End of year message
Date: 31 December 2012
By Dean Wingrin (Webmaster)
As yet another year draws to a close, one tends to reflect on the events of the past year and wonder: Just where did the time go and what has been achieved?
It was a year of highs and lows, from proud achievements to tragedy. The year saw a number of changes at senior Defence and Airforce level, but so too was it a tiring year. Everyone, I am sure, is looking forward to the end of year break, with the opportunity to start afresh in January 2013.
Looking back at the SAAF
Déjà vu, the feeling of having seen something before. New VIP transport aircraft, stretched budgets, critical skills shortages ... yes, we have seen it all before. For far too many years the story has been the same. However, there were some positives too, but it was difficult to tell due to the perceived reluctance of the SANDF and SAAF to be proactive and interact with the general and specialised media.
The year started as it left off in 2011, with that pesky new VIP jet acquisition tender playing the on again/off again game ... again. Together with the attendant large number of private VIP flights that were chartered, it was a story that regularly filled our news section.
The SAAF has a long tradition of saving lives and assisting the civilian population in times of natural disasters and difficulties. The year was not yet three weeks old and the SAAF was called in to assist when the Blyde River came down in flood. Rorry Lawson, a helicopter crewman, broke his leg whilst rescuing a family trapped in a tree. The airforce continued to provide flood, snow and rescue services throughout the year.
The stark financial difficulties faced by the Airforce was noted by Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano, then Chief of the Airforce, when he presided at the annual Air Force Day Parade held at Zwartkop on 27 January.
Insight into the problems affecting the SAAF was delayed when then Minister of Defence, Lindiwe Sisulu, requested Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Defence to discuss progress on the various problems plaguing the force to be held in private. As a result of this request, the March meeting was postponed.
March also saw the SAAF participate in an overseas exercise for the first time in many a decade. The four SAAF Gripens that took part in Exercise Lion Effort were the last four to be handed over to the air force, and they have been held back in Sweden so that the SAAF can participate in the exercise with its own machines. The 2 Squadron pilots and ground crew impressed the other four Gripen-operating nations taking part. The exercise provided the fighter line with much needed exposure, testing the operational deployment ability of the Gripen and training of air and ground crews in multinational operations.
It was revealed in May that the Airforce would take over the running of the civilian airport at Mthatha for the next three financial years. This task, no doubt, has added to the financial burden of the SAAF.
Newly upgraded Rooivalk attack helicopters were one of many aircraft types that took part in the SAAF's biennial Air Capability Demonstration in May. This was followed shortly thereafter by Exercise Savannah Thunder, a combat search and rescue and humanitarian support exercise.
85 Combat Flying School painted a Hawk jet trainer in new squadron colours during June. The Hawk (serial 267) features a stylised Gannet over a black tail and was painted to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the flying school.
In the first of the leadership changes affecting the military, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula replaced Lindiwe Sisulu as the new Minister of Defence and Military Veterans in mid-June. Only a week later, it was announced that Fabian Zimpande Msimang would replace Carlo Gagiano as the new Chief of the South Africa Air Force with effect from 1 October 2012.
The annual airforce force preparation exercise, named Exercise Winter Solstice, took place at the end of July/beginning of August. The area covered by this year's exercise included large parts of the North West Province, as well as the northern Cape and focused on operational planning and execution from a Regional Air Force Command Post. It involved a multinational campaign scenario with the main emphasis on command and control procedures.
The news that Saab wanted to invest in an advanced training centre for experienced fighter pilots - initially from Gripen countries and its user air forces - at Air Force Base Overberg in the southern Cape was met with a great deal of excitement in the pilot ranks. However, it appeared that the announcement of the Gripen Fighter Weapon School may have been a little premature, as the SANDF spokesperson denied any knowledge of it.
Further excitement was generated amongst the aviation enthusiastic public when a C-47TP painted in the Silver Falcons aerobatic team colours was unveiled in September. As 35 Squadron provides logistic support to the Silver Falcons, Dakota 6840 was painted in the same livery as the rest of the Silver Falcon aircraft and named "Gooney Bird", with the intention that she feature more prominently in the teams presence at airshows. Sadly, it was to be a short-lived affiliation.
