Cape Flights
Flying in Southern Africa is every pilot’s dream. Wide open spaces, enormous freedom in the air with vast amounts of uncontrolled and almost empty airspace, generally good weather and excellent visibility make flying in Southern Africa a great pleasure.
Cape Town is the ideal place from where to start an aerial discovery. The Cape Peninsula and surrounding winelands offer breathtaking scenery, which can be explored in short flights of about one to two hours’ duration. Many destinations within a few hours’ flying time offer themselves for day trips or short overnight flights. And for the more adventurous there is the awesome variety of the whole of Southern Africa to explore in long flying safaris. The mediterranean Cape in the southwest, the lush green eastern parts, the barren semi deserts of the west and the big game country of the African interior are just waiting to be explored. And what better way to see such a vast country than in a journey of aerial discovery.
Weather conditions in Southern Africa vary greatly. The Western Cape has dry and warm summers (November to April), while the interior is dry, sunny and mild during winter (May to October). Flying is possible all through the year in all areas, though, and exciting trips can be planned at any time of the year.
Visiting pilots flying our aircraft will of course need a check ride first. Depending on experience and the planned flight this might include a general flight check, a navigation exercise, some mountain flying, operation at high density altitudes and out of short airfields. All pilots hiring our aircraft for trips will be briefed on the planned route and any aspects unfamiliar to them.
Foreign pilots who do not hold a South African Pilot’s Licence will have to get a South African validation, which will take about a week to be issued. See also Foreign License Validation.
Pilots who do not want to go through the time and expense involved in getting a validation and/or club checkout might want to consider taking one of our instructors on the planned trip. They will benefit from the local knowledge and expertise of the instructor and still see the country from the air.
For pilots with a South African Licence or validation who have been checked out to fly our aircraft, but are unfamiliar with Cape Town and Southern African conditions, we can arrange for local Private Pilots as company. These are familiar with local rules and conditions, can help with ATC and navigation, and can be a useful source of information. Their service is free.
Cape Town and surrounds – Short flights
All of the flights below can be done in less than 2 hours “Hobbs” time – all are equally beautiful. Bear in mind that Cape Town can be windy, especially in summer. Give the mountains a wide berth when the wind blows. Why not do an introduction to mountain flying with one of our instructors, to learn when and where to experience downdraughts or turbulence, and where to go to let the up draughts help you climb? There also is, as with all flights, the possibility to take an experienced local pilot or instructor with you on the flight to help with airspace and terrain knowledge.
Cape Peninsula: A flight around the Peninsula is an essential part of every pilot's visit to Cape Town. It is a stunningly beautiful flight, over the sea, mountains and the city. It takes just over an hour to go down to Cape Point, over the Central Business District, Waterfront and return to Cape Town International. It can be flown uncontrolled for most of the time and can be done clockwise (passenger gets the best view) or anti-clockwise (pilot gets the best view). Please ask Cape Town Approach if FAR149 (False Bay) is active or not. Beware of turbulence between Hout Bay and Clifton in a strong south easterly wind.
Peninsula high level: A variation of the “normal” peninsula flight, exceptional beautiful as well. Because this flight is conducted in the Cape Town TMA, a flight plan needs to be filed. Route out to the south via Muizenberg and climb to anything between 5000 and 8000 feet as soon as the Approach Controller gives you clearance into the TMA. The peninsula looks absolutely stunning when viewed from Cape Point. Fly over the Twelve Apostles and Table Mountain, and then carry on to Robben Island. Look back towards Table Mountain for more absolutely magnificent views and great photo opportunities.
Peninsula at night: If you are night rated, an excellent time to do a Peninsula trip is at dusk. Take off half an your before sunset, so you are on the western side for the sunset, and then return over the city as the city illuminates. Alternatively, do your Peninsula flight on a night with a full moon. You can see the mountains well enough to keep clear. The city lights, as well as the moon reflecting off the sea are stunning. If you are taking somebody on a date, this has to be a winner. We have even had the odd passenger propose marriage to their beloved on such flights.
Hermanus: This is a very pleasant flight, with varied scenery: sea, mountains and orchards. From late August to early November you may see whales, particularly near Hermanus itself. The best way to go is along the coast, but do ask Approach whether FAR149 (False Bay) is active. Fly back to Cape Town directly over the mountains to Grabouw and Sir Lowry's Pass. The Hobbs time for this flight will be about 1.5 hours.
Whale watching: In a good year whales can be seen all along the coast from Langebaan to Overberg during August to November. Please remember to not scare these beautiful creatures and do not fly lower than 500’ along the coast.
