NEWS & EVENTS - ATTRITION
30 July 2006
SAAF men's graves found
Attrition
Thirty years after their aircraft was shot down in the maelstrom of the Angolan civil war, the graves of two SA air force pilots and an army captain have been found.The families are trying to raise funds for a pilgrimage to their lonely resting place...
9 April 2006
Wreckage of SAAF Cessna found
Attrition
The following was posted on SAAF News:On 25 November 1975 a Cessna piloted by Lt KA Williamson and 2 passengers Lt E Thompson SAAF and Captain D J Taljaard S A Army was shot down in the vicinity of Ebo in Angola. I can confirm that the wreckage of th...
27 January 2006
Support to crew and ground support personnel after emergency landing
Attrition
Gerrit & Marentia Immelman, a farmer & his wife near Sutherland gave invaluable support and showed wonderful hospitality towards the crew and ground support personnel of Oryx 1200 on 12 & 13 October 2005.Pilot: Lt Col Kobus MeyerCo-Pilot:...
24 October 2005
More information on Hawk birdstrike
Attrition
Updating the news report of 20 October 2005, an anonymous source has stated that the birdstrike occured when a Vulture struck the left wing of the Hawk shortly after take-off, but the aircraft managed to land safely....
20 October 2005
New Hawk involved in bird strike?
Attrition
It was reported on AvCom that one of the new Hawk aircraft was damaged in a bird strike near AFB Makhado two or three weeks ago and has been returned to Denel for repair....
4 August 2005
Rooivalk helicopter flies into ground during test
Attrition
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:A Rooivalk attack helicopter of 16 Squadron in Bloemfontein flew into the ground during a test flight yesterday - on the day that a report was presented to the Parl...
3 August 2005
Air Force chopper crashes
Attrition
An Air Force helicopter crashed in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, the SA National Defence Force said. No one was hurt in the accident, said spokesperson Ronald Maseko. The Rooivalk helicopter based at 16 Squadron at Air Force Base Bloemspruit in Bloemfon...
5 July 2005
SAAF student pilot ejects as Impala hits vultures
Attrition
Graeme HoskenA South African Air Force student pilot narrowly escaped death moments after taking off from Air Force Base Hoedspruit in Limpopo yesterday when his plane hit two vultures.Pretoria NewsTo summarize the article: Captain Colin Sparke took ...
4 July 2005
Air Force fighter jet crashes
Attrition
An SA Air Force (SAAF) Impala Mk2 fighter trainer has crashed, with the pilot ejecting safely, a spokesperson said on Monday. The SAAF's captain Ronald Maseko's said the aircraft was from 85 Combat Flying School, based at Hoedspruit. It crash...
25 May 2005
Identity of crashed Astra reveiled
Attrition
According to photos published on the offical SANDF website, the Astra that crashed on 9 April 2005 was 2016....
23 April 2005
How underfunding is hurting SA Air Force
Attrition
Media reports that underfunding of the South African Air Force (SAAF) has caused the service to run down are correct, SAAF chief Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano said on Friday."In view of recent media reports and in line with SAAF Vision 2012, ...
11 April 2005
Dead trainee pilot failed exams
Attrition
Who will accept responsibility for the death of a trainee Air Force pilot at the weekend? This is what aviation experts asked on Sunday when it emerged that the trainee pilot who crashed his Astra training aircraft this weekend failed his exams on mo...
11 April 2005
Pilot's 'incompetence' probed
Attrition
Allegations about the competence of a trainee pilot who died in an aircraft crash at the weekend were part of the inquiry into the matter, the SA Air Force said on Monday. SAAF spokesperson Captain Ronald Maseko was reacting to the Beeld newspaper as...
9 April 2005
Trainee pilot dies in crash
Attrition
Trainee air force pilot Oupa Jeanclaude Ramaiti, 24, died when his aircraft crashed near Lichtenburg in North West on Saturday afternoon, the SA National Defence Force said on Sunday.SANDF spokesperson captain Ronald Maseko said Ramaiti was flying so...
20 March 2005
Chopper crash investigated
Attrition
Harrismith - The air force launched an investigation on Sunday into an Alouette helicopter that had crashed next to the N3 on Friday. Witnesses said the helicopter gave an impromptu air show at the busy Bergview 1-Stop, where the crew landed for a Wi...
18 March 2005
Helicopter crashes on farm
Attrition
Harrismith - A SA Air Force Alouette III helicopter crashed near the Wimpy Bar in Harrismith on Friday morning, according to an accident witness. "The crew apparently stopped for coffee then took off and lost power. The rotor sprung back and lan...
