INTO THE BLUE VELVET SKY

INTO THE BLUE VELVET SKY

There is a new airline in South Africa – Velvet Sky which purports to be a no frills, low-cost carrier but from those who have already used the service, they have this to say.

Top priorities are personal service, convenience and reliability. The crew in the cockpit are among the most experienced in the business and since the airline first took to the skies last March, it has achieved over 97% of these claims. The airline services major routes between Johannesburg/Cape Town/Durban and regional Port Elizabeth.

The mission of Velvet Sky is to make flying as accessible to families as using the car or bus to go on holiday with their low cost flights. With this in mind, your journey will become part of your holiday and you will still have money to spend at your destination.
This airline will initially be using one Boeing 737-300 to fly the golden triangle of Durban-Johannesburg-Cape Town – the busiest routes in SA.

There’s a great demand for affordable air transport in SA and the time is right for a new player to enter the market. So now is the perfect time to launch a new airline after the recession because there were many aircraft that can be bought cheaply – which puts Velvet Sky ahead of the race as the competitors are renting at the same price they are buying for.

It would appear that business models for airlines are simple to compile and will look attractive to prospective investors. You estimate how much you’ll get for an airline ticket and if the business plan doesn’t work you simply add a few rand here and there. However, the reality is a bit different – with airlines in SA that just can’t afford to charge the ticket prices their business plans call for.
When input costs such as the oil price rise, the company suddenly finds it difficult to absorb the additional costs. However, The CEO Birns says “Velvet Sky has a few experienced people involved in running it, people who know the industry. At least that will help.”

We wish you profitable flying and will watch with interest to see what develops in the future.

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Come Fly with me

COME FLY WITH ME

Ask any little boy what he wants to be when he grows up and he will either say a pilot or a fireman. And if you
tune in to his make-believe games you will hear him going through all the sound effects of the plane as it takes
off and lands and does some fancy acrobatics in the sky. Then that same little boy gets into his teens and he
starts dreaming about being a pilot – so bottom line is – you’ve always wanted to be a pilot.  Now that you are
grown up every time an aircraft flies overhead, you stop what you’re doing to scan the skies. What a feeling of
liberation and freedom we get from flying. Suddenly all the boundaries are removed and the horizons get bigger.

You are closer to those you love and the places you love to be. The questions you have probably asked yourself are: “Am I smart enough, will it take too long, I bet probably hugely expensive”.  Imagine travelling twice as fast as you can drive and taking friends and family on trips to surf, golf and shop, arriving fresh at those business meetings in cities far away.  The bonus is: you will still make it home at night.

But no, learning to fly is within the reach of many people and not just prospective airline or military pilots. What
would be your reasons for wanting to fly? Would you want to pursue a career in aviation, add another dimension to your business opportunities or just have a hankering to climb in the cockpit and take to the sky for the sheer fun of it?  Learning to fly is one of the most challenging experiences; it’s a journey of excitement, of self-discovery. And at the end of it all – what an achievement – your private pilot’s licence!

Babcock CFA is the only Cessna Accredited Pilot Training Center in Africa and all their training is done on a
one-to-one basis taking into consideration your individual needs. You CAN realize your dreams and on your
terms. So make that call and get yourself on course.

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Flight Deals

 


Be On The Look Out For Flight Deals This Christmas


 


There are few of us who are able to overlook the excellent flight deals that are so frequently on offer on airline sales that comes up every so often. You will be able to take your pick from a number of the major airlines, such as Mango, 1Time, or Kulula and will often be able to cash in on the really excellent deals, especially if you know where and when you are travelling, and if you book far in advance.
It is not being cheap to take advantage of good deals; quite the reverse. It is downright smart if you pick up flight deals, as you can literally save thousands if you purchase your tickets this way.
It is common knowledge if you are travelling abroad that you can save a good amount if you book that ticket a couple of months before you book your trip, flight companies will match and better a deal if you do find a deal that is excellent.


Likewise; should you travel locally and know when you are going to be flying, the exact same principle would then apply; you will be spending a good thousand to two thousand rand less on local flights at certain times of the year, especially if it is around Christmas or Easter time. Flying during peak times always costs far more than flying at times that are less frenetic.


