Aeronautical Society of South Africa (Association incorporated under section 21) Registration number 2000/026325/08 P.O. Box 11928 Die Hoewes 0163 Tel / Fax: (012) 662 5113 Email: [email protected] Web: www.aessa.org.za

A Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society

AeSSA Newsletter – October 2012

EDITORIAL – New era in Space Flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida. – A privately built rocket lit up the night sky over Florida on Sunday 7 October 2012 to kick off the first-ever cargo delivery trip to the International Space Station by a robotic, American-made spacecraft. The unmanned Dragon space capsule, built by the commercial spaceflight firm SpaceX, roared into space atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket from a launch pad from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, beginning a three-day flight to the space station. This is a major shift in how NASA sends supplies to the orbiting lab, by introducing commercially available spacecraft.

The Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. Initiated internally by SpaceX in 2005, the Dragon spacecraft is made up of a pressurized capsule and unpressurized trunk used for Earth to LEO transport of pressurized cargo, unpressurized cargo, and/or crew members. In May 2012, SpaceX made history when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle in history to successfully attach to the International Space Station. Previously only four governments -- the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency -- had achieved this challenging technical feat.

Elon Musk is a South African born entrepreneur who is behind SpaceX’s success in achieving this new era in spaceflight. He was born and grew up in South Africa, the son of a South African engineer and a Canadian-born mother who has worked as a New York City dietitian and modeled for fun. His father inspired his love of technology and Musk bought his first computer at age 10 and taught himself how to program; by the age of 12 he sold his first commercial software, a space game called Blaster.

In June 2002, Musk founded his third company, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), of which he is currently the CEO and CTO. SpaceX develops rockets and spacecraft for missions to Earth orbit and beyond. Musk served as chief engineer for Falcon 1, the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit, as well as Falcon 9 and the Dragon spacecraft. In 2008 SpaceX won a NASA contract to replace the cargo transport function of the space shuttle with Falcon 9 and Dragon. NASA decided in 2010 to also entrust the commercial sector with astronaut transport. Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida comes alive as the Merlin engines ignite under the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule to orbit Page 1 of 19 AAD returns to Waterkloof By Rob Jonkers

Many will welcome the return to Gauteng of AAD following 3 years at Cape Town’s AFB Ysterplaat, while the Waterkloof runway was being refurbished. The last two Cape Town shows took place during the world’s Great Recession, and affected aviation significantly, which has stifled military spending as well as airline growth. General aviation remains stagnant under over-zealous regulatory effects.

Cape Town is of course a choice location, however costs for exhibiting there where most local companies are based in Gauteng did put a strain on their marketing budgets, and of course weather factors are more prominent in the Cape. The last show held in 2010 claim the Cape venue attracted 13000 trade visitors, 80 000 public day visitors, will see how 2012 stacks up, with estimates topping over 100 000.

On the military front, the final deliveries have taken place of the last Gripen fighters, and with this the conclusion of the controversial strategic arms deals. Vying for potential of a SAAF maritime requirement to replace the ageing C47TP, a number of contenders showed off their hardware, including the SAAB 340 MSA, which is a based on a re-lifed commuter aircraft. Also, some heavy lifter aircraft were in evidence for the potential transport requirement after the A400M was cancelled, notably the C17 Globemaster and the C27J Spartan.

For the first time, in co-operation with the Aero- Club of SA and RAASA, a dedicated area – Fun Fly Park - for light sports aircraft (LSA) types was been allocated, which was well laid out and attracted probably thousands of visitors.

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Adjacent to the fun-fly part was the Youth Development Programme. The YDP is celebrating its 10th anniversary, achievers in maths & science experienced a world of flight simulators, vehicle simulators, model building, and took part in activities such as plastic model building, target shooting, first aid and investigating crime scenes.

The SAAF museum had a significant presence at the show, and with their flying aircraft based at AFB Swartkops a stone’s throw away, most of their airworthy aircraft could take part in the aerial display.

Trade days were from Wednesday to Friday, with air displays taking place sporadically, mostly show validation flights for the main event on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday saw severe morning thunderstorms, which fortunately dissipated later and allowed the show to continue, at least the heat stayed away, Sunday of course was a stunning day for an airshow, which did not disappoint.

The mini-war sequence definitely a highlight especially with loud explosions when the attack helicopters were simulating their attack profiles. Fast jets such as the Gripen, Hawk, Cheetah also went through their thunderous paces, and for some nostaligia, the distinctive whine of the graceful Vampire.

