SABC Aerobatics Guidelines
These recommendations are in addition to the SABC rules, which clearly state:
Aircraft operating from Serpentine Airfield shall do so in accordance with Civil Aviation Regulations.
All SABC pilots should at all times fly as safely as possible, and always within the constraints of their skill and experience.
All SABC pilots should endeavour at all times to fly with due consideration for other pilots, their passengers, and airfield neighbours.
All SABC members should conduct their flying with due regard to minimising noise disturbance to people on the ground.
Guidelines for performing aerobatics near or over Serpentine Airfield
It is acknowledged that the safest place to practice or perform aerobatics is over an airfield, since this gives the best chance of a safe landing in the event of engine, propeller or airframe failure, and ensures safety equipment with experienced aviation expertise, and witnesses are available in the event of an accident.
It also makes it possible for other club members to monitor those aerobatics, and comment constructively on their execution, accuracy, professionalism and safety. It also ensures that all SABC members will know exactly where any aerobatic practice will be happening.
It is acknowledged that anyone can fly over Serpentine at any height above 1,500 feet at any time, since this is free and open airspace.
Aerobatic flying by SABC members over Serpentine should be conducted with courtesy and consideration to other airspace users, and when any conflict occurs the aerobatics should be discontinued.
Whenever possible, aerobatic flying over Serpentine should take place between the hours of 8am and 6pm, or sunset if earlier. Aerobatic sorties should be limited to a maximum of 10 minutes.
Aerobatic flying at Serpentine should not take place over any buildings.
Aerobatic flying over Serpentine should only take place below 3,000 feet when the pilot is appropriately trained, endorsed and approved. The minimum altitude for aerobatics under these circumstances should usually be 1,500 feet AGL, to prevent conflict with circuit traffic. This means that the bottom of the lowest manoeuvres should never go below 1,500 feet AAL.
When an aerobatic pilot is endorsed and approved to a lower level than 1,500 feet, he should only practice or display over Serpentine when there is nobody in or approaching the circuit, and nobody about to fly. Aircraft arriving or departing Serpentine during aerobatics have the right of way. If another aircraft approaches close to the aerobatics manoeuvring airspace, the aerobatic pilot should immediately establish radio contact and maintain safe separation, or else discontinue his practice, and only begin again after all other aircraft have either landed or left the area.
Aerobatic pilots should be reminded of the phenomenon of altimeter lag. This means that manoeuvres involving high rates of climb and descent can result in the altimeter lagging up to 300 feet behind the aircraft. This can mean an aircraft may be several hundred feet below its indicated altitude. This normal instrument error will not be accepted as an excuse for performing aerobatics below the minimum height.
YSEN Self-Service Fuel Bowser
Busy Bees
Generally on the second Sunday of each month (unless rescheduled for mothers' day etc) members get together at Serpentine for a Busy-Bee, under the guidance of a volunteer coordinator. Routine tasks include fence maintenance, clearing fallen tree limbs, mowing, sweeping, clubhouse cleaning and painting. Click below for a list of jobs outstanding.
Airfield Layout
Approved Aircraft
This is a list of aircraft approved to be based at Serpentine Airfield, as at 24 Sep 2023.
To contact any owner you can check for their details in the Membership Directory (member access only) or contact the Membership Registrar (see Contact Us).
