Hello.. South Africa??? Are you there??
Gatvol
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Hello.. South Africa??? Are you there??
This was just passed around, anyone surprised...
SANDF trainees don't cut it
Erica Gibson
Johannesburg - At least 70 of the 152 officers in training at the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Gymnasium in Heidelberg passed this year despite the fact that they had failed the final exam.
According to the SANDF, each trainees' average marks for the course were considered and they were passed based on these marks.
Members of the defence force are angry because, in their opinion, training standards in several cases have been "recklessly violated" over the past month and "dangerous precedents" have been set.
In some cases, such as in the Air Force, pilots - who were partly trained in the private sector - said the flight safety of their co-pilots was at risk because of affirmative appointments.
The fracas in the Air Force started when it became obvious at the wings ceremony that no black trainee pilots would graduate in December since they had all failed.
Integration generals boycotted the ceremony, while allegations that the instructors at the Central Flight School in Langebaanweg were racist in their approach to training, were being investigated.
Two members of the former TBVC states' airborne divisions - who, according to the Air Force obtained their pilots licences at a private flying school - received their wings to improve representivity.
The Air Force says the pilots did an operational adjustment course on a military aircraft to justify the promotion. Another trainee became medically unfit and had to stop his training, while a fourth failed the operational adjustment course.
The nine trainees who failed the ground school part of their flight training will be allowed to repeat the course this year in an attempt to improve their marks.
Meanwhile, the integration generals undertook to search for a solution to ensure that pilot numbers become representative.
At several emergency meetings in December, black pilots were informed that they had to qualify as instructors as soon as possible. This year's instructor course starts within the next two weeks.
They will be expected to each train two black trainee pilots over the next three years.
Some of the pilots were not keen on this solution and some have even threatened to resign should they be forced to do instructor training.
According to the Air Force, it is not lowering flight standards, but it does have a responsibility to ensure that the numbers of pilots and navigators are representative.
"We are constantly searching for ways to reach this goal and where necessary, the Air Force will have to adapt its traditional approach."
SANDF trainees don't cut it
Erica Gibson
Johannesburg - At least 70 of the 152 officers in training at the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Gymnasium in Heidelberg passed this year despite the fact that they had failed the final exam.
According to the SANDF, each trainees' average marks for the course were considered and they were passed based on these marks.
Members of the defence force are angry because, in their opinion, training standards in several cases have been "recklessly violated" over the past month and "dangerous precedents" have been set.
In some cases, such as in the Air Force, pilots - who were partly trained in the private sector - said the flight safety of their co-pilots was at risk because of affirmative appointments.
The fracas in the Air Force started when it became obvious at the wings ceremony that no black trainee pilots would graduate in December since they had all failed.
Integration generals boycotted the ceremony, while allegations that the instructors at the Central Flight School in Langebaanweg were racist in their approach to training, were being investigated.
Two members of the former TBVC states' airborne divisions - who, according to the Air Force obtained their pilots licences at a private flying school - received their wings to improve representivity.
The Air Force says the pilots did an operational adjustment course on a military aircraft to justify the promotion. Another trainee became medically unfit and had to stop his training, while a fourth failed the operational adjustment course.
The nine trainees who failed the ground school part of their flight training will be allowed to repeat the course this year in an attempt to improve their marks.
Meanwhile, the integration generals undertook to search for a solution to ensure that pilot numbers become representative.
At several emergency meetings in December, black pilots were informed that they had to qualify as instructors as soon as possible. This year's instructor course starts within the next two weeks.
They will be expected to each train two black trainee pilots over the next three years.
Some of the pilots were not keen on this solution and some have even threatened to resign should they be forced to do instructor training.
According to the Air Force, it is not lowering flight standards, but it does have a responsibility to ensure that the numbers of pilots and navigators are representative.
"We are constantly searching for ways to reach this goal and where necessary, the Air Force will have to adapt its traditional approach."
Join Date: Aug 2001
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"the Air Force will have to adapt its teaching process..."
OK, give them shiny wings, let them play on old valueless Impalas on which they will fly half a dozen hours a year and crash some of them for no cost, take their picture for magazines in front of any aircraft, and that will be...
It reminds me of Zaire 18 years ago with the local pilots supposedly qualified on Mirages, and they were just flying on two seaters with the detached french instructor, and never on the single seat even when being offered. Apart from that, yes they were qualified on Mirages
Good luck to all down south
OK, give them shiny wings, let them play on old valueless Impalas on which they will fly half a dozen hours a year and crash some of them for no cost, take their picture for magazines in front of any aircraft, and that will be...
It reminds me of Zaire 18 years ago with the local pilots supposedly qualified on Mirages, and they were just flying on two seaters with the detached french instructor, and never on the single seat even when being offered. Apart from that, yes they were qualified on Mirages
Good luck to all down south
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It is unnerving to read this- the SAAF is (was?) one of the best airforces in the world. Colour should not count- ability and primarily safety should count. Personally, I would hate to think that I was flying solo having just failed the course!
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. 