Pilot dies at airshow
KYALAMI - South African Red Bull athlete and aerobatics pilot Glen Dell died after crashing his plane while performing at the Secunda Airshow.
Vanessa Jackson, spokesperson for ER24 said that Dell (51) sustained second and third degree burns in the plane crash.
She said, “His entire body was burned, there was only a small section on his stomach on which he did not have burns.”
Jackson added after Dell’s plane crashed he was airlifted by a private helicopter company to Medi-Clinic Highveld for medical attention. From there ER24 airlifted him to Sunninghill Hospital where he eventually succumbed to his injuries.
According to Red Bull South Africa, he was a former Red Bull air race competitor.
Dell, who was a Kyalami resident, had flown well over 25 000 hours on over 250 different types of aircraft, and his niche was flying vintage planes and helicopters.
At the sixth Advanced World Aerobatic Championships in 2004 he came first overall, thereby becoming the first South African ever to win the coveted title.
On his website Dell wrote that his role model was any person who had passion. He wrote, “It is very easy to see the difference in performance in a person driven by passion as opposed to money or ego.”
He also wrote that his favourite saying was “Always reach for the stars”.
