Ex-SAAF pilot, Ballito’s Martin Kruger pens his memoirs

Dangerous missions and youthful escapades are the theme of Ballito resident Martin Kruger’s memoir, Helicopter Pilot, describing his career as a service member with the South African Airforce (SAAF).

Born and schooled in Franschoek, Martin learned to fly in a Harvard 7640 at flight school at Dunnottar outside Jo’burg.

“A three month Cessna 185 operational conversion course later and we were ready to defend the borders of South Africa,” he writes. With 363 hours flying experience, Martin was stationed at Rundu in South West Africa (now Namibia) in July of 1973. 

South West Africa was at this time an active conflict zone as one of the locations in the South African border war which ran from 1966 to 1990.

“This type of bush flying, landing on dirt roads and flying maximum all up weight really taught a young pilot how to handle his airplane – a good platform to start a flying career if one does not first kill oneself in the process.”

It had always been his passion to fly helicopters however, and in July 1974 his wish was granted as he was sent on an Alouette III training course in Ysterplaat.

After a break to complete a bachelor of science degree, he rejoined the SAAF as a captain. 

While stationed in Ondangua in Northern South West Africa, a few of the more colourful characters in the book appear. 

One is a flight engineer who dropped a live grenade out of the chopper mid-flight, unbeknownst to Martin, to test a theory of whether it would blow up when it hit the ground.

“We heard a dull wumphf as the grenade exploded, and 5 minutes later we heard a message that our ground forces were on their way to investigate an unknown explosion. We kept mum on the whole affair and his little secret remained with us until now.”

Martin now flies 5 days a month for the Red Cross Air Mercy Services. Married to Colleen since 1982 and with three children, he lives in Ballito.

The memoir can be ordered directly from him at 072 019 4689.