‘Flipping’ fun in a Harvard

Marnus van Staden was the lucky winner of a flip in a Harvard.

Van Staden attended the 12th annual Rand Airport Air Show on Sunday, September 29, with the aim of seeing some daring feats, magnificent aerial displays and breath-taking aerial aerobatics, and having a good day with his father.

But it seems Lady Luck had other, more exciting plans in mind, and his entrance ticket won him a flight in a Harvard.

The world renowned Eqstra Flying Lions team, comprising aerobatic stalwarts Scully Levin, Arnie Meneghelli, Stewart Lithgow and Ellis Levin, regularly grab headlines with their daring feats and magnificent aerial displays in their four T6 Harvard aircraft, at air shows held around South Africa.

The Harvard is an advanced trainer aircraft which was used by the South African Air Force.

After a lot of running around, van Staden found Stuart Coetzee, the new manager of Rand Airport, and claimed his prize with great joy.

With Coetzee’s help, Stuart van Staden scheduled his flight.

The flight took place on October 3, which happened to be van Staden’s 19th birthday.

Van Staden’s flight would be with Arnie Meneghelli, Eqstra Flying Lions and Gabriel Wings display pilot.

Shortly after 5pm, Meneghelli and van Staden took off from Rand Airport for what would be an unforgettable flight.

Meneghelli thrilled van Staden with high G-turns, rolls, loops, and other impressive aerobatic manoeuvres.

If that wasn’t amazing enough, Meneghelli dived and raced over some hills before heading back to Rand Airport.

“I would like to thank Stuart Coetzee and Arnie Meneghelli for all their trouble and for giving me the opportunity to live every aviation enthusiast’s dream, as well as making my birthday truly unforgettable,” van Staden said.

“I will definitely be back at the Grand Rand Air Show next year, with very high hopes.”