For the aviation fans

[Long Wheel Base]

Any news on what the status is with SAA? Was in contact with a guy I know last week.  He was one of the A340 pilots.  He took the severance package in August last year.  Man I feel sorry for all the folks working at SAA.

The only news we get to hear is from news24................ SAA itself is currently pretty much moth balled. There are a few people that come to work each day but I have no idea what they doing. We just see a handful of cars in their parking lot. SAAT is not doing much better, We haven't received a full salary since February 2020, most months we get 50% of our basic which is about 30% of our normal salary as we had all sorts of additional stuff like OT, call outs, allowances etc every month which is no longer. We have had 25% 2 months and last month we got 75%(They owe me over R100k, SAAT salary debt is just over R144bar). Our pay slips still show 100% but we don't get that amount, we just get an IOU letter. Sunday is D day for the government to pay the BRP that 10.5 billion. SAAT and Mango are meant to get 1 billion each from SAA. If the government don't pay it then the BRP close up and the airline gets liquidated but the debt is so much it is cheaper for them to pay the 10.5 billion(how scary is that). Mango and Comair also owe SAAT A LOT of money(I know the figures but not sure I should post them here).

Did that pilot tell you if they had received their money? Apparently they have not gotten a single cent as the 10.5 billion is meant to pay all those packages.

[Bateleur1]

The only news we get to hear is from news24................ SAA itself is currently pretty much moth balled. There are a few people that come to work each day but I have no idea what they doing. We just see a handful of cars in their parking lot. SAAT is not doing much better, We haven't received a full salary since February 2020, most months we get 50% of our basic which is about 30% of our normal salary as we had all sorts of additional stuff like OT, call outs, allowances etc every month which is no longer. We have had 25% 2 months and last month we got 75%(They owe me over R100k, SAAT salary debt is just over R144bar). Our pay slips still show 100% but we don't get that amount, we just get an IOU letter. Sunday is D day for the government to pay the BRP that 10.5 billion. SAAT and Mango are meant to get 1 billion each from SAA. If the government don't pay it then the BRP close up and the airline gets liquidated but the debt is so much it is cheaper for them to pay the 10.5 billion(how scary is that). Mango and Comair also owe SAAT A LOT of money(I know the figures but not sure I should post them here).

Did that pilot tell you if they had received their money? Apparently they have not gotten a single cent as the 10.5 billion is meant to pay all those packages.

 

He did not say.  Just mentioned he took the package.

[DJR]

We have just started prepping one of our preserved aircraft. We have been told it is going to fetch the vaccines. When we all got told to start working on the aircraft we got happy and thought SAA was starting up again. Then they told us it is just a once off to fetch the vaccine.

Better make sure it is REALLY spick & span.

[SwissVan]

No. A junkers JU-52.

 

 

There are a couple of them flying around here, mostly used for tourist sight seeing trips.

They fly really low amongst the alps...

 

Tragically last year one came unstuck killing all on board,  suspect it was due to windshear and not enough height to recover

 

Screen Shot 2019-01-09 at 11.10.00.png

 

 

So the swiss transport safety investigation board have released their report on the JU52 crash in the Alps 2 years ago

 

 

 

 

15 recommendations to improve safety following the crash of the Ju 52

 

The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) has published the final report on the crash of the Ju 52 aeroplane near Flims (canton of Grisons, Switzerland) on 4 August 2018. In its report, the STSB concludes that a number of different factors led to the accident. To improve aviation safety, the STSB has issued eight safety recommendations to the supervisory authority and seven points of safety advice to the companies concerned. The investigation does not establish blame or determine liability.

 

On 4 August 2018, a historic Junkers Ju 52 commercial aircraft known as ‘Iron Annie’, operated by Ju-Air, crashed near Flims in Switzerland. All 20 people on board lost their lives. The STSB investigated the accident in order to identify the cause of the crash. The STSB published the final report on this accident on 28 January 2021. In its report, the STSB concludes that the pilots’ actions led to the crash. Errors on the part of air operator Ju-Air – as well as negligence by the supervisory authority, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) – contributed to the circumstances in which such an accident could occur.

 

High-risk piloting was a direct cause of the accident

 

The STSB established that the pilots’ high-risk flying was a direct cause of the accident. When entering the narrow valley south-west of Piz Segnas, the flight crew piloted the aircraft at low altitude, with no possibility of an alternative flight path and at an airspeed that was dangerously low for the circumstances. As to be expected in the mountains in close proximity to the terrain, the aeroplane flew through turbulences in this valley. The high-risk manner of flying through these not unusual turbulences caused the pilots to lose control of the aircraft. The aeroplane was flying too low to allow enough space to rectify the situation, and as a result it almost vertically hit the ground.

