A plan to keep SA airborne
Date: 31 January 2009
LIEUTENANT-General Carlo Gagiano is a man with a mission. The South African Air Force (SAAF) is hobbled by a crippling skills shortage and the chief of the air force knows exactly how he is going to fix it.
During an interview in his offices at the SAAF headquarters in Pretoria, Gagiano brushes aside a question on his time as a fighter pilot during the apartheid years, flying both the Mirage F1CZ and Cheetah jets.
"I have served both governments, pre-1994 and now I am doing what I have always done and that is execute orders," he says, before steering the conversation to his current mandate, which weighs heavily on his mind.
This is hardly surprising given the air force's list of challenges, the skills shortage prominent among them. "I have a feeling we are heading for a big crunch in the near future on the skills front, and it is not just the air force that is affected but the whole South African aviation sector."
The air force and the aviation industry are losing technicians, pilots and air traffic controllers to Australia, Europe, Middle Eastern countries and to other sectors of the economy. "For example, we are losing technicians to the telecommunications industry where their skills are in huge demand," says Gagiano. "We are simply not able to compete on salary.
"Our last commanding officer of the Cheetah squadron took a job in Australia. So did our first commanding officer of the Hawk trainer programme."
Gagiano believes he has found a solution to this problem - or at least part of it. "We have initiated discussions with numerous private sector organisations, including various airlines, to see how we can work together."
The SAAF recently concluded an agreement with Comair allowing the group to use its bases for diversions, potentially saving the airline on fuel costs. In exchange, Comair pilots will be available to join the reserve force to help with, among other tasks, training.
"These are highly experienced pilots and their skills will be vital to us," Gagiano says. The SAAF is also in talks with South African Airways and Denel on similar co operation agreements, while SA Airlink is keen to initiate talks.
Another challenge for Gagiano is that new recruits lack key skills required for life in the air force. "Without pointing fingers, it has become clear that bridging education is necessary," he says.
"Our members are required to deal with highly sophisticated systems such as the Gripen fighter jet, which demands a certain level of computer skills, proficiency in English as well as a good understanding of maths and science.
"We are not seeing those skills in many new recruits and this year I have instructed my staff to work on some sort of bridging course."
A key challenge is the introduction of new systems, including the new-generation Gripen fighter, the Hawk trainers and the AgustaWestland A109 and Super Links helicopters. With the phasing out of the Cheetah last April, the air force is essentially without an operational fighter corps.
"In a small air force such as ours we did not have the luxury of phasing in the Gripen before retiring the Cheetah. We do not have enough squadrons," says Gagiano.
"With the helicopters it is not such a problem as we have considerably more squadrons which can be moved to a new system in a phased manner."
There are five Gripens in SA - one based at Air Force Base Overberg for long-term testing and four at Air Force Base Makhado - with two more due in April or May. All 21 are expected to be delivered by 2012 only.
There are also few pilots qualified to fly the Gripen, with only a handful of Cheetah pilots moving to the Gripen and the first group of new recruits only recently completing their training on the Hawks. "They will stay with the Hawks for a year to gain experience before moving over to the Gripens," says Gagiano.
The air force is also due to take delivery of eight Airbus A400M transport aircraft in 2011 to replace the ageing fleet of C130s.
However, the A400M development programme has been beset by numerous production problems and Gagiano does not expect Airbus will begin deliveries before 2013. He worries that the C130s - many of them built in the early 1960s - may not last beyond 2015.
"As with old aircraft, they require more maintenance and more repairs. While we upgraded the avionics not too long ago, the rest of the aircraft is old and prone to breakdowns."
The air force requires the new aircraft to cope with its growing peacekeeping role on the continent. "For example, we need an aircraft that is big enough to carry a helicopter without having to take it apart completely as we have to do now. At the moment we are not able to deploy as quickly as we would like," says Gagiano.
The A400M would allow the air force to resume air-to-air refueling, a capability that was lost when its Boeing 707 was retired.
Another challenge is the air force's budgetary constraints.
"There is no doubt that the global financial turmoil has spilled over into SA and the country's reduced output has a direct consequence for us. It basically means we have less money to spend," says Gagiano.
He points out that surging inflation in the aviation sector, last year's high fuel prices and an unfavourable exchange rate have eaten into the SAAF's budget.
"Most aircraft components, even on SA-built aircraft such as the Rooivalk, are imported so inflation and the exchange rate are a huge threat," Gagiano says.
Despite these challenges, Gagiano remains passionate about his position. "I always wanted to fly, since I was a little boy - except for a brief period when I thought I wanted to be a dominee."
He joined the SAAF in 1968 after leaving school. "I did not speak a word of English and had to study with a dictionary, which was not much help as it did not contain many aviation terms. But I persevered because I had a passion for aviation and the air force."
Gagiano admits that he does not often see that passion in new recruits. "It is not the same as it was then," he says ruefully.
He was awarded his wings in December 1969 and has flown the Vampire, F86 Sabre, Mirage III and the F1CZ - one of his favourite aircraft. In 1985 he was appointed as the officer commanding 3 Squadron, operating F1CZ aircraft, and in 1989 he became officer commanding 89 Combat Flying School with Cheetah D aircraft.
One of the highlights of his career was his appointment as military attaché in Israel in 1991. His appointment as chief of the air force in 2005 was not, he says jokingly. Gagiano stopped flying operationally in 1990. However, he recently flew a Eurofighter, and positively gushes when he talks about it. Asked whether he misses being a fighter pilot, he replies: "I am getting old. I don't think my body can cope with the stress."
Last year Gagiano obtained his command of 41 Squadron's Pilatus PC-12, an aircraft he uses to visit bases. "I love flying," he says. "When you are up there you don't have the time to think of anything except flying which takes my mind off matters back at the office."
A question no doubt often asked of him is how an Afrikaans speaking lad from Clanwilliam got an Italian surname. "The original Gagiano arrived in SA in 1820 and many of his descendants settled on the west coast. Many Gagianos were either buried or married in the old church in Clanwilliam."
He has been embraced by the Italian community and every year presides over a ceremony at Sonderwater in remembrance of the Italian prisoners of war captured during the Second World War.
While the challenges facing the air force take up most of his time, the general is due for a break.
In March he and his wife Leonie will travel to Namibia where he will make time for his other passion, fishing.
"I have a feeling we are heading for a big crunch in the near future on the skills front, and it is not just the air force that is affected but the whole South African aviation sector"
Source: Business Day
