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There are well-organised aviation shoots… and then there are the ones where you arrive in a SafariProjek Porsche Cayenne filled with camera gear, hoping the laws of physics, airport operations, and pure luck will cooperate long enough for a photograph.
This particular adventure was to celebrate Airlink’s Skybucks programme turning three years old, in collaboration with Aviation Media and SafariProjek we captured the two beautifully dressed Skybucks aircraft...and a third trying to photobomb us...on purpose!
Simple enough, right?
Two (+ one) planes.
One runway.
A few cameras.
What could possibly go wrong?
The Plan (which aviation politely ignored)
The idea was straightforward. We’d roll into OR Tambo International Airport, unload enough camera equipment to frighten a small photography club, and photograph the two Skybucks aircraft together.
Naturally, aviation schedules do what aviation schedules always do... they laugh politely and continue doing their own thing. The whole system also went offline for a while
Timing, positioning, light, aircraft movements, air traffic control… it all behaves like a complicated ballet choreographed by people with radios and serious expressions.
So we waited.
And adjusted.
And waited again.
Fortunately, our mobile command centre, the SafariProjek Cayenne, proved perfect for hauling the gear around. A Porsche built for gravel roads suddenly found itself moonlighting as an aviation support vehicle. Not something Stuttgart probably had in mind, but it worked.
Then the magic happened
Just when everything lined up, the unexpected bonus arrived. (Ok so we may have instigated it)
One of the Airlink Embraer jets flew low enough for us to include it in the frame while the two Skybucks aircraft sat perfectly composed below.
Pure coincidence? Mmmmaaaaybe.
Perfect runway alignment at OR Tambo? Definitely!
The runway sits in exactly the right position to make these moments possible. When an aircraft lifts off or comes in low, the geometry suddenly works like a giant outdoor studio set designed by an aviation-obsessed architect.
For a photographer, it’s the equivalent of spotting a unicorn… holding a light meter.
A quick look at the airline behind the celebration
Airlink itself has been quietly building one of the most impressive regional aviation networks in Africa.
Founded in 1992, the airline has grown into Southern Africa’s premier privately owned regional airline.
Today Airlink operates:
• 70 modern Embraer jet aircraft
• More than 240 daily flights
• 67 routes
• 47 destinations
• 15 countries across Southern Africa
That includes everything from major business hubs to destinations like Madagascar and St Helena, places where aviation is less about convenience and more about connection.
Airlink also connects travellers globally through partnerships with international airlines and through its FlyNamibia franchise.
And then there’s Skybucks
Skybucks is Airlink’s frequent flyer programme, and unlike some loyalty programmes that feel like collecting imaginary treasure points in a video game, this one actually rewards travellers in ways that matter.
Members earn points for flights and can redeem them for travel and upgrades. Even better, the programme connects with Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club, which opens the door to global rewards beyond the African continent.
The shots
In the end, the shoot worked out beautifully.
Two Skybucks aircraft.
One with a low-flying Embraer cameo.
A Porsche Cayenne pretending to be an airport utility vehicle.
And photographers trying very hard to look like this was all part of the plan.
Because sometimes the best aviation photography happens when the plan politely steps aside and lets a little chaos take over.
So here’s to Skybucks turning three.
May the rewards keep flowing, the Embraers keep flying, and may every aviation photographer occasionally get a perfectly timed aircraft appearing in their frame.
Preferably without having to explain to airport security why there’s a Porsche full of camera gear parked next to a Jet!