The airforce has good news, the airforce has bad news
Date: 5 September 2005
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:
There is good news and bad news that will effect the air power of the airforce.
The Chief of the Airforce, Lt.Gen. Carlo Gagiano, said yesterday that the problems with the C-130 Hercules is largely resolved. The aircraft have been out of service since February due to worldwide concern over a possible defect in the wing structure.
Six of the airforce's nine 'Flossies' are flying again after airforce technicians and agents from Lockheed Martin, the original manufacturer, inspected the South African aircraft.
The airforces tactical airlift capability has been severely restricted for months because of the withdrawal of the aircraft for local transport as well as for logistical support to the foreign-based peacekeeping forces.
Gagiano said that after a thorough inspection, nothing had been found wrong with the wings of the South African aircraft and that the manufacturer had given the green light for them to be used again.
Another two of the aircraft must still be udgraded by Denel, while the ninth is in a dispute because it caught fire while being upgraded.
The brakes caught fire during landing after a testflight by the test pilots at Johannesburg International Airport earlier this year. In the process, the aircraft incurred damage of millions of Rands. According to Gagiano, there is a dispute between Denel and Marshalls over who is responsible for the repair of the aircraft.
The bad news is that their are problems with the repair work to the runway at AFB Waterkloof. The runway has been so damaged from the landings of heavily loaded aircraft that it will take about 18 months to repair. The repair work will cost roughly R150 million, money that the airforce does not have and for which the Department of Public Works must obtain from Treasury.
