I consider myself very fortunate to have attended a recent presentation by Uys Jonker of Jonker Sailplanes (gliders), because what Uys and his brother Attie are doing in Potchefstroom reminds me of why mechanical engineering remains an exciting and challenging profession.

 Uys and his brother Attie have stunned the international competitive sailplane community with their JS1 Revelation sailplane.  You might want to read the website testimonials from world-champion pilots to appreciate why the Revelation is exactly that - a revelation.  Jonker Sailplanes seem to have caught established sailplane manufacturers completely by surprise. Starting with a blank sheet, and investing heavily in pure engineering, the Revelation chased incremental reductions in drag as the key to improved performance, and the results speak for themselves.

I'll admit that Uys' presentation style contributed to my enjoyment of the presentation. His dry, north-west humour suited the content, and his absolute passion for the project was clear from start to finish. Even though aeronautics is my field at all, I'm convinced that Uys knows exactly what he is doing. Much like Andy Green of Bloodhound, Uys displays a thorough understanding of the Revelation, much gained through his role as test pilot.

This is an engineering success story if ever there was one.  Realising a childhood dream always makes great copy, but this story is very special because it has been built on solid engineering from the ground up.  Well done Jonker Sailplanes for showing us how it should be done.