South African Speed and Altitude Records
The FAI has for years recorded official World Speed and Altitude records. No records have been maintained in South Africa for these type of records. SAPFA has decided that it will maintain these records and encourage General Aviation pilots to first create the record and then beat it. Certain of the records are unique to South Africa and the pilots setting them up will be credited with a World record as well.
Records are based on aircraft weight and are for the highest speed over various distances or the shortest time to climb to certain altitudes. There are also records for maintaining the greatest altitude.
ZU-JAD - holder of the latest World Recod
by a South African
The record attempts must be made in accordance with the rules laid down from time to time and observed by persons appointed by SAPFA. Contact us if you require any further information.
The most recent World Records set by a South African is the one set by George Brink in his RV4 The previous records set were the ones set by Jan Hanekom in his RV7A - ZS-JAD. The records set were for a flight from Pretoria to George via Bloemfontein. These records have been ratified as South African and World Records. The records set can be found Here
The following flights are recognised for purposes of records
- Distance Records
- Distance without landing.
- Distance over a closed circuit without landing.
- Altitude Records
- Altitude without payload.
- Altitude, aeroplane launched from ship.
- Altitude in horizontal flight without payload.
- Altitude with payload.
- Greatest payload carried to height of 2 000 and 15 000 metres.
- Time to climb to various heights.
- Speed Records
- Speed over a straight 3 kilometre course at restricted altitude.
- Speed over straight course with minimum length 15 kilometres and maximum length 25 kilometres.
- Speed over closed circuit, without landing. Course lengths are 100, 500, 1 000, 2 000, 5 000 and then by increases of 5 000 kilometres.
- Speed over closed circuit, without landing. Course lengths are 100, 500, 1 000, 2 000, 5 000 and 10 000 kilometres without payload.
- Speed around the world, non stop and non refuelled
- Speed around the world, eastbound and westbound
- Speed around the world over both the Earth's poles
- Speed over commercial air route.
- Speed over commercial air route in excess of 6 500 kilometres.
- Speed over recognised courses.
The Aero Club of South Africa has designated flights between the major cities in South Africa as recognised courses. The cities designated are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria. Flights between certain of these cities are under the minimum 400 kilometer distance and no record will be allocated for them.
Chris Booysen congratulating Dave Stock
on the new record
The record attempts were kicked off at the Overberg Airshow when Dave Stock set the first South African record to be recognised by SAPFA.
Dave Stock, piloting theThunder CityEnglish Electric Lightning T5, reached 6000m in 70 seconds.
Thunder City repeated their assault on the SA Speed and Altitude records at the Ysterplaat Airshow on 3 December 2005 with Dave Stock setting the time to 9000m record in 1 minute 43 seconds.
The most recent record are the ones set by Jan Hanekom in his RV7A - ZS-JAD. The records set were for a flight from Pretoria to George via Bloemfontein. These records have been ratified as South African and World Records. The records set can be found Here