Gunship
12th Oct 2002, 12:24
Link (http://www.airnews.co.za/showstory.asp?id=306)
SAA Cadets return: October - 2002
AFTER BEING based in Adelaide, Australia, for several years, the South African Air-ways’ (SAA) Cadet Pilot Training Programme has returned to South Africa.
Training will now be done at the 43 Air School, outside Port Alfred, to stimulate economic growth in the Eastern Cape, recognised as one of the most dis-
advantaged provinces. The aim of the move is to develop local skills and lower the cost of training each student thus enabling SAA to train more cadets for the same budget.
It previously cost the airline R700 000 to train one pilot. To date, 58 students have graduated from the programme since it was launched, under controversial circumstances, in 1996.
Introductory courses have long been provided by 43 Air School to chosen cadets before they continued the second phase at BAe Systems Flight Training Australia (formerly known as Australian Aviation College).
A statement released by SAA last month said that the airline’s contractual obligations to BAe would be honoured. The last 30 cadet pilots were expected to graduate from the BAe facilities within the next two years, it said.
“The intention of the airline has always been to have the programme brought back to South Africa once an appropriate school could be found. Although none of the flight schools in South Africa is on a par with the BAe facility, one was sought with the most potential of eventually reaching that level,” the statement said.
“Conditions of the tender were drawn up and a number of potential flight schools visited and investigated by our team. The selection was narrowed down to two schools, 43 Air School and Flight Training College of Africa (FTC), based in Midrand, Gauteng.
“The tender to train 32 students over a period of 62 weeks per group of 16 was eventually awarded to 43 Air School in July. It was found that the chosen school best suited the high standards required to train and develop a pilot,” the statement added.
The programme began in January 1995 when the first 12 cadets started preparatory training in South Africa. Flight training began in May that year at the Australian Aviation College in Adelaide, Australia. Eight cadet pilots graduated at a “Wings” ceremony in Adelaide on September 6, 1996. They began flying for SAA in October 1998.
Since its inception, 58 cadets have successfully completed the programme. Twenty-nine are currently flying for SAA, while 27 are still completing their internship with South African Express, South African Airlink and Rossair.
Thirty-one initially began flying for SAA, but one died at the beginning of the year and another resigned three months ago.
SAA Cadets return: October - 2002
AFTER BEING based in Adelaide, Australia, for several years, the South African Air-ways’ (SAA) Cadet Pilot Training Programme has returned to South Africa.
Training will now be done at the 43 Air School, outside Port Alfred, to stimulate economic growth in the Eastern Cape, recognised as one of the most dis-
advantaged provinces. The aim of the move is to develop local skills and lower the cost of training each student thus enabling SAA to train more cadets for the same budget.
It previously cost the airline R700 000 to train one pilot. To date, 58 students have graduated from the programme since it was launched, under controversial circumstances, in 1996.
Introductory courses have long been provided by 43 Air School to chosen cadets before they continued the second phase at BAe Systems Flight Training Australia (formerly known as Australian Aviation College).
A statement released by SAA last month said that the airline’s contractual obligations to BAe would be honoured. The last 30 cadet pilots were expected to graduate from the BAe facilities within the next two years, it said.
“The intention of the airline has always been to have the programme brought back to South Africa once an appropriate school could be found. Although none of the flight schools in South Africa is on a par with the BAe facility, one was sought with the most potential of eventually reaching that level,” the statement said.
“Conditions of the tender were drawn up and a number of potential flight schools visited and investigated by our team. The selection was narrowed down to two schools, 43 Air School and Flight Training College of Africa (FTC), based in Midrand, Gauteng.
“The tender to train 32 students over a period of 62 weeks per group of 16 was eventually awarded to 43 Air School in July. It was found that the chosen school best suited the high standards required to train and develop a pilot,” the statement added.
The programme began in January 1995 when the first 12 cadets started preparatory training in South Africa. Flight training began in May that year at the Australian Aviation College in Adelaide, Australia. Eight cadet pilots graduated at a “Wings” ceremony in Adelaide on September 6, 1996. They began flying for SAA in October 1998.
Since its inception, 58 cadets have successfully completed the programme. Twenty-nine are currently flying for SAA, while 27 are still completing their internship with South African Express, South African Airlink and Rossair.
Thirty-one initially began flying for SAA, but one died at the beginning of the year and another resigned three months ago.