Microlighters

Did any of you helped the police with your microlight?
Tell us your story-Here is mine...
On Tuesday morning 3July07 at 03h30the police from Naboomspruit phoned me,and asked me if I could help them catch burgulars who is on the run.They broke into a clothing store in Naboomspruit,and also plundered the place.
When the security and police arrived,the criminals flee in a stolen BMW.The security and police chase them,and also contacted the security and police from Potgietersrus and Roedtan.The fugitives rolled the BMW on a dirt road between Roedtan and Potgietersrus,and then scattered into the farms in that area.
That was where the police needed an eye in the sky,and phoned me.
I went to the airfield at about 05h00-preflight,refueled,started,and freezed my b... off.
I was airborn and flew straight to where they told me to start looking for suspicious people on the ground.
After they caught a few of the fugitives,I had to turn back to Potties because I was low on fuel.
The police asked the police chopper to come help them catch the rest.
When the chopper arrived he helped for a few minutes,and left-he could not search and went to Origstad.
Nicow
ZU-AWA

Well done Nicow! I've read quite a few articles many years ago where police depts from various countries were investigating the use of microlights to aid in their patrols - always wondered why this idea never realized. (Cheap & effective, weather permitting)

Keep well,

Henni

Did they donate something to the fuel used....???

Quentin Ferreira
ZU-ATP
Newcastle

My old aerie CEW had some nice bullet holes, I wont get shot for any BMW !
Zulu1

Quentin F
No,they did not donate anything.
Nicow
ZU-AWA

Well done Nicow! I've read quite a few articles many years ago where police depts from various countries were investigating the use of microlights to aid in their patrols - always wondered why this idea never realized. (Cheap & effective, weather permitting)

Henni the business community in Middelburg and Witbank donated a brand new Bantam, a hangar and two PPL's for two policemen. The Bantam flies from Middelburg airfield and is used evry now and again. The fuel is also sponsored by the Community Police Forum.

Hi J,

Great to hear - those two must surely love their job. (Where do I apply ) Beautiful Bantam!

Regards,

Henni (Looking forward to some serious flying again this weekend!)

ZULU1 wrote:My old aerie CEW had some nice bullet holes, I wont get shot for any BMW !
Zulu1

Hope you were sitting on a phone book to minimise the risk of a bullet in the bum

Seriously tho' it's gratifying to hear that a few more criminals are bust - well done :D

Now this is the type of thing we need to hear more of on this forum.

It's great if you can help

Just a little dampener
If you are insured and you read the fine print of your policy you will see a clause against assisting the police, doing game counts etc...

Well done! Just think how effective widespread eyes in the sky can be if used properly!

Looked for a missing person many years ago. Eventually found him next to a river with a broken back and crushed skull. What happened is that after they hijacked him they threw a large rock on his back then on his skull and threw him down the cliff. Very sad to tell the family that was waiting for news.

Also been tasked to look for hijacked cars found most of them and also stolen cattle.

I haven't assisted from the air yet but flattened a car hijacker running away from the cops with my quad. Have also assisted local security company with searches in the surrounding veld close to home.

2 Stories....

About 4 years ago, an ex-policemen went on a shooting rampage with an R-5 assault rifle and a 9mm pistol in Postmasburg, killing 3 and injuring about 14 people. Was closing up my business when this took place. I watched in total dismay as he casually walked across to a shopping centre and let rip. I was unarmed at the time, rushed home, fetched my R4 (was a member of the now defunct reaction unit) and went to assist. A 2 & half hour car chase ensued in the street and vicinity of Postmasburg. The local police was in a total state of shock. A further shootout was prevented when I arrested the guy in Beeshoek, 8km from Postmasburg. He was sentenced to life in the Kimberley Supreme Court.

Was nicknamed Johnny Bravo after this......

Have assisted the Police airwing (the chap that flies the Porter was my PPL instructor in Kimberley - owns Kimberley Flying School) with cattle locating in unison with the Stock theft branch. Also offered my assistance with my Cheetah should they require it....

I was at Microland for training on 15 June this year. Skyriders got a call from a distressed father asking us to help look for his son. Apparently the kid was driving home between Pretoria and Delmas the previous night, fell asleep and rolled the car. He woke up stuck under the car, couldn't move, but managed to reach his cellphone. All he could see were some Poplar trees and could hear a road in the background, but had no idea where he was.

The four trikes at Microland went on a Search and Rescue, but returned without success. Upon landing we got a call that the paramedics found the guy on Garsfontein road. Luckily unhurt!

Must admit, was very exciting!