PLANES, DRONES & AIRCRAFTS

UPDATE 26.4.2024. IMPORTANT:

A view from the sky of the future airstrip and event site for 2024.

• NO DRONES are allowed at Afrikaburn. They will be confiscated. Please leave them at home
• NO FLYING BELOW 3000 ft agl over the event. If you are doing scenic tours make sure you are aware of other aircraft activities.
• HELICOPTERS CAN LAND at the event if preregistered and have landing passes (email airspace@afrikaburn.com)
• Airspace does not organise flights, only secures areas where flying objects land. Please contact tour operators directly.

FLYING IN. Can I land at Afrikaburn 2024?

Good news

• Basic Assessment, public participation and final report ready to submit tomorrow!!! YEAH. In English...we are in final landing approach to have permission to build the runway "We will submit as soon as you give the go ahead." I have reviewed the 400 pages this evening and have given the go ahead. Fully committed to this CREATION of runway can only be done after the event.
• Helicopters CAN land at the event (not at the existing landing pad but at the new one at the gate) See below. Have to be registered and book landing times before the event.
• Our neighbours don't object and we have had constructive input by over 20 parties.

Bad news

• We have been waiting on approval to build the runway for the event. All systems are in place to run the airstrip if we are successful, Unfortunately NO RUNWAY THIS YEAR despite our bestest efforts.
• NO DRONES at event.

Proposed Airstrip

When we build the airstrip, this will be the layout of the aerodrome:

DO NOT LAND HERE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THIS WILL BE A PRIVATE UNMANNED AIRSTIP. PRIOR PERMISSION REQUIRED TO LAND AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR.

Main changes from flying into AFRIKABURN:

• No fixed wing aircraftes
• There WILL be a dedicated helicopter landing pad
• passengers and pilots will have to enter through the main event gate
• fees will be charged
• prior permission required
• no camping on airstrip
• there will be a non-exclusive shuttle operating between gate and event site to ferry volunteers and peeps.
  

  AfrikaBurn Airspace

PLEASE NOTE: AT THE EVENT we will have a helipad for emergency evacuations only.

Do not land at Tankwa National Park, the airstrip has been decommissioned.

OTHER FLY IN OPTIONS?

There are 2 airstrips in the neighbourhood. We are confirming their willingness and availability to receive planes and passengers.We don't organise the flights, but regulate and facilitate access for pilots.

- You can contact these companies for flying in to the Tankwa, they will use neighbouring airstrips and there are limited flights available.

- Plane: at this stage, none of the charter orgs are offering flights, due to high costs and scarcity of fixed wing aircrafts.

Helicopters: [[1]] and [[2]]

FLYING IN TO AFRIKABURN – important information

As there is no airstrip this year 2024, you need to fly to neighbouring airstrip and organise transport to event.

For flying either option is to Tankwa Tented Camp (Tankwa International airport)  OR  Skoorsteenberg airstrip. I have indicated the placement on Google Earth Pro (free installation) for your pleasure -just enter the coordinates. The new AB airport will be GVOK airport and approximate location is indicated as well.

SKOORSTEENBERG·      

You need to book directly with Frik Clasen 063 584 7642 the new farm manager. Owner: Werner Steenkamp 0823367333

·      They may be able to assist with lift to the event site.

·      It has a cross runway

·      ROAD ROUTE: https://goo.gl/maps/dgYQZ2Lv5Q3C419XA

·      ROAD CONDITION: its 30 km from airstrip to Afrikaburn gate – took us 23 minutes in Golf Polo. The road has been repaired after the recent storms and normal car can access the farm.

·      There will most likely be wifi available at the plane hanger and they will assist with transport to the event site.

Skoortsteenberg Private Runway. Contact owners to arrange permissions to land.

AIRSTRIP COORDINATES (approx.)

Centre point: 32⁰27’24.37S 19⁰54’46.

RW 36 32⁰37’42.16S/19⁰54’44.73E     

RW27 32⁰37’27.83S/19⁰55’5.98E

RW6 32⁰37’21.71S/19⁰54’28.51E     

RW32⁰37’13.71S/19⁰54’45.91E

Skoorsteenberg to Quaggafontein

TANKWA TENTED CAMP

·       You need to book with Henk: [[3]]

·      Its approx. 45 minute drive with 4 x 4 on shorter route (essential due to rain damage) or 1 1/4 hour with normal car on longer route via R355, TTC is offering a shuttle service to Afrika burn for R750 one way)

·      ROUTE: https://goo.gl/maps/fqTU6Ct9K2cLpE1z6

·      ROAD CONDITION : Need 4x4 for the shorter route through Tankwa National Park, or otherwise use R355 route to get to the event.

