Twenty-five years behind the sound and broadcast operation
By Brian Emmenis
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After 25 years of providing the sound and broadcast equipment for Africa Aerospace and Defence, I have experienced more than a few AAD events at AFB Waterkloof. So, when I was appointed Host Broadcaster for AAD 2026, I was naturally curious to see how this year's event would unfold.
From the very beginning, there was something different. Communication between the various parties was excellent, planning was well underway and, for once, everything seemed to be moving in the same direction.
Then came the first surprise. Two weeks before our arrival, we already had our full accreditation. That might sound like a small thing, but after years of sometimes having to wait for accreditation, it came as a rather pleasant shock!
When we arrived at Gate One on setup day, another surprise awaited us. A Colonel was there to escort us onto the base. No fuss, no delays and no problems.
Things were looking very promising. Craig McDonald had arranged a cherry picker for us, which saved an enormous amount of time and expense. As a result, we were able to install the complete sound system in the exhibition hangars on the very first day of setup. That had never happened before.
On Sunday we turned our attention to the main crowd line - a one-kilometre stretch with loudspeakers positioned approximately every 30 metres. And then came another pleasant surprise. The SAAF had placed every single speaker stand in exactly the correct position.
I remember thinking: Can this get any better?
It could.
By the end of the second setup day, the entire crowd-line sound system had been installed. Monday was then spent tidying up and making final preparations while we waited for Wednesday and the start of broadcasting.
A different-looking static park
One thing that immediately caught my attention was the static park. Compared with previous AAD events, it looked remarkably open, with considerably fewer aircraft than I have become accustomed to seeing there. In previous years, the static display has included a substantial military presence from abroad, together with business jets and a wide variety of helicopters.
This year, that international military presence was noticeably reduced. There could, of course, be many reasons for this. The ongoing conflicts and security situation in various parts of the world may have influenced participation, while South Africa's international political relationships could also have played a role. Whatever the reasons, the difference was noticeable.
Interestingly, the chalet line appeared to be one of the longest I have seen at an AAD.
Inside the exhibition halls, however, it was very much business as usual. The halls were impressive, with the high standard visitors have come to expect from AAD.
And then the flying began. If the static park was somewhat quieter, the flying display certainly wasn't.
The organisers made excellent use of the assets available to them, putting together a dynamic programme that kept the crowd entertained. There were fast jets, plenty of action, and a series of military and mini-war scenarios that added plenty of excitement to the programme.
The passenger aircraft also made an impression, with two airliners demonstrating that size is certainly no barrier to putting on an impressive flying display.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of all was not in the sky. It was on the ground. The crowd came to see a show. The crowd line appeared to be considerably busier than in previous years. Hundreds of spectators cheered and applauded as aircraft thundered overhead, and what really impressed me was how long they stayed. Right until the end.
As the final displays finished, people were still there, and many only began making their way home as darkness descended over Waterkloof.
For anyone involved in staging an airshow, there can be few better signs that the audience enjoyed what they had experienced; a successful AAD
Despite being struck by a particularly nasty bout of flu during the event, I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw and experienced at AAD 2026.
The food was good, the toilets were clean, and the entire site felt safe and secure.
Congratulations are due to Nakedi Pasha and General Carl Moatshe, as well as everyone involved in making the event happen.
CAASA was also very hands-on throughout the show, with Kev Storey regularly making the rounds and ensuring that things were running smoothly.
From our own perspective, we achieved something particularly satisfying. We had a crew of fifteen over the ten days of the event and maintained 100% serviceability across all our sound and broadcast systems. After 25 years of AADs, that is something I am particularly proud of.
AAD 2026 may have looked somewhat different from some of the events I have experienced over the years, but once the aircraft took to the sky and the crowd began cheering, one thing was immediately clear: The magic of AAD was still very much alive.
