Displays - Non-government

Inauguration of Aero Sports Flying Club 700-foot strip – 12 March 1988

The following reported appeared in the March 1988 issue of the AAE Newsletter, written by John Visanich.

A 700-foot packed earth strip for microlight flying was inaugurated at the former Ghajn Tuffieha rifle ranges on Saturday, 12th March. The land has been made available to the Aero Sports Flying Club by the Government, free of rent. My long drive from Zurrieq was well worth, for not only did I get the opportunity of examining the first microlight on the Maltese civil aircraft register, but also got some excellent action shots of Eagle Aviation’s Seneca 9H-ABH, Task Force Bell 47G-2 9H-AAH and Rallye of the Luqa Flying Group, which gave short flying displays for the occasion. The helicopter was also on static display throughout the morning. The Hornet Dual Trainer Raven microlight 9H-ABI (c/n HRVA 0059/2000-0224, ex-G-MNZT) arrived at the site on a small trailer behind a Volkswagen van, with its disassembled wing on the back of a small pick-up van. It was brought England in this way, with the wing on the roof rack of the car towing the aircraft trailer. The Raven’s fuselage is finished in dark blue with white stripes and fuel tank. The wing has red abnd blue upper surfaces, and is white and blue underneath, with the registration and legend Hornet Raven in large lettering on the undersides. The vertical fin is blue whit a white and black even motif. The aircraft made its first flight in Malta that lasted half-an-hour on Friday, 11th March, with British Richard Wolfenden at the controls. No flying took place on the inauguration day due to a strong crosswind. Raven 9H-ABI had a total time of five hours before coming to Malta. The other two microlights on the island are a CFM Shadow and a Vector 600.

AIRCRAFT	OPERATOR	IDENTITY	NOTES
AB-47G-2	Helicopter Flight	9H-AAH	Took part in both flying display and static line-up.
Hornet Dual trainer Raven		9H-ABI	Static line-up only.
Piper Seneca	Eagle Aviation	9H-ABH	Flying display only.
Socata Rallye	Luqa Flying Group	9H-AAY	Flying display only.

PORT PARACHUTING 4 – 14 July 1994

The following report appeared in the Luqa Aviation Yearbook 1995.

This is another branch of aviation sports that seems to be gathering momentum.

June 4 saw the start of a ten-day international competition organised by the aviation sports association together with the Dutch group Skydive Over Europe. A number of parachutists from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, as well as some local Maltese members, participated in the event which was held at Ta' Qali.

A special plane was brought over for the activity in the shape of LET L-41OUVP D-COXC. The aircraft was based at Luqa from June 1 to 10. Prior to the arrival of the Turbolet, local Piper Lance 9H-ABU was also used for some paradropping.

General Aviation Open Weekend, 10-11 November 2001

An event that was going to be organised by the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (Malta), it had to be cancelled due to the high insurance premiums, following the attacks of 9/11. It would have featured both a static and flying display.