Will see you in 2014 again at Waterkloof, hopefully traffic and parking arrangements will be somewhat better organised.

Page 3 of 19 IASSA 2012 By Karen van Breukelen

The week of 17 September 2012 could easily have been dubbed “Aerospace Week” in South Africa with IASSA 2012 and the Africa Aerospace & Defence Expo taking place in Tshwane. Now in its 3rd year under the AeSSA, IASSA 2012 was condensed to two days to accommodate AAD in the same week, making for a busier programme over those two days and incorporating the student presentations into the mainstream technical sessions. As always, our students did us proud and more than held up to the task of providing quality presentations with interesting and defendable technical content.

The local aerospace industry has received particular attention in recent years with the development of the Aerospace Sector Development Plan commissioned by the Departments of Trade and Industry and Science and Technology. Mr Beeuwen Gerryts, DST’s Chief Director: Technology Localisation and Advanced Manufacturing, presented IASSA 2012’s opening address.

He outlined the sector development plan and its recommendation for the establishment of a National, Joint Aerospace Steering Committee (JASC) to help coordinate and guide the national agenda within the

Beeuwen Gerryts, the dti’s Chief Director: Advanced Manufacturing giving the Keynote Address spheres of government, industry and R&D. The JASC will also aim to focus the local technology and industry development programmes through the definition and support of flagship programmes, programmes to strengthen the aerospace skills base, interventions to increase the competitiveness of the national industry and the execution of industry review programmes.

The JASC is comprised of relevant government departments, government institutions, developmental finance institutions, industry Dr Sofi Bin-Salamon, Programme Manager, AFOSR/IO associations, research and tertiary education US Air Force Research Laboratory giving his Keynote Address institutions.

The JASC’s interventions and coordinated actions are expected to mobilise and streamline government support to expand its enabling environment and increase its effectiveness thus increasing the profile of the local aerospace industry similar to that of other countries.

Beeuwen Gerryts with Ms Nomfuneko Majaja, the dti’s Chief Director: Advanced Manufacturing at the launch of the JASC at AAD Page 4 of 19 The opening address for day two of IASSA 2012 was given by Dr Sandile Malinga, CEO of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). SANSA is South Africa’s government body for the promotion and use of space. It fosters cooperation in space-related activities and research in space science, invests in the advancement of scientific engineering through human capital and supports the creation of an environment conducive to the industrial development of space technologies within the framework of government.

Dr Malinga gave the IASSA delegates an Dr Sandile Malinga, CEO: South African National Space Agency overview of the various programmes managed by (SANSA) giving his Keynote Address on day 2 the recently established SANSA and shared his vision for the future of South African space activities and the related economic opportunities and skills development.

IASSA 2012 took the opportunity to collaborate with the African Materials Research Society (Africa MRS) and their hosting of a delegation from the United State’s Department of Defense. Representatives of a number of Air Force and Army Research Laboratories, with a particular interest in aerospace materials. The delegation looked to explore the opportunities for long-term scientific collaborations between South African researchers and institutions and the US S&T International Enterprise and to network with the broader aerospace community.

Dr David S Stargel, Structural Mechanics Programme Manager, Besides the active networking during breaks and at United States Air Force the IASSA 2012 cocktail evening and awards dinner, the group presented two keynote addresses and gave overviews of the research labs and their specific areas of interest. Dr Sofi Bin- Salamon, Programme Manager at the International Office of the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) introduced the delegation and their approach to international cooperation in his keynote address.

Dr Bin-Salamon emphasized how the AFOSR sees basic science as a launch pad to international collaboration and building long term relationships between researchers. Dr David Stargel, AFOSR’s Program Manager in the Aerospace, Chemical and Material Sciences Directorate covered his program’s work in flight structures in his keynote address. Dr Stargel highlighted that “paradigm shifts in technology development happens with multidisciplinary teams” and hence their exploration into quantum computing applications and the concept of digital twinning to address the cost and risk of physical testing through more rigorous simulations.

Marenco Helicopters Simulator Exhibit Page 5 of 19 Representatives of the US delegation participated in a panel discussion which included Ms Ela Romanowska, Head: Technology Transfer at Wits Enterprise and Mr Letlotlo Phohole, GM: Advanced Manufacturing at TIA.

Chaired by Dr Josephat Zimba of the Africa MRS, the discussion went into further detail on the programmes offered by the Research Laboratories and also touched on the “what next” in terms of applications, intellectual property and contractual relationships.

