Photo: Supplied
Nampo’s airstrip has become renowned for the sheer volume that this tiny, grass covered airstrip handles each year.
Last year a total of 200 aeroplanes and 75 helicopters landed during the four-day event, each carrying on average between four and six people.
On 16 May 2019, Nampo reached a record for the most aircrafts landed at Nampo, totalling 190 aeroplanes and 47 helicopters that all landed within three hours.
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Cliff Lötter, air traffic controller at Nampo, and his team of three have to keep a solid focus during these four days, since unlike most commercial airports, there is no flight schedule.
“Pilots are not required to book a landing or take-off time slot. They generally just radio in when they are 10 miles out and we indicate when there is an opening to land.”
Peak landing times are between 6:30 and 11:00 each day, with take offs peaking between 15:00 and 17:00.
But while flying is a convenient way to avoid traffic, or long distances, Lötter told Farmer’s Weekly that most farmers who flew to Nampo, did so because they had a passion for flying, and that the expo was an ideal reason to spread their wings.
“Some farmers live 10km away, but fly instead of driving.”
He notes that those flying the furthest distance originated in the Western Cape, with many fruit and wine farmers making the trip for the day.
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Around 94% of the aircraft are flown by the farmers themselves, with the rest being chartered. Air passengers are mostly farmers, with a smaller number of businesspersons and corporate companies who have interests in agriculture.
With 18 years at the helm of the air traffic control tower, Lötter has been fortunate not to have witnessed any disasters on the runway.
“But there was one year where a whirlwind came through the field and toppled one of the aircraft, landing it on its back. No other aircraft was touched.
‘When we phoned the owner to inform him, he had no idea that his son had taken the aeroplane to Nampo for the day. His language was rather colourful,” Lötter laughs.
Information for Nampo Airfield:
- Runway length: 1 200m – grass
- Width: 20m x 20m, clean on all sides
- Height above sea level: ± 4 500
- Air traffic control times: 7am to 5pm
- Traffic pattern: left-hand turn
- Airspace: Radius S27° 13’ 36”, E26° 41’ 00”, five nautical miles (9k); height above ground 914m.
- Radio frequency: 120,2 MHz; call sign ‘Nampo Tower’
