NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
30 March 2004
SA Air Force personnel in SA's first to train in US change management strategy
General
Two senior members of the South African Air Force will be amongst the first South Africans to gain accreditation in the US-based Configuration Management II (CMII) program and have been tasked with studying the further implementation of that strategy...
15 March 2004
AFB Louis Trichardt to change name
General
Effective 15 April 2004, AFB Louis Trichardt (FALT) will be known as AFB Makhado (FALM).AIP Supplement S012/04...
12 March 2004
New face for SA pilot training
General
Pupil pilot training in the South African Air Force has undergone a complete and successful transformation. The Air Force also says it is on track in the 10th year of democracy.The changes in the air had to start on the ground at Central Flying Schoo...
12 March 2004
Pilot Gabriel is Walking On Air
General
It is always exciting when history is made, but when you're the subject of the occasion it is just "overwhelming and amazing".That's according to Gabriel Ndabandaba, who at the weekend became the first black man to fly with the SA A...
11 March 2004
Microlight crashes at school
General
Zeldah Mashele Phalaborwa - A military microlight plane, piloted by a special forces commando, crash-landed in front of scores of surprised school children at a Limpopo high school on Wednesday. The flimsy aircraft landed hard before skidding across ...
3 March 2004
Pennant Wins South African Hawk Training System Contract
General
Pennant Training Systems Limited (Pennant) has announced the award of a six figure contract by BAE Systems plc for Phase 1a of a programme to supply a suite comprising: a Computer Based Instruction System (CBIS), a Virtual Aircraft Training System (V...
27 February 2004
Dogfight looms over SAAF fuel
General
The air force and the Nama Khoi municipality in Springbok are about to come to blows about aviation fuel.On Friday, on Oryx helicopter from Cape Town was refused fuel - because the air force apparently owes the municipality R97 000 for fuel. Apparent...
19 February 2004
Cheaper arms deal still 40% of defence spending
General
GOVERNMENT has lowered its overall cost estimate of SA's strategic arms acquisition package, largely due to the strengthening of the rand last year. But the cost of the package remains well over the original figure in current rand terms, and if t...
11 February 2004
SAAF to concentrate on discipline in 2004
General
Air Force chief Lieutenant General Roelf Beukes says his service will this year concentrate on bettering discipline as well as representivity. "In 2004 we will be merciless towards those members who fail to maintain basic military discipline.&qu...
9 February 2004
Pilots take off about pay hikes
General
Erika Gibson Air force pilots are resorting to legal action because they still haven't received their market-related salary adjustments - despite having been promised them for the past three years. The air force even made this undertaking in pilo...
5 February 2004
A tough new Hawk in our skies
General
By Jeremy Michaels, Leon Engelbrecht and Graeme HoskenSouth Africa has unveiled its first Hawk training fighter jet with an awe-inspiring display in the skies over the Cape south coast, marking a new phase of the multi-billion rand arms deal.Followin...
26 January 2004
Newspaper continues anti-Hawk campaign despite official displeasure
General
The Citizen, a Johannesburg-based tabloid started with apartheid government money in the 1970s, is continuing its apparent crusade against the current government's decision to purchase BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter trainers (LIFT). The paper o...
19 January 2004
Development of Infrared Countermeasures
General
The National Laser Centre Trust of Pretoria was awarded an extension to an Armscor contract for the development of infrared counter measures on 22 December 2003. The contract value is R192 005.00.Armscor...
21 December 2003
Biplane project brings aviation history to life
General
IN A hangar at the Swartkop Air Force Base outside Pretoria, an aircraft like no other in existence is being built. The Paterson biplane an exact replica of the aircraft used to train South Africas first pilots in 1913 is expected to fly in two to th...
8 December 2003
South African Hawk flies
General
THE first Hawk for the South African Air Force is shown making its maiden flight at BAE Systems’ Warton airfield on October 2, 2003. Piloted by Gordon McLyment, it was airborne for 23min. The aircraft is finished in two-tone grey and carries th...
21 November 2003
First SAAF Hawk arrives
General
The first Hawk fighter trainer jet purchased in terms of the multi-billion rand arms deal arrived in South Africa on Friday, arms procurer Armscor said in Pretoria.It said the Hawk KM (webmater: Mk) 120 was transported by air from Warton in the Unite...
