The SAAF Forum

Yup, anything is possible. Will be easy enough to see if there is shrapnel/bullet damage and so far I see no evidence.

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How come every time my ship comes in, I'm at the airport?

Dean how long until we know whether another C-130 will be made airworthy? Know it's a bit of an unfair question but a guestimate?

So very sad, but glad no one was seriously hurt.

Here's to some funds for 2020 for the Airforce

It's very dependent on budget. I reckon it will take years. Hopefully they can salvage two of 403's engines as engines are also a limiting factor, given how expensive it is to overhaul each one.

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How come every time my ship comes in, I'm at the airport?

This does not bode well for the SAAF's transport fleet. I see dark times ahead!

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Da-di-da-da-da

Unfortunately the SAAF's transport capability is evaporating.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/141742650@N08/albums

SAAF will probably lease in AN-12's, as they did with UR-CPZ belonging to Aeroviz in March 2019.

Thanks Dean!!

Don't hold your breath, we're just a couple of months from the centenary, but there's still no indicatuon that anyone at DOD gives a f#ck.

Unfortunately given the state of the economy, government, and SOE's; defense spending is very low on the agenda. Moody's rating review is coming up now in March, so Eskom is the priority.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/141742650@N08/albums

From what I'm hearing, we're looking at a few weeks at most till another C-130BZ is fully serviceable. Indeed from what I understand the main limiting factor is sending and receiving 54H60 propellers for the compulsory TCTO 3H1-18-515 and TCTO 3H1-18-516 inspections. That has really hurt the SAAF in terms of availability, because it can't afford to buy up the same number of bulk inspections slots as other major C-130B/E/H operators.


Yes. Don't expect any good news regarding defence over the next few years. At this point I've come to believe that the best we can hope for is a new Defence Review that at least downsizes the SANDF, and SAAF in particular, in a way that's sustainable and not too harmful over the long term.

C-130BZ 401 flying around Waterkloof now doing circuits.

Thanks GLF4, also picked it up on FR24. Good news for 28 Squadron & the SAAF.

As I understand it, despite huge pressure to get it airborne ASAP, the SAAF insisted on doing everything by the book to return it to flight.

No probz Darren. You got the gen on 403's Cuba jaunt further up?

Will they only activate 401? 402,405,406,408 are the other potential fliers...

Op Thusano cargo lift, same as the last time. It's an annually scheduled mission given to the SAAF, for which they either have to use a C-130BZ or charter at greater expense.

Only 401 will be activated for now, as the budget does not permit more fliers and the prop inspections are a real problem. The others are going through various stages in their maintenance cycles though, so it's possible another might be serviceable in a month or two. I don't expect more than two to be kept serviceable given budget constraints, and in any case the maintenance intervals are staggered to the point where that's unlikely.