The state arms acquisition agency Armscor has awarded ExecuJet South Africa Maintenance a contract on behalf of the South Africa Air Force for product support services for its fleet of Dassault Falcon aircraft.
The Department of Defence, in a statement, says ExecuJet had been providing the SAAF VIP squadron with maintenance support for their fleet of aircraft for the past 13 years. “ExecuJet built a good relationship with the SAAF and Armscor and we have developed a very keen understanding of the constraints, processes and procedures that drive the day-to-day business in support of the SAAF” says Steve Bothma, Maintenance Director of ExecuJet South Africa.
ExecutJet was the approved maintenance service provider for the SAAF Falcon fleet for thirteen years until August 2010. “During this period, ExecuJet made substantial investment in personnel and equipment to ensure continuity of the high level of service demanded by the SAAF, while also exploiting opportunities to reduce the cost of ownership of the Falcon fleet, the DoD release said. “ExecutJet has now regained the contract for a five-year period.”
The statement gives no financial detail. However, the South African Air Force did last month award ExecuJet a R90 million contract for product support services.
The SAAF’s 21 Squadron operates two Dassault Falcon 50 purchased second-hand in 1982 and 1985 respectively as well as a Falcon 900 operated since 1991. The SAAF has spent a fair amount of money earlier this decade upgrading these aircraft. In March 2006 over R62.2 million was spent with Duncan Aviation Inc of the US on three contracts to upgrade the Falcon 50’s. The Chief of the Air Force, Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano in March 2007 described the aircraft “as good as new.”
In August last year he noted that this notwithstanding, “you must remember our VIP fleet is very old as well. The Falcon 50s we bought second hand and they are coming up for 30 years now.”
The Falcon 900 is currently used to transport Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and also provides back-up services to President Jacob Zuma.
Provision of product support services for the South African Air Force Falcon 50 and 900 aircraft
ELGS/2010/527 11 Aug 2011 R90 000 000,00 Execujet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
Product support services for the Falcon 50 and 900 aircraft
LGS/S2011/4727 26 May 2011 R2 872 807,00 Adoair Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
Provision of product support services for the South African Air Force Falcon 50 and 900 aircraft
ELGS/2010/37 5 Aug 2010 R9 000 000,00 Adoair Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
Product support services for the Falcon aircraft – extension of ELGS/2004/19
LGS/S2010/4441 15 Jul 2010 R789 473,00 Execujet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
LGS/S2010/4377 20 May 2010 R2 000 000,00 Execujet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
LGS/S2009/4311 14 Apr 2010 R3 070 175,00 Execujet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
LGS/S2009/4238 28 Jan 2010 R3 508 771,00 Execujet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
LGS/S2009/4005 6 Aug 2009 R5 560 198,00 Execujet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd
