SAAF instructors must make way for Zimbabweans

[Deanw]

25 January 2006: Instructors must make way for Zimbabweans
I couldn't find the original thread, but the following is a (very) rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:
South African Air Force flying instructors who were transfered to and live at the Central Flying School at AFB Langebaanweg since the beginning of the year must now look for other accomodation - and pay for it themselves.
The instructors, all Captains, must, at the very least, hire houses because the available housing will be provided to Zimbabwean flighting instructors.
The South Africans, who were transferred to Langebaanweg from bases around the country, were told on Friday that there was no accommodation for them on the base.
Normally, all the instructors live on the base for free because the nearest accomodation, in the town of Langebaan, is a few kimlometers away. The Zimbabwean instructors start work at the base on 1 February.
It is expensive to hire houses because of the popularity of the holiday town. Instructors can now expect to pay around R3 000 monthly, out of their own pocket.
The base is also busy buying new vehicles to the value of R1 million, because the Zimbabweans each have a military vehicle for personal use in Zimbabwe.
Lt. Genl. Carlo Gagiano, Chief of the Air Force, said during the last wings parade at the flighting school that it is an international custom for a pilot or instructor, when seconded for service in another country, to receive the same benefits as at home.
He said that there is nothing wrong with the arrival of the Zimbabweans instructors at Langebaanweg as there was a shortage of senior flight instructors in the airforce. Gagiano said that although there was pressure on the airforce to train representative pilots, it had nothing to do with the use of Zimbabwean instructors.
The five to eight Zimbabwean instructors are all of the rank Major to Lieutenant-Colonel. They must first undergo 30 to 35 hours training on the airforce Astra training aircraft before they can commence training student pilots.
It is not known how active the Zimbabwean instructors were in the period leading up to their transfer.
The Air Force had not reacted to numerous requests for comment on the housing problem before print time.

[Gunship]

Erika Gibson jump on this one skat ..

PS: I get the idea Carlo is loosing it ... :E

[Solid Rust Twotter]

...Carlo is losing it ... :E


A bit slow there, Guns. Thought that's already happened....:hmm: :{

[REAL ORCA]

Spare a thought for poor Carlo! I think he is trying to ensure that the ship is sinking in an orderly fashion!:{

[Captain Pheremone]

I knew it !!!! Dammmmit!!!!!

That light at the end of the tunnel was a freight train coming.

It is sooo sad.

Almost as sad as the site trying to stop Afrikaans posts. Ag Shame!!!!

[FlyItLikeARental]

If there's such a shortage of instructors, why not get civilians in there????

Give them the job, rather than to some Zim-guy who's last flown in 1984:yuk: before the Jet A1 ran out...

Who pays the day they bend our metal? The Zimbabwean taxpayer? Sincerely doubt that. What a load of KAK.:yuk: :yuk:

Civvie instructors do 20 hours patter for their intial rating. Give them the 35-40 hours flight training to get them up to speed with the military equipment, and guaranteed the quality of instruction will be miles higher. And they're used to PAYING for their own board and lodging:}

Makes me want to :yuk:

FLR

[desertrose]

What a bunch of :mad: !!! Where is the SAAF heading to? I recon it is to self destruction!! Luckily I saw the light years ago and left the SAAF for greener pastures!!

Does the SAAF really think that the Zim instructors will make the grade? Maybe the reason for getting Zim instructors is so that they will pass all the students that are not making the grade!

I'm very curious to know if they will complete the conversion in only 35 flying hours????:confused: I hope someone will keep us up to date on there progress

[B Sousa]

Seems the SAAF is sinking faster than an Egyptian freighter...........

[porridge]

It’s all part of a cunning plan by Bob to take over the SAAF then he can annex SA into Zim! Years ago it was the same plan by the Nats, now it's just the other way around!
As we can now no longer 'praat die taal' ( vir julle rooineke "for you English people" - "speak the language") how about Fanakalo or Zulu?
Better still Shona as it will soon become the official SA language after the annexation, but of course with the Makorekore dialect: e.g. in Zimblish: "As useless as a Makorekore huku" - i.e huku is a chicken and the Makorekore shona subgroup is where the beloved Zim leader owes his tribal allegiance.
Hamba gahle Madoda (go well gentlemen)
Pap

[Dct no speed]

What a loud of K:mad: k, is everyone in SA loosing it! Is this the SAAF's effort to get the "numbers" right? So to the guys who have been doing the job for the last couple of years it is just..." thank you and stuff you":yuk:

[madherb]

