We are indeed very fortunate to have, once again, hit the jackpot by securing 2 Aviation Legends as our esteemed guests this coming Thursday evening. Even more intriguing is the fact that they are father & son and their flying experiences stretch over two generations from the Berlin Airlift up to date.
Major General Duncan Ralston (retired SAAF) took part as navigator of Maritime Reconnaissance in SWA during WWII and the amazing “Berlin Airlift” after WWII. He spent his entire career in the SAAF where subsequent to the war he became a pilot flying DC3’s, Oxfords, Wellingtons, the Warwick (a modified Wellington used for search & destroy missions on U-boats), Vampires and Harvard’s. He finished his career as Director General of Planning and Strategy with the responsibility of writing the SANDF doctrines for Joint Warfare and Strategy. A very interesting and famous personality in South African history.
Trevor Ralston also started out in the SAAF back in 1967 on Harvards but very quickly switched to choppers flying all that the SAAF have owned, including Alouette IIs IIIs & Super Frelons. In 1977 he attended the Empire Test Pilot’s School at Boscombe Down UK and subsequently was involved as the Test Pilot for the first flights on the Alpha XH-1, the Puma S, Oryx, and Rooivalk helicopters. From 1988 he held a position at Denel Aviation as Manager of Flight Testing and Chief Helicopter Test Pilot. He spent much time in the development of the Oryx and Rooivalk as well as demonstrating the Rooivalk at many of the international airshows like Farnborough etc. Since 2005 he has been at ATE (Advanced Technologies & engineering) testing weapons and avionics upgrades to the Russian Mi-24 and Mi-171 helicopters.
The inimitable Captain Karl Jensen (SAA retired) is Talk Show Host and “gumbasher” extraordinaire.
- Date: Thursday 10th September 2009
- Time: 18h30 for 19h30 (time to order your Boerewors/Steak roll & drinks)
- Venue: EAA Auditorium adjacent to TAC and Holding point of Runway 29. Take the Hurricane Road entrance (NOT through the main gate)
- Cost: R30 (R20 for card carrying EAA, Aero Club & SAAMS members)
- Booking: Booking essential! Send an e-mail or simply phone Anne-Louise at the office between 09h00 & 17h00. If you want a specific seat, see seating plan.
Jeremy Woods
EAA Project Coordinator
EAA Auditorium
Rand Airport
