SAAF to offer public flips!
Date: 1 April 2010
By Dean Wingrin
In an exclusive, The Unofficial SAAF Website can reveal that the SAAF is finalising plans to offer the public flights in their aircraft, including the multi-billion rand Gripen fighter.
It is no secret that the Department of Defence is underfunded by at least R7.335 billion for the new 2010/11 financial year. In particular, the airforce is under-budgeted by R1221 m. According to a recent Department of Defence briefing, flying hours allocated to the fighter force, helicopter capability and transport fleet are all less than optimal, with the Saab Gripen C and D fighter fleet particularly hard hit.
As a result, the SAAF has come up with a plan to increase both flying hours for its pilots and obtain additional revenue by offering the public flights in any of their aircraft in exchange for a suitable donation.
Maj Hofnar Isidenge, spokesman for the SAAF, said that Treasury approval had already been received. "As the SAAF will only receive donations, the money will go directly to the SAAF and not the general State account".
A senior fighter pilot with knowledge of the plan said that flying the public should not be a problem for SAAF pilots. "Many of our pilots are reserve pilots who already fly for the commercial airlines," he said, "Therefore, no additional training is required as they already know the pre-flight welcome briefing".
This is good news for the public, who can now follow their dream of flying a supersonic fighter or even lounging in the luxury of the Presidential Boeing business jet.
However, the SAAF may still be reluctant to let the public fly the single-seat Gripen C. "We'll have to see how much they're willing to pay. They will certainly have to put down a deposit equal to the value of a new Gripen," Isidenge said.
Note: This article was originaly written as an April Fools prank and should not be taken seriously.
