The Childrens Flight 2022

Dawn broke on the foot hills of the Magaliesburg mountains, as is it was time for the 2022 edition of the Children’s Flight that was held at Orient Airfield this past Friday. This being the field of dreams for many aspiring and current aviators!

The Children’s Flight’s origins lie in a music video called ‘Paper Plane’, which is essentially about a child with a Dream to fly, but on a deeper level it’s about anyone with a dream.

Aviation is traditionally about defying great odds and overcoming the laws of nature, the politics of man, the limitations of economy, and technological development…..for so long aviation was an exclusive privilege to supreme military, selected individuals or the super wealthy…

We wanted to bring home aviation to the children, to promote the idea that anyone can be what ever they dream of being… That you can literally ‘take that paper plane to your destiny’…. one day if even one of these kids goes for their dream, then this day may have played a role in that.

500 kids from underprivileged backgrounds got to fly in a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft for the first time in their lives. They were treated to a splendid day out where they were spoilt in the aviation fraternity.

Skydivers opened the Children’s flight from their jump ship an Antonov An2 ZU-FOO, once landed a rather large Van’s RV formation flew over the field.

It was then time for the rotary types to take children up in a Bell Huey, Bell 407, Alouette II and Alouette III just to name a few.

The fixed with aircraft comprised of a Bat Hawk to a Cessna 208 Caravan. Hot 102.7 Radio Station were also present on the day doing a live radio broadcast of the days proceedings. Brian Emmenis provided commentary of the afternoons airshow as he was also scheduled to be at the Grand Rand Airshow in a few days after the Children’s Flight.

An airshow display was then provided by Airshow South Africa, with the Puma Flying Lions led by Scully Levin, Menno Parsons in his Tiger Bell UH-1 Huey.

Andre van Zyl in his Magni Gyrocopter, Ivan and Jeandre van der Schaar debuting the Boeing Stearman and RC Extra 300 display. As well as the Goodyear Eagles Pitts Specials and Iveco Extra 330s flown by Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish.

Pictures by Anton Wannenburg,Lettie van Emmenis & Jarryd Sinovich