Free flying in South Africa
S25°3959.26 E027°2238.56
Aviators Paradise
Situated on the northern side of the Magalies Mountain Range, just off the R512 rout to
Brits. Aviators Paradise has proven it’s self over the past 3 years to be one of the finest
hang gliding establishments in South Africa.
In 2002 the Thermal Riders Hang Gliding Club were invited by Piet Smit to move our
operation to their newly purchased airfield. At that stage the runway was still gravel
but they soon got the go ahead from the bank manager and the runway was tarred.
Very soon afterwards a club house with a fully stocked bar, wide screen TV supporting
DSTV and a swimming pool was at our disposal.
Wow what a place, we were free from the hassle of driving up mountains. We now use a
Tug Plane. We are now towed to an altitude of 2000 feet and released into a thermal,
with more of our members joining in on the tugging side of things not a weekend goes by
(unless it’s raining)without someone volunteering to be tug pilot for the day. On most days
70 percent of pilots who get towed up end up spending at least an hour in the air. It takes
a good 10 – 15 min for the tug to tow a glider up and by the time the tug is ready for
landing the next pilot is already waiting to be towed to the top.
Piet has also arranged storage for our gliders in their hangers, so carting your glider to
and from the airfield is a thing of the past unless you end up doing a XC flight for the day.
Brits. Aviators Paradise has proven it’s self over the past 3 years to be one of the finest
hang gliding establishments in South Africa.
In 2002 the Thermal Riders Hang Gliding Club were invited by Piet Smit to move our
operation to their newly purchased airfield. At that stage the runway was still gravel
but they soon got the go ahead from the bank manager and the runway was tarred.
Very soon afterwards a club house with a fully stocked bar, wide screen TV supporting
DSTV and a swimming pool was at our disposal.
Wow what a place, we were free from the hassle of driving up mountains. We now use a
Tug Plane. We are now towed to an altitude of 2000 feet and released into a thermal,
with more of our members joining in on the tugging side of things not a weekend goes by
(unless it’s raining)without someone volunteering to be tug pilot for the day. On most days
70 percent of pilots who get towed up end up spending at least an hour in the air. It takes
a good 10 – 15 min for the tug to tow a glider up and by the time the tug is ready for
landing the next pilot is already waiting to be towed to the top.
Piet has also arranged storage for our gliders in their hangers, so carting your glider to
and from the airfield is a thing of the past unless you end up doing a XC flight for the day.
Home of the Thermal Riders Hang Gliding Club
