Civilians to train airforce pilots

The following is a rough translation from the Afrikaans Beeld newspaper:

Erika Gibson

The airforce will be outsourcing its basic flying training to a private flying school in the short term.

This is so that training can commence on a basic and cheaper aircraft before the more complex and expensive Pilatus Astra training aircraft used by the airforce.

"This will ease the learning curve for the students - particularly if their background is far removed form technological development. The new system will make further provision for the identification of genuine potential before unnecessary wastage (of training and time) takes place," the airforce said.

Tenders are also currently being considered to side-by-side trainers, instead of the student front, instructor behind aircraft such as in the Astra. In terms of the new system, students will undergo basic and officers training, as well as survival and leadership courses before acquiring a Private Pilots Licence at the flying school.

Only then will they be allowed to join the military system.

The tenders make provision for two courses, with a maximum of 24 students each, which much be completed within six months each.

Military instructors will attend the training and ensure that the defined military objectives in the training are achieved.

The private instructors will also record any transgressions. Only an extra two hours flight instruction will be permitted to ensure the students do not fail their solo flight. The airforce did not say what the training would cost, but observers believe that it would be more cost effective in the long run.

The flying training by the airforce in the last few years has resulted in a fiasco regarding certain quota requirements and sometimes interference by the highest authorities.

This frustrated the instructors so much that, at one time, they put down their authority because their opinions about problem students were ignored.

The training is the first step in a three-tier training system, in which the airforce will hire its own basic aircraft to perform the basic training. Then it will no longer be outsourced.

The purpose of the tender is to hire 12 small aircraft, of which eight must always be available.

Many students struggled on the Pilatus Astra as a result of its advanced avionics, Mr Helmoed-Römer Heitman, military commentator, said yesterday.

"Most airforce elsewhere use private flying schools to perform the initial sifting process. Then the military instructors don't need to spend so much time on students who, in the first place, don't have the necessary skills, such as hand-eye coordination.

"The initial two courses will be expensive, but if the airforce has its own basic aircraft, then it will be much cheaper than using the Astra".