder City.”
Fraser 4 Public Relations / Donald Fraser Bett
Release 1.0/2010
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Release 1.0/2010
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