The Durban Airshow held at Virginia Airportwas a great success with at least 15 000 people turning out for the annual event.
Cars were lined up for kilometres around Virginia turning circle while promotional and food and beverage stalls at the event all did a roaring trade, with proceeds from the successful Durban North Rotary tent going to various charities.
Sponsorships, endorsements and ticket sales were robust despite the relatively poor economic climate of the past few years.
Some of the highlights of the day were a superb performance by the Silver Falcons Aerobatic team, a demonstration of the ever popular “Huey” helicopter (which will always be associated with the Vietnam War), with its distinctive broad rotor sound, a dramatic performance by the Mazda “Zoom-Zoom” plane and an appearance by an air force Mirage 111CZ.
•The weekend was marred by the death of a member of the SAAF parachuting team who plummeted to his death at Beachwood Golf Course after his parachute failed to open on Friday. Golfers and workers who witnessed the incident were left traumatised by the incident in which Warrant Officer Brian Slade of Pretoria lost his life. The accident is the subject of an investigation by the SAAF.