SAAF has just 20 fighter pilots
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SAAF has just 20 fighter pilots
The SA Air Force has lost 91 pilots and 822 technicians since 2005, says the Defence Minister and at present SA has only 20 operational fighter pilots.
SAAF has just 20 fighter pilots: South Africa: Politics: News24
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From the article above:
It seems to confirm rather than contradict. Why would career officers and NCO's with decades of SAAF experience have that perception unless it is seen and felt every day?
I see this in my job, why would the SAAF be any different?
"White members have a perception that there are limited career opportunities within the organisation.
"This prompts them to seek other opportunities elsewhere, moreover for remuneration packages far beyond what the SAAF can offer to retain skills," Lekota said.
"This prompts them to seek other opportunities elsewhere, moreover for remuneration packages far beyond what the SAAF can offer to retain skills," Lekota said.
I see this in my job, why would the SAAF be any different?
and at present SA has only 20 operational fighter pilots
BAE Saudi Arabia for the money, Australia for the passport, Cathay etc for the airline job.
Prehaps some of the former Executive Outcomes guys would be interested in a contract to run an airforce for them.
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Signs of things to come
After All with the way South Africa is going, They will no longer need the Air Force equipment and manning levels they had during the apartheid era.
Add to that all the issues of money, security and future sustainability... many of the white folks are just choosing to go abroad...
Wouldn't surprise me to see the US striking some kind of strategic alliance deal with SA in the near future, to provide military back up and presence; In light of the chinese involvement in Africa.
Add to that all the issues of money, security and future sustainability... many of the white folks are just choosing to go abroad...
Wouldn't surprise me to see the US striking some kind of strategic alliance deal with SA in the near future, to provide military back up and presence; In light of the chinese involvement in Africa.
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many of the white folks are just choosing to go abroad...
While I was a student I coached a sport at one of SAs most expensive high schools. Last year 65 kids left the school to leave with their family, that is about 10%.
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Maybe the Defence Minister should get some facts from "the grassroots" level. Nothing perceived...only factual, ask the boys who stayed on after '94! Now they're bleating, looking for sympathy. Same thing happened to Zim - nobody interested in flying there either as a career soon after independence up until the present (unless the individual is/was too lazy to get a comm.)
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What a great shame that the second oldest air force in the world has come to this.
It's not only fighter pilots. When the DC3/C47 celebrated its 50th anniversary the SAAF put a staggered diamond of 50 aircraft in the air.
Magnificent! Couldn't do it now!
It's not only fighter pilots. When the DC3/C47 celebrated its 50th anniversary the SAAF put a staggered diamond of 50 aircraft in the air.
Magnificent! Couldn't do it now!
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Yep, the 50-ship was in 1990 at Dunno's during the Harvard 50 year celebrations. I remember a bunch of us trying to add to the event by attempting a 50 beer weekend... Most didn't succeed!
What a lekker weekend though!!
What a lekker weekend though!!
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The USA is not goiing to provide anything while they pour money into the war on Terror..and Mbeki has his head up Moogabie`s ass and not with the way our next Prez is getting out of the crim charges he is facing..!
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OK, OK, I wuz wrong! But according to the Dakota Association of South Africa ( www.dc-3.co.za ) the SAAF put up a 35 ship formation on the DC3/C47 anniversary in 1985.
I remember seeing clips of the event, but didn't count them.
I remember seeing clips of the event, but didn't count them.
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I don't think you need to worry too much about the Zimbabwean Airforce. 
http://www.janes.com/extracts/extrac.../zimbs120.html
The fact that the AFZ's pilots suffer from lack of flying hours was made evident in January 2001 when two (possibly three) F-7s were destroyed. Pilot error was responsible for these losses, with one aircraft crashing en route to the funeral fly-past of President Laurent-Désiré Kabila in Kinshasa. In this incident, the pilot became disorientated in cloud and ejected. Another F-7 was destroyed on arrival at Kamina when the first aircraft to land ran out of fuel and blocked the runway; the second aircraft was able to avoid crashing into the immobilised F-7, but landed long, ran out of runway and was damaged beyond repair. A C-212 light transport aircraft was also destroyed when its pilot, who had not flown for more than a year prior to the accident, crash landed. Other non-combat losses in the DRC included one Mi-35 and one Alouette III.
http://www.janes.com/extracts/extrac.../zimbs120.html
The fact that the AFZ's pilots suffer from lack of flying hours was made evident in January 2001 when two (possibly three) F-7s were destroyed. Pilot error was responsible for these losses, with one aircraft crashing en route to the funeral fly-past of President Laurent-Désiré Kabila in Kinshasa. In this incident, the pilot became disorientated in cloud and ejected. Another F-7 was destroyed on arrival at Kamina when the first aircraft to land ran out of fuel and blocked the runway; the second aircraft was able to avoid crashing into the immobilised F-7, but landed long, ran out of runway and was damaged beyond repair. A C-212 light transport aircraft was also destroyed when its pilot, who had not flown for more than a year prior to the accident, crash landed. Other non-combat losses in the DRC included one Mi-35 and one Alouette III.