Category Archives: General News and Airshow Reviews
SANDF SUPPORT TO THE NATIONAL CIVIC REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE AND WREATH LAYING CEREMONY
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: Thursday, 07 November 2019
EMBARGO: None
THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE SUPPORT TO THE NATIONAL CIVIC REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE AND WREATH LAYING CEREMONY: 10 NOVEMBER 2019
The annual National Civic Remembrance Day Service and Parade will take place on Sunday 10 November 2019 at the Cenotaph, Harrison Street (Johannesburg) at 13:30 for 14:00.
This year marks the 99th consecutive year during which a tribute is paid to all who lost their lives in honour of South Africa. Since 1995 this tribute ceremony has included those who lost their lives in establishing a democratic order in South Africa.
With this event the City of Johannesburg will honour those who paid the supreme sacrifice in all wars, battles and armed struggles for freedom, democracy and peace in South Africa.
The Speaker of Council of the City of Johannesburg, Counsillor, Vasco da Gama, will be the main functionary. Military guests are invited to attend the event.
The parade will start with the trooping of various bands and then the marching columns will march past the Cenotaph, Harrison Street. Thereafter the Remembrance Day Service and wreath laying ceremony will take place.
The streets of Johannesburg will come to a standstill when a colourful marching parade passes through the streets. The parade will consist of the SANDF Regular and Reserve Forces elements, SAPS, JHB Metro Police Detachments, JHB Emergency Services Detachments, Ex-Service organisations including the Gunners Association, Sappers’ Association, SA Legion, MOTH, MOTHWA, Ex MKMVA, APLA MVA, AZANLA MVA, SA Infantry Association, Naval Officers’ Association of SA, Royal Navy Association and SA Air Force Association, Royal Air Force Association, SA Cape Corpse Regimental Association, SA Jewish Ex-Servicemen, Youth representatives, SA Red Cross, Noodhulpliga, Boys Scouts, Girl Guides, Voortrekkers, Boys and Girls Brigade, School children, Pathfinders, Youth representatives and EMS Fire Engines with lights covered with black cloths.
You are cordially invited to send a reporter or a cameraperson to cover the National Civic Remembrance Day Service and Wreath Laying Ceremony.
Ends
Issued by: Defence Corporate Communication
(Defence Media Liaison)
Pretoria
World Rally Flying Championships Training Session
World Rally Flying Championships Training session – Stellenbosch airfield (By Mary de Klerk – Photos Mary de Klerk & Rob Jonkers) 30th Oct – 2 Nov 2019
South Africa and the South African Power Flying Association (SAPFA) has won the bid to host the 2020 World Rally Flying Championships where Stellenbosch Airfield in the Western Cape has been selected as the Airfield of choice.
SAPFA has previously hosted:
1991 – 7th World Rally Flying Championships– Stellenbosch Airfield
2003 – 13th World Rally Flying Championships– Pilanesberg Airfield
2011 – 20th World Precision Flying Championships – Brits Airfield
The picturesque Stellenbosch Airfield
In 2020, the Aero Club of South Africa and the South African Power Flying Association will be celebrating their 100th Centenary Birthday. This World Championship competition will be an integral part of our celebrations.
The Programme:
7th to 14th Nov 2020 Unofficial practice
15th to 21st Nov 2020 World Rally Flying Championships
22nd to 25TH Nov 2020 General Aviation Committee (GAC) Annual meeting
The teams participating on Competition Day
Competition Director Colin Jordaan – briefing the teams
The sport of Rally Flying is aimed to improve fundamental flying skills to enable a team (Rally Crew of 2) to navigate and handle their aircraft under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) as independent of technical subsystems as possible. Thus Rally Flying enhances flying safety. This overall aim for Rally Flying is achieved by:
- Emphasizing the ability to navigate by following a set of route instructions, using basic equipment
- Emphasizing the ability to follow a precise track while adhering closely to a timing test (punctuality test)
- Emphasizing the ability to perform realistic observation tasks while navigating the aircraft on a timing test (observation test)
- Emphasizing the ability to handle the aircraft on short and narrow landing strips (landing test)
Flying the Mountain practice route – up through Bains Kloof Pass
The above tasks would demonstrate the team’s ability to perform accurately and safely. Penalties are awarded for each error incurred and the team with the lowest penalties over all competition days is ultimately the winner. The winning country is selected from the top 2 team scores from each country.
