PE’s Airforce Museum deserves to be discovered

I am often amazed at how many people didn't know that Port Elizabeth has a South African Airforce Museum.  Located behind the airport in a restored World War II hanger, the museum has a great collection of planes, choppers, equipment, uniforms, models and other paraphernalia.  It's easy to get to, just follow  Forrest Hill Drive through Forrest Hill and around to the back of the airport.  The museum will interest both young and old and is absolutely free with a…

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Then and Now – Port Elizabeth Airport

I've been collecting historic photos from the Port Elizabeth groups on Facebook to be able to do Then and Now posts and found the "Then" one in this post showing the Port Elizabeth Airport in what I guess was probable somewhere in the 60's.  Perhaps the older folk around here can help me out on this one.  The day after finding this photo I had to drop something off at the airport and snapped the "Now" picture.  Clearly there's a lot more cars, and…

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Landing at Port Elizabeth Airport

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9es0xoF9x3o&w=500&h=400]If you have never flown into Port Elizabeth, I have something for you today.  If you have flown into the city before I'm sure you'll still enjoy it.  This week's Video Friday post is a video by Angelo the Explorer shot out the window of the plane as he came in for a landing in Port Elizabeth.  It starts as the plane comes in from the east over Kings Beach, then Humewood and Forest Hill before touching down.

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Airshow cockpit footage

https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/geLUD9560hA&source=udsA couple of weeks ago the very successful Baywest Port Elizabeth Airshow took place at the PE Airport.  I came across this rad video on the Algoa FM channel featuring some GoPro action from inside the cockpit of one of the planes taking part in the airshow.

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The static Albatross

Every day a number of commercial and private planes take off and land at the Port Elizabeth Airport, but outside the airport there are two planes that just hang around, not going anywhere.  The one is a Piaggio P.166, a twin-engine pusher-type utility aircraft developed by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Piaggio Aero.  In the South African military the aircraft is known as the Albatross and was used by the South African Air force from 1969 to 1993.

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Arrival of the Blitzbokke

This weekend (the whole week actually) is a big weekend in the Bay.  Its the weekend when the South African leg of the International Rugby Boards 7's world series takes place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.  Its two days of action packed rugby on the field and lots of party action off it.  All 16 teams taking part came in on two flights last night and I was lucky enough to make the special list to get me past the supporters and into the arrivals area.  I…

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Soccer ball structures

When the soccer ball structures on the traffic circles outside the Port Elizabeth Airport were erected before the 2010 FIFA World Cup it made heads turn.  Its become a feature on the city's roads, welcoming visitors to the Friendly City and showing off our sporting heritage.  I stopped at the structures the other day to snap a couple of pictures and wondered how many people who regularly drive past it still notice them.  Just a pity the fades flags haven't been replaced.  If it…

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Welcome Mango

Yesterday (Wednesday, 5 December 2012) was the inaugaral flight by Mango Airline into Port Elizabeth with the airline now offering low cost flights between PE and Johannesburg as well as Cape Town.  I was invited to the launch function at the Port Elizabeth Airport to see the first flight land although I wasn't able to join the pro togs on the tarmac to get some closeup pictures.  The view from the function venue was awesome though when the two fire trucks…

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Airport plane

There are two planes on display outside the Port Elizabeth Airport.  The first one is an Impala on top of Aviators Bar and Grill and the second one which is situated next to the parking lot is an Albatross.  The Albatross was a maritime aircraft used by the South African Navy for patrols.

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