Rooivalk Crash lands in Aardvark hole
GunsssR4ever
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Rooivalk Crash lands in Aardvark hole
Eagle lands - in aardvark hole 
Erika Gibson
Pretoria - South Africa's embattled Rooivalk attack helicopter programme came under renewed pressure when a production model made a forced crash landing near Pretoria on Friday.
Nobody was injured in the crash, but the helicopter was extensively damaged. The arms shelves, the left shock absorber and the left cylinder took a beating.
The helicopter is the first of nine production models flown by 16th Squadron based at Bloemspruit air base outside Bloemfontein. It has recently been upgraded by Denel Aviation in Kempton Park.
Chief project officer for helicopter programmes Colonel Botes Olivier says the upgrading was necessary to accommodate advanced arms systems on the helicopter.
The Rooivalk's first serious accident
Petrie van Zyl, a Denel Aviation test pilot and a flight engineer, undertook a test flight on Friday morning in the Bronkhorstspruit area.
During the flight Van Zyl executed a manoeuvre: suddenly stalling in mid air. But the helicopter kept losing power and crash-landed in an aardvark hole.
Olivier says a cursory inspection did not show any damage to the air frame. The air force and Denel Aviation will investigate the cause of the crash.
This is the first serious accident involving a Rooivalk, which is an indication of the helicopter's exceptional survival design, Olivier says.
The crashed helicopter has recorded almost 400 flight hours and the nine production models have a registered a combined 3 200 flight hours.
Nobody wants it
The Rooivalk programme, running for the past 15 years, is currently fighting for survival after no country has shown interest in buying the aircraft.
Malaysia was interested at one stage and millions of rands were spent on marketing in that country. But when most of Malaysia's major armament upgrading programmes have been announced, the Rooivalk didn't appear on any of the shopping lists, and it would seem the possibility of orders from that country have faded.
The Rooivalk programme has recently been in the news after a carefully planned burglary of computer hard drives with the aircraft specifications. No arrests have been made as yet.
Several Rooivalk experts have recently resigned from Denel Aviation. Leader of the design team Ian Wagstaff - generally regarded as the linchpin of the programme - has also left Denel's service.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...206299,00.html
Erika Gibson
Pretoria - South Africa's embattled Rooivalk attack helicopter programme came under renewed pressure when a production model made a forced crash landing near Pretoria on Friday.
Nobody was injured in the crash, but the helicopter was extensively damaged. The arms shelves, the left shock absorber and the left cylinder took a beating.
The helicopter is the first of nine production models flown by 16th Squadron based at Bloemspruit air base outside Bloemfontein. It has recently been upgraded by Denel Aviation in Kempton Park.
Chief project officer for helicopter programmes Colonel Botes Olivier says the upgrading was necessary to accommodate advanced arms systems on the helicopter.
The Rooivalk's first serious accident
Petrie van Zyl, a Denel Aviation test pilot and a flight engineer, undertook a test flight on Friday morning in the Bronkhorstspruit area.
During the flight Van Zyl executed a manoeuvre: suddenly stalling in mid air. But the helicopter kept losing power and crash-landed in an aardvark hole.
Olivier says a cursory inspection did not show any damage to the air frame. The air force and Denel Aviation will investigate the cause of the crash.
This is the first serious accident involving a Rooivalk, which is an indication of the helicopter's exceptional survival design, Olivier says.
The crashed helicopter has recorded almost 400 flight hours and the nine production models have a registered a combined 3 200 flight hours.
Nobody wants it
The Rooivalk programme, running for the past 15 years, is currently fighting for survival after no country has shown interest in buying the aircraft.
Malaysia was interested at one stage and millions of rands were spent on marketing in that country. But when most of Malaysia's major armament upgrading programmes have been announced, the Rooivalk didn't appear on any of the shopping lists, and it would seem the possibility of orders from that country have faded.
The Rooivalk programme has recently been in the news after a carefully planned burglary of computer hard drives with the aircraft specifications. No arrests have been made as yet.
Several Rooivalk experts have recently resigned from Denel Aviation. Leader of the design team Ian Wagstaff - generally regarded as the linchpin of the programme - has also left Denel's service.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...206299,00.html
GunsssR4ever
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PETRI VAN ZYL
Yeah will I ever forget Petri van Zyl !
On my FIRST operational flight in a Puma (1983) as a commander he was my co - jock. So being Capt nice guy I let him flew ALL the legs. At a stage we picked up 12 fully laden Recce's and we battled to get into the air .... I was watching the Rotor and Engine revsss and Petri did the flying until I looked up and saw he actually air - taxied underneath a massive tree.
Well red - face is not the reality but the new commander had to get the Puma out from underneath the tree and away we go ... to this day one of the old Recce manne calls me "boom" (tree in Afrikaans).
Tx a lot Petri !
Just phoned him : except the "normal" sore and stiff back - he is fine - his daughter's 20th birthday today !
On my FIRST operational flight in a Puma (1983) as a commander he was my co - jock. So being Capt nice guy I let him flew ALL the legs. At a stage we picked up 12 fully laden Recce's and we battled to get into the air .... I was watching the Rotor and Engine revsss and Petri did the flying until I looked up and saw he actually air - taxied underneath a massive tree.
Well red - face is not the reality but the new commander had to get the Puma out from underneath the tree and away we go ... to this day one of the old Recce manne calls me "boom" (tree in Afrikaans).
Tx a lot Petri !
Just phoned him : except the "normal" sore and stiff back - he is fine - his daughter's 20th birthday today !
GunsssR4ever
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Petri
Ok Riaan will do !
Spare a thought for Petri the Pilot that will most probably have the whole SAAF blowing in his neck (one and only customer so far - by far ) sorry bru that is Landrover .. but anyway and then of course his bosses that would surely like to see themselves selling what I think (and know) is a great aircraft !
Cheers Petri we think about you - been through it, seen it and DO NOT have the T-shirt thanks (tummy shows on T-shirts !
Spare a thought for Petri the Pilot that will most probably have the whole SAAF blowing in his neck (one and only customer so far - by far ) sorry bru that is Landrover .. but anyway and then of course his bosses that would surely like to see themselves selling what I think (and know) is a great aircraft !
Cheers Petri we think about you - been through it, seen it and DO NOT have the T-shirt thanks (tummy shows on T-shirts !
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Who said Skids are for Kids..(Tires are for Tarmac).......Gotta weigh heavy on the Pilot. Good that there were no injuries, thats all that counts at the end of the day..
Gunship, maybe We outta bring over some Jack Daniels on the next trip and have a couple of Castle Chasers.........or is it the other way around??
Gunship, maybe We outta bring over some Jack Daniels on the next trip and have a couple of Castle Chasers.........or is it the other way around??
