Local PPG around Fisantekraal Airfield and Durbanville area

Local PPG around Fisantekraal Airfield and Durbanville area.

Fisantekraal Airfield in the Durbanville area now has a special radio frequency of 131.1MHz, call "Fisantekraal Traffic".

When flying anywhere near the Durbanville area, the following procedures are to be observed:

When approaching within 5NM of Fistantekraal Airfield, make a broadcast call on Fisantekraal frequency 131.1MHz even if you are not routing to the airfield - advise traffic at Fisantekraal of your presence, your altitude and your intended route. Wait for any response. If no response (or after responding), you may return to 124.8MHz only if more than 2.5NM out, otherwise remain on 131.1MHz.

Be extremely cautious when crossing the extended center-line of runways 05-23 within 5NM of the airfield, advise 131.1MHZ before, during and after crossing the extended center-line. Keep a sharp visual watch (and radio watch) for traffic on final approach and traffic taking off from Fisantekraal when near the extended center-line.

All traffic within 2.5 Nautical Miles (NM) of Fisantekraal Airfield must remain in 131.1MHz and observe standard radio procedures and standard traffic-separation protocols.

When launching from Goedverwacht Airfield, Grootfontein Airfield or anywhere near the boundary of 2.5NM radius and intending to route outward, first make a call on Fisantekraal 131.1MHz (before lift-off) announcing your intensions and maximim altitude until you exit the area. e.g. "Fisantekraal traffic, motorised paraglider Alpha-Bravo-Charley, about to lift off from Goedverwacht Airfield, will be routing to the North below 1000ft. Any traffic?" After listening for a response, do the same on 124.8MHz, then proceed with launching.
Take note: Cape Town's CTR starts approx 2.6NM South West of Fisantekraal Airfield. Make sure you know where controlled airspace starts, do NOT stray into the CTR! You should have a copy of the 1 : 250 000 scale VFR chart of Cape Town. Download a small portion of the VFR chart here (2.4MB) (right-click, then click SAVE AS).
It is highly recommended that you mark Fisantekraal on your GPS, set the GPS on GO TO Fisantekraal in order to be aware of your distance from the airfield.
In case yor GPS is set to Metric units, 5NM = 9.26km while 2.5NM = 4.63km.
GPS Waypoints: Note: co-ords are in HDD MM.mmm format (i.e. Hemisphere, Degrees, Minutes with decimals of minutes - not seconds)
Fisantekraal Airfield: S33 46.278 E18 44.406
Grootfontein Airfield: S33 46.323 E18 42.165
Goedverwacht Airfield: S33 46.314 E18 41.481

Click on the small map to view a larger map of the area (or Right-click, then SAVE LINK AS, or SAVE TARGET AS).
The Purple line represents the extended center-line of Fisantekraal's runways 05-23.
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If you wish to view the area on Google Earth, download: fisantekraal.kmz (right-click, then SAVE AS)

Read also the procedures for Goedverwacht Airfield here!

Reminder of certain mandatory requirements for PPG which must be adhered to:

Reserves are mandatory for all Tandem flights undertaken with a paraglider-style wing, irrespective if powered, irrespective if used with a trike (even if the trike is similar to a PPC trike, its the WING that matters). Such reserves should be rated for tandem weights.

Airband Radio must be used on all powered flights, except if all (not just any) of the following can be undertaken throughout the entire flight:

maximum 1000 ft AGL throughout the entire flight
minimum 5 NM from any controlled airspace
minimum 5 NM distance from any airport or active airfield (not counting very small, private airstrips and crop-dusting strips not currently in use)
minimum 2 NM from any GFA (General Flying Area)
minimum 2 NM from any known air route, including the entire coastline of SA

This implies that all PPG pilots must have their airband radio license, own an airband radio and must be on the CORRECT FREQUENCIES at all times throughout each flight.

Exceptions:
PPG student under training may be on a chat channel provided the instructor monitors the local frequency, or the above requirements can be met.
Formation flying, formation leader to carry out radio calls on behalf of the formation, but there must be a second and third backup radio pilot in case of leader's radio failure.
during a formation flight, if the formation wishes to go to a chat channel to discuss changes in flightplan, conditions, etc, the entire formation to descend to the minimum safe altitude (definitely below 1000ftAGL) before changing to chat channel. (obviously cannot be done inside controlled airspace.) Revert back to local frequencies as soon as possible.

It is a mandatory requirement that every pilot have in his possession the latest local Aeronautical Charts of the highest detail level available for his local flying areas. This is required to determine correct radio frequencies as well as local airspace (controlled, prohibited, restricted, dangerous, Special Rules Areas, etc).
For Cape Town, this is the VFR AERONAUTICAL CHART OF THE SOUTH WESTERN CAPE region (scale 1:250 000).
Do not even think of flying anywhere in Cape Town if you do not have one of these charts in your possession!
This chart can be purchased from the government department of Surveys and Mapping in Mowbray. See: http://w3sli.wcape.gov.za
A small picture of the entire chart can be seen here
A closer view of Table Bay region can be downloaded here (1126x1024 pixels -285kb) (Note: Right-click, then select "SAVE AS")
A larger version (for broadband users) of the Table Bay region can be downloaded here (3307x2536 pixels -2.4MB) (Note: Right-click, then select "SAVE AS")
If this is not carried in flight, it should at least be in the pilot's car in order to review before each flight. When travelling and visiting other regions, it is imperative the pilot familiarises himself with the airspace in that region. If he does not purchase a map for that region, he must find a local pilot for a briefing and a viewing of the local pilot's charts.
Its worth getting one in plain paper (to carry inflight) and one laminated as a wall-chart to work on with overhead projector pens. They have branches for cash sales in: Mowbray- Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloem, PMB.

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