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Farai Kuvirimirwa Entertainment Reporter
Aviation fanatics are in for a rare treat on September 7 when the country hosts the continent’s largest air show to be graced by the world’s renowned aerobatics at Charles Prince Airport.
The air show titled “The Big African Air Show” will exhibit aerobatic skills by pilots from across that will showcase various talents using modern fighter jets and old war planes among others.

The last show hosted by the country was held in 1995 and spectators got a surprise when the London bound Air Zimbabwe’s Boeing 707-300b did a low flyby to their amazement.
This year’s event open with a grand flypast at 10am by the Air Force of Zimbabwe and end with a final mass crossover flypast by all aircraft at 5pm.

Big African Show organiser Isaac Levy confirmed the development saying 20 aircraft are coming from South Africa this week to showcase their aerobatic prowess.
“Air Force of Zimbabwe will open the event where the country will host world renowned aerobatic pilots.

“It was prompted by one pilot who used to reside in Zimbabwe who said he wants to come and do a little show for the people and we urged him to bring more people.
“It is an important show because the pilots rarely get together to this magnitude in Africa.

“They will showcase modern aerobatic type of planes to old war planes of the 1940s,” said Levy.
Levy said the AFZ will conduct a one hour performance in the afternoon with the K8 fighter jets and SF260s.
“The gates will be opened at 6am and it is important since the last show was held in 1995.

|The difference of this year’s event is there will be showcasing latest technology on the planes and we are expecting more than the 15 000 people who graced the event in 1995.
“There will be catering services and entertainment on the day and the VIP chairs are very limited to 2 000.
“ People can bring own chairs and the success of this year’s event will determine it to be an annual event,” he said.

Levy said the pilots will start arriving early this week from Johannesburg with some passing through Bulawayo.
He said there will be emergency medical services on standby including a helicopter for emergency evacuation purposes.
Spectators would have an opportunity to watch the international aerobatics teams such as the Good Year Eagles with their Pitts Special formation, Mock dog fights, Extra 300L solo aerobatics, Slick 540, MX2 formation and Sbach solo aerobatic displays among others.

There will be also advanced aerobatic aircraft multiple tail chase and merry go round displays.
Tickets are on sale at Sam Levy’s Village Ster Kinekor and the Clock Tower.
Among renowned pilots will be Neville Ferreira who will perform with the Slick 540 and the Goodyear Eagles Aerobatics team.

The Goodyear Eagles consists of seven highly experienced pilots who conduct aerobatics, with the leadership of Glen Warden, on a part-time basis with the legendary Aviat built Pitts Special S2B.

They have an excess of 60,000 flying hours among them including Dennis Spence, a retired South African Airways Airbus A340 Senior Captain (retired) with more than 24900 flying hours, Glen Warden a British Airways/Comair Boeing 737 training captain with over 14,000 flying hours and Johan Von Solms a South African Airways A340 pilot, with over 13500 flying hours.

There is also Nigel Hopkins an Airline Transport pilots licencee with 16000 flying hours.
Fireworks are to be expected at this mega event and aviation enthusiasts are expected.