18 March 2005
Helicopter crew 'showing off'
Attrition
Harrismith - Four aircrew have survived an SA Air Force helicopter crash outside the Bergview Engen One-Stop in Harrismith on Friday morning, emergency services said. "Two people suffered minor injuries and the other two are fine," fire chi...
18 March 2005
Chopper crew facing the music
Attrition
An Alouette helicopter flight crew is in "deep trouble" if reports by witnesses prove true, said a former air-force helicopter instructor on Friday.The air force confirmed on Friday that an Alouette from the Bloemspruit airbase, where the a...
7 February 2005
Plane crashes outside Nelspruit
Attrition
Five people have been injured, one critically, after a plane crash outside Nelspruit last night. It's understood the light military aircraft took off from Nelspruit airport just before 6 o'clock, but couldn't gain altitude. It then crashe...
3 November 2004
'Miracle' pilot meets his angel
Attrition
As the giant eight-ton Air Force Oryx helicopter hurtled uncontrollably to Earth, Captain Brent Groger believed he was "most definitely finished".Groger, 25, was in the rear of the chopper and the last thing he remembers about the freak acc...
28 October 2004
Alouettes 'on leave' after accident
Attrition
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:The Alouette helicopters from the airforce helicopter flying school at Bloemspruit have been grounded after one of the helicopters performed an emergency landing du...
26 October 2004
Alouette performs emergency landing
Attrition
An uncomfirmed rumour states that an Alouette III of 87 HFS, flown by a student, performed an emergency landing in a field today after rumblings were heard from the engine, which then 'cut out'.The Alouettes have, once again, been grounded....
8 October 2004
Hercules brakes catch fire
Attrition
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:One of the SAAFs C-130 Hercules aircraft caused drama on Friday at Johannesburg International Airport when the brakes caught fire. The aircraft came to a stop on on...
2 October 2004
Air Force mum on rumours that crash pilot failed written exams three times
Attrition
The SA Air Force will investigate allegations that a trainee pilot who crashed an aircraft near Langebaan this week had repeatedly failed his written examinations and should not have been allowed to fly.According to a report this week, the trainee pi...
30 September 2004
SAAF: 'Quotas, not quality'
Attrition
Former flight instructors said on Wednesday the air force's focus was no longer on quality, but rather on statistics and quotas. This came after a student pilot crashed a plane on Tuesday - after having failed his flight test three times. It is b...
SAAF men's graves found
Attrition
Thirty years after their aircraft was shot down in the maelstrom of the Angolan civil war, the graves of two SA air force pilots and an army captain have been found.The families are trying to raise funds for a pilgrimage to their lonely resting place...
Wreckage of SAAF Cessna found
Attrition
The following was posted on SAAF News:On 25 November 1975 a Cessna piloted by Lt KA Williamson and 2 passengers Lt E Thompson SAAF and Captain D J Taljaard S A Army was shot down in the vicinity of Ebo in Angola. I can confirm that the wreckage of th...
Support to crew and ground support personnel after emergency landing
Attrition
Gerrit & Marentia Immelman, a farmer & his wife near Sutherland gave invaluable support and showed wonderful hospitality towards the crew and ground support personnel of Oryx 1200 on 12 & 13 October 2005.Pilot: Lt Col Kobus MeyerCo-Pilot:...
More information on Hawk birdstrike
Attrition
Updating the news report of 20 October 2005, an anonymous source has stated that the birdstrike occured when a Vulture struck the left wing of the Hawk shortly after take-off, but the aircraft managed to land safely....
New Hawk involved in bird strike?
Attrition
It was reported on AvCom that one of the new Hawk aircraft was damaged in a bird strike near AFB Makhado two or three weeks ago and has been returned to Denel for repair....
Rooivalk helicopter flies into ground during test
Attrition
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:A Rooivalk attack helicopter of 16 Squadron in Bloemfontein flew into the ground during a test flight yesterday - on the day that a report was presented to the Parl...
Air Force chopper crashes
Attrition
An Air Force helicopter crashed in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, the SA National Defence Force said. No one was hurt in the accident, said spokesperson Ronald Maseko. The Rooivalk helicopter based at 16 Squadron at Air Force Base Bloemspruit in Bloemfon...
SAAF student pilot ejects as Impala hits vultures
Attrition
Graeme HoskenA South African Air Force student pilot narrowly escaped death moments after taking off from Air Force Base Hoedspruit in Limpopo yesterday when his plane hit two vultures.Pretoria NewsTo summarize the article: Captain Colin Sparke took ...
