Military to start own airline
Date: 1 April 2011
By Dean Wingrin
In an exclusive, The Unofficial SAAF Website can reveal that the SAAF is finalising plans to enter the commercial airline scene.
Although there are many full-service and low-cost airlines operating in South Africa, the military feels that there is still space for a niche-operator. Major Hofnar Isidenge, spokesman for the SAAF, said that the airforce had a large number of transport aircraft suitable for carrying passengers between small towns and the larger cities.
"We have Hercules, Dakotas and Cessna Caravans that are perfect for flying between small, outlying towns, such as Mthatha, Vredendal and Pofadder, to the larger cities. This will fill a major gap not covered by the established airlines. We will not be competing with them, but complementing them and feeding them," Isidenge explained.
The plan is believed to have been hatched from a comment made by Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, in a Defence Budget Vote speech.
Sisulu said, "We wish to sell this concept of opening up our skills development for government departments and the private sector. SAA has one of the highest standards of aviation safety in the world. We would like to claim that this is in no small measure because the bulk of the pilots they have, were trained by the Defence Force."
The under-funding of the airforce budget has resulted in flying hours allocated to airforce pilots being less than optimal. As a result, the SAAF had come up with a plan to increase both flying hours for its pilots and obtain additional revenue while still contributing to the economic development of the country.
"It was a natural outcome," continued Isidenge, "The airforce gets to fly and the economy in the rural areas is improved. Treasury approval has already been obtained."
Airforce pilots would also receive vital training and experience of commercial operations which would stand them in good stead when they resign from the military.
A senior airforce 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 Force 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".
Note: This article was originally written as an April Fools prank and should not be taken seriously.