Type | Registration | Category | Owner | Builder | Notes |
Alarus CH2000 | VH-MJY | Commercially Built | Brian Moore | ||
Auster J1 | VH-BEP | Vintage | John Balch | ||
Auster J1B | VH-AYJ | Classic | Glenn Shaw | ||
Auster J2 | VH-BNQ | Classic | Barry Campbell | ||
Auster J5G | VH-KCG | Classic | Garth Cruden | ||
Bede BD 5 | VH-IWG | Amateur Built - ABAA | Gordon Johanson | Gordon Johanson | |
Bingo | 19-5079 | Amateur Built - RAA | Brent Emery | Brent Emery | |
Botes/van Heerden Bitzer Twin | VH-EBT | Amateur Built - Exp. | Dawie Botes | Dawie Botes | |
Bucker Jungman | VH-FBJ | Ex-Military | Bert Filippi | ||
Cessna 150 | 24-5070 | Commercially Built | Tony Dale | ||
Cessna 150A | VH-LPA | Commercially Built | Tom Emmans | ||
Cessna 172 | VH-BAZ | Commercially Built | David Hill | ||
Cessna Cardinal | VH DZP | Commercially Built | Ian Berry | Cessna | |
Colomban Cri Cri | VH-ZSE | Amateur Built - Exp. | Sakkie van Heerden | Sakkie van Heerden | |
Corby Starlet | VH-CKM | Amateur Built - ABAA | Garth Cruden | Colin Morrow | |
CT4 | VH-ANH | Ex-Military | Dave Gard | ||
Cuby | VH-JLH | Amateur Built - ABAA | Rob Felton | Rob Felton | |
Culp Special | VH-ZUZ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Peter Cash | Peter Cash | |
de Havilland DHC-1 | VH-RHW | Vintage | Glen Caple | Owner Restored Vintage | |
DR-107 One Design | VH-NBZ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Scott Adamson | ||
DR-107 One Design | VH-OND | Amateur Built - Exp. | Chris Shiels | ||
DynAero MCR Pick-Up | 19-2374 | Amateur Built - RAA | Jonathan Devine | ||
Eagle 150B | VH-RQQ | Commercially Built | Lindsay Danes | Eagle Aircraft Company | |
FK9 ELA | 24-7797 | Commercially Built | Viv Harris | ||
Flight Design CTSW | 24-4500 | Commercially Built | Telfer Bowman | ||
Flight Design CTSW | 24-8003 | Commercially Built | Murray Slavin | ||
Flitzer | VH-SFF | Amateur Built - Exp. | Mark Crawford | Mark Crawfod | |
FlySynthesis Storch | 24-5520 | Commercially Built | Chris Perryer | ||
FlySynthesis Storch | 24-7487 | Commercially Built | Peter Cash | ||
FlySynthesis Storch HS | 19-2345 | Amateur Built - RAA | Ron Kilcullen OAM | ||
FlySynthesis Storch HSJ | 24-4617 | Commercially Built | Gwyn Smith | ||
FlySynthesis Syncro | 24-8658 | Commercially Built | Gwyn Smith | ||
FlySynthesis Texan | 24-7285 | Commercially Built | Raymond Parsons | Approved 4 Mar 2023 | |
Focke Wulf 44J Stieglitz | VH-FBU | Ex-Military | Bert Filippi | ||
Fournier RF4 | VH-HDO | Unique Aircraft | Bob Grimstead | ||
Funk B85C | 24-7706 | Vintage | Andrew McCandless | ||
Glasair | VH-OOA | Amateur Built - Exp. | Paul Pengilly | ||
Glasair Super IIR6 | VH-EXP | Amateur Built - Exp. | Steve Izett | Steve & Bob Izett | |
Hughes Lightwing | 28-1910 | Amateur Built - RAA | Gary Miles | ||
ICP Savannah | 19-8402 | Amateur Built - RAA | John Reymond | John Reymond | |
Jabiru 230 | 23-1734 | Commercially Built | Wayne Patterson | ||
Jabiru J120 | 24-5561 | Commercially Built | Derrick Bennett | ||
Jabiru J330D | 24-7288 | Commercially Built | Neil Carey | ||
Jabiru UL | 19-3557 | Amateur Built - RAA | Barry Smith | ||
Jodel D-11 | 19-5269 | Amateur Built - RAA | John Reay | ||
