The current economic downturn has given the
South African Air Force an unlikely benefit far
fewer staff members than expected have left the
force for greener pastures.
The air force routinely loses pilots and technicians
to the private sector, including in the Middle East
and Australia.
However, chief of the air force Lt- Gen Carlo
Gagiano said yesterday that the organisation is
experiencing a decline in the rate of skills loss.
So far this year, the air force has lost less than a
third of the staff normally lost during a financial
year.
While recent salary improvements have helped, much
of this i s due to the tough job market, where the
effects of the recession are still being felt. This
has also affected the air force’s forecast on staff
losses.
“In terms of budgeting for personnel this year, we
were caught by surprise: at this stage we have 400
more people than we anticipated,” Lt-Gen Gagiano
said.
But he said the fear i s that economic recovery will
again hinder the air force’s ability to retain
staff.
“You will understand that there are job losses
across the country; jobs are not that readily
available, so people do tend to hang on a little
bit,” he said.
Brig-Gen Wiseman Mbambo blamed the skills demand on
the closure of many US private flight schools after
the terrorist attacks of 2001. That forced Middle
Eastern state s dependent on those schools to look
elsewhere for skills.
Lt-Gen Gagiano said the air force also needs to
replace its ageing transport aircraft, many of which
a re decades old.
That includes the two Falcon 50 executive jets used
as VIP transport aircraft, which were acquired
second-hand.
A needs assessment i s under way and will be
presented to the government. But due to financial
constraints, the air force’s strategy i s to replace
aircraft in “twos and threes”, rather than
attempting to replace an entire fleet.
Although in November the government cancelled an
order for eight Airbus A400M aircraft due to cost
overruns, the air force still require s a “strategic
lifter”.
Various options a re under consideration, including
going the second-hand route.
The ageing transport fleet i s already drawing sales
agents to the air force.
“We are basically overwhelmed by companies that want
to speak to us, that want to show us their
products,” Lt-Gen Gagiano said.With acknowledgements to
Wilson Johwa and Business Day.
I'm not sure
that the SAAF has any fast jet pilots left, other
than some trained staff officers at SAAF HQ and DHQ.