The SAAF Forum

Hello everybody, I have a few questions! I will start flying privately next near and then going from there. I'm still keeping an eye on the SAAF as an alternative and deciding to try and join if they decide to have selections next year. I was wondering if having a PPL and a rating or two will improve my chances of getting into SAAF pilot/navigator selections? My school marks are good enough and they are still improving.

What should a teenager like myself put in a CV being sent to the SAAF?

What good flying schools would you gentlemen recommend? I'm smack in the middle between Wonderboom and Grand Central and Loutzavia looks like the best option so far.

Thanks in advance!

A PPL wont improve your chances...but I guess it could help when you get to interviews and such. Good matric results are more than enough. All they you need are the maths and physics , because that's the key thing that they're looking for when choosing your application out of the thousands of others. The selections itself depends only on your mental ability and your medical.

As for the CV, just add all the mandatory stuff...nothing special is required(I didnt have anything special on my CV and I got called for selections.)

Hello,

For the most part, a PPL may count against you. The air force way, and the civilian way, are different. And it's difficult to unteach habits, and reteach them. However, you complete a PPL before moving on to the PC-7. But, this is done at a school that probably teaches the 'air force way' from the start.
As for ratings. I doubt a C172 or night rating is going to help. Maybe a turbine rating.

Jokes aside.
If you want a career as a pilot, commit. It's a long, hard road. Do you absolute best with your PPL. Then get stuck in with your CPL subjects while the knowledge is fresh. Get your CPL and nail the ATPL subjects (they're almost identical to the CPL ones). Look at doing an instructors rating; don't spend money on Caravan and B1900 ratings; every 200hr Comm-pilot seems to have that these days.
Be prepared to study a lot, and sacrifice your social life. Dedication is key.

As for schools. Look at aircraft maintenance and safety records. Once you have a selection of schools, go to each one and enquire about their training. See what the vibe is like, how the school operates, what the instructors are like, and what the students are like. You're going to be spending a lot of time around those people, so make sure you get a long with them. That's probably the biggest factor. If you don't like the person teaching you, or your fellow peers, you won't enjoy your training.

All the best!

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The comment by Gripen in her first paragraph was my thoughts too for a number of years. However, I have heard of a number of people who were selected for pupe training having acquired a PPL before selections. I suppose it shows you have the apptitude and fortitude to become a pilot.

So what is the answer? Guess it all depends on the individuals character, abilities and all those others things looked at during selections, compared to the requirements of the SAAF at the time of selections and which side of the bed the selection panel woke up that morning!

@Edz. Thanks, I'm working hard to get my marks the best I can! So hopefully it would be good enough. The CV story was bugging me a bit, so it is good to know! Apparently I'm also supposed to send a motivational letter with it, am I right?

@Gripen. Being a commercial pilot is plan A and SAAF is plan B. I'm not going to count on getting into the SAAF, although it would be awesome. Thanks for the piece of advice! From other posts I gather you are a commercial pilot? Any extra advice on being a commercial pilot would be awesome!

@Dean. That is my mentality about it. Wouldn't having a PPL and a rating or two tell the panel that I already have the aptitude for possibly becoming a SAAF pilot? I mean it would show I'm already medically fit for flying etc. One would hope that the selection panel are objective but scratch that... 0_0 I guess having a contact or two would help.

My plan is to become a commercial pilot but I'll still try the SAAF a few times and if the opportunity is there I'll take it! Also with the current status of the SAAF I'll first watch and see that happens next year. Does anybody know if they have selections next year? I read a little while back that the Minister of Donuts (yeah, I meant to type that) says they will have selections next year, but I haven't heard anything since...

Thanks again everybody!

Maverick got in, and he had his CPL (I think?)

I was invited to selections, and I had my PPL.

Who knows what they want these days.

Spectre, yes. Commercial Pilot
Like I said in my earlier post; hard work and dedication. Focus on your training, your career. Watch your back, and watch what you say. It's a tough industry, and most times, it's every man for himself. Everyone knows everyone in the professional aviation sector in South Africa, and word travels fast (good and bad).

It really is all about who you know. If the 'top dogs' (I'm talking either professional pilots, or those who have done well as private pilots, think aerobatics and the like) see you putting in the effort, they might look your way, and help out by offering you a flight or two in their aircraft, or telling you about their days in the air force (had the opportunity to talk to a gentleman the other day about spinning. It started off as "The Chipmunk has interesting spin characteristics"... And in the next sentence he was talking about when he flew Hawker Hunters, Gloster Meteors, and Canberra's. Just from that short conversation, I learnt new things; awesome!)

Always be professional. Always be safe. And always be willing to learn.

_________________
[Sardine]
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Blog: http://the-flying-fish.blogspot.com/, UPDATED on 13 August 2013

If that were true then I wouldve been flying for the SAAF right now...so dont count on it. Their standards are higher...plus you have to survive a possible ejection so theres added medicals for that.

About the motivational letter well , I didnt send one in and still got called up so ...but its good to write it and get the words right because either the panel or psychiatrist will ask you, why do you want to be a pilot for the SAAF. And telling them that its because you have dreamed of it ever since you were 5 years old would have them laughing at you - quite literally. So yeah

@Gripen. They always have epic stories! Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. I'll keep everything in mind!

@Edz. I'm already quite a short guy so lets hope that "possible ejection" never happens! I will start working on that motivational letter so long!

Thanks for the advice from both of you

Exactly WHAT Matric symbols would be ideal? I'm doing eight subjects (Maths;Physics;English HL;Afrikaans FAL;Geography;Life Science;Life Orientation;Maths Paper 3) and I hope to do very well in all of them. Problem is, I always get a level 4 (50-59%) for both Maths and Physics. Should I be worried? (I already know the answer to that question - but still…)

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Having any previous flying experience will not increase your chances of being selected, however it will definitely give you an advantage in terms of ability over your peers at least for the initial part of your training. For myself I feel like the training I had from before still pays forward in many aspects especially things like airmanship and having an outside reference or previous experience to help or overcome current situations...etc

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Thanks for the reply Maverick. I'm almost done with my PPL and working hard to be noticed and it's starting to pay off already I have forfeited the idea of joing the SAAF, just does not seem like an option anymore.