Balito Microlight Club (BMC) is a private aviation club situated just inland of the town of Ballito on the South African North Coast.
Our members fly microlights (Aquillas), light aircraft (Slings, Foxbats, RVs, Cubs, etc) and helicopters (Rotorway, Robbies, etc)
The club is also the home of the Ballito Microlight School which offers training and hire and fly (see Links below)
The Ballito airfield is situated within King Shaka International Airport's CTR (KSIA/FALE) and as such all aircraft are required to be radio and transponder equipped and all pilots must
be members of the club or approved visitors.
The airspace from ground to 1000ft AMSL around the airfield is known as the Ballito Box and includes the Ballito Corridor between the airfield and the CTR boundary at the Etete
Pioneer Bakery to the North East (around the North of Shaka's Kraal).
The airfield must be opened and closed with King Shaka via telephone on a daily basis. There is a red(closed) / green (open) LED light system on the main entrance hanagar and a backup flag system at the airfield entrance (flown at half mast while the LED system is operable) to indicate the box status. Once open, the box and corridor may be flown without radio contact with King Shaka ATC (the airspace appears as an obstacle on radar when open) but all
aircraft are to broadcast position reports and intentions to Ballito Traffic on 124.2 (which is also the Dbn Spec Rules frequency) and to squawk 1440 at all times.
There is also a special VFR route within the FALE CTR between the airfield and Sheffield beach known as the Blue Route.
Permission must be obtained from King Shaka Tower on 118.45 to use this route and you will remain under ATC control in the route.
As this route crosses the extended centre line of FALE's runway 06 the maximum altitude is 1000ft AGL (approx 1300ft AMSL).
NB: Pilots returning from cross countries and visitors must ensure the box is open before entering by listening out for Ballito circuit or traffic reports on 124.20 or by contacting King Shaka Tower on 118.45.
All Ballito aircraft to squawk 1440 while anywhere in the Durban Special Rules area unless otherwise instructed by King Shaka ATC.
| Name | Coords DDM(S) | Frequency | Elevation | Runways | Weather | Telephone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballito Airfield | S29 29.4 (24s) E031 10.6 (36s) |
TFC 124.20 | 200ft | 08/26 500m Grass, 18/36 300m Grass | ||
| Durban Special Rules | TFC 124.20 | 500 ft below TMA | ||||
| King Shaka (FALE) | S29 36.7 (42s) E031 07.2 (12s) |
TWR 118.45 APP 125.75 GND 121.65 ATIS 127.00 | 304ft | 06/24 3700m Tar | 032 435 5002 | |
| Margate (FAMG) | S30 51.5 (30s) E030 20.5 (30s) |
RDO 122.70 | 498ft | 05/233 1344m Tar | 039 312 0560 | |
| Pietermaritzburg (FAPM) | S29 38.9 (54s) E030 23.9 (54s) |
TWR 122.00 APP 125.75 (FALE) | 2423ft | 16/34 1537m Tar | 033 392 3103 | |
| Richards Bay (FARB) | S28 44.4 (24s) E032 05.6 (36s) |
TWR 118.90 | 109ft | 15/23 1300m Tar | 035 789 9630/0119 | |
| Virginia (FAVG) | S29 46.2 (12s) E031 03.5 (30s) |
TWR 120.60 | 20ft | 05/23 925m Tar | 031 563 4213 |
| Name | Position | Cell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Holdcroft | Chairman | 074 158 8896 | anthonyholdcroft@gmail.com |
| Len Kohler | Treasurer | 083 274 7838 | lenk@quicksoftware.co.za |
| Bryan Swanepoel | Secretarial | 082 880 2521 | bryan@boilerindustrialplant.co.za |
| Derek Love | Maintenance | 083 265 9517 | zetcane@mweb.co.za |
| Theo Moolman | Social | 083 386 0837 | tjmoolman@gmail.com |
| Name | Details | Web Address |
|---|---|---|
| Avcom | South African aviation community forum | www.avcom.co.za |
| Aviation Direct | South African airfield and aeronautical information | www.aviationdirect.co.za |
| Ballito Microlight School | Microlight training, flips and hire and fly | www.microlights.co.za |
| Comet | Rotax agents / avionics | www.cometaviationsupplies.co.za |
| King Shaka | King Shaka international airport home page | www.kingshakainternational.co.za/ |
| Microlighters | South African microlight community forum | www.microlighters.co.za |
| SA Weather Bureau | SA weather services | www.weathersa.co.za |
| Skyline Webcams | Live cameras on various Ballito beaches | www.skylinewebcams.com |
| Solowings | Aquilla Trike Manufacturers | www.solowings.co.za |
| Windfinder (Salt Rock) | Windfinder weather for Salt Rock beach | www.windfinder.com |
| Windguru (Salt Rock) | Windguru weather for Salt Rock beach | www.windguru.cz |