Air Force fighter jet crashes
Attrition
An SA Air Force (SAAF) Impala Mk2 fighter trainer has crashed, with the pilot ejecting safely, a spokesperson said on Monday. The SAAF's captain Ronald Maseko's said the aircraft was from 85 Combat Flying School, based at Hoedspruit. It crash...
Identity of crashed Astra reveiled
Attrition
According to photos published on the offical SANDF website, the Astra that crashed on 9 April 2005 was 2016....
How underfunding is hurting SA Air Force
Attrition
Media reports that underfunding of the South African Air Force (SAAF) has caused the service to run down are correct, SAAF chief Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano said on Friday."In view of recent media reports and in line with SAAF Vision 2012, ...
Dead trainee pilot failed exams
Attrition
Who will accept responsibility for the death of a trainee Air Force pilot at the weekend? This is what aviation experts asked on Sunday when it emerged that the trainee pilot who crashed his Astra training aircraft this weekend failed his exams on mo...
Pilot's 'incompetence' probed
Attrition
Allegations about the competence of a trainee pilot who died in an aircraft crash at the weekend were part of the inquiry into the matter, the SA Air Force said on Monday. SAAF spokesperson Captain Ronald Maseko was reacting to the Beeld newspaper as...
Trainee pilot dies in crash
Attrition
Trainee air force pilot Oupa Jeanclaude Ramaiti, 24, died when his aircraft crashed near Lichtenburg in North West on Saturday afternoon, the SA National Defence Force said on Sunday.SANDF spokesperson captain Ronald Maseko said Ramaiti was flying so...
Chopper crash investigated
Attrition
Harrismith - The air force launched an investigation on Sunday into an Alouette helicopter that had crashed next to the N3 on Friday. Witnesses said the helicopter gave an impromptu air show at the busy Bergview 1-Stop, where the crew landed for a Wi...
Helicopter crashes on farm
Attrition
Harrismith - A SA Air Force Alouette III helicopter crashed near the Wimpy Bar in Harrismith on Friday morning, according to an accident witness. "The crew apparently stopped for coffee then took off and lost power. The rotor sprung back and lan...
Helicopter crew 'showing off'
Attrition
Harrismith - Four aircrew have survived an SA Air Force helicopter crash outside the Bergview Engen One-Stop in Harrismith on Friday morning, emergency services said. "Two people suffered minor injuries and the other two are fine," fire chi...
Chopper crew facing the music
Attrition
An Alouette helicopter flight crew is in "deep trouble" if reports by witnesses prove true, said a former air-force helicopter instructor on Friday.The air force confirmed on Friday that an Alouette from the Bloemspruit airbase, where the a...
Plane crashes outside Nelspruit
Attrition
Five people have been injured, one critically, after a plane crash outside Nelspruit last night. It's understood the light military aircraft took off from Nelspruit airport just before 6 o'clock, but couldn't gain altitude. It then crashe...
'Miracle' pilot meets his angel
Attrition
As the giant eight-ton Air Force Oryx helicopter hurtled uncontrollably to Earth, Captain Brent Groger believed he was "most definitely finished".Groger, 25, was in the rear of the chopper and the last thing he remembers about the freak acc...
Alouettes 'on leave' after accident
Attrition
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:The Alouette helicopters from the airforce helicopter flying school at Bloemspruit have been grounded after one of the helicopters performed an emergency landing du...
Alouette performs emergency landing
Attrition
An uncomfirmed rumour states that an Alouette III of 87 HFS, flown by a student, performed an emergency landing in a field today after rumblings were heard from the engine, which then 'cut out'.The Alouettes have, once again, been grounded....
Hercules brakes catch fire
Attrition
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:One of the SAAFs C-130 Hercules aircraft caused drama on Friday at Johannesburg International Airport when the brakes caught fire. The aircraft came to a stop on on...
Air Force mum on rumours that crash pilot failed written exams three times
Attrition
The SA Air Force will investigate allegations that a trainee pilot who crashed an aircraft near Langebaan this week had repeatedly failed his written examinations and should not have been allowed to fly.According to a report this week, the trainee pi...
SAAF: 'Quotas, not quality'
Attrition
Former flight instructors said on Wednesday the air force's focus was no longer on quality, but rather on statistics and quotas. This came after a student pilot crashed a plane on Tuesday - after having failed his flight test three times. It is b...
