NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
18 January 2013
Chopper crew brave elements in Berg rescue
General
WITH swirling winds battering the Air Force Oryx helicopter, Lt-Col Graham Chisholm kept a steady hand on the controls as he descended into the steepsided valley near the Sani Pass in the Drakensberg.
17 January 2013
Media release: SAAF CASA 212 involved in hard landing incident
General
Media release issued by the Department of Defence relating to the CASA 212 hard landing incident today.
17 January 2013
Airforce aircraft in landing accident
General
A South African Air Force transport plane was involved in a landing incident at Bloemfontein this morning.
16 January 2013
Air Force Day parade back on track
General
After four months at the helm of the SA Air Force (SAAF), Lieutenant General Zakes Msimang will maintain tradition and host his first Air Force Day parade on the first Friday in February. It was earlier announced the parade, one of the SAAF&rsq...
15 January 2013
Denel/AMG retrenchments look to be inevitable
General
The writing appears to be finally on the wall for the 528 aircraft specialists at Denel Aviation/AMG as thereis no contract or order cover beyond March 31 this year.
15 January 2013
SAAF has “miniscule” maritime capability
General
The SAAF's miniscule airborne maritime capability has become even more miniscule, according to defence analyst Helmoed Römer Heitman.
9 January 2013
Air Force Day parade postponed
General
The unavailability of SAAF Chief, Lieutenant General Zakes Msimang, means Air Force Day will not be marked on the first Friday of February this year.
9 January 2013
SAAF Museum 2013 airshow to be bigger and better than ever
General
The SAAF Museum’s annual airshow promises to be better than ever before, with two major drivers encouraging Museum personnel to make the 2013 edition a special one.
31 December 2012
End of year message
General
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?
19 December 2012
Boeing still chasing African C-17 sale
General
The Boeing Company still views South Africa as a prime candidate to be the first African country to purchase its C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter.
14 December 2012
SAAF maintenance contract cancellation costing jobs at Denel
General
More than 500 maintenance specialists at Denel Aviation will be out of work following the SAAF’s cancellation of a maintenance contract with the company.
12 December 2012
Dakota crash victims honoured
General
A suitably sombre Memorial Service was held at AFB Ysterplaat on Wednesday 12 December in memory of the victims of the South African Airforce aircraft that crashed last week.
6 December 2012
Plane wreckage found in Drakensberg
General
The SA Air Force military plane carrying an estimated 11 people that went missing en route from Pretoria to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday has been found.
5 December 2012
SAAF Dakota missing
General
A search and rescue mission is underway for a missing South African Air Force Dakota transport aircraft.
5 December 2012
New airforce chief awards new Wings to young pilots
General
By Dean WingrinThe new Chief of the South African Air Force, Lieutenant General Fabian "Zakes" Msimang, officiated at his first wings Parade on Wednesday when he awarded ten young men and women with their coveted airforce Wings at a parade ...
29 November 2012
SA armed forces in dire straits
General
The South African armed forces are so financially cash strapped that the combat readiness of the SANDF is currently under serious threat.
28 November 2012
Lieutenant grounded for 'borrowing' plane
General
A SAAF pilot has been grounded for "borrowing" a plane to visit a friend in neighbouring Botswana and an officer has been reprimanded for spicing up her uniform with hot pink slippers, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.
14 November 2012
Air Force cuts contract wings
General
A decision that could compromise the airworthiness of the Air force's aircraft, including the VIP aircraft, hit the military aviation ranks this week like a bomb.
13 November 2012
Unique SAAF Oryx spotted in Cape Peninsula skies
General
A vary rare SAAF Oryx helicopter was operating over the Cape Helderberg today.
8 November 2012
Madiba’s medical crew ‘not in crash’
General
The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has denied a report that the aircraft that crashed at the Mthatha Airport in Eastern Cape was transporting former president Nelson Mandela’s medical personnel.
8 November 2012
Defence minister says jet purchase not cast in stone
General
HE SANDF urgently needs new VIP jets, but the exercise will be properly costed before it gets the green light, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has assured Parliament.
7 November 2012
SAAF aircraft leaves runway at Mthatha
General
News reports have stated that a South African Air Force C-47TP TurboDak suffered a landing incident at Mthatha Airport this morning.
2 November 2012
Lack of strategic airlift capability a challenge - SA DoD
General
The lack of a strategic airlift capability remains a challenge and affects external deployments, according to the Department of Defence.