The competition map is a topographical map to the scale of 1:200 000. The routes will be set by the expert Protea Team of Frank and Cally Eckard and will be planned in the Special Rules Area, under the TMA, so maximum heights are restricted to 2000 ft AGL in the flat areas and 4000 AGL in the mountainous areas. The routes will nominally be set to the north, east and south east of the Stellenbosch Airfield.
Up to 80 Teams from the following countries are expected to participate from the following countries:
| Austria | China | Czech Republic | France |
| Germany | Hngary | Italy | Lithuania |
| Luxembourg | New Zealand | Norway | Poland |
| Russia | South Africa | Spain | Switzerland |
| United Kingdom | |||
Each Country will also bring additional crew in the form of International Judges, Team Managers, Judge Observers, Engineers, Supporters and Families.
In total we are expecting in excess of 300 of the “crème de la crème” of international aviators and their families to visit South Africa.
In preparation for the World Championships in 2020, SAPFA decided to hold a “mini training session” in Stellenbosch from 30th Oct – 2nd Nov 2019. The objective was to bring all parties together in order to execute a ‘Mock Event’ utilising all available services in order to iron out any potential wrinkles ahead of the main event in 2020.
Poland’s Michal Wieczorek preparing for a practice route with Mary de Klerk
An enormous amount of work went into the preparation for this event. The SAPFA and WRFC Committees meet monthly and have worked tirelessly to ensure that the following sections were adequately covered:
- Aircraft Hire and Insurance – Mostly C152s and C172s were flown in from various surrounding airfields – a huge logistical task excellently handled by Chareen Shillaw
- Licence Validations – This took many hours of work and CAA meetings to finally arrive at a smooth operation – outstandingly arranged by Frank Eckard, Rob Jonkers and Marko Nel.
- Stellenbosch Hospitality – Magnificently hosted by Anton Theart, Frank Olsen and the incredible teams running the newly renovated Stellenbosch Flying Club.
- ATNS and Safety Planning – Professional approach by Rikus Erasmus, Nigel Musgrave and ATNS (with Santjie White and her team always ready in the wings)
- Route Planning – World Class Routes planned by Cally and Frank Eckard showcasing some of the most breathtakingly stunning scenery in the world over the mountains, the sea, and the wine farms of the Western Cape.
- Judging took place under the auspices of our well-seasoned international judges Jacques Jacobs, Ursula Schwebel and all their helpers.
- Colin Jordaan (ex SAA / CAA), well versed in the art of Precision and Rally flying took up the mantle of Competition Director with ease.
The opportunity to practice in Stellenbosch was snapped up by the French, Polish, Swiss and Austrian international teams. The South African teams including current and potential Protea members also participated. An interesting mix of 2 united teams from different countries also took part. Michal Wieczorek from Poland flew with Mary de Klerk from South Africa and Mauritz du Plessis flew with Nicola from France.
Theewaterskloof Dam
Some teams arrived a few days early to take advantage of some tourism opportunities. The plan was to run open practice days from Wed – Friday and then the competition on Saturday 2nd Nov. However no one anticipated SA getting into the World Cup Rugby Finals so the plan was changed to accommodate this event. The Competition was flown on Friday 1st to allow all participants to watch the game live in the various SFC hosting restaurant facilities…… a truly memorable event!!!! Training then resumed after the match on Saturday 2nd Nov.
Steep climb angle to fly over the Maanskynkop
The competition route on Friday was a route to the south east of Stellenbosch, with high overcast weather predicted with strong upper winds of up to 20 kts. The route took the teams just south of Sir Lowry’s Pass, remaining in the high ground and mountain areas until a steep descent to the coast to Voelklip, then along the coast all the way past Hermanus, with whales visible just off the river mouth in Walkerbay. From there the surprise steep climb up Maanskynkop, everybody having to snake their way over the top, and then into the Caledon valley up to the Theewaterskloof dam, and then back over the ridge of the Hotentots-Holland mountains to find the sharp bend in the railway line that goes up Sir Lowry’s pass, then to the finish point through Kleinnek which is just abeam the Helderberg. This was a very scenic route, as the whole Cape is, with many of the competitors being distracted from flying the route rather enjoying the scenery….