Kitfox | 19-1596 | Amateur Built - RAA | Noel Mullee | ||
Legend 600 (Aeropilot) | 24-8710 | Commercially Built | Gwyn Smith | ||
Maule | VH-VVG | Commercially Built | Bob Grimstead | ||
Mooney 21 | VH-TPF | Commercially Built | Rob Ozanne | ||
Morgan Aeroworks Cheetah | 19-5456 | Amateur Built - RAA | Michael Richardson | ||
Nord 3202 | VH-UFB | Ex-Military | Bert Filippi | ||
Onex | VH-OXN | Amateur Built - Exp. | Wayne Bone | Wayne Bone | |
Panther | 19-1320 | Amateur Built - RAA | Steve Chapman | Steve Chapman | |
Pazmany PL2 | VH-IMQ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Michael Radford Smit | Approved 1 Jul 2023 | |
Piel Emerald | VH-IMP | Amateur Built - Exp. | Rob Milton | Rob Milton | |
Piel Super Diamant CP605 | VH-KGW | Amateur Built - Exp. | Graham Rawlings | Graham Rawlings | |
Pientenpol Air Camper | 19-1700 | Amateur Built - RAA | Alain Belen | Graham Hewitt | |
Pietenpol | VH-UCP | Amateur Built - Exp. | Carol Filippi | ||
Piper J3 Cub | VH-LRU | Classic | David Mills | ||
Piper L3 (PA18) | VH-ERW | Vintage | Lars Larson | App'd 13 Apr 2024 | |
Piper PA18-135 | VH-DKD | Classic | Marcus Geisler | ||
Piper PA22-150 | VH-OLD | Commercially Built | Brady Phillips | ||
Piper PA28/140 | VH-STR | Commercially Built | Ian Edgell | ||
Piper PA28/140 | VH-ITW | Commercially Built | Ian Wright | ||
Piper PA28/180 | VH-AMN | Commercially Built | Malcolm Parsons | ||
Piper Warrior | VH-DJR | Commercially Built | SABC | ||
Pitts S12 | VH-WOQ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Rod Edwards | Rod Edwards | |
Pitts S1S | VH-LTF | Amateur Built - Exp. | Rory Hicks | George J Reeve Jr | |
Pitts Special S1 | VH-ISI | Amateur Built - Exp. | Gordon Johanson | ||
Quad City Challenger | 28-473 | Amateur Built - RAA | Tony Phillips | ||
Ragwing | 19-1518 | Amateur Built - RAA | Don McCall | Les Fullwood | |
Rans S-12XL | 28-1060 | Amateur Built - RAA | William Simons | ||
Rans S6 Coyote | 19-3135 | Amateur Built - RAA | Barry Sweeney | ||
Sapphire Winton LSA | 25-141 | RAA 95.25 | Howard Jones | Approved 5 Aug 2023 | |
Scottish Aviation SK61 Bulldog | VH-CHU | Ex-Military | Charlie Chua | ||
Silver Centenary | VH-USC | Amateur Built - Exp. | Anita Edwards | ||
Skycraft Scout | 10-174 | Commercially Built | Chris Perryer | ||
Skyfox CA22 Elan | 55-0676 | Amateur Built - RAA | Rory Hicks | ||
Skyfox Gazelle | 24-3798 | Commercially Built | Bill Day | Bill Day & Gavin Strack | |
Skyfox Gazelle | VH-JND | Commercially Built | Alasdair Smith | ||
Socata Rallye 893e | VH-INF | Commercially Built | Martin Ford | ||
Socata TB20 Trinidad | VH-TBZ | Commercially Built | Ken Rear | ||
Sopwith Scout (Pup) | VH-NHD | Amateur Built - Exp. | Bert Filippi | ||
Spitfire | VH-BPD | Amateur Built - Exp. | Murray Kester | Murray Kester | |
Stits Sky Coupe | 19-9710 | Amateur Built - RAA | Don Woodward | Dave Woodward | |
Stolp Acroduster Too | VH-UBC | Amateur Built - Exp. | Charlie Chua | ||
Sud Aviation GY 80 Horizon | VH-YOG | Commercially Built | Allan Churn | ||
Taylor Monoplane | 19-8116 | Amateur Built - RAA | Chris Perryer | ||
Team HiMax 1400 | 19-1683 | Amateur Built - RAA | Michel Van Der Sluis | Michel Van Der Sluis / Dawie Botes | |
