In the 1980s every young pilot’s dream was to be Tom Cruise’s character, Maverick, in the film Top Gun. But this is not so anymore, the South African Air Force (SAAF) said on Friday.
”Their role model is no longer the guy in the G-suit with the big watch and sunglasses; it is a four-bar [commercial airline] captain who is driving a big car, flies two or three days and plays golf the rest of the week,” said Major General Des Barker, director of force preparation for the SAAF.
He was backing the Chief of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano, who said it was extremely difficult for the SAAF to retain its pilots, navigators and technicians.
”It’s just too lucrative out there, too lucrative,” Gagiano said.
He was giving a media briefing at Air Force Base Makhado in the Limpopo province on the state of the SAAF and, while sketching a generally positive picture, the retention of skilled military aircrew was highlighted as a problem.
”It is extremely difficult to keep people. It is going to remain a challenge,” said Gagiano.
But while this previously was a problem for the SAAF only, Gagiano warned it would soon become a problem for all South African aviation.
”We are all under threat. We must work together to protect aviation in South Africa.”
He was referring to thousands of aircraft that are currently on order from various aircraft manufacturers all over the world and the increasing need for well-trained aviators in China.
”All these aircraft need pilots and technicians to maintain them. Where will they come from?” Gagiano asked.
Barker cited studies that estimate about 340 000 pilots would be needed worldwide by 2020.
The SAAF is trying the counter the loss of its personnel.
This week Gagiano signed the military aircrew assistance pay, which will see incentives paid to SAAF crews on top of their normal salaries to bring their packages closer to that of their colleagues in the commercial sector.
”When we first talked about the scheme about six months ago, some airlines increased their salaries by 20%,” Gagiano pointed out.
To compensate for those staff already lost, the SAAF has outsourced some of its training.
Student helicopter pilots do their basic helicopter flying course at private company Starlight Aviation in Durban. After that, they go on to train on SAAF Oryx helicopters and learn military flying, training which is still done by the SAAF.
This week Gagiano also met top brass at South African Airways.
”Wherever we can work together, we’ll do so.”
He said it was too early to say what exactly the cooperation would entail.
The SAAF has also stepped up its flight training, with 63 pupil pilots and 17 navigators finishing the wings course at Langebaan Flying School in the Western Cape and a further 67 pupil pilots and navigators undergoing military training at the Military Academy in Saldanha.
”It’s like a sausage factory, turning out pilots and navigators continuously,” Gagiano said. — Sapa