Dinokeng big 5 game park

[witwillem]

Hi Folks presently visiting my good friend Jorrie (witwillem) on the Springbok flats .
He is partner in this park as is manty other farmers and landowners.
The government has decided to purchase all the game and with the assistance of the land owners they plan the biggest park in RSA .
There are some private airstrips within the park , but they do have some "visitors " who do low flying over this area.
The animals scatter and get hurt in the boundry fences and the folks on the ground are not to happy.
Please respect the flight rules when you fly in this area as it may have an effect on all who fly here.
This is not the kind of place to have an egine out .
I hear the pilot and pax who had the oopsie at Springs today are OK , but shaken .
We wish them a speedy recovery .
This Blits of Jorrie wrms the innerds quickly - Im sure he can run his Vaaljapie tractor on this stuff
From the Vlakte Alex and Jorrie ( witwillem )

[Bugwar]

I agree that we should all adhere to the rules of flying and common sense and not fly low where it is unsafe or illegal.

BUT there is something I need to understand and maybe you or Willem or someone in the know can explain.

I have never seen wild or tame animals even look up when flying over them. I have flown low over animals at a waterhole on my farm without them blinking but they ran like hell when bowhunters even thought of getting close enough for a shot at the same waterhole. Same thing at our neighbours farm where the approach is over the waterhole and hide. How many if you succeeded in chasing animals of a runway by flying low over them?

My opinion is that instinct tells them that danger do not come from the air but is on the ground. It is also my opinion that only when these animals were/are hunted/chased/darted from the air will they run when hearing an aircraft. Same thing they do when hearing a vehicle if they are hunted from a vehicle.

If I am right, the solution is simple...

Anyone want to agree or disagree with my hypothesis please do so. I await your arguments.

Fly safe.

Paul

[Bundy]

If I google Dinokeng Big 5 Game reserve, I get an area that covers about a third of the GF2??

Are you saying that we have to stick to 1500ft AGL over that area? I fly out of Cullinan (JAG Air) and have been flying that area a hell of a lot over the last year. Surely the Big 5 are restricted to a certain part of it?
is 500 to 700ft considered too low? What areas are you concerned about and I guess we will try and avoid them.

Interesting..

EDIT: At least let us know where the lions are! ha ha

[Tribal Croc]

Isn’t it 2000ft over the highest point

Going to Bugwar’s post I fly from a gravel strip on a game farm and in the beginning the animals was a bit rattled and ran away buy they are so used to me flying now it’s a battle for me to get airborne sometimes.

Normal procedure is running up and down the runway in the bakkie and the also have one of my guys as look out to chase any unwanted game off the runway.
When I fly over the farm it’s at 400 -600ft and let me tell you they don’t even look up.

Coming in for landings is also interesting as there is a feeding through close to the runway and in the afternoons you can get up to 100 Impalas on the runway. It can take up to 4 low level runway inspections “animal chasing” to clear the runway.

I understand the problem and respect the concern but flying at 600ft will have the same impact as when flying at 2000ft

Only my opinion

[nicow]

Is it proclaimed as a game park-if not....

[justin.schoeman]

This could be an interesting one, that could force a long needed showdown between CAA and DEAT. If they proclaim a national park, then the limit becomes 2500' above the highest point - which will basically take out that whole chunk of the GF. Which should finally demonstrate the idiocy of having airspace controlled outsiede of CARCOM...

Until it is proclaimed, the limit is 500' AGL - which should still be high enough not to affect the animals?

[Bugwar]

Had to fly at 3200 feet asl at Sodwana last month with it being a heritage site and all.

I would love to see a study on how low do you need to fly to scare the fish and make the turtles stop laying eggs and the birds to stop mating Bet the animals can't even hear an aircraft above the noise of all the dive boats and 4x4's on the beach. Or maybe the prop wash does more damage than the 9 million appy divers that kicks the coral to pieces.

[Leprachaun]

Hi Folks , just back from business on the flats , - its early times yet , but soon it will be proclaimed and then the real issues will begin , I was told some folks spen the weeken in the bus sunbathing and they are petrified of the spies in the sky ???

Ya as I say early times but time will tell , I think we can get a workable solution for all as it will be one of the biggest game parks in SA , and close to the Gauteng hub , lots of opportunities ??? Alex Leprachaun

[Bugwar]

I was told some folks spen the weeken in the bus sunbathing and they are petrified of the spies in the sky ???

Now we are getting closer to the true reason for them complaining about low flying

[Tribal Croc]

I was told some folks spen the weeken in the bus sunbathing and they are petrified of the spies in the sky ???

Now we are getting closer to the true reason for them complaining about low flying

mmm klink vir my soos kaalstert in die bos

[Bundy]

I was told some folks spen the weeken in the bus sunbathing and they are petrified of the spies in the sky ???

Now we are getting closer to the true reason for them complaining about low flying

mmm klink vir my soos kaalstert in die bos

For those who have never been to the Nudist Camp!

25 27' 53.08"S
28 24' 35.44"E.

Dont get your hopes up boys! Dis net hang tiete en vrot piele!

[John Boucher]

Dinokeng Big 5 have enquired in a co-operative manner and the matter shall be treated as such