Coming up to Kleinnek passing the Helderberg on the left
The French Team are well supported by their French Sporting Federation and therefore have to stick strictly to the Team Managers rules for training with little ‘free time’ to play. This discipline showed up in their final results with all 6 French Teams finishing in the top 10 positions.
The final results for all competitors were:
Third placed Alexis Fuchs and Adele Schramm with Colin Jordaan
Second Placed Michal Wieczorek and Mary de Klerk
First placed Olivier Riviere and Jerome Jireau with Colin Jordaan & Frank Eckard
The South African Rally Flying National Championships will take place at the Stellenbosch Flying Club from 2-4 April 2020. The final Protea Team to represent South Africa at the World Championships will be selected at this event. Ideally SAPFA are hoping to select an “A” team and a “B” team to give some newbies the opportunity to experience a real World Championships Event. Jonty Esser has been appointed as Chief Protea Team Coach and will be publishing a training schedule soon.
Thanks to African Pilot we have a great website to capture all events, pictures, information, results live tracking etc http://www.worldrallyflyingchampionship2020.com/
Thanks also to DJ Aviation for their contribution in supporting excess insurance on the hire aircraft that were made available for the international teams.
We are now investigating all avenues for financial and service support to ensure that we can deliver a world class event in 2020. Any further information and be mailed to info@wrfc2020.com
The French Team
Celebrating Rally Veteran Ron Stirk’s 70th Birthday on 1st Nov 2019
Ladysmith Aviation Career Expo & Airshow 2019
Kwa-Zulu Natal got to see their second airshow in the province this year after Newcastle Airshow during the early period of the South African Airshow calendar . Ladysmith was the chosen airport to host the Aviation Career expo and airshow on the 25th and 26th October 2019,with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) supporting the whole event.
The Ladysmith Airfield goes back many years and with the Ladysmith Hotel in close proximity, the actual hotel was the airfields old terminal building which was opened by Brigadier C.G Ross,C.BE.,D.F.C on the 26th October 1950. The airfield is home to a small flight school and hangers other small aircraft for private use.
Friday 25th October youth from surrounding school in Ladysmith and the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province got to know more about the aviation industry through the help of Civil Aviation Authority providing an Awareness drive to the children with talks by pilots, engineers and getting to network with display pilots in preparation for the following days airshow.
Free to the public was this years Ladysmith airshow, with the South African Airforce Silver Falcons Aerobatic team 83 in formation with Major Geoffrey “Spartan” Cooper in a JAS39D Gripen. Major Omphile Matloane possibly completing his last airshow display as Falcon one as he will be moving on to instruct on helicopters at 87 Helicopter Flying School in Bloemfontein next year.
The Silver Falcons completed their display with two training livery aircraft from, Central Flying School at Airforce Base Langebaanweg in the Western Cape.Falcon 8 Capital Sounds Brian Emmenis produced the commentary for their show and all other display acts of the day.
The three jet display were part of the exciting program with the roar of the might 2 Squadron Gripen in which we saw two different gripens during the course of the day. In the morning we had ‘3905’ JAS39D dual seater and in the afternoon the solo display with ‘3916’ which was again put through its paces by Geoffrey “Spartan” Cooper. The Gripen operated out of Airforce Base Waterkloof in Pretoria as made it to Ladysmith within 20 minutes of flight time!
Glen Warden flew the L29 Delphin, an ex eastern block jet trainer and Airlink displayed one of their Embraer E190s which made brilliant photo opportunities as one doesn’t see a airliner fly in Ladysmith everyday .
The Goodyear Eagles Pitts display team flew their four ship display, Team Extreme was present with 3 aircraft and once again showed off their famous knife edge passes before heading back to Rand Airport as large thunder storms closed the show off.
The South African Airforce also had a 17 Squadron Agusta A109LUH on static display. A 44 Squadron Casa 212 flew some of the lucky youth on Saturday morning before the show by Major Nick Green, Major Ashley Naxhe and Flight Saregent Jaques De Kock.
“Little Annie” an Antonov An2 flown by Jon-Marc Hill and Ryan Smith were the jump ship for this show and dropped some of the Adventure Skydiving members, with Ralph Ridge flying South Africa’s biggest flag.
André van Zyl flew his Magni Gyrocopter display and most probably the best Gyrocopter display. André has now displayed both in South Africa,Botswana and recently Mozambique!