The US Army and Air Force Research Labs focus on basic science, encouraging the sharing of knowledge gained through papers and conferences.

The potential for applications and possible economic benefit would be negotiated on case by case basis. As Dr Bin-Salamon put it, “building collaborative relationships is a contact sport – you have to be active”; and we encourage our local researchers to actively engage with their US counterparts.

Panel Discussion: US / SA Collaboration in Materials Research

Page 6 of 19 IASSA 2012’s technical programme was as varied as ever, with 36 technical presentations being given by representatives of universities, research institutions and industry. Amongst those, 19 students from five universities presented their MSc and PhD research, convincing the audience that the next generation of aerospace-related engineers and scientists in South Africa are of the highest class.

The members of the IASSA technical review panel assessed all Masters-level student presentations given at IASSA 2012, evaluating the technical content and presentation skills, for the AeSSA prizes for Best Student Presentation. This year’s competition was very closely contested, with less than 1% separating the top three students.

AeSSA Best Student Presentations at IASSA 2012:

1st: Andrew Wood - Wind Tunnel Testing of a Semi-Span Wing with Oscillating Gurney Tabs to Induce Vortex Wake Instability (Wits)

2nd: Ridhwaan Suliman - A Partitioned Finite Volume-Finite Element Fluid Structure Interaction Scheme with Applications to Flutter Analysis (Tuks)

3rd: Candice Topper - Optimisation of Finite Element Thermal Model for the Friction Stir Welding Process (Wits) Student Prize Giving at the Awards Dinner, from left Karen van Breukelen, Rob Jonkers, Candice Topper

As always, IASSA 2012 provided ample opportunity for networking in a sociable environment, with a cocktail function to close day one, and the Awards Dinner at the end of day two. Having our sponsors’ and exhibitors’ displays in the conference venue provided ample opportunity for questions and discussions, with Marenco’s helicopter simulator luring some delegates away from the technical sessions too!

Our thanks to all speakers, delegates and sponsors who made IASSA 2012 the success it was. We hope to see you all at IASSA 2013 taking place at the Lord Charles in Somerset West, 9 & 10 September 2013.

Page 7 of 19 Chalkie Stobbart presents the “Henshaw Challenge” to the Aeronautical Society of South Africa at the Aerosud facility in Pretoria - by Karl Jensen

About 120 EAAers, Pretoria Boys High, Waterkloof High, varsity students and aeronautical enthusiasts attended a stunning presentation of the incredible record-breaking flight by Chalkie Stobbart in Tony van den Heuvel’s GP4 Osprey homebuilt aircraft in 2009.

Chalkie enthralled the audience with an audio-visual presentation of the harrowing flight from Cape Town - London - Cape Town which effectively demolished the 1939 record for this route which was established by 26-year old Alex Henshaw in a Percival Mew Gull. Alex Henshaw said in London, “I would challenge any pilot to fly any aircraft in the world with no more than 200 hp to the Cape and back in less time than did XF in 1939.”

Chalkie’s description of the flight was a story of incredible stamina coupled with Chalkie’s extensive technical skills and flying background which allowed him to tackle this formidable challenge. Pockets of excellence in any sphere deserve the recognition of one’s peers. General Des Barker, a world authority on flight safety and the discipline required, was heard to comment, “I stand in awe of this man!”

This presentation was the fifth time I’ve heard Chalkie describe his adventure and every time it impresses me more. It is difficult to imagine the challenges of the hardships and endurance as well as the phenomenal flying skills that were required for this endeavour. If you haven’t heard this saga in person, you might want to coerce Chalkie to come and present his marvelous story to your Chapter.

Chalkie was the A/P who oversaw the construction of Tony van den Heuvel’s GP4, a real work of art, and in Chalkie’s words, “Tony is a master craftsman par excellence”. Tony was in attendance, as well as Mike Davis who carried out most of the test flying of ZU-CLC. A few days prior to the departure of ZU-CLC from Cape Town, the team realised that CLC was an acronym for Cape Town - London - Cape Town, a fine omen.

The presentation at Aerosud was facilitated by Rob Jonkers (322 member) and Gen. Thack Thackwray. Aerosud have invited EAA Chapter 322 for a visit to the Aerosud works where more than 70,000 aircraft components are manufactured monthly for many major aircraft manufacturers. The visit will unfortunately have to be scheduled for a Wednesday afternoon during working hours. We hope many members will be able to make it - details next CONTACT.

