An 8-episode documentary · 2027
Earning the Sky.
Nico Panagio walks into a Cape Town flight school at zero hours. Forty hours later he holds a SACAA gyroplane licence. The eighth episode points his ELA-10 Eclipse north, into Africa. Season two starts where this one ends.
Aircraft by ELA Aviación · Hosted by Nico Panagio · Hangared in Cape Town
The schedule
Eight Sundays.
One licence earned on camera.
All episodes shot in and around the Western Cape. Air dates target a prime-time Sunday slot, repeated mid-week. Final dates confirm on broadcaster signature.
The Deal & Ground School
What you'll learn: What it actually costs to own a gyroplane, why Nico chose ELA, and the SACAA syllabus from day one.
Stunt / Payoff
First taxi. Rotor spin-up POV.
First Circuits
What you'll learn: Pre-rotation, lift-off, the sight picture for a stable approach. Why landings are the hard part.
Stunt / Payoff
Greasing one landing on camera.
First Solo
What you'll learn: What an instructor looks for before signing you off. The walk to the aircraft, alone.
Stunt / Payoff
Solo circuit — instructor on the radio.
Navigation — The Coast Run
What you'll learn: Dead reckoning, fuel maths, weather decisions. How a gyro handles coastal wind shear.
Stunt / Payoff
Whales below at 800 ft.
Mountain Flying
What you'll learn: Density altitude, downdrafts, ridge crossing rules. Why mountains kill confident pilots.
Stunt / Payoff
Twelve Apostles at golden hour.
Cross-Country
What you'll learn: Forced-landing drills. Reading terrain. Sleeping under the wing in country with no lights.
Stunt / Payoff
Engine-out scenario at altitude.
The Skills Test (GFT)
What you'll learn: What the SACAA examiner asks. The exact manoeuvres. What a fail looks like — and a pass.
Stunt / Payoff
Licence in hand.
The Handover — Africa Awaits
What you'll learn: What changes the moment you own the licence. The map on the wall. The aircraft you actually want.
Stunt / Payoff
Keys to an ELA-10 Eclipse. S2 tease: Okavango.
Distribution
Two anchor broadcasters.
Non-exclusive. By design.
We pair a global natural-history brand (Nat Geo or Discovery) with a dedicated EU aviation channel. Their audiences barely overlap. We keep owned-channel rights for our own pilots, OEMs and lodge partners.
Global anchor
National Geographic / Discovery EU — non-exclusive linear + streaming.
EU aviation
AOPA Live, Pilot Magazine TV, FlightChops (YouTube licensing).
Owned channels
MySky.africa.tv, ELA owner network, partner lodge in-room.
Sponsor slots
One title sponsor. Two presenting sponsors.
All confirmed by 31 July 2026.
We pitch the lead partner (ELA), media partner and mobility partner in a single window. No-one signs alone. Documents below.