Flying Display Director from Airshow South Africa “ASSA” Rickus Erasmus,Safety director Colonel Francois “Hose” Hanekom, Ramp Controller Cliff Lotter and Louise Hofmeyr as airshow programme director.
Well done to Ms Poppy Khoza and her team at the South African Civil Aviation Authority on providing a great variety of aircraft for a CAA Airshow. We look forward to the last show of the year at Polokwane as part of International Civil Aviation Day ‘ICAD’,which will also form part of an airshow.
Do you want the Russians to return?
During the past week those in Gauteng were treated to some special visitors… the Russians, an African first for the landing of The Tupolev Tu-160 in Africa, and that in our very own South Africa.
The General that headed the team that visited South Africa mentioned the they might return soon during the farewell function held Friday evening.
One of the crew also dropped that they could be returning in 2020 during the time spend at O.R Tambo international Airport.
2020 We see the next Addition of Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD2020) and also be celebrating SAAF100. Just maybe they will return!
Loading ...Below is and video of the Tupolev Tu-160’s departing ORTIA in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Ladysmith Airshow 2019 What to expect
2nd last Airshow for South African Airshow season for 2019
The Ladysmith Airshow is set to take place this Saturday 26th October at the Ladysmith airfield in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
This year KZN only saw one Airshow in the province in Newcastle. Some Airshow favorites are to take to the skies including the mighty 2 Squadron Gripen, Silver Falcons Team 83, Little Annie and the Puma Flying Lions Harvard’s and many more!
This will be the Silver Falcons and Gripen second appearance at a airshow in KZN this year. Ladysmith visitors be prepared for a good rumble which will echo far into the Drakensberg mountains.
Team Extreme Extra 330s
The Airshow is free to the public and a youth awareness day will be held on 25th October.
Some of the action for this weekend’s Department of Transport (South Africa) celebrating Transport month, to be hosted at Ladysmith Airport.
Ladysmith Flying Club
Silver Falcons Aerobatic Team and Gripen Flypast
Gyro flat Display
L29 Jet
Team Xtreme Airshows
Gripen
The Flying Lions
Big Flag Jump, From Little Annie
Gyro Disply
Goodyear Eagles Aerobatic Team
190 Fly AirlinkAirlink
Extra 300 Solo
Little Annie
Flying Lions flypast and depart
Goodyear eagles Flypast and depart
Silver Falcons Aerobatic Team
Puma Flying Lions Harvards
Two Russian TU-160 Bombers to land on South African Soil for the first time
A Pair of TU-160 BlackJacks will for the first time ever be landing on South African soil on the 23rd October 2019 at Airforce Base Waterkloof in the City Of Tshwane, South Africa as part of developing bilateral military cooperation and work out issues of interaction between the Russian Aerospace Forces and the South African Airforce.
The Blackjacks were scheduled to land the morning of the 22 October, but got delayed by 24 Hours. The bombers will be escorted in by the SAAFs Hawk and Gripen fighter aircraft and in this case will give our fighter pilots interception practise.
The Tu-160 Known to NATO as the Blackjack is a supersonic military missile carrier developed in the 1970s by aerospace and defence company Tupolev. It is considered the largest and heaviest supersonic aircraft ever built and is dubbed the “White Swan” for its vast wingspan, painted with anti-flash white.
Entry point into SA will be Durban
The aircraft will be flying a non-stop route from Engels Air Base to Waterkloof Airforce Base. Engels Air Force Base (also given as Engels-2 or Engel’s) is a strategic bomber military airbase in Russia located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia’s sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber.
The base has a 3,500-metre (11,500 ft) runway and about 10 large revetments. It is named after the nearby Engels City, which in its turn is named after the Communist philosopher, Friedrich Engels.
A Russian Antonov 124 and IL62 are already at Waterkloof.Tomorrow we will be able to see the aircraft arrive and provide more information and detailed pictures.
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Eswatini Ligwalagwala Airshow 2019
With the shadows of the different plateaus the Matsapha International airport situated near the town of Mbabane. The Kingdom of Eswatini hosted a successful airshow ,as hundreds flocked to the airport to see South African displays teams both civilian and the South African Airforce as well as the Airforce of Zimbabwe in action.