Page 8 of 19 Feature Article: Developing knowledge for weapons integration on aircraft – Flutter Clearance Modeling & Testing

Kindly reproduced from the CSIR’s Science Scope

Page 9 of 19 The Southern Hemisphere Summer Space Programme (in part sponsored by the Society) By Lumka Msibi (University of Witwatersrand)

The 2012 Southern Hemisphere Summer Space Program consisted of 34 participants from 12 different countries. The programme reflected the International Space University 3 I’s principles of International, Interdisciplinary and International. It further included the unofficial “I” of Intergenerational as the ages of the participants ranged from the youngest 19 years old to the oldest 53 years old. I was the youngest female (21 years) and one of 4 the undergraduate students participating.

The opening ceremony was interesting; I was the flag bearer for South Africa. The first three weeks consisted of core lectures which started from 9am to 12:30pm, followed by lunch then workshops after lunch to reinforce the lecture material. There were 45 core lectures in total each 1 hour each. On Saturdays we had tests for the core material lectured during the week. In the beginning of the 4th week we wrote an exam covering the past 3 weeks material.

The evenings consisted of team building exercises and social events. One of the events, we were divided into subgroups of about 6 in each group and we had to build a component of the Rube Goldberg machine. (A Rube Goldberg machine, contraption, invention, device, or apparatus is a deliberately over-engineered or overdone machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction.)

This was really fun as different groups came up with great ideas, the subgroups then had to come together and assemble their components to make one complete machine. It took us about 30 tries to get the machine to go through all the stages!

Various panels were hosted with distinguished guest speakers. The Astronaut panel was my favorite, astronauts from NASA, a French astronaut (who also lectured us during one of the core lectures), and Korea’s first astronaut. The panel events allowed people to ask questions to the panel members. Other panel events included the astronomy panel.

On one of the Saturdays we went to Cleveland life park which a was great experience. We got to see Australia’s national animals, the kangaroo and the emu and other animals native to Australia such as the koala. Page 10 of 19 For Intercultural events there were three cultural nights, each night consisted of at least 4 cultures presenting their culture except on Australia day (Australian public holiday) only the Australians and the New Zealanders presented. Australia day was great and we played cricket and ate kangaroo.

South Africa was on the last cultural night along with Brazil, India and Russia. South African food that was prepared by myself and Minette (the other South African attending) was boerewors, chakalaka and braai pap. The Russians brought vodka and they downed 5 shots in one go…Russians are strong!

The last 2 weeks were for the team project, we had to determine how to implement tele-reach applications. This was also intense with various due dates, I worked on case studies, business models and was selected to present the final report . our mission statement was as follows:

“To develop a framework under which states can collaborate on economic and social needs, and maximize information and communication Technology (ICT), to provide tele-reach applications”

On Sundays (the only day we had off until the team project started) we went to the beach at Handorf (a small German Town in Australia) and sightseeing, which was fun after a hectic week of new material!

The closing ceremony was held on Thursday where each student received graduation certificates and got to network with the public and space related professionals.

In one word Australia was “AWESOME!!!” (It was so awesome I didn’t even get time to write this until I got back to South Africa!)

Page 11 of 19 Cornerstone College Model Flight Academy By Rob Hurlin

Herewith a collage of pictures of our school based academy and the team of student model pilots and their trainers.

Page 12 of 19 EAA Chapter 322 flies Young Eagles from Fly Inn by Gordon Dyne (Reprinted from EAA’s Contact Magazine) (this day in part sponsored by the Society)

On Saturday 26 May, Retd SAA Captain Karl Jensen’s immaculate hangar at Fly Inn reverberated to the chatter and laughter of 31 students from Pretoria Boys’ High School (PBHS) as they excitedly awaited their rides in the planes from 12 volunteer pilots from EAA Chapter 322. The boys, all future leaders of our country, are all members of the PBHS Aeronautical Society, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year, were accompanied by the founder of the society, John Illsley, and his colleague, Mervyn Reddy.

The day was also rather special for Karl, because PBHS was the ‘alma mater’ of Karl’s as well as Gen Brian Stableford and Athol Franz, among many others, albeit more than half a century ago! Karl and John Illsley, second master at PBHS, initiated this Young Eagles day and Dr Mike Brown, EAA Young Eagles convener, put the day into practice.

As the smell of wors and burgers on the braai filled our nostrils, we were briefed on the airspace usage and rules: “ Depart on runway 24. Right turn out immediately to avoid entering O.R. Tambo International’s CTR (Controlled Traffic Region). Talk to Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof, but stay out of their circuit area. So having done all that, have fun! Land back on runway 06.”