Franschoek - Sir Lowry's Pass: This flight is about an hour long (on the Hobbs meter) and takes you through some great scenery. Fly first to Stellenbosch, then climb to 2000ft (or more) to fly over Hellshoogte Pass between Simonsberg and the Jonkershoek mountains, before continuing over Boschendal to Franschoek. You should aim to be over Franschoek at least 3500ft (higher if it is windy) in order to fly over the pass. It is best to fly over the wider saddle, south of the road, rather than the road itself where it is a narrow valley. Continue at this altitude over the Theewaterskloof Dam and Viljoen's Pass to Grabouw, before going on to Sir Lowry’s Pass, Somerset West and home. Cross Sir Lowry’s Pass at anything below FL55 (lower limit of the TMA), but descend smartly to make sure that you are below 2500’ just west of Sir Lowry’s Pass, since the lower limit of the TMA is 2500’ there. You can, of course, fly this route in reverse.
Worcester: This flight should take about 1.5 hours (or more) and once again involves some excellent mountain scenery. Fly out over the Franschoek pass as described before, then turn left to Villiersdorp and then up the valley to Worcester. If it is a weekend, land and talk to the glider pilots and have a cool drink in the clubhouse. Maybe go out to Ceres (particularly if there is snow) to have a look, but anyway return over Bains Kloof (at more than 5000ft) or fly a bit further north over Gouda, where there is a low spot in the mountains. In any case, once over the mountains, remember to drop below the TMA.
Du Toits Kloof: This is a stunning flight which can be done in an hour, but it requires a very calm day. Fly out past Stellenbosch as if going to Franschoek and climb, so you are just below the TMA. Fly into the Du Toits Kloof mountains between 5000ft and 6000ft. You must fly over the valleys, as you will be at the same altitude as the peaks. Spend a while exploring, but always have an escape route in mind in case there is a problem (mechanical or turbulence). The Military Helicopter Mountain Flying Area is not restricted airspace, so you can fly into it, but broadcast and keep a good look out. Also watch out for the bit of TMA that juts in at FL45 and the main TMA above FL85. This flight is well worthwhile.
Wellington - Franschoek: Another hour long flight is to fly past Fisantekraal, over the wheat fields (nice and green in winter) to the Berg River north of Wellington, and then follow it south past Wellington and Paarl to Franschoek, before turning around and returning to Cape Town via Stellenbosch. As with most of these flights, you can remain below the TMA and only have to contact a controller when returning. You can also do this flight in reverse.
Day Trips or Short Overnight Flights
The following are great day trips, but some are equally suitable as overnight trips. The lodges or restaurants usually provide transport, alternatively get some friends to drive there and possibly swap around, so they fly back. This is a cheap way of having transport at the other end. Any lunch or accommodation arrangements must be made in advance.
| Saldanha: | |
| What: | A licenced small airfield with a flying club |
| Where: | Near Saldanha on the shores of Langebaan Lagoon |
| Airfield: | FASD |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°58’ E017°58’ |
| Runways: | 02/20 tar, 1422 m long |
| Elevation: | 50’ |
| Distance: | 68 nm |
| What to do: | Have lunch at the Strandloper, a rustic open air restaurant on the beach at Langebaan. They will collect you from the airfield. Phone 022-772-2490. They will collect you at the airfield. If you can get a friend to drive there and have a car, visit Saldanha and go for lunch there, or take a boat trip on the lagoon and visit the oyster beds |
| Accommodation: | in town |
| Cost: | varying |
| Remarks: | There is a lot of military restricted airspace in the area, phone Langebaanweg Air force Base 022-706-2259 or 022-706-2137 to get permission to enter (usually not a problem). Since you are entering controlled airspace, a Flight Plan must be filed. Over weekends the airspace is usually unmanned, but you must still phone first, and broadcast on the Langebaanweg frequency (122.5 MHz). |
| Kersefontein: | |
| What: | A 200 year old Dutch farm declared a Historic monument |
| Contact: | The owner Julian Melck 022-783-0850, a pilot and ex-member of the Club |
| Where: | On the Berg River close to Saldanha |
| Airfield: | FAKF |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°50,5’ E018°20’ |