For both the South African Airforce and the Airforce of Zimbabwe, this was a big deployment for both countries. This was one of the first shows that the South African Airforce have attended a cross border show since 2006,where the SAAF attended a airshow in Maputo Mozambique.
The Chief of the South African Airforce Lieutenant General Fabian Zimpande “Zakes” Msimang and his wife , HRH Prince Sicalo Dlamini who also flew the Alouette in the parade and many other VIPS attended the show.
Hot and humid, but perfectly clear skies, the show began with the ever popular Goodyear Eagles Aerobatic Team led by ex South African Airways Captain Dennis Spence flying with his team of Pitts S2Bs.Soon after the Prince of Eswatini flew one of the Eswatini Airwing Alouette III Helicopters as a cavalcade of emergency vehicles to promenade , the show as it was opened. Dennis Spence also raced a car with one of the Pitts Specials where the aircraft won the race!
Capital Sounds super team, Brian Emmenis and Elvis Manene once again pulled off excellent commentary on both aircraft and pilots in command during all show slots. Other team member’s who helped make sure sound was the number one priority to get out to the public was Eric Nkomo,Wesley van Zyl and Daniel Mashego,Ricky Fouche, Keith Fryer was air boss for the show, with Keith Andrew as Ramp director with the help of Matsapha airport officials.
The South African Airforce displayed the new team 83 of the Silver Falcons who flew all the way from their home at Central Flying School Airforce Base Langebaanweg with the outgoing lead Major Omphile Matolane,Sivu Tangana,Bheki Shabungu and newbie in the team Major Lehlonoholo Malokane.
Other South African Airforce assets included a 44 Squadron Casa 212 from AFB Waterkloof and a 19 Squadron Oryx Helicopter. The Oryx provided a fast roping demonstration as well as a short capability demo of the helicopter itself. The crew for the Oryx were Major Altaaf Sheik and Co-pilot Lieutenant Colonel Stefan King, the Flight engineer Flight Sargent Justice Mthombeni .The Golden Eagles Parachute display team also were present with Adventure Skydive member’s making up the large paradrop.
The Airforce of Zimbabwe brought two K8 jet trainers one for static and one for a flying display. Their ground crews were brought in by a Casa 212,which was also utilised for the parachute jump.
Team Extreme led by Nigel Hopkins, Jason Beamish, Mark Sampson and Mark Hensmen flew their high energy tight aerobatic routine with a knife edge pass making an easy photo to get with the modern cell phone.
Menno Parsons brought his P51D Mustang Sally, a first for Eswatini to have this beautiful warbird have her gun barrels whistling during her display. Menno’s team also brought a Pilatus PC12 for static display.
Radial engines also echoed through the hills near Matsapha Airport with Ivan van der Schaar in his Randolph Sponsored Boeing Stearmen. Little Annie the Anotnov An2 flown by Mark and Jon-Marc Hill flew a solo routine with a surprise marshmallow drop as the crowds roared with tears and joy as marshmallows fell from the sky. Little Annie also raced one of the airports Tractor vehicles where things got tight in the race which led the worlds biggest bi-plane to win!
To the Eswatini people, I’m sure you enjoyed your airshow as we did. A huge congratulations must go out to the organisers , HRH Prince Sicalo Dlamini Capital Sounds,Calinyasti Kunene,Eswatini Defence Force, Eswatini CAA and to all pilots and ground crews for a safe show. Until next year, we cant wait!
SAA A350
SAA A350’s soon to be seen at OR Thambo International as well as Cape Town International!
In August 2014 Airbus sent their newly built A350-900, F-WWYB, to Johannesburg for some testing. She arrived on Friday evening 2 August 2014 (A350 XWB Route proving Tour Trip 3 from TLS to JHB with flight number AIB301 which took 9h35mins) and departed on Monday morning 4 August 2014 (A350 XWB Route proving Tour Trip 3 form JHB to SYD with flight number AIB303 which took 21h1min). During her visit here, high altitude auto landing trials (with flight number AIB302 which took 3h14mins) were performed on RWY 03L and 03R on Saturday 3 August 2014. There was huge excitement among plane spotters and the aviation community in general as everyone could picture and A350 in an SAA (South African Airways) livery.