After a good lunch we were allocated our passengers, most planes taking one or two boys at a time. It was early afternoon, very hot and we pilots were all well aware of the dangers of high density altitude. On my first flight we were 4 up, but I was not comfortable with the Arrow’s performance. So on my next three flights we were only three up. The Arrow performed flawlessly. I always feel a huge responsibility carrying somebody else’s children. There is no room for error. At the end of the afternoon 31 prospective ‘career pilots’ had been flown and a great time was had by all.

EAA 322’s Chairman Karl Jensen extended thanks to all the pilots who gave of their time and flew to Fly-Inn at their own expense to give these enthusiastic young men an air experience. The pilots and their planes were Rob Jonkers (Reims Rocket), Robbie Dow (Jabiru), Claus Keuchel (Taylorcraft), Coen and son Conré Swart (Cessna 152), Ricardo de Bonis (Air Cam). Ricardo’s beautiful unique plane was flown by ‘General’ Brian Stableford. Ron van Lear (Europa), Mike Brown (Globe Swift), and finally Peter Skellern (Sportstar). It goes without saying that Karl was the first into the air in his shining Cessna 170 and John Illsley closely followed him in his beautifully restored Auster MkV.

No EAA 322 get-together would be complete without the usual members who may not fly nor have their own planes, but they are always there to help behind the scenes. These unsung heroes at our PBHS flying day were Trixie Heron, Tendo de Paravicini, Doug Norval, Ronnie Alcock, Philip Kotze, Steven and Gabriel Theron and my own faithful co-pilot, Monty le Roux. Karl Jensen’s hangar is filled with some marvelous aviation memorabilia. It is almost as interesting as The Red Bull hangar number 7 at Salzburg Airport, and well worth a visit.

Thanks too, to Dr Mike Brown for dispensing some great aviation medicine and, of course, huge thanks to all you pilots and support crews who made the day possible. Well done, John Illsley and your colleagues at PBHS for turning these young boys, as they were when they came to the school, into fine young men. I was so pleased to see such good manners and the respect showed to us older folk. I said to some of the boys, “Please call me Gordon,” and the reply came back almost instantaneously: “Yes, sir!”

Page 13 of 19 20th ISABE Conference 2011 a Gala Event By Glen Sneddon

Each successive ISABE conference has outdone the previous both in terms of its technical content and the social events and arrangements and ISABE 2011 was no different. Glen Snedden, Bronwyn Meyers and Dwain Dunn of the CSIR attended this year’s gala event in Goteburg, Sweden and were privileged to be able to mingle with the big names in the world of gas turbines, engage with them technically during the conference and even party with them (top left) Glen Snedden in conversation with Walter Reiner of MTU, (bottom left) in the evenings. What would a banquet in Sweden be without ABBAsolutely as entertainment!, (Right) Conference opening

While South Africa’s research community relating to gas turbines is small, it is still active and presented 3 papers at the ISABE 2011 conference in Sweden on topics relating to combustion, turbine heat transfer and aerodynamics and even chair a session on Turbine Aerodynamics.

1000

800

.K 2

600

400

200 Heat Transfer Coefficient / W/m / Coefficient Transfer Heat 0 -1.2 -0.8 -0.4 0 0.4 0.8 1.2 s/c

Experimental Euler/BL FINE/Turbo kε-YS FINE/Turbo SA FINE/Turbo SA-AGS FINE/Turbo SA-AGS-i

The role of Armscor and the Department of Defence through the LEDGER funding instrument and the CSIR, deserve the credit for maintaining the current levels of expertise and scholarship funding that makes up the bulk of gas turbine research in South Africa. Currently the CSIR works with Stellenbosch, Pretoria, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Wits, and KwaZulu-Natal Universities as well as the Central University of Technology. Topics range from turbine aerodynamic improvements, radial compressor design and heat transfer measurement to titanium processing and properties and even turbopump design.

ISABE stands for the International Society for Air Breathing Engines and as such is not limited to conventional gas turbine cycles but deals with a far broader subject air including all reaction engines, including ram and scamjet, liquid and solid fuel, closed and open fans and turboprops. Only pure rockets are excluded.

The next ISABE conference is planned for Busan, Korea in September 2013, with South Africa pencilled in to host the committee meeting the following year. If you are interested in presenting and attending, or obtaining more information about this excellent opportunity to network with the leading engine manufacturers Some of the interesting work on display at this year’s conference the and research institutions please contact Glen scramjet developments in Australia Snedden (the current national representative), 012 841 3094 or [email protected].

