NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
14 September 2009
SA Air Force flying by the seat of its pants
General
Collapsing buildings, ageing and overworked aircraft, uncertainty around aircraft procurement programmes and shrinking strategic manpower are leaving the SAAF with its wings clipped.
14 September 2009
New air force recruitment plan
General
The SAAF continues to lose personnel mainly to the private sector, with 13 pilots and 74 technical staff lost since January.
12 September 2009
Airforce loses skills at a ‘steady pace"
General
The loss of human resources, scarce skills and above all, pilots, remains one of the biggest challenges for the South African Air Force (SAAF).
11 September 2009
More VIP planes for SA?
General
The DoD may acquire more long-range VIP aircraft after an incident on Monday last week that saw a Reserve Force Douglas DC9 make an emergency landing.
3 September 2009
Tenders awarded during August 2009
General
SAAF related tenders awarded during August 2009.
29 August 2009
Westcoast Air Carnival & Fly-in
General
Situated on the West Coast, Vredendal hosted the Denel Aviation Westcoast Air Carnival & Fly-in at the Old Flying Field. Dean Wingrin reports.
21 August 2009
Pilot shortages: The Actual Figures
General
In order for readers to get a better insight into the debate between the DA and the DoD, we quote below the actual figures supplied by the DoD to the DA.
20 August 2009
Pilot dearth 'grounds Air Force'
General
A drastic shortage of pilots has effectively wiped out the state of combat readiness of the SA Air Force, a Democratic Alliance MP said on Thursday.
19 August 2009
Budget airline pilots fly Zuma
General
President Zuma is being flown to official engagements by pilots from budget airline Kulula because of a chronic shortage of qualified air force personnel.
19 August 2009
MoD responds to Citizen article
General
The Ministry of Defence has issued a media statement regarding the use of Reserve force pilots to fly the President of SA.
18 August 2009
Civilians to train airforce pilots
General
The airforce will be outsourcing its basic flying training to a private flying school in the short term.
18 August 2009
Ground tests on last Agusta A109 LUH Completed
General
Denel Saab Aerostructures has successfully completed a series of stringent ground tests on the last A109 helicopter it has assembled for the SAAF.
12 August 2009
Air force keen to accomodate airlines
General
The SAAF is keen to explore co-use of AFB Overberg in the southern Cape for commercial purposes.
4 August 2009
Tenders awarded during July 2009
General
SAAF related tenders awarded during July 2009.
3 August 2009
South African Gripens to get Thales reconnaissance pods
General
South Africa's fleet of Saab Gripen fighters will be equipped with Thales Optronics-produced reconnaissance pods.
23 July 2009
New birdstrike project
General
The SAAF has embarked on an ambitious new project to combat the threat of birdstrikes to its aircraft.
23 July 2009
SA Air Force (22 Sqn) in daring rescue
General
SAAF helicopters airlifted the crew of a stricken ship to safety shortly before it sank off the West Coast on Thursday afternoon.
21 July 2009
Final dual-seat Gripens arrive
General
It has been reported that the eighth and ninth Gripen D aircraft destined for the SAAF have arrived in Cape Town.
18 July 2009
US Naval Destroyer arrives in Simons Town
General
The US Navy Aegis class guided missile destroyer, USS Arleigh Burke, docked in Simon's Town on Saturday morning.
17 July 2009
SA, Brazil to start manufacture of A Darter in 2011
General
South Africa and Brazil will start to manufacture the Denel Dynamics A-Darter IR AAM in early 2011.
15 July 2009
Hercules fleet reduced by one
General
The first SAAF C-130B Hercules to be upgraded to BZ configuration has been cannibalised and may never returned to service.
11 July 2009
15 Sqn airlifts man off tanker
General
A SAAF helicopter has evacuated an injured chief engineer from a tanker off the Eastern Cape coast.
3 July 2009
SAAF issues ab-initio training tender
General
The SAAF recently issued a tender requesting the supply of ab-initio pilot training.