The reality at that stage was that we would not see any A350 in SAA livery any time soon. That all changed a few months back when there were rumours that SAA might be leasing two. Again the excitement picked up and when the news broke during early July 2019, the wait for their arrival could not be soon enough.
So why did why did SAA opt for the two A350’s? SAA want to replace its 4-engine operated aircraft with 2-engine operated new technology aircraft. The A350s are such 2-engine new technology aircraft, capable of flying the Ultra-long New York route. The lease is for 3 years and when we asked SAA if we can expect more than two A350’s, we were told that “This is a possibility we cannot rule out”.
All this is good news and you may be asking yourself: when will they arrive? Where will I be able to spot/see or maybe even fly the SAA A350? We will be able to see them arrive during October 2019 and are likely to be seen at OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport and if you are to fly domestic, you may end up in an A350 while in the beginning of their operations when the A350’s are being introduced into service.
Now all the technical stuff:
Registration: ZS-SDC
Serial number: 226
Aircraft Type: A350-941
Engine Type: 2 x RR Trent XWB-84
Test Registration: F-WZFG
Production Site: Toulouse, France (TLS)
Age of Aircraft: 1 y 1 m (Jul 2018)
Current registration: B-304Z
Currently with: Hainan Airlines
Will be leased from: Avolon Aerospace
Registration: ZS-SDD
Serial number: 245
Aircraft Type: A350-941
Engine Type: 2 x RR Trent XWB-84
Test Registration: F-WZNX
Production Site: Toulouse, France (TLS)
Age of Aircraft: 0 y 11 m (Oct 2018)
Current registration: B-305A
Currently with: Hainan Airlines
Will be leased from: Avolon Aerospace
Dimensions:
Overall length: 66.80m
Cabin length: 51.04m
Fuselage width: 5.96m
Max cabin width: 5.61m
Wing span (geometric): 64.75m
Height: 17.05m
Track: 10.60m
Wheelbase: 28.66m
Capacity:
Typical seating 3-class: 300-350
Cargo capacity underfloor (LD3): 36
Max pallet number underfloor: 11
Performance:
Range: 15 000km
Mmo: M0.89
Max ramp weight: 280.90 tonnes
Max take-off weight: 280.00 tonnes
Max landing weight: 207.00 tonnes
Max zero fuel weight: 195.70 tonnes
Max fuel capacity: 141 000 litres
Take-off (MTOW, SL, ISA): 2 600 m (8 500 ft.)
Landing (MLW, SL, ISA): 2 000 m (6 600 ft.)
Service ceiling: 13 100 m (43 100 ft.)
First flight: 14 June 2013
Introduction: 15 January 2015 with Qatar Airways
We cannot wait for their arrival and spotting them at either OR Tambo International Airport or Cape Town International Airport!
Exercise Cobra Warrior 2019
Exercise Cobra Warrior 2019
By Vincent Hopper
Beginning on the 2nd September from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, Exercise Cobra Warrior 2019 see’s participants from the Italian, German and Israeli air forces. Eurofighter Typhoon 2000s from Italy and Germany have been joined by Israeli Air Force F-15 C & D variants from 106 Spearhead Squadron.
The exercise is joined RAF and USAF airforces operating out of their respective UK bases. Along with support aircraft the exercise includes as many as 50 aircraft.
The purpose of Cobra Warrior 2019 is to train and qualify weapons instructors in tactical environments.
With most flying taking part on Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s and with two sorties a day it is drawing large crowds of enthusiasts from the UK and Europe.
These photographs were taken on Wednesday 11th September and the exercise will run through to 20th September 2019
The Exercise Director, Group Captain Robert Barrett said: “The RAF welcomes the participation of our Air Force colleagues from other nations and we welcome the opportunity to train alongside all of the participating nations’ forces on this challenging exercise.”
“Cobra Warrior offers us the opportunity to complete training within the Mission Employment Phase for our future Weapons Instructors. The level of training combined with the variety of training partners help achieve the required standards within the Weapons School Criteria.“
Lieutenant Colonel Dirk Pingel
The head of Weapons Instructor Training for the German Air Force
“We are honoured to participate again in this very demanding and well organised international exercise. It will be a chance to fly with a selection of the best Weapon Instructors of the participating countries. Sharing our experiences will mutually increase our capabilities.”
Colonel Urbano Floreani
The 4th Wing Commander, from the Italian Air Force