The last of eleven Rooivalk attack helicopters to be upgraded to Type Certificated standard was handed back to 16 Squadron in September. The upgrade included 130 modifications to each aircraft, including upgrading the sighting system for improved reliability and remanufacturing of certain gearbox mounting components. The result is that the helicopters can now be declared operational and can, for example, support United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The final four Gripen C fighters destined for the South African Air Force arrived in Cape Town and made their way to their new home at AFB Makhado at the end of September.
On 1 October, Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano handed over command of the SAAF to Lt Gen Fabian Msimang during an impressive ceremony at Swartkop Air Force Base. Gagiano was the third longest serving chief of the Air Force, having joined the SAAF in 1968. After being active in the liberation struggle in the 1980s, Msimang integrated into the SANDF in 1994 as a qualified Mi-25 pilot.
In an embarrassing episode attributed to supplier problems, airforce members were told that they will not be issued with new ‘blue' uniforms for the next two years. As the purchase of replacement uniforms had not been budgeted for, all airforce members, with the exception of Senior Officers and General Officers, are expected to wear camouflage uniforms when on duty.
It was revealed in October that the Airforce did not meet the required number of flight hours during 2011/2012, according to the annual Department of Defence report, flying around 4 000 fewer hours than required.
The year ended badly for 35 Squadron. First, on 7 November, a Dakota landing at Mthatha Airport ran off the runway and suffered damage when the starboard undercarriage was ripped off. Thankfully there were no injuries, but the aircraft was subsequently written-off.
Then, barely a month later, tragedy struck the SAAF and 35 Squadron once again. C-47TP Dakota "Gooney Bird" was on a routine shuttle run from AFB Waterkloof near Pretoria to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape when it encountered bad weather conditions on 5 December. The wreckage of the aircraft was found the next morning, having crashed on a mountain top near Giants Castle in the Drakensburg mountains. All eleven Airforce members aboard the aircraft were killed, including 35 Squadron members Maj KC Misrole (pilot), Capt ZM Smith (pilot), Sgt E Boes (Flight Engineer) and Cpl L Mofokeng (Loadmaster). A Memorial Service was held at AFB Ysterplaat on 12 December, with another held at Thaba Tshwane on 14 December.
In was the largest loss of life in a single SAAF (non-operational) accident since all 13 crewmembers of a Shackleton maritime patrol aircraft were killed when it crashed in bad weather in the Stettynsberg mountains near Cape Town on 8 August 1963.
Ironically, it was on the same day that the new Chief of the Airforce officiated at his first Wings Parade when he awarded ten young men and women with their coveted airforce pilots Wings at a parade at AFB Langebaanweg.
Throughout the year, the SAAF continued to provide logistic and helicopter support to the various SANDF peace-keeping missions abroad, particularly those in the DRC. The Airforce was also active in supporting various multi-national naval exercises hosted by the South African Navy. This included Exercises Good Hope V (SA, Germany), Atlasur IX (SA, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay) and Ibsamar III (SA, India, Brazil).
The SAAF was also a welcome presence at various airshows throughout the country, culminating in the international Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition at AFB Waterkloof in September. Whilst not providing as many static and flying aircraft as in previous years, their contribution was still very welcome.
A number of international aerospace companies continued to visit South Africa to promote their transport and/or maritime surveillance aircraft that the SAAF is hoping to acquire under Project Sourcepan. These included Alenia (C-27J), Beechcraft (King Air 350ER), Boeing (C-17), Airbus Military (C-295), Lockheed (C-130J) and SAAB (Saab 340MSA).
The Unofficial SAAF Website
Despite some personal challenges, 2012 continued to be another exciting year for the Unofficial SAAF Website.
Over 100 news articles were published over the past year, with hundreds of new photographs being added to the Gallery. Many of these articles were exclusives, only picked up by the national (and international) press after being published on this website first.
The SAAF Forum (www.SAairforce.co.za/forum/) has been very active and some of the discussions have been very detailed and thorough. The modelling section has seen some fantastic and detailed builds, with many important colour scheme and equipment variations being researched.
The Unofficial SAAF Website as well as the SAAF Forum has accomplished much in the past year. This has only been possible with your support, encouragement and input. I would like to thank all of you and hope you will support our continuing efforts in the coming year.
Wishing you and your families a great end-of-year break, a safe holiday and a prosperous New Year. For those who celebrate, I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.
Looking forward to interacting with all of you in 2013.
Kind regards
Dean Wingrin
Webmaster: The Unofficial South African Air Force Website
