The Ballito 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, RV’s, Cubs, and similar). It is located inside King Shaka airspace, and has a unique agreement in place allowing the club to operate. This does result in the requirement to be transponder equipped. Two specific corridors are in place allowing for routings to and from the airfield.
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). Within our ‘box’, we operated on Durban Special Rules frequency of 124.2, and if utilising the ‘Blue Route’ would talk to King Shaka Air Traffic Control on 118.45.
We have 4 runways in use which include:
Runway 08/26 – 500 Metres, Grass
Runway 18/36 – 300 Metres, Grass
The Club Website is located in the following link: http://www.balaero.co.za/
Details for the routings and general club procedures can be found in the following location: http://www.balaero.co.za/documents/BMC%20Joining%20Procedures%2018%20November%202010.pdf
The club has a wonderful atmosphere and there are great facilities for visiting pilots as well as club members – including a great clubhouse and braai area.
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 Durban Special Rules frequency) and to squawk 1440 at all times.
There is also a special VFR route within the King Shaka 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).