Beleaguered SAAF apparently reaching out to SAA for assistance
Date: 7 September 2015
The point has apparently been reached where the SA Air Force (SAAF) is aware it cannot fulfil its defence obligations and the airborne arm of the SANDF has turned to pilots flying for the national carrier, SAA, for assistance.
The Afrikaans Sunday paper Rapport said it has a copy of a memorandum sent to South African Airways (SAA) pilots last week. It asks them to help out as reserve pilots at a “few SAAF squadrons”. The paper points out the “emergency call” came in the same week the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) informed Parliament it could not depend on the air force in the event of a major shipping disaster, such as the Oceanos sinking in 1991.
Dr Cleeve Robertson, NSRI chief executive, told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport 22 Squadron can “at best” put a pair of Oryx helicopters in the air to assist in sea rescue. He put it that the AFB Ysterplaat-based unit could “hardly” be called a squadron any longer.
The squadron apparently does not have any pilots currently qualified to land on vessels at sea. This has been put down to the non-availability of a platform for practice. The SA Navy supply vessel, SAS Drakensberg, is the preferred platform for this training but she has been out of commission for about 18 months undergoing a major refit and accompanying maintenance. She is now back in the water but has yet to be commissioned as fully seaworthy following the refit.
According to Rapport the memorandum issued by SAA Flight Operations is looking for pilots to increase “capacity” at certain squadrons. It goes on to state timescales will be finalised in the near future and, as soon as further information is available, this will be circulated.
No aircraft types are stipulated in the memo but there are any number of former SAAF members, who flew helicopters, light and medium transport, VIP aircraft and even jets now working at the national carrier. The paper spoke to serving SAAF officers who indicated that, in addition to aircrews for 21 Squadron, the VIP unit, aircrew was also urgently needed for the SAAF’s maritime capability.
“This,” the unidentified pilot said, “is fast reaching crisis proportions and maritime search and rescue can be said to be in the process of dying”.
Going back 10 years, 22 Squadron would be able to put six Oryx into the air while the squadron’s current situation is such it has one, possibly two, of the rotary-winged workhorses available at any given time.
Source: defenceWeb