18 November 2003
Grintek wins South African Air Force AFRAS maintenance order
General
South Africa's Grintek has won a R21 million (US$3.1 million) contract to service a number of air field radar approach systems (AFRAS) at various SA Air Force bases up to 2007. The AFRAS assists air traffic controllers with bringing aircraft into...
17 November 2003
Impala jets wings clipped
General
All South African Air Force (SAAF) Impala MKI fighter jets have been grounded pending investigations into the cause of the crash which claimed the lives of two pilots last week.Impala MKII jets have also been grounded until Wednesday, when it will be...
16 November 2003
Impala jet crash mystery
General
Long before this weeks tragedy, another pilot died. His parents still dont know why THE parents of an Impala fighter pilot killed 18 months ago are still waiting for the SA Air Force to tell them how their son died in a crash similar to the one that ...
15 November 2003
TFDC Airshow - 2003
General
Selected extract from African Pilot Newsletter No 2-4 (with thanks to African Pilot)Where else in the world can one enjoy the thunderous spectacle of an incredible variety of combat jets as well as the sound of four Rolls-Royce Griffins on the only a...
13 November 2003
Pilots 'ejected too late'
General
A flight instructor and a young pilot desperately tried to land their Impala jet on a highway, but died when they ejected too late.One of them, still in the ejection seat, landed on a moving truck and crashed through the roof into the cargo hold. The...
12 November 2003
Pilots die after ejecting from 'doomed jet'
General
Two pilots had to eject from their low-flying Impala fighter aircraft after its engine apparently failed about 30km from Nelspruit. But neither managed to parachute to safety, police in Mpumalanga have reported. One of the pilots was killed when he p...
28 October 2003
SAAF changes rank insignia ... again!
General
Old and new for rank system Erika Gibson Pretoria - No army general likes being addressed as "colonel" and when it happens, especially on a regular basis, the entire ranking system needs to be addressed. As a result, the air force - which i...
16 October 2003
PE Air Force gets revamped
General
The South African Air Force has upgraded its Port Elizabeth operations as part of efforts to improve itself after a decade of rationalisation. Forward Air Command Post has now become Port Elizabeth Air Station, just one step beneath being a fully-fle...
14 October 2003
Indian fighter pilot swops Delhi MiG's for SA's Impala
General
English summary: How a 52 year-old Indian air force pilot with more than 5 000 hours joined the SAAF as an instructor on the Impala when he retired from the IAF. Lt Col Rama Iyer is presently working on the training syllabus for the new Hawk tr...
SA Air Force personnel in SA's first to train in US change management strategy
General
Two senior members of the South African Air Force will be amongst the first South Africans to gain accreditation in the US-based Configuration Management II (CMII) program and have been tasked with studying the further implementation of that strategy...
AFB Louis Trichardt to change name
General
Effective 15 April 2004, AFB Louis Trichardt (FALT) will be known as AFB Makhado (FALM).AIP Supplement S012/04...
New face for SA pilot training
General
Pupil pilot training in the South African Air Force has undergone a complete and successful transformation. The Air Force also says it is on track in the 10th year of democracy.The changes in the air had to start on the ground at Central Flying Schoo...
Pilot Gabriel is Walking On Air
General
It is always exciting when history is made, but when you're the subject of the occasion it is just "overwhelming and amazing".That's according to Gabriel Ndabandaba, who at the weekend became the first black man to fly with the SA A...
Microlight crashes at school
General
Zeldah Mashele Phalaborwa - A military microlight plane, piloted by a special forces commando, crash-landed in front of scores of surprised school children at a Limpopo high school on Wednesday. The flimsy aircraft landed hard before skidding across ...
Pennant Wins South African Hawk Training System Contract
General
Pennant Training Systems Limited (Pennant) has announced the award of a six figure contract by BAE Systems plc for Phase 1a of a programme to supply a suite comprising: a Computer Based Instruction System (CBIS), a Virtual Aircraft Training System (V...
Dogfight looms over SAAF fuel
General
The air force and the Nama Khoi municipality in Springbok are about to come to blows about aviation fuel.On Friday, on Oryx helicopter from Cape Town was refused fuel - because the air force apparently owes the municipality R97 000 for fuel. Apparent...
Cheaper arms deal still 40% of defence spending
General
GOVERNMENT has lowered its overall cost estimate of SA's strategic arms acquisition package, largely due to the strengthening of the rand last year. But the cost of the package remains well over the original figure in current rand terms, and if t...