AIRSTRIP COORDINATES :

32°20.055'S 019°45.208'E

Tankwa Tented Camp Runway

The short cut road is in much better condition. But best to use 4x4 on this route.

Route TTC to Quaggafontein

FLYING TO THE EVENT AS A PILOT, CHARTER ORGANISATION OR PASSENGER? WANT TO HIRE A PLANE?

Charter companies have yet to register there intent to offer services to participants. Please contact airspace@afrikaburn.com. These applications will be processed in January 2024.

VOLUNTEER AT AIRSPACE

THIS NEEDS AN UPDATE.

We require the help of a number of participants to run, build and plan the airport for 2024. This year we will have helicopters flying in, and we need to build helipad at the gate.

For 2024 we are definitely looking for 5- 7 people with airband radio licences to assist us in managing the airways and monitor airband radio traffic. Please email airspace@afrikaburn.com to volunteer. If we haven't built the runway we still need help

- setting up runway lights for AMS on Skoorsteenberg farm

- designing a super sexy air traffic control tower for 2025.

- relocating the plants on the airstrip to our educational garden - this has been postponed, but is feasable.

- planning operations for 2025.

We meet online once a month on Tuesday thoughout the year.

WE ARE GOING TO BE CAMPING VERY NEAR DMV. CONTACT US VIA RADIO IF YOU CAN'T FIND US (ASK A RANGER OR ANY ORG PERSON WITH A RADIO). WE ARE THERE FROM 27TH APRIL.

If you want to start getting involved now, we are looking for people with the following skills. Please email to airspace@afrikaburn.com

• Information Wrangler - maintain websites, coordination with COs, Quicket, data collection, analysis and sharing

• Volunteer and media support - recruit, motivate, schedule, brief and thank
• Ticketing – Box Office coordination.
• Technical support, test our equipment pre-event, fix if needed, infrastructure installation – internet, power, cameras at event.
• Camp supervisor – arrange and coordinate camping etc and participants
• Art/Graphic Designer – design logo and t-shirt, images etc for pimping camp, assist in preparing paperwork and documentation for website.
• Industrial designer/builder – Need to design luggage cart and ‘box’ for airband radio/ builder to build luggage cart and box for airband radio.

PARACHUTING AND SKYDIVING INTO AFRIKABURN

This is under deliberation. We have some professional skydivers that are investigating the possibility. Only SA registered sky divers with over 100 jumps under the belt will be allowed to participate.

No Drone Zone

DRONES - No drones are allowed at AfrikaBurn

Besides being an invasion of privacy, drones are also not allowed to be flown close to an active airstrip.

With this in mind, and because of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations, RECREATIONAL DRONES ARE NOT PERMITTED AT AFRIKABURN.

There are four reasons we don't allow drones:

1. It's illegal to fly a drone in proximity to people.

2. It's dangerous.

3. It's an invasion of privacy - they would have to get CONSENT (permission) from EVERYONE on the Binnekring or anyone sitting on a Throne before filming.

4. We lie in a buffer zone for a national park and drones are prohibited due to the risk of poaching, as well as animal and visitors disturbance.

After last years fiasco - with over 12 drones being confiscated in 2023, this year we will confiscate all drones and they will NOT be returned. If you want it returned we will have to lay a criminal charge against you with the police.

FLYING OVER THE EVENT

No flying below 3,000 feet over the event site during the event. We will be monitoring airspace activity and any planes, ufos or helicopters flying too low will be reported to CAA.

The new venue borders the Tankwa Karoo National Park. Pilots wanting to fly over the event need to be aware of the following restrictions and plan a flight path accordingly.

No flying under 2,500ft in a national park or else risk a fine of R5 million rand or 5 years imprisonment.

Please refer to sections 47 and 89 FROM THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: PROTECTED AREAS ACT 57 OF 2003 1.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Email us at airspace@afrikaburn.com

Airspace Information