For the aviation fans

[geomark]

[Spokey]

I think the SACAA have expired during CV19

My AME license renewal application went in mid June, license subsequently expired on 27 July and they only acknowledged receipt on 12 August

 

Luckily i don't need a valid license

I am in Dubai, sim recurrent on 30th. Doing it on my FAA. I am advised by the peeps who submit my paperwork in SA that the turnaround for the license is 4 weeks! Add on the delivery time from Dubai and back. As I fly on a validation I think I may just skip doing the SA renewal this year anyway and just Validate my FAA to San Marino.

[Alouette3]

I did my renewal 100% online, sent scanned and certified copies of everything. Just takes time and patience, oh and  did I say time! Just sent a courier to pic it up once it was ready. Didn't bother with Aviation Assist this time, though friends have done so

[Lotus]

I flew down to PLZ with Safair for the weekend. It was great to be back in the air again.

 

ORT was weirdly deserted on Friday, and the health procedures were in full effect. Until you get onto the plane, then it's like sardines in a can.

 

@LWB - I was chatting to one of your colleagues while waiting at the gate in PLZ and he mentioned that the Safair planes are ex-SAA? I was wondering how old they are, because they seem to be a lot louder that some 787-800s.

 

 

[Long Wheel Base]

I flew down to PLZ with Safair for the weekend. It was great to be back in the air again.

 

ORT was weirdly deserted on Friday, and the health procedures were in full effect. Until you get onto the plane, then it's like sardines in a can.

 

@LWB - I was chatting to one of your colleagues while waiting at the gate in PLZ and he mentioned that the Safair planes are ex-SAA? I was wondering how old they are, because they seem to be a lot louder that some 787-800s.

All but 1 or 2 of safairs 737-800 are the ones SAA and Mango used to fly. Safair owns them and we leased them, once the leases expired they went back. So if the registration is ZS-SJ? then it is ex SAA/Mango tail. When we were still flying -800s we had ZS-SJA all the way to ZS-SJV(with no SJQ). When Mango first started flying we painted SJG,SJH,SJK and SJL orange. Then basically with each major check it would go in white and come out orange. SJV was the star alliance one painted with the black tail.

Safair have -400s and 800s. As far as noise goes the -800s should all sound the same, they are all fitted with CFM56-7B. The -400s are fitted with the older CFM56-5C.

[Lotus]

All but 1 or 2 of safairs 737-800 are the ones SAA and Mango used to fly. Safair owns them and we leased them, once the leases expired they went back. So if the registration is ZS-SJ? then it is ex SAA/Mango tail. When we were still flying -800s we had ZS-SJA all the way to ZS-SJV(with no SJQ). When Mango first started flying we painted SJG,SJH,SJK and SJL orange. Then basically with each major check it would go in white and come out orange. SJV was the star alliance one painted with the black tail.

Safair have -400s and 800s. As far as noise goes the -800s should all sound the same, they are all fitted with CFM56-7B. The -400s are fitted with the older CFM56-5C.

Interesting!

 

One thing's for sure - when they open the throttles for take-off, that plane sure hauls ass.

[Bateleur1]

Anybody know what the status is wrt Comairs business rescue?

[Long Wheel Base]

Interesting!

 

One thing's for sure - when they open the throttles for take-off, that plane sure hauls ass.

Yeah and it's an "old" plane. I am not an Airbus fan but in January I took my oldest on his first flight, we flew to Durban, spent a couple hours at the airport and flew back(advantages of the free flights we used to get.....). We flew down on a A319 and back on a A320. Essentially the same engines( IAE V2500) but the A320 has been up-rated in power output and there is a big difference between the 2. The A319 sort of labors down the runway but the A320 gets a move on.

On a side note, Our 2 Air Mauritius A350s went back to Mauritius on Thursday. No pax, min fuel and they did the flight in just over 3 hours. That is pretty quick.

 

[Bateleur1]

Yeah and it's an "old" plane. I am not an Airbus fan but in January I took my oldest on his first flight, we flew to Durban, spent a couple hours at the airport and flew back(advantages of the free flights we used to get.....). We flew down on a A319 and back on a A320. Essentially the same engines( IAE V2500) but the A320 has been up-rated in power output and there is a big difference between the 2. The A319 sort of labors down the runway but the A320 gets a move on.

On a side note, Our 2 Air Mauritius A350s went back to Mauritius on Thursday. No pax, min fuel and they did the flight in just over 3 hours. That is pretty quick.

 

SDE.PNGSDF.PNG

 

Those new aircraft being returned to Air Mauritius?

[Long Wheel Base]

Those new aircraft being returned to Air Mauritius?

Yip. The China ones left a while ago(these were the 2 used ones, SDC and SDD) and they being parked in some desert at the moment. The 2 new ones belong to Air Mauritius. Not sure if they going to fly them or park them. They left here in Air Mauritius colours. It was interesting to see them remove the decals. Those planes were never actually painted in our colors, we simply stuck decals over the Air Maritius paint. 

I took these on Wednesday, they left the next day.

[Bateleur1]

Just shaking my head here.  When is the business rescue plan going to be announced for SAA?

