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This year's air show bigger and better

27/09/2009 00:00:00 SIBUSISO NGUBANE

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MATSAPHA—This year’s Swaziland International Air show has been described by the organisers as bigger and better than the previous years.

The annual event, which was held at Matsapha International Airport, saw thousands of people attending yesterday. According Jabu Ngubane, the Manager at the airport, this year’s event even saw aircrafts from the SADC region participating—which did not happen last year.

“In the past only local, privately owned aircrafts and the South African Air force participated in the show but this year we had participants from Lesotho, Zambia and Zimbabwe,” explained Ngubane.
Although he could not estimate the number of the people present, he said they were very impressive. He explained that this year the South African Air force was not amongst the participants as they were engaged in a peace keeping exercise.

This year’s director of the air show, Edgar Du Pont concurred with Ngubane that the show was an overwhelming success given that it was well advertised. He said a total of 30 aircrafts participated in this year’s event, while last year only 14 aircrafts made it.

“The attendance was also impressive as estimates show that around 15 000 people attended the show yet last year the estimates showed around 11 000 attended,” said an excited Du Pont.
He said everything went according to plan as the performances were great, the weather was fine and the people were happy about the show.

“The show was accident and incident free save for the children who got lost,” he said.
He thanked all those who made it and promised that next year, it would be even bigger and better than this year.
The Commentator from Capital Sounds, Brain Emmenise, said he was also impressed by this year’s show.
“This is an amazing show with the fact that the organisers were able to bring so many aircrafts from so many countries,” said Emmenise.

He said he travelled to a lot of air shows around Africa but said it was not everyday that you see so many aircrafts in one place. He applauded the Swazi crowd which attended the show.
“This year’s air show is bigger, better and faster,” he said confidently.
The around 15 000 people were treated to a lot of displays by the aircrafts and they also watched people land in parachutes. Present during the show was minister of public works and transport Ntuthuko Dlamini and other dignitaries.