MICROFLIGHT FLYING SCHOOLS LOVE THE CHEETAH

By Steve Alison and Athol Franz – extracted from African Pilot, March 2009

Cheetahs are very popular in the two most important microlight schools in South Africa where they have delivered remarkable service to the school's operations. Altogether more than twelve Cheetahs are flying in flight schools and their owners have nothing, but praise for the Rainbow service and back up. At the time of writing the highest airframe time on a Cheetah appears to be 1400 hours. To date there have not been any recorded accidents of the type which have caused any injuries to the pilots and passengers who have flown in the type.

MICROLIGHT ADVENTURES

Based at Petit airfield on the East Rand, Microlight Adventures is owned by Andy Kasperson, who has some 13000 hours on all types. He trains microlight pilots in a variety of weight-shift microlight types as well as the Cheetah. Andy, who has been training students for 30 years comments that the Cheetah is reliable, carries a good load and has an excellent Centre of Gravity (C of G). Initially he was somewhat skeptical of the Cheetah, but once he purchased his first example, he was convinced that this nimble little plane provided an outstanding platform for training future students. Andy is a qualified A grade instructor on all types of microlights as well as three-axis Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). In addition, the fact that the factory with its legendary product back-up was just around the corner is an added bonus.

Microlight Adventures

Cell: 082 651 7317
Email: andyk@intekom.co.za

Web: www.microlightadventures.co.za

PYRAMID FLIGHT SCHOOL

Situated in Barbeton, Brian Young has owned and managed this training school for 16 years. According to Brian he has trained 40% of all microlight instructors and has accumulated 2400 hours training on the Cheetah type alone. Brian has a total flying time of 10000 hours of which more than 6000 have been instructing. He recently purchased his third Cheetah from Rainbow and he raves about the level of service he has experienced from the manufacturer.
Training is offered on types from weight-shift microlights and gyrocopters to three-axis LSA types including the Cheetah. Pyramid airfield is a general airfield which can accommodate small and large aircraft up to Kingair 200s, Pilatus PC-12s and Cessna 402s. The airfield has three runways of 1200 X 25, 750 x 37 and 400 X 40. The co-ordinates are S25-40 E 30-57. Pyramid airfield offers accommodation from luxury to camping.

Pyramid Flight School

Cell: 082 337 8206
Tel:013 712 6209
Email: pyramid@xsinet.co.za

Web: www.pyramid.za.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Microlight Adventures

Cell: 082 651 7317
Email: andyk@intekom.co.za
Web: www.microlightadventures.co.za

Pyramid Flight School

Cell: 082 337 8206
Tel:013 712 6209
Email: pyramid@xsinet.co.za
Web: www.pyramid.za.net