Page 14 of 19 Allister Miller – a glimpse of his life in South Africa (a patron of the AeSSA) By Keith King

The Allister Miller Memorial Lecture has been one of the regular Society Named Lectures, being held every other year (with few exceptions) for at least the last 40 years and those of you who have attended any of them will know that the theme of the lectures is Civil Aviation. However, from the fragmentary information unearthed about him, Allister Miller rose to fame, at least enough to be mentioned in historical records of South African aviation, as a military pilot in the Royal Flying Corps.

His country of origin has not been established with any certainty but it was most probably England because his name does not appear in the historical records found so far amongst those who were involved in the birth of aviation and specifically pilot training in South Africa. For this reason a little background leading up to Major Miller’s arrival in South Africa would seem to be worthwhile.

Although not the first to fly a South African built aircraft, it was John Weston (after whom another series of Society Named Lectures is named) who did much to popularise aviation in South Africa and, I quote from one source, “his energy and drive led to the formation of the Aeronautical Society of South Africa in 1911”. For reasons not given, however, it is stated that “he was prevented from ever establishing a flying school” but a partner in the African Aviation Syndicate formed in 1911, Cecil Compton Paterson, did establish a flying school at Alexandersfontein.

The initial aircraft used for training was a Paterson biplane, a replica of which is in the SAAF Museum. Up until then all the aviation Cecil Compton Paterson's pupils at Alexandersfontein activity in South Africa had been in civilian Paterson appears in the inset (top right) hands and pilots trained at Paterson’s Flying School were civilian pilots. This all changed in 1912 when, following a visit to England by Gen C F Beyers, the Union Government decided to start flying training for military purposes. In May 1913 applications were invited for “officer aviators” in the newly formed South African Aviation Corps (SAAC) and in September 1913 the Government negotiated an agreement with Paterson for the training of 10 successful candidates as pilots.

The Aeronautical Society of South Africa was once again in the forefront of this development being appointed to supervise the testing of the pilots “as prescribed by and on behalf of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale”.

Unfortunately the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914 A Replica of the Patterson Biplane- at the SAAF Museum resulted in Paterson returning to England and the Swartkops AFB flying school being closed but training continued at Tempe and in April 1914 six trainees were appointed Lieutenants.

They were then sent to England to complete their training with the Royal Flying Corps and subsequently served with distinction in the hostilities in France. In January 1915 they were recalled to South Africa and appointed in the Permanent Force for service with the SAAC in German South West Africa. After this campaign most of the pilots volunteered for further service in England and formed the nucleus of 26 (South African) Squadron of the RFC which was dispatched to East Africa in December 1915 to perform reconnaissance, bombing and communication missions in support of General Jan Smuts’ forces.

Page 15 of 19 It was presumably during this period that Major Alister Miller D.S.O. either met them or became aware of the potential of South Africa as a source of recruits for during 1916 and 1917 he conducted a recruitment drive in South Africa and is credited in one source as having recruited 2 450 South Africans for enlistment in the RFC. Whether or not this number is accurate, he certainly made good use of a B.E.2c placed at his disposal to travel to all the major towns in the country for his recruiting efforts. de Havilland DH60G Gipsy Moth (1934)

These recruits became known as “Millers Boys” and many were decorated for their exploits, having shot down exceptional numbers of enemy aircraft. Individual scores ranging from 19 to 38 are on record. Sadly, 26 Squadron was recalled to England and disbanded at the end of the war, but Major Miller’s involvement in South African aviation continued after the war in the civil aviation field.

The next venture in which the name of Allister Miller appears was the introduction in 1925 of an experimental air mail service between Durban and Cape Town run by the South African Air Force. This was proposed by the Civil Air Board, of which Major A.M. Miller was a member, and was approved by Parliament. Although funding was provided by the government this service ran for only 6 months before being discontinued, probably on cost grounds. Nevertheless valuable data was obtained which was put to good use later by Major Miller. Before he started a commercial air mail service, however he is credited with starting “commercial flying” (type of commerce unspecified) in Durban in 1927 in partnership with Captain Davis. This activity resulted in the formation of the Light Plane Club so it is probable that flying training was among the commercial activities.

