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CHOPPER CORNER

Flips – Down Memory Lane…

This month’s Chopper Corner leads me down memory lane. Well, I think that rings true for each month’s entry. You see… I’m
wanting others to share their memories too… from wherever you may find yourself in the aviation environment – military or
civvy – experimental or vintage. If you have something to share here on Chopper Corner, please send it to us. We LOVE aviation…
especially chopper flying!

OK, so… why am I stumbling down memory lane? Simple really. Earlier this year I found the SAAFA FB page – and soon dis-
covered the photos taken by Dr Stefaan Bouwer – and, thanks again for the use of your great images. Also, in February, the SAAF
celebrated an “unofficial” centenary event at AFB Swartkop. Some of the choppers in the formation actually seem to belong to the
SAAF Museum but they flew with the regular air force machines during the flypast.

A few photos of one of the choppers in the formo caught my eye. Alo 628. Why did it catch my eye? Well, because it brought back
the above-mentioned memories. This particular Alouette was stationed at the squadron where I served. So, I looked back in my
logbooks to find the date when I last spent time on board during a flight. Seems we did a test flight on the machine on 16 AUG
1990. I’d logged 15 minutes which implies that we carried out a tail rotor check. Mmmm… I didn’t like doing them… some may
say the check required too much rotational stress on the airframes.

Anyway – included in this month’s issue is a photo taken in February 2020… almost thirty years after I’d last flown in the machine!
This is a great testament to the crews who fly and maintain these now historic aircraft! And – it is a great memory jogger for the
likes of aircrew members like me… hence the need for us to share our memories… before they are lost…

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