High-Flying Adventures in Potchefstroom: Skydiving, Gliding and More

Yolandi Botes
7 hours ago
7 min read

Potchefstroom isn’t just a university town, it’s also a hidden gem for aerial adventure. With over 300 days of sunshine annually, the region offers near-perfect flying weathert. Whether you’re a thrill-seeking tourist or a local looking for a new perspective, Potchefstroom’s “Fly and Sky” experiences let you soar, float, and free-fall above the beautiful North West Province. From silent glider flights over patchwork farmlands to heart-pounding skydives and serene hot air balloon rides, here’s a comprehensive look at Potch’s aerial adventures (with real local names and details) that will leave you on cloud nine.

Soaring on Silent Wings: Gliding in Potchefstroom

One of Potchefstroom’s proudest claims to fame is its gliding scene. The city is home to Akavlieg Potch Gliding, a club based at the Potchefstroom Airfield that welcomes everyone from curious first-timers to seasoned pilots. Gliding, flying sailplanes with no engine, riding only thermals and wind, offers a uniquely graceful way to experience the sky.

Potchefstroom’s flat terrain and warm climate create excellent thermal updrafts, making it a prime gliding location. In fact, Potch regularly hosts South Africa’s national gliding championships, and Akavlieg Potchefstroom’s facilities are top-notch. The club maintains a large clubhouse (complete with a kitchen, bar, pool, and briefing rooms) and hangars filled with private gliders.

On many sunny weekends, you’ll see sleek white gliders being towed up into the blue, then circling higher and higher as they catch thermals. Jonker Sailplanes, a name known to glider enthusiasts worldwide, is based right here in Potchefstroom. Founded in 2004 by local brothers Attie and Uys Jonker, this company designs and builds some of the world’s most advanced sailplanes.

In fact, the Jonker factory at Potchefstroom Airfield has produced award-winning gliders like the JS-3 “Rapture,” helping put Potch on the global aviation map. These high-performance gliders,“internationally recognised” for their quality, are built on-site at the airfield. For visitors, Jonker Sailplanes isn’t an amusement ride, but it’s a point of pride and an attraction for aviation buffs; you might arrange a tour or at least see the gleaming gliders up close.

And if you’d like to experience gliding yourself, Akavlieg Potch Gliding offers training courses and often lets newcomers book an introductory trial flight with a certified instructor. There’s nothing like sitting in a two-seater glider’s front cockpit, feeling the plane get hauled into the air, then suddenly hearing only the wind as you detach from the tow plane and start soaring freely. It’s equal parts tranquil and thrilling, and it truly lets you “dance with the clouds” above Potchefstroom’s fields.

Pilot for a Day: Flying Clubs and Flight Schools

Perhaps you’ve dreamt of piloting an aircraft yourself. In Potchefstroom, that dream can take off thanks to local flying academies and clubs. The Potch Flight Academy, for example, is a well-established aviation school located at the Potchefstroom Airfield’s Terminal Building. Part of the Bucephalus Air group, it was founded in 2017 and built upon the legacy of a previous flight school (Mariannair).

Today, Potch Flight Academy and its partner schools offer professional training for everyone from hobbyist pilots to those pursuing commercial licenses. Students train under experienced instructors and log hours in small aircraft like Cessna or Sling models. With Potchefstroom’s excellent weather (few rain disruptions and generally clear skies), trainees get consistent flying days to practice.

Even if you’re not aiming for a career in aviation, the flying school welcomes enthusiasts for introductory flights. Under the guidance of an instructor, you can take off in a light plane and even handle the controls once airborne. Imagine the thrill of gently banking the aircraft while looking down on the Mooi River and Potch’s iconic landmarks from above! It’s both an adventure and a hands-on lesson in flight.

Another local outfit, Aviatech FAPS Flight Academy, also operates at the airfield (FAPS is the airfield’s code) and similarly offers pilot training with modern simulators and aircraft. Between these schools, Potchefstroom has become a hub for cultivating new pilots, benefiting from the wide open airspace and lack of heavy air traffic. The camaraderie is strong too, there’s an informal Potchefstroom flying club community where licensed pilots and students socialize, share tips, and often organize weekend breakfast fly-outs to small airstrips in the region. In short, if you want to fly a plane or earn your wings, Potchefstroom is an inviting place to do it.

Leap of Faith: Skydiving Over Potch

For adrenaline junkies, skydiving is the ultimate sky-high rush, and you don’t have to go far to try it. While Potchefstroom doesn’t have a permanent year-round drop zone, local adventure organizers have brought skydiving to town through special events. One notable event was “Skyfly Potch”, a weekend of tandem skydives held right in Potchefstroom.

During Skyfly Potch (hosted in late March 2023), experienced instructors and skydivemasters, including locals Bernard and Chris, took participants up in a plane and then leaped out over the city for a tandem free-fall experience. “See Potch from the best angle,” the promo teased, and it delivered: those brave enough to jump got a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the patchwork farmlands, the university campus, and even the winding Vaal River on the horizon as they plunged earthward.

Attached securely to a pro, first-timers could enjoy the 30–40 second free fall and the serene parachute glide afterward, landing safely back at the airfield. Packages started around R2,500, a worthy price for a life-changing thrill. If you miss the dates of a Potch skydiving event, don’t worry, the renowned Skydive Parys drop zone is just a short drive away (about 45 minutes from Potchefstroom).