Should you fly early in the morning and come back late at night, your air ticket is cheaper than flying during the middle of the day. Flying on a Wednesday might also be cheaper than flying on a Friday.


Get smart, and fly for a lot less by finding flight deals that will work for you and your pocket this Christmas, or any other time of the year, too.

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Piracy and Air Patrol


Airbus Military have offered SA two different kinds of aircraft for anti piracy missions. Airbus Military is an aerospace company and is offering SA dual-role aircraft for surveillance purposes.
Because the spread of the Somali piracy situation and the threat this has to Southern African waters, Project Saucepan has been created.
The company has offered either the CN235 model or the C295 for use for maritime surveillance purposes.
The South African Air Force is looking at a relatively small craft to fulfill this role, and is looking to getting this project off the ground as soon as possible.
Typical for this purpose is the Beechcraft King Air 350; this is said to be an excellent plane.
Two important roles that both the CN235 model and C295 carry out are transport as well as surveillance.
The CN 235 is larger than the King Air. Althought the CN 235 is not a large aircraft, can lift 5 950 kg and can reach speeds of 454 kms an hour and can reach altitudes of 7 620 kms. The aircraft can carry up to 44 people.
The aircraft is already being used for maritime purposes, servicing ten customers in eight countries, such as Spain’s Salvamento Maritimo National Search and Rescue, the Irish Corps, the Mexican Navy, the Turkish Navy as well as others.
The C 295 is even larger, and is more flexible. The C 295 is used in the Portuguese Air Force and Chilean Navy.
The nice thing is that the Airbus Military is able to assist in Piracy and Air Patrol in SA. If you need to know anything more about all things related to aviation, you have landed on the right site to find out more.

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Flights

There are certain pointers that one should bear in mind when booking flights, whether the trip is intended for business purposes or whether you are going away for a well-deserved holiday break.
You can act as your own travel agent in today’s world of superior technology and don’t really require the services of a travel agent as we did in the past.
Naturally there are individuals that prefer to book flights the old-fashioned way, through a travel agent. Obviously there are certain advantages in doing your flight bookings this way, but for many of us we certainly find that booking our flights online a much easier and time-saving option when of booking tickets.
Once you have confirmed the dates of your departure, book as soon as you are able to as this can save you an untold amount of money. There are often good specials on offer for flights booked in well advance, making the savings substantial. This applies to all destinations, both local and international.
Booking flights long before your departure will also ensure that you get a on the flight of your choice. Leaving bookings for flights to the last minute is not only stressful, but does not guarantee you a place on the plane or airline of preference.
Planning flights, journeys and holidays in good time makes for a far relaxing and enjoyable experience all round.
Once you have your flights booked, then applying for visas, where needed, can also be done on time. You are never guaranteed having a visa by the time you need to board your plane; this is particularly pertinent to far-off destinations such as Australia and America.
Plan well, book flights well in advance, and enjoy your stress-free experience. Find out more about flights and good travel deals by contacting us today.

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AVIATION TRAINING and Cheap Flights

So after they get their license do pilots end up being the drivers for cheap flights and bucket price airlines. Careers in the aviation industry have grown in popularity in recent times and as a result the need for well trained  flight attendants has increased.  Careers in the field of aircraft pilots, cabin crew and air hostesses are available at various colleges in the country.  There is a flight school at Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria which complies with all health and training aspects. As can be expected, Aviation colleges are very costly – as insurance is probably high on the list of expenses. As an alternative one can employ freelance instructors and dedicated aviation examiners who form part of SAA cabin crew. The training includes helicopter pilot training and aircraft accident investigation


Another such academy is Aeronav which was established 35 years ago as a training school and was accredited by the South African Civil Aviation Authority as a Flight Training School in 2005.  They operate a varied fleet of aircraft including Diamond DA20, Cessna 182’s and a Diamond Twinstar Multi-engine.


They provide safe, quality training in modern aircraft and a ground school staffed with highly qualified lecturers and specialists in their field. They offer instruction for Private Pilot’s Licence, Commercial Pilot’s Licence, Airline Transport Pilot Licence, Instructor Ratings, Twin Conversions, and Multi-engine Instrument rating.


The school is based at Lanseria International Airport which has 4 runways and is equipped for precision and non precision approaches plus approach lighting which is excellent for professional flight training.

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