| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | Cape Town, South Africa (1998-05-07[1]) |
| Headquarters | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Key people | Owner/Founder Mike Beachy Head; CEO Emilio Titus[2] |
| Revenue | unspecified |
| Net income | unspecified |
| Website | http://www.thundercity.com/ |
Thunder City is an aircraft operating and maintenance company based at the Cape Town International Airport in Cape Town, South Africa. It owns the largest civilian-owned collection of former military jet aircraft in the world.[3] These aircraft are used to perform in airshows and can also be hired by the general public for novelty flights, including going supersonic and climbing to altitudes around 50,000 feet.
The company's other activities include upgrading older models of the Aerospatiale Puma helicopter with modern avionics and renovating airframes and engines.[4]
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Thunder City Holdings (Pty) Ltd. is the parent company of several subsidiaries:
Some of the aircraft are the only examples of the type in airworthy condition.
During a display flight at the 2008 African Aerospace and Defence show in Cape Town a pair of Thunder City Lightnings flew close to the city at supersonic speed. Only the higher one of the pair was planned to fly supersonic as it was considered to be high enough so as not to cause alarm, however the lower aircraft also broke the sound barrier.[10] The resulting sonic boom brought many complaints from the public.[11]
An English Electric Lightning T5, ZU-BEX, (RAF No. XS451) was destroyed in an accident during the biennial South African Air Force Overberg Airshow held at AFB Overberg near Bredasdorp on 14 November 2009. Veteran Lightning pilot Dave Stock was killed in the crash.
On 9 September 2010, it was reported that the Thunder City fleet would no longer take paying passengers. The South African Civil Aviation Authority suspended its operating certificate in March 2010.[12]
On 22 August 2011 3 Lightnings, 3 Buccaneers and 4 Hunters were listed as 'for sale by private treaty' with Go Industry. The closing date for bids is 30 November 2011.[13]
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