| Runways: | - |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | 65 nm |
| What to do: | Fly in for lunch only (you need to book) Go swimming or boating on the Berg River Spend an evening with Julian in his aviation-theme pub, the “Turn and Slip” |
| Accommodation: | Very upmarket cottages with your own cook |
| Cost: | - |
| Remarks: | See military airspace as described under Saldanha |
| Lamberts Bay: | |
| What: | An unlicenced municipal gravel strip |
| Where: | Near Lamberts Bay, a small fishing town on the west coast |
| Airfield: | FALB |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°06’ E018°20’ |
| Runways: | - |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | 113 nm |
| What to do: | Have a seafood lunch at the Marine Protea Hotel 027-432-1126 - Have lunch at the Muisbosskerm, a rustic open air restaurant on the beach. Phone 027-432-1017 - Have lunch at the Bosduifklip, a rustic open air restaurant amongst the koppies, specialising in lamb dishes. - Go for a walk along the jetty and visit the sea-bird colony |
| Accommodation: | Marine Protea Hotel and others |
| Cost: | varying |
| Remarks: | See military airspace as described under Saldanha |
| Clanwilliam: | |
| What: | Rondegat private (and challenging) airstrip |
| Contact: | Paul Raad 027-4822508 or 082-4677377 |
| Where: | On the shores of Clanwilliam Dam |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°16.1’ E018°55.8’ |
| Runways: | 13/31, gravel, 580m long, curved approach through the valley onto 31, no overshoot possible when landing on 13 |
| Elevation: | 500’ |
| Distance: | - |
| What to do: | Picnic, swimming, boating, horseback riding |
| Accommodation: | A cottage overlooking the dam (take food) Camping with ablution blocks provided |
| Cost: | - |
| Remarks: | - |
| Bushmans Kloof: | |
| What: | An exclusive wilderness reserve |
| Contact: | 021-7970990 for bookings, 027-4822627 reserve itself |
| Where: | northern part of the Cedarberg |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°02’ E019°02.32’ |
| Runways: | - |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | 118 nm |
| What to do: | game drives, rock art, sauna, health spa, hiking, mountain biking abseiling, fly-fishing |
| Accommodation: | luxury chalets |
| Cost: | - |
| Remarks: | - |
| Kagga Kamma: | |
| What: | Private Nature Reserve |
| Contact: | Reserve 023-3170888, bookings 021-8724343 |
| Where: | Eastern side of the Cedarberg |
| Airfield: | FAKA |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°44.1’ E019°32.8’ |
| Runways: | 01/19 gravel 1400m long, 10/28 gravel 900m long (consider taking off downwind on runway 19 in light winds rather than uphill with rising terrain on 01) |
| Elevation: | 3250ft (consider density altitude!) |
| Distance: | 88nm |
| What to do: | Have lunch, game viewing, Bushman village, sightseeing (canyon) |
| Accommodation: | Chalets |
| Cost: | lunch reasonably priced |
| Remarks: | Enquire about costs. Currently Cape Town Flying Club aircraft are not permitted to land there. |
| Tanqua Guesthouse: | |
| What: | A guesthouse next to a National Park |
| Contact: | Alwyn and Esther Burger on 027-3412366 or 082-8817980 |
| Where: | between Ceres and Calvinia |
| Co-ordinates: | S32°23.0’ E019°50.7’ |
| Runways: | 11/29, gravel, 860m long, walking distance to guest house |
| Elevation: | 1172 feet |
| Distance: | - |
| What to do: | Have lunch, birdwatching, visit the National Park, visit Skoorsteenberg, a world renowned geological wonder |
| Accommodation: | Main house and three self-catering cottages |
| Cost: | very reasonably priced |
| Remarks: | Relaxed friendly atmosphere |
| Rietfontein Private Game Reserve: | |
| What: | A private game reserve |
| Contact: | Allan Veasey 021-852 5667 (office), 021-852 5968 (home) or 082-5573844 (cell) |
| Where: | near Matjiesfontein historical village |
| Co-ordinates: | - |
| Runways: | 1000m |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | - |
| What to do: | game drives (mainly indigenous antelope). Donkey cart ride to Matjiesfontein village with lunch at the historic hotel, after which you can walk around the historic village with a museum, the old railway station and other historic buildings. Horse riding. Target shooting |
| Accommodation: | All-inclusive or self-catering in refurbished cottages |
