On Saturday 05 July 2008 the weatherman did not properly close the freezer door in Kimberley. Despite two cold fronts in succession with a rapid down pour in the late afternoon the organisers presented a credible show to the members of the public who attended, despite very chilly conditions. It’s been seven years since Kimberley staged an airshow as the last airshow was presented in 2001.

The early morning hours of Saturday the 24th May 2008 found some members of the IMG on their way to Polokwane to attend the second annual Helicopter Fun Day, arranged by the Pietersburg Flying Club and presented at the Pietersburg Civil Airfield.  While enjoying a quick breakfast, just outside Polokwane, worried faces watched the weather outside, with the cancellation of the Rand Airshow still fresh in mind.  Early morning fog was covering the hills around Polokwane and was so thick that the highway, only 70 odd metres distant was barely visible.  Fortunately the big “microwave oven” in the sky kicked in and by around 08h00, the fog broke up and lifted into scattered cloud that would remain for the day.  This was however high enough not to interfere with the planned activities of the day and more and more participants started to arrive.  The final total of helicopters and gyrocopters stood at 20 helicopters and 11 gyrocopters, a bit up on the previous year, especially on the gyrocopter side.