 

Underlying factors contributed to the accident

 

In its report, the STSB identifies, among other things, the following underlying factors that contributed to the accident:

• The centre of gravity of the aeroplane was beyond the rear limit during the flight in question. This dangerous situation was caused by inadequate flight preparation and errors in the Ju-Air software.

• The pilots of the accident flight, and also a number of other pilots, had become accustomed – when working for Ju-Air – to not complying with rules for safe flight operations and taking high risks even with passengers on board.

• Ju-Air failed to recognise the significant risks in its flight operations. Furthermore, the air operator failed to prevent its pilots from repeatedly violating the rules.

• Various requirements which are intended to ensure a high level of safety for commercial passenger air transport had not been met for some time.

• FOCA’s supervisory activities failed to identify numerous safety problems at Ju-Air or were ineffective.

 

Further risks identified and safety recommendations made

 

In addition to these underlying factors, the STSB identified other risks – including that the aircraft involved in the accident was in improper mechanical condition – however, these did not contribute to the accident.

 

To improve aviation safety, the STSB has issued eight safety recommendations and seven points of safety advice in its report. The safety recommendations are addressed to FOCA as the competent supervisory authority and are intended to facilitate effective operational and technical supervision. With regards to the safety advice, the STSB is addressing the air operator Ju-Air as well as the aircraft maintenance organisations concerned. The purpose of this advice is to improve operational aspects within the organisations and to help identify and mitigate risks in a more safety-conscious manner.

 

 

 

HB-HOT_EN.pdf (admin.ch)

[Spokey]

So many accidents where the crew screw the pooch. I know it is easy to sit on the ground safely behind my iPad and comment, but honestly did these guys not give a little thought to what they are doing or planning. Why did an experienced crew head into a narrow pass when mountain winds would undoubtedly be prevalent, at a slow speed in a low powered aeroplane......mind boggles. Buggar, I know I can make mistakes and I have been fortunate to get through some dubious situations in my past as a young inexperienced guy but I like to think that I learned a lot and to not rely on my flying skills ( such as they may be) to get me out of a poor decision.

So incredible how many high time pilots succumb do poor decisions........definitely worth a read up I think.

[Bonus]

The only news we get to hear is from news24................ SAA itself is currently pretty much moth balled. There are a few people that come to work each day but I have no idea what they doing.......

 

Use the company internet?

[Long Wheel Base]

Use the company internet?

Now I know why bikehub is so slow.........

[DJR]

Now I know why bikehub is so slow.........

They still run on dialup or ASDL?

[PhilipV]

They still run on dialup or ASDL?

Get dial-up, but at the price of Fibre through their "authorized supplier."

[SwissVan]

Friday punt

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by SwissVan

[Long Wheel Base]

Get dial-up, but at the price of Fibre through their "authorized supplier."

You probably not far off, tbh.

[Long Wheel Base]

They still run on dialup or ASDL?

They used to fly on dialup, but now we run or walk.

[Bonus]

Get dial-up, but at the price of Fibre through their "authorized supplier."

 

"Many a true word is spoken in Jest" 

[Lotus]

There's always something new in aviation, and here I will include RC. Latest thing I've learned about is Dynamic Soaring - this is extreme RC flying. Gliders that hit 548mph! Check this out: 
 

 

 

For a detailed explanation of how it works
 

https://youtu.be/nv7-YM4wno8 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Lotus

[dev null]

There's always something new in aviation, and here I will include RC. Latest thing I've learned about is Dynamic Soaring - this is extreme RC flying. Gliders that hit 548mph! Check this out: 

 

 

 

For a detailed explanation of how it works

 

https://youtu.be/nv7-YM4wno8 

 

Yes, have seen a German at our field many years ago fly a glider that made some insane speeds on the downslope. Those airfoils are extremely thin.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Moridin

[Pure Savage]

There's always something new in aviation, and here I will include RC. Latest thing I've learned about is Dynamic Soaring - this is extreme RC flying. Gliders that hit 548mph! Check this out: 

 

 

 

For a detailed explanation of how it works

 

https://youtu.be/nv7-YM4wno8 

No man, this is crazy. 

 

I used to fly RC gliders and used to ping it into trees and rugby posts at 25km/h