Also in 1927 records of the origin of East London airport show that “Lieutenant Colonel Alistair Miller” requested the Town Council to establish an aerodrome in Woodstock to carry out passenger flights on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. This apparent elevation in rank seems unlikely in view of his involvement at this time in civil aviation but it is possible that he remained a military officer in a reserve capacity. It is clear however that he had great enthusiasm for promoting civil aviation at club level.

A further step forward in his career in civil aviation in South Africa was some involvement with Union Airways in 1928 when he was tasked by the airline with starting the first commercial air mail service. This was inaugurated in August 1928 and operated on the same route between Durban and Cape Town as the previous Air Force venture of which Major Miller had extensive knowledge. The source of this information does not specify the frequency of the flights but it is recorded that a fleet of five Gypsy Moths was used so it was probably a daily run.

In addition to the coastal run a link by air was established between Port Elizabeth, where the company had it s headquarters, and Johannesburg. The initial purpose of the service was to carry air mail and passengers but the ability to carry passengers was dependant on the amount of mail to be carried which arrived only a short time before take –off, so intending passengers would often be left behind making it a very unreliable service and hence it was not a financial success. As a result Major Miller was forced to seek assistance and an agreement was reached with South West African Airways for the use of 2 Junkers aircraft each carrying 4 or 5 passengers.

No further information on the activities of Major Miller has yet been found but his involvement in civil aviation in South Africa as recorded in historical records more than justifies a Society Named Lecture series honouring his name.

Major Miller taking off in his Moth from the esplanade at Cape Town Page 16 of 19 Obituary Brigadier General Dick Lord

Brigadier General Dick Lord, the Fleet Air Arm pilot who has died aged 75, was instrumental in the development of America’s Top Gun fighter pilot academy, made famous by the film of the same name.

Lord established his unusual role in 1968, when he was the foremost British instructor sent on exchange at Miramar, California, to train American pilots then suffering significant losses at the hands of MiG-21s flown by the North Vietnamese.

On arrival in the US, Dick travelled by road across America to Miramar. When driving through a city in Texas he was pulled over by a traffic officer for a minor offence. On request he handed over his documents – a British passport – which read “Lord, Richard”. The traffic officer’s attitude changed dramatically as he apologised profusely to “your Lordship”. With siren wailing he conducted “Lord Richard” to the outskirts of the city much to the delighted glee of Dick.

While some criticised the performance of America’s multi-million dollar Phantom jet, Lord concentrated on sharpening his pupils’ Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) skills to improve their odds in a dogfight. He and a handful of other Fleet Air Arm graduates of the Royal Navy’s grueling Air Warfare Instructors (AWI) school in Lossiemouth, Scotland, introduced rigorous new methods for recording and scrutinising the performance of trainees during exercises. Lord, for example, scribbled notes on a pad on the knee of his flight suit during mock dogfights, which he then exhaustively analysed on a blackboard at post-flight debriefs. Always able to use humour effectively, when observed a fighter pilot trainee making a potentially fatal mistake, he would come up on the radio with his comment “This is the voice of the Lord……………”

Such was the trust placed in Lord that he was granted access to classified American military documents comparing the performance of US aircraft against that of enemy fighters. This access allowed him to write, with others, the US Navy’s Air Combat Manoeuvring manual. A year after Lord’s arrival, the tuition and methods introduced by British pilots, all graduates of the AWI school at Lossiemouth, made their way into the US Navy Fighter Weapons School, which was set up in 1969. Better known as Top Gun, it remains the most famous programme in the history of naval aviation. Soon after it was established a Phantom flown by one of its first students shot down a MiG-21, the first time a US Navy aircraft had succeeded in aerial combat in two years.

Lord enjoyed the film Top Gun, but mused that it was “remarkable that any history book studiously avoids mention of any British involvement” and added that the film had not “given us due justice”. He remained proud of his involvement, however, and during his time at Miramar had insisted on using the call sign “Brit 1”. This meant that his wingman, though American, was forced to use the call sign “Brit 2”.

Richard Stanley Lord was born on 20th June 1936 in Johannesburg, where he was educated at Parktown Boys’ High. His father, a soldier in the Imperial Light Horse, was captured at Tobruk and did not return from his PoW camp until 1946. Richard’s early fascination with flying was played out in imaginary games of “Biggles” high in the branches of a jacaranda tree. Lord was one of several English-speaking South Africans who, despairing in the 1950s and 1960s of a career in the Afrikaner-dominated South African Services, joined the Royal Navy. His initial naval training was at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, and he gained his wings in June 1959, flying Sea Venom and Sea Vixen fighters from the aircraft carriers Centaur, Victorious, Hermes and Ark Royal.