| Cost: | Between R860 and R1190 per person per day for accommodation, all meals, two game drives and personal attention. - Self-catering cottages R650 per night (sleeps four). Meals available at the Lord Milner Hotel (5 minutes walk from the cottages). - Transport from and to Rietfontein airstrip R100 per party. - Pilots accommodation R210 per night at the Lord Milner Hotel (for accompanying instructor) |
| Remarks: | Minimum stay 2 nights |
| Aquila Private Game Reserve: | |
| What: | A private Game Reserve with white rhino, lions, giraffe, blue and black wildebeest, crocodiles, springbok and many |
| Contact: | Booking office in Cape Town 021-4054513 or 082-2954280 |
| Where: | In the Karoo, 10 km this side of Touwsriver on the R46 |
| Airfield: | Tousriver or Nadini |
| Co-ordinates: | - |
| Runways: | - |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | 83nm |
| What to do: | Game drive, bushman paintings, horse riding, mountain biking, hiking, pool, curio shop |
| Accommodation: | Luxury or standard chalets |
| Cost: | just over R1000 per person for transport from the airstrip, lunch and a game drive |
| Remarks: | Rather pricey, but probably the closest to Cape Town where the “Big Five” can be seen in a malaria free environment |
| Meltonwold: | |
| What: | Guest farm |
| Contact: | Phone 053-621-0906 |
| Where: | near Victoria West in the Karoo |
| Co-ordinates: | S31°28’ E22°45’ |
| Runways: | two gravel runways |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | 258 nm |
| What to do: | There is a croquet lawn, bowling green and tennis court, as well as a pool and horse riding. Game viewing, visit a diamond mine, view the fossils, go mountain biking, go birding |
| Accommodation: | Bed and breakfast in refurbished cottages |
| Cost: | Dinner, bed and breakfast at R205 per person (2004) |
| Remarks: | The farm still has the feel of the 1920s when it was founded, and probably hasn't changed much since. There is also a good pub. |
| Robertson: | |
| What: | A small town, beautiful at the time when the Jacarandas are in bloom |
| Contact: | - |
| Where: | - |
| Airfield: | FARS |
| Co-ordinates: | S33°49’ E019°54’ |
| Runways: | 11/29 tar, 1500 m long |
| Elevation: | 640’ |
| Distance: | - |
| What to do: | Plenty of wine farms to visit in the area. Nearby Montague has hot springs and a fantastic trip up the mountain on a tractor-trailer. |
| Accommodation: | in town |
| Cost: | - |
| Remarks: | Robertson Flying Club hosts a breakfast every year in April |
| Swellendam: | |
| What: | A picturesque and historic town, active flying club with gliding on weekends. Avgas available |
| Contact: | Peter Müller-Brunke 082-8074919 |
| Where: | Southern Cape, halfway between Cape Town and George |
| Airfield: | FASX |
| Co-ordinates: | S34°03’ E020°29’ |
| Runways: | 15/33 tar 1003m long, lit at night |
| Elevation: | 407’ |
| Distance: | 98nm |
| What to do: | Have lunch, go gliding, visit the Bontebok Park |
| Accommodation: | Bontebok Park and in town |
| Cost: | varying |
| Remarks: | the annual fly-in takes place on the first weekend in March |
| Andrew’s Field: | |
| What: | A private runway on a residential estate (Airpark) |
| Contact: | Andrew Burger 028 424 2725 (phone/fax) or 082 573 1495 |
| Where: | Southern Cape, near Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa |
| Airfield: | FAAF |
| Co-ordinates: | S34°46’ E020°02’, tar |
| Runways: | - |
| Elevation: | - |
| Distance: | - |
| What to do: | Have lunch at Agulhas Guesthouse, contact Phil Fenwick, a former Air force helicopter pilot at 028 435 7650/1/2 |
| Accommodation: | Agulhas Guesthouse |
| Cost: | - |
| Remarks: | - |
| Scotia Safaris: | |
| What: | A private game reserve |
| Contact: | Reserve 042-2351436 or Peter or Jenny 083-6548511 |
| Where: | Eastern Cape, near Port Elizabeth and close to the Addo Elephant National Park |
| Airfield: | Orlando |
| Co-ordinates: | S33°33’05” E025°51’30”, grass |
| Runways: | 15/33, 1000m long (33 slopes up, preferred take-off direction 15) |
| Elevation: | 900’ |
| Distance: | - |
| What to do: | Game drives and the usual game reserve entertainment |
| Accommodation: | - |
| Cost: | - |
| Remarks: | www.schotia.com |
Conclusion
Hopefully all these flights will encourage you to get out and use our aircraft for the purpose they were designed for - to fly places. Contact us if you have suggestions for other flights, comments on these trips, or updated information on airstrips, telephone numbers or prices.
Email: info@capetownflyingclub.co.za | Phone: +27 21 934-0257 | Fax: +27 21 934 0827
Address: Cape Town Flying Club, P.O. Box 31, Cape Town International Airport, 7525
Aerial photography kindly supplied by Aerial Perspective