Guys guys! Take it easy, there is much method in this madness :-
Firstly, the ZimBOBwe instructors are all reputedly excellent soccer players, so they will immediately be drafted into Banana Banana, and will not even start flying;
Secondly, they bring great expertise in the gentle art of money-changing, and will add vast reams of ZimBOBwe dollars to our foreign currency account, thus strengthening our Rand even further;
Thirdly, they are the fore-runners of many more such 'cultural exchanges', which will see the SAAF training schools becoming a veritable melting-pot of Nigerian, Somalian, Equatorial Guinean and other highly skilled instructors, thus releasing our own lads to loll on the beaches and round braai fires, on full pay..........
:{ :{ :{
M

[Sir Cumference]

As much as I would like to make a positive comment, it simply is not possible! I cannot imagine how sidelined the current SAAF instructors feel. Just where is the SAAF going??!:confused:

We have numerous government sponsored programs in the country at the moment, Proudly South African springs to mind. This is supposed to band the citizens together to support the SA manufacturers and keep the foreigners out! So why does the same not apply in this case???

The suggestion above that there are many civilian instructors that would be able to assist is very valid. I do know that the SAAF jealously guards its standards claiming that it has much higher standards than the civilian sector. In certain aspects, that may be so, but to bring in the Zimbabwean Air Force instructors and give them preference over the resident SAAF guys is outrageous!

Without any effort at all, I can think of quite a few names of ex-SAAF instructors, currently in the civil sector who could consider a call to assist. These are senior aviators who have a wealth of knowledge and more than adequate standards. The only downside, pale males!!

I am proudly South African and this decision is a slap in the face!

SC

[Dct no speed]

Sir C,well said mate: and to add to madherb, I think that they are actually rugby players here to help out the Stormers this season! ;)

What is a concern is that the guys in the SAAF can't really go anywhere else, as the jobs for the "few" left in the SAAF are few and normally far across the South African Border.:*

The goverment on the one hand complain about the brain drain and on the other hand do this !

How do we encourage our youth to take up wearing the blue uniform(is it still blue ?) when this is the way we treat our own ! :rolleyes:

[Heli_Sticktime]

The five to eight Zimbabwean instructors are all of the rank Major to Lieutenant-Colonel. They must first undergo 30 to 35 hours training on the airforce Astra training aircraft before they can commence training student pilots.

Doesn't the above ring alarm bells from a prevoius thread about someone getting rank and gold wings in a couple of hours to fly the SA1, I guess it's the african way, hey maybe if I put some kiwi(South African brand product guy's don't get them in a knot:) ) polish on an rock up at Ysterplaat I too could become a Kepten....:yuk:

[Parrot]

This situation makes me really sad.
Its not a racist thing, or a Zimbabwe thing, I would be just as sad if our guys were being pushed aside for instructors from ..for example from the US.
I wonder whether the Honourable General knows how much harm this can do to the morale of the SAAF ?

[Deskjocky]

Has there been any indiaction on how long we will have these Zimbobwian instructors?

Not coming form a military backround but surely the SAAF cant just say to the incumbent instructors to seek alternative accomodation- isnt being in the air force like being in prison- 3 meals a day and a bed-guranteed-no questions???:confused:

[Hamna]

Crazy....nothing more . What can the Zimbobs teach the boys????

Hopefully a bit about cricket during sports parades.

Crazy thats all!!!!:{

[pointer41]

I have been at Execujet Lanseria a while ago and the chaps there showed me a Casa 212 from Lesotho (I think), and said I should look at its condition as it arrived prior to its service. Immaculate! Nothing was dirty, shabby or such. I have heard that Botswana Defence Force is excelling in professionalism in joint exercises. So there are good stuff outside the RSA, as many can attest to. On the other hand, I also remember the SAAF exchanging instructor students before with other Air Forces. As for Zim, well, I also hope they are better than percieved, or that they carried over some of the standards of old. As for the SAAF? Well, the poor buggers giving instruction at Langebaanweg are hammered every way. I know a few of them, including "Ghwar", the OC, who is really trying to do the best job they possibly can under difficult if not impossible conditions. My hat off to them!!!
I can only hope that the Zim chaps are up to speed and have the same integrity as the chaps at the CFS, and maybe the allegations of racism at the flying school can be sunk once and for all in the eyes of the politicians.
Viewing the political pressures at other depts of state, I think the boys in blue is averting the stall for the time being. The aspect to seperate the "cream" and the "froth" has always in my eyes been: a passion to fly.
Fly well!

[Boeing Rules]

Happy thoughts Boys and Girls, just think how nice aviation will be if we get a FO like the one Flying the President around, that apparantly failed all his exams and flight tests, but yet still fly the President around the country.
proudly South-African
happy flying Boys and Girls.:D

[B Sousa]

Keep Dreaming Boeing. You know the Baas aint gonna let that happen. He does not want to have a new election while still in office.....
Its a great Idea though. You want these guys to fly, you fly with them.....