SAAF to concentrate on discipline in 2004
General
Air Force chief Lieutenant General Roelf Beukes says his service will this year concentrate on bettering discipline as well as representivity. "In 2004 we will be merciless towards those members who fail to maintain basic military discipline.&qu...
Pilots take off about pay hikes
General
Erika Gibson Air force pilots are resorting to legal action because they still haven't received their market-related salary adjustments - despite having been promised them for the past three years. The air force even made this undertaking in pilo...
A tough new Hawk in our skies
General
By Jeremy Michaels, Leon Engelbrecht and Graeme HoskenSouth Africa has unveiled its first Hawk training fighter jet with an awe-inspiring display in the skies over the Cape south coast, marking a new phase of the multi-billion rand arms deal.Followin...
Newspaper continues anti-Hawk campaign despite official displeasure
General
The Citizen, a Johannesburg-based tabloid started with apartheid government money in the 1970s, is continuing its apparent crusade against the current government's decision to purchase BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter trainers (LIFT). The paper o...
Development of Infrared Countermeasures
General
The National Laser Centre Trust of Pretoria was awarded an extension to an Armscor contract for the development of infrared counter measures on 22 December 2003. The contract value is R192 005.00.Armscor...
Biplane project brings aviation history to life
General
IN A hangar at the Swartkop Air Force Base outside Pretoria, an aircraft like no other in existence is being built. The Paterson biplane an exact replica of the aircraft used to train South Africas first pilots in 1913 is expected to fly in two to th...
South African Hawk flies
General
THE first Hawk for the South African Air Force is shown making its maiden flight at BAE Systems’ Warton airfield on October 2, 2003. Piloted by Gordon McLyment, it was airborne for 23min. The aircraft is finished in two-tone grey and carries th...
First SAAF Hawk arrives
General
The first Hawk fighter trainer jet purchased in terms of the multi-billion rand arms deal arrived in South Africa on Friday, arms procurer Armscor said in Pretoria.It said the Hawk KM (webmater: Mk) 120 was transported by air from Warton in the Unite...
Grintek wins South African Air Force AFRAS maintenance order
General
South Africa's Grintek has won a R21 million (US$3.1 million) contract to service a number of air field radar approach systems (AFRAS) at various SA Air Force bases up to 2007. The AFRAS assists air traffic controllers with bringing aircraft into...
Impala jets wings clipped
General
All South African Air Force (SAAF) Impala MKI fighter jets have been grounded pending investigations into the cause of the crash which claimed the lives of two pilots last week.Impala MKII jets have also been grounded until Wednesday, when it will be...
Impala jet crash mystery
General
Long before this weeks tragedy, another pilot died. His parents still dont know why THE parents of an Impala fighter pilot killed 18 months ago are still waiting for the SA Air Force to tell them how their son died in a crash similar to the one that ...
TFDC Airshow - 2003
General
Selected extract from African Pilot Newsletter No 2-4 (with thanks to African Pilot)Where else in the world can one enjoy the thunderous spectacle of an incredible variety of combat jets as well as the sound of four Rolls-Royce Griffins on the only a...
Pilots 'ejected too late'
General
A flight instructor and a young pilot desperately tried to land their Impala jet on a highway, but died when they ejected too late.One of them, still in the ejection seat, landed on a moving truck and crashed through the roof into the cargo hold. The...
Pilots die after ejecting from 'doomed jet'
General
Two pilots had to eject from their low-flying Impala fighter aircraft after its engine apparently failed about 30km from Nelspruit. But neither managed to parachute to safety, police in Mpumalanga have reported. One of the pilots was killed when he p...
SAAF changes rank insignia ... again!
General
Old and new for rank system Erika Gibson Pretoria - No army general likes being addressed as "colonel" and when it happens, especially on a regular basis, the entire ranking system needs to be addressed. As a result, the air force - which i...
PE Air Force gets revamped
General
The South African Air Force has upgraded its Port Elizabeth operations as part of efforts to improve itself after a decade of rationalisation. Forward Air Command Post has now become Port Elizabeth Air Station, just one step beneath being a fully-fle...
Indian fighter pilot swops Delhi MiG's for SA's Impala
General
English summary: How a 52 year-old Indian air force pilot with more than 5 000 hours joined the SAAF as an instructor on the Impala when he retired from the IAF. Lt Col Rama Iyer is presently working on the training syllabus for the new Hawk tr...