Skydive Parys operates regularly at the Parys Airfield near the Vredefort Dome and offers tandem jumps with stunning views of the Vaal River and the ancient meteorite crater landscape. Many Potchefstroom locals make the trip for a weekend jump. There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline surge of stepping out of a plane at ~10,000 feet.

The roar of the wind, the distant patchwork of earth below, and then the parachute opening, bringing a sudden quiet as you gently float down, it’s an experience that words barely capture. Whether in Potchefstroom during a special event like Skyfly Potch or at the nearby Parys drop zone, skydiving in the Potch area promises an unforgettable leap of faith.

Up, Up and Away: Hot Air Ballooning Safaris

For a more tranquil sky adventure, hot air ballooning offers a magical way to soak in the scenery. While there isn’t a balloon operator based in downtown Potchefstroom itself, the area is served by balloon companies that launch from the nearby Vredefort Dome and Vaal River region, essentially on Potch’s doorstep. One highly recommended experience is a sunrise balloon flight over the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site, just south of Potchefstroom.

Companies like Hot Air Ballooning SA and local lodges (for example, SunWa River Lodge near Parys) organize these flights, taking advantage of the region’s calm early mornings. SunWa River Lodge, only 10 km outside Parys (which itself is about 50 km from Potch), actually offers hot air balloon rides as one of its highlight activities. In the pre-dawn darkness, you’ll gather at the launch site, often a wide open field by the Vaal River, and watch as the balloon’s envelope puffs up with bright flame.

Then you clamber into the wicker basket, the burner blasts heat, and suddenly you’re aloft, drifting wherever the breeze takes you. As the sun peeks over the horizon, the views are breathtaking: the Vaal River glinting below, misty farmlands, and the ancient hills of the Vredefort Dome crater all around. You might even spot wildlife, on some flights, lucky passengers have spotted antelope or giraffes moving below.

Ballooning is gentle and quiet (aside from the occasional burner whoosh), making it perfect for couples and families. After ~45 minutes to an hour in the sky, you’ll land (often in a farmer’s field), and tradition dictates a toast of champagne or juice to celebrate the flight. The experience is often described as otherworldly, floating in tranquility with a 360-degree panorama.

For Potchefstroom residents and visitors, booking a hot air balloon safari over the Dome is a must-do for those seeking romance, photography opportunities, or just a serene adventure aloft. It’s an extraordinary way to appreciate the natural beauty surrounding Potch from a high vantage point Dome at dawn, with the meandering Vaal River visible below.

Other Aerial Thrills: Paragliding and Microlights

While Potchefstroom’s immediate landscape is mostly flat, more aerial thrills await just beyond the city. Paragliding, for instance, isn’t done in-town (due to the lack of mountains), but the Magaliesberg mountains in the North West Province offer popular paragliding sites within a couple of hours’ drive.

Head out toward Hartbeespoort Dam or Rustenburg, and you’ll find launch points like Skeerpoort or Kombegas on the Magalies ridges. There, with a certified tandem instructor, you can run off a hillside and catch thermals in a paraglider, sailing the skies like a bird while enjoying views of the Hartbeespoort valley. Some local adventure operators in Potchefstroom occasionally organize group outings to these paragliding spots, so if you’re keen, ask around at the Potch airfield or tourism info centers for any upcoming trips.

Another niche hobby gaining traction is microlight and ultralight flights. Potchefstroom Airfield sees enthusiasts flying microlight trikes (those delta-wing motorized hang-gliders) especially in summer. A few local pilots are happy to take passengers up for a breezy open-air flight over the town. Imagine sitting in a two-seat microlight at dawn, the wind in your face as you buzz low and slow above golden maize fields and the Mooi River, it’s an accessible thrill and offers fantastic photography opportunities.

Microlight flights can often be arranged informally through the flying club or flight school contacts. Similarly, gyroplane flips (in tiny helicopter-like gyrocopters) have been featured at recent Potchefstroom airshows, and some pilots offer rides. These alternative aerial activities are perfect for adventure collectors looking to try every way to fly.

Embracing Potchefstroom’s Skies

In Potchefstroom, the sky isn’t the limit, it’s the playground. Few small cities can boast such a diverse array of flight experiences: you can glide silently on thermals in a world-class sailplane, learn to pilot a Cessna, free-fall from 10,000 ft strapped to a pro, or float over game reserves in a balloon. These activities not only deliver thrills and unforgettable views, but also highlight Potchefstroom’s growing reputation as an aviation and adventure hub in South Africa.

The strategic goal for the city is clear, by promoting these aerial experiences, Potchefstroom is elevating its profile for tourism and positioning itself as a destination where innovation meets adrenaline. Each experience, be it through the authority of an accredited flight school or the grassroots passion of a gliding club, adds to Potch’s appeal and community engagement.

So whether you’re a local Potch student looking for a weekend escape or a traveler seeking something beyond the ordinary, give one of these “Fly and Sky” adventures a try. You’ll gain a new appreciation for the landscape and a heck of a story to tell. In the process, you’ll also be supporting local clubs and businesses, from Akavlieg’s volunteer-run gliding club to balloon operators and flight instructors who call Potchefstroom home.

With safety as a top priority and certified professionals guiding every experience (from licensed balloon pilots to accredited jumpmasters), you can embark on these adventures with confidence. Potchefstroom’s big sky is calling, time to spread your wings in the Friendly City and see the world from above. It’s an experience that, quite literally, will lift your spirits!