[kosmonooit]

Just shaking my head here.  When is the business rescue plan going to be announced for SAA?

Its as clear as jade .. on going drama devoid of logic and reason, It seems its at the stage where there are trying to find 'investors' to cough up the R10 blllion + required for the approved rescue plan at the same time its been stated that "equal employment metrics will be more important than seniority"  ..you know where that is going.

 

I can't see any major international investor investing in an organisation that is not employing the right people for the job. Unless there is crookedness involved.

[Robbie Stewart]

Its as clear as jade .. on going drama devoid of logic and reason, It seems its at the stage where there are trying to find 'investors' to cough up the R10 blllion + required for the approved rescue plan at the same time its been stated that "equal employment metrics will be more important than seniority"  ..you know where that is going.

 

I can't see any major international investor investing in an organisation that is not employing the right people for the job. Unless there is crookedness involved.

 

That bit about equity employment is the reason I will point blank refuse to ever set foot on a SAA plane again. Its not a race thing, its a personal decision based in SAA being upfront that they will not employ the best person for the job over skin colour.

 

I will thus have no more SAA dealings in future. I am not willing to set foot on an airplane with the niggling question whether the pilot is sufficiently capable to handle the aircraft in a escalating crisis if he or she is only there based on race merit.

 

As I recall, there was a SAA pilot who was discovered, last year I think, that he was flying without ever being legally permitted to due to not having a type-rating on the A340, and this only came to light after some incorrect procedures were followed which endangered the plane and passengers during a flight. I can't recall specifics, but this is an example why I do not trust SAA to not repeat the same thing in assigning pilot jobs. I also read this morning that they are reducing pilot vacancies from 660 to 85. So, are they planning in increasing the pilots' schedules, or will they simply fly less frequently.

 

No, I will henceforth fly with the available opposition whenever I need to.

[Long Wheel Base]

That bit about equity employment is the reason I will point blank refuse to ever set foot on a SAA plane again. Its not a race thing, its a personal decision based in SAA being upfront that they will not employ the best person for the job over skin colour.

 

I will thus have no more SAA dealings in future. I am not willing to set foot on an airplane with the niggling question whether the pilot is sufficiently capable to handle the aircraft in a escalating crisis if he or she is only there based on race merit.

 

As I recall, there was a SAA pilot who was discovered, last year I think, that he was flying without ever being legally permitted to due to not having a type-rating on the A340, and this only came to light after some incorrect procedures were followed which endangered the plane and passengers during a flight. I can't recall specifics, but this is an example why I do not trust SAA to not repeat the same thing in assigning pilot jobs. I also read this morning that they are reducing pilot vacancies from 660 to 85. So, are they planning in increasing the pilots' schedules, or will they simply fly less frequently.

 

No, I will henceforth fly with the available opposition whenever I need to.

Correct. Below is a screenshot from an internal mail with the numbers.

To answer you query, neither actually. We currently have way too many pilots for the amount of planes. There are pilots that have been flying once or twice a month(pre lockdown). SAA has never stopped employing pilots but the fleet never grew to accommodate the new pilots. The new proposed fleet is A LOT smaller so those 88 pilots are inline with regulations. The new total proposed employee count will be 1000, down from 4661.

EDIT:

It was amended to this

Edited August 24, 2020 by Long Wheel Base

[Long Wheel Base]

That bit about equity employment is the reason I will point blank refuse to ever set foot on a SAA plane again. Its not a race thing, its a personal decision based in SAA being upfront that they will not employ the best person for the job over skin colour.

 

I will thus have no more SAA dealings in future. I am not willing to set foot on an airplane with the niggling question whether the pilot is sufficiently capable to handle the aircraft in a escalating crisis if he or she is only there based on race merit.

 

As I recall, there was a SAA pilot who was discovered, last year I think, that he was flying without ever being legally permitted to due to not having a type-rating on the A340, and this only came to light after some incorrect procedures were followed which endangered the plane and passengers during a flight. I can't recall specifics, but this is an example why I do not trust SAA to not repeat the same thing in assigning pilot jobs. I also read this morning that they are reducing pilot vacancies from 660 to 85. So, are they planning in increasing the pilots' schedules, or will they simply fly less frequently.

 

No, I will henceforth fly with the available opposition whenever I need to.

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/senior-saa-pilot-fired-for-flying-with-fake-licence-for-20-years-report-20190301

[Bateleur1]

Correct. Below is a screenshot from an internal mail with the numbers.

To answer you query, neither actually. We currently have way too many pilots for the amount of planes. There are pilots that have been flying once or twice a month(pre lockdown). SAA has never stopped employing pilots but the fleet never grew to accommodate the new pilots. The new proposed fleet is A LOT smaller so those 88 pilots are inline with regulations. The new total proposed employee count will be 1000, down from 4661.

Capture.PNG

EDIT:

It was amended to this

Capture1.PNG

 

LWB, any indication as to what they going to do with the fleetß  How many aircraft are planned and what aircraft will be used?  Since many of the lease aircraft having been returned.  What is left?  Those thirsty A340-600 that nobody wants to buy?  I see they were out flying last week again btw.