SA Presidential Helicopter
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SA Presidential Helicopter
I had the opportunity to check out the South African President's helicopter a few weeks ago when accompanying the military in our little 407 flying some less important minister.
We'd been sitting with the Air Force guys a while in the second Oryx (upgraded Puma for those who don't know) waiting until the Pres arrived. After all the shouting and screaming was over (and believe me there was a lot of it) and the bullet proof armoured limousines and other total wastes of tax payers' money disappeared into the dust (who'd want to shoot Thabo Mbeki ? Maybe Ghandi if he was still around ?), I asked the Colonel if I could take a peak inside the new arrival. With a quizzical look on his face he agreed. I trotted over and carefully opened the door to find...
...another perfectly ordinary Oryx. Hence the colonel's surprise at my interest. Apparently SA can't afford to have one its few remaining operational helicopters kitted out in VIP format so the second democratically elected president of the emancipated Republic of South Africa rides around on a canvas seat, in a standard (not very) sound proofed troop carrying helo. He does get issued with ear defenders though.
And exactly the same story for his predecessor; the one and only Saint Nelson Mandela used to ride around in exactly the same rather robust conditions. Suppose he was used to it after Robben Island but how come so much money was spend on a BBJ (or was it a freebie from Boeing for all those 737s and 747s SAA ordered ? Ha, ha, if so, sorry for you, all cancelled thanks to proverbial slippery French Airbus salespersons...) and nothing for a modest VIP chopper ?
We flew a 3 legged route and our ambitious pax wanted to ride leg 2 with the Pres so I fixed it with the Colonel. For leg 3, I was not surprised to see him coming back to fly with us in air conditioned, leather luxury rather than rough it with the main man....
Africa - not for sissies, not even if you're president. Wonder what Mad Bob uses ?
We'd been sitting with the Air Force guys a while in the second Oryx (upgraded Puma for those who don't know) waiting until the Pres arrived. After all the shouting and screaming was over (and believe me there was a lot of it) and the bullet proof armoured limousines and other total wastes of tax payers' money disappeared into the dust (who'd want to shoot Thabo Mbeki ? Maybe Ghandi if he was still around ?), I asked the Colonel if I could take a peak inside the new arrival. With a quizzical look on his face he agreed. I trotted over and carefully opened the door to find...
...another perfectly ordinary Oryx. Hence the colonel's surprise at my interest. Apparently SA can't afford to have one its few remaining operational helicopters kitted out in VIP format so the second democratically elected president of the emancipated Republic of South Africa rides around on a canvas seat, in a standard (not very) sound proofed troop carrying helo. He does get issued with ear defenders though.
And exactly the same story for his predecessor; the one and only Saint Nelson Mandela used to ride around in exactly the same rather robust conditions. Suppose he was used to it after Robben Island but how come so much money was spend on a BBJ (or was it a freebie from Boeing for all those 737s and 747s SAA ordered ? Ha, ha, if so, sorry for you, all cancelled thanks to proverbial slippery French Airbus salespersons...) and nothing for a modest VIP chopper ?
We flew a 3 legged route and our ambitious pax wanted to ride leg 2 with the Pres so I fixed it with the Colonel. For leg 3, I was not surprised to see him coming back to fly with us in air conditioned, leather luxury rather than rough it with the main man....
Africa - not for sissies, not even if you're president. Wonder what Mad Bob uses ?
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Stick around. When the new Agustas go on line we'll have all the VIP ships they can use. According to one in the know they are unable to operate at Highveld elevations in summer with more than two pax and 2 hours or less of fuel endurance. I reckon they'll all become coastal VIP transports as that was one of the options available. The contract was signed by someone without any specs being included. Money changing hands, perhaps?
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Believe that contrary to even Agusta's advice all the ships, including the trainers, are being supplied with full avionic and weapons systems so that when they crash them in training they can write off the whole package in one go and justify another big expenditure the following year...?
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Have to agree with SRT: With the huge amount of money spent on training, training, training........re-training, re-training etc etc.............. some more training after having failed the course, for the third time.....
Why would they crash them??
Why would they crash them??
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I flew oom PW and company for many years in a "plain straight forward" Mark 1 standard issue Puma around as 19 Sqn had the only 1 ? available.
Never heard any complaints .. then again it was different ...
Never heard any complaints .. then again it was different ...
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Hi SRT
When the 87 HFS Allos were grounded last week following the emergency landing, the trainees on course had nothing else to fly
They then requested Oryx training, which was duly authorised. However, the powers that be chose the one (?) AA pilot on course to fly the Agusta.
When the 87 HFS Allos were grounded last week following the emergency landing, the trainees on course had nothing else to fly
They then requested Oryx training, which was duly authorised. However, the powers that be chose the one (?) AA pilot on course to fly the Agusta.