In 1966 he found himself flying from Ark Royal off Beira, Mozambique, to enforce the oil blockade of Rhodesia following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence. After one mission to intercept a suspected blockade-runner, he returned to find that the carrier had been overtaken by a tropical storm and that her flight deck was pitching through 65ft – his aircraft caught the third arrester wire and damaged its undercarriage – reckoned a near perfect landing in the conditions.

Page 17 of 19 He returned to South Africa in 1970, where he gained a civil licence and began to teach commercial pilots. But, as he said later, a visit to Cape Town by Ark Royal “struck a deep chord in my heart”, and rekindled his love of more adventurous flying. Though he was unable to pass the Afrikaans language test, he joined the South African Air Force. His arrival in the SAAF at that time was propitious. Years of isolation had resulted in the SAAF losing most of its skills in air combat maneuvering. Dick Lord’s abilities were sorely needed by a SAAF fighter community faced with a well equipped and increasing Soviet / Cuban threat in Angola / South West Africa (Namibia). Dick Lord was the shining star that showed the way for a regenerative SAAF fighter community.

With the SAAF Lord took part in the Border War, fought between South Africa and Cuban-backed Angola from 1966 to 1989. He flew Impala, Sabre and Mirage fighters against Soviet/Cuban-piloted MiG fighters, and commanded No 1 Squadron SAAF from 1981 to 1983, later directing SAAF operations from Oshakati and Windhoek (now the capital of Namibia).

He ended his career in charge of the Air Force Command Post in Pretoria, where he was Mentioned in Dispatches for his role in helping to organise the rescue operations that saved all 581 passengers and crew of the Greek cruise-liner Oceanos, which sank off South Africa’s eastern coast on 4th August 1991.

Another highlight of his career was to organise, in 1994, the fly-past at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa. Lord then retired as a Brigadier General and began writing about his life as an aviator. His books included Fire, Flood and Ice (1998), a description of SAAF search-and-rescue operations, conducted in conditions ranging from drought, to white-outs in Antarctica, to devastating deluges.

His biography, From Tailhooker to Mudmover (2000), which detailed his experiences as a pilot with the Royal Navy, the US Navy, and in the Border War, is regarded as one of the best and funniest books about flying in the 1950s and 1960s. He also wrote a history of the Mirage fighter in the SAAF, called Vlamgat (2000) or, in English, “flaming hole”.

In From Fledgling to Eagle: the South African Air Force during the Border War (2008), Lord drew on his own diaries but also incorporated anecdotes from dozens of other aviators and squadrons, highlighting the close relationship which existed between the SAAF and South African Special Forces.

A particularly close relationship based on high mutual regard for one another existed between Dick Lord and Army units. The famous Buffalo Battalion (32 Battalion) and its equally famous commanding officer, Colonel Ediie Viljoen, known as “Echo Victor” was one such particularly close relationship which resulted in many remarkable and rewarding South African Military successes.

Apart from flying, his passion was military music, his favourite piece being Sarie Marais, the march of the Royal Marines, which is based on an Afrikaner folk song.

Dick Lord married, in 1968, June Beckett, a BOAC air-hostess. While he complained about the fantastical characterisations in Top Gun, she contended that the film’s portrayal of big-talking fighter pilots was extremely true-to-life. She survives him with their two sons.

Brig Gen Dick Lord, born 20th June 1936, died 26th October 2011.

Page 18 of 19 FORTHCOMING EVENTS

The Intervarsity model Aircraft Challenge to be held at AFB Swartkops on Saturday the 27th October, starting time at 13h00. Also in attendance will be UAV and other model demo flights.

Join in an afternoon of fun while students try out their hard thought out designs to fly a Coke can payload in a fast & slow course, the winner being able to fly the fastest and slowest. Its all about design efficiency and the optimum configuration.

Des Barker will provide a talk on Air Show Safety. Also planned are the following, dates & times to be advised:

 Pretoria University is hosting a visiting Nasa Astronaut Dr Mae Jemison

 Wing in Ground Effect Vehicles

Planning for IASSA 2013 has now started, details to be found on the website www.iassa.org.za . Registrations will also start shortly, please advertise to colleagues and acquaintances.

IASSA 2013 will take place at the Lord Charles, Somerset West, on 9 & 10 September 2013, and will take place in conjunction with the ICAS (International Council for Aeronautical Sciences) Planning Committee meeting and workshops.

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