Avex Tale #1

AVEX Tales

A brief reflection on an exciting 60 years – Avex and our heritage.

Tempus fugit, they say. In the case of the Avex companies, it is a case of “time flies”, literally.

We may be forever associated with man’s quest to defy gravity but we are so much more and our archival gravitas speaks to the grand adventure that has unfolded over six decades and continues into the future.

When one is involved in something for one’s entire life, not just working life, it is sometimes difficult to step back and contemplate all that has occurred. The very nature of Avex and its journey is one of perpetual change and evolution, all the while never forgetting its history and heritage.

We never forget the journey and adventures that have made this group of small companies and hope that we will be able to share and entertain people with some of them as Avex Tales unfolds.

It all began with two men, a handshake and an aircraft that became a talisman for the fledgling Avex Air.

ZS-DUM, a Piper Colt, was Avex’s first working aircraft. It served as flight trainer, classroom, office and records cupboard (in the back) as Avex had nothing else until suitable accommodation was found in the Rand Airport terminal building. This doughty little aircraft became affectionately known as “Dum-Dum” and is still flying today, with another family that loves her dearly.

Nick Turvey and Mike van Ginkel approached Peter van der Woude, the charismatic owner and founder of the Pretoria Light Aircraft Company (PLACO) and announced their intention to open a flying school in Johannesburg. They further announced that they needed aircraft for this endeavour. PLACO were the agents for Piper aircraft and based at Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria at the time.

He pointed at the showroom floor, invited them to choose two aircraft, looked them in the eyes while offering a firm handshake and said “pay me when you can”.

Thus, not only was a company born but along with it the ethos and culture that has prevailed for six decades and provides Avex’s backbone into the future.

We want to share our remarkable journey from those handshakes to all that we do today. We are extremely proud of all we have done and the somewhat pioneering manner we have embraced.

Avex is first and foremost entrepreneurial to the core. We may operate sophisticated 21^st century airliners or install cutting edge motor vehicle assembly tooling into world-class vehicle assembly plants in our endeavour to create niche specialities for ourselves and our customers, but we remain excited adventurers who look for the next challenge and take it on.

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