Thorp T18 | VH-BVO | Amateur Built - Exp. | Brian Olney | Brian Olney | |
Tiger Moth | VH-WFN | Vintage | Bill Dearle | ||
Tiger Moth | VH-NIG | Vintage | Nigel Emmans | ||
Tiger Moth | VH-DWD | Vintage | Bert Filippi | ||
Tiger Moth | VH-CXL | Vintage | Jimmy Mitton | ||
Tiger Moth | VH-ZSA | Vintage | Andrew Mitton | Approved 4 Feb 2023 | |
Vans RV3B | 19-8684 | Amateur Built - RAA | Ian Byers | Ian Byers | |
Vans RV4 | 19-1517 | Amateur Built - RAA | Guy Dutertre | AF Curtis | Approved 4 Mar 2023 |
Vans RV6 | VH-ASF | Amateur Built - Exp. | Shirley Harding | Shirley Harding | |
Vans RV6 | VH-TBH | Amateur Built - Exp. | Gavin Humphreys | Gavin Humphreys | |
Vans RV6 | VH-SWM | Amateur Built - Exp. | David Mills | ||
Vans RV6 | VH-YLC | Amateur Built - Exp. | Andrew Tainsh | Andrew Tainsh | |
Vans RV6 | VH-MMZ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Zak Zaklan | Sak Zaklan | |
Vans RV6 | VH-SJV | Amateur Built - Exp. | Eric Cheng | ||
Vans RV6 | VH-YUY | Amateur Built - Exp. | Martin Ford | Martin Ford | |
Vans RV6 | VH-XMW | Amateur Built - Exp. | Chris Shiels | ||
Vans RV6A | VH-CBO | Amateur Built - ABAA | Bo Hannington | Bo Hannington | |
Vans RV7 | VH-YSV | Amateur Built - Exp. | Rick Verwoord | Rick Verwoord | |
Vans RV-7 | VH-KEA | Amateur Built - Exp. | Rob Maley | Rob Maley | |
Vans RV7A | VH-VAN | Amateur Built - Exp. | Barry Collins | Barry Collins | |
Vans RV7A | VH-PVA | Amateur Built - Exp. | Peter Poland | ||
Vans RV7A | VH-TGA | Amateur Built - Exp. | Neville Witty | ||
Vans RV7A | VH-YOD | Amateur Built - Exp. | Clint Wood | Clint Wood | |
Vans RV-7A | VH-MRV | Amateur Built - Exp. | Robert Montgomery | Robert Montgomery | |
Vans RV8 | VH-VLY | Amateur Built - Exp. | Jos Bonnie | ||
Vans RV-8A Glow Worm | VH-ZSW | Amateur Built - Exp. | Dawie Botes | ||
Vans RV8 | VH-ZUR | Amateur Built - Exp. | Andrew Hurst | Approved 1 Apr 2023 | |
Vans RV9 | TBA | Amateur Built - Exp. | Kevin Nash | Approved 5 Aug 2023 | |
Vans RV10 | VH-IMZ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Ian Edgell | ||
Vans RV10 | VH-IJV | Amateur Built - Exp. | Ian Jenkins | Ian Jenkins | |
Vans RV12 | VH-CNR | Amateur Built - Exp. | John Bullock | John Bullock | |
Vans RV12 | VH-YOR | Amateur Built - Exp. | Shirley Harding | Shirley Harding | |
Vans RV12 | VH-YRT | Amateur Built - Exp. | Robert Melis | Robert Melis | |
Venturer 2 | 10-0224 | Amateur Built - RAA | William Simons | Don McCall | |
PZL-104 Wilga 35 | VH-TZL | Commercially Built | Tom Emmans | ||
Wittman Tailwind | VH-JPB | Amateur Built - ABAA | Howard Jones | ||
Wittman Tailwind | VH-UAT | Amateur Built - Exp. | Sakkie van Heerden | Sakkie Van Heerden | |
X-Air | 19-3177 | Amateur Built - RAA | Arthur Hindle | ||
Yakka | VH-YGJ | Amateur Built - Exp. | Gordon Johanson | Gordon Johanson | |
Zenith CH601 XL-B | 19-5466 | Amateur Built - RAA | Ian Hislop | ||
Zenith CH701 | 19-3715 | Amateur Built - RAA | John Balch | Arthur Williams | |
Zenith CH601HDS Zodiac | 19-5097 | Amateur Built - RAA | Revel Downing | Revel Downing | |
Zenith CH601XLB Zodiac | 19-7166 | Amateur Built - RAA | Peter Lalor | Peter Lalor |
- Details
- Written by: Philip Maley