3 July 2009
Defence policy expected soon
General
The long delayed update to the Defence policy may soon be released.
3 July 2009
Tenders awarded during June 2009
General
SAAF related tenders awarded during June 2009.
SA Air Force flying by the seat of its pants
General
Collapsing buildings, ageing and overworked aircraft, uncertainty around aircraft procurement programmes and shrinking strategic manpower are leaving the SAAF with its wings clipped.
New air force recruitment plan
General
The SAAF continues to lose personnel mainly to the private sector, with 13 pilots and 74 technical staff lost since January.
Airforce loses skills at a ‘steady pace"
General
The loss of human resources, scarce skills and above all, pilots, remains one of the biggest challenges for the South African Air Force (SAAF).
More VIP planes for SA?
General
The DoD may acquire more long-range VIP aircraft after an incident on Monday last week that saw a Reserve Force Douglas DC9 make an emergency landing.
Tenders awarded during August 2009
General
SAAF related tenders awarded during August 2009.
Westcoast Air Carnival & Fly-in
General
Situated on the West Coast, Vredendal hosted the Denel Aviation Westcoast Air Carnival & Fly-in at the Old Flying Field. Dean Wingrin reports.
Pilot shortages: The Actual Figures
General
In order for readers to get a better insight into the debate between the DA and the DoD, we quote below the actual figures supplied by the DoD to the DA.
Pilot dearth 'grounds Air Force'
General
A drastic shortage of pilots has effectively wiped out the state of combat readiness of the SA Air Force, a Democratic Alliance MP said on Thursday.
Budget airline pilots fly Zuma
General
President Zuma is being flown to official engagements by pilots from budget airline Kulula because of a chronic shortage of qualified air force personnel.
MoD responds to Citizen article
General
The Ministry of Defence has issued a media statement regarding the use of Reserve force pilots to fly the President of SA.
Civilians to train airforce pilots
General
The airforce will be outsourcing its basic flying training to a private flying school in the short term.
Ground tests on last Agusta A109 LUH Completed
General
Denel Saab Aerostructures has successfully completed a series of stringent ground tests on the last A109 helicopter it has assembled for the SAAF.
Air force keen to accomodate airlines
General
The SAAF is keen to explore co-use of AFB Overberg in the southern Cape for commercial purposes.
Tenders awarded during July 2009
General
SAAF related tenders awarded during July 2009.
South African Gripens to get Thales reconnaissance pods
General
South Africa's fleet of Saab Gripen fighters will be equipped with Thales Optronics-produced reconnaissance pods.
New birdstrike project
General
The SAAF has embarked on an ambitious new project to combat the threat of birdstrikes to its aircraft.
SA Air Force (22 Sqn) in daring rescue
General
SAAF helicopters airlifted the crew of a stricken ship to safety shortly before it sank off the West Coast on Thursday afternoon.
Final dual-seat Gripens arrive
General
It has been reported that the eighth and ninth Gripen D aircraft destined for the SAAF have arrived in Cape Town.
US Naval Destroyer arrives in Simons Town
General
The US Navy Aegis class guided missile destroyer, USS Arleigh Burke, docked in Simon's Town on Saturday morning.
SA, Brazil to start manufacture of A Darter in 2011
General
South Africa and Brazil will start to manufacture the Denel Dynamics A-Darter IR AAM in early 2011.
Hercules fleet reduced by one
General
The first SAAF C-130B Hercules to be upgraded to BZ configuration has been cannibalised and may never returned to service.
15 Sqn airlifts man off tanker
General
A SAAF helicopter has evacuated an injured chief engineer from a tanker off the Eastern Cape coast.
SAAF issues ab-initio training tender
General
The SAAF recently issued a tender requesting the supply of ab-initio pilot training.
Defence policy expected soon
General
The long delayed update to the Defence policy may soon be released.
Tenders awarded during June 2009
General
SAAF related tenders awarded during June 2009.
