Pilots protected against sharks and lions

The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in the Beeld newspaper:

Erika Gibson

South African Gripen fighter-pilots will, should they ever need to eject from the new aircraft, be protected from sharks and lions.

The survival packs that accompanies the pilot in an ejection comprises a means to scare away sharks when thrown into water.

Mr Blokkies Joubert, South African Gripen test pilot, was not certain who had tested the deterrent, but he hopes he'll never have to use it. An emergency inflatable life raft will automatically activate as soon as the pilot lands in the water, will also protect the pilot from shark attacks.

A knife in the pack would have to keep away the wild animals.

The test flight program for South Africa's first Gripen fighter aircraft was almost completed this week. This was performed over the last 14 months at the airforce's Flight Test and Development Centre at AFB Overberg near Bredasdorp.

Ironically, it was during this test program that Joubert and Mr Magnus Olsson, program manager, noticed a problem with the aircraft's external fuel tank, which was manufactured overseas.

The problem prevented the aircraft from departing to Johannesburg yesterday for it's last paint refurbishing prior to being handed over to the airforce in March.

There will be a new era in the airforce when the new generation aircraft is taken into service.

The first six airforce students will begin their training in the second half of this year. Olsson said that they would serve as the instructors for the second group of students.

The test aircraft, SA01, undertook 200 flights and 178 flight hours over the past 14 months, under the Eagle eyes of a team made up of SAAB, the manufacturer, and the airforce.

The aircraft will take the place of the Cheetah, which will be phased out in April.

According to Joubert, this will mean that the intended fighter pilot will, for the first time, be tested  to a speed of Mach 9 (sic), because the Gripens are faster than the Cheetah. Previously, South Africans were only tested up to Mach 5 (sic).

From the bWebmaster:
Please note that the author is, in all likelyhood, referring to g-forces and not speed (Mach) in the last paragraph.