Initial Hawk instructors go solo!
Date: 21 June 2006
Wednesday the 21st of June 2006 marked a great day in 85 CFS history as the Initial Cadre on the Hawk Mk 120 achieved SOLO status. All six pilots went through a refresher training after the long layoff and all went solo today.
Refresher training was carried out by the BAE Contractor pilot Mr.Gord McIlmoyle and Lt Col Ivan Pentz, the Denel test pilot. The unit plans a Solo Party function on the 22nd of June where war stories and many lies will be told. Fines will be handed out during the Solo Party for indiscretions performed during their training.
While solo status is an important step for most pilots on a new aircraft type, 85 CFS has many tasks ahead of it as it has commenced the OT&E phase of syllabus verification and Instructor Preparation for the arrival of the first course of student pilots in one months time. The Initial Cadre will be joined by two more instructors in as quick a time as it takes to qualify them, boosting the instructional strength to eight.
Ten Hawk aircraft have been delivered from Denel as of this week with more deliveries in the near future.
The SAAF ground crew have commenced their OJT phase and will soon be taking over line servicing duties from the Denel supplied ground crew.
The skies over Limpopo will now be filled with a new generation of fighter-training aircraft. The Hawk has truly arrived.
Well done to all the initial cadre pilots: Lt Col Van der Linde, Maj Marsh, Maj Bergen, Maj Coombes, Maj Du Plooy and Flt Lt Pike (RAF).
Many thanks to 85 CFS!