31 October 2012
SAAF flying hours not achieved
General
The SAAF 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.
17 October 2012
Airforce hit by uniform shortage
General
Airforce members have been told that they will not be issued with new ‘blue’ uniforms for the next two years.
Chopper crew brave elements in Berg rescue
General
WITH swirling winds battering the Air Force Oryx helicopter, Lt-Col Graham Chisholm kept a steady hand on the controls as he descended into the steepsided valley near the Sani Pass in the Drakensberg.
Media release: SAAF CASA 212 involved in hard landing incident
General
Media release issued by the Department of Defence relating to the CASA 212 hard landing incident today.
Airforce aircraft in landing accident
General
A South African Air Force transport plane was involved in a landing incident at Bloemfontein this morning.
Air Force Day parade back on track
General
After four months at the helm of the SA Air Force (SAAF), Lieutenant General Zakes Msimang will maintain tradition and host his first Air Force Day parade on the first Friday in February. It was earlier announced the parade, one of the SAAF&rsq...
Denel/AMG retrenchments look to be inevitable
General
The writing appears to be finally on the wall for the 528 aircraft specialists at Denel Aviation/AMG as thereis no contract or order cover beyond March 31 this year.
SAAF has “miniscule” maritime capability
General
The SAAF's miniscule airborne maritime capability has become even more miniscule, according to defence analyst Helmoed Römer Heitman.
Air Force Day parade postponed
General
The unavailability of SAAF Chief, Lieutenant General Zakes Msimang, means Air Force Day will not be marked on the first Friday of February this year.
SAAF Museum 2013 airshow to be bigger and better than ever
General
The SAAF Museum’s annual airshow promises to be better than ever before, with two major drivers encouraging Museum personnel to make the 2013 edition a special one.
End of year message
General
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?
Boeing still chasing African C-17 sale
General
The Boeing Company still views South Africa as a prime candidate to be the first African country to purchase its C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter.
SAAF maintenance contract cancellation costing jobs at Denel
General
More than 500 maintenance specialists at Denel Aviation will be out of work following the SAAF’s cancellation of a maintenance contract with the company.
Dakota crash victims honoured
General
A suitably sombre Memorial Service was held at AFB Ysterplaat on Wednesday 12 December in memory of the victims of the South African Airforce aircraft that crashed last week.
Plane wreckage found in Drakensberg
General
The SA Air Force military plane carrying an estimated 11 people that went missing en route from Pretoria to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday has been found.
SAAF Dakota missing
General
A search and rescue mission is underway for a missing South African Air Force Dakota transport aircraft.
New airforce chief awards new Wings to young pilots
General
By Dean WingrinThe new Chief of the South African Air Force, Lieutenant General Fabian "Zakes" Msimang, officiated at his first wings Parade on Wednesday when he awarded ten young men and women with their coveted airforce Wings at a parade ...
SA armed forces in dire straits
General
The South African armed forces are so financially cash strapped that the combat readiness of the SANDF is currently under serious threat.
Lieutenant grounded for 'borrowing' plane
General
A SAAF pilot has been grounded for "borrowing" a plane to visit a friend in neighbouring Botswana and an officer has been reprimanded for spicing up her uniform with hot pink slippers, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Air Force cuts contract wings
General
A decision that could compromise the airworthiness of the Air force's aircraft, including the VIP aircraft, hit the military aviation ranks this week like a bomb.
Unique SAAF Oryx spotted in Cape Peninsula skies
General
A vary rare SAAF Oryx helicopter was operating over the Cape Helderberg today.
Madiba’s medical crew ‘not in crash’
General
The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has denied a report that the aircraft that crashed at the Mthatha Airport in Eastern Cape was transporting former president Nelson Mandela’s medical personnel.
Defence minister says jet purchase not cast in stone
General
HE SANDF urgently needs new VIP jets, but the exercise will be properly costed before it gets the green light, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has assured Parliament.
SAAF aircraft leaves runway at Mthatha
General
News reports have stated that a South African Air Force C-47TP TurboDak suffered a landing incident at Mthatha Airport this morning.
Lack of strategic airlift capability a challenge - SA DoD
General
The lack of a strategic airlift capability remains a challenge and affects external deployments, according to the Department of Defence.
SAAF flying hours not achieved
General
The SAAF 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.
Airforce hit by uniform shortage
General
Airforce members have been told that they will not be issued with new ‘blue’ uniforms for the next two years.
